Chapter 149
Chapter 149
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: What Are You Relying On?
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Who the hell did this guy think he was, talking to me like that? In informal speech, no less. I stared at him for a moment before speaking.
"Then what are you relying on to act so cocky?"
This guy wasn't a hunter. His suit screamed some government agency like the National Intelligence Service.
"The Korean government."
I let out a hollow laugh at his response. Relying on the Korean government to strut around like that.
This was one of the classic mistakes people in organizations made. They thought their group was invincible, forgetting it was the group doing the heavy lifting, not them.
I placed my hand on the table and pressed down lightly with my index finger. It sank into the wood like tofu, leaving a hole.
"Buddy. You've been grinding my nerves. What if I put a hole just like this one right in your forehead?"
"Ha, are you threatening me right now? This conversation is being recorded."
Recorded? And? I wiggled my finger around on the table, carving out a convex shape.
"Do I strike you as one of those flashy, polite, goody-two-shoes famous hunters?"
The public saw me as a capable hunter, not a nice one. So no one would be shocked or disappointed if word got out that I was mouthing off to some government suit.
"So what, you're gonna kill a government official?"
"What do you think?"
I stood up slowly, planted both hands on the table, and shoved my face right up to his.
"Do I look like I'd kill you? And even if I did, do you really think the Korean government would issue a warrant for me?"
He fell silent at my words. He was scrambling for a comeback, but he had none.
"If you were President Jo Won-hoon, it'd be different. But you're just some mid-level government drone."
I placed my hand on top of his head.
"Even if I smashed your skull right now like a watermelon hit with a sledgehammer, the Korean government wouldn't lift a finger."
Not in the current situation, at least. They were about to mobilize Korean hunters en masse to deal with Gonsalok, and every skilled hunter was precious.
And Headhunter's track record so far was enough to impress even other hunters.
After Gonsalok was handled, maybe. But right now? The government couldn't touch me.
"…."
His eyes were wide, staring at me. He was trying to look composed, but his trembling pupils and ashen face gave him away.
I patted his head a couple times and sat back down.
"So let's be civil, stay calm, and talk politely. No need to ruffle feathers, right?"
After a brief silence, he stood up as if he'd made up his mind.
"Hunter Yoo Chan-seok, I don't think there's any point continuing this conversation."
And just like that. I paused for a second, then grinned.
"Since I'm not budging, you're gonna go poke at Jeong No-hoon instead, huh?"
He said nothing and rose from his seat.
"Go on home. Enjoy that fancy seolleongtang."
I got up without protest, left the hotel security room, and headed back to the suite where Han Sang-ah was waiting.
"Oh, you're back."
"You actually ordered it."
Three bowls of delivered seolleongtang caught my eye. No pots needed.
"Jeong No-hoon isn't back yet, so let's wait."
Han Sang-ah nodded and glanced at the table. Playing cards were laid out on it.
"What've you been up to?"
"Klondike."
I glanced at the card setup and chuckled.
"That's just Windows Solitaire."
"Yeah, that's what it's more famous for."
I watched her play for a bit until the door beeped open. Jeong No-hoon walked in, looking unusually serious.
"Jeong, what's with the face?"
"Chan-seok. I'm trying to believe I made the right call. Sit down for a sec—we need to talk."
I plopped onto the sofa. Jeong No-hoon opened his mouth.
"Those suits tried to convince me to confess."
"Confess, huh. The fact you're telling me means they didn't get what they wanted."
He nodded.
"And it also means I didn't get what they promised."
"What'd they promise?"
He took a deep breath. I reached out sideways without a word. The hotel fridge opened, and a bottle of water flew into my hand.
I handed it to him. He chugged it and spoke.
"I was married once. Divorced now. My ex is paralyzed from the waist down. My fault."
"What happened?"
He clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly before answering.
"She was a doctor, volunteering in Yanggu. I was a hunter back then too. Anyway, we were drinking there on our anniversary."
Anniversary. Nothing wrong with that.
"Nice day, right? We both got wasted. Then suddenly, Yanggu's defense line broke, and monsters started heading south."
They'd planned to evacuate. Jeong No-hoon wasn't top-tier back then, so he couldn't handle the monsters, and his civilian wife sure as hell couldn't.
"Civilian evac transport was an hour out. She said just wait. We were both drunk anyway."
But he thought differently.
"I couldn't wait an hour. Too risky. We had our own car, so…."
He bowed his head and muttered.
"Drunk driving. Fuck. Should've just waited."
Wasted out of his mind, he drove to escape. Sped too fast. The result was obvious.
"I'm a hunter, so I'm tough. The crash hurt, but nothing major. She wasn't a hunter."
Car accident. Paralyzed from the waist down.
"My choice ruined her life forever. She needed two things."
First, enough money to live comfortably despite the disability. Even in a normal world, that cost a fortune. Now? Even more.
"Money I can make. As a hunter, no scruples, I can scrape it together. The problem's the second."
Someone always by her side. Money alone wasn't enough for a disabled person.
"If I'm busting my ass for cash, I can't be there for her."
He leaned back on the sofa.
"I yelled at her, threatened her, got the divorce. Then talked to one of her friends."
He sends the money he earns to her friend, who passes it on and cares for her.
"Picked a guy friend on purpose. She's remarried to him now."
His ex now has plenty of money and constant care.
"I made her miserable, but she's happy now. Though she curses me out whenever I show up on TV. I acted like a total asshole to force the divorce."
I see. I made a vague face.
"You think that was for the best?"
"No. Best would've been not being stubborn and waiting for the evac bus."
He scratched his head furiously.
"I paralyzed her and killed her doctor career. Fuck, no one wants a wheelchair-bound doc treating them. Like a bald guy running a hair loss clinic."
His voice sank as he continued.
"Don't say I shouldn't have divorced. If she'd stayed with me… she'd be alone in an empty house, dreams shattered."
He sighed deeply and drained the water bottle.
"Her personality, she'd say she was fine. But keeping her around would've been selfish—holding onto her out of guilt and lingering feelings after what I did."
Now I could guess what the suits said to him.
"They offered to help your ex?"
"Yeah. Not just 'help'—major support. They couldn't threaten her life, though. I've got plenty of people guarding her."
He looked up at me.
"I kept my mouth shut."
"Good call. Whatever they offered, I'll make sure you earn more."
He nodded.
"I believe you can."
"Look at what we've done so far. Think about what we can do next."
I don't trust people easily. Got burned too many times in that other world.
But if someone trusts me and gives something up for it, I owe them not to make them regret it.
Least that's what decent humans do.
"Heard enough. Let's eat seolleongtang."
He eyed the soup and said,
"Might as well get the deluxe version. Little miss chaebol hands are tiny."
His tone was back to normal. Probably thought he'd killed the mood with the heavy story. No need.
"Jeong, shut up and eat."
He didn't seem to want the gloom, so I'd play along.
Hotels ban cooking, but presidential suites don't care. We boiled the seolleongtang and sat at the table.
As we ate, I declared,
"When the government blows up the Gonsalok issue and mobilizes Korean hunters, remember one thing."
Jeong No-hoon and Han Sang-ah looked up from their meals.
"We're in for hell."
"Hearing that makes my mouth water."
Jeong No-hoon muttered.
"Different from before. If we don't dominate Gonsalok, the second we return to Korea, it's suffering central."
Government sending people to tempt Jeong No-hoon and threaten me. Han Sang-ah was somewhat insulated, thanks to her dad Han Sang-cheol of Geumyang Group.
But courtesy only lasts until things get rough.
"So what's your point?"
"Rest up. The moment they drop the Gonsalok bomb, it's nonstop grind."
Nothing new. They were prepared.
Han Sang-ah jumped in like she'd been waiting.
"We can rent a cabana at the hotel pool. All-day gets free BBQ platter, hot dog set, chadol baemsam, black pork sweet-and-sour, four signature cocktails, 5L beer, and five drinks."
Jeong No-hoon and I stared blankly. She glanced between us cautiously.
"…Craft beer."
"Can't say no to craft beer and BBQ."
Jeong No-hoon reacted instantly.