Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Headhunter's Call to Arms
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We began preparing to conquer Jaun Valley, each of us taking on our assigned roles.
My role until we actually hunted Jaun Valley was basically that of a figurehead.
Even though the three of us—Han Sang-ah, Jeong Oh-hoon, and I—were operating under the Headhunter name, neither Han Sang-ah nor Jeong Oh-hoon could match my public recognition.
"What is this, some idol doing pre-album promo tours?"
It couldn't be helped. Subjugating Jaun Valley required a lot of hunters, and gathering them meant we had no choice but to do this kind of thing.
This wasn't just about making money. It was preparation for taking down a grade-1 Erosion Core.
"I really hate this."
I muttered to myself as I killed time in the waiting room, staring blankly into space. People were paying a lot of attention to me.
Right now, things were going well and I hadn't caused any trouble, so everyone was fawning over me. But people's worship could turn to hatred and criticism in an instant.
They say public opinion can plummet to rock bottom. And that drop often happens in less than a day.
A staff member called me out of the waiting room, and the broadcast began. It was like a talk show.
The host and I sat on a large stage, with an audience selected by lottery seated to watch our conversation.
As soon as the show started, we exchanged light questions and answers about trivial matters.
Simple self-introductions, what I'd been up to lately... that sort of thing. It was like stretching before a workout.
"By the way, what exactly was the gimmick in Bratsk's Fridge?"
The atmosphere had been smoothly guided along until it gradually shifted to the main topic. It was only natural that people had taken such an interest in me after my successful subjugation of the grade-1 Erosion Core, Bratsk's Fridge.
There were bound to be tons of things they wanted to ask me about it.
"It felt like a kind of puzzle. If Hunter Han Sang-ah and I hadn't worked together, both of us probably would have died there."
I started like that, then slowly continued.
The monsters where Han Sang-ah acted as my eyes while I moved the body to take them down... the struggles we went through to remove the Erosion Core's nucleus, and the two-week process of clearing out the Erosion Core afterward.
Stories like that.
"And they say that if it hadn't been for Hunter Yoo Chan-seok, the incident in Seoul could have caused massive casualties."
I shook my head with a smile.
"There are plenty of hunters in Korea besides me. I think others could have handled it just fine."
I planned to downplay anything related to So Hwi. There was still too much I didn't know, and it wasn't something to talk about carelessly.
"It's regrettable that casualties occurred despite our best efforts."
That was the end of the dark topics, and afterward came a string of personal questions about me.
The questions and answers were scripted anyway, and I'd memorized the script inside and out, so there was no trouble handling them.
"Having overcome so many incidents together with Hunter Han Sang-ah, you two must share a special bond."
Ah, this wasn't in the script. At least not in mine. I thought that to myself and gave a simple reply.
"Didn't we say we got married?"
The celebrity who'd asked burst out laughing at my words.
"Your response at the Donghae City press conference was memorable. But a lot of people are genuinely curious."
So, they wanted a real answer, huh. Fine, no reason not to give one. Besides, I was planning to get to the point of why I was even here.
"Right now, Hunter Han Sang-ah and I share the same goal. Her aim is to one day take down Club Shaday, one of the Great Eight. Mine is to wipe out every Erosion Core in the world."
I paused for a moment before opening my mouth again.
"And now we have Hunter Jeong Oh-hoon joining us. The three of us plan to operate as a small team called Headhunter going forward."
"So you'll keep relying on each other with Hunter Han Sang-ah from here on out."
The audience let out a strange cheer.
Wow, they're really pushing this to the end, huh? Fine, let's go crazy. I smiled and said,
"Should I snap a selfie with Sang-ah on a motel bed and send it over?"
At my words, the host, staff, and audience—all their faces froze in an instant. Why the stiff expressions? This seemed exactly like what they wanted. And conveniently, it was live broadcast.
"Stop asking pointless questions. People are dying right now as we speak, and monsters are popping up out of nowhere in the heart of Seoul without any Erosion Core or Erosion Zone."
I continued toward the celebrity who'd asked, wearing an exasperated look.
"I'd appreciate it if you took our work as hunters a bit more seriously."
They'd gone off-script with that question and were steering it in that direction, which was starting to piss me off.
"I get it, though. With most hunters not doing their jobs properly."
At my words, the faces—which I'd thought couldn't get any worse—stiffened even more.
"No one's doing anything, right? Has anyone heard of a grade-1 Erosion Core being subjugated lately? Besides me."
There hadn't been any grade-1 subjugations recently before I cleared Bratsk's Fridge.
"Is it because hunters lack the ability? No. There are plenty more skilled than me."
So what the hell were those guys doing?
"That's why Han Sang-ah, Jeong Oh-hoon, and I decided to team up."
Grade-1 Erosion Core subjugation.
"Of course, it's dangerous and difficult. I've experienced Erosion Cores from grade 3 up to grade 1. Grades 3 and 2 were manageable enough, but grade 1 is on another level."
Grades 3 and 2 were so-so. But grade 1 required staking your life. Just like Lee Se-eun had warned, you had to be prepared to lose everything.
"Since no one's doing it, we'll do it. We'll gather hunters, prepare, and charge in to clear out the Erosion Cores staked like tent pegs all over the world."
I didn't think there was anything wrong with doing it for the money, either. But I couldn't say that here. No need to reveal my real thoughts in a place like this anyway.
Just provoke a bit, come off as arrogant, and stimulate the other hunters watching this broadcast.
That was the goal from the start.
"If you want to make money, find another job. How can you not feel ashamed when others are risking their lives to eliminate Erosion Cores?"
Now the host and staff looked like they couldn't care less about my relationship with Han Sang-ah.
So why'd you poke the bear? I'm a pro at starting fires. The host tried his best to salvage the situation. But this wasn't a fire that could be put out.
Right now, I'd verbally stabbed most of Korea's hunter companies. It was way beyond what one host could handle.
"But isn't Hunter Yoo Chan-seok resting right now too?"
In the end, the host gave up on extinguishing the fire I'd started. Instead, he seemed determined to burn me with it.
"I'm not resting. In Hunter Jeong Oh-hoon's case, I evaluated him as having high potential, but judged that he needed to draw it out before we could team up."
After finishing, I took a sip of water and continued.
"And our preparations are almost done now. Han Sang-ah, Jeong Oh-hoon, and I will operate as Team Headhunter from here on, and our next target is the grade-1 Erosion Core Jaun Valley in Changchun City."
"Hunter Jeong Oh-hoon is a pretty controversial figure."
I snorted at the host's words and replied.
"Do monsters in Erosion Zones get weaker if they meet a nice guy? You fight monsters with skill, not personality."
Even a hunter with a pure heart wanting to save people can't do shit without skill—they just get their heads ripped off by monsters. That's the world.
"I don't need a good hunter. I need a capable one."
"Does that mean criminals are fine too?"
I answered the host.
"Can't criminals hunt monsters? We're talking about fighting things that can yank people's heads out of soft soil like pulling radishes if you clench a little."
I'm not saying hire pedophiles at kindergartens or robbers as apartment security.
If they die fighting monsters, they go to hell or rot underground. And the topic of our conversation wasn't whether criminals should be hunters, anyway.
"Thanks to the Great Senior's exploits, Korea's situation is overwhelmingly better than other countries."
Current Korea had so much clout that even if the foreign minister called the Chinese "chinks" in public, China couldn't say a word.
Honestly, I didn't like that Great Senior much either. He boldly topped Hope's List or whatever and then vanished.
No one knew where he was or what he was doing now. But criticizing him worldwide was basically asking to die, so I wouldn't touch it.
"But what are we doing on the foundation he sacrificed to build? Most hunters today are just clinging to the status quo. They're steeped in conservatism."
They're afraid of losing their built-up fame and fortune, so they do nothing.
"I don't think all hunters are like that. But you all know who I'm talking about. The ones coming to mind right now? Yeah, them."
For example? Taebaek's Sung Si-hoon, or the now-dead So Hwi.
"Team Headhunter is different from those kinds of hunters. And I'm certain there are others out there who share our mindset."
Skill shortages are fine. We're selective only with core team members anyway. We team up temporarily when goals align, then go our separate ways after.
"Want fame? Fine. A better world? Great. Or just chasing big risks for big rewards? That's okay too."
Motives? Doesn't matter. Even impure ones are fine.
"Everyone lives for their own purposes."
Getting hundreds to rally under one flag requires brainwashing otherwise.
Different purposes are fine as long as we're heading the same direction. Anyway, seems like I've done what I came here for. The broadcast folks probably don't want this to drag on either.
The host desperately tried to wrap things up. Honestly, I think salvaging it was impossible.
So why pull that yellow journalism crap? I wouldn't have set this broadcast on fire otherwise.
"Wonder if Sang-ah and Oh-hoon are doing alright."
While I was suffering through this, those two weren't slacking either.