Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Does the Hunter Mama Dream of Her Exclusive Baby? (5)
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Like the joke among hunters that if a fishy stench suddenly hits you, an exchange center is nearby. In stark contrast to the pristine building, the exchange center on the first floor throbbed with a pungent, acrid reek.
It was like the peculiar rotten stench from a butcher shop bloated up tenfold. Either way, one thing was crystal clear: it wasn't a smell anyone would want to savor.
My party and I were sitting in the exchange center, ground zero for that rotten stink, waiting for today's monster materials to be swapped for cash.
The counter was enormous, but there were hardly any people. It felt like a bank that reeked of raw meat instead of carrying a faint, pleasant aroma. In any case, it wasn't a cozy vibe.
"How much longer do you think it'll take?"
"O-one, t-two, th-thirty minutes or so?"
Moon Hayeon fiddled with my hand as she answered.
Fair enough. Checking the condition of every hide and bone wasn't a quick task, after all.
"Wh-why? D-do you wanna get home f-fast?"
"Yeah. I'm getting a bit tired..."
"Ah, r-right. Y-you must be f-full by now..."
Her purple eyes subtly flicked toward my crotch. I could tell exactly what was on her mind, but I clamped my mouth shut and invoked my right to silence.
I already knew from experience that anything I said right now would just get a deranged response.
It wasn't like hearing it over and over built up tolerance. I turned my head away from Moon Hayeon's pitiful gaze, declaring the conversation over.
On the side I turned to, a bit away from the rest of the party, Yang Jihee was sitting. She'd looked off ever since we left the gate.
She was smiling, but it looked forced somehow.
"Jihee..."
Leaving Moon Hayeon with her teary expression behind, I started to slide over to the seat beside her to say something—when the door chimed open with a ding-dong.
Through the open door came a group of people stinking of sweat, laughing and chattering as they walked in. It was that same bunch we'd run into obnoxiously right outside the gate.
Yang Jihee's face hardened in an instant. Chae Seoah shot her anxious glances, like she was staring at a time bomb about to blow.
I wasn't much different. Yang Jihee stood up, moved to a corner, and sat facing the wall, pretending to look out the window. I had no choice but to scrap my plan to talk to her.
Loud chatter erupted as they plopped down in seats nearby.
"When do you think we'll meet up next?"
"Hmm... next week sometime?"
It sounded like casual chit-chat. But after seeing what they'd been up to just a few hours ago, I couldn't help feeling a weird mix of emotions.
Did they pull this crap every week? Renting a gate like that was pure money-burning madness.
I sat there praying for our payout to wrap up quick. The gloomy aura radiating from Yang Jihee's back was suffocating.
"Huh?"
A very ominous voice rang out. It would've been better if it were a gunshot.
It was a light, high-pitched tone. I glanced up and confirmed: it was that guy, the twintailed dude in the miniskirt and crop top, striding past me toward our group.
"Jihee? That's you, right, Jihee?"
Chae Seoah made a face like she'd bitten into shit. I envied Oroji's sharp instincts—she'd bolted to the bathroom like a refugee when that group showed up and still hadn't come back.
Yang Jihee slowly turned her head.
"..."
She said nothing. She just stared at the man with a rigidly frozen expression.
"Wow, so brazen. Not even gonna answer?"
"..."
"Oh, sorry. Should I not have said hi?"
"..."
"You didn't come alone, right? Ah, you joined a clan? With your clanmates?"
No matter what he said, Yang Jihee stayed silent. Fair enough—no one would want to respond to that provocative bullshit.
The guy kept prattling on in his flighty tone, but when she didn't react, he switched targets to Moon Hayeon sitting next to her.
"Ah, you're in the same clan?"
"Y-yes? Y-yeah..."
Catching a stranger talking to her, Moon Hayeon shrank back fast. Impressive she'd even managed to talk to me. She hunched her shoulders and bowed her head.
"Ah, really? Nice to meet you. I'm..."
The guy glanced at Yang Jihee. He flashed a sleazy smirk.
To be honest, separate from how annoying his tone was, I was curious.
Yang Jihee, who usually had a soft vibe even if she occasionally showed a dark side, and this flighty guy who looked like he'd blow away in a breeze—what was their deal?
I leaned subtly toward them, perking up my ears.
"Yang Jihee's ex-husband, Seo Jihoo."
What?
The little guy in that basement photo, smiling so innocently.
And the creature in front of me now, prancing around proclaiming my ass was flat.
They didn't match up in my head at all, so I stared at the man's face in disbelief.
...Sure enough. Looking closely, the face was identical. I'd just overlooked it because of those two hair clumps dangling by his cheeks. Same person.
No wonder Yang Jihee's acquaintance gave me and Chae Seoah the creeps. I hadn't expected it to be her husband, so I let out an involuntary scoff.
"Hah..."
The man's gaze whipped toward me. He alternated looks between me and Yang Jihee, then let out a little "Ah" and snickered mockingly.
"What? Am I yesterday's news now, and she's next?"
Next?
My eyebrow twitched at the word I couldn't ignore. Next? Next what?
The man even seemed feigning anger. He spat each syllable like chewing tobacco, glaring at Yang Jihee.
"Looks like you're doing well. Already snagged new prey. Some tastes never change, huh?"
"Watch your mouth. I told you that's not what it is."
"Like hell it's not. It's obvious from what you're doing. Your tastes are fucked up, admit it."
"And you're a cheating bastard. A piece of shit."
Cheating? Was that why they divorced?
It was the first time I'd heard Yang Jihee drop language that harsh. The man didn't care and kept blabbering.
"No, come on. Not my business anymore, but just saying—you haven't changed~ Did you tell her how we met? Nah, didn't think so."
Every word grated. Yang Jihee seemed just as irked.
Her fists clenched tight on her lap, trembling. She stared at him like she might explode any second, then her gaze suddenly flicked my way.
With shaky eyes, she looked at me and the party, then at the CCTV in the corner. She gritted her teeth and pressed her trembling fists against her thighs.
He clicked his tongue at her silence and stomped over to me.
"Hey. Want me to tell you an interesting story?"
"Just fuck off, please."
Yang Jihee half-pleaded. I glanced up from my seat at the man standing in front of me, after giving her a lingering look.
"No. Not interested."
...Truth be told, saying I wasn't curious would be a lie.
But my elbows only bent inward. No matter what went down between them, I knew I'd side with Yang Jihee—so it wasn't worth hearing.
More than that, I was pissed. From brazenly greeting her after cheating, to digging up her flaws without a hint of apology, to now trying to smear her to bystanders when it wasn't working.
It wasn't just unpleasant; it was making me nauseous.
"...You're totally hooked, huh? Treating him nice? You acted all high and mighty with me."
The man jabbed a finger at me, snarling.
The thought process that spat out shit like that without hesitation. And airing it in public like this.
Even his laughing crew over there. Every little thing scraped at my nerves.
"Hey. Careful. She's probably just into your face and body."
"I know."
I didn't want to hear more, so I cut him off.
So what if it was just my face and body? Every single person in this clan was the same, if you thought about it.
I'd been through too much to be shocked by something that trivial.
"...Soon she'll start treating you like a baby. Trust me, it pisses me off big time."
What a line loaded with implications. Talking like her ex was reeling from some grave trauma, only realizing later her twisted inner workings and getting shocked.
What the hell had I done to deserve a life fleeing the threat of rattles and diapers?
My irritation was boiling over past mere displeasure. I didn't even feel like mincing words anymore. I waved him off like shooing a fly.
"I'll handle my own business. Just go away. Stop wasting time badmouthing others."
"Hey, I'm giving you friendly advice and this is how you—!"
His hand shot up way too easily.
I tilted my head to dodge the fist flying at my face. Palm open wide, still seated, I swung my arm straight at the bastard's mug.
Smack!!
...First time ever hitting someone, but it didn't feel as gross as I'd thought. I shook out my stinging hand.
My eyes met Chae Seoah's as she jumped up like she was about to charge. I turned from her stunned expression to the guy clutching his cheek, wearing a comically similar look.
"Hunt properly, at least? Can't even dodge this? Wonder how you'd handle a gate."
Fair point. He looked like sex was his only exercise.
He glared at me, huffing and puffing. But he didn't charge—probably didn't fancy another slap. Transparent as glass, that one.
As I watched his pathetic display, the payout complete message popped up on the counter monitor.
I glanced at Yang Jihee. Her habit of hating anyone messing with her back. Cheating. Divorce. I forcibly scattered the puzzle pieces trying to connect in my head and flashed a brief smile at her dazed expression.
I stared the man down straight. Even without other clanmates here, I'd have done the same.
Rare for me, but I fixed him with cold, sunken eyes.
"Try not to cheat again, if you can help it. That shit scars people deep."
His crew, who'd started heading our way, got easily cowed by stares from lately-famous Chae Seoah and Moon Hayeon oozing menace.
As I brushed past the man, I heard him screeching from behind: "What the hell do you know?!"
What did I know? Just that cheating was fucked up, and NTR only worked in novels or comics. That's all.