The Handsomer You Are, the Stronger You Become

After my regression, many things had changed.

I had acquired the Beauty Talent, monopolized hidden pieces I previously gave up, and even built relationships with people I barely interacted with in my past life.

Events and people shifted subtly, yet none of it felt strange.

While changes had come, my hunter career remained the focus, and the connections and incidents were only slightly different from before.

But Do Minjung was an exception.

She was someone I had never met in my past life.

The leader of Asenne, a five-member girl group renowned not only in Korea but globally.

She approached me first—not the other way around—asking for my number while I was resting at a coffee shop.

It was an incomprehensible situation.

What followed was even more perplexing.

Standing in a parking lot near the Han River, I glanced around uneasily.

“Is she really coming here?”

“It is intriguing. A top-tier idol, making the effort to meet you in person,” Swallow remarked.

When I had received her reply earlier, we exchanged a few quick messages:

[Kang Hyunsoo]

Are you the person who gave me your number at the coffee shop?

[Do Minjung]

Yes, that’s me. Sorry for the late reply; I’ve been busy with my schedule.

[Kang Hyunsoo]

By schedule... you’re a celebrity, right?

[Do Minjung]

That’s correct. I thought you might recognize me.

[Kang Hyunsoo]

You’re the leader of Asenne—there’s no way I wouldn’t recognize you. I even saw someone I assumed was your manager dragging you away at the end.

[Do Minjung]

I figured you’d recognize me.

[Kang Hyunsoo]

Can I ask why you wanted my number?

The conversation flowed naturally, with her responses coming quickly—unlike the previous day when she hadn’t replied at all.

Then, she surprised me.

[Do Minjung]

If you don’t mind, could we meet to talk in person?

Her proactive approach was unexpected.

While it was tempting to think she might be interested in me, that seemed unlikely.

Swallow scratched his chin with a wing, doubtful.

“This is odd. Master’s looks haven’t reached that level yet.”

“What, no usual spiel about how she’s smitten with me?” I teased.

When it came to Jin Seoyun, Yuhana, or Choi Jiwoo, Swallow was always quick to insist they were interested in me. Now, he seemed hesitant.

“Sometimes, things simply don’t make sense, Master. Even you think it’s far-fetched, don’t you?”

“Fair point.”

A top-tier idol falling for me at first sight, asking for my number, and actively pursuing me?

As much as my looks had improved, I wasn’t deluded enough to believe that.

Her eagerness made me suspicious.

But skipping the meeting wasn’t an option, not with my auxiliary Beauty Quest at stake.

[Kang Hyunsoo]

Alright, let’s meet.

The chosen location was the parking lot at the Han River.

I didn’t have to wait long.

While chatting idly with Swallow, a black SUV pulled into the lot.

Its tinted windows made it impossible to see inside, but there was no doubt about who it was.

The vehicle slowed to a stop in front of me, and my phone buzzed.

[Do Minjung]

Get in.

She was taking privacy seriously.

After scanning the area briefly, I entered the passenger seat.

“Hello,” I greeted.

“Oh, hi. Nice to see you again,” Do Minjung replied, her face partly obscured by sunglasses.

[You have initiated a conversation with the person who gave you their number.]

[Talk with them for at least 60 minutes. (1/60)]

The system message appeared.

I had an hour to complete this objective. While it was tempting to track the time, focusing on the conversation seemed more prudent.

With limited information about her, failing to engage might result in the meeting ending prematurely.

- Don’t worry, Master. I’ll assist you.

Even Swallow seemed anxious, entering the car invisibly to monitor the conversation.

In truth, I was a bit concerned myself. Other than Seo Jieun in my past life, I hadn’t had many meaningful interactions with women.

But perhaps due to my newly acquired Charisma, the words came naturally.

“Thank you for coming all the way here,” I said.

“I should be thanking you. I’m grateful you made time for this, even on short notice.”

“It’s no problem. You seemed to get here pretty quickly—were you nearby?”

“Yes, I had a schedule in the area. Oh, by the way, I don’t think we’ve properly introduced ourselves. How should I address you? Paju Hunter?”

“No introductions needed, I think. You already know who I am, don’t you?”

“Yes, I saw you on YouTube—fighting those masked hunters in Paju. I wasn’t entirely sure at first, but my guess was right.”

- Looks like she recognized you from the Paju stadium incident with Babylon. You can put aside any notion that she’s here because of your looks.

Do Minjung’s comment clarified the situation.

I turned to her and asked directly, “So, why did you ask for my number?”

“To see if you could help me,” she said.

“Help?”

Instead of explaining, she pulled out some photos and handed them to me.

Printed photographs, in a digital age.

The oddity made me feel uneasy as I took them from her and examined them.

The faces and outfits in the images were unmistakable.

“Wait, this is...”

- Ji Wonhoon and Babylon.

The photos depicted Ji Wonhoon holding a glass of champagne, flanked by masked hunters in what appeared to be a grand hall.

The pictures were blurry and poorly framed, clearly taken in secret. Yet Swallow and I quickly identified the figures.

What was she doing with these photos?

My confusion only deepened as I flipped to the next image.

This time, Ji Wonhoon was standing beside a woman with long, flowing hair, dressed in a glittering black gown.

I didn’t need to ask who she was—Do Minjung provided the answer.

“That’s Ha Yuri, the chairwoman of our entertainment group.”

“Ha Yuri...”

“This was taken during a company meeting a few years ago. It might be hard to believe, but the truth is, our company’s artists... we’re being exploited.”

“Exploited?”

Do Minjung, who had been explaining in a subdued voice, suddenly rolled up her sleeve.

A faint hum resonated as an ominous black pattern appeared on her pale wrist, glowing vividly.

“What is this...?”

- Master, it’s the same energy I sensed from Ji Wonhoon.

I recognized it instantly.

Although it didn’t dissipate into smoke like Ji Wonhoon’s ability, the aura was unmistakably identical.

As she stared at her arm, Do Minjung explained:

“It started the day I debuted as an idol. The skill is called Exploitation. Whenever I gain popularity, it’s converted into power that is siphoned off by Chairwoman Hayuri.”

“You’re saying Hayuri is draining the power generated from your popularity?”

“Yes. The collection happens once a month. And it’s not just me—every idol in our company is subjected to the same thing. If the power isn’t extracted, ordinary people like us can’t endure it. Our bodies would start decaying.”

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I fell silent, the weight of her words settling over me.

Some hunters are known to have unusual talents, deriving power from abstract concepts like fear or anger.

In a way, it wasn’t all that different from my Beauty Talent. Hayuri seemed to be another such case—someone growing stronger through unconventional means.

And given her connection to Ji Wonhoon, it was clear she had ties to the darker side of the hunter world.

“At first, I thought I could escape, but it was impossible,” Do Minjung continued. “As a trainee, I was told it was a good thing. After signing the contract, it even felt like my singing and dancing had improved. But over time, my health deteriorated, and I began to feel mentally drained.”

She recounted her life, from being scouted at a dance academy to narrowly avoiding the collapse of her debut, thanks to Hayuri’s acquisition of Asenne. She described how the company’s current CEO surveilled and controlled her and her group members, making escape nearly impossible.

For over thirty minutes, I listened to her story in silence.

At times, her voice broke, as if she were holding back tears, and watching her struggle evoked a strange sense of dissonance.

From the outside, she seemed like someone who had everything—beauty, fame, and admiration. But knowing her reality, it was clear that the love she received came at a terrible cost.

I glanced at the photos she had given me and spoke.

“This is clearly wrong. But... may I ask why you’re telling me this? Shouldn’t this be reported to the Hunter Bureau? I’m not even part of a major guild; I don’t have the power to help you.”

While I sympathized with her plight, I couldn’t understand why she had approached me.

After all, this seemed like something for the Hunter Bureau to handle, and Do Minjung and I had only just met.

However, she had her reasons.

“...If I report it, it’ll go straight to the CEO,” she said. “She has too many connections. There was an idol who tried to report it once... but they ended up mentally broken and were forced to retire.”

“Then why me...?”

“Because you fought the masked hunters directly. I figured you had no ties to their group. And your skills are incredible.”

A strong hunter unconnected to Hayuri—Do Minjung had judged me to be someone she could trust.

But...

- Master, you need to think rationally. You have a path to follow.

Swallow was right; I couldn’t jump in impulsively.

Even if this was connected to Ji Wonhoon, it wasn’t something I could afford to get involved in.

I had my own priorities.

[Swordsmanship Quest 22]