Chapter 113
A?dazzling flash of light appeared as Choi Yeonseung returned from the dungeon. His vision hadn’t returned yet when he heard the loud roars of people.
‘It is the same as before.’
They were the shouts of those waiting near the gate after the dungeon disappeared. It wasn’t that much different now from 30 years ago.
For hunters, it was a moment of pride. They protected Earth a little bit!
“Everyone, did you see the dungeon door disappear? It was more spectacular than usual, wasn’t it?”
“Let’s interview the hunters coming out now!”
“... ?”
However, not all things were the same.
‘Aren’t there too many reporters?’
Perhaps it was because the dungeon?opened?near a crowded beach, but there were still too many reporters and cameras. In truth, there were simply too many people doing something. ?There weren’t just reporters from broadcasting stations. Some of the people here came to this place for personal broadcasts! People used to be scared of coming near dungeon gates thirty years ago.
“My name is Hawker, and I run a dungeon chaser account! Can I ask you something?”
“Let me ask you just one question!”
“Ah. Really. Get rid of the amateurs! Don’t let them in.”
The reporters were annoyed. People who hosted online personal broadcasts rushed over when such a topic popped up even though it put their lives at risk. With a good video, they could get an enormous amount of views. Formal interviews from the stations came out late due to deliberations, but this wasn’t the case with private broadcasts. From the reporters’ perspective, the private broadcasters were like hyenas eating their food first.
“Get lost! Nobody come closer!”
“I’ll kill you if you come near me!”
“!”
The people who were about to rush forward paused, flustered by the murderous threat. The hunters who had exited the dungeon raised their weapons and shouted for people not to approach.
“A traitor appeared in the Ambitus clan! Don’t move!”
“!!!!!”
The surrounding atmosphere became cold. The reporters were also terrified.
A traitor. Someone who betrayed humanity. In other words, a person who had signed a contract with an evil god constellation.
Decades after the gate opened, humanity had become somewhat familiar with monsters and dungeons. However, the evil god constellations still caused fear. After all, they only saw opportunities for invasion! Those who contracted with evil god constellations carried out all types of heinous actions, such as terrorizing and killing innocent people in the city center.
People were bound to be more afraid of them than dungeons and monsters. Those otherwise fine hunters exploded like ticking time bombs.
Lane of the Schreiber clan shouted, “I will consider anyone who moves as the one who joined with an evil god constellation! If you don’t want to be killed in self-defense, stay still!”
There could be a spy among the crowd gathered here. It was no wonder the hunters?reacted?sensitively.
“Hurry up and call someone to arrest and inspect the Ambitus clan hunters! I don’t know how many of you have joined the evil god constellation!”
“Hey. You’re going too far! We fought together!”
“How can I believe you? You bastards are from the same clan!”
‘Interesting.’
Seeing the hunters exchanging sharp conversations amazed Choi Yeonseung. This never happened prior to the great invasion of the evil god constellations. The hunters who usually looked so dim were now staring nervously around them. He could feel how menacing an evil god constellation was.
“Choi Yeonseung! Come this way!”
“?” Choi Yeonseung was surprised by Lane’s call. “Why?”
“You shouldn’t be so close to the Ambitus people! They could try to kill you!”
“These sons of a bitches...!”
“Do you want to go to court?”
The Ambitus clan hunters were furious. Of course, it was shocking that there was a traitor among them, but didn’t they fight really hard as well?
“Hey. Stop fighting. There are people around.”
In the distance, heavily armed special forces were rushing in with nervous expressions. Investigators from the government’s Hunter Bureau were in charge of them. Even if bullets didn’t work against monsters, they were pretty effective weapons against hunters. Moreover, the special forces were heavily armed with corporate-developed anti-hunter equipment. They would be able to break ordinary magic.
“Everyone, follow orders!”
“Wow. How awesome! There is a traitor! A traitor—”
Bam! Bam bam!
The person who tried to get close and film from the side was caught and beaten up to a bloody mess. The others trying to sneak up quickly shut up and put their cameras down. They realized that these people weren’t in the mood to joke around right now.
“Hunters, please come here one by one!”
Unlike the brutal atmosphere, the interrogation process was simple and peaceful. They asked a few questions, checked out the videos taken by the clans, and used all types of detection magic...
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says that magic doesn’t seem to work.]
‘I think so as well.’
If they had made a contract with an evil god constellation, they would’ve been prepared for such spells or tests. However, Choi Yeonseung understood. Wasn’t this what a civil servant usually did?
Procedures had to be followed!
“Huaaa...“
Clink!
“Ah. Calm down. I am yawning. Yawning.”
One of the hunters shook his hands in a flustered manner. The hunters were bare-handed, while the police were heavily armed. However, their behaviors were the opposite. ?The police were the ones nervous, even though they were the ones interrogating the hunters! Hunters were intimidating, even when bare-handed. If a spell was cast, then all the people here could be taken out.
“Don’t be too nervous. We will protect you if someone goes on a rampage.”
“......”
***
Investigator Tucker recorded the testimony of the hunters and obtained videos submitted by the clans. An evil god constellation was a matter of great importance to any nation.
“So Hunter Jules was a traitor, and he died inside. Hmm...”
‘I’m glad to hear that.’
Tucker let out a sigh of relief. There were very few victims, which was close to a miracle, considering they were in a difficult dungeon, and there was a traitor among them. That had to be one of the worst situations possible. ?Judging from the circumstances, it seemed Hunter Jules was the only one who committed a crime. It wasn’t likely that he had other colleagues.
“The dungeon is special, and you all got scattered upon entry. You lost your supplies, but you still managed to clear it.”
“I was very lucky.” Arenas of the New York Fires replied with a nod. “I thought I was going to die because I lost everything and was injured, but then I met Hunter Choi Yeonseung of the Icarus clan.”
“I see. Did Hunter Choi Yeonseung deliver the rescue request? He is very kind.”
“No. He healed me.”
“... ? !!” Tucker doubted his ears. What? ?“Uh… Did he give you medical supplies?”
“No. Healing magic.”
“... Did the New York Fires and Icarus sign a contract or something in advance?”
“No. That’s what makes him amazing. Isn’t he really great?”
“......”
Tucker was in so much disbelief that he suspected Arenas to be mistaken because of his injury. However, the other hunters made similar testimonies.
“Ah. Hunter Choi Yeonseung. He made me a really delicious meal.”
“He just gave it to me for free. I guarantee Choi Yeonseung did nothing wrong. He won’t even kill an ant.”
“? ? ? ”
Tucker started to suspect that these hunters had been subjected to mental magic. It was possible they encountered a monster that could use mental manipulation magic in the dungeon!
“I’m telling the truth. Watch the video.”
“!!”
It was real. In the videos from the clans, Choi Yeonseung was seen cooking and feeding them monster meat. No matter how he thought about it, this didn’t look like food. However, the hunters were eating it so deliciously.
“Thanks to him, my magic power was restored.”
“Hah... I see...”
Tucker started to take notes for a report to be sent to the leaders above.
-Choi Yeonseung seems to have good cooking skills and is altruistic, righteous, kind, good-natured, and a pushover? He appears to be a rare hunter. Maybe it’s because he is a 1st generation hunter, though it could be the aftereffect of his stay in the Abyss.
If Choi Yeonseung had seen the report, he would’ve grabbed this person by the collar right away. Fortunately, no one was watching. Tucker listened to the hunters’ final testimonies.
“No matter how I think about it, this seems to be the fault of the Ambitus guys. Can’t we just put them all in prison and put an end to this?”
“It’s probably the fault of those Ambitus bastards. Shouldn’t they be disbanded?”
“If you ■ing?blame Choi Yeonseung for this, you will see me in court. It’s those Ambitus guys!”
“Choi Yeonseung didn’t do anything wrong!”
Odaigon, an Icarus clan member, was the last to be interviewed. In any case, the hunters who participated in the raid all said the same thing.
-There are no victims in this raid thanks to Choi Yeonseung!
Hunters were selfish bastards. Once the raid was over, they would try to inflate their achievements even more. Hence, hunters often fought after the raid. ?However, in this raid, everyone agreed to a curious degree. It was clear that Choi Yeonseung was so great that no one could refute it.
‘This is really fascinating.’
He couldn’t get such an evaluation simply by being strong. If a hunter was strong, then jealousy would naturally follow. The person had to be strong and capable of winning people’s hearts at the same time... Hunters like him were really rare.
“It seems to have been roughly sorted out. You’ve worked hard during the raid. Please get some rest—”
Before Tucker could finish his words, the hunters got up and stormed out. Tucker cursed inwardly. ‘Can’t they wait a bit before leaving? I haven’t finished talking.’
“?” Tucker was surprised to see there was one person left. Choi Yeonseung was still sitting there. “Aren’t you leaving, Hunter Choi Yeonseung?”
“Huh? Oh, I was waiting because you weren’t done talking. Do you have anything else to say?”
“......!”
Tucker almost burst into tears at that moment. He didn’t know there was such a nice hunter in the world!
***
“Thank you for saving me!”
“Hunter Choi Yeonseung! Thank you!”
“? ”
Choi Yeonseung was flustered when the citizens recognized his face and thanked him as soon as he stepped out. They had been investigated right after the raid. How did the information spread?
“What’s wrong?”
“How do people know what I did in the raid?”
“Ah... That?” Smallwood looked at Choi Yeonseung as if he was asking about something obvious. “The hunters outside are writing about it on social media right now...”
“......”
Choi Yeonseung seemed to find it absurd. Already? It hadn’t even been 30 seconds since they had gone out.
“I’m sure they had already posted some stuff while we were inside.”
“Or maybe they prepared it in advance and posted it as soon as we got out.”
“... Is there any reason to post it in such a hurry? Their lives aren’t at risk, so can’t they just post about it later?”Choi Yeonseung asked.
Smallwood and Elisabeth looked at Choi Yeonseung as if they didn’t know what he was talking about.
“If they post it late, then they won’t get attention, friend.”
“That’s right. You have to be the first one to post things like this. We did the raid. Why should the others get the attention?”
“......”
Modern hunters weren’t just about raids. It was now a hunter’s job to attract fans after a raid!
‘... Can I really adapt to this?’
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ cheers for the incarnation.]
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦