Chapter 182
Thinking about it, there was no reason to be afraid of Choi Yeonseung. He was certainly an A-grade hunter, but there were several other A-grade hunters here as well. If Choi Yeonseung acted too fiercely, he would likely face the same situation as Joseph Grant did.
Nevertheless, they felt strangely overwhelmed. They had this ominous feeling that they would lose if they all attacked him.
“Putting the low-level hunters in front. I think there is a misunderstanding. I had no intention of doing such a thing,” Joseph said, causing the other hunters to look at him in bewilderment. Even the hunters who claimed to be Joseph’s subordinates looked embarrassed.
‘Isn’t he going too far?’
‘You have to lie in moderation...’
Choi Yeonseung also found it ridiculous, but he didn’t bother to argue.
“T-that’s right. I must’ve misunderstood you. You put the low-grade hunters in front of you and had them charge at the fortress, but was that just a coincidence?”
“Don’t go overboard! Why are you acting so brazen when you left us to act as bait?”
The hunters who had been in the vanguard vigorously stepped forward. They weren’t aware of it when they were in the vanguard, but they eventually figured it out when they heard about the situation after the fight. They had almost died. If Choi Yeonseung hadn’t led the hunters and provided support, it wouldn’t have been strange if the front of this fortress became their tomb.
“These jerks have to be driven out of the fortress!”
‘These damn bastards...’
Joseph and the other hunters glared and frowned. It wasn’t fair to see the low-level hunters, who originally wouldn’t have spoken, shouting and hiding behind Choi Yeonseung.
“You accepted everything when we explained it. Why are you complaining now?”
“W-what?”
“You definitely signed a contract when you joined the expedition.”
“Nonsense! When did we agree to be cannon fodder... ”
“You said you would follow orders. I don’t understand why you are doing this,” Joseph threatened.
The low-level hunters flinched at his attitude. They looked around, but the other expeditions that didn’t get along with Joseph didn’t come forward. Their contract was their own responsibility. No one would stand up for low-level hunters unless these hunters were their own subordinates.
“Stop threatening people. Get out of here and do your job in your own area,” Choi Yeonseung solemnly said, causing all the other hunters to look at him with surprise. They didn’t expect Choi Yeonseung to join such an argument.
“Do you know each other? I didn’t expect you to help,” Ben asked curiously.
“Do I know who? Go to your area already. Don’t let them break through.”
Choi Yeonseung chased them away, looking annoyed. He was up against a fellow A-grade hunter, but he had no intention of getting close or showing any favor here.
‘Quickly handle your area and return.’
There were so many hunters present that it was difficult to care about all of them. Of course, if other hunters had heard Choi Yeonseung’s thoughts, then they would definitely react with dismay. Why did he care about the lives of other hunters? They couldn’t even care about their own lives in this situation.
“Brother. Isn’t that man a bit strange?”
“I agree.”
“What is wrong with him? Is he restrained by the constellation he contracted with?”
“Perhaps he’s just good-natured.”
“That’s ridiculous. Brother, no such hunter exists.”
“... That’s true. Maybe he really is under restrictions.”
The two brothers chatted as they moved.
Ben thought to himself.
‘It can’t be... There can’t be a hunter like that.’
***
“The orcs aren’t attacking as hard as I thought they would.”
“They’ve learned as well,” Choi Yeonseung said firmly. Choi Yeonseung had fought against the orc tribes of the Abyss quite a lot while wandering around the Abyss.
-Kuock. You win.
-Yes. Don’t bother me now.
-I’ll bring in other tribes to fight. Let’s have a rematch!
-... Don’t you think I will blow your head off if you say such things to my face?
The orcs didn’t use their brains in other areas, but they were quite smart when it came to combat. That was why they had figured something out after fighting against the expedition teams once. This wouldn’t be as easy as they thought!
-They’ve entered the fortress. We have to surround them and cut all their escape routes!
The great orc warrior, Ketala, commanded a group of orcs to lay siege to the fortress.
-I want to charge now! Give us the order to charge!
-Don’t underestimate them. Master also told us to be careful! They took over the fortress because you didn’t listen to me and acted on your own.
The Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood intervened directly using his favorite great orc warrior, Ketala. Whenever constellations intervened in the affairs of mortals, mortals should always listen carefully and be respectful. However, many household members surprisingly ruined their constellations’ plans due to their own greed or judgment. Fortunately, Ketala had unmistakable loyalty and high intelligence—for an orc—which pleased the berserker constellation.
‘These humans. They are still waking up with the idea that they are raiding on Earth.’
The berserker constellation laughed at the humans. He was a bit surprised when they suddenly took the fortress and escaped the siege, but thinking about it, they were still rats in a jar. He had already claimed victory the moment he had blocked the Abyss Gate. The hunters were trying to break through each fortress and aim for the center of this realm as if they were just clearing an ordinary dungeon...
The berserker constellation had no intention of waiting. Now that the hunters were trapped in the fortress, he was going to call in all the other orcs in the realm and crush them.
“The orcs will suffer heavy losses if we just keep charging. Take turns attacking. Their side has a lot more numbers, so we’ll get tired quicker.”
“The orcs?can use that type of strategy? ”
“They’re smart when it comes to fighting. We will also take turns and rest. Don’t overdo it and rest.”
“Thank you.”
Choi Yeonseung ordered the hunters of the expedition to rest. They were in charge of different areas, so they could take turns resting.
“Injured hunters can tell healers to heal them while hunters who have their magic power depleted...”
“Will you give them potions?”
“No. Tell them to eat.”
“...... ? ”
The Korean hunters were taken aback for a moment. No matter how much Koreans liked eating, it couldn’t immediately restore magic power.
Was he joking?
“Uh... I already ate earlier, so I’m fine.”
“Let me elaborate. You’ll be eating special rice that restores magic power.”
The junior hunters of Choi Yeonseung’s expedition team were just as flustered as the Korean hunters.
“Is it because I don’t know much about South Korea that I don’t understand? Does eating rice really restore magic power? Has it always been like that? Why is this my first time hearing it?”
“No. This is our first time hearing about it too. Rice doesn’t have such an effect.”
Everyone was embarrassed, but they couldn’t reject Choi Yeonseung’s orders. They were bewildered but picked up spoons anyway.
“I didn’t expect to eat something other than dungeon food in the middle of this battlefield.”
“Hey. It’s warm.”
The hunters scooped up the rice, forgetting all about the ongoing battles. Just like ghosts who died after eating, they wouldn’t lose anything if they ate this. As they scooped up the steaming, pure white rice, magic power started to surge inside them.
“... ? !”
“What?!”
“What are you guys doing?” Choi Yeonseung, who had been scouting the area with the other hunters, asked when he got back, seemingly dumbfounded.
“Huh... I’m eating because you told me to eat... ”
‘Gasp. Did I eat too much?’
The hunters were embarrassed. Now that he had thought about it, it was natural to eat sparingly food with such special effects. Maybe they should’ve only had one spoonful...
“Who in the world is stupid enough to only eat rice without side dishes? I put the other dishes over there. Why are you just eating rice?”
Choi Yeonseung’s words made the Korean hunters particularly embarrassed. Hunters from other countries might not be aware of it, but the Korean hunters actually made a mistake.
“... I-I’m not familiar with Korean culture...”
“Aren’t you Korean?”
***
“Anyone else needs supplies?”
“!!!”
The hunters of other expeditions were surprised when Choi Yeonseung approached them.
“Why are you asking?”
“... Because I was afraid you would fall behind while fighting due to lack of magic power.”
“What are you going to do if we say we don’t have any?”
“Give you what I had left.”
“... Don’t lie! What type of trick... Kuaaack! Ah! My arm!”
Choi Yeonseung grabbed the hunter who was close to him and twisted his arm. He went straight to melee combat without giving him time to use magic. The hunter was one-sidedly beaten even though he was a B-grade hunter.
“If you don’t like it, then just say no. Why keep talking nonsense?”
“I-I will be grateful if you give me water.”
“Kuaack! Stupid bastards! He won’t just give things like that away for free! If he does, then I’ll do a striptease in front of the Times Square in New York!”
Choi Yeonseung made the hunter shut up, asked for the necessary supplies, and handed them over.
“T-thank you very much.”
“We’re here to fight together, so I’m willing to do this for you.”
[You have received the trust of the hunters, greatly increasing your power of existence!]
They were allowed into the fortress without demanding anything from them. Now they were provided with supplies, so even the selfish and suspicious hunters couldn’t help being shaken.
‘Maybe he is being threatened by his constellation? Will he be killed if he doesn’t do anything good?’
‘I think he’s just a really good guy.’
The hunters who participated in the expedition were sincerely grateful to Choi Yeonseung. To be honest, it didn’t matter if the constellation or someone else ordered it.
All that mattered were results.
None of the A-grade hunters here cared for them as much as Choi Yeonseung.
“Honestly, isn’t it good for us even if he is being threatened by a constellation? Isn’t it something to be thankful for?”
“That’s right.”
“I can understand why he took care of us. It is a Korean custom.”
“... I’ve met Korean hunters before. What nonsense are you saying?”
Of course, giving out this help wasn’t always easy. Sometimes, they even?refused the help.
“We don’t have a shortage of supplies at all, Hunter Choi Yeonseung.”
“... Aren’t the guys behind you collapsing from hunger right now?”
“You are mistaken. Go back.”
The Chinese hunters glared very fiercely at the party official who came with them. They couldn’t understand why he would refuse help when they were starving to death.
“Let’s just take it! I asked hunters from other countries and they said he gave supplies to them for nothing. When else will we get an offer like this?”
“Why refuse when he says he is just giving it to us?”
“Shut up! Don’t you know it is prohibited to bring in goods without the permission of the party? If you talk one more time, I will punish you... Cough!”
Choi Yeonseung, who was slowly getting annoyed, knocked down the official?with Pressure?Point Attack.
The Chinese hunters blinked and stared at Choi Yeonseung. What was that?
“He probably collapsed from hunger.”
“... T-that’s right! He collapsed from hunger!”
“Bring him inside! Don’t let him get up!”
Their families would be blown away if they touched this official, but it didn’t matter if Choi Yeonseung was the one who did it. A-grade hunters from other countries couldn’t be touched.
“Seriously, thank you so much...! Sob sob sob!”
“I can’t count how many people died because of that bastard anymore!”
“... Why don’t you just seek asylum?” Choi Yeonseung asked with a tired expression. Somehow, it seemed worse than it had been 30 years ago. He had wandered around the Abyss for a long time and wanted some things not to change over time, but...
‘I don’t know what’s going on, but the things I don’t like haven’t changed.’
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