Chapter 129: The Association President (3)
“Thank you.”
The murmur of surprise rippled through the crowd as though no one expected those words to come out of my mouth. And no wonder—they were here because, officially, my kidnapping was due to Song Taewon’s mistake.
Everyone had been expecting me to get angry, to make Song Taewon bow his head.
A scene of an S-rank Hunter being chastised by the victim would make for an excellent spectacle, and it would even help ease some of the public’s anger toward the Association. If I grabbed him by the collar, camera flashes would go off like fireworks.
“I really… I don’t even know what to say…”
But such a predictable storyline… well, even though I’m no Seong Hyunjae, it’s just too boring.
It seemed Song Taewon hadn’t figured out my intentions yet. But he could tell I had something in mind, and whatever it was, it wasn’t going to be good for him—or rather, for the Association. I could feel the chill in his gaze sharpening as he looked at me.
Better keep this short.
“To think you would bear the shame for my sake!”
“…What?”
“You even took on the blame as an internal whistleblower just to rescue me?”
“Hyung, you can’t say stuff like that here.”
Yuhyun grabbed me from behind, as if trying to shield me. I didn’t finish my sentence, but everyone could fill in the blanks. Internal whistleblower, blame, rescue—it was all there.
People already knew there were collaborators within the Hunter Association who’d been involved with the kidnappers. The Association was dragging its feet on a proper investigation, but everyone knew what was going on.
So here I was, the victim of a kidnapping, publicly calling Song Taewon a whistleblower who had taken on the blame. And the one bearing the most responsibility right now? None other than Song Taewon.
The scapegoat who’d been vilified and attacked was, in fact, on the side of justice. Surprise!
“Mr. Han Yujin, what exactly are you talking about?”
Both Song Taewon and the other Association officials looked bewildered. Song Taewon took a step closer, and I couldn’t help but tremble. It made it all the easier to pull off a look of fear and surprise.
“I-I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s so unfair…”
“Stop, hyung. This isn’t something we should get involved in.”
Yuhyun tried to calm me down. Meanwhile, the Association officials quickly started making excuses.
“Mr. Han Yujin is mistaken.”
“It seems he’s still experiencing some confusion from the trauma of his kidnapping.”
I didn’t interrupt them or argue back. I just looked at them with an expression of wounded disbelief. The public would listen to my story over theirs anyway.
When an institution issues a formal announcement saying, “This is classified,” people naturally tune out. But when something is forbidden to be spoken of, a hidden secret, then people can’t help but prick up their ears. And this was Hunter Association corruption. Who wouldn’t take the bait?
“Let’s go, hyung.”
“But… what about Chief Song Taewon…?”
“He’ll be fine. I’ll try to do something to help, too.”
With a gentle tone, Yuhyun tried to pull me away as I glanced back at Song Taewon. His eyes met mine, cold enough to send a chill down my spine. What was he thinking behind that gaze? Did he want to strangle me, like on the day we first met?
Then, his tightly shut mouth shifted. His lips curled into a barely-there smile. A sharp, toothy smile.
‘I thought he came with a muzzle on.’
But here he was, baring his fangs. If he’d simply rolled over and submitted, it would have been disappointing, honestly. If he’d curled up and forgotten how to snarl and bite, what reason would there be to keep watching?
If it had been easy to strip him of his claws and fangs, he would have never gotten so twisted in the first place.
I left the airport and climbed into the waiting car. I took my phone and called Seok Gimyeong.
“Please release the articles as provocatively as possible. Modern-day slavery, auction starting price of a billion dollars, the elite class collecting awakened people—mix some exaggeration into the truth. Make sure my story is on everyone’s lips for at least a week.”
[It’s not a difficult task, but are you sure? I thought you didn’t like being the subject of gossip.]
Oh, please. He’s the one who set the stage, and now he’s pretending to worry. Is he saying this because he knows Yuhyun is here with me? Such a sneaky old man.
“Sometimes in life, you have to do things you don’t like. I trust you’ll handle it well. And don’t forget to use this opportunity to boost Haeyeon’s image.”
[Naturally. Leave it to me.]
“And there are a few more things that need investigating… but I’ll speak to you about those in person.”
The call ended, and Yuhyun, watching me from the seat next to me, asked worriedly.
“Are you sure about this? Once people start talking, it’ll be almost impossible to wipe it all clean.”
“And yet, you were the one who went around ruining your own reputation on purpose, knowing that.”
“I don’t care about things like that.”
“Same here.”
If you don’t want to see it, don’t look. Simple as that. Though, of course, I’ll have to monitor it for a while.
Besides, if I’m going to grab someone else by the collar and pull them forward, I should at least be prepared to have my own arm broken in the process.
I checked the airport video that had already been uploaded. Wow, I really do look pitiful. With those tall, broad-shouldered guys on either side of me, I look even smaller and scrawnier. It’s almost embarrassing.
‘But it’ll be effective.’
For the public—and for Chief Song Taewon. Isn’t this the perfect image of the helpless civilian he’s supposed to protect? A weak, innocent victim who just wanted to live a quiet life, but ended up entangled in the affairs of the awakened. Forget the context; just look at the surface, please.
That evening, the Hunter Association issued an official statement addressing the suspicions raised earlier that day.
They confirmed that there was some truth to the whistleblower story, explaining that the Association President and a few key officials had used Chief Song Taewon to indirectly help in resolving Han Yujin’s kidnapping case. They added that Song Taewon had voluntarily taken on the blame to facilitate a smooth investigation.
Song Taewon himself appeared at the press conference, calmly confirming the story. He admitted that it was reasonable for Mr. Han Yujin to have misunderstood.
‘What a dog.’
That wasn’t even an insult. I’d tossed him the ball, and he’d just obediently taken it back to his master. And I bet he didn’t even wag his tail. Just doing his duty, not because he wanted to.
Still, the attacks on Song Taewon were deflected, for now.
“Let’s clean this up before the momentum dies down.”
“I thought we’d only be trimming off the severely rotted parts.”
Seok Gimyeong said as he watched the same broadcast.
“Who set the stage for this in the first place? Now that we’ve come this far, we might as well see it through. I can’t do this a second time.”
And I don’t have the power for it, either.
From the next day, media outlets everywhere were saturated with my story.
They went as far back as my early childhood, trying to dig up every detail of my life, even before my awakening. It was unbelievably embarrassing.
[He was just a kid himself, raising another child. It was amazing to watch him care for his younger brother so well.]
On the TV screen, someone claiming to know me was being interviewed. I don’t remember this person at all—who even are they? The story was beautifully spun, complete with the tragic narrative of a young boy who lost his parents and then raised a future S-rank Hunter as his little brother. My popularity skyrocketed. And they even slipped in a little sympathy for Yuhyun.
Despite awakening as an S-rank, he was so young that everyone was out to take advantage of him, forcing him to distance himself from the only family he had, the one who raised him. The young Hunter who had to ignore the brother who was more like a parent as he built his guild. Through three years of grueling effort, he managed to turn Haeyeon into one of the major guilds…
Damn it, my poor brother. What were those Powers thinking, making him awaken before he was even fully grown? He was still a minor, damn it. Anyone who picked on him deserved to die.
And amid all that…
[Smuggling of dungeon items! Including S-rank equipment!]
A breaking news banner flashed. A Hunter Association executive had been caught smuggling dungeon items overseas.
Dungeon items, especially high-grade equipment, were strictly prohibited from being exported without proper clearance. For national security and dungeon management, it was crucial to maintain a sufficient inventory of such equipment within the country.
While foreigners could purchase high-grade items through official auctions, they faced steep taxes and fees compared to domestic Hunters. Moreover, S-rank equipment always prioritized domestic Hunters, making overseas exports of such items practically nonexistent.
But an Association executive had been selling that rare S-rank equipment abroad. With the Association already embroiled in scandal over the kidnapping, the revelation of item smuggling was like pouring gasoline on a roaring fire.
‘Originally, this wasn’t supposed to come out for another two years.’
It was thanks to whistleblower Han Yujin, with the combined efforts of Haeyeon and Sesung’s search operation. Tracking down old information was easy when I already knew what was coming. Remembering faces and details took some effort, but we got there.
And this was just the tip of the iceberg.
Did they stop at smuggling items? There was corruption in dungeon deals, exploitation of low-rank Hunters, illegal production of dungeon by-products, and so on. With a still-developing system, numerous blind spots, and massive sums of money at play, a deluge of corruption cases had surfaced in a short time.
Even though only half of those cases could be exposed at this point, that was more than enough.
“It’s time for you to prepare to step down. It’s a perfect excuse, isn’t it?”
A Hunter Association director, who had come to meet with me in person, glared at me with a hardened face. Even without fear resistance, a stare like that barely tickled.
“Frankly, I’d love to let it all blow up, but for a smooth transition, it’d be best if you appointed your own successor.”
“Don’t you think this’ll end with just a fine?”
“Normally, yes. But right now, any corruption related to the Hunter Association is bound to be blown out of proportion.”
Especially if it’s the wrongdoing of an Association official. Under ordinary circumstances, there would be a few critical articles and some mild criticism. But now, with everyone carrying torches, they’d be eager to see someone burnt at the stake. The sacrificial lamb had already been thrown in, and soon enough, there’d be nothing left but ashes.
“Are you planning to replace the Association with your own people and take control?”
“Not at all. I don’t have ‘my people.’”
With Yu Myungwoo’s help, Seok Gimyeong had altered his appearance with the glasses, and he showed me a list of potential candidates.
“These are some of the initial founding members of the Hunter Association. They’re far more capable than the current executives. If you retire, you can rest assured they’ll handle everything smoothly.”
The director scowled, his pride clearly wounded by the comparison. There was also a list of people who’d distinguished themselves in the future.
Even if we couldn’t replace everyone, an influx of competent individuals would lead to positive changes. At least, it’d be better than the current state.
“What if it gets out that you’re forcing these people out through blackmail?”
“I wouldn’t have a~ny problem at all. I’m not a government official, just someone running a privately-owned monopoly. At worst, I’d pay a fine.”
The country and the public were on my side. There’d be some criticism, but nothing major. Besides, given my value, even if I committed murder, I’d likely get house arrest with a polite, “Just keep raising those monsters, please.”
It’s unfair, but irreplaceable assets have to be treated that way. And now that Yuhyun, with Peace, has even broken the record for the fastest S-rank dungeon clear, there’s no way they’d let me go.
“So please, make a wise decision soon. Leave with your image intact so you can pursue new opportunities.”
Perhaps a National Assembly seat, like they all seem to love. Better take the offer while I’m being generous.
The director, who’d just been given a deadline, bit out a “You’ll hear from me soon” through gritted teeth and left. Now, how many more are left?
— Kyuu?
Peace leapt up and caught a ball mid-air. Chirp hurried after him, but could only flap around on the ground, unable to reach it.
— Cheep, cheep!
Comet, dangling from a rope tied to the ceiling, flapped her wings as if asking to be thrown the ball too. I tossed one up, but—
— Snap!
Peace snatched it before it could reach her.
— Screech!
“Peace, you should let your little siblings have a turn too.”
— Grrr.
Ignoring me, Peace rubbed against my leg affectionately. Maybe because we’d been apart for so long, he was extra clingy. I petted him and then tossed a smaller ball over to Comet, who eagerly grabbed it and spun around in mid-air, fluttering like a little golden spark. Chirp, watching her, flapped his wings.
— Cheep-cheep!
“Want me to get you a flight anklet?”
— Cheep!
I pulled out the flight item I’d ordered from Myungwoo for Chirp. When attached to his legs, it would let him float, though not as gracefully as Peace or Comet.
— Cheep-cheep!
Chirp floated up, looking like a small, white balloon. I’d had Myungwoo make it with a soft and gentle flight option for safety, so instead of flying like a bird, he just hovered and bobbed in the air.
— Cheep!
Chirp seemed happy enough, floating around before gently landing on top of my head.
‘Liette will be joining soon, so that’s another one to add to the family.’
Liette was currently serving her time by assisting the Association with dungeon raids. If she hadn’t taken on the S-rank dungeon in his place, Song Taewon wouldn’t have been able to intervene in my kidnapping. Maybe that would’ve been easier for me…
Clink.
Just then, I heard the door opening. It couldn’t be Myungwoo at this hour.
“Is that you, Yuhyun? Did you have dinner?”
I assumed it was Yuhyun and started towards the entrance, but Peace suddenly leapt in front of me, transforming into his young-adult size.
— Grrrr.
It wasn’t Yuhyun, then. I quickly activated my fear resistance and pulled out my phone. The visitor finally revealed themselves—it was none other than Song Taewon. How did he get a key? Did Han Shin give it to him?
“Dropping by unannounced. This is a bit surprising.”
“It’s thanks to the mess you’ve stirred, Mr. Han Yujin.”
His voice was weighed down with fatigue. It sounded like some higher-ups had been whining to him. I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle.
“I’m sorry, but unlike the Sesung Guild Leader, simply kneeling isn’t going to make me back down.”
–TL Notes–
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haha savage