Damn Hunter Life Chapter 20
Ja Hyeong-woo had upright features that suggested he wouldn’t cut corners, but his impression couldn’t be called gentle even as flattery.
This was also due to his physique that often led to mistaken assumptions that he’d been an athlete before becoming a hunter.
When he went out on the streets, you could easily find as many people who flinched and avoided his large frame as those who looked at his appearance. He rarely smiled and had a personality that didn’t embellish words or make excuses, making him prone to misunderstandings.
Such a person, though unintentionally, waited for Hae Mi-jun’s answer with interrogating eyes. Hae Mi-jun had to hold his breath to prevent hiccups.
‘Does it… show? That it wasn’t entirely accomplished through my own strength alone……’
Thinking about it briefly, it made sense. Ja Hyeong-woo, and perhaps even Woo Sae-geon, anyone even slightly perceptive would notice there was someone behind Hae Mi-jun.
What could his timid and weak self have accomplished alone in the first place?
“But if that finger-pointing extends to my subordinates, I won’t stand for it either.”
“I’ll substitute.”
He wasn’t the type to speak such words purely from his own thoughts.
It was all because Gang-hyeon hyung was there.
Hae Mi-jun firmly believed that everything up until now was a miracle that happened because he tried to emulate Gyeon Gang-hyeon.
And under Ja Hyeong-woo’s gaze, Hae Mi-jun truly wanted to tear his hair out.
He wanted to say it.
‘I want to say it. That Gang-hyeon hyung helped me, that Gang-hyeon hyung is really different from the image known so far. Though I’d be too embarrassed to mention even that breathing training method……’
But Hae Mi-jun kept his mouth firmly shut. He couldn’t bring himself to look Ja Hyeong-woo straight in the eyes and lie, so he lowered his head.
“I was… lucky. Working hard alone.”
“I see.”
Ja Hyeong-woo nodding without particular suspicion was fortunate yet terribly regrettable at the same time.
Please be suspicious instead.
It’s all thanks to Gang-hyeon hyung… He felt tormented that he couldn’t reveal how hyung had done various things for him.
If only Gang-hyeon hyung hadn’t made such a request…….
“Hae Mi-jun, listen carefully. Even if people ask questions because of your performance today, even if interviews come in, I’d prefer if you didn’t talk about me as much as possible.”
That much? Why? To Hae Mi-jun’s wide-open eyes, Gyeon Gang-hyeon who had been answering…….
Looked so much like a ‘hyung.’
“I need to remain with an incompetent image as long as possible. That way successors will focus more on growth to fill my position.”
Before feeling disappointed by that choice, Hae Mi-jun was moved by finally learning Gyeon Gang-hyeon’s intention.
So even while harboring guilt about lying, he hid the truth in front of Ja Hyeong-woo.
It was stealing someone else’s credit. It didn’t suit Hae Mi-jun’s nature. Having to blow away with his own mouth the opportunity for Gang-hyeon hyung to be properly recognized made his heart ache.
Ja Hyeong-woo, who had been in casual clothes, loosened his arm muscles lightly and moved to change into hunter gear. Then he glanced back at Hae Mi-jun.
“Go to the training ground first.”
“Huh? Me?”
Ja Hyeong-woo was referring to the successors’ training ground, not the general hunter training ground Hae Mi-jun had been attending.
Though Hae Mi-jun had voluntarily avoided that place, the successors hadn’t repeatedly invited him either. But now, Ja Hyeong-woo was bringing it up again.
“Still don’t want to come? They’ll be waiting for a new healer.”
Hae Mi-jun’s face brightened. He nodded.
“I’ll go!”
Hae Mi-jun flew out of Ja Hyeong-woo’s house first. His steps going to train couldn’t be lighter.
Now he could confidently straighten his shoulders and enter the Twelve Zodiac training ground. Since he’d been recognized as a colleague, they might even do joint training.
Before that, just one more thank you to Gang-hyeon hyung…….
His fingers touching his phone suddenly stiffened. Hae Mi-jun looked up at the artificial sky inside Hunter School.
‘Gang-hyeon hyung… when will he be able to awaken?’
I’m fine suffering more here, so I want to give Gang-hyeon hyung even my abilities. If only we could awaken together and be in the same training ground, I’d have no other wishes…….
Hae Mi-jun sincerely wished for the day when hyung would quickly clear his false accusations.
But hyung might not be swayed by what others say at all. That was really difficult for me.
Sometimes it even seems like he enjoys it…….
Oops, I thought about hyung too long. Remembering training, Hae Mi-jun soon shook his head and walked diligently.
Around that time, Ja Hyeong-woo was looking at his face with the dark circles completely gone in the mirror once more, while inwardly thinking of something completely different.
‘He doesn’t even come to visit.’
He was thinking of exactly the same person who had just left Ja Hyeong-woo’s house, but his emotions were the complete opposite.
After Ja Hyeong-woo collapsed in front of Stage 26’s entrance, the raid team had no choice but to enter the gate… but the students at Hunter School were in an uproar. All of South Korea was stirred up until it was announced that he had simply fallen asleep and there was nothing wrong with his body.
‘But you, Gyeon Gang-hyeon, didn’t even come to check though you can enter my house.’
If I heard you collapsed, even if it happened because you were drunk, I’d go check if you were okay.
Even that dawn when we met at the restaurant, wasn’t it me who brought you to your room when you were lying drunk on the street?
That’s when it happened.
[Hey, are you awake?]
A text came. It was Gyeon Gang-hyeon.
Ja Hyeong-woo’s expression hardened as he hurriedly unlocked it to check the content.
[Did I tell you to collapse like an attention seeker when I said work hard?]
[I said work hard while managing your body]
[Isn’t the most incompetent healer one who can’t take care of his own body?]
[This is like not having the basics down]
[And if you’re going to slack off from now on just because Hae Mi-jun grew a bit, just die]
The intention of not bothering to fix the typo before sending was very clear.
Ja Hyeong-woo closed his phone without even writing a reply in the chat room where the read receipt had appeared.
‘Fine. I’ll train to become an even better healer. Until you have nothing left to say.’
At that moment, Gyeon Gang-hyeon, who had rapid-fired texts to motivate Ja Hyeong-woo, was also feeling something strange.
Not about Ja Hyeong-woo, but about Ja Hyeong-woo’s familiar Squeaky, whom he’d half-enslaved.
“Why haven’t you said a word lately?”
Have you finally decided to shut up and support my great cause? You’re actually helpful when you just stay quiet and only provide water attribute. Even when Gyeon Gang-hyeon chattered half-provokingly, the mouse familiar stayed quiet.
But actually, the mouse familiar had been burying itself obediently in its pouch, enduring several times when rebellious outbursts almost burst out.
The mouse familiar had been quietly watching Gyeon Gang-hyeon’s actions. Approaching Jin Seol-woon and changing him, and before that, giving Hae Mi-jun courage and helping with training.
Honestly, the Gyeon Gang-hyeon the mouse familiar had been seeing was quite different from the Gyeon Gang-hyeon known through school rumors.
“You substitute for Ja Hyeong-woo. You can do it, Hae Mi-jun.”
Here the mouse familiar was convinced.
As expected, Gyeon Gang-hyeon is a threat to master Ja Hyeong-woo!
‘Master is already there as an excellent healer, yet you’re making another healer? Plus saying substitute? I’ve figured out all your schemes.’
You must be planning to covet and bring down my master’s status! The mouse familiar ground its front teeth helplessly.
The mouse familiar resolved again today. It would find an opportunity to properly teach this guy a lesson.
So that Ja Hyeong-woo, its master, wouldn’t have to see himself being manipulated by such a person.
* * *
The Twelve Zodiac successors’ meeting room.
In the place where several people usually shared raid feedback, unusually only one person sat. He occupied the round table alone, chin propped on his hand.
The openly acknowledged leader of the Twelve Zodiac who commanded all stage raids, Ox successor Woo Sae-geon, was perfectly dressed today too with his topknot tied and gray robe draped. As always, his brain was busy working alone.
Successors are fundamentally connected. Especially successors of the same attribute could feel each other’s energy even from afar.
Based on this premise, Woo Sae-geon had been holding his breath and sensing energy for several days after Stage 26 ended. And today, he was finally certain.
‘Earth is wavering.’
At this unprecedented phenomenon, Woo Sae-geon recalled the earth attribute successors who comprised 4 of the Twelve Zodiac one by one.
First there was himself, but he had experienced no changes.
Next was Sheep successor Yang Pyo. If something was strange with that guy, he would have scurried over to tell him.
Then Dragon successor Jin Seol-woon. He was more likely than the previous two. He was more capable than Yang Pyo, and being naturally taciturn, he might be hiding something.
But… there was another possibility too.
Woo Sae-geon, who had been tapping the table with his index finger, soon summoned someone.
A tall man slipped into the meeting room quickly.
He wasn’t a successor but Woo Sae-geon’s capable subordinate, a regular hunter named Choi Jung-do. Woo Sae-geon looked up at him and spoke.
“Gyeon Gang-hyeon’s awakening is suspected.”
The earth attribute was more unstable than usual, but it didn’t feel ominous. It felt like the scale was expanding overall. At the positive sensation of power’s range extending, Woo Sae-geon formed this hypothesis.
“So that’s why he chose to come out into the world. Having awakened, he could act arrogantly in front of broadcast reporters unlike before.”
However, the time when Gyeon Gang-hyeon interviewed with the reporter was several weeks before now. He’d already been awakened since then?
“If it’s true that he awakened, then he’s abandoned his duty as a successor and hidden his awakening.”
“Then……”
“Choi Jung-do. You go find out whether Gyeon Gang-hyeon has awakened or not.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
