Damn Hunter Life Chapter 87
Looking at it, vines had spread throughout the entire training ground. Not just me, but everyone had received the same surprise attack.
An incident that occurred in a place where no one expected to be attacked.
Each person’s response method could be roughly divided into three types according to their usual combat style or individual agility level.
Either they quickly protected themselves with familiars like Jin Seol-woon.
Or they struck them down with weapons they were familiar with, like Ma Cheon-ah or Won Ha-ri.
Hae Mi-jun nimbly threw his body to the ground to dodge. Even after dodging, he looked up in bewilderment.
Yang Pyo just didn’t dodge. It seems he’s developed a habit of not dodging even when he sees attacks coming, probably because of his Invincible Body characteristic. Of course, even though he got whipped by the vines, there wasn’t a trace of damage. He was just very surprised.
Wait a minute.
“You guys are all well-trained in combat, huh…?”
Was I the only one destined to not dodge and die?
Sa Ye-ho giggled in my ear. I was still floating in the air. Because Sa Ye-ho was holding me and had landed on one of the thick vines.
This guy with top-tier mobility stats had the speed and balance sense to save even me in that short time, and amazingly, he didn’t even drop his phone in the process.
When I became aware of it later, the ground below my feet was dizzying. I managed my expression to not show my nervousness, but Sa Ye-ho kept grinning. Right, with our bodies touching, there’s no way he wouldn’t notice the tension…
“Do you want to keep holding me like this?”
“Mm. You’re soft and smell nice?”
“Ah fuck, I’ll just fall then.”
“Hey hey, okay.”
All the dizziness and everything disappeared. I struggled, thinking it would be better to just jump to my death, and only then did he put me down on the ground.
Anyway… the culprit who threw everyone into confusion was actually obvious. No matter whose gaze you followed, it would all lead to one destination.
However, Myo Cho-hui’s expression, who was the cause—
She looked completely surprised, so it definitely wasn’t intentional. Myo Cho-hui kept her mouth tightly shut. All she did was stare blankly at the training ground that had become a mess.
In the silence, no one could bring themselves to speak to Myo Cho-hui first.
At this moment, Sa Ye-ho’s eyes slowly rolled to scan everyone once, then he casually let words slip.
“Wow noona, that was good just now. It was the best training for us who had gotten loose. Anyone who couldn’t dodge properly just now should do supplementary training.”
“…”
I should not come back after going to the bathroom later.
Soon Myo Cho-hui came to her senses and withdrew the vines. Then she looked at everyone one by one and apologized.
“No. I really did make a mistake. Sorry for making it dangerous.”
“It’s okay…!”
“Rabbit unni, don’t be discouraged! There are tons of people here who are worse!”
Won Ha-ri and Ma Cheon-ah comforted her, saying it was fine. Jin Seol-woon, Yang Pyo, and the younger ones brushed it off as nothing and started their training again.
“Hmm.”
However, some of us here… Sa Ye-ho, who’s part of the senior group and an original Twelve Zodiac member, and I, who know the original story, see through the truth Myo Cho-hui is hiding.
Even though Myo Cho-hui apologized, it couldn’t be the result of genuinely feeling remorse toward others.
Inside, there would only be irritation that she made a mistake worth being criticized for. True to her nature of wearing the well-made mask of a socialite, Myo Cho-hui only puts on sociability while being mindful of her mission as the Twelve Zodiac mascot.
‘If she can’t control her abilities to this extent, there’s no reason other than her emotions being greatly shaken at that moment.’
Including Jin Seol-woon, who was looking carefully, several others besides me probably could have reasoned this far.
But speculation gets blocked at the next step.
‘…What exactly was the reason?’
An ordinary training scene after Woo Sae-geon and Ja Hyeong-woo left.
In that brief moment, what could have happened to shake Myo Cho-hui’s mind?
“Civilian parents are safe, but Hunter Kim×× is currently in critical condition and requesting support from healing-type hunters.”
Sa Ye-ho had been reading breaking news out loud earlier.
If she was shaken by hearing that, it all adds up.
==
Snake Successor>Me: I was so surprised
Snake Successor>Me: What’s up with Myo Cho-hui noona
Snake Successor>Me: No matter how I look at it, there’s nothing but the news I was reading
==
Sa Ye-ho was also quick to catch on. He followed my speculation.
==
Me>Snake Successor: ㅇㅇ
Snake Successor>Me: She must be pissed off?
Snake Successor>Me: She’ll probably only focus on civilians interfering with gates
==
Sa Ye-ho demonstrated multitasking by talking about how some latest game was incredibly fun while chatting about something else behind the scenes.
I decided to nod and move past this topic for now. Woo Sae-geon wasn’t here anyway, and it wasn’t worth making a big deal about.
But there’s one more thing here.
Didn’t I say I know the original story?
So there are things I know better than Sa Ye-ho.
‘Could it be…’
A clue from the original story flashed through my mind.
From what just happened, one hypothesis about Myo Cho-hui was established. Perhaps I might be the first among the successors to… figure out the real inner nature of the person called Myo Cho-hui.
* * *
[STAGE 35 has been cleared.]
Ja Hyeong-woo and four others came out after completing the raid.
According to system rules, the video is confirmed the moment the clear notification appears, and immediately Hunter School people can view that video.
And then this video is transmitted to the Association and delivered to the citizens who are eagerly waiting for the successors’ activities. Showing the long-awaited process of the successors clearing stages.
==
Ox Successor: All-hands feedback meeting in 3 hours
Ox Successor: Those who didn’t participate in the raid should come after studying the video
==
As if someone might come humming without even watching the video, our leader added words like assigning a book report.
‘How ridiculous. If they knew how much I can figure out from just one raid video, they couldn’t say that.’
Even if things like energy flow don’t show in recorded videos, there are parts you can learn through theory and analysis.
I was about to abandon my training and use a return home skill when someone suddenly popped out from the doorway and stood in front of me.
“Phew… you haven’t left yet.”
Hae Mi-jun seemed to have run at full speed, bowing his head and catching his breath. Even during that, he held onto my sleeve tightly as if I might leave.
“Why?”
“Maybe, I mean, would you… watch this stage with me? At, at my house?”
He managed to finish speaking with that timid personality of his. As I waited patiently, his face, still with baby fat, turned bright red.
‘Watching stages is work, so it’s not like “let’s watch a movie.” Does he want to talk while watching together?’
Honestly, it’s uncomfortable. Not that Hae Mi-jun is uncomfortable, but having someone next to me when watching raids becomes troublesome. There would be parts where I’d have to pretend to be stupid on purpose, and I can’t spread out my original story notes either.
When I seemed to hesitate, Hae Mi-jun’s cheeks got a bit redder. Now he didn’t know what to do, feeling sorry.
“I-if it’s difficult, it’s really okay! Besides, asking you to come to my house was presumptuous—”
“What are you talking about? Sure, let’s go to your house.”
When I answered readily, Hae Mi-jun’s face brightened up completely. He’s so happy like that.
‘What if I had said no? If his motivation dropped due to the embarrassment of being rejected and feeling sorry toward me, and he kept thinking about it during training, and his skills deteriorated, ultimately causing problems with his growth curve?’
Hae Mi-jun is probably the type who needs continuous mental care because he has a weak heart.
Hae Mi-jun’s house was a bit smaller than mine, but surprisingly spacious. Since he didn’t greatly change the circular hanok, you could feel the wooden atmosphere, while modern furniture was arranged in appropriately matching colors. He had quite a sense for interior design.
“Please sit here!”
Hae Mi-jun guided me to the sofa in front of the screen, then had me sit comfortably, gave me a cushion to hold, and even covered me with a blanket.
“Such devoted service, man. Come sit down.”
“Would you like some ice cream?”
“Red bean flavor.”
I rested my chin deeply on the large cushion and waited for the screen to turn on. Hae Mi-jun glanced at me like that, and only sat down when I gestured with my eyes.
Not on the sofa, but kneeling at the low table in front of it.
While the successors on screen were entering the entrance, Hae Mi-jun maintained a stiffly formal posture and watched the screen respectfully.
“…Do you always watch like that?”
“Ah, yes.”
“What about a cushion?”
“…”
Hae Mi-jun couldn’t answer and turned his head to avoid it.
Right… Even he would be too embarrassed to say it honestly.
The days of looking at the hyungs and noonas fighting at the front lines while thinking he was inadequate and bowing his head, the habit of foolishly kneeling on the cold floor without even a cushion to study videos.
“I, I’m comfortable here.”
“Comfortable? Then should I come down too?”
“Huh? No! I’m sorry.”
When I pretended to throw off the blanket and come down, only then did Hae Mi-jun jump up and listen.
He came up next to me hesitantly and sat down with his knees neatly together. Completely different from me leaning crookedly.
His stiff posture still bothered me, so I nitpicked for no reason.
“Why aren’t you eating ice cream?”
“I was worried my attitude might become improper…”
“Am I improper?”
“No!”
I held the bar ice cream I was eating close to Hae Mi-jun’s mouth as he waved his hands in denial.
“Then take a bite.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
