Chapter 81: Chapter 81

The hunters around Lee Changsik looked surprised.

“Director-nim, are you okay?”

“Director-nim! Do you know him?”

“... They used to be my clanmates in the past,” Lee Changsik said after quickly controlling his expression. His words amazed the hunters.

“Wow. There was a hunter like that.”

“I don’t think there is much of an age difference between him and us.”

“Is it because he came back from the Abyss?”

“... Shut up. Focus on training.”

“Yes!”

-Is Director Lee Changsik’s leadership really enough?

-Officials have revealed that an outstanding hunter can’t be a good director.

They were criticized for not performing well outside, but most of the hunters who trained under Lee Changsik trusted him. His personality was cold, but they were certain about his skills and sense of responsibility. Lee Changsik went to the rear of the training ground, then called a number that he hadn’t contacted in a long time.

-Cough, cough. Is this Mr. Hwang’s number?

***

“Uhahahat! Uhahahahat!”

Hwang Gyeongryong laughed while rolling backward and sideways.

“Kikikiki!”

“......”

“......”

Hwang Gyeongryong’s secretaries exchanged looks with each other as they waited outside the door.

-Should I go in?

-Do you want to be fired? Just pretend you didn’t hear anything.

“Ah. It’s been so long since I’ve had so much fun.”

Hwang Gyeongryong wiped away his tears. It had been a long time since he laughed so hard that he almost cried. The higher the status, the more work that had to be done and the more his responsibilities increased. He had to make sure that the numerous affiliates of his company were running well, that he was ready to react if anything happened in the world, and that he’d manage the affairs of the city that he received from the government...

Others envied him for being an S-grade hunter, but this position was lonely.

Choi Yeonseung’s return was so welcome that tears came out. This guy had always been different! It was the same with the match against Maximilian this time. It broke the expectations of many people and completely smashed their noses.

“Ah. I want to talk to someone about this. Should I call someone?” Hwang Gyeongryong wondered which company’s president he should call to talk to.

Before that, the secretary’s report came in. “Chairman. You have received a personal call.”

“What?”

Out of the several mobile phones used by Hwang Gyeongryong, there was a number that was only known by family members such as his ex-wife, ex-wife… or ex-wife.

“Who is it? Didn’t I tell you not to ask me if they’re just asking for pocket money?”

“About that... It’s Hunter Lee Changsik...”

“!”

Hwang Gyeongryong was surprised. Lee Changsik contacted him first!

-You said you wanted to go to the United States!

-That was back then! Our clan members believed in your judgment and gave their lives for the cause. If you leave for the United States now, what will become of them? Won’t they be ashamed?

-That’s better than seeing more deaths! I don’t need any of that!

How long had it been since they had an argument and lost contact? They were so upset with each other that they turned their heads and didn’t talk to each other when meeting in an official setting.

‘Ohu. He saw Yeonseung.’

Hwang Gyeongryong answered the phone with an evil smile.

-Ah. Who is this? I think it’s someone I don’t know.

-...Are you Mr. Hwang?

-Ah, that’s right. Why did you call me? I don’t know who you are.

-... Don't make useless jokes. It’s Lee Changsik. I saw Yeonseung playing a match! You already knew, right?

-Of course, I knew. I took care of him as soon as we got in touch. There’s nothing to worry about. I’m taking care of him much better than the government.

-Why didn’t you tell me?

-Were we that close to each other? Bah.

-......

Hwang Gyeongryong’s pettiness made Lee Changsik speechless. This person hadn’t changed even though he became the chairman of one of the world’s leading groups?

-Forget it, put Yeonseung on.

-If you want to contact Yeonseung, then you can call him directly. He isn’t even next to me.

-I know you can get him if you wanted!

-But I don’t want to. Call him on your own, dude. Be thankful that I’m not stopping it. I could cut off all contact between you two if I wanted.

-What’s wrong with you? What do you want?

-Apologize for the things you said before I went to the United States. Then I’ll forgive you.

-I have no intention of apologizing!

-Then you should call him on your own. I’ll block it.

Snap—

Hwang Gyeongryong cut off the call. Rather than feeling pleasant, he felt bitter.

“That guy is going to apologize...”

“Should I contact the Korean government and put pressure on him?”

“Do you want to get fired?”

“... I-I’m sorry!”

“How dare you... What about the Korean media? Public opinion?”

“They can’t help cursing a director who doesn’t get good results...”

“... Send some money to the media like you did last time.”

Blocking the mouths of the media companies couldn’t stop the people from swearing. This was an era where public opinion couldn’t be changed by force. Rather, it had to be approached in a different way.

Spreading moving stories! Hwang Gyeongryong would periodically bend the Korean media to his will and scatter good stories about Lee Changsik. Otherwise, someone as upright as Lee Changsik would’ve been cut out of the association long ago.

“They just can’t win... Sigh.”

“That’s because Korea has a narrow pool of talented hunters...”

“Shut up. Get out of here. Don’t come to me if you don’t have any news.”

“Yes.”

***

“I’m disqualified as a manager.” Aine was unusually depressed.

“Are you okay? Do you want me to grill some meat?” Choi Yeonseung asked in a puzzled manner.

“......”

Aine looked at Choi Yeonseung as if she was dumbfounded. Why was he talking about meat now?

“Hmm. It seems you really want to eat meat.”

“That isn’t the case!”

“No? Then, you...”

“It’s because I don’t even know my client’s skills.”

Aine sighed.

“Come to think of it, you were confident. I should’ve believed in you more. I didn’t even trust my client...”

‘She thought I was going to lose.’

Choi Yeonseung encouraged Aine.

“In the first place, you shouldn’t be trusting when dealing with people. It’s only natural to have doubts.”

“......”

Aine’s energy didn’t return despite his remark. It had probably been a shock that she couldn’t accurately predict. She was disqualified as a manager!

‘It looks like she really needs meat.’

“How disadvantaged did you think I was?”

“I thought there was a nine-to-one odds you’d lose.”

“......”

Hey!

Choi Yeonseung almost couldn’t control his expression.

9:1 was a bit too much...! It could be different if it was 6:4 or 7:1...

“You didn’t have any data on martial arts and didn’t have a chance to see my skills.”

Aine’s composure returned at Choi Yeonseung’s continued consolation. No, it was more like she realized what she was doing. She made a mistake and had to be comforted by her client.

‘I’m twice as disqualified as a manager.’

Strangely enough, she was being pampered by Choi Yeonseung. Aine slapped herself on the cheek.

“? ”

“I’m trying to pull myself together.”

“I see. Should I hit the other side?”

“... I-It’s fine.”

A group of familiar-looking hunters appeared before them as they were about to leave. They were the young members of the Mount Hua Sect.

“What’s going on?”

Flop!

They knelt down and shouted.

"Please accept me as your disciple!"

"Please accept me as your disciple!"

“......!”

***

Choi Yeonseung’s match seemed to have given a huge shock to the young hunters of the Mount Hua Sect. Martial arts could overwhelm magic! Choi Yeonseung hadn’t confirmed that he would accept the Mount Hua Sect yet, but the young hunters couldn’t wait.

-Let’s go kneel down!

-Just wait for him to accept us!

“Wait. Didn’t you say that you weren’t very interested in martial arts?”

Choi Yeonseung was puzzled. The elders of the clan obviously said things like ‘young people these days don’t care much about martial arts anymore,’ ‘everyone is trying to switch to magic,’ ‘we are doomed,’ and ‘oh, our ancestors are angry...’

Looking at the scene now, they seemed very passionate about martial arts. Did the match change their minds?

“Um... In fact, we...”

“That...”

“?”

The hunters hesitated but finally made up their minds. “It isn’t that we’re not interested in martial arts.”

“Then?”

“We’re interested in martial arts, but the elders... are just a bit... stubborn...”

Choi Yeonseung cocked his head because he couldn’t understand it. Aine whispered from beside him. “I think they meant their elders are being pigheaded.”

“?”

“It’s like being too fussy.”

“Aha.” Choi Yeonseung finally understood. Indeed, the elders of the Mount Hua Sect had been honing their martial arts for a long time and awakened after the gates opened. They didn’t abandon the traditions they had cultivated just because they awakened as a hunter.

Learn the traditions and move forward!

…The problem was that these things were hard to accept for young hunters.

-From the front posture to the backward posture! Jump backward, step in the air, turn around and settle in place. That is the White Wheel Footwork. You all have to work hard to master this technique.

-I see. Change the posture and jump backward...

-J-Jump! How can you use a word like jump when learning martial arts? You guys have no respect!

-N-No. The White Wheel Footwork skill...

-Uhuh! Don’t call it a skill! It’s a footwork technique! ‘Footwork technique’ is such a good name!

-......

While practicing martial arts, they couldn’t use words like ‘skills’ and ‘jump’...

There were many things that couldn’t be done in the Mount Hua Sect.

‘I have to fix this first.’

Choi Yeonseung vowed.

What type of rules should there be?

“Why wouldn’t we want to learn martial arts? We want to practice it!”

“Please teach us!”

“Okay.”

“!”

The members of the Mount Hua Sect were stunned when Choi Yeonseung easily agreed. A hunter like Choi Yeonseung was really going to teach them!

“I was going to visit the Mount Hua Sect and tell you anyway. go back and tell them this. I am the household member of the constellation known as the ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training.’ I will teach any clan member who’ll become a follower of the ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training.’”

“......”

It was the first time they were hearing of a constellation called ‘Undefeated Incarnation of Training,’ but the clan members weren’t surprised. A new constellation appearing on Earth wasn’t new. The world of tens or hundreds of constellations was difficult for humans to understand. Only the chosen ones could have a glimpse of that world.

“... I will follow him.”

“Hey?!” Aren’t you even going to think about it first?!”

“Why should I care about such details when he’s going to teach us martial arts? I’d gladly sell my soul if it means learning more about martial arts.”

“... I’ll learn too!”

The young hunters of the Mount Hua Sect rushed forward. Choi Yeonseung nodded in satisfaction.

[The number of your followers has increased. The power of your existence has risen!]

***

‘I wonder if Odaigon is doing well.’

Choi Yeonseung moved to his newly acquired realm in the Abyss, the Blood Fortress. He had won this territory from the Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood! It was also the first realm of Choi Yeonseung, a battle-type constellation who wandered around without having a base.

He was busy with Earth’s affairs, so he left it to?Odaigon. However, he now wondered how Odaigon was doing. Was he doing well? n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“No! You stupid bastards! Why can’t you learn this simple magic! Die!”

“... It isn’t going well.”

Choi Yeonseung sighed when he heard?Odaigon’s?voice in the distance.

1. Elders use the Korean word for ‘jump’, while the younger hunters use the Korean loan word that comes from English i.e. ‘jumpu.’ That’s why the elders are telling them off.