Hunters Keep Coming To My House - Chapter 35

Chapter 35

“A displeasing smell always lingers here.”

A low voice filled with annoyance.

It was a voice I knew.

And it was a voice I had heard recently.

“…It’s Jung Tae-il!”

“Why did Jung Tae-il come to a government building?!”

Jung Tae-il had come here.

Moreover, he brought several members of the ‘Overflow’ guild with him.

Journalists instantly shifted their attention to Jung Tae-il.

Mr. Kim Chok, whose attention was taken away, frowned and spoke as if nothing had happened.

“It’s quite rare for Hunter Jung Tae-il to visit this prestigious place. I don’t think there’s a reason to be here.”

“A reason? You can always create one.”

“Huh! Then what reason did you come up with, Hunter Jung Tae-il?”

“I heard the government was making an interesting announcement, so I came to listen. But it seems my reason is lacking.”

It was indeed rare for Jung Tae-il to come to the government. This was mainly because most government-sponsored gate auctions were conducted online or by phone. Also, since most guild matters related to the government were handled by Kang Yoon-soo, guild hunters other than him rarely had a reason to visit the government.

Amidst this, I was curious why Jung Tae-il had gone to the trouble of creating a reason to come to this government building. Everyone gathered here would likely share that curiosity—excluding Mr. Kim Chok, who, trying to regain the spotlight, deliberately ignored Jung Tae-il and focused on the journalists.

He attempted to speak again to redirect attention, but he couldn’t open his mouth.

Jung Tae-il spoke first.

“Well, it wasn’t such an interesting announcement after all.”

With a nonchalant expression, Jung Tae-il casually turned his head and shrugged his shoulders at Mr. Kim Chok, as if questioning him.

“Aren’t you essentially killing people with just a few words?”

“Hunter Jung Tae-il, what do you mean by that?”

“Exactly as it sounds. It’s the act of breaking the wings of a talented Hunter while pretending to support them. Am I wrong?”

“….”

Jung Tae-il chuckled leisurely, closed his eyes slowly, then opened them again.

“It’s quite strange to suddenly offer support that you’ve never provided before, just because someone gains a new ability, don’t you think?”

“Hunter Jung Tae-il!”

Unable to endure any longer, Mr. Kim Chok shouted in anger, his face turning red. However, Jung Tae-il didn’t bat an eye.

“If you want to understand people’s hearts, do it properly. Don’t tie yourself up by inciting public opinion with such baseless words.”

With those words, Jung Tae-il slowly walked away.

Journalists, who seemed to have not fully grasped what was happening, hurriedly thrust their phones toward Jung Tae-il.

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

“Are you saying the government is offering mere verbal support now?”

“What is the real purpose of Hunter Jung Tae-il being here?”

Despite the onslaught of questions, Jung Tae-il remained silent and continued to walk away. Fearless reporters approaching him were restrained by members of the ‘Overflow’ guild who stood behind him.

And so, where Jung Tae-il arrived…

“….”

“Long time no see, Seo Yeon-oh.”

… He was in front of me.

Seeing Jung Tae-il approach me without a care in the world, the surrounding journalists began to buzz with excitement.

“What’s going on? What is this situation?”

“Is there any connection between Hunter Jung Tae-il and that woman? There was no mention of such a woman in the leaflet given by that XX patch reporter before.”

…Can’t they discuss such matters where the parties involved can’t hear them?

My head is already a mess… Must I deal with this complicated situation as well?

I bit my lip, desperately pretending not to know about the situation, and he casually glanced at me before smirking and letting out a chuckle.

Then, quite unexpectedly, he jokingly threw a remark my way.

“Is this the first time since that night we spent together? Long time no see, Seo Yeon-oh.”

“… What? A night together? What are you talking about? No, more importantly, why bring that up here?”

He just let me use a corner of the room!

Feeling utterly exasperated, I couldn’t help but blurt out my frustration toward him.

Ignoring the powerful ripple effect this joke could have by pretending not to know was difficult.

No, that guy should know what to say and what not to say. With so many ears around, if he says something easily misinterpreted, what’s going to happen?

There’s a difference between just being acquaintances and having spent a night together…!

I can’t help but think that I want to smack that guy’s forehead, but in times like these, I need to pull myself together.

‘…If only Jung Tae-il didn’t make such a joke, I might have been grateful.’

However, thanks to his remark, the situation that had been unfavorable for me completely turned around. The public perception had formed around the idea that the government, with only verbal promises of support, was binding the feet of the Hunter.

If I let this opportunity slip away now, there was no conclusion other than me being incredibly foolish.

‘I need to fan this spark into a bigger flame.’

To achieve that, unfortunately, I needed Jung Tae-il’s help once again. He seemed to know that, looking at me with a delighted smile.

“Seo Yeon-oh, now that our delightful reunion is over, can we get to the main point?”

“…Yes.”

“Will you join ‘Overflow’?”

It was unexpectedly perfect timing, a fantastic help that came in just when I needed it the most.

* * *

Seo Yeon-oh. 

The name lingered in his mind, refusing to disappear. 

It was Jung Tae-il who, after awakening to the S-level, met numerous people and, among them, gathered outstanding individuals to create a guild. Despite encountering a variety of people, the name of one person, for some reason, wouldn’t leave his thoughts. 

Yes, that woman inexplicably captivated the gaze of others and sparked curiosity.

In front of him, she trembled like a herbivore, yet confidently expressed her opinions in front of other S-levels. In danger all around, she was someone who amazingly found her way to survival. 

It may have been a long or short day, but during that time, Seo Yeon-oh showed a variety of things. Ah, it was truly impressive—treating Han Seung-hoo like the sibling next door.

Well, even after getting trapped in the gate, surviving was commendable, but he didn’t expect it to be to this extent. 

“She handled things quite well against the government.” 

Jung Tae-il slowly smiled as he watched a video displayed on the tablet. If you knew the existence of ‘Seo Yeon-oh,’ you could recognize her from this video. It even included her partner, the hatchling, and the voice of Han Seung-hoo. 

“I thought she’d leave the government as soon as possible, but I never expected this method.” 

Despite intending to act cautiously, she showed a rather bold side.

Well, considering she even tamed a hatchling… Jung Tae-il watched the video again and again, unintentionally spending quite some time. 

“…I must be crazy too.” 

What is he doing, continuously watching this short video? 

“Ah, maybe she asked for help from Han Seung-hoo.”

Among the S-levels, it was natural that she would feel most comfortable with Han Seung-hoo. Furthermore, if she intended to confront the government, it was also a wise choice to seek help from Kang Yoon-soo in Janwol.

However, he couldn’t help but feel mischievous. If she was going to involve a guild, it seemed right to have ‘Overflow’ as well. If she wanted to raise her value and leave the government, having many scouts in the guild would be beneficial.

The more he thought about it, the more mischievous ideas filled his mind. Jung Tae-il tapped his fingers on the tablet screen after the playback ended, slowly curling up the corners of his mouth.

“It’s incomplete without ‘Overflow’ in this party.”

Moreover, he wasn’t pleased with the idea of Han Seung-hoo and Kang Yoon-soo monopolizing her without any competition. Even if she reached out first, it didn’t sit well with him.

“Shall we shake things up a bit?”

Tossing a metaphorical pebble, he wanted to create a ripple that would make Seo Yeon-oh slightly uneasy. Uncomfortable, in the sense that her mind would be filled with the person Jung Tae-il.

He hoped that, just like he thought of Seo Yeon-oh, she would reciprocate his thoughts. That was all. 

Jung Tae-il placed the tablet on the desk and slowly stood up, stretching lightly.

“I’d like to see her surprised expression, so it’s better to make a move in advance.”

Certainly, Han Seung-hoo would visit the government to bring Seo Yeon-oh out. Then, he could be the first to offer a scouting proposal to Seo Yeon-oh. Until recently, Jung Tae-il didn’t think the government would make a move before him. They seemed content to throw a small pebble into their calm pond and watch the ripples. However, thanks to the government revealing their greed first, the situation turned even more in Jung Tae-il’s favor.

Now, instead of a small pebble, it could be a large stone, or rather, a typhoon approaching her. Jung Tae-il watched all the situations unfold, waiting for the perfect moment to make his move. 

Anticipating Seo Yeon-oh’s expression and words, it was truly a delightful wait after a long time.