Chapter 95
Blue House
Around when Yoo Eun-ha was getting ready to be thoroughly interrogated by Rachel. At the Blue House, the Nolbu and Heung-boo brothers stood before President Ha Jeong-seok.
But Ha Jeong-seok and Nolbu were glaring particularly at Heung-boo.
It was because he failed to properly complete his assigned mission.
"So you couldn't find anything out?"
Ha Jeong-seok glared at Heung-boo in disbelief. This is the state of one of the strongest Hunters under the Blue House.
"They were quite skilled. I wanted to beat them up but their hit-and-run tactics were impressive."
"To the point you couldn't even chase them?"
This makes you worse than Seo Ji-yeon who didn't even meet them. At least if you hadn't found them you could make excuses. But you met Baekhwa's companion and couldn't even catch them to question them, just losing face.
"They say Baekhwa has strong companions, seems that was exactly right."
"Damn it, we must catch Baekhwa."
Their forces are stronger than expected. If Baekhwa manages to unite all the Villains and survivors in the quarantine zones, it will surely become dangerous.
"Is there really a need for that?"
"Just searching the internet a bit shows too many bastards praising that damn Villain bitch. Even unleashing our people to suppress it is too obvious."
Ha Jeong-seok showed the Heung-boo and Nolbu brothers the data obtained by mobilizing Hunters under the Hunter Intelligence Department.
The content being that South Korea's citizens support Baekhwa more than the President. In extreme comments, there were even calls to replace Ha Jeong-seok with Baekhwa as President.
"Sigh, didn't I repeatedly say not to abandon Incheon? I said Song-do would definitely become a forward base for defeating monsters in these chaotic times."
Nolbu shook his head.
After the Great Cataclysm hit, South Korea's national power was chipped away as it faced monster threats multiple times. They barely managed to pull themselves together and install barriers thanks to the achievements of Yoo Jin-seok's generation.
At that time, Nolbu said they should protect up to Song-do.
Back when the concept of Hunters wasn't established yet, there were many Awakened Ones in Song-do.
But Ha Jeong-seok gave up just like that, afraid of giving power to the Hunter Association.
"So do you have any good ideas, Nolbu?"
"Well, sorry to that Baekhwa girl, but she's a Villain so she needs to be caught right?"
Nolbu said while scratching the back of his head.
"That's right."
"Looking at it, that Song-do is worth investing in."
This again? Nolbu had been saying this since rumors spread about Baekhwa setting up in Song-do.
That they should reclaim Song-do even now. That it's prime real estate.
"So you're saying we should catch Baekhwa and take Song-do too?"
"How about putting a 50 billion won bounty on Baekhwa? After Yoo Jin-seok resolved the Pyongyang Incident, our Hunters' monster subjugation missions became mostly overseas. If we put a 50 billion bounty on Baekhwa, Hunters will cross the barriers. Then we'll recover territory too so it's not bad."
They're already in a situation where they have to push policies to reclaim South Korean territory beyond the barriers.
"Huh, put up 50 billion?"
50 billion won isn't pocket change.
No matter how threatening a Villain, putting up 50 billion just to catch one girl doesn't sit right.
"If we do that, foreign Hunters will come running too. She's just a Villain anyway. That place needs to be subjugated in the end."
"Hmm. Let's try it then. First I need to pressure the Association."
Nolbu's words made sense.
This is a good chance to criticize the Association for not doing their job properly too.
After all, even Seo Ji-yeon, called South Korea's #2 Hunter, couldn't get any info about Baekhwa. This is a good opportunity to apply some pressure.
"Do we really need to go that far?"
"Heung-boo. You're still too soft. That's why you starve your wife and kids while being so incompetent."
"Brother what did you say?"
Heung-boo clenched his fists like he was about to throw punches but lowered his head at Nolbu's next words.
"Whatever the reason, if that Baekhwa bitch who rose up in Song-do keeps getting public support, what happens to the Blue House? Just when the Association has finally quieted down, the country's becoming chaotic."
Nolbu spoke as if it was pathetic, making Heung-boo bristle.
Those words had a point.
For the citizens and Association it may be dirty and despicable but in the end this government is Ha Jeong-seok's regime. But a Villain, and a Mutant at that, is gathering people in Song-do and living like it's an independent city.
Cut off from the outside, there are probably many Mutants who aren't greatly restricted in food, clothing and shelter. Having such a group of Villains receive public support is a serious matter.
Perhaps after growing stronger, Baekhwa might even target Seoul.
'Can't let some Villain bitch bring us down. Guess I'll have to use Shinohara too.'
And Ha Jeong-seok, who was obsessed with power, had to protect his regime by any means necessary.
* * *
Hunter Association
Association President Choi Cheol-sik's forehead wrinkles increased with Seo Ji-yeon's fruitless return.
Those wrinkles made Ji-yeon feel guilty inside, but it couldn't be helped.
A kid who trusted only her and revealed being both a Villain and Mutant. How could she stab someone who was even passionately courting her?
Honestly it was Ji-yeon's first time receiving such intense courtship so she felt a bit excited too. So she definitely couldn't stab her.
As Ji-yeon was carefully watching his reaction, Choi Cheol-sik's bald head gleamed as he opened his mouth.
"Ha Jeong-seok put pressure on the Association."
"What do you mean? Pressure?"
What nerve does the President have to pressure us?
Did Heung-boo go and say something again? But Heung-boo isn't that type of person. Even if he follows Presidential orders, he was never one to badmouth the Association.
Then is this Ha Jeong-seok's personal will?
What an impossible person.
"He says to put a bounty on Baekhwa."
"What, how much does he want to put?"
A bounty on Baekhwa. The government is openly marking Baekhwa as a Villain that needs to be eliminated.
Baek Cheong-gang, who had recently swept away monsters and came to the Association at Choi Cheol-sik's summons to sit with Ji-yeon, also knew about Baekhwa from the news.
But to think they'd mark her as a Villain so quickly.
"She fought with Yoo Jin-seok, and gathered survivors to make her own city in South Korea, so he says she's an unforgivable existence."
That's just like Ha Jeong-seok. Baek Cheong-gang next to Ji-yeon nodded.
"So how much is the bounty?"
"50 billion."
50 billion. Even S-Rank Hunters can't earn that much at once.
You could tell Ha Jeong-seok was seriously focused on Baekhwa's existence.
'With 50 billion, they could lift barrier restrictions with various excuses.'
Even low-rank Hunters will probably try. Ha Jeong-seok intends to catch Baekhwa by any means necessary.
Since he's the type who thinks South Korea is his alone. He probably can't stand Baekhwa taking a position in Song-do and being revered by people.
"But isn't this too early? 50 billion? Is Ha Jeong-seok crazy?"
Even among Villains, bounties in the tens of billions are rare.
Especially for a first offense.
"There's a separate issue. Not just Song-do, but citizens in Seoul, Busan, and Jeolla Province are increasingly supporting Baekhwa."
"Huh. Because Baekhwa is doing what the Association and government couldn't?"
Baekhwa started gaining public support.
A Villain receiving public support. And in a country with a President no less. At this rate it's obvious this has spread overseas too.
"That's right. For Ha Jeong-seok, he has no choice because of approval ratings."
"Do we have to follow Ha Jeong-seok's words?"
Ha Jeong-seok is arguably the worst President ever.
He did nothing even though they could have protected more territory if he'd done well.
"We have no choice. Thanks to Kim Jae-soo, we're short on Association Hunter manpower."
How long has it been since the Kim Jae-soo incident ended? Why is the Association so incompetent?
"Can't we just bring people in from somewhere?"
"We're thinking of looking into the Guild and Academy."
"Look into it quickly then."
Ji-yeon spoke irritably with a curt tone.
Why are they so incompetent? Choi Cheol-sik. Come to think of it, this guy seems to have only ever relied on Yoo Jin-seok's help.
Looking at it now, both the government and Association are truly hopeless.
Then maybe Eun-ha's side would be better. Since both the Hunter Association and government are worthless anyway.
'Why am I thinking like this.'
No. No matter what, what Eun-ha is doing is definitely not good for the country. It's just actions meant to cause division.
'I shouldn't think too deeply about it.'
Later I'll definitely spank that butt hard.
* * *
In Baby Yong-yong's room in the penthouse were me kneeling, Little Yong-yong flying in the sky, and Rachel glaring at me with crossed arms.
In the atmosphere like thin ice, only Little Yong-yong Ray was opening their mouth.
"Kyu-it kyu-kyu kyu-it! Kyurururu!"
Yong-yong isn't eating snake soup but is in danger of becoming snake soup.
It's because that Little Yong-yong with not an ounce of loyalty is tattling everything to Rachel.
Look at that. Fluttering in the sky and pointing at me with their front paw, they may not speak but they already have enough intelligence to screw over their own mom.
They're even doing this after watching me and Si-woo rubbing hard.
"Human. I can't deal with you anymore. How could you think of doing such things while your child watches?"
Rachel keeps hitting my back hard.
Like a wife beating her cheating husband's back, Rachel's hands stung. So much that the snake soup she makes with those hands must be spicy.
"I'm a dragon though."
"Are you in a position to talk back?"
This is all Ray's fault.
That damn Little Yong-yong. Since I can't understand them I'll have to teach them Korean separately later. Then I'll know if they're cursing me or what.
"No, why raise them so freely in the first place. Don't tell me you were monitoring?"
"The kid went out because they like their dad, how is that monitoring? Geez."
Even though I'm in the dad position this is too much.
This is clearly invasion of privacy.
"Let me off just once. Okay? No, just 1000 more times. Even that's less than you. Okay?"
Baby Yong-yong activated tearful begging.
"Tears won't work!"
But it failed!
"Strange. The judge said women's tears are weapons."
"Like they'd work on another woman!"
Is that so? But she likes me now so wouldn't it be nice if she fell for the begging?
"Come on. Okay? Today I'll do it hot and heavy. Just let the snake soup slide. I won't even mention mother-daughter oyakodon for a month. Okay?"
For mother-daughter oyakodon there's Elise and Leaky Mary. So right now there's no reason to do it with Reina and Rachel mother-daughter pair.
But for some reason she still glares at me unhappily.
Ah! Maybe I need to comfort her?
* * *