Episode 060
Han Sang-ah and I crossed Siberia once again, boarded a ship that departed from Vladivostok, and arrived at the port of Donghae City.
"Wow."
Honestly, I don't think Donghae City was ever this crowded even back when the world was still normal. Standing at the bow of the ship and looking at the countless people filling the port in the distance made me feel strangely unsettled.
"What are you doing?"
Han Sang-ah spoke from behind me. Clicking my tongue, I replied,
"Did you throw up everything already? You're a monster with a blade, but you get seasick?"
Han Sang-ah wiped her mouth lightly and answered,
"I didn't eat anything, so there was nothing to come up. I'm fine."
"You'll collapse like that."
"They have IVs on the ship. I'll get one."
People are supposed to eat food. You can't just stick a tube into your veins and call it a day.
"Already acting like a celebrity, huh?"
At Lee Se-eun's teasing remark, I gave a thumbs-up.
"What's wrong with someone great acting great?"
Lee Se-eun crossed her arms and replied,
"Looks like today's concept is 'annoying jerk.' We'll be docking soon. Don't mess around in front of me—save it for those people over there."
Yeah, that makes sense. Han Sang-ah let out another dry heave and spoke with a slightly pale face.
"When we arrive in Seoul… we'll have to go right away."
Chairman Geumyang Group said he'd treat us to a meal. That's something to think about later. Han Sang-ah disappeared again to retch up her empty stomach.
In the meantime, the ship steadily drew closer to the port.
"The press conference venue has already been prepared. The Association President provided a car, so we'll head there right away."
"Huh? You're not coming with us?"
At my question, Lee Se-eun shook her head.
"I'm busy. And to begin with, I'm not someone who absolutely has to be at this press conference."
"Why say something so sad like that? Anyway, got it."
"Yeah. Let's grab a meal sometime."
After exchanging goodbyes with Lee Se-eun, Han Sang-ah and I disembarked and immediately got into a car. The Association President was inside. It felt like it'd been a while since I'd seen this bald old man. Well, it really had been a while.
"All kinds of questions are going to pour in."
As we drove, the Association President filled us in on various things.
"You're not some kind of super rookie anymore. There's never been a hunter who eliminated a Grade-1 Corruption Entity this quickly."
Staring out the heavily tinted window, I asked,
"That includes the Senior, right?"
"Yes."
The man at the very top of the so-called list of hope. The first hunter to ever appear in the world, and the sole reason Korea—unlike other countries—had managed to remain intact.
"They'll probably bring up the Senior at the press conference too."
"I figured."
If nothing else, one had to be careful when talking about the Senior. He was not someone you could speak lightly about. It could cause more outrage than urinating on a cross at a church gathering.
If Lee Se-eun was a respected hunter, then the word reverence suited the Senior better. Someone akin to a god.
"I won't say anything special. It's not like I'm some lunatic desperate to set the world on fire."
"Most people would be extremely nervous in a situation like this. But neither of you show any signs of that."
I was pretty relaxed, and Han Sang-ah—well, nervous or not—was just being her usual self. I turned my gaze toward the Association President.
"If I were just an ordinary hunter, do you think I'd be riding in the same car as you on the way to a press conference?"
While chatting, Han Sang-ah and I arrived at the venue.
"Let's have a meal together sometime."
Chairman of Geumyang Group, Lee Se-eun, and now even the Association President.
What am I, some kind of living MSG? Seems like everyone thinks eating with me makes food taste better.
Upon arriving at the press conference hall, Han Sang-ah and I headed to the prepared podium. Bringing the microphone to my mouth, I offered a brief greeting.
"I'm Yoo Chan-seok."
"I'm Han Sang-ah."
After the introductions, I continued right away.
"We've got plenty of time today, so feel free to ask whatever you want. I'll probably be getting busy soon, so it'll be hard to attend events like this in the future."
At my words, one of the reporters raised his hand.
"Hunter Yoo Chan-seok. When you say you'll be getting busy, does that mean your future plans have been decided? Do you have a company you're planning to join?"
I shook my head.
"I don't have any plans to join a company. And I never will."
"Is the same true for Hunter Han Sang-ah?"
"Yes. At least until we achieve our goal."
At Han Sang-ah's additional answer, another question followed immediately.
"May we ask what that goal is?"
I glanced at Han Sang-ah and spoke quietly.
"I'll answer."
"That's better."
With her consent, I opened my mouth.
"From here on, I plan to operate as a small team with a few highly skilled hunters. Our goal is to eliminate every single Grade-1 Corruption Entity still remaining on Earth."
All eyes in the room turned to me. A terrifying silence settled over the hall—so deep that even the sound of someone swallowing would have been audible.
"Wait a moment—what exactly are you saying…?"
I paused briefly, then continued into the microphone.
"We're not doing anything else. Corporate or government contracts, personal requests, advertisements, media appearances… I know most hunters earn income through a variety of means. But Hunter Han Sang-ah and I have no interest in any of that."
Just one thing.
We'll smash Corruption Entities and nothing else. That's why we're working together—and aside from that, we won't do anything at all.
"That could be interpreted as saying that other hunters aren't being faithful to the true essence of being hunters."
Good grief. Reporters are known for hearing fine words and understanding them in the worst possible way, but this was really something else.
"I never said that. There are many fields where hunters are needed. It's just that the field Hunter Han Sang-ah and I want to focus on is eliminating Corruption Entities."
After finishing my statement, I swept my gaze across the reporters. Since Korea's infrastructure was still being maintained at a decent level, this press conference was almost certainly being broadcast live over the internet and TV.
"I'm fully aware of the efforts made by other hunters to sustain our daily lives. But in the end, if Corruption Entities aren't eliminated, nothing will change. We intend to pull out the roots of these damn weeds."
As long as Corruption Entities and contaminated zones remained, nothing would truly change.
"May I ask one more question?"
"Yes, of course."
"You said you'll be focusing on eliminating Grade-1 Corruption Entities. Does that mean… well, um…"
The other reporters all turned their eyes toward the one asking the question. They seemed to have caught on to what was about to be said.
"Does that include the Great Eight?"
"Hunter Han Sang-ah has agreed to share my goal at least until we eliminate Club Shaddai, one of the Great Eight. As for her path after achieving her own objective, I can't say yet—but at the very least, my goal is to eliminate all Grade-1 Corruption Entities, including the Great Eight."
From somewhere among the reporters came a muttered, "That's insane."
"Do you think that's a realistic goal?"
I smiled as I answered.
"Do you think what I just said sounds like something spoken after carefully weighing realism?"
"So you're proposing an impossible goal?"
At the follow-up question, I flicked my gaze toward that reporter.
"If you're asking me to guarantee success here and now, I can't give you an answer. I'm fully aware that what I'm saying may sound unrealistic. Still, I rejected Taebaek's recruitment offer in order to pursue this goal."
This was a good moment to bring Taebaek into it.
"Taebaek, you say?"
"Yes. I can't go into the specific contract terms, but I'm grateful that Taebaek offered someone as lacking as me a position as a partner hunter."
Rejecting an offer to become a Taebaek partner hunter didn't prove I could achieve my goal—but at least it made my resolve clear to everyone.
"If we're not talking about possibility but about determination, then yes—I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to reach this goal."
"It's already been confirmed that Hunters Yoo Chan-seok and Han Sang-ah eliminated the Grade-1 Corruption Entity known as the Bratsk Refrigerator. But the Great Eight are on a completely different level."
I knew that too. Even Winter Closet in Canada—which was similar in nature to the Bratsk Refrigerator—had such low temperatures in its contaminated zone that most hunters couldn't even approach it.
"That's why we're hoping that among other skilled hunters, there are those who sympathize with our goal and are willing to head toward it together with us."
We needed more people. Han Sang-ah and I couldn't just hold hands and play pat-a-cake while smashing Grade-1 Corruption Entities. This wasn't some kids' game.
"We're not saying we'll deal with the Great Eight immediately. That's the final objective. For now, we plan to build our strength by eliminating other Grade-1 Corruption Entities and to look for hunters who share our resolve."
In other words: if you're interested, please apply in large numbers. I almost wanted to slap a phone number on a banner like a home-shopping ad, but that would've looked pretty bad here.
"For now, that's everything I absolutely wanted to convey at this venue."
And the questions kept coming.
"What is the nature of your relationship with Hunter Han Sang-ah?"
That was a strange thing to ask here.
"We're married. My wife is already eight months pregnant."
Here, have a serving of my nonsense. At my words, Han Sang-ah shot a question back at me.
"Really? Did I marry you? And when did I even get pregnant?"
I was just joking—why are you reacting like that? She's perfectly fine most of the time, but she gets weirdly off at random moments.
"Does your stomach look like an expectant mother's? Are you still not thinking straight because of the seasickness?"
"Oh. Yeah. I guess I'm a bit out of it."
Murmuring that, Han Sang-ah turned to face forward again. Seemed like there was nothing more to do here.
"If there are no more questions, we'll end it here."
And with that, the press conference concluded. As we were leaving the venue, Han Sang-ah tilted her head slightly and spoke.
"You know I'm not really good with this kind of thing."
"What kind of thing?"
"Reading the room."
"Your self-awareness is actually pretty solid. Instead of obsessing over your weaknesses, try building on your strengths."
"Thanks for the advice. Anyway… was that last remark okay?"
I looked at Han Sang-ah for a moment before answering.
"See? Trying to awkwardly compensate for your weaknesses just makes things even stranger."
You'd have to be an idiot to take something like that seriously. I'd already said it, but she still couldn't quite get the picture.
"And if they do take it seriously, that's a win for me."
I'd suddenly have the Geumyang Group backing me, after all. Hearing that, Han Sang-ah let out an "Ah," and nodded.
"That's true. But I already stepped out of the succession battle. It'd be better to aim for my older sister. She owns the Artois Hotel Chain and is still competing for the inheritance."
"What are the chances your sister inherits Geumyang Group?"
"I'd say about 35%. Once the successor is decided, it either loses its appeal or becomes an untouchable prize—so now's the perfect time."
She was really sharing some fascinating information.
"So after marrying her, do I slowly poison her food with antifreeze, kill her, and take the inheritance?"
At my words, Han Sang-ah replied calmly.
"Ethylene glycol—the main component of antifreeze—tastes sweet. If you mix it into food, she'll notice."
"Then I'll mix it into her coffee."
"She doesn't put sugar in her coffee—"
Mid-sentence, Han Sang-ah shot me a look.
"Just to be sure… you are joking right now, right?"
"Of course. You think I'm serious?"
The son-in-law of Geumyang Group murdering his wife? That wasn't even funny. Han Sang-ah's expression darkened.
"Ha… you're still hopelessly slow to improve."
"At reading the room? Give up on that."
Chatting like that, we left the press conference hall together.