A Public Servant Hunter Who Exploits Skill Combinations – Chapter 16
Translated by: Hanzo
Chapter 16: Scheme (1)
"Those facts… Our beloved reporters. May I ask how you came to know that information?"
"Pardon?"
Instead of answering, I responded with a question, leaving the reporters bewildered.
"You clearly said 'nationwide.' From what I heard, not only do you know my mana score, but you seem to be aware of the mana levels of all students—not just those in our academy but every incoming freshman across the country. Is that correct?"
Some reporters couldn't hide their discomfort.
"Uh, well, that’s…"
"In that case, could you tell us where you obtained that information?"
"Uh, no, I mean…"
Of course, they couldn’t.
"I'm under the impression that the data is supposed to be officially released next week. Who exactly provided you with this information?"
When confronted with the facts they loved so much, they clammed up.
"…"
"Sure, I get it—quick news, solid facts, the public’s right to know. All great. But don’t I have the right to rest as well? I find it rather discourteous for you to show up unannounced like this."
I said this as I walked past them.
"Since I’m tired today, submit a formal interview request next time."
Whether I’d accept it or not was another matter.
I had my reasons for putting the reporters in an awkward position.
In the past, they hadn’t come to me but to the then-top-ranked student in the country for an interview.
Using leaked "information," they managed to publish the interview ahead of the official announcement.
However, not long after, a corruption scandal involving the Hunter Association broke out.
That incident caused the top-ranked student at the time, Jin Guk-hee, to face harsh public criticism.
Was the interview staged? Did they leak information on purpose? How did they manage to secure an interview before the official announcement?
Can we even trust the mana records themselves?
And just how closely tied are the academies and the media?
It didn’t take long for admiration to turn into jealousy and resentment.
Once a scandal breaks, it’s natural for others to pop up to divert attention.
And, predictably, the public gets swept up in it.
The media deliberately shone the spotlight on Jin Guk-hee to distract people.
I had no intention of getting caught up in that kind of mess.
Most of all, recalling how former top-ranked students had been harassed by reporters, I saw no reason to treat them kindly.
They wrote provocative articles for clicks and casually clacked away on their keyboards about young Hunters.
Upon returning to the academy, peaceful classes resumed.
Was it because I had snapped at the reporters?
No one attempted to interview me.
By the end of the week, my mana level record was published in every Hunter-related magazine nationwide.
News outlets also wanted to cover stories about me, but since I refused to give any interviews, they could only report that a promising Hunter with exceptionally high mana had appeared.
Every time I passed through the front gate, reporters eagerly tried to snap photos of me, so I got better at avoiding them. My stealth skills improved by the day.
In fact, Choi Jun-hyuk ended up giving an interview on my behalf—because he was my roommate.
"Jung Tae-sung? Yeah, we share a room."
"He's great at holding his liquor. And he always sits on the bed like an old man, cross-legged."
"Sometimes he sneaks in late-night fried chicken for us. Oh, wait, that last part’s a secret, right? You'll edit that out, right? Haha."
"Jun-hyuk."
He came over when I called.
"Hey, did you see my interview? Was it okay?"
"Right? Even you think it didn’t turn out great, huh?"
"Yeah, I knew it. I shouldn’t have done it. I don’t look good on camera. Why do I look so chubby?"
This guy was clueless, for sure.
"That’s what you’re worried about?"
"Huh?"
"You’ve gained weight, man."
"Guh."
Luckily, he brushed it off as a joke, and the late-night chicken incident wasn’t mentioned.
Every time we ran into each other in the hallway, Jun-hyuk kept asking,
"Seriously? Did I really gain weight?"
"…No."
"You're lying…"
"What do you want me to say?"
Either way, he’d say I was lying.
"Okay, fine. Yeah, you gained weight. Just go on a diet."
"But the fried chicken’s too good to resist!"
"…"
I couldn’t argue with that.
A new snack shop had recently opened near the academy.
They sold fried chicken made from drumsticks, and it was better than most chicken chains.
More importantly, the prices were unbeatable.
In addition to fried chicken, all their other offerings—fried snacks, tteokbokki, fish cakes, and kimbap—were top-notch.
Jun-hyuk had developed a habit of buying a bag of chicken every night, and it showed.
Not that I could blame him.
The place had gotten so popular that more students ate there than at the academy’s cafeteria.
I recalled how, back in the day, Jun-hyuk and I ate that chicken daily and struggled to lose the resulting weight.
As for me, having grown tired of it, I didn’t eat there as often anymore—just occasionally.
"Don’t worry. That shop will be gone soon…"
"What!? What do you mean ‘Manna Snacks’ is closing? Who said that?"
"Class is starting. See you tonight."
"Tae-sung! What do you mean by that?"
Ignoring him, I headed to the practice room.
Come to think of it…
The snack shop’s building had collapsed due to poor construction, seriously injuring the owner.
That’s why they had to close down.
That was how we ended up quitting the fried chicken habit.
Honestly, their food was too delicious to give up voluntarily.
But…
How was I supposed to know when exactly the building would collapse?
Ah!
There was a way.
A sly grin spread across my face.
***
As soon as class ended, I headed straight to the dormitory and logged into NewTube.
The most popular BJ of this era...
(T/N: BJ as in Bachelor of Journalism or in this case, simply a streamer. Get your mind out of the gutter.)
Found him.
Daedok Study Room.
He currently held the highest recognition and subscriber count in the NewTube community.
Recently, through a contract with a major corporation, his popularity soared even higher. He’s considered a pioneer and the top figure in the personal broadcasting industry.
He was one of the few BJs who had managed to remain at the top for a long time.
I sent him a private message.
— Hello, Daedok Study Room. I’m Jung Tae-sung, a freshman at the Gyeonggi Hunter Academy this year.
I’m contacting you because I personally wanted to do a broadcast with you.
If possible, I would appreciate your response.
Even if it’s not feasible, please don’t worry about it.
I added that it was perfectly fine for him to refuse since I didn’t want my request to negatively affect his broadcast.
Surprisingly, his response came sooner than expected.
— Definitely. Definitely.
***
“Hello, I’m Daedok Seosil.” (Meaning: Large Study Room)
“Hello, thank you so much for accepting my request.”
After a brief greeting, we shook hands.
I couldn't believe I had reached the point where I could meet someone I had only seen on NewTube with just a single message.
It made me realize how much I’d risen in status.
“No, I should be the one thanking you. Do you know how many people are curious about you, Jung Tae-sung, the prospective Hunter? It’s truly an honor for me.”
“Not at all. I’m grateful that you agreed to my terms. Thank you again.”
“Haha, you seem to have quite a different personality compared to some of the other Hunters I’ve met.”
Usually, the higher one’s mana score, the more arrogant they were.
It was because they believe they’d become an extraordinary person in the future, so they gave off a vibe as if to say, ‘You should know your place.’
Of course, not everyone was like that, but it was a common trend.
For example, Mun Jung-ho wasn’t like that, while Ma Tae-ho definitely was.
“Having a high mana score doesn’t put food on the table. The fact that people are showing interest in me feels excessive.”
“A Hunter is essentially a hero. You’ll become a great Hunter in the future, so I should make a good impression on you. Haha.”
“You’re too kind…”
“But why did you contact me directly instead of going through the media or a Hunter magazine?”
“I wanted to meet you, Daedok Seosil. I’ve been a fan for a long time.”
Counting my past life, it’s been about 25 years…
“Oh, you flatter me. Haha.”
After exchanging some warm pleasantries, we began preparing for the broadcast.
Since it was a live broadcast, several staff members came along with equipment to help with the filming.
The cameras turned on, and the live broadcast began.
“Hello, everyone! This is Daedok Seosil! As I announced, today we have a special guest! The one and only! The record holder with a mana score of 1,004! Let’s welcome the prospective Hunter Jung Tae-sung!”
With his smooth introduction, Daedok Seosil presented me to the viewers.
“Hello, I’m Jung Tae-sung.”
Immediately, comments started pouring in, and the number of viewers kept increasing.
“We’ve only seen pictures of your back in the news, but seeing you in person, you’re quite handsome!”
“Haha, yes. I used to hear that I was handsome when I was younger.”
“Excuse me, but may I ask your age…?”
“Fifty... I mean, twenty years old. Haha.”
The atmosphere turned awkward. Damn.
It had been a while since someone asked about my age, so I almost blurted out my age from my previous life.
Daedok Seosil quickly eased the tension.
“Can I call you Tae-sung? Tae-sung, you give quite a dad-joke vibe for someone younger than me.”
That’s because I’m a 50-year-old man inside.
“I guess I never learned how to be funny.”
“Humor must be something you’re born with, just like your mana score.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Daedok Seosil skillfully steered the conversation to arouse the viewers’ curiosity.
“Since we’re on the topic, could you tell us about your awakening? Was there anything special about it?”
“It was just a typical awakening. I felt a strange energy throughout my body, my mind went hazy, and I sensed something different writhing inside me.”
I couldn’t exactly say I went through a storm that sent me back 30 years.
“Many Hunter fans are curious. You haven’t done any interviews so far, so why did you decide to reach out to me?”
“I regularly enjoy watching your broadcasts, Daedok Seosil. Rather than dealing with reporters who shove microphones in my face, I wanted to meet you and your viewers.”
The broadcast proceeded smoothly.
True to his reputation as the top BJ, he asked fresh questions, and there were interactive segments with the viewers that made the show quite entertaining.
“Thanks to you, today’s broadcast is going really well. The viewership is the highest it’s ever been. It seems many people interested in Hunters are tuning in.”
Indeed, the live audience was five times larger than his usual viewership.
“But why did you choose this particular location for today’s broadcast?”
“This is where I often come after classes to grab a bite to eat.”
“Oh, it’s a snack shop near your school.”
“Yes, all the food here is delicious.”
“Are you planning to do a mukbang (eating show) today?”
“Yes, it’s on me.”
“Are you really treating us? You’re not going to ‘fire off mana’ or something, are you?”
I jokingly put on a serious face.
“...I think you need to learn some humor, Daedok Seosil.”
“Oh no, you got me there.”
“Come on, try this chicken.”
Just as Daedok Seosil was about to take a bite of the chicken, he stopped and asked me,
“You’re not related to the owner of this snack shop or anything, right?”
“Come on, what do you take me for? Every student at the academy knows how good the food here is.”
Reassured, Daedok Seosil took a bite, and his eyes widened in admiration.
“Wow. This is really good. It’s even better than the Kuku Chicken I had the other day.”
“Huh? Did you just promote Kuku Chicken?”
“Oh, right! I’ll edit this out.”
“But it’s a live broadcast, isn’t it?”
Daedok Seosil dropped his chopsticks in shock.
The iconic BGM often used for comedic moments started playing in the background.
“...Ladies and gentlemen, Kuku Chicken is delicious! Call 1599 for Kuku!”
“Suddenly advertising here?”
“Haha. But seriously, this is really tasty. Even the kimbap is great, and the broth of the fish cake is incredibly rich.”
“I knew you’d like it.”
“This makes me want to come back tomorrow.”
“Right? But you might not be able to.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
I pointed at a large calendar hanging on the wall.
“They’re closed on this day.”
“Oh, I see. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”
Then, while taking down the calendar and checking the closed days, I began marking them loudly.
“This day, this day, and this day. They’re all closed.”
“You’re very considerate. I feel like I’m learning a lot about you today, Tae-sung.”
“I wouldn’t want anyone to waste a trip by coming here on a closed day.”
“Wow, you’re so thoughtful. You really have a kind heart and a keen eye for detail.”
But that wasn’t my real intention.
As I was about to rehang the calendar, I suddenly spoke loudly.
“Huh?”
“What is it?”
“Look at this wall... there’s a crack.”
The real purpose of today’s broadcast was just about to begin.
....
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