Creator's Favoritism - Episode 38

Naturally, when it was reported that one of ‘Play Ground’s’ operators was actually an active hunter, the internet went absolutely wild.

Just reading the top-ranked news article was enough to see how public opinion had been completely shattered.

[Hunter Park Sang-oh Urgently Arrested Inside Seoul Station Gate… ‘Illegal Gambling Site Operation’ Charges]

zero**** ┃ Aren’t ‘some’ hunters going too far? Aggravated assault, drunk driving, propofol… and now running illegal gambling sites lol. Are we supposed to trust these people with our lives?

gksq**** ┃ These types are always C-rank, D-rank. Not even competent, and no conscience either;

eggc**** ┃ This time, don’t just cut their pay – revoke their hunter registration. Do you think the public is a joke?

ksh0**** ┃ 14th criminal out of 202 active hunters ㅎㅎ Impressive ㅎㅎ Even more impressive that none of them lost their hunter status~

1997**** ┃ Admirable how hunters work so hard to maintain their title as the profession with the highest crime rate^^

not4**** ┃ Being a hunter, they’ll probably get away without indictment or get suspended sentence. Something about “despite the severity of the crime, considering their contributions to national security as a hunter” etc. lol

┗ stud**** ┃ Ah~ I’ve seen that verdict before~lol

“They deserve all the hate. It’s crime after crime, every single day. So embarrassing.”

Jeong Changgyu sneered while opening a can of Sprite.

On Saturday evening, all the students except for Lee Chan-yu, who had gone home, and Hong Ji-sang, who had disappeared somewhere, were leisurely hanging out in the dormitory lounge.

According to Jeong Changgyu’s belated explanation, as soon as the gate burst open at Seoul Station, Kang Chagyeong had come running like a madman looking for him.

“I was so surprised when he suddenly asked to borrow my skill. I didn’t even know you guys were at Seoul Station… Wait, how did you even know about that? Are you a stalker?”

“What?! No! I heard it from So-ra…”

The two of them had played supporting roles, while it seemed this episode’s screen time had been dominated by me and Lee Chan-yu. Originally, killing the monster should have been Kang Chagyeong’s part.

Anyway, the mood was great since there had been unusually few casualties for a gate that appeared in a special location like Seoul Station, all the students had returned without major injuries, and we had made a significant contribution to its annihilation.

The TV news had switched to showing my interview.

―It has been revealed that students of Haniyeong provided crucial assistance in the arrest.

[Maeng Sun-woo (17)/Hunter Trainee]

[I didn’t do anything. Chan-yu caught everything…]

I looked absolutely filthy in the interview, soaked from the rain and covered in dust.

Damn, even a sewer rat dragged in front of the camera would look better than that.

Due to my stammering, subtitles were filling in the omitted words.

“Sun-woo, you need to promote yourself sometimes.”

Yeo Wook, eyes fixed on the TV, looked at me with a meaningful smile.

‘Please change the scene quickly…’

Just as I was sending up this desperate prayer, that insufferable system message appeared vigorously.

[SYSTEM: <Snake Eyes> activated.]

[Maeng Sun-woo (17)/Hunter Trainee]

[I just came to the station to buy donuts…]

No… why did they have to show that!

While Lee Nagyeol snickered watching the screen, Jeong Changgyu’s face crumpled like a crushed plastic bag.

“Ugh… seriously! I’m too embarrassed to even say you’re my junior partner anywhere.”

Jeong Changgyu threw a crumpled snack bag at me. He unleashed a torrent of complaints about how no one would take that literally, and how I was ruining hunters’ image.

I mumbled while picking up the trash from the floor.

“I was just… flustered…”

Whether it was the broadcasting station’s fault or the effect of the <Snake Eyes> skill, I had definitely been thoroughly embarrassed nationwide.

Instead of watching my particularly vacant-looking face on the TV screen, I decided to go back to the internet article I had been reading.

[“Will Punish Every Member Who Placed Even One Bet”]

[All Site Operation Profits to be Confiscated… What About Related Parties’ Sentences?]

Sucking on an orange juice pack, I typed ‘Play Ground’s’ domain into the address bar.

The home page, which used to be plastered with gaudy neon colors, had been replaced with an image of the police department mascot giving a thumbs up with a smile.

Enjoy your prison food.

The trending articles weren’t just criticizing Park Sang-oh.

[“Hunter Training that Cultivates Both Character and Ability” Ministry of Defense’s Hunter Education Shines]

The article praised the hunter education conducted at Haniyeong. The comments below actively agreed with the reporter.

giga**** ┃ Hasn’t there not been a single Haniyeong graduate hunter who caused character issues? That alone proves Haniyeong hunters’ quality

8809**** ┃ The Ministry of Defense seems to run Haniyeong well at least… though it’s a problem that it’s the only thing they run well

Geez. I swallowed my juice with mixed feelings. As they say, the bear does all the work while the merchant makes all the money.

A gurgling sound came from the straw stuck in the juice pack. Just as I crumpled the pack and closed the internet window, it happened.

An unfamiliar comment section I’d seen before appeared, brightly filling my vision. It was the best comments from <Cramming Hunter Education>.

It seemed a week had passed in the realm of the gods.

“I’m tired… I’ll head in first.”

After making a quick excuse and leaving the lounge, I immediately began reading through the tiny comments meticulously.

「Best Comments

minorLife ┃ Sun-woo you’re my star

Kim Eunji ┃ Since Sun-woo’s a squinty character she’ll open her eyes someday right?? Hope she gets stronger ㅜㅜ Please tell me she gets stronger… F-rank is seriously too harsh

BeanPastryLover ┃ Didn’t expect the Sky Children Foundation to make a sponsorship offer anyway hope it goes well」

Based on the comments’ content, <CHE> had apparently progressed to the first sponsorship. The gods’ reactions seemed favorable, thankfully.

Add to that the Seoul Station gate episode, and the favorability should rise even more.

I think I performed pretty well at this point, but please, please scrap the love line with Yeo Wook.

No… please scrap it…

Only after sending up this desperate prayer to Tito could I finally go to bed.

* * *

During 3rd period PE class on Monday, all the students were gathered on the field as instructed by the teacher beforehand, rather than in the fitness room.

The first-years seemed to have gotten quite close with their second-year partner seniors since last Friday, chatting freely with them.

At that moment, Pyo Eonsu suddenly stood up and said to everyone:

“Everyone stand up. The third-year seniors are here.”

At the end of Eonsu’s gaze were unfamiliar figures walking from far away.

Two females and two males. Among them, one senior with a bob cut enthusiastically waved her arm toward the gathered students.

Unlike the other third-years in their school uniforms, she wore a jumpsuit-style combat uniform with the zipper undone.

Her experienced nature showed in how she had casually tied the sleeves that should have gone around her arms at her waist.

It wasn’t difficult to recognize her face as she drew closer. A-rank, Je Hyunbin.

Arriving first, Je Hyunbin pointed at each first-year while calling their names.

“Hong Ji-sang, Yeo Wook, Kang Chagyeong, Lee Chan-yu, Hyun So-ra, and…”

Her eyes, full of laughter, fixed on me.

“Sun… woo~”

Mischief dripped from the way she deliberately drew out the end of my name. When our eyes met, Hyunbin gave a fresh eye-smile.

Seeing this, Pyo Eonsu asked in a surprised voice with round eyes:

“Senior! How do you know their names?”

“Memorized them on the plane.”

“You memorized them on the plane? All six of them?”

“Eonsu. Even though I failed and had to repeat a year, you don’t think I can handle that much?”

Je Hyunbin gave a smile with a complicated expression, then promptly introduced herself while making direct eye contact with us.

“I’m third-year Je Hyunbin. Actually, I was a third-year last year too. Wonder if you’ve heard about me from the teachers?”

We politely bowed at the waist to her as she set down her bag with a bright smile.

“Hello, senior.”

“Maeng! I watched all your videos on my way here? Including that news interview from the other day. So~ impressive.”

Probably talking about that interview where I looked like a drowned rat. I had a bad feeling about this.

“Really?”

“You looked so cute like a rice ball, I watched it several times.”

Rice ball…

I awkwardly rubbed my naturally thick eyebrows. Je Hyunbin looked around at the rest of her peers and burst into a pleasant laugh.

“Hehehe, you’re all cute. Hey, aren’t these kids who just graduated middle school so fresh? Major yang energy.”

She said this while poking the side of another third-year senior who had arrived a bit late.

“You’ll be fresh-faced too when you enter society, senior. It’s not like you’re 80 years old.”

The female senior who got poked responded calmly. While the third-years’ conversation continued, Jeong Changgyu, who had been strangely anxious, suddenly spoke up.

“Senior Young-in, did your… training go well?”

The female senior stared at Jeong Changgyu briefly before just nodding shortly and immediately looking away. Despite the somewhat cold response, Jeong Changgyu seemed greatly relieved, letting out a long breath.

Sensing something odd about the atmosphere, I asked him in a lowered voice:

“Senior Changgyu, did something happen?”

“…She’s my senior partner, and she hates me.”

“Why?”

“Ah, don’t ask. Get lost.”

I had only asked why, but Jeong Changgyu immediately glared at me. Instead, it was Lee Nagyeol, lazily wiggling her feet, who satisfied my curiosity.

“Why else? Because he’s ignorant.”

“Hey! Who are you calling ignorant!”

“You.”

Lee Nagyeol and Jeong Changgyu, instantly fired up, started bickering. Having heard this unexpected reason, I had to ask again.

“She really hates you because you’re ignorant?”

“It’s true. Senior Young-in absolutely despises ignorant people. But unfortunately, her junior partner ended up being the most ignorant person in the 6th class, Jung Chang…”

“Ugh, get lost. Everyone get lost.”

Jeong Changgyu irritably waved his hand and started pointing out the third-years one by one in a hushed voice.

“As you just heard in the introduction, that senior is Senior Je Hyunbin who delayed graduation for a year. She’s got a weird personality.”

I wondered just how weird she must be for Jeong Changgyu to call her that. I carefully observed Je Hyunbin’s face, which looked not just normal but rather striking.

“And see that male senior next to her? If you’re going to talk to anyone, talk to him. That’s Senior Gil Seungwon, he’s nice.”

Okay. That bear-like person is Senior Seungwon. He’s nice. Got it.

Most Haniyeong students were well-known to civilians. While I wasn’t unfamiliar with their names and faces, I diligently stored the new information Jeong Changgyu was providing in my head.

“…The senior tying her shoelaces now is my senior partner. Senior Ju Young-in.”

I carefully observed Ju Young-in, who had her long straight hair tied in a ponytail. Her deep eyes gave off somewhat of an intellectual vibe.

“The senior who hates ignorance?”

“Want to die?”

Jeong Changgyu’s eyes, which had been growling while baring his teeth, flew to and fixed on the last remaining senior.

“The last senior… is… Senior Jang Haeseo…”

Jeong Changgyu scratched the back of his head and let out a groan. My gaze naturally followed where his gaze was pointed at.