Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 298
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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298
No matter how much Ju-hee enjoyed toying with men who made her skin crawl, this pathetic specimen wasn’t even worth the effort. There was no thrill in fishing without a worthy catch.
And today, things hadn’t gone well with Si-hwan either, so her mood was already sour.
“How the hell would I know who you are, you lunatic?”
Ju-hee fixed Bong-joo with a contemptuous glare.
“Ahem, look at this. Look.”
Bong-joo proudly pointed to the B-rank Hunter badge on his chest—a commemorative item from the Hunter Association. While other Hunters dismissed it as gaudy and refused to wear it, Bong-joo displayed it with unmistakable pride.
Ju-hee stared at him with a blank expression, as if questioning the very existence of such a thing.
“…And?”
“Hah. You don’t seem to know what this is, but this proves I’m a B-rank Hunter.”
To Ju-hee, standing on the threshold of S-rank, it was anything but impressive.
“How impressive. Now get lost.”
Ju-hee turned her head away, making it clear she had no interest in continuing.
“Hey! I’m talking to you?!”
Veins bulged across Bong-joo’s forehead. Plagued by chronic inferiority, he couldn’t tolerate being ignored by anyone—the same reason he’d caused a scene at the Clothing Store.
Bong-joo grabbed Ju-hee’s shoulder and yanked it, causing her to whip her head around.
Ju-hee’s expression went blank as her eyes quickly scanned his hand and face.
She’d grown tired of men because she’d encountered so many lunatics, but this was a new level of insanity.
This idiot was actually using force on someone he thought was a non-Hunter? Ju-hee could handle it fine, but if a Hunter grabbed an ordinary woman’s shoulder like that, bones would shatter.
This man was nothing like Si-hwan in every conceivable way.
Ju-hee stared quietly at Bong-joo’s hand on her shoulder, calculating. Where and how should she strike to make him scream the loudest?
At first she’d been holding back, but now that tadpole-like belly of his, protruding more and more, was becoming oddly appealing. Would it burst if she hit it?
Ju-hee clenched her fist.
Tap.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Si-hwan, returning from the restroom, grabbed Bong-joo’s wrist and pulled his hand away from Ju-hee’s shoulder.
Ju-hee unclenched her fist and swept her hair behind her ear.
“I told him I wasn’t interested, but he kept going….”
Finding the situation entertaining, Ju-hee adopted an expression of feigned fear.
“Why are you doing this to someone who’s shown no interest?”
Si-hwan stepped in front of Bong-joo.
“Who are you?”
“I’m with her.”
“Someone like you? You’re not even in the same league.”
“Yeah, I know….”
Si-hwan’s self-esteem had hit rock bottom from being rejected so many times.
“Hey, don’t get cocky. Back off. Can’t you see this?”
Bong-joo pointed to his B-rank Hunter badge.
“Huh?! A Hunter?”
“That’s right. A Hunter, sir. Now step aside.”
“Wow! I’m so happy to see you!”
Si-hwan’s face brightened as he grabbed Bong-joo’s hand and swung it enthusiastically.
“Yeah, I’ll sign something for you later, so just wait a sec—. Ugh!”
Bong-joo flew backward from Si-hwan’s punch.
“I’ve been holding this in all day. Perfect timing!”
Si-hwan swung his fists around vigorously.
Despite having no pain, Si-hwan had accumulated frustration from being punched in the face by a complete stranger.
“You bastard!”
Bong-joo sprang to his feet as if launched into the air.
“Please go ahead inside. I don’t think I’m suited for Ju-hee.”
Si-hwan turned to look at Ju-hee and smiled bitterly. Somehow they’d made it to a third date, but Ju-hee had been glancing around all day. It was clear she had no interest in him.
Si-hwan figured he’d just blow off some steam on this pig and then head home to have a drink with his younger siblings.
Ju-hee stared blankly at Si-hwan’s retreating figure.
‘Did he just dump me?’
She’d been playing with Si-hwan the whole time and had planned to break up with him at the end, but she never expected him to make the first move.
“Drop dead!”
“I’ll split you in half!”
Bong-joo and Si-hwan grappled with each other. Si-hwan had a higher Hunter rank at A-class, but since he was a Support-type Hunter, his pure physical ability didn’t match Bong-joo’s, who was a Warrior.
Even when pushed back by strength, Si-hwan fought using only his pure physical ability without using Support skills. Using skills outside would result in fines or suspension of Hunter license, or in the worst case, arrest.
“Huff… huff… so this bastard was a Hunter…”
After beating him thoroughly, Si-hwan’s face was swollen. But each time, he got back up like a zombie and charged again.
“Yeah, you bastard. You’re not backing down?”
As Si-hwan kept advancing, Bong-joo was pushed back by his killing intent and retreated step by step.
“Hey… hey! Swarm him!”
“Boss!”
“We’re coming!”
At Bong-joo’s call for help, his two lackeys who had been watching also joined in. Si-hwan charged at Bong-joo again as if he couldn’t even see his reinforcements.
“You bastards! That’s our hyung!”
“We’ll take care of you!”
Min-woo and Jin-woo burst out.
“Ugh… I knew this would happen.”
Chang-hee, who had appeared with a gun bag slung across his back, watched the three of them. Since it was three-on-three, he had no intention of joining in.
“You… you guys?! Where did you come from?!”
As his younger siblings suddenly rushed in, Si-hwan’s head snapped around.
“Hyung! Look ahead! Ahead!”
Jin-woo turned Si-hwan’s head back without answering.
While Si-hwan’s group had a higher average Hunter rank, except for Min-woo, they were primarily ability-type Hunters, and even Min-woo hadn’t hardened his body.
Meanwhile, Bong-joo’s group used their skills without restraint.
“Charge!”
“Rage!”
“I… I…! These crazy Hunters are using skills!”
The spectators watching from a distance screamed and fled in panic. Hunter skills were more dangerous than firearms—even a stray fragment could kill you if you weren’t careful.
Until now, it had been entertaining to watch, but now was the time to escape.
“What…. What the hell are these bastards?!”
“Boss Bong-joo, aren’t these guys zombies?!”
Bong-joo’s group gained the upper hand by using skills and pummeled Si-hwan’s group. But Si-hwan, Jin-woo, and Min-woo skillfully dodged the vital points, got back up, and charged again.
“We received training—you think we’d go down to your pathetic fists?”
“Your punches aren’t even as strong as Yang Sang-heon’s.”
Ji-seok and Yang Sang-heon understood the physical capabilities of the four brothers, so they had trained them to their absolute limits.
Because of this, the four brothers never lost to anyone when it came to enduring physical pain and toughness.
“Is this at least loosening up your body?”
Si-hwan was bluffing, but his face was swollen, and his carefully chosen clothes were torn to shreds. Yet his eyes still burned with defiance.
“Damn it…. These low-rank bastards are really asking for it….”
Bong-joo naturally assumed Si-hwan’s group had lower ranks. There was no way they’d just take hits like this otherwise.
But these tenacious bastards—every time Bong-joo’s group landed ten blows, they’d charge back ferociously and land one solid hit. As a result, Bong-joo’s group didn’t look much better.
“That’s enough.”
Ju-hee stepped between Si-hwan and Bong-joo.
“Ju-hee…. Why are you still here…?”
“You bastard. I’ll deal with you later—get out of the way….”
Already in a foul mood, Bong-joo roughly reached out to shove Ju-hee aside.
In that instant, Bong-joo’s world spun.
“Huh?”
Boom!
Ju-hee grabbed his wrist and slammed him straight into the ground. It wasn’t pure strength, nor was it pure technique—it was a move only someone who had mastered both strength and technique to a master’s level could execute.
“You shut your mouth. A Hunter using skills outside…. Hey, is he out cold?”
With Bong-joo knocked unconscious in one blow, his two lackeys stared at Ju-hee with blank expressions.
Bong-joo, the money man and the strongest of the group, was down. Si-hwan’s group was still standing. And the woman who’d taken down Bong-joo had looked pretty just moments ago, but now her expression was so fierce it was terrifying.
“Run!”
The two men abandoned Bong-joo and fled.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Yang Sang-heon blocked their path.
“Y…. Yang Sang-heon? Why is an S-rank Hunter here?!”
As a famous Hunter, Bong-joo’s lackeys recognized Yang Sang-heon.
“Restrain them.”
The Hunter Police behind Yang Sang-heon rushed forward and bound Bong-joo and his group. Since the Hunter Police were composed entirely of Hunters with high ranks, the two men didn’t even attempt to resist and simply dropped to their knees.
“What?! Those guys fought too—why are only we being arrested?!”
“Them? They’ll pay their price too.”
“Brother….”
“Look at your faces. Even without using skills, you got beaten up by these trash? As an Instructor, I feel a profound sense of responsibility. When we get back, let’s start with the laundry first.”
Si-hwan’s group’s faces went pale. The laundry was scary enough, but Yang Sang-heon had said “first.” The brothers were far more terrified of the special training that would come after the laundry.
“Si-hwan.”
Someone tapped Si-hwan’s shoulder.
“Huh? Ju-hee.”
“Stay in touch.”
Even as Ju-hee dropped her artificial smile, her expression somehow grew brighter.
“What? You didn’t like me….”
“I wasn’t particularly impressed.”
Si-hwan, who harbored feelings for Ju-hee, showed unmistakable disappointment.
“Until now.”
Si-hwan’s genuine nature, the way he persevered without relying on skills—it had changed Ju-hee’s heart.
“Uh….”
“Stay in touch.”
While Si-hwan stood there dumbfounded, Ju-hee took his hand and spoke.
“Yes! Yes!”
As Ju-hee turned to leave, she bowed respectfully to Yang Sang-heon, who returned the gesture.
“Hey…. You’re dating Ju-hee?”
Yang Sang-heon asked Si-hwan.
“Yes? Yes. This was our third date.”
“…I wish you luck.”
Yang Sang-heon, who had conducted joint training with Ju-hee multiple times, knew her temperament well. Her combat ability was beyond question—exceptional. But she had humiliated more than one man who’d pursued her. She had strong preferences and an unyielding personality, so people around them often worried about who would end up with her. That it would be Si-hwan of all people.
“What? Why, hyung? You should finish what you were saying.”
Sensing the ominous tone, Si-hwan followed Yang Sang-heon, but he only shook his head without answering.
* * *
“Huff…huff…”
Jin-woo, Min-woo, and Chang-hee, who had finished laundry duty and sparring, lay sprawled on the floor.
“Yang Sang-heon hyung…. Why didn’t Si-hwan hyung come?”
Min-woo asked, lifting himself up.
“Him…. His life’s about to get a lot harder from here on.”
“What about that fat guy’s group?”
“They got it worse. Dragged off as Gate laborers. Probably won’t come back.”
“We knew we couldn’t use skills, and no one was even injured—is that really a heavy sentence?”
“They laid hands on Si-hwan.”
“What backing does Si-hwan have?”
“You didn’t know? Si-hwan’s popularity on the community forums is insane.”
“Him?”
“When Si-hwan sings a lullaby, the kids fall asleep. He’s essential to the Hunter Kindergarten—and they beat him up.”
“Ah….”
“Apparently the moms on the forums have been sabotaging Si-hwan’s dating life this whole time. Spreading rumors about him.”
“Ah! So that’s why his dates kept falling through?”
Now that he thought about it, it did seem strange. Si-hwan was a bit dense and said unnecessary things, but he had plenty of redeeming qualities to compensate. He was genuinely kind-hearted, an A-rank Hunter, and had good looks and physique.
“Yeah, that’s what it seemed like. But Ju-hee isn’t the type to fall for tricks like that. She only believes what she sees with her own eyes.”
“She sounds like a good person.”
“Good…. Well…. Her nature is kind…. What can you do?”
Yang Sang-heon thought of Si-hwan and felt a pang of sympathy wash over him again.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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