The Cursed Blacksmith Who Regressed - Chapter 99

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 99

That reaction was explosive in a different sense from what people had shown Choi Hyun so far.

It had to be.

What Maeng Bu-yong was showing now was as shocking as if celebrities who always maintained upright images… for example, if national MC Woo Jae-seok, top gamer Baker, or ice fairy Kang Yeon-ah suddenly started cursing and spitting on broadcast.

Jang Hae-hyeon, who was watching people’s reactions, laughed.

“People’s reactions are quite heated.”

“Hunter Maeng’s usual image must have been really bad.”

“It was absolutely not good. Broadcasting stations had to beg and plead to get even one interview, and even if they were lucky enough to get one, there were many difficulties like him putting his feet up on the desk during interviews or frequently breaking microphones and cameras.”

Besides this, he had many records of getting into fights with hunters and beating them up, and many records of suddenly visiting violent criminals who appeared on the news because he found them disgusting and beating them to a pulp.

“Fortunately, he never killed anyone, but he was truly an uncontrollable hunter. That’s why you’re amazing, Director. How did you manage to reform Hunter Maeng?”

“Just… haha.”

He couldn’t reveal the secret, so he just laughed it off.

Still, Choi Hyun didn’t regret the measures he took back then in Jirisan.

Even if given another chance, it would be the same.

Because he had agreed with the All-Stars.

They had agreed that if any uncontrollable variables arose while proceeding with their post-regression plan, they would gladly eliminate them, even if they were human.

‘While all human lives are equally valuable, one person’s life and two people’s lives definitely have a twofold difference.’

Much more so if it were hundreds or thousands of people.

Then Maeng Bu-yong’s words continued.

“In the past, I had the opportunity to have a conversation with President Choi Hyun of Paragon, and I was greatly moved by that conversation. About the work and goals the President wants to accomplish, and what efforts he makes toward those goals. In that process, I felt great shame about myself as a person. So from now on, I want to help the President and work for humanity’s well-being.”

Continuing his words, he stood up from his seat and bowed toward the camera so deeply that the top of his head was visible.

“First, I would like to use this opportunity to sincerely apologize to all of you who suffered great and small damages because of me in the past. I don’t know if the victims will accept my apology, but I still judge it right to apologize first, so I offer these words of apology.”

Then he straightened his back, politely clasped his hands together, lowered his gaze, and said.

“You don’t have to accept my apology. I don’t expect forgiveness either. Nevertheless, the reason I’m offering these words of apology now is to sincerely show you victims that I’m sorry, and also to tell you that I will live as a different person from now on, and these are words I’m saying so that I can become a better person in the future. So please, I would be grateful if you could watch my changing appearance going forward.”

Maeng Bu-yong’s gaze lifted slightly toward the camera.

“And I would also like to express my gratitude to President Choi Hyun, who changed me as a person. I will work hard from now on. Thank you for listening to my story.”

After bowing once more at the end, the broadcast concluded.

A short video lasting just about 15 minutes.

However, its influence was as impactful as any live broadcast Paragon had shown so far.

– Holy shit…

– What the hell?

– Wow… Maeng-gu became a completely different person?

– Isn’t this acting? Isn’t he going to betray us later?

– But Maeng bastard never betrayed anyone before. He acted however he wanted, but he was consistently a scoundrel bastard, he never suddenly changed his stance or anything.

– No guys, that’s not what’s important right now. What we should be looking at isn’t Maeng Bu-yong but Choi Hyun.

– Right;; It’s not important that Maeng bastard reformed, but how he managed to rehabilitate that scoundrel Maeng-gu, that’s what’s important

– Fuck, at this point isn’t Choi Hyun a saint?

– Just how insanely good are their speaking skills damn

– Hahahaha I could be a cult leader.

At first, it was a shocking reaction about Maeng Bu-yong.

But before long, people gradually began to admire Choi Hyun’s rehabilitation abilities.

– But while Maeng-gu says he was rehabilitated because he was moved by Choi Hyun’s words, I think he might have been subdued by something other than persuasion.

– What, are you saying Choi Hyun beat up Maeng-gu or something?

– Look at the level difference, would that even be possible?

– Do you think solo conquering the Growth Tower is a joke?

– Oh this is serious business?

– Honestly, if you want to believe that bastard Maeng got beaten up and reformed, upvote lol

The admiration changed to curiosity about Choi Hyun’s rehabilitation methods.

– But I’m curious about something, would controlling Necromancers be harder or would Maeng Bu-yong be harder?

– Honestly, isn’t it Maeng bastard? How do you control that crazy chunk of a monster?

– And controlling ex-convicts is easy?

– Honestly, if I had to choose between rehabilitating 10 ex-convicts or one Maeng bastard, I’d choose the 10 ex-convicts;; I feel like I’d get crushed by Maeng-gu

– You haven’t met people with many priors, have you? Do you think they have common sense?

– Then fuck, did Maeng-gu have common sense when he was beating up kids all this time?

– But while we couldn’t do either, since Choi Hyun managed to rehabilitate Maeng Bu-yong, don’t you think rehabilitating the Necromancer kids would be possible too?

– Honestly, upvote if you’re looking forward to it

– Suddenly my trust is skyrocketing. Choi Hyun seems like he’ll somehow suppress those corpse-playing kids and turn them into Tamers.

– LOL the Tamer kids changed like they became soldiers. Is there like a Marine camp inside Paragon headquarters or something?

– Would a camp be enough, I think there’s probably a Samcheong Education Center

– Since it’s in Yongsan, it’s Yongsan University of Education lol

Ultimately, it concluded with expectations for the Necromancers’ transformation due to Maeng Bu-yong.

Jang Hae-hyeon, who was checking reactions in real-time, said with a surprised face.

“Huh, why is this turning out this way?”

“What do you mean?”

“The broadcast was clearly focused on Hunter Maeng, but people are now having expectations about the Necromancers. Did you deliberately place Hunter Maeng in part 3 aiming for this?”

He nodded.

“Yes.”

“Wow…!”

Jang Hae-hyeon was genuinely surprised.

Han Yu-won was the same.

Choi Hyun said.

“Not immediately recruiting Necromancers, and not revealing Hunter Maeng Bu-yong’s joining early on, it was all for this moment. After all, people will only pretend to believe if there are results.”

“But those results involved the extreme difficulty of Tamers and Hunter Maeng…”

“At least we can remove their prejudices and gather minimal expectations.”

“Wow…”

Choi Hyun’s meticulous design.

It was surprising and amazing.

After being dazed for a while, Jang Hae-hyeon asked.

“Then when are you planning to start the recovery system market reform?”

“You’ve posted the production staff recruitment notice, right?”

“Yes, as you instructed, we’re quietly recruiting separately.”

“How’s the response?”

“Better than expected. It’s work that only Awakened can do, and the pay is much better than ordinary production jobs, so that seems to be why. Everyone is learning the combination skills we set as hiring conditions on their own.”

“That’s good. As I mentioned before, make sure to get confidentiality contracts from the production staff regarding the manufacturing process. I plan to wait for the right time and release the recovery potions when a specific period comes.”

“Do you have a specific time in mind?”

“Not right now.”

Actually, he did.

A fairly big incident would break out before long.

But he didn’t particularly reveal it.

This was literally something that would suddenly explode.

If he mentioned such things in advance, people’s expectations would grow.

They might wonder if he could see the future.

‘I said I saw the secret to ending the great catastrophe in The Tower, not that I could see the future.’

But Jang Hae-hyeon nodded.

“If it were someone else I might not know, but since it’s something you said, Director, something will definitely happen. I’ll quietly build up inventory while waiting.”

“Thank you.”

“Then now all that’s left is waiting for the Necromancers and waiting for the recovery potion release timing?”

“For now, yes. I plan to focus on Area conquest for a while now. 1st Company will focus on Black Areas, 2nd Company will focus on Dungeons. And the remaining Gates and Dungeons will be distributed according to the level of regular guild members.”

“You must be very busy. Just the paperwork alone must be considerable, but running around the field yourself is truly admirable.”

“It’s work that needs to be done anyway. Then I’ll get up first because of the Area conquest starting tomorrow.”

“Yes, Director. First is safety, second is also safety.”

After finishing the meeting, Choi Hyun headed to Paragon.

Headquarters Basement Training Ground.

There, all the 1st Squad members had gathered, including Maeng Bu-yong who had finished his live broadcast.

“You’re here?”

An U-ju greeted him warmly.

Receiving the greeting, Choi Hyun smiled as he looked at Maeng Bu-yong, who had already finished changing clothes.

“I watched your broadcast, Bu-yong. You looked good on camera.”

“Thank you.”

“I checked the public reaction on my way here, and the responses are already positive. Everyone loves stories about villains turning over a new leaf. Of course, you can’t just pretend, and as you said on the broadcast, you need to keep acting well from now on.”

“Yes, I will definitely do that.”

“Well then…”

Choi Hyun took off his coat, summoned his sword-hammer, and gripped it as he spoke.

“We’ll start going out into the field in earnest from tomorrow, but before that, I’d like to do one final overall check.”

“What kind of check?”

“Let’s see if everyone remembers what they learned during training well. And there’s something we need to decide soon.”

“Something to decide?”

“I’m thinking of selecting a deputy squad leader for our 1st Squad right here and now.”

“Deputy squad leader means…”

“It’s a position that can substitute for me when something happens to me and I can’t command, or in similar situations. Those who aren’t interested can give up.”

Deputy squad leader.

At those words, everyone’s eyes except Shasha’s began to gleam with interest.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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