abcnovels
Chapter 339
Chapter 339
Chapter 339
It was quite difficult to gain the nickname of ‘Pushover’ as an A-grade hunter. However, Charles O'Connor was the kind of hunter who always did the hard work. He never turned down any requests.
-An A-grade monster has appeared. Three clans have retreated after getting almost completely wiped out.
-Aren’t... Aren’t there other hunters? It’s been less than a week since I finished my last raid...
-There are no other A-grade hunters as trustworthy as you, Hunter Charles O'Connor. If you don’t go there, the damage...
-...I-I understand.
There were a few other examples.
-Oh my! O’Connor! A monster has appeared at our factory and is going on a rampage! If you don’t take care of it, our stock prices will tank, good investors will jump from the top of the building, and my children might have to leave their private school and walk around without a private driver!
-...I-I understand.
Most hunters were selfish, but there were a few anomalies who had no backbone. That was Charles O’Connor.
“What I mean by being similar to you is...”
Aine was very frustrated. She had never thought of Choi Yeonseung as a pushover. On the contrary, she respected him...
Choi Yeonseung told her, “I never thought you looked at me that way. There is no need for you to explain yourself. But didn’t you say that Hunter O’Connor was on the sidelines because of an injury?”
During the last Rutherford raid, there had been several A-grade hunters available in the United States. Naturally, the US government had also wanted to recruit O’Connor, the Pushover, but they couldn’t do so.
His injuries were too terrible.
Hunters had superhuman strength and abilities, and A-grade hunters were among the most powerful, but they weren’t invincible. If anything, they actually had a higher risk of injury as they usually faced more dangerous monsters.
On that note, Choi Yeonseung had heard that O’Connor had to rest due to his injuries.
“It looks like he’s fully recovered. The company probably gave him some kind of item to help with the recovery process.”
Not even A-grade hunters could get their hands on rare items released on the market. Those were usually secured by large companies first.
The hunters within the government would often get angry and protest, saying things like “Hunters should benefit from treatment items, but the chairmen of companies are sweeping them all up for their own use!”
“Wait, wasn’t the plan that I would rescue the American hunters? Why would they send another person?”
“Maybe it was a company from another country that sent him here?”
“...What? He accepts requests from foreign companies as well?”
Choi Yeonseung was stunned. It seemed that O'Connor had earned his nickname...!
Bang!
There was another loud explosion and O’Connor flew backwards. A huge aircraft at the airport had been hit and smashed to pieces.
O’Connor rolled around before standing up, steam coming off of him. Just by looking at the magic shields that glowed all over him, it was obvious what type of hunter he was.
“Aren’t you Hunter Choi Yeonseung?!”
‘Whoops.’
The moment O'Connor jumped up and called his name, Choi Yeonseung felt like he screwed up. He should’ve gone somewhere else or pretended not to know anything...!
“I don’t know you.”
“Maybe, but I know you, Hunter Choi Yeonseung! I saw you on the news and thought you were a wonderful man. I was so impressed that there is someone else out there doing good deeds... Thanks to you, I have been contacted a lot less.”
“I think there’s a misunderstanding. I’m not particularly interested in doing anything good.”
“Hah, you’re just being humble...”
Bang!
Before he could even finish his sentence, a vampire popped up and hit O’Connor.
‘They’re different from Garhansha’s subordinates.’
The vampires summoned by Almagoria were different. Garhansha’s vampires looked like dignified nobles, but the vampires summoned by Almagoria were more like monsters or beasts.
The vampire that had just attacked was a four-legged, muscular monster...
-Human, do you know this person?
“No, we don’t know each other. Does calling each other by our names imply that we know each other personally?
-Umm...
The vampire took a step back, feeling overwhelmed by Choi Yeonseung’s firm assertion. He was definitely right. In addition, the human he had just sent flying was a formidable opponent, and there was no reason to fight both these humans at the same time.
-!
To the vampire’s surprise, his body started to melt down.
-This bastard...?!
‘Poison magic!’
Choi Yeonseung admired O’Connor’s skill.
O’Connor had been sent flying with a heavy blow, so Choi Yeonseung thought, ‘Is he a tanker who’s only talented at withstanding damage?’ However, it turned out that O’Connor was pretty good.
Poison magic was quite difficult to pull off. It took a long time to prepare, and it was tricky to aim and hit the target. Thus, the fact that O’Connor had managed to cast the poison magic without the vampire noticing was impressive.
“Make way. You are pretty good! Almagoria shall deal with you!” declared Xia Ling with a solemn voice. He was also impressed by O’Connor’s skill, so he sent his subordinate vampire flying backwards and joined the battle himself.
Bang!
A huge amount of magic power erupted from Xia Ling.
Indeed, Garhansha had been right when he had said that Almagoria had been close to the level of a constellation in his prime. In terms of monster rating, he would’ve been S-grade.
Xia Ling said to O’Connor “What a waste of talent! If you become my subordinate, I shall bless you with my blood.”
“I refuse! I would rather choose death than serve an evil being like you!”
“Why am I evil?”
“...”
O’Connor was taken back and looked at Choi Yeonseung and Aine. He seemed like he was asking for help!
‘Huh? Why is he looking at me...?’
Choi Yeonseung found it ridiculous. O'Connor should figure it out on his own!
O’Connor thought about it and shouted, “We-well... You destroyed the city!”
“I didn’t destroy it. If anything, it was the bastards within the Chinese government who mobilized the military to bombard the city. I stopped them from destroying the city!”
“Uh... Uh... You locked up the good hunters!”
“Locked up? I just persuaded them to become my subordinates. Don’t you see that the hunters here actually agree with me and follow me willingly?”
The hunters who had switched sides shouted in unison at Xia Ling’s words.
“Yes! Xia Ling!”
“We are treated very well by His Majesty Xia Ling!”
O’Connor cried out in disbelief, “You must’ve threatened them!”
“The Chinese government, the former owner of this place, also threatened them. I’m much better than the Chinese government.”
“You... You locked up people from other countries!”
“If you try to have a polite discussion with me, I’ll send them back. Don’t you see Hunter Choi Yeonseung there right now?” said Xia Ling as he pointed at Choi Yeonseung.
O’Connor once again looked at Choi Yeonseung for help, but Choi Yeonseung ignored him. His cold, indifferent expression seemed to say something like “You’re on your own, pal!”
Aine murmured, “It seems like negotiation isn’t his strong suit...”
“I agree. If it were me, I would just attack for being hit first.”
“Yeah. If you go into a conversation like this, you’ll get crushed.”
O'Connor thought about what to say, and when a new idea occurred to him, he said, “A modern state must be a democracy. I can’t tolerate a vampire reigning as a king!”
“And would you suggest that China as a whole is a democracy? In addition, there’s Japan next door with a king.”
“...”
O'Connor was completely speechless, and at this point, Choi Yeonseung started to feel sorry for him.
‘His arguments are so bad...’
No matter how much O'Connor tried to convince the vampire that his way of ruling was primitive, it didn’t work because the Chinese government pretty much ruled in the same manner!
O’Connor looked back at the others and asked, “Can you help me?”
“Huh?! N-No, O’Connor! You need to solve this situation by yourself!”
Apparently there were diplomats from other countries, not just from the United States. They were trying to persuade O’Connor to go and rescue their citizens as well!
However, not even the most experienced public officials wouldn’t have anticipated such a situation. It was hard to believe O’Connor was left speechless by the arguments of the enemy...
“Please answer for me instead. I can’t argue with this logic.”
“Just attack! Why don’t you just attack?”
“How could I do something like that?”
“...”
The diplomats were troubled by O’Connor’s response. If they had managed to bring him here by appealing to his good nature, the vampire king could do the same thing to bring him to his side.
“Hunter Choi Yeonseung...”
“If you call me one more time, I’ll sew your mouths shut. I have to fly out of this place but I’m waiting here because of you guys. Stop bothering me,” warned Choi Yeonseung as he got more irritated by them.
To be honest, attacking O’Connor right then and there would make it easier for Choi Yeonseung to leave. However, he didn’t want to stop O’Connor from saving people from other countries, so he just waited.
The hearts of the diplomats sank at Choi Yeonseung’s warning, and they turned to O’Connor again.
“O’Connor, don’t be fooled by the vampire’s wicked words!”
“Hehehe, I guess you can’t refute my words now, hunter. Become my subordinate! I can offer you things that are infinitely more valuable than what these pieces of trash can give you!”
O’Connor gave up on persuading the vampire and ended on trying to persuade the diplomats who had come with him here.
“Can’t we just acknowledge him and rescue those people?”
“W-what are you talking about...? That would lead to diplomatic problems! The Chinese government wouldn’t let something like that fly!”
A crazy vampire had trespassed into their country, wreaked havoc, and declared that Guangzhou was his kingdom. There was no way China would stay still; they would obviously retaliate in every way they could, which would be devastating.
“Shouldn’t you take that into consideration in order to save the citizens?”
“You’re right! You’re a genius!”
“...”
The diplomats regretted bringing O’Connor with them... They should’ve just reached out to Hunter Choi Yeonseung!
‘Wait, how did Hunter Choi Yeonseung rescue people in the first place?’
There was no way that the South Korean government had officially recognized the vampire’s kingdom... So how had he managed to pull it off?
The diplomats couldn’t come up with any logical explanations; they would never guess that Choi Yeonseung had rescued the hostages by bringing some tomato juice to the vampire and flattering him, and slandering the Chinese government!
Choi Yeonseung finally said, “This is your fight. I think you’ve got it under control anyway, so I’ll just take my leave...”
[’Endless Linked Explosions’ praises Almagoria’s ability!]
“...!”
Choi Yeonseung was astonished.
The explosion constellation contacted the vampire.
‘This...!’
Come to think of it, this whole situation with Guangzhou was something that would please the explosion constellation. After all, he was known for unconditionally supporting troublemakers, such as rebels and terrorists...
“My name is Xia Ling, not Almagoria!”
[’Endless Linked Explosions’ apologizes. He commends Xia Ling’s ability!]
“Don’t call me Xia Ling! Call me Almagoria!”
[...]
Xia Ling had a tendency to go back and forth between the two names because both the Chinese hunter and the vampire had merged into one being.
Of course, an arrogant constellation wouldn’t put up with such impudence. The explosion constellation seemed very furious.
You dare...!
[...’Endless Linked Explosions’ says he can give you strength.]
“Strength?”
[’Endless Linked Explosions’ says it is like this! He says there is no way the greedy Chinese will leave it here. He says they will soon come to invade and trample on you. The same goes for the Westerners. He says they will try to blackmail you with cunning schemes.]
The explosion constellation was trying to manipulate the vampire and give him a sense of crisis in order to get him under his control.
Choi Yeonseung couldn’t let this happen, so he immediately intervened, “Don’t let him deceive you, Xia Ling!”
“!”