Episode 179: Bluff? Truth?
Even after the awards ceremony, the party atmosphere continued.
There was also food to eat and many people to talk to about the same topic.
Rather, since the awards ceremony was over, the players were more active, talking to players they were curious about and getting to know them.
In the case of PER, as they were focused on the awards ceremony, they were not able to finish their meal yet, so the friendly atmosphere of chatting and eating continued.
“This is ridiculous. The world is trying to fool me.”
“What are you complaining about~? If you watch the video of the promotion battle in Part 1, anyone would pick Chang-Hyeon. Are you picking the scene where he blocks the sword you swung and collapses with blood flowing from his ears due to the noise pollution?”
“Ah, anyway, it’s a shame~”
It seemed like there was at least one person who felt wronged.
‘Come to think of it, that might have been fun in its own way.’
If Kim Do-jun’s famous scene had been chosen instead of mine in the media, wouldn’t the noise pollution from that video have been shown without any filtering, making everyone hold their ears at the awards ceremony?
Well, that would have left a huge impression.
Meanwhile, a noisy atmosphere was spreading around the tables where people had already finished eating.
Normally I wouldn’t have paid much attention to what was being said or how loud it was, but this time it was different.
“If you think it’s a coincidence that they got that award, you’re not. I heard it from Lehmann himself, and after watching the International League from the top, he had time to train with the American Hunters and they gave him a hard time.”
“Chang-Hyeon? It wouldn’t have been easy to fight in the US… … .”
“Just listening to the story is very interesting. It is said that the pure hunters who still work on the front lines were given an overwhelming advantage in ‘Tappa Training’. Reman was spitting as he told this story, how delighted he was.”
The thing is, I was talking about PER and my story… … and above all, the people I was talking to were Chairman Lee Geun-taek and senior Lee Min-seok.
Moreover, it wasn’t just those two. Hunters were basically awakened. Since they had good ears, they gathered like a swarm of bees after hearing the conversation between Chairman Lee Geun-taek and Senior Lee Min-seok and finding it interesting.
“Wow… … Chairman. So? What happened next?”
He even asked Chairman Lee Geun-taek a question directly and asked him more about the story.
That could be because of the unique, free-spirited atmosphere of [The Hunter’s Day].
“Ah. That’s not all. You too, come here and sit down for a moment. Well. After that, we went to the Hunter Training Center where we trained using relics. Do you know what was reproduced in that relic?”
“Um… … Well, nothing comes to mind easily… … .”
“It was a training device that used relics. It was said that the most difficult opponent the trainer had ever faced was reproduced as a target and the trainer had to hit it.”
“oh…….”
“But do you know what’s even more surprising? The people who were targeted by Lee Chang-hyun there were famous players like China’s Wei and Europe’s Ana.”
It was really funny to see Lee Geun-taek smiling and controlling the intensity of his voice as if he was telling his own heroic tale.
Of course, it wasn’t just Lee Geun-taek who liked it. The players who listened to it also heard new and diverse stories that even the top Korean hunters would not have heard before.
That’s why everyone gathered in groups of three or four and cheered while listening to Lee Geun-taek’s story.
‘That old man is really excited.’
“Changhyun-ah. Is it okay if I let you say that? It could be that your strategy is exposed or something.”
As expected from Han Ji-soo, who usually has a somewhat conservative viewpoint, she asked me.
Well, if you think about it, it’s somewhat true, but…
“Okay. Just let him do whatever he wants. It’s not like I can stop a grandfather from bragging about his grandchild.”
Anyway, there is no information that is important enough to change the direction of the game just by hearing a few words.
Besides, we are about to enter the first division recruiting season, and they are promoting us directly like that and helping us build up our profile.
There is no other help like this.
While I was thinking like that, Lee Jeong-hoon also chimed in from the side.
“That’s right. Leisure is the privilege of the strong.”
Little thing. With his arms crossed and grinning like a mischievous child, he couldn’t look so mean.
And then suddenly. This time, the ball of conversation passed to Lee Jeong-hoon.
Lee Gil-han was talking about Lee Jeong-hoon, who was selected as the Rookie of the Year at the awards ceremony earlier.
“By the way, Jeong-hoon. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to the game until now? You know, when the Rookie of the Year award was announced, I was surprised when they called your name.”
“Ah… … That? I just… … told Changhyun hyung about it.”
He was so arrogant when telling my story, but when it came to his own story, he seemed quite embarrassed.
Lee Jeong-hoon scratched the back of his head, avoiding eye contact in embarrassment.
“No, you always go out somewhere and come back, and you just train at home. I wondered what you were doing outside… … I found out you were playing in the third division.”
“Well. But this arrangement is still nothing. Hyung Chang-hyun didn’t just win the Rookie of the Year award, but he also won the Media Award and the Highlight Award. I’m also aiming for that next… … .”
It’s natural that I would feel that way since I often practiced with my teammates and also watched them practice separately…
‘It’s a new feeling to see you grow like this.’
I thought that maybe this is what it feels like to raise a child.
It was fun to teach because I saw that the students followed along well as I taught them and their talents continued to grow.
Of course, that’s true, but I didn’t know I would win the Rookie of the Year award. I definitely thought that I was the one.
“With that skill, he’s still a long way from winning the highlight award.”
But being grumpy is the privilege of those who have gone before. I said that to Lee Jeong-hoon with a mischievous smile.
But when Lee Jeong-hoon saw that, he made a somewhat solemn expression,
“I’ll try my best!”
I was the one who ended up dumbfounded because I answered seriously to a joke.
I made a sarcastic joke, but my teammates laughed at me for frozen expressions, and I felt like I was in trouble.
‘That guy Jeonghoon… … is really old-fashioned.’
That’s not funny.
As the team members chatted among themselves, it seemed like the party was getting pretty heated by now.
Team PER. People started coming to our team’s table.
***
[The Hunter’s Day]. In fact, there are awards ceremonies, various attractions, and programs such as idol invitation performances, but they are not the most meaningful to the players.
The biggest significance there was that any Korean player could meet in person at the party.
‘And it doesn’t stop at just meeting.’
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Player to player. That we can meet as people walking the same path.
That was something that had a huge meaning.
So, in fact, this is the main part of [The Hunter’s Game]. After the meal order was over, I met the players I wanted to meet.
“Hello. Are you Lee Chang-hyun?”
The two first-division players who came were Kim Jong-ha and Lee Seong-tae.
I remembered him because I had met him a few times in Part 1 before his return.
“Yes, that’s right. Kim Jong-ha.”
“You remember my name… … I am honored.”
Kim Jong-ha seemed genuinely moved, and his eyes sparkled as he held my hand in both of his.
“Actually… … This PER promotion match. My friend was there, so I went to see it. When you did the ricochet there. How did you do that? I couldn’t believe it… … My friend was depressed because he lost, but maybe because the opponent he lost to was PER. There’s nothing he can do. I guess that’s what I was thinking… … .”
‘Are you the type that only talks about yourself?’
To be honest, I wasn’t really interested in him, so I just listened to his story.
“Well, it’s true that there wasn’t a single play that happened by chance during the game that day.”
“Oh… … As expected. I’ve often heard that your play is flawless. Did you plan out that day’s game in advance… … .”
“Oh, by the way, who is the person next to you?”
What I was interested in was Lee Seong-tae next to Kim Jong-ha.
“Ah… … I guess I’ve been talking too much about myself. The kid next to me is Seongtae, a close friend who plays in the first division with me. I begged him to come with me, but he seems to be in bad shape and looks sullen. It’s not because Changhyun is not feeling well, so don’t feel too burdened.”
‘In a chubby state… … My condition is not good.’
Kim Jong-ha put up a desperate shield, but I actually knew that wasn’t it.
When the PER story started around Chairman Lee Geun-taek and all sorts of stories were spreading, his expression suddenly changed.
‘Maybe there was something bothering me at that time.’
Since I had personally interacted with Lee Seong-tae before his regression, I could roughly guess why he was standing there with that sullen expression.
Lee Seong-tae absolutely hated exaggerating stories or belittling or elevating someone based on facts that were not true.
Perhaps, even though it was Lee Geun-taek’s story, he thought it was full of exaggeration or something like that.
‘Well… … If I say that a rookie Korean player who just came up to the first division is standing out among American hunters, I guess Korean players might be suspicious.’
Moreover, the field in which he excelled was not a special field like shooting, but rather something unique like dungeon clearing.
But one important thing is that Lee Seong-tae is one of the players I am really interested in right now.
So, I thought, why not try to bring out what’s inside Lee Seong-tae in a straightforward way?
“You seem to be feeling a bit uncomfortable… Is there anything you would like to say?”
A little. A little is fine. Lee Seong-tae will probably be itching to say something strange that Lee Geun-taek said.
And just as I thought, the guy took the bait.
“Ha… … I mean, I don’t have any ill will toward Lee Chang-hyun or think badly of him or anything like that… … .”
***
This year’s [The Hunter’s Day] awards ceremony had quite a few surprises. In the end, the most interesting part of Hunter’s Day was the time afterward when the players met each other…
After all, the biggest topic of conversation at that meeting was the winners.
So usually the awards are given to the best players, the best players… …
‘The players and teams that were just promoted to the first division are taking the spotlight?’
At first, I was a little puzzled by that alone… … but after watching the highlight video that came out later, I was convinced.
If you capture a scene of such skillful suppression, it is quite possible.
Even to Lee Seong-tae himself, it was quite a spectacular sight.
I could admit that.
But… … After that, when I heard the story that Chairman Lee Geun-taek told, I couldn’t do that.
What? You went to Hunter Home in the US and got into an argument with Hunter there, and he said, “You’re the one who’s the most confident, right?”
Phew… … Okay. Let’s say that’s true. But then, a long-range dealer from the Hunter’s League beat a Hunter who’s active on the front lines of the top in a [Dungeon Crawling] mission that has nothing to do with his main game?
From this point on, I couldn’t stand it.
But Chairman Lee Geun-taek, perhaps out of love for the boy, went one step further.
A relic that reproduces ‘the strongest statue I’ve ever faced’, Wei of China, the queen of the European League, someone like Ana?
There was now no more strength to refute, and a hollow laugh came out.
Even the guys who laughed at my words and asked what happened, and even the guys who agreed with me. They all looked like idiots.
Even Lee Chang-hyun, who had nothing to do with it, was viewed somewhat negatively.
Maybe that’s why I said this to Lee Chang-hyun, who I had no real relationship with.
“Player Lee Chang-hyun. There are too many exaggerations in the rumors going around. It seems like Chairman Lee Geun-taek is adding too much seasoning. Isn’t that bad for the player himself?”
It might be a little rude, but yeah. If you go that far, it might not be good for the players either. That’s what I said.
however……
“What if, surprisingly, it’s all true?”
The guy was looking at me with a sly grin.
fantasy,
