The S-Classes That I Raised - Chapter 537: New York (3)

[Yerim–What the hell ♥♥♥ is this? So damn annoying, you fucking bastard]

[Younger Brother–I don’t think she used Enjha properly.]

[Hyuna–There are stupid assholes everywhere you go]

[Yerim–If I were there, I’d have turned the party host into an ice statue]

[Myungwoo–They said there’d be no penalties if you didn’t break the party rules……]

[Hangeol–I miss you, Dad]

[Yerim–Are you really okay, sir?]

[Younger Brother–Bro, take a picture. No, a video.]

[Yerim–Take a pic, please!]

[Noah–I’m still at the airport.]

…Group chats are impossible. Whenever I try to reply to one person, someone else posts again, so proper conversation is impossible. Yerim, slow down.

[I’m really fine. I’ll show you when I get to the room.]

No—that’s not right. To prove I’m okay, I’d have to strip. While I hesitated, more messages came pouring in. I can’t keep up.

[Yerim–Calm down. Myungwoo, hold back for now. They said no questions about party business.]

I warned them in advance so they wouldn’t accuse me of abusing my authority. As long as I follow party rules, there won’t be any disadvantages using the nursery or forge later.

[Yerim–Still, if you have a brain! Hurting him won’t do any good!]

[Hyuna–A sane person wouldn’t step in when there’s a brain in use]

Being S-rank doesn’t guarantee intelligence, and even intelligent people vary by personality and environment. There are more people who lack common sense than you’d think. Anyone who’s worked in service realizes how many weird, stupid people there are. Normal, good people are the majority, but jerks leave lasting memories.

Yerim agreed that whenever there ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) are many people, there’ll always be one or two weirdos.

[Yerim–Really? Did you see it on the way here?]

[Yerim–Human experimentation lololol]

[Yerim–I’m in America for the first time lolol]

She joked that I’d become the U.S. government’s experimental subject, posting a laughing cartoon character clutching its belly. I hadn’t read the protest signs—Director Song must’ve translated them.

[Younger Brother–Don’t hold back. If you’re in pain, use a potion. The elder said it’ll be okay sometimes now.]

While Yerim and Hyuna chatted, Yuhyun kept worrying about me.

[Just some scratches. Are you in the room?]

[Peace–ㄷ귿ㅇ]

[Younger Brother–Yeah]

[We knew Peace was a genius!]

Peace must be mimicking Yuhyun. Yerim included him in the group, but he probably doesn’t know how to join. Did Yuhyun help? He’s taking good care of him.

[Noah–I came to see Yunyun off at the airport, now I’m heading back. The plane got canceled, so I’m traveling by car. It’ll take a while.]

I got off the elevator and walked down the corridor before Noah’s message arrived.

[Thanks for your hard work.]

[Noah–:)]

[Hangeol–Dad! That’s… damn]

[Hangeol–Hanyujin]

[Hangeol–heyheya]

…Don’t fight. I can clearly picture Hangeol flinging Prospector Seong aside with irritation.

[Yerim–Director Song asked if you’re okay. He said just come in.]

Director Song refused to join the chat—he’s a public official, so joining a private group could be problematic. He’ll pass messages through Yerim.

[Hangeol–ㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗ]

[Hangeol–ㅠㅠ]

The sobbing is definitely Seong Hyunjae. Well, he’s watching, at least. He can always send a direct message later.

[Myungwoo–I’ll head to Japan tomorrow. The dungeons there connect more easily with newcomers.]

Myungwoo urged me to be careful. If Chatterbox oversteps again, he plans to connect a dungeon from China, just like last time.

[Hyuna–Be careful. Anyone who approaches out of the blue is like an angry bull.]

[Okay. I’ll be careful.]

Polite, upright professionals would treat me warily from the start. Thinking of the S-ranks tied to the forge and nursery, they might avoid me entirely. It’s simpler that way. I can show what F-rank is capable of to incompetent opponents.

But why is this corridor so long?

[Younger Brother–Hyung…]

[Yerim–heyhey! Why are you buying the same thing as me!]

Yuhyun sent a bunny-bear heart, and Yerim got annoyed. How do they buy things so fast? The doors are spaced far apart—only three or four rooms per floor? Must be huge.

[Hangeol–Dad, I can’t make the payment……]

[Yerim–Want me to gift it? What do you want?]

[Hangeol–I was the one who bought it for you^^]

[Hangeol–ㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗㅗ]

[Noah–Hunter Park Yerim, I’m sorry:’]

[Yerim–Noah oppa, it’s okay! I’ll give you something else.]

[Yerim–Shall I give you one too, sir?]

[Hyuna–This is cute, hyung]

Finally I found my room. I opened the door, feeling uneasy, and stepped inside. There were slippers, so I changed, though most guests here probably don’t take off their shoes.

“…Wow, the park is huge.”

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows I could see what must be Central Park. The glass walls stretched in an L-shape, offering a city view. Must cost a fortune. It’s not my money, but it feels wasteful alone. Still, since it’s not mine, I can raid the minibar and order room service at will. A few buildings in the city skyline were still under construction.

In New York, dungeon breaks caused significant damage—several skyscrapers collapsed, and many new buildings went up in the past four years. The global construction industry boomed. Old mixed-use buildings that were hard to demolish got redeveloped.

[I’m going to wash up. I’m a mess.]

[Younger Brother–Bro, video please.]

[I said I’m fine.]

What about clothes? I’d sent my outfit to laundry, only packed pajamas that Yuhyun and Yerim offered to buy. While I was looking around, the hotel called. They’d deliver fresh clothes right away. Soon, a staff member arrived with a package of clothes—and three gold coins on top.

“Chatterbox praised the response very highly.”

That made me feel even filthier. They said the Hunter who harassed me also got a gold coin. Damn it—more fools will be crawling all over me now. I took the clothes and the coins into my inventory. They gave me gifts before anything even started. The staff member left, telling me to rest well today.

After I showered, the sky outside the window was stained red. In the group chat, only Yerim and Hyuna were talking. It felt lonely being alone in this vast suite. Maybe sensing my mood, Enjha flew out and perched on my shoulder.

—beep.

Since it was caught, it’s not good if Enjha roams free—though it’s fine in the suite. I sat on the sofa and opened a portal site. Does the Wi-Fi work here? In Korea, of course……

“…This is kinda embarrassing.”

Somehow there was a gilded filter on my face. Yeah—foreign Hunters must find it satisfying. Ah, it’s humiliating. How do S-rank Hunters watch this so calmly? Yuhyun wouldn’t care. It’s better than insults, but still mortifying.

I skimmed Korean articles, then clicked links to foreign sites that the Haeyeon PR team sent. The atmosphere was different. They talked about me outsmarting an S-rank, but focused more on my relationship with Chatterbox. He’s popular. At this rate, he might make “Person of the Year.” The U.S. Gun Association also discussed firearms for Awakened.

“Gasp!”

—beep?

Ugh, what is this? Some lunatic wrote fanfiction suggesting Chatterbox and I are dating. Wow… maybe it’s an American thing. In Korea, even a peck on the lips is taken lightly. Few here will take it seriously, but geez……

‘The kids haven’t seen this, right?’

Hey, we’re mortal enemies. Chatterbox is the one who keeps trying to stab me. But if he ever wants to stop, I’d welcome it, even throw flower petals.

After browsing, I put my phone down and flopped onto the sofa. They said I could rest, but I couldn’t relax. Is the security here solid? There’s no one around. I didn’t access via a portal—just rode the elevator. If I get kidnapped, Chatterbox will be responsible.

[I’m bored being alone.]

[Yerim–Should we sneak over? What room are you in?]

[No. Breaking rules could work against us.]

They could disclaim responsibility if I act rashly. Maybe I should order something. I turned on the TV—there I was on screen. Ugh, I can’t watch! So embarrassing! Celebrity life isn’t for everyone.

“Hey.”

A stranger’s voice startled me. I sat bolt upright as a masked man waved his hands to calm me.

“I’ll just take some photos, don’t worry.”

“…What?”

“I knocked on your balcony window, but you didn’t hear.”

What—? The man lifted a camera. I covered my face reflexively; he clicked his tongue.

“These photos go public tomorrow morning.”

“Wha-what the hell… Isn’t trespassing a crime in the U.S. too?!”

“I said I knocked. If you really hate it, I can leave. But it’s fine, right? So, what was it—kimchi?”

What is this, seriously? Flustered, I stood up.

“Hey, wait. If you’re going to shoot, can’t you take it slower…?”

“OK, OK. You wanted natural shots, but since this is a break-in, let’s go to the balcony. I’ll make it look like drone footage from outside.”

This man—a paparazzo, probably an A-rank Hunter—strode ahead lightly.

“I never thought I’d photo an F-rank. It’s time for low-rank Hunters to make a splash!”

“Uh… is that… a hobby?”

“Half and half. Chasing top Hunters, especially S-ranks, is so thrilling. It’s the best.”

He must love hard-to-get subjects—and he talked a lot.

“I got one great shot of the Sesung Guild Leader, but I won’t sell it. And Crazy Song—couldn’t protest to the Korean government, so I’m keeping that too. But I’ve got some killer shots.”

…I wanted to ask him to show me. I’m curious.

“What about other Korean Hunters? Like Hanyuhyun or Park Yerim?”

“I haven’t been to Korea. But I have the Breaker Guild Leader.”

He handed me a business card. Climbing onto the railing, he peered down at me.

“The Hunter scene has solidified, but many still don’t treat Hunters as people. Top-ranks are better off since they’re newsworthy, but mid- and low-ranks aren’t.”

But as Hunters became celebrities, things got better, he said. Paparazzi are bad, but maybe Americans take photos to make Hunters feel more relatable.

“I’ve spread word in this industry that I’ll cover you exclusively. You can relax.”

“…Huh?”

“I’m the best at tracking Hunters. Those who chase you will get nothing, so you’ll have fewer pests.”

He added that many weird photographers exist. So he was offering to help me?

“…Thanks, but why?”

“I told you—low-ranks need to step up too. Having even one celebrity in the group makes a huge difference.”

True, but kindness from a stranger still feels odd. He waved and then disappeared in a blink. I thought of Yunyun—he was like a goblin.

“…I don’t really have big goals, though.”

If I succeed, it matters, but… shoulders felt heavy with expectation, yet somehow lighter. People—even strangers in a foreign land—sometimes help. Not bad at all.

The next day, countless S-rank Hunters arrived in New York. Every TV channel covered Chatterbox’s party. That afternoon, participants gathered in a grand hall.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by readnovel.co