S Chapter 73

Weakness. Even if that were the case, he had no intention of leaving him alone. Whether Yang U-dam wanted it or not.

‘I also want to show him how much of a relief it is to have even one person by your side in a place where you have no allies.’

I’m always on your side. That was something Shin Jukyeong wanted to teach Yang U-dam.

“Weakness, what are you talking about…”

But Yang U-dam was stronger than Shin Jukyeong expected. He merely put down his spoon and scoffed. That indifferent look in his eyes, completely unlike someone who was being bullied. Shin Jukyeong felt a strange sense of relief. It was a good thing his brother wasn’t an easy person.

‘I’m not sure if I should call this a good thing, though.’

Since it was genuinely helpful for now, he decided to subtly ignore it and move on.

‘Still, there are things I need to address clearly.’

Shin Jukyeong lowered his voice, conscious of his surroundings.

“If there was any physical bullying, don’t just endure it, tell your brother.”

Literally, it meant, ‘Snitch on whoever hit you right now. I’ll pay them back tenfold.’

The most important thing was not ‘solving’ but ‘processing’… but he didn’t bother with the latter part. Either way, removing the cause was the same, wasn’t it?

Frankly speaking, he wasn’t a professional Hunter, nor was he an assistant instructor at the Hunter Academy right now, so he wouldn’t feel guilty about discreetly beating someone up. Who told them to bully someone else’s brother? If you do bad things, you deserve to be punished.

‘These brats, with the blood not even dry on their heads, only learning bad things.’

Of course, for Yang U-dam, who didn’t know Shin Jukyeong’s true thoughts, it was just a ridiculous statement. How could someone who constantly groaned and keeled over at the slightest thing possibly help?

“Don’t be so gross.”

In the end, he showed his intention to refuse.

“Am I a child? I can handle it.”

Then he quickly added.

‘Gross…!’

The thirty-year-old was suddenly heartbroken. But he didn’t give up.

“No, Yang U-dam. Don’t be like that, tell your brother…”

The serious atmosphere had long vanished. Shin Jukyeong eventually resorted to his usual pathetic pleading. ‘Brother, just trust me once. Lean on me,’ and so on. In this era of self-promotion, he endlessly appealed. Of course, not even 1g of it got through.

As they were bickering back and forth, someone approached them.

“Oh… damn it, Yang U-dam. I’m so jealous.”

Starting with a mocking voice, a long stream of sarcasm poured out.

“Your brother’s eating with you? If you didn’t have anyone to eat with, you should’ve said something. What are you doing, being embarrassing at your age?”

‘What the hell is this guy?’

Shin Jukyeong was the first to react. He turned his head and stared at the person. They were wearing the same uniform as his brother.

‘Is this guy the main culprit?’

Sure enough, loud laughter erupted from around them at the man’s words. Without asking Shin Jukyeong or Yang U-dam’s permission, he arbitrarily pulled out a chair and sat down, forming an unpleasant smile.

Shin Jukyeong quietly watched the guy who sat next to him, propped his chin, and picked a fight with his brother. Hmm, it seems he’d found someone to ‘process’.

‘But he looks strangely familiar.’

He quickly rummaged through his mind. When he touched the section storing only unnecessary information, a yellow light bulb ding turned on after a short loading. He remembered.

‘The guy who stood on the stage as the Runner-up.’

Yes, it was him.

‘Unexpected.’

He was quite different from how he looked during his professional life. Shin Jukyeong clearly remembered him being not bad at handling tasks… so he was this kind of guy?

It must have been because he’d only seen him in passing, so only the positive aspects remained. Now that he saw him, his personality was quite poor for a Hunter.

‘Now that I think about it, he had a grimace on his face even when he read the oath.’

Could he really think Yang U-dam stole the attention he should have received? So he harbored resentment and did this? What a petty guy.

Shin Jukyeong revised his evaluation of the Runner-up. From a pretty decent guy to a completely unremarkable one.

‘The Hunter Association that chose a guy like that as Runner-up has really lost its touch.’

Well, it’s a meritocracy that values skill over personality, so perhaps it couldn’t be helped.

…Hmm? Why do I feel bad too? Shin Jukyeong tilted his head for a moment, then stopped. Anyway, it was a truly regrettable situation. If he had been an assistant instructor at this time, it would have been perfect for some mental conditioning. Not much was needed, just one day.

Unaware of Shin Jukyeong’s true thoughts, the Runner-up was busy running his mouth.

“My dear brother. Aren’t you feeling wronged? Ah, I can call you ‘brother,’ right? I’m Yang U-dam’s classmate, you see. Now that we’ve met like this, I want to expand my network in the management department. And the UA Group… uh, is that out of the question now? No, right?”

“…”

“You wouldn’t be losing your position to someone who isn’t even your biological brother, would you? They say this guy is just someone you’re supporting.”

He seemed to be walking a fine line, but in the end, he didn’t hesitate to cross it with his remarks.

‘Look at this guy?’

Shin Jukyeong silently stared at the other person. Exaggerated gestures and ambitious eyes.

‘He’s deliberately showing off more.’

He had wondered why he was intentionally causing trouble, but now he understood.

‘He’s trying to suppress the hierarchy.’

Shin Jukyeong averted his gaze and scanned his surroundings. As expected, the children wore curious expressions. They all kept silent and pretended not to notice, but they couldn’t hide their expectant eyes. They were watching. Watching what actions the two of them would take.

‘In such cases, it usually splits into two types…’

One, they genuinely treat Yang U-dam like an idiot.

Two, his own position is ambiguous.

The former just ends with feeling unpleasant, but if it’s the latter, it becomes quite bothersome. Why? Because he’ll persistently attack to elevate his own status.

In short, he wants to play the role of a local boss, but the opponent is tougher than expected, so he’s panicking. That’s why he’s trying to show off in front of a larger audience.

‘That type will keep provoking until the opponent plays dead and grovels.’

However, even if he tucks his tail, the situation won’t improve much. This place operates on the strict logic of the strong preying on the weak.

The moment he looks weak, Yang U-dam will become their prey. He couldn’t possibly stand by and watch such a dog-eat-dog situation.

‘But the more I think about it, the more audacious it seems?’

…Shall I, perhaps, raise the difficulty a bit?

Just then, the Runner-up added another remark. His timing was truly artistic.

“Our dear brother. Aren’t you even feeling wronged?”

A contemptuous attitude and arrogant eyes. Now he was dismissing Shin Jukyeong as well.

‘Look at his mental state.’

Shin Jukyeong turned his body completely and faced the Runner-up. The chair scraped against the floor, kikikik! creating an unpleasant noise. A strange tension began to circulate in the quiet dining hall.

“We haven’t met before, have we?”

“…Huh?”

“‘Huh’ is informal speech. Only my brother gets to use informal speech with me.”

Shin Jukyeong continued, leisurely crossing his legs.

“Speak nicely. Don’t be so cheeky.”

Speak nicely. Don’t be so cheeky.

For a moment, the Runner-up almost instinctively replied, ‘Yes, brother.’

‘Huh? Why did I…’

He was rarely flustered. He had never been this intimidated by anyone except his father.

He, a former youth judo national representative and known as the ‘boss’ of OO High School, flinched at a pathetic good-for-nothing like that? This was absurd.

Moreover, he wasn’t even a manifested individual like Yang U-dam, who also came from a good-for-nothing background. In other words, the man in front of him was a fragile being whom he could easily kill if he so desired.

‘It must be my imagination. What is that pathetic guy anyway?’

The Runner-up’s pride took a solid scratch. He vehemently denied it, deceiving himself multiple times that it was just a mistake, and soon it became his truth.

‘Right, there’s no way I was scared of someone like that.’

Once his mind was settled, a surge of anger inexplicably welled up. This good-for-nothing bastard, how dare he embarrass him in front of the kids? He already disliked how he protected that annoying lucky brat… The Runner-up felt he wouldn’t be appeased until he properly crushed these unlucky brothers.

‘I’ll properly crush your brother.’

He would definitely make this good-for-nothing cry and beg in front of him.

‘Look at that expression.’

Who knew what he was thinking, the Runner-up’s expression was rotting in real-time. He looked as if he was about to raise a hand.

‘Is he going to hit me? Hmm, that works for me.’

First, he’d let himself be hit once, then immediately convene a disciplinary committee and extort a hefty settlement. And at night, he’d discreetly pay him a visit and give him a full-body massage with an eighteen-hit combo.

‘I’ll personally make him experience what it means to be beaten to a pulp on a rainy day.’

Shin Jukyeong let out a kekekeke vile laugh inwardly.

However, unfortunately, the Runner-up clenched his fist but didn’t throw a punch. It seemed that even with his immature personality, the concept of not hitting a non-manifested individual was ingrained.

‘No… he can hit me. That way, I can retaliate without feeling guilty about hitting a child.’

Shin Jukyeong felt a slight regret. As he scratched his cheek, hiding his chilling thoughts, the Runner-up, perhaps conscious of the surrounding gazes, deliberately tried to act tougher.