Chapter 536: Chapter 536

Odaigon had called Choi Yeonseung for one reason only.

“Everything is a mess because of Parker Group.”

The secretaries sighed with relief when Choi Yeonseung appeared. The more chaotic things were, the more significant an S-grade hunter’s presence was.

That was especially the case in unique situations like the current one.

[The Fifth Kingdom of the ‘Goddess of Pleasure and Lust’ shows its grandeur!]

“I anticipated that they wouldn’t let go because of what happened in the Abyss raid, but it seems that things are more serious than I thought. What’s going on?”

“There have been a few armed clashes, and there still is ongoing fighting in some places...”

[The ‘Goddess of Pleasure and Lust’ reveals the palace hidden on Earth.]

[Challengers are welcome...]

The Goddess of Pleasure and Lust kept declaring something to the constellations of the Abyss, but Choi Yeonseung ignored her with an irritated expression. He had more urgent things to take care of.

“They’re fighting?”

“Yes.”

As the raid era had progressed, hunter clans and companies supporting them had become incredibly powerful. In fact, they were almost like a paramilitary organization.

Naturally, these clans and companies had become rather dangerous, as the police and military found it very difficult to stop hunters from causing trouble. The only people that could keep hunters in check were other hunters or the government.

In fact, the rampages and terror attacks caused by hunters in the first generation had been far more devastating than what modern-day hunters had done. Those first hunter-made disasters had caused governments to be very careful when dealing with clans or large companies that owned clans.

That was the case with this Abyss raid. After word got out that Parker Group was in cahoots with the Master of Slowness and Silence, the US government gave them a chance to get out of this and cooperate.

Parker Group owned a few clans. The US government was sure to enforce a hard-line policy on them, but if there were civilian casualties, the punishment would be even more severe.

-If you find someone to take responsibility and cut off the tail, we will turn a blind eye to it.

That message was enough, or at least many people thought so. However, Parker Group attacked and chased away the agents from the Hunter Bureau who came to see what had happened, as well as all the investigators watching them.

Naturally, the investigators called for backup, but Parker Group didn’t back down and instead mobilized their own clans to fight back.

Things escalated, which led to ongoing fighting in the urban area of the city where Parker Group’s headquarters were located.

“Are they going to start some kind of rebellion?”

Before, it would’ve sounded crazy to say that an individual would rebel and build a new country, but it didn’t sound that crazy in the raid era. The transcendent abilities of someone who had awakened allowed that ridiculous scenario to be a real possibility.

In fact, some countries had been founded by hunters or clans taking advantage of the chaos.

“I don’t think Chairman Parker is that reckless... He has a lot to lose if he does that in the United States.”

“You can never know what’s going on inside people’s heads. Parker is ambitious by nature. He’s been failing a lot lately, so it’s plausible that he came up with a desperate plan.”

The opinions of the secretaries were also divided. Some of them thought that Chairman Parker had too much to lose to do such a reckless thing. At the same time, given his character, there was no way he would sit idly by in the current situation.

“Stop,” Choi Yeonseung eventually cut in. “There’s no point in trying to guess the true intentions of someone who’s not even here. Let’s just take care of the urgent matters.”

“We are constantly getting requests for support. Apparently, they want you, Hunter Choi Yeonseung, to participate...” The secretaries exchanged looks as they spoke.

In this situation, as an S-grade hunter and a formidable duelist, Choi Yeonseung was bound to be incredibly valuable.

But apart from that, hunters generally avoided getting involved in such situations. There were strategies and concrete plans for dealing with monsters, but fighting fellow hunters during such chaotic times would be very dangerous and unpredictable.

If things went wrong, even high-ranking hunters could perish.

“Alright, I’ll go there.”

“...!”

“!!!”

The secretaries were stunned. They had thought that maybe Choi Yeonseung would do something to help, given his track record, but they hadn’t expected him to readily agree like that.

“Is that really okay?”

“Why are you acting like this again?” Choi Yeonseung asked. After all, he was a constellation in human disguise, so subduing hunters wasn’t something to brag about.

And yet, the secretaries seemed very impressed.

“We’re so lucky to have you, Hunter Choi Yeonseung!”

“I’m so proud to work for an S-grade hunter like you!”

At a time when many hunters were pulling out, Choi Yeonseung joined in to protect the civilians. It was only natural that the secretaries were impressed by him.

‘They’re making too big a deal out of this... I’m only doing this to gain some more power of existence.’

Choi Yeonseung thought about telling Aine to ban them from having over-the-top reactions in the future. No matter how he thought about it, he felt that Hwang Gyeongryong had to have ordered them to react with expressions of admiration to whatever he said.

Otherwise, why would they react like this to his decision to go out there and help out?

***

Those at Parker Group were just as confused as everyone else. The senior executives were even more flustered than the regular employees.

-If things go wrong, won’t I get caught up in it as well?

-Could it be that Chairman Parker did this without thinking? No... He said there’s something he believes in. I guess we just have to wait and see.

Some people were anxious while others were convinced he had an ace up his sleeve, given his strong reaction. Indeed, it would make no sense for Chairman Parker to do this without anything to back him up, especially since he wanted an apology from those he attacked!

-That’s why I want to hear what his concrete plan is!

-Is this the first time the chairman has acted so assertively? If you want to leave, then leave. Don’t ruin the mood.

Chairman Parker was a very assertive man, but there were many people who didn’t believe in him this time. As the situation escalated, it became apparent that they couldn’t be relieved unless they heard a detailed explanation from Chairman Parker himself.

“It looks like you’re dissatisfied.”

“!”

Out of nowhere, Alex Parker greeted the executives who were chattering in the hallway.

Even though he was old, nobody could guess his age because he had undergone all kinds of procedures and taken various elixirs.

The executives were terrified by his blazing eyes.

“N-no, Chairman.”

“We’d better mobilize the clans as soon as possible. Put pressure on the clans. Tell them that if they decline the request, we will cut off all support.”

“Yes... Yes!”

The executives sighed heavily once the chairman said everything he had to say and left.

“Is it okay? There are rumors that he’s collapsed...”

“I guess such rumors are bound to spread at times like this. He looks in good shape.”

They didn’t know about anything else, but one thing was clear. The rumors that the chairman had collapsed were definitely false.

“You did... a good job...”

After returning to his office, the chairman frowned at Tardus, the household member who looked like a giant snail.

Chris Aaron had come to visit the chairman after the Abyss raid. Of course, Chairman Parker had also been waiting for him. In fact, he had put all available hunters on standby in order to tear Chris Aaron to death if he really came.

Alex Parker had been wondering what trick Chris Aaron had used to recover, but it turned out he had made a contract with an evil god constellation.

-Kill him!

Chris Aaron couldn’t care less about the A-grade hunters gathered. He and Tardus, who had accompanied him from the Abyss, made short work of them.

Chairman Parker hadn’t expected his group of A-grade hunters to be overpowered like that. After taking him prisoner, Tardus made a simple offer.

-We... join forces... you will be stronger... if not... you die... right here...

-You want me to join forces with an evil god constellation? Are you crazy?!

-Foolish humans... look around you... The power of the evil god constellations grows stronger... Earth is becoming more chaotic... which side should you be on...?

The invasion of the evil god constellations hadn’t ended in one go. As time passed, the situation on Earth kept deteriorating, which was to be expected. Humanity was doing its best to recover, but the wounds were still far from healed.

What if the evil god constellations invaded a few more times? Of course, the stronger hunters and clans might survive, but the world economy would undoubtedly crumble.

Famine and pestilence would consume Earth. If it came to that, joining forces with an evil god constellation and reigning alongside them might not be the worst option.

-Nonsense! I won’t be deceived by the words of a constellation who has yet to properly occupy Earth!

Chairman Parker firmly declined, but Tardus could already tell what was really going through his head. No matter how capable or ingenious a mortal was, their existence itself was different.

-Your... heart... says something... else...

-You’re threatening me, so I have no choice but to follow you!

-Think... whatever you want...

Chairman Parker snapped back to reality and looked at Tardus, who was right in front of him.

“The awakened humans have withdrawn...”

“Things will slow down.”

Now that all the hunters who had tried to subdue them had retreated, it would take a while until the other side managed to make another move.

Chairman Parker was very familiar with how these things worked. Holding each other accountable, making a public declaration, searching for clans that could be mobilized... If they stayed still in the meantime, the other side wouldn’t be in a hurry either.

“No... There are more coming...”

“??”

“Among the human awakeners... the household members of a constellation... such loyal ones... will come...”

Chairman Parker said nothing, for he knew who Tardus was talking about.

‘That son of a bitch!’

“You can deal with him, right?”

“Let’s see...”

At the sight of the troubled Tardus, Chairman Parker tried not to show any emotions.

Bang!

The loud noise from underneath signaled that there was an intruder. Tardus and Alex Parker went there together to see Choi Yeonseung in person.

“Isabella Meyer! Hunter Isabella Meyer is here with hunters!”

“An A-grade hunter! It’s an emergency!”

“...”

“...”

Chairman Parker cast Tardus a look of disbelief, but the snail-like creature ignored him.

***

Anyone could tell that there had been a fight.

The hunters following Choi Yeonseung said embarrassingly, “Hunter Isabella Meyer got here before us.”

“That’s a weird way to handle things. If you already made a request to someone else, shouldn’t you at least let me in on it?” Choi Yeonseung asked as he turned to the deputy minister of Homeland Security.

He was more or less reproaching the deputy minister, which caused him to start trembling. The deputy minister was a stern man with a frosty attitude, intimidating each and every one of his subordinates. However, that meant nothing in front of Choi Yeonseung.

“N-no...”

“What do you mean, no?”

“The request... We made no request to her!”

“You didn’t...? Then is she acting on her own, even bringing hunters with her?” Choi Yeonseung asked incredulously. If someone committed a crime, the police or licensed clans would intervene. However, if Isabella Meyer just stepped in and attacked without saying anything, that wasn’t enforcing the law...

‘She’s just crazy.’

“Yes...”

“...I really can’t understand Americans.”

The deputy minister wanted to explain that not all Americans were like that, but the tense atmosphere prevented him from doing so.