Auto Hunting

Episode 118

He was the commander-in-chief, number one in the Japanese cabinet.

It was as if Yoo-seong were standing before the President of Korea.

Yoo-seong pushed his sweaty bangs to the side and tried to shake some dirt off his body.

‘Great,’ he thought, ‘I didn’t think the Prime Minister himself would come.’

Since last night, Yoo-seong had saved numerous people. It had all been relayed in real-time through SNS streaming.

Broadcasting was not a big deal in itself. Whether it be actual hunting or rescue work, hunters were free to use their action cams as they pleased.

However, what made Yoo-seong’s broadcast different was the scale of its impact. As the sun rose, illuminating his surroundings, he noticed that the number of people around him had grown significantly.

More rescuers and equipment had been dispatched. Every Tokyo hunter who could afford to do so had come to help.

Still, that didn’t change the facts. Until a few hours ago, the only hunter at the site had been Oh Yoo-seong.

Japanese hunters had been absent from their own turf.

-Why did Hashima come?

-Still, it feels like Yoo-seong used his hand too hard…

-Shut up. If he’d left Hashima alone, that idiot would have kept interfering with the rescue.

-Yes, it’s an emergency situation.

Viewers were still talking about the Japanese hunters who’d arrived a few hours ago.

Hashima and his crew had come to the site not to help but to catch Yoo-seong.

With everyone hearing what Hashima said, it had been made clear that the problem was not just between Hashima and Yoo-seong.

It was something far greater.

-So, why did the top hunters retreat before the operation started?

-What’s going on with the Disaster Management Administration?

-They haven’t even released a statement. Crazy.

Now, what the Japanese media reported was not enough for the citizens.

Their main source of what was really happening was Yoo-seong’s live stream. Only things reflected through the raw, unfiltered footage of the incident scene were accepted as fact.

In this situation, if the Prime Minister were to call for a press conference, it would be largely ignored. Hence…

“Nice to meet you,” the Prime Minister greeted Yoo-seong in Japanese. “I am Yukio Murata.”

An interpreter stood by his side, conveying his words to Yoo-seong. People around them paused to look.

Viewers online also leaned in closer to their screens. It was as if the Prime Minister was speaking to the citizens directly through Yoo-seong’s lens.

Murata was a politician who was a master in terms of showmanship.

He’d decided to visit the incident site personally, going against the advice of those around him.

It was an unannounced visit without any prior notice to any broadcasting station.

His sudden appearance surprised people.

‘It will be a bit of a fuss,’ he thought, ‘but it can’t be helped.’

Murata got ready to get down on his knees. His strategy was to give an unconditional apology. To admit responsibility and to recognize Oh Yoo-seong. He did not need to expound to the citizens about what he was apologizing for.

All he needed was to show everyone that he, a Prime Minister, did not care about his position and humbly sought forgiveness from their hero.

Who wouldn’t feel sympathy for him in that situation?

By simply getting dirt on his knees, he would regain the support of the citizens.

Yukio Murata raised his voice for Yoo-seong’s action cam.

“On behalf of Japan…”

He dropped to his knees and placed the back of his hands against his forehead, preparing to bow lower.

However, Yoo-seong’s hand moved immediately.

Pop-!

He pressed the button, but it wasn’t the button for Auto-Hunt.

“Thank you… huh?!” Murata, who was just about to bend over, suddenly stopped.

Yoo-seong had turned off the action cam.

“Hey! Many people are watching!” Murata was both shocked and embarrassed. “If you suddenly turn off the video in this situation… what will the people think…?”

Yoo-seong shrugged. “There shouldn’t be any problem. I think everyone will understand.”

“But you turned off the video without context… The people will…” The Prime Minister’s face had gone pale.

Yoo-seong shrugged again.

He knew that the Prime Minister was doing it just for show.

Right now, the public thought that the government was hiding something from them.

It was the public opinion that was protecting Yoo-seong. Seeing their Prime Minister bow down to Yoo-seong directly might change their thoughts.

With the video cut off abruptly like that…

“I think you were trying to apologize to me, weren’t you?” Yoo-seong asked.

Yukio Murata trembled.

“Even with the camera turned off, there are still many people around us watching.” Yoo-seong gestured toward the rescuers. The interpreter bit his lips and whispered to Yoo-seong.

“Why are you embarrassing the Prime Minister?”

However, the Prime Minister’s face hardened with determination. Then…

Thud-!

He continued bowing before Yoo-seong.

“On behalf of all Japan, I would like to express my infinite gratitude to Oh Yoo-seong. We are indebted.”

There weren’t any ulterior motives; just a pure “thank you.”

“Oh, it’s no big deal.” Yoo-seong leaned over, approaching the prime minister.

In the eyes of those around them, it was a very touching scene.

However, once Yoo-seong got closer to the Prime Minister…

“Come closer,” he whispered to the interpreter.

He got straight to the point.

“How much do you know about the Leto Group?” He looked into the Prime Minister’s eyes.

“Huh?”

“I’ll ask more clearly. Are you also connected with Chairman Tatsuo Sukune?”

“You are a psycho!” the Prime Minister hissed.

“Prime Minister. Am I really the psycho?” Yoo-seong asked calmly. “Your Special Defense Director is linked to the Leto Group, playing with lives and controlling hunters through state powers.”

“You.” He turned to the interpreter. “Translate this directly. Do not sugarcoat it or change any words.”

“Ah, y-yes, yes,” the flustered interpreter stuttered.

Yukio Murata closed his eyes as he listened to the words that were being conveyed to him.

Then he spoke.

“No,” he said firmly.

“What do you mean?” Yoo-seong asked.

“Chairman Sukune does not have power over me.”

Yoo-seong did not wait further. He began explaining the purpose of his visit to Japan – what he’d heard from Lee Jae-hak, the that Leto took from Korea, the secret facility for CE storage and infusion, the clash he’d had against the Sukune clan – everything.

He told the Prime Minister everything without adding or removing any detail. Everything was made clear to both the interpreter and the Prime Minister.

Chairman Sukune must have mobilized the top hunters to attack Yoo-seong.

The Prime Minister trembled.

“It looks like,” Yoo-seong remarked, “you weren’t aware of what’s been happening.”

“No. We haven’t heard about it,” the interpreter said before the Prime Minister could even speak.

Yoo-seong nodded before he replied calmly.

“Well, what’s done is done. But we can’t ignore the facts. The Chief of the Disaster Management Administration and the Chairman of the Leto Group pulled the top hunters away from the operation, resulting in this devastation.”

“What would you like me to do about it?” the Prime Minister asked.

“What can you do about it?” Yoo-seong returned the question coldly.

He had already fulfilled his purpose to regain the stolen Tech.

Justification for using his abilities in a foreign land?

The means to safely return to Korea?

To stop the Leto Group’s operation and make them pay for their theft?

It didn’t matter what Yoo-seong needed.

“I have no intention of compromising, Prime Minister. I have no intention of letting this go so easily.”

No matter how long it took or how difficult it would be, Yoo-seong wouldn’t settle.

Yukio Murata had been silent for a while. Then…

“Good. Oh Yoo-seong…”

He was the head of a country. These were his people, his land.

In the midst of that, a young foreign hunter had just caused a scandal.

Yukio Murata had to raise his hand.

“Now, even if you turn on the action cam, you won’t be able to stream.” He jerked his head to the side.

Yoo-seong followed his gaze and saw agents watching them from a distance.

“Because the signal from your camera has now been blocked.”

It had been Murata’s means of preparing for the worst, to plan to cut the camera’s transmission forcibly.

He hadn’t expected that Yoo-seong would turn it off himself.

“As of this time, we prohibit unauthorized use of CE. Thank you for your hard work, but the law is the law. Moving forward, you cannot break it anymore.”

Yukio Murata raised his hand. The Self-Defense Forces were waiting for his instructions.

“Even if there is a risk to human life?” Yoo-seong clarified.

“You’ve done enough. We can handle problems with our own strength. No matter how risky the situation is. I have delivered our gratitude for your help, and now, I declare this as the head of this country.”

Suddenly, a roar came from above their heads.

Jiiiing-!

That signaled another crack.

It was about the same size as the crack the Thunder Ape had fallen through. While Yoo-seong was battling with the Thunder Ape, additional hunters had been dispatched into the rift to close it.

The blocking work had gone smoothly, and Yoo-seong had confirmed it from a distance. That was why he hadn’t gone himself to close the crack with his Sky Needle.

However, now…

Jiiiing-!

A crack that had already closed appeared to be re-opening once again.

The Prime Minister and the interpreter’s phones began ringing like crazy.

“This is impossible!” Murata exclaimed.

Yoo-seong agreed with him. “From my experience, I would say it will be completely open in five minutes.”

“What?!” The Prime Minister’s face fell.

Five minutes. Upon an already severely-damaged city, filled with rescuers, paramedics, and people trying to help.

There was no way that the civilians could be evacuated at this point. And the hunters in the area did not have their hunting equipment ready as they were just here to help with the rescue.

“It’s going to be a disaster. For those still waiting to be rescued, this is going to be a death sentence,” Yoo-seong said quietly as he stared at the crack.

“You!” Murata pointed at Yoo-seong. “You can stop it! You have to!”

A few moments ago, Murata had firmly spoken his terms. Japan did not need Yoo-seong’s help anymore.

If he used CE again, it would be considered an offense. A crime, even.

Murata now had to swallow what he had just said.

“Regardless of what we just talked about, this… this is different!”

Yoo-seong nodded and turned his action cam back on. There was no way to start a livestream right now.

“Unblock the transmission,” he ordered the Prime Minister.

“And declare to the public, officially, as the head of the state,” Yoo-seong’s voice was urgent. “That Oh Yoo-seong is authorized to use CE from this point on.”