X
Join our Discord server and get release updates for every novel you follow.
Join the Server“Hyung!! Han Dokyeom! The Sahyeon Guild! Taeseongyeon’s side is also attacking the boss right now! It’s only been ten days, aren’t both of them moving too fast?!”
Baek Jiun swallowed hard, his pupils dilating. The real-time viewer count reflected in his blankly blinking eyes.
Amidst the cacophony of curses, explosions, and monster screams, Baek Jiun anxiously shifted his gaze between the screen and the bottom display.
Nine hundred thousand, nine hundred fifty thousand, nine hundred eighty thousand…
A shiver ran down his spine as the number of live viewers continuously climbed. It was clear that not only Korea but the entire world was watching the outcome of this event.
When someone captured Taeseongyeon’s striking profile, Baek Jiun tore his gaze from the video and stared up at Han Dokyeom, dazed.
“Han Dokyeom… what do we do…? I think we’re too late….”
‘We’re screwed.’
The distant snow-capped mountains seemed impossibly far from here, yet from where Geon Ita and Taeseongyeon stood, they appeared to be just a stone’s throw away. Considering the distance and circumstances, it would be impossible to reach and defeat the boss before them.
“What do you mean, ‘what do we do’?”
‘We just start moving now.’
Han Dokyeom called out to Dali, who was nearby. Dali, who had been scooping up snow as if thirsty, lifted his head and immediately scampered over to Han Dokyeom’s side.
Han Dokyeom grinned, ruffling the head of Dali, who gazed up at him so meekly.
“Dali, can you fly?”
Dali’s shoulders stiffened. His large pupils constricted sharply. He seemed to have precisely grasped Han Dokyeom’s intent. His unreadable eyes shifted from Han Dokyeom to the distant snow-capped mountains. The raging blizzard was simply brutal.
The vast expanse of the sky. The faint outline of the snowy mountains was as magnificent as a dragon’s gaping maw.
Yet, Dali opened his mouth and answered clearly.
“Bweep!”
As if to say he could, as if to say he would.
Han Dokyeom smiled.
There were many reasons why Han Dokyeom had procrastinated and not rushed his steps until now. However, if he had to pick, there were two main reasons.
His first reason was that he wanted the ‘deaths’ of the two preceding witches to be predetermined. The second reason was—
“Before that, first, you need to draw aggro. Whether it’s the title or whatever, draw aggro and gather the viewers’ attention. Try to attract as many as possible before we even reach the snowy mountains.”
This was because from the moment they set foot on the snowy mountains, a certain ‘effect’ would be applied. And that ‘effect’ was activated equally for everyone.
It was the ‘Fame Stat.’
The brilliant fame that the witches, who had dominated an entire century, still couldn’t forget.
Among them, the youngest, who could see ‘the past,’ lived in yearning and obsession, unable to forget her own fame, for her ambition was far greater than the other witches’.
When she regains her past glory, her power will become immense and stronger than anyone else. This is because she is the one who holds the power of ‘the past.’
“You won’t go back on your word later, will you? I’m going to use super provocative lines to draw a ton of aggro, okay? I’ll even cause a massive ruckus everywhere else….”
“Alright, just do it, please.”
Baek Jiun, who had been holding his phone and looking around cautiously, started tapping the screen with an excited face as soon as he received confirmation.
The ‘Fame Stat’ would have already been applied to Geon Ita and Taeseongyeon, who had already arrived at the snowy mountains. However, Taeseongyeon was not a concern. An safety measure, a harness, had already been secured.
‘Just try not keeping your promise.’
As he rubbed his neck, a stinging pain flared. These were the marks of being sucked and bitten. These were marks left by someone other than Agon. And it had been just two days ago.
It was Taeseongyeon.
Taeseongyeon’s visits to Han Dokyeom had not been just ‘once.’ He vaguely remembered over five times while half-asleep, and his visits finally ceased two days prior.
And two days ago, Han Dokyeom had made a ‘proposition’ to Taeseongyeon.
“
It was a time when his black hair, scattered on the snow, looked particularly inky. As soon as he opened his eyes, he was met with a familiar embrace. Briefly sighing, Han Dokyeom gripped Taeseongyeon’s hand, which was touching his earlobe, and spoke.
‘Had he laughed?’
The swirling snowflakes were so cold that even the memory was faint. However, he distinctly remembered Taeseongyeon’s moving lips.
“
“
Han Dokyeom yanked down the suffocating scarf around his neck, twisted his head, and revealed his mark. The frosty snowflakes quickly covered the mark, and he vividly remembered grimacing from the cold.
“
‘Isn’t this what you’re crazy about?’
Taeseongyeon’s expressionless face. His downcast eyes were fixed on Han Dokyeom’s mark. His silver eyes scanned the mark deeply, gently, and heavily.
Though not a word was spoken, the weighty and dignified atmosphere rendered Han Dokyeom speechless. Just for a moment.
With his eyes still languidly lowered, Taeseongyeon opened his mouth. His voice was small and stern.
“
The words, exhaled in a shallow breath as if coaxing a child, ignited a fire. Before Han Dokyeom could even react, fingertips brushed against his skin, harshly grazing his mark, which flared hot. As Han Dokyeom gasped, a hand gripped his jaw, gently rubbing his lower lip.
“”
“
“
His body was pulled tight. The moment their chests met, the mark was bitten down upon with a crunch. Only the memory of dangerously gasping for air, his vision darkening from the harsh act, remained clear.
“”
“
“
After that, he only remembered being tormented all night. However, he had repeatedly questioned Taeseongyeon and received a promise, even a somewhat smiling confirmation before he fell into an exhausted sleep.
Taeseongyeon had promised he would absolutely not interfere in this matter.
Therefore, at the very least, Taeseongyeon would not get involved in this. And if Han Dokyeom’s thoughts were correct, Geon Ita would probably—
‘He’d just observe.’
The reason was obvious. Geon Ita would have already obtained what he wanted.
In that case, there was only one thing Han Dokyeom needed to do.
“I’ll give you an hour. Promote hard before then. After that, we’ll have to start moving.”
He had to figure out how to raise his ‘Fame Stat’ higher than Geon Ita and Taeseongyeon.
****
Baek Jiun, who had been diligently tapping on his phone, lifted his head just as the allotted hour was about to expire. And as Baek Jiun, who had been absorbed in his phone, raised his gaze, the moment arrived silently.
“I mobilized all my mom and dad’s, my uncle’s, my cousins’, and even my sisters’ accounts to go to the top YouTubers’ channels and stir up trouble while promoting us. A few might get reported, but I think I did pretty well with this much.”
Not only that, but he also used the accounts of everyone sitting around him, from Beom Yeonhu to Kang Taesan and even the displeased Byeon Yeongchan, to visit popular YouTubers’ channels, subtly luring people to his own channel, engaging in all sorts of aggro tactics.
As a result, Baek Jiun’s channel had become an arena, filled with people drawn in by the aggro. Comments flooded in every second on one particular video, with mockery, thoughtless remarks, and challenges to fight dominating the comment section.
‘This is enough.’ Han Dokyeom brushed himself off and stood, drawing everyone’s attention.
An hour was more than enough time for Geon Ita or Taeseongyeon to have already killed the boss and moved on. From this point forward, it was a battle of individual capabilities.
“I’m telling you in advance: if any of you try to throw yourselves in harm’s way to save me, you’ll be severely punished. Especially you, Beom Yeonhu. If you try to sacrifice yourself to save me, you’ll find yourself tied to a stake in a corner, shackled.”
Even as he fidgeted restlessly, Beom Yeonhu reluctantly nodded. This was only possible because Han Dokyeom had been brainwashing him for about an hour.
Han Dokyeom shifted his gaze, looking up at the snow-filled sky. He lightly patted Dali’s head, who sat beside him, and heard a soft “Bweep.”
“No one protects me as well as Agon does.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than a cold hand brushed under Han Dokyeom’s neck and pulled his chin up. His chin was lifted, and Agon’s expressionless face filled his vision. Han Dokyeom knew the reason for the faint displeasure in Agon’s watery eyes.
‘He must dislike the scent of another bastard on me. He must be angry that he didn’t even know the process.’
Han Dokyeom raised a hand and slowly caressed Agon’s cheek. As he soothingly stroked up to Agon’s eyes, Agon grabbed his wrist and bit the inside of his forearm, as if venting his frustration.
Han Dokyeom watched Agon leave teeth marks to his heart’s content and whispered softly.
“Dali, let’s get ready.”
Now, finally, it was time to go to the snowy mountains.
****
[Your ‘Fame’ has slightly increased!]
[Your ‘Fame’ is currently continuously rising!]
Ju Uiryeong swallowed hard, anxiously looking up at the text that appeared in real-time. Outwardly, of course, he walked with his back ramrod straight, feigning more composure than anyone else.
He worriedly watched the text floating before his eyes for a moment, then assessed his ‘Fame Stat.’
‘Perhaps, it’s the highest after Geon Ita, who was shown the most in the video.’
The ‘Fame Stat’ referred to the powerful presence remembered in people’s minds, based on the ‘present.’ This ‘Fame Stat’ could change at any time and was frequently overturned.
All forty hunters present here were subject to this ‘Fame Stat,’ leaving their impression in the eyes of countless people through the video.
Nevertheless, Ju Uiryeong had a certain conviction.
He had to. He was Ju Uiryeong, the one who had assisted Geon Ita in defeating the ‘First’ witch and whose face had been most frequently exposed in the video.
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, After My Online Identity Was Exposed, The Crown Prince Wouldn't Let Me Go is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : After My Online Identity Was Exposed, The Crown Prince Wouldn't Let Me Go
