How to Handle it Wisely When Public Opinion is Ruined.

 

The first interview for Team Execution.

After the recent takedown operation at the club’s secret room, interest in Team Execution has been sky-high.

With information spreading that the applicants included a famous mercenary and a student considered the next generation S-rank, reporters packed the area around the building, waiting for applicants who had finished their interviews.

“Sob, sob.”

And just 10 minutes after the interviews began.

A female applicant came out of the building in tears.

What happened to make someone leave after only 10 minutes?

No matter how intense the pressure interview might be, only 10 minutes had passed?

The reporters, though puzzled, rushed to interview the applicant.

“Why did you come out after just 10 minutes of interviewing?”

“Can you tell us what happened inside?”

“Why are you crying as you leave?”

Under the reporters’ pressure, the second applicant burst into tears again and answered between sobs.

“I said I wanted to become a police officer, and she told me not to lie. If I was going to lie, I should leave.”

While Tia had clearly focused on the lying aspect, the reporters who heard this only focused on the word “police.”

[Tia’s statement: Those who want to be police officers won’t be accepted]

[Tia makes an applicant cry who wanted to be a police officer. What exactly is she thinking?]

[Applicant leaves in tears. What exactly happened in the interview room?]

Amid the flood of headlines already showing no intention of revealing the truth, another applicant exited the building.

Lee Yong-soo.

Top of his class at Seoul Hunter High School, a second-year student considered to be the next generation S-rank.

His expression was colored with rage.

He was so angry that the mana around him was distorted, making it difficult for ordinary people to approach him.

When the reporters, who were Awakened, approached him, he came to his senses and began to withdraw his mana.

“Student Lee Yong-soo, what happened?”

“The interview started less than 20 minutes ago, why are you already leaving?”

“Did you have an argument with Tia?”

“Why are you showing such anger?”

“Didn’t you admire Tia?”

…

Lee Yong-soo stopped in his tracks at the word “admire.”

Then, looking at the nearest camera, he said:

“I do not admire her. The word ‘admire’ is wasted on her.”

“What happened inside?”

“What disappointed you?”

“Is this related to the recent incident?”

“Do you have anything to say to Tia?”

“The Judge. That title is too good for her.”

After that, Yong-soo left without saying anything more.

[Lee Yong-soo labels Tia as evil: “I do not admire her”]

[What did Tia do to enrage a student?]

[Does the title ‘Judge’ truly suit Tia?]

The fourth applicant also came out afterward, but perhaps because the previous incident had been so dramatic, he didn’t get much attention.

As word spread from his mouth that two people had passed, information about the two successful candidates leaked out.

Provocative news spread on the internet, and the news was also delivered to the two people who were streaming.

♦♦♦

-Is this the stream of that controversial person?

-Public authority drawing the line against police.

-Here’s a person who can’t even earn the respect of students.

-What did she say to make the kid so angry?

-Just get out of Korea already.

-What kind of bullshit is this?

-Article posted. gg

The sudden increase in viewers and barrage of criticism left not only the viewers watching the broadcast, but also Fran and Haran unable to understand the situation.

“Let me check the articles real quick.”

“I’ll contact Tia and be right back.”

Checking the articles, most of the content consisted of speculative articles based on what the failed applicants had said, with phrases like “it is presumed that~”.

Looking at the cleverly twisted articles, the thought arose that these people deserved to be called con artists rather than journalists.

“Wait. There’s not a single article about the successful applicants, they’ve only written about the failed ones.”

For a place that’s not even a major corporation, having 2 out of 5 interviewees pass is already a high acceptance rate.

The rejected applicants were portrayed as if they had been treated unfairly, making Tia the only villain.

=There’s really not a single interview with the successful candidates.

-With that experience, they must have all gotten in through connections.

-Tia doesn’t seem like someone who would accept people based on connections.

-All humans are the same. That woman is just the same as any human. What’s the point.

The troublemakers who had suddenly gathered insisted that no matter what legitimate point was made, they would deny it.

“Our team leader treats us so well.”

“It’s fine. In South Korea, journalists acting like this isn’t a recent phenomenon.”

“Really… Team Leader? When did you arrive?”

“Just now.”

-The subject has appeared.

-Now apologize

-Explain, explain, explain, explain

“I need to have done something wrong to explain myself. I’m already tired from the interviews.”

-So shameless.

-Getting people in through connections and then what

-The Judge is the dirtiest of all.

“How can you talk about connections when you don’t even know who passed? Fran isn’t even remotely connected to my network.”

-Then what about the statement dismissing police officers?

“I never disrespected the police. She was rejected for lying. I told everyone from the start not to lie, but she boldly lied, so of course she was rejected.”

Looking at the articles, they were intensely highlighting only the police comment.

That woman could have just said she lied, why did she have to mention the police?

-What did you say to Student Lee Yong-soo that made him leave so angry?

“He just didn’t agree with my thinking. The reason he failed was because our directions didn’t match. I should go find those journalists and either fine them all or send them to jail.”

This is turning into another explanation.

“Anyway, I don’t understand why getting rejected from an interview is newsworthy, or why they’re so desperate to tear me apart. If I was told to accept all five, I would.”

They were all invited to the interview because they had useful abilities, so why not accept them all?

“And there are also people mentioning the Judge title. It’s not something that should be easily referenced. It’s a position I received with the full agreement of all top-tier hunters. What right do you all have to gossip about it?”

-So regular people should just shut up and stay put?

-Wow, her true nature is showing. Look at her harsh words.

-She’s really looking down on everyone because she thinks she’s so great.

“How many named villains do you think I’ve caught? And it doesn’t end just with catching those guys. I have to catch all their minions too. Or at least influence them enough so they can’t cause any more trouble.”

How many people are hiding in fear of me?

Should I just show them how much influence I actually wield?

Do they know how many troublemakers would emerge if I lost my authority for even a single day?

If I said I was taking a break and blamed it on Korea, the world would be desperate to tear Korea apart.

Ring-ring-

The phone rang just before she was about to drop the bomb.

[Association President]

… Does this person have time to watch my stream?

“Hello.”

-Calm down. If you say that, there will be serious trouble.

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

-I’ve been with you for 10 years, do you think I wouldn’t know what you’re about to say?

“What’s the reason for your call?”

-You’re so cold.

This person is calling while I’m already furious.

I can’t say anything because she’s the Association President.

-Is she on the phone with the Association President?

-That’s probably Tia’s only superior.

-After all this mess, even the Association President must be furious.

-Serves her right.

The chat was letting their imagination run wild.

Would the R.A Association President be swayed by Korean public opinion and stop me?

There’s no way that would happen.

-Actually, seeing this human side is nice. Until now, there were times I wondered if you were a person or a machine.

“I’ve always been the same.”

-I get it. Why are you so snippy today in particular?

…Should I really hit them once?

No, I think I could hit them twice.

-I’ll send Phantom and a few others to join you this time. Show them how much power R.A has. Make them unable to even peep.

“Is that okay? Phantom will probably not want to meet me.”

-If they don’t go, I’ll have to remove them from the special list.

“Understood. Then, I’ll resume operations tomorrow.”

-No. You have new members, so rest a bit. Phantom will gather the information.

“What?”

-Take it easy while working. Watch how the other side responds.

“Al-Alright.”

Hmm. It feels a bit strange to suddenly be told to rest.

I don’t even know what to do.

“Team Leader, is there a problem?”

“Your expression looks peculiar.”

-She got scolded.

-Tsk tsk

Should I mention this on the broadcast?

It’s probably better than getting strange misunderstandings.

“Headquarters is sending support. Until then, the order is to rest.”

“Rest? That’s sudden.”

“The public opinion isn’t good right now anyway. It’s obvious they’ll view anything we do negatively, so taking a break isn’t a bad idea.”

She said to watch what the other side will do.

The stream atmosphere has gone to hell, so maybe I really should take a break.

“You all heard it well. We’ll be going now. We’ll take a break for at least a week, maximum a month.”

-What kind of crazy talk is this?

-Just get lost.

-Weren’t you supposed to be in charge of Korea?

-We don’t care if you’re gone

[The broadcast has ended.]

“I have someone I need to see, so I’ll be back later.”

“Okay! I’ll plan out all the places we can visit.”

“Ah. I can’t play around. There have been frequent incidents overseas recently, so I’m going to check on them.”

“What? But I thought it was a break?”

“With rights come responsibilities.”

“Then, is the person you’re meeting also from overseas?”

“No. I think there’s someone I know among the applicants this time.”

I’m not entirely sure.

37 years old, the same as my Earth age.

Similar atmosphere and the number 62 brings someone to mind.

‘Seemed like they knew me.’

If I narrow it down to people who would know me, there’s exactly one person.

Someone I spent my childhood with, someone too distant to call a childhood friend but too close to call a stranger.

“I need to ask why they came looking for me.”