Hunter, Thank You For Your Blood - Vol. 1 Chapter 1.5 - The Monster Born From Capitalism (5)

“Hello, everyone─ it’s Vampi, the vampire. Yes, yes. We’ve started the broadcast. Today, we have a collaboration with a viewer. Ah, I forgot to mention it in the title. I’ll add it now.”

While attempting to give a brief introduction and explain the concept of today’s broadcast, the speed at which the chat messages were appearing was alarming. Normally, just a glance would be enough to read all the messages, but today they were passing by at a speed that made it difficult to keep up, even when focusing.

“What, what are you saying? Sorry? No, it’s too fast, I can’t read it.”

Si-wol frowned and stared at the monitor as if it would devour him. Amidst the rapidly scrolling chat messages, he managed to catch one.

“The person next to you… is he a celebrity?”

≫ Is he a model?

≫ Damn ; he’s so good-looking!

≫ Isn’t he an actor? I think I saw him briefly in a drama my mom watches.

≫ Already swooning over the chat.

≫ Is he Korean? Mixed race? Foreigner?

≫ Please! Who is it!!! Tell us quickly!!! I’m getting dizzy!!!

≫ Probably CG. For real.

The rapidly refreshing chat speed, unlike anything he had experienced before, made Si-wol’s eyes widen. The chat window was in such a frenzy that it could almost be described as chaotic. Si-wol was taken aback by the immense attention expressed by the viewers in this manner. He had never encountered such a level of intense interest before.

“E-Everyone, please calm down… This person is Hunter-nim, don’t you remember? The one who offered six million won to donate blood yesterday…”

Si-wol wanted to catch up with the bustling chat window, but his efforts only made him feel overwhelmed. The unintended increase in firepower caused the chat window to burst out as if having a fit.

≫ What!!!! This person is the one who donated six million won?

≫ Stop lying! 1111 [1]

≫ Don’t be fooled, it’s obviously CG.

≫ He’s insanely handsome and rich? What a catch.

≫ So boring. I’m leaving the stream;

≫ ㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ [2]

≫ Who is this person? Wow! How amazing! So exciting~~~~

≫ Anyone want to go to the Han River with me? (1/100)

≫ It’s our first meeting, but I love you ♡♡♡♡♡

≫ Hey everyone;; He’s my husband, you’re all confessing too quickly;

“Ah…”

Si-wol froze in astonishment at the overwhelming response, which was so bewilderingly intense. While Si-wol himself had rated Kim Yuk-baek-ssi next to him as incredibly handsome, he had never imagined that his appearance would cause such a huge reaction.

Even the usual quiet donations began to explode one after another. The donation messages kept chiming, filled with viewers expressing their desire to marry the man and various personal questions being asked.

To make matters even more surprising, the number of viewers had exponentially increased, as if a rumor had spread. Si-wol was dumbfounded by the fact that this phenomenon was solely because of Kim Yuk-baek-ssi sitting right beside him.

Even though Si-wol himself was a decently good-looking streamer and received praise from female viewers, he had never experienced such an intense reaction before. The stark contrast was striking.

“Um… Hunter-nim? Could you please introduce yourself to the viewers?”

In the end, Si-wol turned away from the overwhelming chat window and looked at the man. Upon seeing his expressionless face, as if a Siberian breeze was blowing amidst the exploding chat window, Si-wol was left speechless.

‘Why is he so indifferent? Isn’t the chat surprising? Or, perhaps… could it be that he has heard so many compliments about his good looks throughout his life that he has become accustomed to it…? What on earth is going on?’

Even if the panel was set up, Si-wol doubted whether the man, with his stoic expression, would believe it. In response to Si-wol’s question, the man slowly turned his head.

“……!”

Si-wol’s breath caught in his throat as the man suddenly made eye contact, completely diverting from the request for a self-introduction in front of the camera.

No, it would be more accurate to say that his breath momentarily ceased. In that moment when the man stared directly at Si-wol, it felt as if he was a helpless mouse surrendering his life in front of a mighty predator. The black pupils within the man’s eyes, absorbing even the light from the surrounding, seemed to elongate vertically, creating an illusion.

He overwhelmed the atmosphere and captured Si-wol’s entire field of vision as if conducting a thorough search. Slow yet meticulous. Deliberate yet thorough. His piercing gaze was so chilling that Si-wol couldn’t even move a muscle, and could only swallow his dry saliva.

“… H-Hunter-nim?”

Si-wol called out, his voice trembling uncontrollably, wondering if his request for a self-introduction had been too impolite. Unbeknownst to him, his breath had momentarily stopped, causing his throat to tremble violently, resulting in an unsteady voice.

However, the man turned his head back to the camera, wondering when he had scared Si-wol exactly. Then, he selected a few main questions from the chat window.

“My nickname is Hunter, and I’m in my 30s. I work in the field of headhunting.”

His brief introduction seemed quite plausible. He didn’t appear particularly young, and his profession seemed to align with the nickname ‘Hunter.’ There was nothing particularly suspicious about it.

‘But why do I keep… feeling uneasy?’

Si-wol muttered, lightly rubbing the back of his neck. A chilling sensation seemed to creep up his spine, making him shudder involuntarily.

His sensitively raised hair seemed to be trying to convey something, but he couldn’t figure out what it was at all. It was unlikely that his usual lack of intuition would suddenly improve today. Si-wol made an effort to dismiss that strange sensation.

“Hey, everyone. Please calm down. Are we going for a Q&A session now? If Hunter-nim tries to answer all of your questions, he’ll have to stay up all night.”

After answering three questions, an overwhelming flood of three hundred more questions flooded in. Si-wol tried to intervene, thinking that the man might be flustered in this unfamiliar situation, but instead, Si-wol was ignored.

≫ Vampi-nim, would you like some alcohol~

≫ That’s right, let’s have fun with Hunter-nim.

≫ Does Hunter-nim drink?

≫ I don’t like Vampi-nim’s pick lol

“Ah, come on. What’s wrong with my pick? Well, it’s non-alcoholic, of course. Or maybe I should just skip the blood donation today and go for a drink instead? What do you think, Hunter-nim?”

“……”

Si-wol threw a question mixed with about 200% hope, but received an uncooperative response. Si-wol muttered with a face that looked like the sky was falling.

“Goodness. I don’t have a single ally.”

≫ This is hilarious LOL

≫ LOL Hunter is taming Vampi-nim Lololololol

≫ It’s my first time… as a viewer ♡

≫ Vampi-nim is a strong masochist, so he actually enjoy these kind of things.

“No, really? Hunter-nim was just momentarily taken aback by your numerous questions. Just wait a moment. I can break this awkward atmosphere as soon as I get tipsy, you know? No, forget it. Since you’re telling me to drink alone, I’ll just drink alone.”

≫ ?

≫ A vampire who gets tipsy even with non-alcoholic drinks.

≫ Maybe it’s not non-alcoholic (?)

≫ ??????

≫ ㅇ?????????

≫ Like this, Vampi-nim ends up collecting hooks [3] again today…

As Si-wol shifted the atmosphere back in his direction, he captured the attention of the viewers. Then he promptly filled his glass with alcohol. A drink devoid of any alcoholic scent swayed at the edge of Si-woll’s gaze.

“……”

Si-wol stuck out his disappointed tongue and lightly licked his lips. At that moment, the intense scent of real alcohol tantalizingly pulled him in. Not one of those alcoholic imitation drinks.

During weekends when there were no volunteers for blood donation, Si-wol often indulged in drinking. There was no particular reason for it. He simply enjoyed getting intoxicated.

While other vampires quenched their thirst by biting into human necks and enjoying the accompanying euphoric effects, Si-wol couldn’t do the same. Choosing the path of safely consuming blood packs without the fear of revealing his true identity, he had no suitable outlet for his accumulating desires.

The only solace that could appease those desires was alcohol. Getting drunk allowed him to forget his cravings, temporarily alleviated the weight of reality, and provided some moments of enjoyment.

‘Still, how fortunate am I that, as a half-blooded vampire, I can get drunk.’

That was Si-wol’s only solace. It was regrettable that he couldn’t have a drinking session because of the presence of viewers, but today he had to settle for blood instead of the momentary pleasure. It was an unavoidable situation as he couldn’t afford to starve any longer, which could lead to serious consequences.

Si-wol grumbled towards the viewers who didn’t seem to care about his well-being and, as he always did, clinked his glass towards the man.

“Would you mind having a toast with me?”

While he didn’t mind drinking alone, he disliked having someone next to him without raising a glass.

“Water is fine too.”

“……”

Si-wol gestured towards the water cup on the desk, pleadingly. However, the man remained silent and only observed Si-wol’s actions.

“Aah, I see. It’s not your preference. It can’t be helped then. Instead, all of you should raise a glass with me.”

≫ Huh, I don’t want to.

≫ No no

≫ Don’t like it, don’t like it.

≫ Insisting on drinking alone and raising a glass together~~ I hate that~~

“No─, it can’t be. Haven’t you seen the title? It says ‘Drinking Broadcast.’ So, you have to raise a glass with me.”

≫ Where? Is it a title that only you can see, Vampi-nim?

≫ Indeed, you almost slipped up there; LOL

≫ Lies are getting more and more piled up~

Si-wol playfully teased the viewers, laughing mischievously. With a smile on his face, he raised the glass to his lips and downed it in one gulp.

“……?”

With a fleeting glance, Si-wol felt the man’s gaze on his side. It was a gaze that couldn’t be easily shrugged off, persistently sticking to him.

‘Is he planning to stare at me like that all day long?’

Si-wol wiped the trace of alcohol that had trickled down his lips with the back of his hand and pondered.

Indeed, this aspect of the man was strange. Typically, even when interacting with other viewers during the broadcast, they would either look at the chat window on the monitor or at themselves in the webcam feed displayed next to it.

However, this man disregards all that and keeps looking only at him. At first, he didn’t think much of it, thinking it was just fascinating to meet a streamer in person. But his gaze is really bothering him. It’s not a gaze of fascination or admiration, but something with a different intention, a creepy stare.

‘Ah! I see. That gaze is like…’

The expression ‘licking him all over’ seems appropriate. Seeing him staring at him earlier, he couldn’t have been more wrong in thinking of him as a beast.

He examines things like the prey’s complexion before seizing it, whether it has gained enough weight, if it is being careless, and whether it is aware of its surroundings. And ultimately, it feels like he is closing in without any gaps, as if trying to block the prey’s escape route…

‘… Strange. Really strange.’

The alcohol that was swirling on his tongue now went down his throat, leaving a bitter taste.

“Oh? Today, the alcohol tastes bitter.”

≫ Well, maybe it’s really non-alcoholic!

≫ Proof of liver disease.

≫ Maybe Vampi-nim is an alcoholic.

≫ The hospital signaled you to come.

≫ Haha, you always say it’s sweet lolol Maybe you’re drunk?

≫ Makes sense, hahahaha

“Huh? Am I really drunk?”

Si-wol, making an effort to smile, turned his gaze towards the man and then shifted his gaze to look at the monitor.

Now, all that occupied Si-wol’s mind was successfully finishing today’s broadcast without any issues and quickly extracting the man’s vibrant blood before sending him away from his house. That’s all that mattered.

So it was okay for the alcohol he was drinking now to be strong enough to make him frown. The blood coursing intensely under the man’s skin pulsated with such sweetness that it was exhilarating.

* * *

1. If he is telling the truth.
2. This is the onomatopoeia for describing body shaking when someone is frightened or afraid of something.
3. Question marks