Your Girlfriend Was Amazing

Chapter 88: A Cat Fight Would Be Rather Cute

A Cat Fight Would Be Rather Cute

"I can't find a house that suits me."

Despite scouring numerous locations, none of them seemed to meet my criteria. It appears that indulging in a few stays at a top-tier hotel suite has made me a bit picky.

With my balance and increasingly refined tastes, settling for just any ordinary house simply isn't cutting it anymore.

After wasting a good two or three hours in my house hunt, I returned to the dormitory empty-handed. It's not exactly my usual pastime, so the whole ordeal left me feeling drained.

It was when I was on the verge of stripping off my clothes and collapsing onto the bed…

Rrrrrrr— Rrrrrrr—

My phone blared urgently, demanding my attention. It wasn't the usual call I usually receive, but rather a sense of urgency that compelled me to pick up.

"Manager Kim Minju?"

On the other end was Manager Kim Minju, my designated contact from the Chairman Choi Youngnam's Lost Paradise. While she had been instrumental in assisting me during my Wonderland date, I couldn't help but wonder what was prompting her call now.

[Hello, this is Manager Kim Minju. Remember me from before? Sorry for the sudden call. Can we talk now?]

"Oh, yes, sure. What's going on?"

[Have you happened to see the article about you on the internet?]

"No? What's been written about me now?"

A sense of foreboding crept in. It was unusual for someone who rarely reached out to suddenly inquire about an article involving me. This didn't bode well.

I quickly fired up my computer and punched in my name. Instead of the usual rumors, I was met with a barrage of related search terms.

"Moving? Real estate? Property prices?"

How on earth did they know about my plans to move? Could that unsettling feeling I had at the real estate office have been a nosy journalist?

I had brushed it off as nothing significant, but I never imagined it would snowball into such a mess.

[We're doing our best to contain the fallout from the article… but it's connected to property prices, and public opinion is turning quite negative… It's not your fault, so please don't be too disheartened…]

"It's okay. Wait… oh, his name is Yoon Sandong, huh? Okay, I'd appreciate if you could handle him legally without any compromises. I've got no interest in meeting or settling with him, so impose the most severe punishment possible."

[I understand. We'll do our best to handle it from our end and keep you updated on any developments.]

"Thank you."

Click—

Being on the receiving end of criticism from faceless masses is a new experience for me, leaving me thoroughly bewildered.

I haven't done anything wrong, yet here I am being dragged through the mud by a bunch of keyboard warriors. Amidst the vitriol are comments echoing sentiments of frustration, ones I have never encountered before, and they are anything but pleasant.

Was it just a matter of time, or did someone tip them off…?

While other journalists remained silent, either steering clear of the situation or avoiding the gaze of the Lost Paradise, Yoon Sandong persisted in churning out articles, all tethered to real estate, with comments resembling a cesspool of emotions.

"Hmm?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

As I scrolled through the speculative comments, a familiar nickname caught my eye.

[Yoon Sandong's Article Comments (1263)]

ㄴIndomitableHeroKimXX :: I knew from the get-go that this guy was bad news… Saw this coming a mile away ㅋ;;; Honestly, doesn't it seem like I'm not the only one who feels this way???

Even after a thorough look, I had a strong feeling that the anonymous ‘XX' tag at the back was most likely "Minsoo."

It could be someone else, but my gut always seems to have a bullseye on these matters. Given the hell I've put him through, I wouldn't be surprised if he's hiding behind this alias to vent his frustrations.

After roughly grasping the gist of the article's direction, I stepped away from the computer. Diving into this stuff always leaves a sour taste in my emotional palate.

"It's about time to cash in that reward I've been sitting on."

When I received the reward from the hallucination dungeon after banging Shael, I had a lot of doubts about where to use it. I was skeptical and wondered if I'd ever have a use for it.

———————————[Internet Immunity Ticket (S, 1 time)]: Prevents being critized once when facing a crisis in the court of public opinion due to a significant mistake.

Ensures that no matter what happens on the internet, public opinion will be spun positively.

When used, it will shield you from any criticism related to specific events, and everyone will be on your side.

Use it wisely as it's a one-time thing.———————————

Glancing back at that long-forgotten reward, a wave of relief washed over me. The explanation was even more detailed than the first time around.

Sure, I haven't committed any major felonies, but I sure as hell isn't interested in continuing to be the punching bag for baseless criticism. Plus, even if a legion of allies rallied to stifle the media uproar, the damage to my image could still fester like an untreated wound.

Best to snuff out these fires while they're still sparklers.

Is it as easy as ripping it off?

Almost like it was a one-use item in a video game, the moment the thought crossed my mind, the ticket materialized in my hand.

Judging by the perforated lines, it seemed pretty straightforward.

Without a second thought, I tore into the ticket, and sure enough, a message popped up right away.

[Internet Immunity Ticket activated! Keyword search in progress… ‘Baek Taeyang', ‘Property Prices', ‘Real Estate', ‘Relocation' identified. Preemptive defamation defense and public opinion reversal initiated!]

Is that all?

Not exactly the fireworks show I was expecting. I mean, I was envisioning something out of a blockbuster superhero movie, complete with epic sound effects and all.

Just one measly message, and it's all over.

For something touted as S-rank, it felt pretty anticlimactic. Anyway, time to double-check the results, back to the computer I go.

Seriously, what am I doing, standing up and sitting back down again?

Just trying to get some peace and quiet, and these damn flies won't leave me alone.

I checked the internet article, hoping Yoon Sandong or whoever he was would get caught and rot in jail for a long time.

The effect is killer.

A truly astonishing sight unfolded before me.

[Yoon Sandong's Article Comments (1563)]

ㄴGiMunJeong :: Can a hunter even change his address without the whole world jumping in? He's just an academy student wanting a little space, taking a peek at property listings. Who's to say? 😂 [Likes 3332 / Dislikes 213］

ㄴJungSeongMan :: Well, color me surprised. Looks like you were onto something after all… Thanks to you, I'm treating myself to a feast of spicy stir-fried chicken and beef soup [Likes 2023 / Dislikes 150]

The tables have turned so quickly it's almost comical. The very people who were lambasting me earlier are now leading the charge in my defense. And those who always had my back, their support is finally making waves.

I breathed a sigh of relief, truly feeling the power of an S-rank skill.

But no matter how powerful that skill may be, or how many S-rank certificates you've got, enduring internet hate comments is a different issue altogether.

My mental fortitude isn't exactly built like a fortress, so it's almost hazardous to endure the hatred of nameless, faceless keyboard warriors.

I heard they've shut down comments on articles back in my original world. And honestly, I get it.

Rrrrrrr— Rrrrrrr—

Just as I was taking a breather, my phone rang at a remarkable timing.

[Hello, Baek Taeyang. This is Manager Kim Minju. The public opinion has shifted suddenly… Were you aware of all this?]

"Yes, honestly, I've done a lot of good deeds so far, and considering I have many allies… I believed everyone would quickly realize the truth."

[Indeed… You truly are remarkable. So, as Mr. Choi Youngnam mentioned, he's currently looking into your housing situation. If you're interested, I can select a few options and send them your way. Would that be alright?]

"Oh, yes, please do. I'd really appreciate it."

[Alright, understood. And as for Yoon Sandong, we've already located him and finished filing a report. We've also hired a lawyer, so once there's a verdict, we will contact you again.]

"Much obliged."

Click—

The case zipped along at warp speed. It felt like a blink-and-you'll-miss-it affair.

With the housing sorted and the academy advising me to lay low, it's like a long-overdue break. Even Chunhyang didn't dare disturb when I laid down the law and said I needed some downtime.

What a luxury it is to relax in my bed after such a long time.

There's still wiggle room with the Netori Quest, and I'm dead sure I can poach all of Minsoo's women.

Yoomin's already accounted for, and with Melanie on track, it's just a matter of time. Ryu Hyemi might put up a fight, but it won't take more than a few months to pry her from Minsoo's grip.

As I lazily glanced at my phone, a sudden jolt shattered my tranquility.

Messages came pouring in all at once.

(So Yoomin)

(Yoo Soojin)

(Melanie)

Suddenly, tension injected itself into my otherwise relaxed routine. My body, previously reclining, shot up like a jack-in-the-box, forcing me upright.

This wasn't part of the plan.

An unexpected twist threw me for a loop. Thankfully, it was texts, not calls, sparing me the agony of playing call center counselor.

Every response now is make or break.

The housing is squared away, but I've got to tread carefully with the three women. In other words, the conclusion is already set, but the process has to be spun positively at all costs.

In the good old days of running a fishery, it was as easy as tossing out the less attractive catches. But now, in this pivotal moment, every fish in the net counts.

First… let's handle the situation starting with the most dangerous rank.

I promptly organized my responses. Handling each person individually helps avoid any potential mix-ups.

The first batter up is, of course…

So Yoomin.

The demanding witch, So Yoomin.