Chapter 69: Behaving Well
After Haze carried the unconscious Aldama for quite a while, they encountered a rescue team sent by the Association.
Among them were two examiners assigned for the later stages of the Hunter Exam.
Haze briefly explained the situation and turned to leave.
The two examiners thanked him, studying him with curiosity.
Aldama was a One-Star Hunter of the Association—a professional, experienced one at that.
No one expected him to be injured so severely by a candidate...
More importantly, the one who saved him was also a candidate.
The chairman himself had mentioned this man on the phone earlier...
When Haze returned to the oasis, he discovered that the Knight had already vanished and hadn't come back before him.
This was expected. After all, after such an incident, the Knight definitely wouldn't take any more risks.
Phinks' death... had a moderate impact on the Spiders.
At least until they fully matured, they'd have to act more cautiously.
As for revenge... that was inevitable, as proven by what they'd done to the Kurta clan.
But Haze didn't seem particularly concerned.
The Brigade only targeted enemies they could defeat—in other words, to put it bluntly, Aldama.
They wouldn't dare provoke a behemoth like the Association.
He wouldn't be too involved either... If the Spiders wanted to play, Haze would gladly play along.
That is, if he had time.
If he didn't bother dealing with that group, it'd be difficult for them to find him anyway.
And if they were truly persistent, he wouldn't mind making a single phone call—bringing ruin to the Brigade sooner rather than later.
Zoldyck...
If Silva and Zeno decided to move, the Spiders would lose far more than a single limb.
After all, he had the money—and could pay the price.
Given the Brigade's current condition, they couldn't afford to hire the Zoldyck family to assassinate anyone.
Most of the loot they'd stolen had been sent back to Meteor City.
Even if sold through Meteor City or the black market, it wouldn't be enough.
Besides, unless the situation was truly dire, it was difficult to make the Zoldycks shed blood.
At the oasis, Examiner Nanji looked extremely tense—but after receiving a phone call, she finally relaxed.
Haze noticed two candidates standing beside her.
They were the same ones who had been in the gym earlier and hadn't been affected by Aldama's roar.
One of them was also a Nen user.
It was likely that this person had noticed Phinks' disappearance, realized something was wrong, and reported the situation to Nanji—who then contacted the Association.
Haze's return also drew the attention of several people, but no one spoke to him.
The examinees were scattered around, climbing tree trunks and digging through sand, desperately searching for the Blue-Eyed Venom Scorpions needed to pass the second exam.
It was already late, and no one had completed the task.
Only a few had managed to catch one.
The Blue-Eyed Venom Scorpions didn't just hide in tree crevices and roots—they also burrowed under the sand.
They were extremely aggressive, and stepping on one of their nests could result in a nasty sting from their curved tails.
Haze had already sensed their presence when Nanji first displayed the sample scorpion.
He walked calmly to the edge of the oasis, picked a spot in the sand, and stomped down hard.
The shock rippled outward—sending a puff of yellow dust into the air and exposing a fist-sized hole beneath the surface.
A few scorpions spilled out, their bellies up, legs twitching.
He crouched down, grabbed one by its tail, and lifted the small creatures.
Then, walking back the way he came, he approached Nanji and handed them to her.
As soon as he left, a swarm of examinees pounced on the spot—furiously digging in the exposed hole.
"Passed!" Nanji exclaimed, reaching out to take the scorpion, staring in astonishment.
Even Nen users couldn't handle every field of expertise—otherwise there wouldn't be such a wide range of Hunter specializations.
Nanji was a Hunter specializing in botanical and biological research.
Her exam wasn't especially hard for Nen users—but Haze had completed it absurdly fast.
He had just returned and already passed effortlessly.
"No wonder the chairman mentioned him on the phone..."
"This guy... is just here for a stroll."
Unlike the busy candidates around him, Haze found a cool spot under a tree and closed his eyes to rest.
"Ah! It hurts! I got stung!"
"I'm poisoned! Examiner, help me! Please!"
"Hey, Examiner! This guy's dying—he's foaming at the mouth, and his skin's turning purple!"
Time passed, and the area descended into chaos.
Some had swollen palms like balloons.
Others, poisoned, staggered away, trying to walk back to Bangji City for treatment.
The examiner had already warned everyone that the venom couldn't be treated immediately, urging caution.
Apparently, they hadn't listened.
One candidate pointed at an unconscious man on the ground—his hands and feet twitching—and shouted at Nanji.
The woman ignored him completely, absorbed in the book in her hands... utterly indifferent to the suffering around her.
Haze, half-asleep, heard the panicked shouts and rolled over lazily—apparently unconcerned.
"Wicked woman! We're here to take the Hunter Exam, not to die! Save my friend or I'll kill you!"
A furious roar made Haze open one eye.
He saw a man pointing a sharp spear at Nanji, screaming in rage.
Bang!
As expected, in an instant, the man dropped to his knees.
With a single kick to the gut, his entire body curled up like a shrimp.
"Don't bother me while I'm reading," Nanji said coolly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before returning to her seat.
As the sun set, the desert's temperature finally began to drop—cool at last, though still faintly warm.
So far, only three people had passed the exam.
The scorpions were so rare and well-camouflaged that finding them was already difficult—
and even then, catching them was another challenge.
They were unbelievably quick.
It wasn't easy for one person to gather three of them.
"Swish, swish!"
A gentle breeze brushed against Haze's face, bringing a feeling of comfort.
He glanced sideways and saw a slightly chubby man kneeling beside him, fanning him with a woven branch fan—wearing a fawning smile...
Tonpa.
He knelt there in shorts, fanning Haze like an obedient child.
"What is it?" Haze asked with pursed lips.
"Bah."
The fan dropped, and Tonpa, with his classic theatrical flair, pressed his legs together, folded his hands, touched them to the ground, and solemnly bowed.
"Could you please... help me catch a Blue-Eyed Venom Scorpion?"
"I would be eternally grateful for your kindness!"
Tonpa pronounced each word in a loud, serious tone.
"..."
Haze's eyelid twitched.
The examiner hadn't said they couldn't ask for help...
He really knew how to exploit loopholes—truly a master.
"Why not ask the others? You must be afraid of them, huh?" Haze asked casually, nodding toward the other two who had already passed.
"Well, they looked impressive—and they were the first to finish. They're much stronger and higher in status than me.
If I approached them too suddenly, I'd probably annoy them.
Besides, I have low self-esteem and feel ashamed standing next to them.
I really don't think I can pass this exam alone, so I've humbled myself to ask you for help... Compared to those two, you seem far more kind and approachable!" Tonpa said earnestly, forehead pressed against his hands. His tone was utterly sincere.
Haze could tell... Tonpa saw him as the most approachable—and therefore the easiest to convince.
His flattery was truly world-class.
"It won't kill you... Don't worry. It's highly venomous, but the examiner never said it was lethal.
See that spot under the tree? There are some there. Be careful—
you won't die, but if it stings you, you'll pass out for at least a day. Which basically means... you fail the exam."
Haze pointed lazily toward the spot.
"Thank you!" Tonpa said cheerfully, eyes full of sincerity.
"Don't rush. Go at night. Scorpions are more active then.
During the day, the heat drives them underground, and they're more alert and aggressive... They're easier to catch after dark," Haze added casually, watching him stand up.
"Yes."
Tonpa sat back down obediently, picked up his fan again, and resumed fanning Haze.
(End of Chapter)