The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

Chapter 119

The air grew heavy. Jung Bin placed his notebook on his lap and clasped his hands, closing his eyes tightly. The bodies buried there... many of them would have been Hunters he knew.

And the one person who had witnessed their final moments…

‘It’s a miracle he made it back.’

In a world where countless Hunters lose their minds after seeing their comrades die right next to them, J’s return was nothing short of extraordinary. Jung Bin couldn’t find the right words to console him, nor did he have the right to claim understanding. So, instead, he spoke in the most professional tone he could muster.

"...Yes, I understand now why you appeared in the erosion dungeon. Given your reason, it’s only natural to cooperate. I assume you also need information about the erosion dungeons?"

"Will that be okay?"

"There’s no reason it can’t be. After all, as you said, you’re a hero of this nation."

J let out a short, pained groan and twisted his body as if in discomfort. The unexpectedly intense reaction left Jung Bin feeling a little embarrassed, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

Clearing his throat, Jung Bin frowned slightly.

"Ah, but providing the information on the erosion dungeons will take some time. It’s not under my jurisdiction."

"Who’s in charge?"

"You may have heard of him... Hunter Nam Woojin, the Guild Leader of the Seowon Guild. He was the first to discover the erosion dungeons, and he’s been overseeing them ever since."

J’s shoulders visibly flinched. Jung Bin noticed and raised a brow in curiosity, pressing his temple with the tip of his pen.

"But don’t worry, if I request it, he’ll sort it out quickly. Should I leave your name out of the request, J?"

"...Yes, for now."

"Understood. And..."

Jung Bin quickly organized the requests J had made. Information on Prometheus, the background of Lee Sayoung’s involvement as a test subject for Prometheus...

It would be best to share what he could now, while they were in contact. There was no guarantee they’d have another opportunity like this. Jung Bin looked up. J remained standing, unwavering. Jung Bin cautiously asked:

"How much do you already know about Prometheus?"

Without a moment of hesitation, J answered smoothly.

"I know they lure Awakeners in with drugs and use them to create artificially Awakened individuals. In the past, they used Rift survivors and other unusual people for their experiments. They claim they’re trying to prevent some sort of apocalypse, but from what I’ve seen, they’re just incompetent frauds without a single success."

"...."

"...."

For a moment, a heavy silence fell between them. Jung Bin had the odd feeling that their eyes met behind the mask.

"...."

Perhaps J was staring at him with puppy-like eyes, Jung Bin mused briefly. He found himself staring blankly at the black mask, thinking:

‘I don’t have anything else to tell him.’

J’s summary was incredibly precise. He had condensed several hundred pages of classified reports into a succinct three-line summary. It was so perfect that Jung Bin almost wanted to share it with his subordinates. Unable to hold back, Jung Bin blurted out.

"You already know everything."

"...."

"...."

J, who had been silent, slowly crouched down in front of Jung Bin. Pressing his fist against the corner of his mask, he muttered.

"Can I take back what I said earlier?"

"It’s too late to take it back now, I’m afraid."

"Can’t we just pretend we didn’t hear anything? We’ve known each other long enough for that, haven’t we?"

"I’m sorry."

"...Damn."

J cursed softly, then sat there for a long time, seemingly lost in thought, before finally speaking up again.

"Then, do you know what these frauds mean when they talk about the apocalypse?"

"Ah, the apocalypse."

Jung Bin gathered his thoughts before answering slowly.

"Prometheus has beings they refer to as ‘Seers.’ They claim these Seers have seen visions of the world’s end in their dreams. Despite being different people, the futures they describe are remarkably similar."

"So they just believe in that? That this supposed apocalypse will actually happen?"

"That’s correct."

Jung Bin smiled bitterly.

"It’s hard to believe, honestly. It feels more like a cult. But whether it’s true or not, the problem is that they believe it, they’re growing their influence, and they’re causing harm. Moreover..."

A certain girl came to mind—Yun Gaeul, a young girl with glasses who could see fragments of the future. She had seen visions of the world's destruction and foretold the apocalypse approaching this world. Jung Bin sighed as he rubbed his mouth.

"...The apocalypse is likely real. I can’t go into too much detail, but... well, I can tell you this much. We have a Hunter who can read special information, and she also predicted the end. There’s solid evidence to support it."

J flinched noticeably at this.

Of course, even he would be shocked by the mention of an impending apocalypse. Jung Bin looked at him sympathetically. After surviving the hell of the Rift, now to face the possibility of the world’s end? It was enough to shake anyone.

"That’s why we’ve been searching for you, J. Because we’ve concluded that we need you to stop the apocalypse."

Cha Uijae, however, had only one thought.

‘What do I do?’

His old colleague, Jung Bin, was peering at him through the black mask, clearly worried about the impact of the news.

Shock? Sure, but not for the reason Jung Bin thought.

‘Damn...’

Thank goodness for the mask. The chaotic thoughts and expressions running through his mind would have been impossible to hide, even with his perfect poker face.

This was bad.

‘I already knew too much...’

Most of the information Jung Bin had shared with such determination wasn’t new to him!

Uijae began reflecting on himself. He had genuinely tried to live quietly. He didn’t know exactly how to do that, but he had made an effort. And he had spectacularly failed. Considering that a mere soup restaurant employee had knowledge of the confidential details handled by the Bureau, as well as the objectives of some shady cult!

‘Nam Woojin in charge of erosion dungeon information?’

Of course, he knew him. He had personally met him, treated his grandmother, and even given him a Black Ticket.

‘A Hunter who predicts the end of the world?’

He knew her too. It had to be Yun Gaeul. She had come to his soup restaurant, foretold the apocalypse, and shown him the vision of a world that had already fallen.

At this point, Uijae was starting to feel afraid of himself. He mumbled without thinking.

"I guess I’m not destined for a quiet life…"

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. So, what about Lee Sayoung?"

"Lee Sayoung... hmm, when he first appeared..."

Jung Bin frowned as he tried to recall the details, then slowly began to speak.

"It was seven years ago. The Awakener Management Bureau received intelligence about an organization that was abducting people and conducting experiments on them... it was about a certain research facility."

---

Seven years ago.

In the cold night air, shadows moved silently as clouds covered the moon. A man at the front crouched low, signaling to those behind him to stop. The sounds of footsteps came to a halt.

The man signaling, Jung Bin, adjusted the bulletproof helmet and mask covering his face. The mountain slope was eerily quiet. Not even the usual sounds of deer could be heard.

A large man crouching behind a tree whispered.

"...Captain, are you sure this is the place? I don’t feel anything—no presence, nothing."

"If the intel is correct, then yes."

"Well, damn..."

"If it’s false, that’d be for the best. But check anyway."

Jung Bin replied briefly and gestured at the large man. The large man, Baewonwoo, pulled out night-vision goggles from his belt and began scanning the surroundings.

Just then, a sweet scent wafted through the air, tickling their noses. Jung Bin frowned. Turning around, he noticed the other members of the team had picked up on the scent as well.

"Do you smell that?"

"Yeah. Where is that coming from...?"

"Captain! Over here!"

Baewonwoo raised his voice in alarm. Jung Bin spun around.

"What is it?"

"You need to see this for yourself. There’s something here... no, I mean, someone..."

Baewonwoo, clearly flustered, hastily handed Jung Bin the night-vision goggles. Jung Bin scanned the area as Baewonwoo had done, and his eyes widened.

There, in the middle of the thick, green forest, stood a stark white building. But why hadn’t the highly sensitive Hunters noticed such an out-of-place structure?

As if answering the question, a gust of wind blew. The clouds parted, revealing the full moon, and as the light hit the building, *it* became visible. Jung Bin muttered under his breath.

"...My god."

The building was coated in a slick, dark substance. No, could it even be called a substance? It wriggled like something alive, covering every intact part of the building.

A slow, sickening hissing sound echoed as everything around it began to decay.

And in the center of it all, there was one thing that wasn’t black.

"Is that...?"

"That’s a person, isn’t it?"

Baewonwoo asked, his voice trembling with excitement. Jung Bin didn’t answer, lowering the night-vision goggles. The

 moonlight had revealed enough to the naked eye now. In the midst of a building drenched in black sludge, there was a single circular white patch on the ground that remained untouched by the substance.

The wind blew, ruffling long, disheveled hair that hung down to the figure’s neck. The sweet scent intensified.

And there, in the middle of it all...

"...."

A boy in loose white clothes stood still.