The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

Chapter 193

"Ugh, what’s this."

“Really... what a mess.”

In the narrowing field of vision, Uijae could hear Sayoung muttering. Uijae frowned as he glared at Kkoko. The bright, intense light soon faded. Kkoko was still curled up in Sayoung's hand, her tiny eyes firmly shut. Uijae crossed his arms.

“So, did anything come out of this?”

“...”

“Let’s just leave it and go find Yun Gaeul.”

"Koook!" 

Kkoko flapped her tiny wings and let out a loud cry. Her tiny eyes seemed to glimmer with strange intelligence. However, the only response she got was two cold stares. Kkoko folded her wings carefully and started babbling. Urgent whispers spilled from her cute face.

“Hey, don’t call me, friend! I just came to say that real quick.”

“Why?”

“Well, because that guy’s the owner here. We’re trespassing.”

“So this isn’t a dream but a separate space?”

“That’s right. It’s like the Memorial Dungeon you visited before... Ah! Fine, I get it, I get it.”

*Bzzz!* Sparks flickered from Kkoko’s round, smooth body. She jumped in place, her beak moving faster now.

“I can’t stay any longer. I’m out! Anyway, such a temper!”

“Hey, at least leave a hint!”

Kkoko, or rather, Hong Yeseong, shook her smooth head in disbelief.

“What are you talking about, friend? You have to find the weak point yourself!”

“Me?”

“Of course! You’ve got the biggest role here. Me? I’m just about to get kicked out... I mean, I’m just a chicken. Oh, sorry, I’m leaving, I’m leaving. I’m out! Ack!”

*Kokkiii!* With a long cry, white light and wind exploded out once more. This time, the light faded even faster. Uijae ruffled his messy hair and scowled. Sayoung, meanwhile, placed the now-round Kkoko gently on a soft bed.

“So...”

“...”

“Wasn’t this completely useless?”

“Well, not entirely. I’m the one with the biggest role here, after all.”

“Haa... Wasn’t that something we could’ve figured out without being told?”

Sayoung brushed his hair back in frustration. His black hair tangled between his fingers.

“This is a space created by Lee Sayoung. You think you’re not important here?”

“But I’m not playing any role—”

“No.”

Sayoung cut him off firmly. At that moment, they heard a loud snore. Hong Yeseong, who had sprawled out, was now snoring loudly. Sayoung, who had been about to say more, sighed deeply. He suddenly seemed unusually sensitive. What had him so on edge?

Sayoung pointed at the door.

“Let’s go. We’ll leave this as it is.”

---

After leaving the suite, Sayoung silently walked ahead. Uijae shoved his hands into his pockets and followed behind him. People on the street avoided Lee Sayoung, recognizing him, so Uijae didn’t have to worry about bumping into anyone.

Silence hung between them. Uijae didn’t speak first—it didn’t feel like the right moment.

‘What went wrong?’

He replayed the events since they arrived, but nothing seemed particularly off. Of course, Lee Sayoung’s mood could be as thin and tangled as a necklace chain...

“...”

This time, though, Uijae couldn’t figure it out. Why was Sayoung acting like a monk in silent meditation? Uijae stared at the fluttering black coat ahead of him. Then, the footsteps stopped. In front of them, Uijae felt a familiar energy.

“Lee Sayoung-nim? What brings you here?”

Jung Bin, dusting off his hands, approached them. But something about him seemed different. His slicked-back hair, parted 2:8, and his face looked unusually smooth. The Jung Bin Uijae knew always wore a gentle, firm smile—a man who was kind but resolute. Uijae mumbled under his breath.

“...He doesn’t look the same.”

“...”

“Why does this version of Jung Bin look so greasy?”

“No idea...”

Sayoung muttered, looking just as baffled. Greasy Jung Bin chattered away.

“Good timing. I needed to contact you about something...”

“...”

“...”

The two exchanged glances. If they had to guess, this place was ‘Lee Sayoung’s’ space. Likely, it had been reconstructed based on his memories and perceptions. After all, even the tasteless food earlier had been a clue. But human memory isn’t perfect.

Especially when recreating people, personal feelings and biases would inevitably slip in. So, this greasy version of Jung Bin had been born.

Uijae muttered.

“...Guess they didn’t get along? Seems like there was a lot of bad blood.”

“...”

“His face got a bit... warped, didn’t it?”

“I didn’t think of him like that.”

“Well, sure...”

Replying automatically, Sayoung mumbled as he half-listened to Jung Bin’s chatter.

“Looks like the ‘me’ in this world wasn’t kidnapped for experiments.”

“...”

“So naturally, I wouldn’t have spent time with Jung Bin or Baewonwoo. Well, if I had to guess, he probably got on my nerves here, too, constantly butting in with his work as a civil servant.”

“That sounds like...”

“Let’s go. The more we listen, the more annoying it’ll get.”

“Lee Sayoung-nim?”

Sayoung ignored greasy Jung Bin and resumed walking. Greasy Jung Bin flailed but ultimately stayed behind. They soon arrived at an empty lot. There wasn’t a soul in the barren space. Sayoung stopped in the middle of it.

And Uijae suddenly felt curious. Seeing these distorted versions of people through Sayoung’s eyes, naturally, he wondered: What did Cha Uijae look like to Lee Sayoung?

This was a space shaped by Lee Sayoung’s thoughts. Here, people had no sense of an impending end. No one knew who J was. No one except Uijae, who lived with Sayoung in this secluded world. Just the two of them.

A world that existed because Cha Uijae was there—a world reflecting what Lee Sayoung desired.

“...”

Suddenly, Uijae’s mind cleared, as if a light had been turned on. He had a realization. This was an ideal world. It wasn’t real. Lee Sayoung had lost Cha Uijae and had wandered alone for a long time. Maybe the world without Uijae was the one he had become more familiar with. Ideal worlds and reality are different.

What was the purpose of someone without a role?

“...”

Maybe...

Maybe the real ‘Lee Sayoung’s’ world only appears when Cha Uijae is gone.

‘...It’s possible.’

Uijae reached into his inventory. The Basilisk’s Fang and the Great Spear each took up a slot. The Great Spear wouldn’t work here. Besides, wasn’t this a space created by the original owner of the Fang?

As soon as Uijae grasped the handle of the Fang, it wriggled like a fish in water.

Now it was time for something brutal.

When he turned his head, Sayoung was looking at him with an unreadable expression. For the brief moment their eyes met, Uijae instinctively realized something.

Lee Sayoung already knew. He knew what the weakness of ‘Lee Sayoung’ was.

He knew what needed to be sacrificed to uncover the hidden truth, and he knew that Uijae would eventually figure it out, too. Uijae rested the Fang on his shoulder and looked at Sayoung.

“You knew, didn’t you?”

“Ah...”

A cold smile spread across Sayoung’s pale face.

“How could I not know?”

“...”

“After all, that bastard is me.”

Sayoung fell silent. In truth, Uijae didn’t want to do this either. But there are things in life that must be done, whether you want to or not. Especially when you’re the only one who can do them.

“Lee Sayoung.”

“...”

“Do you trust me?”

A long silence followed. Sayoung’s lips moved a few times, but he kept closing them, hesitation dragging out.

How much time passed? Only after a long while did the pale face slowly nod. Uijae grinned.

“Thanks.”

Without hesitation, he raised the Basilisk’s Fang high. And then—

*Puuuk—*

He stabbed it through his own chest.

Bright red blood splattered down. His hand gripping the handle grew wet and sticky.

It didn’t hurt. Just as his body lost strength and began to collapse forward, strong hands caught him. Uijae rested his forehead against the broad shoulder, catching his breath. A large hand gently stroked his back, and a soft voice whispered.

“See...”

“...”

“I told you, this place feels wrong.”

Yeah, that’s right.

This guy really is a freak...

Suddenly, Uijae found himself curious. What kind of expression was Sayoung making right now? It was a pure, but cruel curiosity. Straining his vision, he could see a sharp chin. He looked up a little more, and Sayoung met his gaze, lowering his head.

And...

“...”

Ah.

Uijae slightly parted his lips, but no sound came out. Even the face he was looking at gradually faded

 into darkness. Yet he could still think.

The hand stroking the back of his head felt faintly gentle. It was soft. That made it even scarier. Uijae struggled to swallow the blood that had risen to his throat. His mouth filled with blood, but fortunately, or unfortunately, he couldn’t taste it.

Anyway, Uijae thought.

‘Wow, this is really...’

He thought again.

‘This is a serious mess...’

Seriously, this is bad.

Wasn’t it you who nodded and said it’d be okay?

Finally, his breath stopped. White wind began to blow violently.