The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

Chapter 236

Yoon Gaeul, after finally finding her voice, continued slowly and carefully.

"I... I want to confirm my usefulness. Right now, I can't do anything but be a burden..."

"......"

*Usefulness.* That wasn’t a word you would expect to hear from a high school student. Uijae looked at Gaeul more closely. From head to toe, she seemed like a perfectly ordinary student. Nineteen years old, still a minor. It was unsettling to hear someone so young speak of their “usefulness.”

"I don't want to keep relying on others. I want to be able to contribute as soon as possible…."

Was this what my aunt felt when she looked at me?

There was only one thing Uijae could do. He wasn’t a perfect adult, but he had learned from what he had seen and experienced.

"Have you really thought this through seriously?"

Instead of answering, Yoon Gaeul looked down at the ground. She glanced briefly at Ga-yeong, who merely shrugged, as if she knew nothing. Ignoring the dull ache in his arm, Uijae pressed her gently.

"I’d like you to be honest."

"I know it’s sudden. But I’m scared. I’m afraid we won’t be able to stop the apocalypse."

"......"

"What happened this time was only the beginning. The apocalypse will come again and again, trying to swallow this world. But we can’t afford to fail anymore..."

Sayeong leaned heavily on Uijae’s shoulder. As Uijae gently patted his back, he looked at Gaeul thoughtfully.

"So... I want to try everything I can. Anything that might help…."

Her golden eyes scanned the surroundings. Though they were filled with anxiety, deeper down, there was something more primal: a core fear.

*Prometheus.* A mutation that hadn’t been observed in the first or second worlds. Yoon Gaeul had pinpointed Prometheus as the potential key to breaking through this apocalypse. Whether this was due to outside influence or her own choice was unclear, but it was her decision.

Uijae glanced at Sayeong, who had his eyes locked on Ga-yeong, not Gaeul.

*See? You were lying about being fine.* It seemed like there were always more people for him to worry about. Uijae sighed softly. Right now, Gaeul came first.

"I respect your decision, Gaeul."

"......"

"But…."

No matter what he said now, it probably wouldn’t sink in. She was likely overwhelmed by thoughts and the weight of responsibility. Uijae had been there too—when the weight of the world felt like it was pressing down on his shoulders. When no words from others could truly reach him. Even so, these words needed to be said.

"If it gets too hard, you can say so. If it’s too much, you can run."

"......"

"You’re not alone... we can help each other."

"......"

"Just like we’ve always done."

Hearing that it was okay to run could be a tremendous relief.

If he hadn’t run, Uijae would have fought until he died or wasted away. One day, Gaeul would remember these words, even if she didn’t understand why he said them now. He didn’t need her to understand his intentions fully—he just hoped she could one day drop everything and escape if needed.

Though Gaeul looked confused, she soon nodded resolutely. That was enough for now. Uijae then shifted his attention to Ga-yeong.

"I trust you won’t pull any petty stunts like cutting off communication. No experiments disguised as treatment, no drug injections, no restraints, and no brainwashing. None of it."

"Oh dear, you make us sound like criminals~"

"Because you are."

"Well, that might be how you all see it!"

Ga-yeong clapped her hands cheerfully.

"Don't worry. She’s our prophet guiding us through the apocalypse. We share the same goal, after all. We’ll treat her like royalty!"

"...No."

For the first time, Sayeong spoke. His voice was low, and the violet eyes beneath his sweat-soaked, disheveled hair gleamed dangerously. His black finger pointed directly at Ga-yeong.

"Words alone won’t cut it. You need to put safeguards in place. J."

"Really~? You don’t trust us?"

"Why would I?"

Ga-yeong's face twisted, and her pale lips twitched into a strained smile. Sayeong finally released Uijae's arm and stumbled forward. His footsteps dragged, the sound of his shoes scraping against the ground echoing loudly. He stood in front of her, towering over her.

Ga-yeong frowned slightly but smiled again.

"...I did want to meet you in person. You’re Sayeong, right?"

"......"

"Once, I looked after a child who used poison, just like you."

"...Is that so?"

A cold undertone laced his words. A heavy sense of pressure descended on the space where so many had perished. From where Uijae stood, he couldn’t see Sayeong’s face, only his back. But he could clearly see how both Ga-yeong and Yoon Gaeul were growing increasingly pale.

Suddenly, Sayeong’s large black hand reached out and lightly tapped Ga-yeong’s glasses. His lethargic voice drifted out softly.

"Be careful."

"......"

"Or you’ll die."

The tension in the air turned icy. But Ga-yeong chuckled softly.

"Is that a warning from experience?"

"It could be."

Sayeong slipped on his gloves and rested a hand on Gaeul’s shoulder. He leaned down and seemed to whisper something to her. Then, after patting her shoulder, he turned back, walking slowly like a well-fed lion. He gestured to Uijae with his eyes.

"It’s done. Let’s go."

"Where to?"

"Home, of course. I came all the way here to find you."

Uijae motioned toward the building.

"Song Joheon hasn’t come out yet."

Sayeong frowned in annoyance at the mention of the name.

"Oh, right... that old man. Why?"

"There’s a reason. I’ll explain later. Here he comes now."

Two heavily armed soldiers appeared, panting as they carried something between them. Gaeul let out a small scream. With a thud, they dropped Song Joheon unceremoniously on the ground. After saluting Ga-yeong, the soldiers disappeared. Uijae quickly knelt to check Joheon’s pulse. He was just unconscious. Ga-yeong smirked and muttered under her breath.

"The guild leader is in such a pitiful state..."

Now that he thought about it, when Uijae had encountered her on the road, she had been wearing a Samra Guild badge around her neck. Had she worked there? Or was it just a cover? Uijae looked up at Ga-yeong. She covered her mouth and laughed.

"Oh, did you hear that?"

"You said it loud enough."

"Well, half of it was for you to hear."

"You were wearing the Samra Guild badge."

"You have sharp eyes. Yes, I worked at Samra Guild. But for more details, you’ll have to ask him directly. You’re going to interrogate him anyway, right?"

"......"

Uijae didn’t respond. Instead, he took off his white coat and draped it over Joheon’s ragged body before lifting him onto his back. He was heavy. Sayeong watched with a displeased expression.

"Just drag him out. He won’t get hurt."

"Dragging is harder."

"......"

Sayeong crossed his arms and turned his head away. Still, Uijae could see the tremor in his hidden fingers. Uijae turned to look at Yoon Gaeul and Ga-yeong. He nodded at Gaeul.

"We’re leaving."

"Yes... be careful."

"Contact me anytime. I’ll be getting a new phone soon."

"Oh, yes, yes!"

Gaeul nodded brightly. After glaring at Ga-yeong one last time, Uijae nudged Sayeong's calf with his foot. Sayeong, as if waiting for that signal, slipped into the forest. Uijae took one last look back.

"......"

Then, he turned away.

The two walked in silence as they descended the steep slope and exited the forest. Uijae knew that Sayeong, in his current state, wouldn’t give any straight answers and would only offer twisted replies, no matter what he asked. So he kept quiet, following the black-clad figure ahead.

When they emerged from the dense trees onto flat ground, the road came into view. A van with a dented bumper was parked there, and leaning against it, slurping down an energy gel, was Bae Wonwoo.

Bae Wonwoo waved his uninjured hand when he saw Sayeong. But when his eyes landed on Uijae, or more accurately, on the unconscious Song Joheon on his back, his eyes widened in shock. Flailing his arms, he stammered out a single question.

"S-Song Joheon was kidnapped too?!"

Uijae replied wearily.

"...Let’s just say that, for now."

---

Bae Wonwoo drove with surprising skill, even with one arm. He kept glancing into the rearview mirror, his eyes darting between Uijae and Sayeong. After a long silence, Uijae, resting his temple against the window, finally spoke.

"Hey, Sayeong."

"Feeling formal now,

 huh? I have a name."

Sayeong’s response was languid, almost teasing. Good—he seemed to be back to his usual self. Uijae looked at him through the window’s reflection.

"It’s because of Ga-yeong, right? That’s why you’re acting like this."

"......"

In the rearview mirror, Bae Wonwoo’s eyes widened even more. Uijae pressed on without pausing.

"Don’t lie and say you don’t remember. I know you recognized her."

The way his pupils had dilated, how his body had tensed up, the cold sweat that had started flowing immediately after seeing her—his instinctive reaction of clinging to Uijae.

He was afraid of Ga-yeong.

"She’s the one who experimented on you, isn’t she?"

"......"

In the window’s reflection, Sayeong closed his eyes. His response was unexpected.

"And what if she is?"

"...What?"

"Even if she is, what does it change?"

Uijae was at a loss for words, his mouth moving silently. Sayeong’s lips twisted into a faint, mocking smile.

"Wow... I never thought I’d have to spell it out like this..."

"......"

A black hand suddenly appeared in Uijae’s view. Cold fingers gently covered his eyes, plunging him into darkness. Uijae swallowed slowly, the sound of it unnervingly loud.

Then, in a soft, gentle voice, Sayeong whispered.

"Mind your own business."

The tone was sweet, but the message wasn’t.

And,

"...You little brat, seriously!"

Uijae couldn’t hold back anymore.