The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

Chapter 242

Silence hung in the Director’s office. Ham Seok-jeong sat at her desk with her eyes closed. Then, there was a sharp knock at the door. Without opening her eyes, she responded.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and a young man with a smile stepped in. It was Jung-bin. After a brief bow, he stood upright in front of Ham Seok-jeong.

“I have something to report and a question to ask. What happened with the proposal for setting up the incense halls?”

“It didn’t go through. They didn't even pretend to listen. Seems like they don’t want to stir up anxiety.”

“This time, not only the Awakeners but many civilians died. Without bodies, how are they going to hold funerals…? Some of those consumed by the monsters didn't even leave remains behind. They were taken into another dimension entirely…”

“Funerals without bodies are nothing new, are they?”

“……”

Jung-bin fell silent. Ham Seok-jeong rubbed her face roughly before muttering.

“…I’m sorry. That was a careless remark.”

“No need to apologize.”

“What did Song Joheon have to say?”

“He’s surprisingly cooperative. Thanks to him, we’ve obtained quite useful information about Prometheus.”

Jung-bin handed her a file. Ham Seok-jeong frowned as she quickly skimmed through the contents.

“And what about that researcher, Ga-yeong?”

“After she handed over her body to Prometheus for experimentation, she returned to the guild for a medical check-up. It seems they needed someone to quickly manage any side effects that might occur. According to Song Joheon, they didn’t have any deep conversations.”

“It was just a professional relationship?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“And the Hunters who defected to Prometheus?”

“They claim it was voluntary… but we’ll have to ask directly to know if there was any coercion. However…”

Jung-bin lowered his gaze. His usually gentle face took on an unfamiliar, expressionless look.

“It’s questionable whether they’re still capable of conversation. According to J’s testimony, they all seemed to have lost their minds…”

“……”

“Nevertheless, we’ve received a report that the Seowon Guild is developing an antidote. Lee Sa-young handed over a tablet with detailed information on the drug.”

“That’s some good news, at least. Matthew also needs to recover…”

“……”

Ham Seok-jeong let out a long sigh. Now, the most important matter remained. The apocalypse was only just beginning. The more it was spoken and thought about, the more it seemed to accelerate. She tapped her fingers lightly on the desk and posed a meaningless question.

“When did they say the next event was supposed to start?”

“The Rift Management Agency estimates…”

The sound of a dry swallow was clear. Jung-bin answered in a heavy voice.

“It could start in as little as ten minutes.”

“……”

“But…”

“But?”

Ham Seok-jeong raised her head. Jung-bin’s face showed unusual discomfort.

“It’s been in that state for several days now.”

“……”

“It’s like someone has a leash on it.”

---

An old tune flowed through the air, the lyrics stabbing at the heart. The jellyfish doll hanging from the rearview mirror bobbed back and forth. The highway was empty. Had everyone given up on leaving, or had they already gone? Only meaningless thoughts swirled in Uijae’s mind. Squished into the narrow passenger seat of the dilapidated Damas, Uijae grumbled.

“How old is this song?”

“It’s Jang Mi-sook’s number one favorite,” came the reply.

Hearing it was Jang Mi-sook’s favorite song left Uijae unable to complain further. After all, he was always soft when it came to people around his aunt's age. Instead of grumbling more, he rolled down the window and rested his arm on it. He didn’t care about the cold wind—neither did the driver, who had also rolled down his window completely.

Uijae knew that Lee Sa-young was in Incheon, but he didn’t have a driver’s license. If he took the subway, the news would spread in headlines, and borrowing a helicopter from the Awakeners’ Management Bureau would be too much for his conscience. His universal key, A Small Miracle Minggijeok, was with its original owner. In the end, the person Uijae called was Mackerel.

With a smirk, Mackerel spoke loudly as if for Uijae to hear.

“You know this is going to cost you, right? I’m a premium talent, you know? Do you have any idea how many Hunters want to see my face? I’m not the type to be hired just for driving!”

“It’s better than having a goldfish drive.”

“Our fish are pretty good drivers, you know.”

“Goldfish can’t get past police checks, though.”

That was true. Goldfish were exceptional drivers, but they had one major flaw. If the police pulled them over and asked to see their license, what could they say? “License, please. I don’t have one. Wait, is J driving without a license? No, it’s a goldfish driving.” That would be the comedy sketch. Fortunately, Mackerel nodded and said, “Good point.” Uijae tapped the old car door.

“Where’s the truck? Why did you bring out this junk?”

“Ah! Careful, my man. You could break it just by stomping your foot. This car belongs in a museum, you know.”

“Then why bring out an antique? Don’t you have anything sturdier?”

“Sorry, I did my best. Everyone’s out on assignments, and this is all that was left.”

“Ha…”

Uijae sighed deeply, resting his arm on the window. His younger brother, Mackerel, glanced at him and then suddenly shouted.

“Oh, come on. You’re paying me, right? My card charges fees, you know?”

“I don’t even have a card. I’ll pay you in mana stones—sell them yourself.”

“Wow, you’re loaded with cash. Honestly, we prefer mana stone payments, too.”

Mana stones. Uijae frowned. Bad memories flooded his mind.

“Why mana stones?”

Mackerel, who had his left arm resting on the window and was steering with one hand, waved his fingers in the air. Instantly, several goldfish darted up and grabbed the wheel. This was autopilot of a whole new kind. Uijae squinted.

“You’ve seen the mess at the fish market, right? That doesn’t run for free. Your ability requires maintenance, and it’s expensive.”

“And the maintenance costs are mana stones?”

“Exactly. Honestly, I earn money just to buy mana stones.”

Mackerel pouted as he grumbled.

“Anyway, why haven’t you gotten your license yet?”

“I’ve been in the rift, why else?”

“……”

The mood suddenly turned solemn. Mackerel quietly rolled up the window and placed both hands on the wheel. The goldfish that had lost their jobs spun around Mackerele’s head in protest. Uijae, resting his chin on his hand, spoke up.

“I was joking, so laugh.”

“Ah… haha.”

“Laugh louder.”

“Hahaha!”

The salty smell of the sea gradually filled the air. With Mackerele’s forced laughter as background noise, Uijae closed his eyes, thinking about what to say when he met Lee Sa-young.

---

In Incheon, the Wave Guild’s research facility was located. While primarily focused on researching rifts and gates, it also had a massive training room for evaluating the abilities of its guild members, particularly one designed for Lee Sa-young, whose abilities dissolved objects.

Uuuuung… From behind the tightly shut iron doors came a threatening sound. Click, click—the sound of metal striking metal, and then crack, crack—the sound of bones breaking. Bae Won-woo paced nervously in front of the door.

“Hey, are we sure this is okay? I hear bones breaking. Shouldn’t we get her out?”

“Maybe…”

Hong Yeseong, who was curled up in the armchair next to the door, lifted his head. His *Emotion Sensing* ability was working faster than ever. His head jerked toward the iron door, moving in a creepy, mechanical way. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he responded.

“She won’t die. It’ll hurt like hell, but she won’t die.”

“That’s not really comforting.”

“We don’t have a choice. If we don’t do this, we’ll all be dead.”

A red liquid trickled down Hong Yeseong’s cheek and dripped onto the floor. Unbothered, he covered his eyes with his sleeve. Bae Won-woo hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it to Hong Yeseong’s eyes. The white cloth quickly soaked with red, but Hong Yeseong, despite bleeding from his eyes, spoke calmly.

“If she’s really on the verge of death, I’ll pull her out. Until then, don’t interfere. It’s what she wants.”

“……”

Bae Won-woo scratched his head roughly. Hong Yeseong blinked through the handkerchief. Even with his eyes covered and bleeding, his *Emotion Sensing* continued to function, revealing the black figure curled up behind the thick iron doors.

Chains appeared out of thin air, binding the hunched figure tightly. Bang, bang—it was no longer recognizable as a human form. In an instant, a purple light flashed from the black mass before slowly fading. Hong Yeseong rubbed his eyes, the pain tearing through him.

“Just a little longer…”