The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low

Chapter 283

Vroom.

The engine roared like thunder. Uijae leapt into the air but landed deftly without any success. His jump had been futile.

Why aren’t there any tall buildings around here?

Catching his breath, Uijae instinctively bolted from his spot, running at full speed. But…

…Where am I even going?

There wasn’t really anywhere to go. The best option would be Hong Yesung, but Jirisan was far away, and he didn’t know the route. Entering a dungeon or rift would only leave Sa-young waiting for him at the exit.

I can’t do that to Sa-young.

The image of Sa-young standing by the sea flashed in his mind. He didn’t want to see that sight again. And so began a race with no destination. One on foot, the other on some sort of two-wheeled vehicle—maybe a motorcycle. Despite the unfair conditions, the distance between them didn’t close easily.

As Uijae ran wherever his feet carried him, the booming engine noise continued to echo behind him. He glanced back and shouted, pointing a finger.

"Hey! Aren’t you unlicensed? You think you can drive like that?"

Amid the roar of the engine, a relaxed voice chimed in.

"So what? It’s just a world of memories anyway."

He really is an unlicensed rider! Uijae, who prided himself on his lawful ways, glared.

"This bastard doesn’t even fear the law. You want me to report you? I’ll have Jeong Bin arrest you!"

"You think I didn’t want a license? All the test centers are gone. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t get one."

"Oh."

He hadn’t considered that. Uijae awkwardly lowered his pointing finger. Sa-young grumbled loud enough for him to hear.

"Why would there still be test centers? All the roads were destroyed by Whitening. Use your head."

"Shut up. Who taught you to ride a motorcycle?"

"Honeybee."

"And whose bike is it?"

"Honeybee’s."

"Did you steal it?"

"I borrowed it. Just for a bit."

So Honeybee’s prized bike had survived even in this ruined world. Uijae clenched his spear tightly. If he damaged the road a little, maybe Sa-young wouldn’t be able to follow him. Perhaps he could create a large hole to stop him.

But the thought of Sa-young getting hurt held him back. Uijae let go of the idea and relaxed his grip on the spear. Sa-young, still chasing him on the motorcycle, spoke again.

"Why don’t you stop already? I’ve asked all my questions."

Would you stop if you were me? Uijae ignored him and kept running. Sa-young, apparently tireless, continued talking.

"Why are you running away?"

Wouldn’t you? Uijae glanced at the red numbers. As death drew closer, J had spent less time around Sa-young. In his final moments, he made countless excuses to distance himself. The reason was simple.

Attachments would form. And all his efforts to let go would be for nothing.

The roar of the engine grew louder. Sa-young seemed to be speeding up. As Uijae prepared to jump and wield his spear, a chilling aura struck his spine like lightning. The air around him froze. Uijae stopped in his tracks, his body tense in readiness.

Killing intent?

It was potent enough to make even seasoned Awakeners collapse. Uijae let out a dry laugh, unable to hide his astonishment. He turned back.

"Hey, did you just aim killing intent at me?"

Sa-young replied nonchalantly, his voice unrepentant.

"Oh… so you felt it. I figured you’d ignore anything less, so I went a little harder."

"You aimed killing intent at your hyung? Is that how I taught you?"

As Uijae spun around to scold him, Sa-young seized the opportunity to speed up and pull alongside him. Screech. Tires screeched as they skidded, and Sa-young reached out, wrapping his arm tightly around Uijae’s waist and pulling him close.

"Sorry about that. Guess I wasn’t taught properly."

"What?"

"So who told you to run away?"

Sa-young’s arms locked firmly around Uijae’s waist. Something round and cold brushed against Uijae’s shoulder blade—it was probably Sa-young’s helmet. At least he had the sense to wear one.

A deep sigh echoed from behind.

"Hyung…"

"......"

Uijae started to pry Sa-young’s arms away but gave up. It had been so long since he’d felt warmth, even though it hadn’t been that long. As Uijae stayed quietly in Sa-young’s embrace, the rumbling of the motorcycle engine stopped, and the vibrations ceased. Uijae rolled his eyes at the unseen situation, unsure of what to say. It felt as if someone had poured white paint into his mind, blanking out all his thoughts.

Eventually, the only words he could muster tumbled out.

"…Why did you come?"

"…Why?"

Sa-young’s grip tightened. Uijae could hear the grinding of teeth. Ah, that wasn’t the right question. Uijae bit his tongue as Sa-young’s hands clenched the hem of his clothes. Crack. The sound of knuckles popping reached his ears.

"After everything you’ve done… you ask me why I came?"

"Hey, what do you mean ‘everything I’ve done’—"

"You ignored me no matter how many times I called, walked away without looking back, and now you ask why I came?"

"......"

"Yeah. I guess you wanted to see me chasing you like a dog. So I followed you. Was it fun? Did you enjoy it?"

Uijae had no words. He couldn’t deny he had ignored Sa-young’s calls on purpose.

Of course, it hadn’t been easy for him, either. He had to stop himself from turning around or slowing down countless times. Without his Poker Face trait, he would’ve given in long ago. Uijae realized he’d dug his own grave, and now it was a meter deeper. Sa-young had no intention of letting him go.

Sa-young tapped Uijae’s shoulder blade lightly with his helmet.

"Why don’t you tell me what you’re planning? What’s your real intention?"

"Planning? I’m just fulfilling my role."

"Ah… I see."

Sa-young’s voice turned icy. His arms, which had been firmly locked around Uijae’s waist, suddenly released him. Uijae turned to look, his hands reflexively touching his now-empty waist. Though his vision was still blurred, he could make out the shape of Sa-young astride the bike, one foot on the ground. The violet flames surrounding him flickered erratically.

"You didn’t think I wouldn’t know, did you?"

"......"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I probably know more than you."

"And what do you know?"

Sa-young tapped something lightly with his finger.

"Where you went, what you did, what you ate, how long you slept before you died in this world—I know all of it. It’s all in here."

"…That’s… a bit much."

Practically stalking, isn’t it? Uijae barely swallowed the words. Sensing his discomfort, Sa-young added quickly.

"It’s not my memory, though. It’s someone else’s."

"Oh, uh… okay."

"Anyway…"

The sound of leather creaking indicated Sa-young crossing his arms.

"I kept comparing everything, even though I didn’t want to. From the moment you ignored me until now, your actions are eerily similar to what you did right before you died. Even the rifts forming around you match."

"......"

"Which means… you’re about to die."

Uijae glanced at the red numbers. Like sand slipping through an hourglass, the time left continued to dwindle.

Perhaps Sa-young took his silence as confirmation, because he let out a long sigh.

"Now I get why Hong Yesung said to just wait."

Uijae, meanwhile, came to his own realization—why he had desperately avoided Sa-young. It was because every moment he spent looking at him, every word exchanged, felt too comforting.

I don’t want to die.

The thought slipped out before he could stop it.

His mouth tasted bitter. Uijae licked his dry lips, the cracked skin stinging. The faint taste of blood lingered. He tried to picture Sa-young’s face in his mind but gave up. Perhaps losing his vision was a blessing. He never wanted to see the look on Sa-young’s face as he experienced loss again.

At that moment, a hand clad in cold leather gloves gently took his. The faint warmth beneath the leather reached him. A thumb brushed softly across the back of his hand.

"I don’t get it. All this hero stuff—duty, responsibility. I don’t care about J the Hero. I’ve always seen more of Cha Uijae than J."

"......"

"This place is just leftover memories… saving you won’t change anything."

"......"

"But still, if you’re going to die, if you can’t avoid it…"

The hand around his tightened, painfully so. Sa-young pulled Uijae closer. Uijae didn’t resist. Sa-young’s calm voice whispered near his ear.

"Die in front of me."