EP.58 Level 6 - I'm a Social Weakling (12)
After hearing what Hyemi said, I started thinking it might actually be true. I pulled out my phone and replayed the recorded call, comparing the voices.
> "Park Eunhyuk? Is this Park Eunhyuk's phone?"
> "What's your level right now?"
> "Tell me quick! If you're caught like this, you're dead!"
> "Ah, whatever. Actually, your current level isn't that important. You have to hit level 6 no matter what before you're caught. Remember, level 6. If you haven't reached it, run away no matter what."
The audio quality was poor, giving it a slightly different vibe, but comparing them directly made the similarities crystal clear. Especially the vocalization and tone—they were identical. Unless someone was mimicking on purpose, it was safe to assume the same person.
"Huh, hold on a sec."
Right before the police dragged me away, there had been someone watching from another building. They were using what looked like a sniper rifle. It wasn't close enough for a clear view of their face, but...
"Yi Gongju the hunter."
A quick internet search brought up a flood of info. Just as I remembered, Yi Gongju was a rear-line sniper specialist. Her weapon was a custom-made sniper rifle, and the design matched what I'd seen that day pretty closely.
Thinking back, there was something else weird. There'd been a sudden explosion in the building's bathroom, buying us time. What if she'd sniped the bathroom window on purpose to help us?
But why the hell would she?
Let's assume it was Yi Gongju on the phone. Why would she stick her neck out to help me? And why the fuss to join our team? More importantly, how did she know about my trait—and even predict what my level 6 trait would be?
"This is driving me nuts."
"Why not just ask her yourself?"
"Too risky. Especially since my powers don't work on S-rank hunters..."
"Huh?"
Hold on—Yi Gongju's level is 9? Normally, hunter ranks scale with trait levels, but irregulars pop up sometimes with way stronger traits than their level suggests. Honestly, I'm basically an irregular myself; even at level 6, I can toy with most A-ranks.
Anyway, for irregulars or non-awakened hunters without standout traits, there's a pure-skill ranking exam. Unlike the state-funded one that factors in trait levels, this one's insanely expensive and on the individual.
From what I know, my ability targets trait levels, not raw combat power. So even if she's S-rank, I should be able to handle her?
Worth a shot, then.
"Honestly, Eunhyuk, you're being too cautious. She did help you, right?"
"Fair point."
Yeah, if she wanted me dead, she wouldn't have bothered. With everything lining up so perfectly, it felt only polite to at least talk.
You can't just take help and ghost.
"Whoa, this place... H-heuk, Seol-i unnie."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, sorry. It's nothing."
For those reasons, we'd agreed to a formal chat with Yi Gongju. And now here she was, right in front of us. But since she wanted a one-on-one with me, the others were downstairs.
"Hey. Gongju."
"Eu... no, hello, Park Eunhyuk."
She'd been acting weird from the start. As soon as she let slip something odd, she clapped a hand over her mouth like she'd messed up.
Maybe getting busted by Seol-a had her paranoid about every little slip.
"This isn't our first chat, is it?"
"Huh? No way, what are you talking about? First time. Totally first."
"The phone."
The second I mentioned the call, she whipped her head away, playing dumb. I was tempted to use Do It For Me to force the truth out, but she was making it way too easy. So obvious.
Types like her need a little prodding to spill their guts, or it just doesn't satisfy.
Wonder what'll make her crack hard. She went out of her way to save me, so maybe keep it simple?
"Yi Gongju Hunter. You like me?"
"Yes. Wait, no!? I-I mean, not at all..."
Thanks for the honest answer. She likes me. That pretty much confirms she saved me because she wanted to.
Question is, why?
We had zero prior connection. Unless she was some orphanage kid sister I'd forgotten?
"...Haa."
She finally sighed and pulled out a sheet of paper, placing it on the table. Then she rolled up her sleeve, revealing a nasty scar like flesh had been gouged out.
What the hell was this?
"Park Eunhyuk, have you heard of the Women's Rights Committee? Or Yeoinwon for short?"
"...First time."
"This'll take a while."
Yi Gongju pointed to the next table over, asking for a pen and paper. Then she started sketching simple diagrams as she explained.
"Yeoinwon is a shadowy group operating worldwide right now. No major country's president, congress members, judges, prosecutors, or key posts are free of their influence."
"Never heard of 'em, and they have that much power?"
"Because they hide it so well."
I'd asked about her identity, but she was rambling about some shady group. And the stuff she said was so outlandish, I half-expected her to say "stop watching movies."
"I know them so well because I was destined to be one of them."
"You?"
"There are tons of registered A-rank hunters who are actually S-rank in ability. Most get placed in the world's power centers to pull strings."
"But S-ranks are already at the top. You're saying they take orders?"
"They're brainwashed and produced that way. I was too."
"Produced?"
Produced? What, like they're manufacturing people now?
Seeing my confusion, she elaborated.
"Raised from childhood solely to serve someone. It's imprinted that serving is their greatest joy. Once their trait hits level 10, they get assigned a master and their position."
"Master... What even is that?"
"No idea."
"Huh?"
Didn't she say she lived in their base? How doesn't she know?
"Never saw one. My level hit 10, but I hadn't been assigned yet. I was just combat security at the production facility until my master rescued me."
"And who's your master?"
She ignored the question, just staring at me intently.
What did she want from me?
"Wait—your level hit 10? Aren't you level 9 now?"
"I'm 9 now. That was last time."
"Last time?"
My brain couldn't keep up. Why talk about future events like the past?
After racking my mind, it clicked.
"You... went back in time?"
"......"
She just nodded silently.
Holy shit. So that's how she knew about my abilities—from the future? I'd figured minor precog at best, but this was huge.
"More precisely, a regressor. Just my mind came back."
"That arm scar you showed..."
"Should have had their affiliation tattoo there. Positions vary per person."
"This design?"
I pointed to the paper she'd shown earlier. She nodded.
A heart with a hollow Q inside. Looked like a Queen of Hearts.
"Kinda generic design."
"That's the point. But affiliates' Qs match exactly in shape and size—you can tell by comparing. And once assigned a master, they enchant the tattoo with brainwashing traits, from what I hear."
"Master..."
How do you control S-rank hunters like that? The scale was making my head spin.
"I wasn't gonna spill this soon. But hiding it from you feels impossible."
"Or maybe you just can't lie to me?"
"...Park Eunhyuk."
What did I have to do with it? Blushing like that left me clueless how to respond.
"Because you like me?"
"N-no, I said!"
"I'll take that as a yes."
"...Sly fox."
Anyway, future-me probably knew her well. She'd reacted to Seol-a like an old acquaintance, then played it off. And she seemed awfully comfortable around me.
"So what does Yeoinwon actually do?"
"Basically, serve as lackeys for masters, infiltrating world power spots. Beyond that..."
What followed was a barrage of shocks. Stories utterly detached from our current reality, where men awakening is normal. They monitor and kill off male irregulars like me. Ultimately, turn every awakener into master slaves to let them rule the world.
"The final plan's still in prep, but once it kicks off, A-ranks and above start vanishing one by one."
"And when the missing hunters return..."
"Assigned to a master, obviously."
They gather data raising kids from infancy with brainwashing. Then use it plus mental interference traits to enslave normal hunters too. Probably why the state discards mental-trait awakeners instead of managing them—to monopolize the tech.
"It failed in the future. Our hope, Park Eunhyuk, got taken out. Seol-i unnie entrusted everything to me, so I came back."
"Seol-i meaning Seol-a?"
"Yes."
Right after regressing, she'd escaped the production facility. Forged a new identity and became the hunter she is now.
"Slipped past the media pretty clean for a fake ID."
"Someone who looked just like me died around then. Seol-i unnie helped me impersonate perfectly."
"Ah, gotcha. Tough break. So you have a real name?"
"Real name..."
She pondered a moment.
Then smiled and spoke.