Chapter 16
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Gate's Warning
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The three of them headed back to the entrance of the super large gate.
"If there's no reaction at all, you'll really go to the hospital, right, Ru-ri? No take-backs."
"Yes, really."
Yang Jeong-hyun watched Choi Si-jin and Lee Ru-ri bickering for a moment before asking Choi Si-jin,
"Oh, when's Seung-woo getting here?"
"He should arrive this evening."
"He's coming quick. How's the guild situation right now?"
"It got approved. What can you do when the chairman's son is pushing for it? I hear they're planning the guild founding ceremony once this incident calms down. They haven't announced it publicly yet."
"Hmm, they must already suspect Seung-woo's moving separately."
"Yeah. The moment it got approved, they filled it up to a full 20 members. Everyone except the director's people."
"Actually, that's for the best. How many spots are we short?"
"In the end, Go Jun sided with the chairman, so two spots open."
"Hmm... Ru-ri, have you given it any thought?"
"The guild?"
"Yes! The director seems to think you're coming for sure!"
"It's pretty different from an autonomous crew, right?"
"It is. Is there something bothering you?"
"Honestly... I kind of want to train solo in low-rank gates for a bit. My position's unique, so... I feel like joining a guild means I'd have to join guild activities a lot..."
"That's true. You'd have mandatory high-rank gate raids, and sometimes you'd be sent out for support in burdensome situations."
"Don't worry, Ru-ri. I'm great at handling that stuff quickly!"
Yang Jeong-hyun smirked at Choi Si-jin's proud boasting and said,
"Well, if you want to act solo sometimes, you could just ask Seung-woo or Si-jin. They both seem helpless against you for some reason."
"It's not like that. Si-jin pretends he can't say no to my requests, but Seung-woo straight-up nags and says no... Ugh."
Lee Ru-ri shook her head, and Yang Jeong-hyun and Choi Si-jin burst out laughing in unison.
As the three chatted amiably, they arrived near the super large gate where Lee Ru-ri had fainted before.
The area around the gate was still chaotic with the families of the missing shouting, but they ignored it and headed to the entrance.
Choi Si-jin and Yang Jeong-hyun cautiously placed their hands on the gate entrance.
"Hmm..."
"Hear anything?"
"Hmm..."
"Nothing?"
"Umm..."
Lee Ru-ri, who had been prompting them, pressed her palm to the gate entrance herself when they couldn't respond.
At that instant, an enormous force shoved all three backward.
"Wh-what?!"
"That! Just now! We got pushed, right? Right?"
"This is fascinating."
"Did you two hear the gate's voice?"
"Not at all. We didn't hear any of the gate words Ru-ri mentioned."
"Yeah. No sounds at all, but we definitely felt something shove us."
"Grab our gear and come back. We need to study the gate entrance pattern and all this."
The three hurried back to Yang Jeong-hyun's lab.
While Yang Jeong-hyun and Choi Si-jin gathered equipment, Lee Ru-ri fell deep into thought.
The first time she touched the super large gate.
An indescribable terror and despair had rushed in to swallow her whole.
A voice drawing out fear and despair.
It spoke clearly to the terrified Lee Ru-ri.
In the near future, on some day.
Humans devoured by gates would emerge onto this land to devour the humans outside.
The words were hard to grasp, but she could guess some massive chaos was coming.
Unsure how Yang Jeong-hyun and Choi Si-jin would take it, she glossed over it for now.
Yang Jeong-hyun, having packed some gear, sent Choi Si-jin to the storage for supplies and called Lee Ru-ri over.
"Ru-ri, what're you thinking about?"
"Oh! Nothing much. Ready to head out again?"
"We are, but what about you?"
"Mind if I move separately for a bit?"
"No word from the police yet... How about we ask Si-jin when he gets back and decide?"
"Sure."
She'd momentarily forgotten about Im Ju-yang.
Like Cheon Ye-jong, this woman was a big threat to Lee Ru-ri, so caution was needed.
"Noona, no recent gate status logs?"
"Really? Where'd I put them... I'll find them. Oh, Ru-ri wants to move solo—what about Im Ju-yang?"
"No contact yet. Probably hasn't been caught... Ru-ri, stick with us till she's nabbed. Where were you going?"
"Meeting someone and tackling some gates..."
Choi Si-jin opened his status window to check nearby low-rank gates.
"No normal gates nearby. Huh? Noona! This is weird."
"Why?"
"All normal gates near the super large gate vanished without clear signs."
"No way."
Yang Jeong-hyun checked her status window and jumped.
"Oh my! All normal gates around Gangnam are gone. Si-jin, contact the Gate Management Director first. Closest gate?"
"Seoul National Cemetery area. E-rank."
"Ru-ri, meet your person after things settle? We can drop you in the gate then handle our stuff. Okay?"
"E-rank..."
"You're fine for E-rank now."
"Oh, really?"
"Ru-ri, three E-ranks clustered at the cemetery. Crew full?"
"Not yet..."
"Me, Jeong-hyun noona, director's probably idle on the plane... Including him... Who's free?"
Choi Si-jin checked inactive hunters via status window.
He messaged them individually and filled Lee Ru-ri's crew.
By the time her crew was full, they reached the first normal gate at the cemetery.
"Ru-ri, how long? Another full day like last time?"
"A day? Even solo, no D-rank hunter takes that long."
"I'll explain later."
"Mysterious women are attractive. Explains why Seung-woo's smitten."
"Maybe?"
"Teacher, wh-what're you saying!"
Lee Ru-ri jumped, and Yang Jeong-hyun and Choi Si-jin laughed heartily.
After greetings, Lee Ru-ri cautiously entered the gate.
Confirming the gate entrance stabilized, Yang Jeong-hyun and Choi Si-jin rushed to headquarters.
Inside the gate, Lee Ru-ri thought,
'That sound from the super large gate... Similar to Keres's voice, but also completely new. Ugh, no idea. First solo E-rank—gotta stay sharp.'
She gripped the Lizard's Jade Dagger and Stone Cube tightly, tense as she advanced slowly.
So Ru-ri went solo on another E-rank clear? Heading out in 30 min. Prep guild founding first.
Jeong-hyun noona's looking after Ru-ri, so no worries. But guild founding—we've got open spots. What now?
I'm bringing someone.
Who? All active high-rank hunters domestically got scooped by the chairman!
Kwon Dong-nyeon teacher. Prep guest room too. See you soon.
"Whoa, jackpot! Noona!"
"Yeah?"
"Kwon Dong-nyeon's coming."
"Kwon teacher? It's been almost 15 years on long-term dispatch. We don't even know where he is."
"Director's bringing him!"
"Man, what can't that Seung-woo guy do?"
"Date?"
"True."
The two chuckled.
Choi Si-jin busied himself with Han Seung-woo's tasks.
Yang Jeong-hyun, thrilled to see her mentor after ages, held a meeting with the Gate Management Director on the super large gate.
After, she headed to the 37th floor where S-rank hunters resided.
She caught her breath outside the innermost room and knocked.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
"Teacher, it's Jeong-hyun."
"Jeong-hyun. Long time no see."
The room's owner was S-rank hunter Lee Sang-chun, who looked A-rank at best.
"How've you been?"
"Thanks to you. Not here to chat, though?"
"Yes. As you heard, consulting on the super large gate."
"What help can an old man like me be?"
"You're deep in gate research despite clashing with Chairman Han."
"Han's treating gates too lightly. Petty old man won't promote me for not listening. Tsk."
"You were already S-rank at your last check in my lab. I'll request again when he returns. Your take on this super large gate?"
"First gate phenomenon spread outside Korea to Japan in 70 years, Beijing in a week... It's a warning. Gate phenomena will spread worldwide. Han'll be busy raking money, so we must research properly."
"Warning of what...?"
"Human extinction or Earth's end."
"Why think that...?"
"How long to stabilize here while controlling gates?"
"About 30 years."
"Japan's similar. China's opening unimaginable numbers."
"Bigger land, bigger problem."
"America next, I'm sure."
"No guarantee of stabilization, and even if, timeline's unknowable..."
"When's Han the director arriving?"
"Incheon in two hours maybe. Oh, Kwon's returning with him."
"Kwon? Nice to see an old friend. Bad timing... Anyway, meeting on super large gate when Han arrives?"
"Just discussed with director. Prepping now, back soon."
"Got it."
Yang Jeong-hyun bowed politely to Lee Sang-chun and slipped out.
'Whew, intimidation's insane. Stats up more? Maybe even above Han Ho.'
She thought as she hurried to her lab for meeting materials.
Meanwhile, inside the E-rank gate.
"Argh, damn it. Why'd I forget that?"
Lee Ru-ri leaped through the air, dodging monster attacks everywhere, barely keeping up.
She cursed herself for entering thoughtlessly.
The reason: monsters that wouldn't die no matter how much she attacked.
She struggled against endlessly spawning D-rank skeletons.
Even adjusting Extinction's size and number didn't kill them.
Shattered bones reassembled haphazardly and charged at her.
Some even stretched impossibly long to reach her leap spots before lunging mercilessly.
"Argh, this is driving me crazy."