Chapter 37
"What's wrong?"
"Well... for someone like you, it's kinda... haha!"
What the hell?
I quickly checked my face in my phone's black screen.
Oh my god. What is this psycho?
This mad bastard was sneering coldly at the corner of his mouth even after saying he was worried!
...I must've inputted the wrong command into the Surprise Texture Mask.
I'd told it to make me look less dismissible.
But this turned me into a full-blown psychopath.
Still...
"Haha! Hahaha!"
Seeing Jeong Hamin backpedaling while laughing, it had worked in another way.
Let's keep our distance like this.
I kept the expression fixed and stared him down.
"Hunter Jeong."
"Ah, um. Yes."
"We can't clear this gate like that."
"Like what?"
"You shouldn't treat human lives like consumables. Not just in this gate, but in any gate."
"Hmm. Sounds like you're saying I tossed that hunter to the fairies?"
He looked annoyed.
Like a junior lecturing a senior.
"Of course not."
I lowered my voice.
"But even in a situation like before, please exclude that option ahead of time."
"I'd like to, but clearing the gate comes first, right?"
"We should move first anyway."
Kirrrrl, kirrrrl.
The faint Tinkerbell laughter grew clearer.
If we got hit by the powder they scattered like dust, both he and I would end up as kindling for their campfire.
"Let's do that."
We kept talking as we moved.
I said,
"I know how to clear this gate."
"Really? How?"
Only I can see the status window.
I can't tell him that even if I die.
With that thought, I bullshitted the traitorous hunter.
"I told you. Abyss Gates are heavily influenced by the surroundings."
"Yes."
"I was discharged from the military around here."
"...!"
Bullshit plus the Surprise Texture Mask made for convincingly plausible bullshit.
"So even if you don't trust me, follow my lead for now."
It wasn't all lies. As we walked, I racked my brain, dredging up memories.
And finally, I grasped the key to the Greenbelt Gate.
Along with a fitting end for the North Ocean Corp water hags.
"The choice is yours."
"...Pardon? Ours?"
I didn't answer.
I just shifted my gaze.
To the tree with the red thread trailing from it.
Tailing me, huh.
Shameless bastards come in all flavors.
My head was already throbbing from the traitor, and now anemia on top?
Rustle.
The bushes shook, and a black shadow dropped down with a thud. Sure enough, it was Han Biyeol.
"...S-sunbae?"
Jeong Hamin was shocked. Seemed genuine. His narrow eyes wide as saucers, pupils dilated—not something he could fake.
"What were you doing up there?"
"...Rear guard."
That was all Han Biyeol said. He wouldn't even glance at me if his life depended on it. He'd always been like a fox cornered by a tiger.
Don't let your guard down. He could stab me in the back any moment.
His blade bit deep, matching his shitty personality. As someone who'd experienced it firsthand, I stayed on high alert while Jeong Hamin yapped.
"W-what kind of rear guard doesn't say a word...?!"
"We're inside a gate. Does that matter?"
"It's creepy getting flanked by my own senior... Haah..."
"Brat!"
I didn't want to butt in, but I had to mediate.
"The fairies are close."
"..."
"..."
Getting the message, the two human scum crouched low. Even top-tier hunters dreaded the fairies' group-dispersed powder.
A beat late, Jeong Hamin whispered to me.
"By the way, how'd you notice, Hunter Seo? Not prying into your ability—just curiosity."
Even a traitor hunter followed hunter society's unspoken rules.
"Because Senior Han hides his presence freakishly well, but not his scent."
"Brat, I can hear you."
"Haha! You can?"
"..."
Left alone, we'd end up fairy campfire fuel. These R&Y hunters lacked any sense of crisis. Probably gate fatigue from all their runs.
What do I say?
Can't say I see red threads...
Ah.
A convenient excuse popped up.
"Blood scent on the wind."
"...Blood, scent...?"
"Yes."
I said curtly, slowly scanning Han Biyeol. He flinched. The blood trickling from his shoulder pauldron disrupted.
Panicking, Han Biyeol shouted.
"Th-this isn't human blood! I spotted some wild boars on the way and took 'em out!"
...The thief trips over his own feet.
"I know."
"How'd you know that, Hunter Seo?"
"Wild animals have that grassy tang. Human blood doesn't."
"...!"
Why that face?
"Just so you know, I'm no ghoul or vampire."
How would a vampire even tell blood types by smell?
"...Your reaction just now matches Senior Han's from earlier, you know?"
Comparing me to that scum? Rude. I shot them a refusing-communication glare and resumed walking.
This has nothing to do with Eternal Blessing. It's my own knack.
Porters never had a dry day. Covered in monster corpses' filth and blood.
After ten years as a porter, I could ID monster types by blood scent alone.
Top hunters with great awakening talents were busy shaking off bloodstains.
With only my body to rely on, I honed my senses. And smell developed, didn't regress. I could distinguish most monsters below top-tier by blood scent.
Monster sommelier, are we? Raw talent.
A chuckle slipped out. Unintended. The Surprise Texture Mask was messing with my facial muscles' signals.
Dark Mad Forest.
Han Biyeol and Jeong Hamin, walking beside Seo Wonseok, silently exchanged glances.
"..."
"..."
Like they'd rehearsed, they swallowed and tapped the badges on their chests.
A mana stone-processed Walkie-Talkie Ver.3.0.4.
It let synced badge wearers communicate via thoughts alone. Perfect in gates where signals died—guildmates only. Han Biyeol had found Jeong Hamin thanks to it.
Jeong Hamin was known among hunters for his good temper publicly. Sure, he looked down on non-awakened like everyone else.
Yet here he was, scolding a fellow guild senior hunter.
Han Biyeol could only gape. His tongue felt numb; sending telepathy was a struggle.
Blood scent?
Chilling words, like he had a black flame dragon up his sleeve.
But...
Gulp.
-You saw his face when he said blood scent, right?
-...Yeah. I almost said it myself but held back. Didn't wanna stir shit.
He'd tried not to show it, but Jeong Hamin was inwardly shocked.
Seo Wonseok smirking at talk of 'blood taste'.
Even if hunters sleep with swords at their side...
Jeong Hamin had met all kinds. He could swear: first ever to smirk at 'blood'.
-Hunter Seo's a shame.
-What?
-Personality fits a hunter perfect, but his power one-shots foes.
-...
-Senior, out of worry: please, please don't piss him off.
Jeong Hamin scraped his burning throat for the telepathy.
-If he sees you as a non-bleeding object... Boom. Think you can handle that?
Jeong Hamin froze in place.
Why Seo Wonseok ignores me.
The outline sharpened.
"Over there."
Seo Wonseok turned at the stopped steps. How could a face be so expressionless?
"W-we'll move right away."
"No, not that."
Seo Wonseok nodded toward a distant bend.
A pure white deer staggered on shaky legs. Spotting humans, it just glanced and went on.
Its stark presence cut the darkness; its state was clear.
Porcupine-quilled with flames. Plus blade wounds, obviously.
Han Biyeol whipped out his sword.
"EXP—no, let's fill our bellies first."
"..."
Seo Wonseok thought,
What a insane party.
One probably slept through history class.
The other skipped every ethics lesson. Did R&Y recruit only for flashy personalities?
Click.
Glancing down, Seo Wonseok gripped Han Biyeol's sword hilt-first, stopping him.
Aaaargh!
Han Biyeol inwardly freaked. A scratch from Seo Wonseok would blow his head off right there!
"I brought rations. Stay here."
Then the struggling white deer collapsed sideways.
Seo Wonseok scanned around, then crept to it.
Shhhk, shhhk.
The fallen deer eyed him warily. Up close, far worse.
North Ocean hunters did this.
Spiritual aura. They must've thought special event like Han Biyeol. It escaped nobly.
"Hemo."
Hemo spat an emergency kit from inside him. Seo Wonseok flipped it open expertly, grabbing needle and thread.
"What're you doing?"
Jeong Hamin sidled up, puzzled.
Seo Wonseok bit the thread.
"It's hurt. Gotta treat it."
"Stitching won't cut it. Nerves too. And we're in monster central?"
"Five minutes. All nerves fixed. If it can't hold, raid's failed anyway."
"Aha. Got it."
Jeong Hamin stepped back.
Seo Wonseok pierced muscle with the threaded needle.
Twitch!
The deer convulsed but didn't thrash. Better than some humans.
As he sutured, Seo Wonseok continued.
"I told you. Abyss Gates reflect the local environment."
"Yeah?"
"DMZ here. No drawing weapons unless they strike first."