Picked It Up on the Way

After washing up at home, Yooshin headed straight to the hospital. Naturally, he rode in a car driven by Park Haesu.

"You were truly amazing, Hunter!"

"Amazing, my foot."

"Ah! And your sister has woken up."

"Is that so?"

That was welcome news. He had hoped she would wake up before their mother returned from China. As expected, his sister was a filial daughter—unlike him.

They arrived at the hospital. Two men in suits were standing guard at the entrance of his sister’s room. Park Haesu explained quickly.

"They are from our Hunter Management Department."

"My sister isn't exactly a famous person, so why?"

"She is now the sister of a famous hunter. It’s better to be cautious about everything."

A Sudden Gate—and he was the first hunter to ever close one. It was only natural that eyes were fixed on him. Moreover, his face had been broadcast across the entire nation. By now, there wasn't a soul who didn't recognize Yooshin.

Hearing Park Haesu’s explanation, Yooshin nodded and stepped into the room.

Ha! What is she, really?

As soon as he saw his sister, he let out a sigh. She was sitting in her hospital gown, deeply focused on her studies. Of course, the wounds from the assault had healed completely, but the mental trauma must have been significant. She had been subjected to a group lynching, after all. Yet, Jin-ah was still diligently following her own path.

'Do you really love studying that much?'

She didn't even notice he had arrived. It was only when he shoved his face right in front of hers that she finally realized he was there.

"Ah! You scared me! Brother, you startled me!"

Whack!

Jin-ah glared and slapped Cheon Yooshin across the back. He could have dodged it, but he didn't. Instead, he shrieked as if his back ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were in agony.

"Ughhh!"

"Oh, give it a rest! You're just pretending to be hurt!"

"It really hurt. I'm telling you, it hurt!"

At those words, Cheon Jin-ah’s eyes softened.

"...I saw the news, Brother. Were you hurt when you went in there?"

"Hurt? Who do you think I am?"

"Who else? You're my brother."

"I am Cheon Yooshin, the righteous hunter who single-handedly quelled the Sudden Gate, that's who."

Watching Cheon Yooshin act all cocky in jest, Jin-ah stuck out her tongue.

"Pfft!"

"Hey?! I'm telling you, it's true."

The two of them lightened the mood with playful banter. Cheon Yooshin was worried about the mental trauma his sister had suffered from the violence, and Cheon Jin-ah was worried about her brother, who had just come back from fighting monsters that had injured so many people.

Park Haesu, watching them from behind, took it all in. Sniff. Before he knew it, tears were welling up in his eyes.

'What a truly rare pair of siblings.'

Watching them, Park Haesu briefly thought of his own younger sister. As the image of his tomboyish, mischievous sister popped into his head, he squeezed his eyes shut.

'I don't even want to think about it.'

While Park Haesu was lost in his own thoughts, Cheon Yooshin pulled something out of his pocket. It was a silver ring engraved with an antique pattern.

"What's this?"

Jin-ah asked about the ring in his hand.

"Picked it up on the way."

He said it as if it were truly nothing special.

"The ring has such a great vibe."

Jin-ah examined the ring from every angle, fascinated by the design that looked old yet somehow high-end.

"Wear it all the time. When you sleep, when you go to the bathroom, whenever. Got it?"

"Geez, Brother, seriously! How can you say that to a lady?!"

To Jin-ah, who was glaring at him, Yooshin said seriously.

"I'm telling you to keep it on at all times. Understand?"

"Got it! I said I got it."

Grumbling, Jin-ah slipped the ring onto her finger. The way it fit perfectly against her skin made her fall in love with it instantly.

Park Haesu stared blankly at the ring.

'Does that high school girl know that the ring she’s wearing is worth over a billion won?'

Accessory-type items were hard to come by. Especially items enchanted with a magic shield spell. Park Haesu clicked his tongue.

'Don't I have some half-brother somewhere?'

He was just envious.

The hunter world was at a standstill. While rookies occasionally popped up, they were essentially just prospects raised by giant guilds. But Cheon Yooshin was different. His exact abilities hadn't been revealed, and it was even discovered that he had only recently woken up after being in a vegetative state for five years. Yet, such a person had saved hundreds of lives and even single-handedly wiped out trolls. The public was ecstatic over his movie-like journey.

People naturally assumed Cheon Yooshin was affiliated with the Hunter Management Department. If Cheon Yooshin had been affiliated with a private guild, it would have been the private guild, not the Hunter Management Department, blocking the reporters.

The next day.

Countless lives had vanished in vain due to the Sudden Gate. While the media was spotlighting Cheon Yooshin as the birth of a new hero, where there is a bright side, there is always a dark one. A joint funeral for the victims who died in the Sudden Gate was held. The funeral hall was filled with grief and sorrow. Bouquets and incense burners were placed in front of the portraits of the numerous victims, and the bereaved families were weeping endlessly.

"Dad, why is Mom’s picture over there? Why are people crying?"

As a child who didn't yet understand the situation asked while sobbing, the grandmother beside the child pulled the child into her arms with a pitiful expression.

"Brother! What am I supposed to do now that you've ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gone like this! You should have at least seen the baby's face before you left!"

A woman was wailing in front of the portrait of a man who had been smiling brightly. Perhaps she was pregnant, as her belly was quite large.

"Why on earth did this happen to us! What were the hunters doing! They should have moved faster!"

"Why do only we have to be this miserable! What did we do to deserve this?"

In one corner of the funeral hall, a man was trembling with his fists clenched, weeping as he looked at two portraits. His lovely wife, Chae Yu-seon, and his small, cute daughter, Bae Jina, who he would have been happy to put in his eyes, were smiling brightly. His gaze was filled with sorrow, but also with a thirst for vengeance.

'Cheon Yooshin... I will definitely pay you back for this debt!'

Bae Seong-woo muttered, gritting his teeth. In truth, Cheon Yooshin had done nothing wrong. Rather, his actions of saving people from the trolls should have been praised. However, while some were saved by him, there were others who had already died at the hands of the trolls before he arrived. If he had moved faster, if he had saved people sooner, perhaps Yu-seon and Jina might still be alive. The sorrow of losing his family and the resentment toward the hunter were clouding Bae Seong-woo’s eyes.

That was when it happened.

Bae Seong-woo scanned his surroundings and carefully activated the status window. Then, a status window appeared before his eyes.

As Bae Seong-woo checked the status window, an ominous, flickering red light began to spiral around the edges of his pupils.

#

Office of the Hunter Conquest Team Leader.

The office phone rang loudly.

"Yes, this is Park Haesu, Hunter Conquest Team Leader."

— Hello. This is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠New Millennium Broadcasting. I'm calling regarding an exclusive interview with Hunter Cheon Yooshin.

"I apologize. Hunter Cheon Yooshin has stated that he is declining all interviews. I will be hanging up now."

— Oh!? W-wait, just a moment!

Park Haesu frowned and slammed the phone down.

Ring-a-ling!

But the moment he put the phone down, the bell rang loudly again.

"Yes. Conquest Team..."

— This is the Our Nation Newspaper...

"I apologize. Unfortunately, filming or coverage is impossible. Please understand."

Click!

Park Haesu pulled the phone cord out entirely. Only then did the phone, which had been ringing for an hour, fall silent as the grave.

"Ha! I guess he really was that amazing. Truly."

For the past few days, calls like this had been ringing incessantly. Not just him, but every department in the Hunter Management Department was receiving the same calls. It was enough to paralyze their work. But there was no solution. Naturally, Cheon Yooshin had absolutely no intention of giving interviews to reporters or satisfying the public's curiosity. No, not just Cheon Yooshin—Park Haesu felt the same way.

'I have to keep it a secret until I can get him into the Hunter Management Department.'

Someone might steal the rice that’s been soaked and cooked to perfection. How much time had he spent courting Hunter Cheon Yooshin! That was why Park Haesu had locked down all information regarding Cheon Yooshin. Now, not even the National Intelligence Service, the Board of Audit and Inspection, or the Prosecution could access information about Cheon Yooshin. Not even the President could see it. Not without the approval of the Hunter Management Department.

At the sound of a knock on the door, Park Haesu said to come in. Yoon Hyewon entered.

"What is it?"

"It's today, Team Leader."

"What's today?"

"Today is the day Hunter Cheon Yooshin's mother returns to Korea."

Ah! Had it already been that long? The timing was good. Cheon Yooshin's sister, Cheon Jin-ah, had already been discharged from the hospital yesterday. His mother would probably never know. Not about the school violence incident, nor about her being rushed to the hospital because of it.

That was when someone rushed in.

"Oh... aren't you the Chief of Staff?"

The person who entered was none other than Lee Dochan, Chief of Staff to Minister Choi Jeongwon of the Hunter Management Department.

"Something big has happened."

"Something big? What..."

"A National Assembly hearing is scheduled to be held."

"A hearing? But why... wait, don't tell me the Minister is being replaced?"

Chief of Staff Lee Dochan shook his head.

"That's not it. The Minister also received notice to attend, but they’ve summoned Hunter Cheon Yooshin as well."

"...What? Who?"

Park Haesu blinked in confusion. Who did they summon to the hearing?

"Hunter Cheon Yooshin. The hunter who was active in the recent Gate Break."

"No, why?"

Park Haesu asked back like a fool. Summoning him to a place that didn't fit him at all? Why specifically him?

"The reason stated is only to ask about the damages caused by the Gate Break."

"...What?"

What kind of nonsense was that? Being summoned to a hearing meant they were going to tear the target apart like a pack of dogs. But why were they asking Cheon Yooshin to take responsibility? When they should be giving him a commendation instead?

Park Haesu’s head felt like it was going to spin with the way things were turning out.

'Are these crazy politicians for real?'