Chapter 69
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Is Blood Thicker Than Water?
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'What’s this? Someone I know?'
After closing the car door, I craned my neck toward the other side and spotted a middle-aged man pounding desperately on Cha Do-yun Hunter's window, his face pale as a ghost.
"You really weren't planning on seeing us at all?"
Behind him stood a woman about the same age. She was banging on the window too, her face twisted in distress. They were so wrapped up in their own world that they didn't even notice me approaching.
'Hang on, they kinda look alike for some reason?'
The middle-aged woman's slightly upturned eyes and the man's sharp facial contours oddly overlapped with Cha Do-yun Hunter's features. Tearing my gaze from them, I looked back at Cha Do-yun Hunter inside the car.
"...Mom."
They really were his parents.
"If the parents who tormented Shin Ji-ui Hunter when she was a child came now to beg for forgiveness, what would Shin Ji-ui Hunter do?"
That meant these people right in front of me were the ones who had ruined Cha Do-yun Hunter's childhood...
"It was all my fault. Yeah? If I have to pay for my sins, I'll do it right now."
"......"
"Please, Do-yun... We've regretted it so much since you left."
They looked not just desperate, but downright servile. Cha Do-yun Hunter's mother had even dropped to her knees, her hands trembling uncontrollably.
Thud.
The car door opened, and Cha Do-yun Hunter stepped out.
"...Get up."
"D-Do-yun?"
Cha Do-yun Hunter took both his mother's hands and helped her to her feet.
"Let's go home first."
"Home? You're coming home?"
"My home."
Cha Do-yun Hunter brushed the dirt off his mother's knees himself, muttering under his breath. He glanced at me briefly, then turned back to his parents.
"I'll hear everything you have to say."
"Do-yun..."
"I'll decide whether to forgive you after that."
'He's made up his mind.'
Cha Do-yun Hunter had mustered his courage. His parents' eyes widened before they nodded, then cautiously made their way toward Cha Do-yun Hunter's limousine.
"Haa..."
Cha Do-yun Hunter let out a deep sigh as he climbed into the passenger seat.
I hope it goes well...
Clink.
"Huh?"
That was when a small glass vial fell from the pocket of Cha Do-yun Hunter's mother as she got into the back seat. I immediately bent down to pick it up.
Smack!
"Ah!"
A sharp pain shot across the back of my hand.
Thud.
I yanked my hand back instinctively, only for a large hand to snatch the vial first. The car door slammed shut right after.
'What just happened?'
If I'd understood the situation correctly, Cha Do-yun Hunter's mother had just slapped my hand away and grabbed the vial from the floor.
Was that an overreaction? What the hell was in that vial anyway?
Vroom.
The limousine pulled away smoothly from the association building with a low engine hum. As it faded into the distance, the back of my hand swelled up red.
The pain was one thing, but an inexplicable unease and disgust washed over me even stronger. It wasn't a pleasant experience by any means... but this felt different, on a whole other level.
'Is your hand okay?'
That was when Ego asked in an unusually gentle tone.
'Yeah.'
'But why'd that woman do that? Something expensive?'
That was what I wanted to know too. Why react so defensively? It just looked like a little medicine bottle...
Thump, thump.
"...A medicine bottle?"
My heart pounded so hard it made my vision swim. In the center of my spinning view, Cha Do-yun Hunter's face flickered.
The moment I'd seen him through the 'Regressor’s Right Eye' flashed in my mind. Amid the flood of information, one line stood out crystal clear.
[Nearly died from poison. Vocal cords severely damaged. At home? Why?]
"No way!"
[Karma that can be cleared has been detected.]
[Would you like to move to that location?]
Damn it. Suspicion turned to certainty. How had I forgotten that incident? The one thing I could never forget?
Cha Do-yun Hunter's poison incident. The case where he was found on the brink of death in his own home, poisoned by monster-killing toxin. Since it happened at home, not in a dungeon, there was a massive investigation... but no evidence ever turned up.
He survived, thankfully, but his vocal cords were badly burned, leaving him voiceless.
'And that wasn't the only time.'
Four times, from what I remembered. Cha Do-yun Hunter had gone through that four times.
I could stop it now. I could save him.
"Take me there..."
Wait, what if it teleports me straight inside Cha Do-yun Hunter's house? That could make things even messier.
I took a moment to steady my breathing, then addressed the status window again.
"No instant teleport. Just send the location info."
I had no idea if this status window could even interact with me like that, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. I threw out the command and glared at it.
[W...]
"What?!"
A short message clearly showing hesitation flashed and vanished. My mind blanked from the shock. I slapped my cheeks hard to snap out of it.
It was sentient. The thing giving me orders and hints to clear karma was 100% a sentient being.
Another Absolute? Or something from this world?
But that wasn't important right now.
[Location information received.]
[Seoul, Mapo-gu, XX-X]
Stopping Cha Do-yun Hunter's accident came first.
"So this is Do-yun's place."
"Did Kim Kang-hee Chairman give you this house too?"
Do-yun's parents muttered as they looked around the place. Instead of answering, Do-yun flopped onto the living room sofa and closed his eyes.
'He brought them here without a plan...'
After hearing Ji-ui's words, courage had surged from somewhere, and he'd dragged his parents straight home. But he regretted it within a minute of stepping inside. Do-yun wasn't ready to face his past wounds yet.
"The fridge is empty."
"Don't open it."
"What the hell do you even eat?"
Do-yun's dad clicked his tongue and pulled out a shriveled bottle of yuzu syrup from the corner of the fridge. Luckily, it had about six months left before expiring. Do-yun stared in shock as his dad casually grabbed a cup, then covered his face with both hands and leaned back on the sofa.
The clinking of cups and the sound of boiling water filled the silent house. It had been two years since he'd fled here—the first sounds of another person he'd heard.
'This is annoying as hell.'
Do-yun rubbed his dampening eyes with his sleeve. Somehow, three cups of yuzu tea had appeared on the living room table.
"Ready to hear us out now?"
Do-yun's mom smiled faintly as she sat at the table. His dad sat beside her and carefully sipped the steaming yuzu tea.
"...Yeah."
"I'm sorry."
The word carried more weight than her earlier desperate pleas. This time, Do-yun's dad spoke up.
"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have just stood by and watched..."
'Were they always this small?'
His parents had seemed so huge back when he was a kid, but looking down at them from the sofa now, they looked tiny and gaunt. Do-yun felt a twinge of emptiness about what he'd feared all this time.
"I know it's shameless of us to even be here. You don't have to accept our apology—we get that."
"...Mom."
"But we're still your parents. You can hate me forever, but I can't hate you."
Do-yun's mom let out a small laugh and cast her eyes downward. Her long lashes cast shadows over her eyes, just like Do-yun's.
"That's why we're here. To say we're truly sorry."
"......"
"Your tea's getting cold. Drink up."
Do-yun stared blankly at the yuzu tea in front of him.
Clink.
As he picked up the cup, a pleasant warmth spread through his hand, accompanied by a tangy citrus scent. Feeling an odd sense of relief, Do-yun brought it to his lips.
Bang bang bang!!
"Gah!"
Suddenly, someone pounded on the door. Everyone in the house jumped, and Do-yun nearly dropped his cup.
"Who the hell knocks like that...!"
"I'll get it."
As Do-yun's mom shot up indignantly, Do-yun barely managed to sit her back down and headed to the entrance.
Bang bang bang!
"Coming, coming."
'What a hothead.'
Do-yun irritably opened the door, brow furrowed.
"Ha, haa... Made it in time."
He froze the moment he saw who had been hammering on the door like they were trying to break it down.
"Sh-Shin Ji-ui Hunter?!"
"Sh-Shin Ji-ui Hunter?!"
Cha Do-yun Hunter practically yelled—rare for him.
'Of course. I'd be shocked too if I were him.'
I caught my breath and looked up at Cha Do-yun Hunter. His eyes were wide as he tried to process the situation.
"Sorry to barge in like this. Were you in the middle of talking with your parents?"
"Yeah, but... How did you know where I live?"
"You told me before, Cha Do-yun Hunter."
"I did?"
Pure bluff, of course. No one remembers every word they say, so I said it with confidence. While Cha Do-yun Hunter racked his brain trying to recall a memory that didn't exist, I peeked past his shoulder.
"Do-yun, what's going..."
Cha Do-yun Hunter's mother appeared at the entrance. She froze the instant our eyes met.
"Ah, you must be Cha Do-yun Hunter's mother?"
"W-Wait...!"
"I'm Shin Ji-ui from the Hunter Association."
I gently pushed Cha Do-yun Hunter aside and stepped inside. Facing his mother directly, I offered a handshake. She extended her hand hesitantly.
'...Her hand's rough.'
Cha Do-yun Hunter's mother's palm was covered in calluses, especially the fingertips—practically peeled raw.
Does she work out? Or some manual labor job?
"Why are you here?"
"Oh, I think you dropped something earlier, ma'am."
[Eloquence increased]
[Non-Awakener 'Cha Ju-yeon' wavers at Awakener 'Shin Ji-ui's' words.]
Result: Confusion
Her eyes widened at my words.
She must've remembered me trying to pick up her vial.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and held it out to her.
"...A phone?"
"Looked like it fell out when you got in the car. Is it yours, ma'am?"
"No, it's not."
"Oh, really? It was right in front of the building, so I thought it was yours..."
Obviously. This was my regular phone.
"What's going on?"
Cha Do-yun Hunter's father approached the entrance cautiously. He gasped and covered his mouth upon seeing me.
"S-SS-Rank, right? Your name's..."
"Shin Ji-ui. I'm Cha Do-yun Hunter's colleague."
"What the...!"
Cha Do-yun Hunter bristled beside me but didn't finish his sentence.
"Uh, why don't you come in? You look tired, Shin Ji-ui Hunter..."
At least the father was somewhat reasonable. Unlike his mother, who radiated hostility, he treated me like a guest. Guess attempting to poison Cha Do-yun Hunter was her solo act.
"Then I'll just have a glass of water and go."
"Never thought I'd live to greet an SS-Rank Hunter like this."
He bowed deeply with proper etiquette, and Cha Do-yun Hunter's father chuckled lightly. While he headed to the kitchen, I quickly scanned the living room.
On the table in front of the sofa: two half-full cups, and one untouched.
'That untouched one's probably Cha Do-yun Hunter's.'
I plopped down right in front of it. Cha Do-yun Hunter, approaching from afar, looked down at me in disbelief.
I'd never been this rude before, nor did I want to be—but this was an exception.
'If I back down even a little, that guy gets hurt.'
"Water's fine? We have yuzu tea too."
"Oh, yuzu tea then, please."
Things were going my way. As his father prepared the tea, Cha Do-yun Hunter sidled up and sat on the sofa next to me.
"What are you doing?"
He whispered right in my ear. I ignored him, eyes fixed on the poisoned cup meant for Cha Do-yun Hunter.
'Should I just dump it?'
That'd stop immediate harm, but she could try the same trick again. I had to prove right here that his mother was dangerous.
'Status window.'
I quietly opened it.
'Perfect. A surefire, dangerous method.'
I closed the status window and immediately lifted the cup in front of me to my lips.
Crash!!
Before it touched my mouth, the cup flew across the room and shattered on the floor.
A perfect silence descended, the air heavy enough to choke on.
"...Ha."
Cha Do-yun Hunter's mother exhaled sharply after knocking the cup from my hand—the culprit behind the commotion.
"Hey, what the fuck are you doing?"
Thankfully, my gamble paid off. She showed her true colors.