Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 029
Chapter Title: Mad Hunter: ??? (13)
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23.
The afterparty of revelry didn't end until 2 a.m.
The station residents returned to their tent platforms in the living quarters.
We were given the station master's office as a sort of VIP room, and the whole group passed out in an instant.
I couldn't sleep all night.
The scenes from the drinking party kept flickering in my mind.
Hong Byeong-gyu's sorrowful tune, Kim Gye-sang's wistful smile, Yoon Geon-woo's and Cha Seung-hyeon's poignant laughs.
And Jeong Ha-kyeong's tears.
- Those little things, each and every one, were great happiness.
I looked at Jeong Ha-kyeong.
She looked cold, curled up asleep on the floor, so I draped the [Shadow Exoskeleton Cloak] over her.
Are we desperately yearning for it, trying to remember it?
The old world... because we lost it.
The beautiful past that we can never return to now, because we lost it.
That yearning was truly pitiable.
From this world.
From our very own world.
The enemies who stole our past, present, future, and dreams are laughing from distant heavens. And their minions have covered the entire land in nightmares.
Can we do nothing but yearn?
The Dawn Sword let out a clear ring—zing.
Once again, I must enter the nightmare.
Because the enemy of this world was there, and I was the hunter chosen by this world.
The night air chilled me to the bone.
I hugged the Dawn Sword tightly to my chest.
24.
I opened my eyes to morning.
Of course, I only knew because I checked my watch.
It struck me anew that DMC Station was no place for long-term habitation.
The soot from the steam engines, the darkness that made it impossible to tell day from night...
With a sigh, I got up and stretched, feeling like I'd had a good, long sleep for once.
Hong Byeong-gyu, Yoon Geon-woo, Cha Seung-hyeon.
The three were sprawled out in a big X, while Jeong Ha-kyeong slept in the corner under the [Shadow Exoskeleton Cloak].
Kim Gye-sang was gone.
“……!”
“……!”
Laughter-mixed clamor came from outside.
“Alright, let's try it again?”
I went out and saw Kim Gye-sang leading seven kids in exercises.
“Te, Teacher. That's so funny.”
Whenever Kim Gye-sang made a weird move, the kids burst into giggles. He seemed to enjoy his own mistakes.
I leaned against the wall with a pleased smile.
He was an elementary school teacher...
To get so close to the kids in just a day.
But in the end, it was all in the past.
Kim Gye-sang no longer had a school to go to or students to teach. A bittersweet reality.
“What're you doing this early in the morning?”
Jeong Ha-kyeong shuffled out yawning with sleepy eyes, the [Shadow Exoskeleton Cloak] draped over both shoulders.
“Morning exercises, looks like. He's a teacher, right?”
“Since when did exercises turn into slapstick comedy?”
I laughed at Jeong Ha-kyeong's words.
She took off the [Shadow Exoskeleton Cloak] and handed it to me, then cleared her throat awkwardly.
“This... worked well. It was warm.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“But... it reeked of sweat and blood. Better wash it once in a while.”
“Huh? Oh... you're right.”
I'd thought it was a kind gesture, but had I actually been a huge nuisance?
“Sorry.”
“Nah.”
An awkward silence suddenly fell.
Neither Jeong Ha-kyeong nor I spoke first. The quiet grew unbearable, and I was about to say something—anything—
“About last night.”
“Last night.”
We both spoke at the same time.
We turned to each other, eyes meeting, then coughed awkwardly in near unison and looked away.
“Fuck, my drinking habits are kinda bad. I didn't spew any bullshit after blacking out last night, did I?”
“No. You passed out before you even blacked out.”
“R-really? Good, that's a relief.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong grinned sheepishly, and I smiled back.
Since the World Cup Stadium Station trip, she'd been smiling more. A good sign.
“What's going on?”
Cha Seung-hyeon emerged from the station master's office. When I gave the same answer,
“Nah, not Gye-sang hyung. You two—Uncle and Noona. Shooting some romance drama first thing in the morning?”
“......What?”
“That's total cliché. Speaking at the same time like that.”
“Uh... is that a cliché? Clichés are super common, right?”
Cha Seung-hyeon shrugged pityingly at my question.
“Yeah. Uncle's kinda pitiful when you think about it. Should be wooing a decent girl. One who doesn't complain about the blanket smelling even after you cover her with it.”
This guy... how long had he been eavesdropping?
No need to punish him, though.
Jeong Ha-kyeong had already started.
“You little shit, get over here.”
“Ah, wait, hold on. Waaaiiit!”
Cha Seung-hyeon's scream echoed, and soon Hong Byeong-gyu and Yoon Geon-woo came out too.
“Both full of energy in the morning. Youth is wasted on the young.”
Hong Byeong-gyu scratched his belly like the uncle next door. Pretty funny.
“Sleep well?”
“Head's still pounding. How much did we drink yesterday... Seung-hyeon drank too.”
“Seung-hyeon's a minor, though?”
Hong Byeong-gyu whistled innocently in response.
“Aigoo, hangover. I need more rest, Lead Hunter hyung.”
It took quite a while for us to finish preparing to leave that morning.
Hong Byeong-gyu's group was saying goodbyes to the people they'd befriended yesterday. I waited until the end.
“Well, we'll be off then.”
“Really, thank you so much for coming.”
Baek Hyun-jong extended his hand to me.
“If you ever need anything, stop by anytime. The hunters are always on duty.”
“We're the ones grateful. If there's ever anything we can help with, come find us. Looking forward to meeting again.”
I shook his hand with a smile.
Baek Hyun-jong held on silently for a long time, then finally smiled and spoke.
“Looking at you, Baek-jun... it gives me a strange feeling.”
“......A strange feeling?”
“Like the world before the fall comes to mind.”
Hard to understand.
Why would the pre-fall world come to mind?
“You know, that feeling where if something unfair happens, there's somewhere to appeal, and if it's tough, there's someone to ask for help.”
“Aah...!”
“For some reason, you carry the scent of that longed-for world.”
Overwhelmed by the heavy words, I waved my hands frantically.
“Scent? I'm lucky if I don't stink of sweat.”
“Yeah, Ha-kyeong noona said Uncle reeks too. Watch out.”
“Fuck.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong smacked Cha Seung-hyeon's head with a curse. Hong Byeong-gyu burst out laughing, and all the station residents joined in.
“Alright.”
It was right as we were about to leave that Kim Gye-sang stepped forward.
“As you all know, Kim Gye-sang, the real leader of this idiot quartet.”
He grinned and pointed toward the tunnel.
“Nothing much. Those spirit stones all over World Cup Stadium Station? We'd like DMC Station to have them.”
“Huh? Oh, no. All of them? That many?”
“The station's in rough shape. Use them as development funds. Think of it as a small donation.”
Baek Hyun-jong blinked in bewilderment. He looked to me, and I nodded.
“Please accept. If Hyun-jong accepts happily, we'll be happy too.”
Hunting Zone spirit stones are low quality anyway.
30 Hunting Zone stones equal one Nightmare Zone stone. Like copper vs. gold in medieval terms?
Not a huge loss for Hong Byeong-gyu's group.
“Really... thank you so much... We'll use them well. We'll never forget your kindness. Absolutely...”
We left DMC Station amid heartfelt farewells.
On the way back in the carriage,
Hong Byeong-gyu's group looked regretful, which made me bittersweet for some reason.
“Why so glum? You can visit anytime you have time.”
Of course, I knew it wouldn't be that easy.
We Nightmare Hunters could die any moment, and Nightmare Hunts were resuming. Maybe that's why.
“Hm?”
Sinchon Severance main gate.
The fate of Nightmare Hunting took physical form.
“Was just on my way to find you, and we bump into each other.”
Frontline raid <Romance>.
Choi Uk and Im Yong-gon. When we met those Nightmare Hunters,
“We just pinpointed the Second Subordinate's location.”
Choi Uk's deep, cold voice echoed in my head.
“Hunt prep done, Lead Hunter?”
What was bound to come had arrived.
That thought swirled endlessly in my mind.
25.
“You've stirred up something strange in just two days.”
Choi Uk's hunting gear was ominous.
Like a medieval plague doctor at first glance.
Raven-beak gas mask. Raven-feather cape... and black one-piece [Light Armor] to boot.
“Likes attention more than it seems.”
His voice boomed dully through the gas mask filter.
“If you're talking about White Society work... it was necessary.”
My tone sharpened reflexively.
Choi Uk seemed to smirk at my reaction.
“Not scolding. Just probing your intentions.”
“......”
“So, intent to join the assault?”
I glanced at Jeong Ha-kyeong.
She said <Romance> hunters were trustworthy... and above all, those overwhelming levels proved their strength.
In this nightmarish world, allies were essential. No time for long deliberation.
“Ha-kyeong said you're trustworthy hunters.”
“Honored. Thanks.”
Didn't seem particularly grateful.
Choi Uk rummaged in his coat pocket and handed over a half-folded letter.
“......This is?”
“Council summons.”
Council...?
I fumbled to unfold it. The opening line jumped out.
[Second Assault Council Meeting]
Assault Council.
Absurd to modern eyes.
But seeing those words,
My heart—or the world—seemed to stop. Shin Tae-yeop's voice brushed my ear.
- Ahem. Such humble folk at this esteemed gathering...
Dong... dong... dong...
The clock tower chime snapped me out of it. Noon bells.
But why?
Did those bells sound like the start of the hunt?
“Already sent to all Nightmare Hunters.”
“You said... all of them?”
Strange.
If memory served, Choi Uk had proposed a small raid team?
He nodded, reading my doubt instantly.
“Just say a variable arose here. One requiring a massive operation.”
Massive operation?
Choi Uk's gaze went past my shoulder to Hong Byeong-gyu's group.
“Hope you'll join the council too. Stars of the first assault, aren't you?”
Hong Byeong-gyu narrowed his eyes.
Seemed resentment from the first meeting lingered.
“Hong Byeong-gyu, we need cooperation.”
He sighed and nodded at my coaxing.
“Got it. Didn't say no.”
“But we don't know time or place.”
Jeong Ha-kyeong stepped up beside me.
First assault survivor. A bit haughty, but Choi Uk didn't mind.
“Cathedral small chapel, today at 4 p.m.... or we could advance it now.”
Choi Uk raised his left arm to the sky.
Moments later, a large raven swooped down from the heavens and perched on it, wings flapping.
“That possible?”
“Most are waiting nearby anyway. Just send updated summons now.”
Bigger than a normal raven.
Disgustingly, just one eyeball embedded in its forehead.
Hunters' grim reaper, the cyclops raven.
Knew of it, first time seeing one. Worth a whopping top-grade spirit stone x10.
Star Messenger said hunters' transport is carriages, comms are ravens.
Caw. Caw.
The raven croaked, and a translucent [Info Window] appeared in midair. Choi Uk scribbled on it.
[Council convening early. Time: 1:20 p.m.]
“Go.”
The raven took flight.
Then, in an instant, its body split into countless fledglings, scattering everywhere.
What the hell?
Staring blankly, Choi Uk tapped my shoulder.
“Come on now. Swap some info.”
“......Info useful to you?”
“Why not?”
From within the raven gas mask, Choi Uk's eyes gleamed coldly.
“Tell me about the otherworld hunter.”