Chapter 68
Chapter 68
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: The Girl Dreams, 1st Hunting Squad (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
0.
“The squad composition has been decided like that.”
When my explanation ended.
The 1st Hunting Squad—that is, Hong Byeong-gyu and his crew—each wore an odd expression. Hong Byeong-gyu spoke up.
“Hmm. To take care of Do Ye-jin... Is this Choi Uk's call on his own?”
“No. I fully agree. I want to entrust Ye-jin to people I can trust.”
Yoon Geon-woo, who’d been perched on the railing sharpening his blade, flashed a grin first.
“H-Hyung says peel, so we peel. I’m down. Do Ye-jin looked pretty cute.”
“Hmm. Truth be told, this body’s been thinking we need a lady in the squad soon. Bro, with nothing but widowers around here, the morning funk shakes the rafters!”
“Th-that’s all ’cause hyung’s hogging Ha-kyeong noona.”
Hogging?
What the hell is this kid on about?
I burst out laughing, slung my arm around Yoon Geon-woo’s neck, and tousled his hair like mad.
That was when Cha Seung-hyeon let it show.
The kid standing off at a distance, prim-faced and silent.
“Seung-hyeon-ah.”
“Ung-nim, I’m not okay with this.”
“......”
“I get that Do Ye-jin didn’t do anything wrong. But why her? Why her of all people in Gye-sang hyung’s spot...”
I crooked a finger.
Beckoning him over. When Cha Seung-hyeon came close, I dropped to one knee to meet his gaze.
“Here’s how I see it, Seung-hyeon-ah. Ye-jin’s the legacy Kim Gye-sang left us.”
Kim Gye-sang, if you hadn’t been there.
I never would’ve beaten Arishel. Never would’ve pulled Ye-jin out of that nightmare.
“Ye-jin’s got endless potential to end this nightmare. She’s the kid carrying Gye-sang’s dream.”
Dream.
The word made Cha Seung-hyeon’s eyes quiver.
“The thing that killed Gye-sang hyung isn’t what’s filling that spot. It’s Gye-sang hyung’s dream that stepped in.”
I pressed my forehead to his little one.
“She’s a pitiful kid, hurts right here. We all are...”
“......”
“Seung-hyeon-ah, be a sweet big bro to Ye-jin. You can do that, yeah? Big bro Seung-hyeon’s counting on you?”
1.
“Huh~ what’s this?”
Do Ye-jin waved cheerfully.
Training camp main gate. There was Shin Tae-yeop, yawning his guts out.
“You here to see me off?”
“Picking you up. Gotta call it a pickup in a case like this.”
“See-off or pickup, it’s all the same.”
Shin Tae-yeop froze for a split second, then shot back with a straight face.
“The same...? How?”
“Umhaha! Drop the nitpicking!”
“......”
“Anyhow, to greet this lord proper, you need a flower palanquin or red carpet at least~ just messing!”
Shin Tae-yeop couldn’t help but crack a smile at Do Ye-jin giggling pure and bright over her own joke.
“Brat. Cockier than before—guess you’ve been living it up beyond your station.”
“Yeah.”
“That weapon’s massive. You swing that thing? Kid, don’t front──”
Do Ye-jin hoisted Cannon X one-handed, and Shin Tae-yeop sucked in a sharp breath.
──Oh shit....
Do Ye-jin beamed a hehet grin.
“I’m top cadet. Unlike some, this is easy as pie.”
“Top cadet, huh. Word I haven’t heard in ages.”
Top cadet, top cadet.
Shin Tae-yeop muttered it a few times like it amused him, then smirked.
“Let’s walk and talk.”
Shin Tae-yeop’s uniform was pretty unique.
Coat a size too big, wide cuffs—gave off straight monk-robe vibes.
“Perfect. Gotta be top to play maknae in our squad.”
“Our squad?”
“1st Hunting Squad. You know it?”
Do Ye-jin nodded.
Knew it inside out. Park Ji-won wouldn’t shut up about it.
“Squad of nothing but hunters from the first strategy op! Right?”
Average level a whopping 50.
Second only to the Subordinate-hunting extermination team—elite of the elite.
“Knowing that speeds things up.”
Shin Tae-yeop’s tone turned bitter.
“Straight talk: you’re filling a spot the rest of us wanna leave empty.”
“......?”
“That guy... bit it in the Gyo-nam-dong strategy op.”
Ah.
Gyo-nam-dong strategy op.
The words flew like a dagger, stabbing and twisting in Do Ye-jin’s lungs.
“Got it.”
But Do Ye-jin smiled.
Behind that smile’s mask, she thought this:
When you bond with someone.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the killer’s brand didn’t come standard?
“They’re good folks and all... but don’t bank on warm welcomes.”
2.
The 1st Hunting Squad was a rowdy bunch. Clear from the first meet at HQ.
“Hey, chickadee. Lemme drop some wisdom.”
Cha Seung-hyeon said.
“Wanna make squad life smooth? Show me respect—honorifics.”
“Why?”
“Why? ‘Why, sir!’ is how you say it.”
“......!”
“I outrank you in age and experience. And I’m the real power here.”
A beat of silence hung.
Cha Seung-hyeon cleared his throat, frowning.
“Got it?”
“Hmm......”
Do Ye-jin cocked her head.
Then slapped a hand to her forehead and swung it forward.
Do Ye-jin’s height: 165 cm.
Cha Seung-hyeon’s height: 163 cm.
Her hand sliced the air above his head.
“Didn’t realize. Thought you were the dongsaeng for sure... Don’t get mad. Just kidding! Kidding!”
Shin Tae-yeop stifled a laugh; Hong Byeong-gyu bellowed. Cha Seung-hyeon’s cheeks puffed slow, then he charged Do Ye-jin.
“Whoa whoa, easy, easy.”
The charge flopped, of course. Yoon Geon-woo pinned his arms.
“Let go, hyung! Let go!”
Cha Seung-hyeon dangled midair, flailing arms and legs.
“This punk—this punk just crossed a line you don’t cross!”
“Lemme drop some wisdom, Seung-hyeon dongsaeng.”
Hong Byeong-gyu turned grave for a sec.
“You keep growing even in the army. A man’s height.”
“......!”
“......!”
Cha Seung-hyeon shot Hong Byeong-gyu a dubious look upward.
“Not another American joke?”
“Nah nah. This is Korean fact.”
“K-Korean fact? What, opposite of American joke? Ha-kyeong noona should’ve been here.”
Yoon Geon-woo snickered in, and boom—laughter explosion.
“Ha-kyeong noona around? Wouldn’t have let that dad joke fly.”
“Eugh, nightmare.”
The three were walled off in a massive barrier Do Ye-jin couldn’t breach.
That barrier’s name: shared past.
So Do Ye-jin approached Shin Tae-yeop, leading up front.
“Where we headed?”
“Forward base? Secret lair? Call it what you want—we’re going to squad barracks.”
Jongno-gu, Gyo-nam-dong, east gate.
Tucked in a shady alley nearby: squad digs.
Two-story stone building.
Sprawling yard, walls.
Felt rundown next to Gyeonghui Palace HQ.
“Why all the way out here? HQ’s close. Ten-minute walk.”
“Official line: quick response times.”
Shin Tae-yeop had killer vocab for a 19-year-old.
“Real reason... you’ll feel better away from crowds, right?”
Shin Tae-yeop flashed a dazzling smile.
Pure goodwill carries warmth.
Do Ye-jin blanked for a sec in that warmth.
“What, hate it? Hate it, we turn back.”
“No, just... how’s food? Worried about that.”
“Silly goose. No sweat there.”
Cha Seung-hyeon snarked it, but Shin Tae-yeop spilled the reason.
“I used to wanna be a chef.”
3.
“Shin Tae-yeop...... what’re you doing with that meat?”
“......”
“What’s with this cabbage...... don’t tell me?”
“Oh, you don’t know? It’s called [kimchi]. Main ingredient for Korea’s traditional dish we’re making now, [kimchi jjigae].”
And so(?) Operation Kimchi Jjigae kicked off. Do Ye-jin got meat-chopping duty.
- She’s strong, she’ll nail it.
Hope so, but... zero know-how made it a nightmare.
“Don’t chop like that.”
Hong Byeong-gyu uncle stepped in with help.
“Here, gimme. Like this. Then this way.”
“Wow, uncle, you a chef too?”
“Chef? Heh heh. Just done every grunt job out there. Now you try.”
Do Ye-jin sliced per Hong Byeong-gyu’s method. Still clumsy, but worlds easier.
“Not bad at all—easier than it looks.”
Cha Seung-hyeon’s laugh cut in.
Glanced over: him rinsing rice for steamed lumps with Yoon Geon-woo, chattering away.
“Look at that face—wanna join in. Uncle’s hurt.”
Hong Byeong-gyu teased; Do Ye-jin waved it off fast.
“Ah, no?”
“Sure sure. Be honest. Kidding.”
“Really. I just......”
What excuse?
Do Ye-jin brain-stormed 0.3 seconds and said:
“World’s only been kaput two months? How’s meat and veg even a thing?”
“Hmm. Paradise grows everything fast. Fruit in three days, pigs full-grown in a week.”
What kinda nonsense......?
Almost said it, but in this unfathomable world—what made sense anymore?
“Ye-jin’s gotta understand.”
Hong Byeong-gyu cut in.
“The dongsaengs’ll be frosty a bit. Can’t be helped.”
Do Ye-jin eyed the meat on the board, forced a hi laugh.
“I’m good. I heard it all......! Know what spot I’m filling.”
“Gye-sang dongsaeng’s, yeah. Hmm... if that ain’t the reason, it’s bullshit.”
Hong Byeong-gyu smiled kindly, shook his head.
“But that ain’t the main thing... they’re just scared.”
“Of me?”
“Nah. Of caring.”
Caring......?
What?
Looked up: Hong Byeong-gyu’s eyes, staring bitter at empty space.
“World’s so fucked these days... care about someone, and they drop dead before you blink.”
Then he added:
You’ll get what I mean soon enough.
4.
“Th-this...... what is it?!”
“Oh, you don’t know? It’s kimchi jjigae.”
Kimchi jjigae tasted unreal. How they nailed pre-ruin flavor was mind-blowing.
“But that thing... for real?”
Yoon Geon-woo ladled stew onto a side plate, asked Shin Tae-yeop.
“But hey. Sudden massive recon op? To the Great Library, no less.”
“What? Great Library? No way?”
Cha Seung-hyeon gawked, choked on his food. Shin Tae-yeop nodded.
“Choi Uk uncle...... er, Star Messenger says. Subordination secret’s hidden in the Great Library.”
Heavy silence crashed down. Do Ye-jin felt it aimed her way.
“Failed at everything else... and now answers drop easy?”
Wait......?
So the Star Messenger wasn’t bullshitting back then?
“Yeah, rookies. But too soon to celebrate.”
What else’d she say?
When we met—what was it......?
“Op zone’s that Great Library. No clue what losses we’ll take.”
Shin Tae-yeop rubbed his temples like a headache brewed, finally eyed Do Ye-jin.
“1st Hunting Squad’s top priority: keep you safe.”
“......!”
“But Great Library chews up even squads that guard themselves.”
Shin Tae-yeop mustered a grin.
“So learn survival.”
“How?”
“Hmm. Ten days till op launch.”
Spread ten fingers like, then scanned Hong Byeong-gyu, Yoon Geon-woo, Cha Seung-hyeon in turn.
“You’ve got the Association’s top vet hunters around you. What more you need?”