Han River Chicken Orgy and the Sudden Gate

I managed to make it all the way from the Han River orgy party at the Hunter Management Bureau straight to Seoul Station. If I hopped on the next train down now, it'd be a perfect getaway, but things in this world never go exactly as planned.

"…No trains… Huh?"

The last train home had already left an hour ago. I hadn't expected it to cut off this early. Should I grab a bus? Most terminals were around Gangnam as far as I remembered, but I absolutely couldn't rely on my original world's knowledge. This was a parallel world, basically identical to what I knew, but there were glitches—like place names slightly changed or bits of history altered.

I pulled out my smartphone and opened the map app, searching for 'bus terminal.' A single pinpoint popped up in the Seoul area.

"Knew it would be like this… What the hell? Everything except Central is gone?"

I definitely remembered Dongseoul and Nambu Terminals being there, but the map only showed 'Central.' I tried searching for Dongseoul and Nambu separately, but it just said no results found.

"They're really gone…"

Back when I was still a guy doing my military service, a junior from down south in Namhae had joined our base up in northern Gyeonggi. He said he always had to go through Nambu Terminal to get home. Some Gyeongsang areas didn't run from Central or elsewhere, or something like that. Anyway, I didn't know the exact details, but I couldn't assume that heading to a terminal in this world meant the route I wanted would be there like in my original one.

Here, it looked like Central handled all the routes.

"Let's see… Ah, there it is. Last bus at 6:30…"

Current time: 6:28 PM. And I was still at Seoul Station.

Damn it. Even my last resort was gone.

I'd planned to register as a hunter, hit a dungeon the next day, and casually head home. Instead, I'd skipped registration and turned the place into a circus. No reason to stick around Seoul anymore—I just wanted to get down before my sister got suspicious… But nope, looked like I was crashing here after all.

I checked the first train tomorrow and left Seoul Station. As I hit the main road, car horns and people's chatter filled the air. Even on a weekday, the crowds made sense—this was the city. Nothing like the infrastructure in my backwater countryside home. The only gripe? This damn fine dust haze.

I was a city boy at heart, so I figured it'd feel familiar, but I'd spent way ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠longer in Triia. Clean air, mana-rich winds. A world leagues beyond Seoul. After that comfy life, this scene felt totally alien.

I'd longed to come back, but now? Just emptiness and disappointment.

…Had I turned into a country bumpkin? Or maybe my sister had gaslit me into staying rural.

Gurgle~

Tension easing up, my stomach started rumbling. Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten since morning. And with some stress finally lifting… Perfect. First time in Seoul—time for a feast you can't get anywhere else!

What to eat? Han River chicken? Or hit a fancy restaurant. I had my sister's bottomless water vial, so I should splurge while I could.

"Gotta try that brand-by-brand chicken delivery I skipped last time."

Reinstalling the delivery app I'd deleted in despair, I swallowed hard without realizing.

# Han River Riverside. The insiders' holy site, where public indecency is basically legal. The sun hadn't fully set, and there they were—people blatantly devouring chicken in plain sight. Eating like this outdoors? If that's not public lewdness, what is? What are the cops even doing?

"Time to join the party!"

I found a wide-open spot, spread out the mat I'd rented, and waited. Thirty minutes later, the chickens started arriving. I set them up ready-to-eat right away. Different brands each time, so tons of variety—but to avoid refilling my spent mana, I kept it light with just five birds.

"Hehe, half-and-half orders mean ten flavors~"

Fried, seasoned, ppringkle, wasabi mayo, onion—you name it. Lined up neat and tidy, my chest swelled with pride.

"…This is too lewd…"

Calling food lewd? Had I gone full degenerate? No! Blame these slutty bitches for looking so tempting! The nerve!! Time to punish them by eating!!

I boldly grabbed the fried one from the left end.

Crunch— Juicy oil brushed my lips as the crispy batter shattered, salted meat melting in my mouth. A perfect trinity for eyes, ears, and tastebuds.

Fried was the base of all chicken, but Koreans never leave food plain. Sauce—the ultimate support spell expanding chicken's horizons.

I tackled the saucy ones one by one. Each had a fierce personality, no pushovers.

And realizing I couldn't do this freely starting tomorrow? Kinda depressing.

"Nom nom. Gulp… This is so unfair! Can't eat stuff this good just 'cause I'm in the sticks…!"

Chewing the wing bone scraps, I cursed the franchises too lazy to expand.

Drumming solo to pass the time, I polished off the lot. Who knew when I'd get another shot? Wanted to order more, but my stomach screamed yes while my brain vetoed.

Regretfully packing up, I started folding the mat when a guy approached from afar.

I knew he was heading my way—he'd been staring openly for the last thirty minutes.

Guessing the situation, I hurried to fold faster and bail.

"Hey, miss. Here alone?"

"…No. With friends."

"C'mon, I watched you the whole time. Solo the entire way."

"Why were you watching? Stalker?"

"Oho, feisty one?"

The guy smirked, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠closing in. Brown hair split 5:5, ears pierced to hell. Sleeveless in cooler weather? Obviously flexing arm muscles and tats.

"You're a hunter, right? What rank? D? C?"

Fake Golden Sun dropping casual speech. Booze on his breath, but not sloppy drunk. His crew watched uneasily from where he'd come.

I'd planned to ignore and dip, but his words had bite. Time to clap back.

"What's it to you?"

"Huh, what a bitch. I asked first. What rank?"

"None. Why?"

"…What?"

The thug froze at my answer, then got it and clutched his gut laughing solo.

Ugh, wanna deck him. This punk thinks I'm lying about not being a hunter?

Sigh… Chill. I'm the one who needs to lay low. Starting shit here would be bad.

"Kekeke! A non-hunter bitch acting all high and mighty? What you got backing that?"

"No business? I'm out."

"Hah… Fuckin' kidding me? Some nobody acting all pricey?"

As I turned to leave, he grabbed my wrist. Second time today. First was whatever, but this? Pretty girls touching me was one thing—guys with dicks dangling? Whole different story.

I froze, icy tension centering on me and Fake Golden Sun. His two buddies rushed over late, but my mood was already trashed.

I yanked my wrist inward, pulling him off-balance. About to uppercut his jaw—

"G-GATE!!!"

Shouts from the nearby riverside path. My fist halted inches from his chin. We both whipped toward the river: people fleeing a 'blue rift' in mid-air. Blue mist leaking from the crack.

If this were a game, it'd be 'bug in the field, call the devs.'

…What kinda day was this? Trouble everywhere I went.

'The day you leave is market day' fit perfectly.

"Tch! A gate on my day off…"

Tongue-clicking, Fake Golden Sun ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠released my wrist, ignored me, and joined his crew heading to the gate. Sirens wailed, disaster alert pinged.

I checked my phone right away.

Yup, real gate. Should I run? Wait—this was a legit chance to cut loose.

Couldn't register anyway, so dungeons were off. But play lost kid in the gate, burn all my pent-up mana?

Ugh! Mana core's already whining!

Couldn't hold back. Grinning despite myself, I headed for the gate.