226. A Surprise Awaits
Kang Moo-hyuk returned to the hotel with Thomas in tow.
Since Thomas had passed out, they took the underground parking lot to avoid drawing attention.
“Not that elevator. Let's take the staff one.”
Kang Moo-hyuk led Jang Deok-gu to a secluded staff elevator in the corner. A hotel employee tried to board midway, but Kang Moo-hyuk raised his palm to block him, and Jang Deok-gu scowled from behind. The employee opted for the next elevator.
“He's burning up.”
Jang Deok-gu, cradling Thomas in both arms, spoke up.
Kang Moo-hyuk touched Thomas's forehead and cheek to check, then jolted back in shock. The heat surging from him was inhuman, like the hood of a car baked under midsummer sun.
If Jang Deok-gu weren't a hunter, he might have suffered burns just from holding him.
Kang Moo-hyuk immediately called the hotel front desk on his smartphone.
“This is room 4701. Do you sell ice by any chance? Commercial cubed ice? Not for sale, huh. You provide it as a complimentary service with drinks? In that case, let's get some of that service. 300 bags. Bill us if there's a charge.”
"We provide complimentary ice bags with drinks, yes."
They arrived on the 47th floor just as the call ended.
They quickly entered the first of the four luxury suites on the floor.
“To the bathroom. Put him in the tub and run cold water.”
Jang Deok-gu laid Thomas in the tub and turned on the cold water. Steam soon clouded the bathroom mirror.
Kang Moo-hyuk, who had followed to check on him, was startled at first, thinking it was hot water.
“Guild leader. This isn't heat a human body can produce. Unless it's a hunter with a flame trait.”
“Wind earlier, fire now.”
“Yes. The power that manifested outward when he was awake is boiling inside him now.”
“Do we need to wake him to control it?”
“I tried, but he won't come to. Even if he does, no guarantee he can control it. Looks like mana rampage.”
There were hunters blessed with heaven-sent talents now and then. But talents the human body couldn't contain often brought disaster instead. The body couldn't keep up with rapid growth, leading to mana surges.
Jang Deok-gu had only heard of it, never seen it firsthand, so he wasn't entirely sure.
As they pondered Thomas's symptoms, room service delivered the ice. Jang Deok-gu carried hundreds of bags into the tub alone, without letting the staff enter.
The ice melted in seconds, boiling like hot bathwater. Even dumping more than half over Thomas's head brought no improvement.
Kang Moo-hyuk called his father, Kang Chang-su, right away. With his smartphone on speaker while Jang Deok-gu worked on the ice, he explained.
“Thomas the hunter used the suppressant. Mana surged, he's unconscious with fever. Not normal fever—flame-attribute mana trapped inside raising his body temp. The side-effect mitigator you gave worked 17 minutes post-injection, but no effect. Any solutions?”
Kang Chang-su answered without needing backstory.
“Stabilizer, then.”
Kang Moo-hyuk caught on immediately.
Kang Moo-hyuk felt grateful for his father's caution. Even diluted caused this mess; pure might have killed Thomas outright.
“Understood.”
Kang Moo-hyuk fetched his stabilizers without ending the call. Liquid-filled capsules.
“Hunter Jang Deok-gu. Hold his head and open his mouth.”
“Isn't this your meds?”
Jang Deok-gu grabbed Kang Moo-hyuk's hand as it neared Thomas's lips, shaking his head.
“Can't risk you like in Sinuiju over meds. I get this mage is important, but to the guild, you're more vital.”
“It's fine. Let go. I can hold out awhile on injection alone. Save him first.”
“How long is 'awhile'?”
Jang Deok-gu gripped harder at Kang Chang-su's words—not painful, but immovable.
“See? Your father says a week max. Without him, you'd gloss over or lie.”
“Where's a more honest man? I hate lying.”
“Bluffing's your trademark.”
“Just a bit in official business.”
“'Official' is vague. Objection overruled.”
“Can't you just let go?”
“Guild master ordered me to stop any risky moves.”
Jang Deok-gu was rigid on guild matters. Ruthless with villains, but ironclad on Joo Se-ah's orders.
He was the toughest for Kang Moo-hyuk to sway. No greed, loyalties only to Joo Se-ah and Hunter Association Chairman Han Byung-gu.
A non-hunter immune to Kang Moo-hyuk's tactics.
'Trouble if he were an enemy.'
But as an ally, rock-solid.
As they stared each other down, the speaker offered mediation.
Such a simple fix?!
The tension deflated instantly.
“He's sending them right away. Let's start. Open Thomas the hunter's mouth.”
Jang Deok-gu complied without protest this time.
Kang Chang-su's diagnosis was spot-on. After swallowing dozens of capsules, Thomas's fever broke. Confirming normal temperature, Kang Moo-hyuk laid him in bed and resumed the call with his father.
He detailed the cafe incident and Thomas's condition.
Mana-sensitive addiction symptoms, mana-related trait, plus suppressant efficacy—logical combo for rampage.
Kang Moo-hyuk remembered vividly. Before treatment, a three-hour seminar-level lecture on mana addiction.
Post-gate atmospheric mana particles alter humans via respiration—positive for hunters, worst for addiction.
“Appreciate it.”
The call ended; his phone rang again.
Unknown number.
Kang Moo-hyuk answered cautiously.
“About Hunter No Song-rin?”
Kang Moo-hyuk assumed Federation pull, but Martin's words veered off-script.
“!!”
Kang Moo-hyuk tensed at the sudden White House mention.
HCF was governmental, but Thomas's rampage wasn't White House-level.
Federation influence could've handled via direct or politico channels.
'White House? Not Federation then. Play it cool.'
Silence made Martin fidget, backpedaling his jab.
Kang Moo-hyuk nodded readily.
“On my way.”
Hanging up, Jang Deok-gu, having overheard the odd call, asked.
“HCF joint ops back in my agency days—formalities like that mean squat. High-ups say jump, Korea or US, we jump. No need to show face if ordered released. Smells fishy.”
“Agreed. Probably a surprise waiting.”
“Surprise?”
“White House folks. One thing they might want: rider wolves.”
“Wolves?”
“Washington politics gets fat funding from East Coast guilds. Like old defense contractors. Public secret those two dragon horse ranch guilds tie tight to White House.”
“No way. How soon after we stirred? Already?”
“Didn't expect this fast. Shows East Coast guilds are desperate. Time to talk.”
“This feels off.”
Ithaca Guild vice master Powel spotted eerie traces at Skid Row's secret brewery.
He asked his right-hand man, Grant.
“How many guarded here?”
“Two at night.”
“Booze joint, so drinking makes sense... but both vanish? Leaving this mess?”
Long blood trail on the floor. Drag marks.
“Human blood. But this viscous stuff? Not.”
“Monster.”
“Not just any.”
Powel scraped floor goo with his dagger. Blade blackened on contact.
“Poison?”
“Check data on poison monsters that drag prey instead of eating onsite. Breeders usually. Haul for offspring.”
“Got it. Site?”
“Burn it. Monster involvement means it'll get found eventually.”
Powel traced the blood. Led to open manhole—sewer access.
“Clean here, then hunt it.”
“Now?”
“Know the enemy to plan ahead.”