Where Will You Go?
The house, always packed to the brim, now stood eerily empty. The noisy rustle of wings brushing against bodies had vanished, leaving the corridors shrouded in silence.
But it wasn't truly empty. The cleaned-out areas were only on the outskirts of the house.
Deep underground.
The farthest point from the surface remained packed and bustling.
Unlike the swarms that had poured out into the open, bees with completely black exoskeletons clustered together, devouring their prey.
The prey was their own kin—paler brown bees. The black bees fed meekly on their fellows.
The black bees ate relentlessly. They gorged until the last brown bee vanished. Even after finishing their meal, their hunger persisted.
"We know next to nothing about carnivorous hornets. Aside from the Botsuna incident, most have been exterminated before the third generation."
Hamilton listened intently to Kang Moo-hyuk's words. This was information the Hunter Investigation Bureau agents couldn't provide. He had already decided to treat Kang Moo-hyuk as his advisor.
"But records of other rapid-evolution species suggest another danger we can infer."
"What monster is that?"
"One well-known even in North America. It appeared once before. They call it TT. Terminator Termite. The 'Ultimate White Ant.'"
Hamilton shuddered. He knew all too well about the vicious ants Kang Moo-hyuk mentioned.
Monsters that devoured plants and animals alike, laying entire regions to waste before moving on to repeat the process elsewhere.
Unlike other species, these ants grew stronger by having newly born white ants consume previous generations, layering old power onto their own to evolve.
"I'm from Texas, so I know those bastards well. The little shits nearly wiped out the North American prairies. If we hadn't crushed them early, mass food shortages would've killed countless people."
The North American prairies.
A vast granary spanning Indiana, northern Texas, and central-western Canada—prime farmland producing massive crop yields.
When the Ultimate White Ants appeared there, the U.S. government's reaction bordered on panic.
Kang Moo-hyuk used the ants as an analogy to explain the carnivorous hornets.
"The Ultimate White Ant is the poster child for rapid-evolution species, but others have evolved through cannibalism too. Of course, they don't start that way. They seek better prey, realize no better food exists than their predecessors, and it escalates from there. The problem is, only first-generation hornets have appeared so far."
"Isn't seeing only first-gen a good thing?"
"If we value the first-gen... They're numerous but nutritionally worthless—like junk food that never satisfies. But releasing them too soon risks exposing the hive before it's ready. The queen's intelligence is known to be high. It digs traps against assault teams. For such a being to unleash first-gen the moment the hive is threatened means it's confident."
"Confident?"
"That it's prepared. Confident it can repel any attack. It wouldn't make that call based on second- or third-gen alone. That's my take."
"Then the rest of the generations..."
"Prey for the top tiers. That's my suspicion."
Hamilton had considered the worst-case scenario, but hearing it straight from Kang Moo-hyuk made the hornet threat feel real.
The white ants had grown terrifyingly fast, tormenting hunters.
Back then, as a Texas country boy, Hamilton had witnessed the desperate struggle firsthand.
He steadied his pounding heart and recalled what he'd looked into while Kang Moo-hyuk was away.
'Carnivorous hornets outrank white ants? Then evolved ones will be far stronger. No telling how much, but judging by guilds ready to abandon the city, local guilds couldn't handle it alone. To target the queen as a mission objective... this is national-level.'
A national-level mission.
Even as the White House Hunter Policy Director—the pinnacle of hunter policy—he couldn't decide alone.
It required invoking the presidential emergency powers established post-Gate era.
In today's web of tangled interests and sharp conflicts, such a call wasn't easy.
As Hamilton's mind grew tangled, Captain Lucas Dunn reported.
"Detour restored. White House comms online."
Hamilton glanced at Kang Moo-hyuk.
"The nation stepping in for full raid support. That's my job, right?"
"Yes. The federal government will find it awkward on multiple fronts, but push the raid anyway—borrow Super S-rankers and the World Hunter Federation if needed."
"I'll do my best."
"Not your best. The optimal outcome."
Hamilton chuckled.
"That sounds more like an order than a request."
"Me, ordering America's top hunter operative? Perish the thought."
"Strangers would think you were American, Director—not Korean. A patriot at that. Desperate to kill monsters like this? Rare even among U.S. hunters these days."
"Does monster extermination care about nationality?"
"Too many prioritize personal gain over country."
"Look harder. America's vast. Plenty like me out there."
Dawn broke. LA's longest night in history ended.
Reports came in from guilds that fought the carnivorous hornet defense: monsters in their sectors eliminated.
LA's administration had collapsed, unable to broadcast immediately.
The mayor died evacuating; key city officials were dead or missing.
The LAPD chief, barely surviving, compiled reports and held a press conference.
Broadcast stations suffered heavy losses, unable to send crews. They scraped together prop checkers for an emergency feed.
Announcing LA safe and securing order—nothing beat confirming the monsters slain.
The police chief lacked politicians' polish. He offered no grand hope. But relief? Yes. His confident assurance—no more monster attacks—would boost recovery.
"If it's really over."
Kang Moo-hyuk shook his head at the TV press conference footage.
Evacuating 4 million LA citizens was challenge enough—declaring it done was reckless.
Thomas Lee, watching beside him, spoke up.
"Chief Ponce prowled city council. Lowest crime rate ever got him political offers. No political nose, but luck's his gift—turning this crisis into opportunity."
"Low crime? Wasn't that gangs vaporized by hunters?"
"Spot on, Director. Not downplaying police work, but criminals feared hunters. Hunter-related incidents exploded—off-books, though. Hunter Crime Bureau's problem, not the chief's."
"Statistical trap. Nothing changes but categories, yet it feels like success."
"Handy for manipulating groups. People ignore the flaw."
Kang Moo-hyuk had seen it plenty in Korea.
Those profiting off monsters as tools. Rationalizing personal gain invites bigger risks. No harm to others or society, but normalizing inequality and injustice.
All tangled, turning humanity's view from extermination to business opportunity.
"Infuriating."
Kang Moo-hyuk muttered softly—his most vehement reaction yet. Rare for the man who never showed emotion.
"More importantly, Hamilton's taking too long, no?"
Sensing his mood sour, No Song-rin shifted topics.
"Will take time. President's on European tour—decision lag."
"Video call, though—what lag...?"
"Even in a convenient world, top decisions need face-to-face. Weird, huh?"
"Weird or not, we've done plenty. Atmosphere says those hornet pups ain't weak. Head back to Korea."
"Federation exam period's ongoing."
"Exam? Oh right. That's why we're here? Nah, perfect excuse. Russia was hell; America's hornets. Exam's cursed. Federation won't complain if we bail."
Crude words, but No Song-rin was spot on.
Plus, Kang Moo-hyuk had secured Thomas—his exam priority—transfer contract rushed through, transfer fee wired to Ithaca at dawn comms restore.
They could leave now, no repercussions.
"But you won't, right?"
No Song-rin answered his own question.
Not long with Kang Moo-hyuk, but he knew the man's decisions blind.
"You read me well. Too much unfinished to just go. Repatriation's lower priority."
"Sigh, knew it."
Go Eul-ji, watching, thumbs-upped No Song-rin.
"Gotta read the Director that well to be top slave, huh?"
"Hunters need that savvy. You're too dense—would've keeled over. Low rank saved you."
"Then why didn't savvy you quit? Bail when Director joined. Wouldn't be stuck now."
"That's... grown-up stuff, kid."
"I'm adult next year."
"Sure. ID or not, no booze 'til birthday. Dry adult? Minor vibes."
"What era's lingo? Teasing kids? Embarrassing. Don't claim guild anywhere."
"Knows she's a kid, huh?"
"You said I'm savvy? Guess what I'm doing now."
"How should I... Huh? Hey, put that down!"
"Uncle's a goner today."
As No Song-rin and Go Eul-ji bickered, Jang Deok-gu returned from contacting Iron Will HQ in Korea.
Kang Moo-hyuk asked about it.
"What'd the Guild Master say? She'd rush here knowing our sitch. Hates desk work—always plotting escape. But don't let her. S-rank moves tense neighbors."
"No sweat. Easy task."
"Good she listens to you at least."
"No long talk needed. No dissuading required."
"True to form, Master."
"Director's more impressive. Reads Guild Master like a book."
"She's obvious. Thinks simple outside monster hunts..."
A familiar voice cut Kang Moo-hyuk off.
"Sorry for the simplicity."
"Simple? Meant simple is best. That's it. Hello, Guild Master? When'd you hit the States? Haha..."
"Since you started badmouthing?"
"Translator artifact busted?"
"Wasn't even English—don't blame it."
"..."
Joo Se-ah's sudden arrival left Kang Moo-hyuk side-eyeing Jang Deok-gu.
"Sorry, no heads-up. I'm Guild Master faction."
Jang Deok-gu drew lines; Go Eul-ji scurried to Joo Se-ah.
"Me too. No's Director faction, right?"
"Why am I Director...?"
No Song-rin trailed off, eyes locking with Kang Moo-hyuk's.
Thomas, witnessing guild faction drama, rubbed his chin, frowning.
"Where do I stand? Johanna, where you going?"
"Told you, not Iron Will."