Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Hunter's Secret
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Haon had grown quite fond of Chacha and Bani.
She couldn’t trust them as much as Juyeol, and they didn’t know she was a different Eun Haon like Nova did, but the two of them provided a strange sense of comfort.
They hadn't met at the orphanage, school, or the lab, nor were they mutual acquaintances through ‘Juyeol’. They had been complete strangers.
The two who would show up at her place as if it were the most natural thing in the world, rambling about nonsense, then sprawling on her sofa and eating snacks all night.
Perhaps they were her very first friends.
*I see. It wasn't just Juyeol I became friends with.*
Haon couldn't control the sudden wave of anxiety and clasped her hands together.
“If… if I told you I came from another dimension, would you believe me?”
“Of course, I'd think you were crazy.”
Haon's shoulders slumped at the unhesitating reply.
As she wondered if she should show them the photos and videos from the other dimension, Chacha lowered her legs from the table and spoke.
“Still, tell us.”
“…?”
“We'll let ourselves be fooled, so make it sound convincing.”
“…!”
Haon’s eyes widened as she lifted her head.
Chacha and Bani were both looking at her with confusion, but not like they were seeing a stranger.
Could it be that their new relationship with her wasn't an illusion to them, either?
“Unni, so… are you an alien visiting Earth?”
At the question Bani offered after some thought, Haon's blank expression crumpled, her eyebrows and the corners of her mouth drooping.
“Would it be okay if I were an alien?”
As Haon's chin wrinkled like a walnut and she teared up, Chacha freaked out.
“Seeing that face cry is something I can't get used to.”
Haon had a mountain of things to do.
She had to contact Juyeol, check if the information from the Hero Headquarters’ server had been saved properly, and find Bae Anjae.
But first, there was something she had to tell Chacha and Bani.
“The probability of an alien visiting Earth for travel is almost zero. It's extremely rare for a planet capable of supporting intelligent life to have formed earlier than Earth.”
“…What are you even talking about while crying?”
Chacha muttered with a fed-up expression but didn't leave her seat.
It seemed both she and Bani were planning to hear Haon out.
* * *
There was nothing to salvage from the ruins of Hero Headquarters.
Where everything had been destroyed, only rubble and steel rebar remained.
Even so, people sifted through the stones, found a few shattered machines, and loaded them up.
The only place large enough for so many people to regroup was a large gymnasium in the Central District.
Since the majority of Heroes lived in the Headquarters' dormitories without separate homes or safe houses, they looked particularly lost as they entered the gym.
Hunter surveyed the bustling people before turning to her side.
Juyeol, holding the document in question, was staring intently at Hunter.
“Ghost. You should be banned from entering the Archives.”
“I had a little help.”
“Are you saying someone opened an Archive door for you without authorization?”
Just then, the leader of Engineering Team B happened to walk past.
“Anyone see my ID card? Where on earth did I drop it.”
“Here. I found it.”
Juyeol calmly handed him the ID card.
“Ah! Thanks. It might be useless now that the headquarters is gone, but it felt weird without it.”
“Don't mention it.”
Hunter watched the leader of Engineering Team B walk away with a hollow laugh, then sighed in disbelief.
The leaders and deputy leaders of each department could access any of the Archives with their ID cards.
“You stole someone’s ID card?”
“I didn't steal it. I simply picked it up off the floor and held onto it for a moment.”
“…That’s not the only problem. The rules clearly state that bringing materials out of the Archives is forbidden.”
Juyeol scoffed at her words and tossed the document into the flames of a drum barrel.
The names of Hunter and Halo were written side by side on the paper that was instantly consumed by the fire.
Hunter watched it burn with a bitter smile. They both knew that a single piece of paper like this wasn't what truly mattered.
“It's just as you saw. I owe Halo a debt.”
“Have you paid it all back? Or are you still paying it? You knew where Halo was all this time, didn't you!”
Juyeol gritted his teeth, recalling the information written on the document he had just burned.
「Points of caution when assigning missions to Hunter (Gil Myeonghwa).」
「Attacked during pregnancy but survived with Halo's help.」
「Presumed to have been under Halo's protection during childbirth.」
「Multiple private meetings with Halo detected.」
「Meetings detected with biological son, Seong Dante.」
「No record of reporting to Headquarters; interrogation recommended.」
「Actively volunteers for missions related to Halo.」
「Observation of mission performance recommended.」
⋮
「Biological son Seong Dante Awakened and joined Hero Headquarters: Hero name Chaser.」
「Observation of Chaser's performance on Halo-related missions recommended.」
It was a well-known fact within the Headquarters that Hunter's late husband was a theater actor and that their biological son was Chaser.
However, the fact that Hunter had received help from none other than Halo when she was carrying and giving birth to Chaser was a secret unknown among the Heroes.
Juyeol was certain that Chaser himself didn't know.
What mattered to him right now was whether he could trust Hunter, the leader of the Heroes.
She was the one who had lured him into the Hero Headquarters while he was searching for the person who had burned down his home, deceiving him completely, and had stood by and watched when Gowon was arrested based on a false confession.
“Before I answer, let me make one thing clear. The Headquarters conducted an inspection and concluded that there was no possibility of me betraying them.”
Hunter’s words were true.
He hadn't brought it with him, but Juyeol had seen it recorded on the next page.
But people could decide to become Villains when their family was on the line, and Hunter was only human.
Having owed her life and her child’s life to Halo, could she really deal with them dispassionately?
“The decision not to apprehend Halo for the arson ten years ago was made by my superiors. I'm just as curious as you are about where Halo is now, and I have never colluded with them. I'd bet my life on it.”
As Juyeol continued to glare, Hunter added.
“I'll bet Dante's life on it, too.”
“…!”
“If you still don't believe me, you can request a formal interrogation of me at the Headquarters after we've captured Halo.”
Juyeol clenched his fists in frustration.
The more he talked with Hunter, the clearer it became that there was nothing he could do about her relationship with Halo.
The Headquarters knew far more about their connection than he did, and it even seemed like they were using it.
The only reason Juyeol was so enraged by this situation was because Halo was connected to his sister's mysterious disappearance or death.
“…So Hyeseong's death is just a personal matter to you? Even though it might be tied to illegal human experiments?”
“Set aside your personal matters and focus on the job you're given. Until now, the idea that Halo was connected to the Awakening Sphere experiments has been nothing but speculation.”
An indignant Juyeol gritted his teeth, then paused.
“…Until now?”
“Most of the data was destroyed, so there's nothing left, but I remember which company manufactured the equipment from the lab where your sister was rescued.”
Hunter glanced around and lowered her voice.
“The company is out of business now, but I contacted its former president a while ago to see if there was anything to learn.”
Juyeol’s fists slowly unclenched at the unexpected words.
Hunter had been investigating the human experiments involving his sister on her own?
“He said someone bought up all the remaining equipment that had been sitting in a warehouse a few months ago. He doesn't know who the buyer was, but he said the goods were sent to the 2nd District.”
“…!”
“That's enough to move from speculation to a proper investigation, wouldn't you say? Assuming, of course, that what Dr. Eun Haon said is true.”
“I can vouch for her. You said you saw Bae Anjae, who was supposed to be dead. You still don't believe it?”
Juyeol said urgently.
“But when did you find all this out on your own? If you had told me in the first place—.”
“Then your job is to find out the origin of that lab equipment that was delivered to the 2nd District. And you'll be moving under my command.”
Hunter cut him off, her tone firm.
“But I…”
“Tell me what you know about the 2nd District from Dr. Eun.”
Juyeol swallowed the words swirling in his mouth and nudged Ttiyong with the tip of his shoe.
“Hey. Bring up the map.”
[Displaying the map made by the Mechanic!]
Ttiyong transformed into a sphere and shot a blue beam onto the wall.
The map was much smaller than the one in Haon’s lab, but it was clear enough to read.
“If you look at this part of the 2nd District…”
As Juyeol pointed out the underground passage Nova had discovered to Hunter, he noticed something and narrowed his eyes.
A small wrench icon was moving.
“What's this?”
[That's the Mechanic's location!]
“Eun Haon? What is she doing there right now?”
“Hunter! A report from River!”
Just then, a Headquarters staff member rushed over.
“Dr. Eun Haon has killed someone again. In the 2nd District!”