Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The End of Incompetence (3)
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As the security guards approached him, Cha Su-ho spoke up.
"Is it that surprising that I woke up?"
The security guards flinched at his calm question. The nurse, who had seemed to be checking his condition, asked cautiously.
"A-Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
Confirming the normal look in Cha Su-ho's eyes as he responded naturally, the security guards took a step back. They seemed relieved that he wasn't in a rampage state.
Only then did the nurse slowly approach Cha Su-ho.
"I'll report to Chief Examiner Trevor right away that Helper Cha Su-ho has woken up."
"Got it."
The nurse checked the IV line and jotted down Cha Su-ho's vital signs on the chart she'd brought.
"Sorry. We thought Helper Cha Su-ho was in a ra— no, that your condition was bad."
Cha Su-ho could guess from the nurse swallowing the word "rampage."
'Must've caused a huge fuss. Over the fact that you rampaged.'
Jin Seong-hyeok chimed in as if he'd guessed the same, and Cha Su-ho replied.
'Yeah. They were even trying to put restraints on me...'
The nurse glanced at Cha Su-ho, who wasn't responding because he was conversing with Jin Seong-hyeok. She seemed embarrassed for freaking out and yelling just because he'd woken up.
"Ah... Helper Cha Su-ho."
Thinking she might apologize, Cha Su-ho looked at her with a composed expression.
"When you were first brought in, you were holding something in your hand. It looked like a piece of... flesh or something, so for hygiene reasons, I disposed of it..."
The nurse opened the bedside table next to Cha Su-ho's bed and pulled out a small ziplock bag.
"This is what was left."
Cha Su-ho took the ziplock bag from her and spotted something inside.
A small, shiny piercing.
Without a moment to think, Cha Su-ho tore open the bag and pulled out the piercing.
It looked clean, as if it'd been disinfected. As he stared at it quietly, a low voice escaped his lips.
"Won Tae-il..."
It was the piercing from Tae-il's right ear.
With that, the final fragment of memory from the scene resurfaced. The piercing he'd seen on Tae-il's severed ear. The moment he'd gripped it in his hand, he'd blacked out.
To the end, Tae-il had saved him. From the undead boss's attack, and from the rampage situation.
The nurse and security guard exchanged uneasy glances as Cha Su-ho stared silently at the piercing.
"W-Well... I'll head out then. Chief Examiner Trevor will be here soon. Rest well until then."
With those words, the nurse hurried out, followed by the security guard.
Alone again, Cha Su-ho remained motionless, gazing at the piercing in his hand.
Tae-il's final memento. After staring at it for a long while, Cha Su-ho brought it to his ear without hesitation.
Crack. With the sound of skin piercing, the piercing went into Cha Su-ho's earlobe. It stung, and a bit of blood smeared his fingertip, but he didn't care.
The piercing now in his right ear, just like Tae-il's. As he fiddled with it, Cha Su-ho tilted his gaze upward.
The old Cha Su-ho was gone. The weak, frail Cha Su-ho would never return.
'Jin Seong-hyeok.'
Jin snorted approvingly at the sharp tone in Cha Su-ho's mental voice.
'Yeah.'
'I'm really going to get strong.'
'You'd better. The monsters and higher-ups you'll face from now on won't be pushovers.'
Cha Su-ho let out a chuckle.
'Looking forward to it.'
Click.
Cha Su-ho's gaze, which had been on Jin Seong-hyeok during their talk, shifted to the door at the sound.
'Trevor this time.'
Agreeing with Jin, Cha Su-ho watched the door. Trevor entered alone, unlike the nurse and security who'd come together earlier.
"Helper Cha Su-ho."
His eyes behind the glasses looked somehow sharper.
"How's your body feeling?"
Trevor's gaze scanned Cha Su-ho thoroughly, as if assessing his state.
"I'm fine."
"Do you remember anything?"
The question about the rampage—and the situation before it—was a clever trap.
If Cha Su-ho admitted to even a little memory, Trevor planned to do whatever it took to uncover how he'd used a Hunter's power.
Even if it meant forcing another rampage.
"No."
But Cha Su-ho's response was enough to disappoint Trevor.
"You remember nothing at all?"
"That's right."
Trevor narrowed his eyes at the subtly changed tone in Cha Su-ho's voice. He'd changed. Gone was the tense, cowering demeanor—now he was calm, almost leisurely. It felt out of place.
"Understood. We'll do a simple check-up and process your discharge. Your personal secretary, Min Gi-uk, should be here soon, so wait for him."
"Got it."
Even after the response, Trevor stood there without leaving. Cha Su-ho looked up at him curiously.
"Is there something you want to say?"
"...No. Just curious."
Trevor slowly adjusted his glasses.
"Why is it that we keep finding a connection between Helper Cha Su-ho and Hunter Jin Seong-hyeok."
As expected. He'd noticed. To avoid showing agitation, Cha Su-ho lowered his gaze.
"You must miss him a lot. Seeing how you keep looking for someone who's already dead."
"Already dead, huh."
Trevor let out a small chuckle.
"Yes, that's right. But it's funny how Helper Cha Su-ho keeps making me think of that dead man."
Trevor turned to leave, continuing.
"The fact that Helper Cha Su-ho rampaged is classified. Only those at the scene—me included—Hunters and Helpers present, Center 1's directors, and your secretary Min Gi-uk know. Keep that in mind."
"If it's classified, you're letting it slide like this...?"
Trevor cut off Cha Su-ho's question sharply.
"No. We'll discuss it later. Until then, keep quiet about it, Helper Cha Su-ho. Finish your check-up and discharge well."
As Trevor left the room, Cha Su-ho couldn't shake off the unease.
'He'll be watching me for a while.'
Agreeing with Jin Seong-hyeok, Cha Su-ho replied.
'Yeah.'
Promising to discuss it secretly later meant he wouldn't let it go easily.
Of course he wouldn't. A Helper using Hunter skills and rampaging.
As Cha Su-ho sighed deeply at the foreboding of tough days ahead, the door opened again.
Three or four examiners entered with greetings and wheeled his bed off somewhere. Thankfully, none of the gruesome procedures he'd feared—like cutting open his stomach or examining his head—happened.
It was just a simple CT and MRI scan, plus blood tests. After all the exams, Min Gi-uk waited outside the exam room with a wheelchair.
"It's been a while, Helper Cha Su-ho."
Min Gi-uk bowed politely, unchanged as ever.
"Ah, yeah. Long time no see."
"Please sit. I'll take you to the Helper lounge."
At the sudden patient treatment, Cha Su-ho waved his hands.
"No, it's fine. I can walk."
"Ra— no. Please sit. I brought it anyway, so I have to wheel it back."
The word Min Gi-uk almost said but caught was definitely "rampage." Despite acting calm, he was on edge.
Not wanting to make Min Gi-uk anxious, Cha Su-ho quietly sat in the wheelchair. Jin Seong-hyeok hated seeing him in it despite being perfectly fine, and Cha Su-ho felt awkward too.
'Humiliating.'
'I didn't want to ride it either.'
From the underground exam room to the Helper lounge—a fair distance—Cha Su-ho had to go with his head bowed in the wheelchair. Lifting his head as something occurred to him while staring at the floor, he asked.
"Hey, I have a question."
"Yes, go ahead."
Hesitating a moment, Cha Su-ho spoke.
"How did the Evil Zone sweep go?"
He worried his rampage might have botched it. But Min Gi-uk's hopeful response dispelled that.
"We got reports of about 60% cleared. With more than half the monsters gone, it should be fine for a while."
60%. A significant number. Smiling in relief, Cha Su-ho asked again.
"And the other Hunters and Helpers? Anyone hurt...?"
"Everyone recovered their condition during the week you were unconscious."
Come to think of it, he hadn't even asked how long he'd been out. A week. That explained why there were no wounds despite his foot being pierced and side stabbed by the undead.
As Cha Su-ho curiously examined his body, Min Gi-uk's next words stopped him.
"We're here."
At that, Cha Su-ho jumped out of the wheelchair.
"Thanks!"
As he headed to the lounge to rest easy, Min Gi-uk stopped him.
"Helper Cha Su-ho. Dinner's soon—what would you like?"
At the word "dinner," Cha Su-ho's eyes lit up. Come to think of it, since waking, all he'd had was a glass of water.
"For dinner, pork cutlet...!"
'Chicken breast.'
Cha Su-ho's words cut off at Jin Seong-hyeok's voice echoing in his head.
'You want to get strong, right? Start with proper food.'
'Then...'
'Chicken breast, protein drink, tenderloin steak, salad no dressing, baked sweet potato, boiled eggs. That'll do. Pick.'
All flavorless foods. Cha Su-ho asked Jin seriously.
'...Do I have to eat that stuff?'
'It's an ideal diet. Why?'
'No reason. Just feels like I might die before I bulk up.'
Cha Su-ho had been dreaming of hot rice topped with pork kimchi jjigae and pork cutlet.
But chicken breast? Dressing-less salad? Boiled eggs...?
'Starting tomorrow!'
'What?'
'You have to allow a last supper.'
'Cha Su...'
Ignoring Jin completely, Cha Su-ho turned to Min Gi-uk.
"Braised short ribs in kimchi stew, rice, pork cutlet! Oh, and steamed eggs if possible."
Min Gi-uk nodded as if he'd expected it, while Jin yelled.
'Crazy bastard!'
Before Jin could rage more, Cha Su-ho added.
"And starting tomorrow, please plan my meals."
"Pardon? Meals?"
Min Gi-uk looked surprised, but Cha Su-ho continued.
"Yes. Chicken breast, protein drink, tenderloin steak, salad no dressing, baked sweet potato, boiled eggs. Make those staples in the diet."
"Ah, understood."
Min Gi-uk bowed and turned to leave. Watching him go, Jin said.
'Tomorrow onward.'
Cha Su-ho smiled.
'I know. You don't have to tell me.'
Workouts, diet. And the new Cha Su-ho.
All starting tomorrow.