The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 105
J stared blankly at Jung Bin. Jung Bin, who was rubbing his nose for no reason, glanced at J. The ends of his drooping black hair were slightly wet. Jung Bin gestured towards J’s hair.
“It looks like you just came from a shower.”
“Oh, yes.”
J touched the tips of his hair with his fingertips. Despite trying to dry it, there was still some moisture left.
“There was a lot of blood. I couldn’t get on the helicopter like that.”
“…So you’re heading somewhere else right away. Where are you going this time?”
“They said there’s a dungeon in Chungju.”
“You must be having a hard time. You should rest a bit.”
His tone was full of concern and disapproval. J chuckled briefly at the familiar words. Jung Bin, who traveled around the country as much as J did, wasn’t one to talk. J replied lightly.
“We’re short on manpower, so it can’t be helped. Aren’t you going anywhere else today?”
“Oh, no. For now, I’m not. I have an interrogation schedule today.”
Jung Bin tapped the earpiece he was wearing.
“I’ll have to go if I get a call, though.”
Just as he finished speaking, J’s watch rang. Judging by the loud wind and propeller noise, it seemed a helicopter was ready on the rooftop. Jung Bin’s face darkened rapidly.
“…They say words become reality… Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. It looks like the helicopter is here, so I’ll get going. Take care.”
J passed Jung Bin and headed up the stairs. Watching his back blankly, Jung Bin called out urgently.
“Wait a minute, J!”
J’s masked face popped out from the upper stair railing. Jung Bin was rummaging through his pockets to take something out when a loud voice came from somewhere.
“Hey! Bring Hunter Jung Bin here quickly!”
“What should I tell him?”
“Say a detained hunter is causing a disturbance or something!”
“…”
“Sigh, we’re both busy.”
J waved his hand nonchalantly and disappeared up the stairs. Left alone, Jung Bin tightly clenched what he was holding. With a snap, the energy bar in his hand broke in two. The commotion was growing louder.
Ha… He sighed deeply and pressed his earpiece firmly.
“Yes, I heard about the disturbance. I’ll be there soon.”
Jung Bin looked up at the stairs extending above him and then started down the stairs.
***
Creak… A huge body collapsed to the ground with a deflating sound. Thud, the ground shook. J, who was looking at it indifferently, shook off the blood from his spear and put it in his inventory.
The Chungju dungeon was dealt with quicker than expected. Since it appeared in a remote mountain area, there were no civilians to rescue, the dungeon rank wasn’t very high, and the dungeon itself was small.
J stared vacantly at the huge bird, the dungeon boss, that had collapsed on the ground and thought.
‘The hunters here could have handled this.’
Earlier, when J, who had descended the mountain, reached near the dungeon entrance. A few hunters were already gathered at the entrance. Wrapped in bandages here and there, they were holding cigarettes and seemed to be arguing about something.
Why aren’t they going in? J, hiding behind a tree, watched curiously. A hunter raised his voice.
“Damn it, it’s frustrating. I contacted the Awakened Management Bureau! J is coming himself! We don’t need to go in!”
“What? Why call J! We can handle this dungeon with our team…”
“Hey, you idiot. If J swings his spear once, it’ll be cleared immediately. Do we have to risk our lives fighting the dungeon boss? Do you have two lives?”
“…”
“Seung-min’s arm hasn’t even healed yet. Damn it, we almost had to amputate. I can’t watch that again. Everyone has their role.”
The hunter who was roughly scolding exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke. White smoke billowed and scattered into the sky.
“No matter how good we are, we can’t compare to the hero. You’ll thank me later.”
Crunch. A branch broke underfoot. The gathered hunters’ eyes focused on the source of the sound. J stepped out from behind the tree without hesitation. Their faces turned pale with shock upon seeing the black mask and combat uniform. The air grew heavy.
“…”
J slowly approached and stood in front of the dungeon entrance. Someone gulped. J didn’t even glance at them. He just quietly walked into the dungeon.
‘Saving people is something that must be done.’
There was no doubt about that. But when others took his actions for granted… that was something he couldn’t help but get tired of.
Buzz… The air vibrated slightly, and an exit appeared behind the dungeon boss’s corpse. Fortunately, it interrupted his unpleasant thoughts. J stared blankly at the shimmering exit. Nonetheless, once a thought started, it flowed like water.
‘Nothing is certain in this world…’
He closed his eyes. The images of hunters wrapped in bandages came to mind. Hunters holding weapons with their arms in casts. They looked quite tired too. But,
‘I don’t necessarily need to step in…’
Before he could finish his thought, he took off his mask and slapped his cheeks loudly. His cheeks burned. His cool face, still retaining a boyish look, was revealed. He rummaged through his pocket and took out a crumpled pack of cigarettes.
He put a cigarette in his mouth and clicked a cheap lighter. Lighting it, he took a deep drag. But only briefly.
Cough, cough, J coughed harshly, his shoulders shaking. Tears welled up in his eyes. As the coughing subsided, silence returned. The cigarettes, which he had smoked only a few times, felt unfamiliar. But so did the air of the dungeons he frequently entered.
“…Ha.”
It seemed he would never get used to it. This, at least.
***
After the Chungju dungeon was a rift that appeared in Mangwon-dong. It was an absorption-type rift that had swallowed all the surrounding buildings. Listening to the tedious briefing, J closed his eyes. Yes, this was better. Better to stay busy than to have useless thoughts.
Before long, they arrived at their destination, and the helicopter’s altitude gradually lowered. J lightly jumped out of the helicopter. Thud, the ground vibrated under his feet.
Near the rift, there was nothing but empty space, as if something had devoured everything. As he approached the target, the screams and clamor of people grew louder.
“J!”
“J is here!”
“Oh, thank goodness…”
Sighs of relief mixed with gratitude were heard from all around. J’s eyes narrowed. There were too many people around the rift entrance.
‘Has the rescue team not entered yet?’
Then a hunter approached, almost running.
“May I report, J?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“The rescue team entered the rift, but it’s completely covered in poison inside… They came out immediately. The situation is very serious.”
“…Poison?”
“Yes! We couldn’t go far; everyone…”
J slowly looked around. A white tent set up a little away from the crack, and under it, hunters with blackened bodies were lying on the ground, groaning in pain.
One hunter had his face buried in a bucket, vomiting dark red blood. Another was clutching his blackened, melting arm, crying out in agony. It was utter chaos. The reporting hunter muttered.
“There probably aren’t any survivors inside. The poison is too strong for even hunters to withstand… It would be best to deal with the crack boss as quickly as possible…”
“…”
“Here, please take some spare antidotes. They’re not the best, but…”
The hunter took out several bottles of purple liquid from his inventory and offered them. But J shook his head.
“I’ll take half. Use the rest to treat the people.”
And shortly after, inside the rift. J rarely regretted something.
‘…I should have taken them all.’
He frowned. The air was filled with a stinging, acrid smell.
The rift inside was a completely different world. Collapsed buildings had melted into the black poison, making them unrecognizable, and giant salamanders and toads were flicking their tongues, their eyes peeking out from the black swamp. J quickly assessed the situation.
‘If the inside is like this, there are probably no survivors…’
No, there wouldn’t be.
J adjusted his mask properly. He could handle most poisons with his body. But in an environment completely surrounded by poison like this rift, whether his body could withstand it was uncertain. In fact, his body felt heavier with every breath.
It must be the toxic gas rising from the swamp. Staying long would be foolish.
‘Deal with the rift boss as quickly as possible and escape.’
But as always. J’s plan didn’t go smoothly.
Just before he leaped forward, he closed his eyes and focused his senses. Numerous monster presences, the presence of the giant rift boss, and then…
The small sound of a heartbeat catching his ear.
J’s eyes widened.
