The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 218
Oh, shit. Cha Eui-jae quickly pulled his cap down deeper. Of all places, why did they have to run into each other here? Ignoring his panic, Yang Hye-jin strode forward and firmly grabbed Cha Eui-jae by the arm.
“Part-timer, you’re the part-timer, right? The one who worked at that hangover soup restaurant in the alley. Am I right? You’re the part-timer, aren’t you?”
“Uh…”
The acting skills he had meticulously honed completely failed him in this sudden crisis. A hundred different scenarios flashed through his mind like a panorama. Greet her warmly? She’d probably accuse him of laughing in this situation. Pretend not to recognize her? She’d accuse him of ignoring her. Pretend he lost his memory? Would that even work?
“Oh my gosh… you really are the part-timer.”
By now, Yang Hye-jin had already sized him up from head to toe, mumbling in disbelief. Unfortunately, he was wearing his hangover soup restaurant uniform, so denying it seemed pointless. Cha Eui-jae held up his hands, trying to calm her down. But Yang Hye-jin, far from calming down, glared at him.
“Hey, where the heck have you been all this time? Do you know how worried we were?”
“W-what?”
“You suddenly closed up the restaurant and disappeared! Do you have any idea how many people thought you were kidnapped and went looking for you?”
But I posted a sign in front of the restaurant…
“Of all times, there’ve been a lot of hunter kidnappings recently! And you disappeared right when all of that was happening? You made everyone worry!”
Kidnapped?
“We even searched dungeons, thinking you’d been taken as a laborer!”
A laborer?
“We even made a group chat! A ‘Find the Part-Timer’ chat. You know, we’ve got an all-star lineup in there. Hunters who normally don’t even bother to answer texts were all in it.”
A group chaaaat?
“If your grandmother hadn’t told us to stop searching, we’d still be looking for you. Man… I need to update the chat again. Oh my gosh…”
With a groan, Yang Hye-jin massaged her forehead and hurriedly pulled out her phone. Cha Eui-jae, who felt like he had been hit by a sudden storm, wanted to smack his own forehead.
‘What the hell were these people doing…?’
He had only disappeared as a part-timer for a little while. Meanwhile, while his regulars were busy looking for him, Cha Eui-jae had been out drawing all the attention to cover up Lee Sa-young’s absence…
‘…’
Yet, strangely, his heart felt warm. Like when he held a piping hot stew bowl. After frantically typing out messages, Yang Hye-jin sighed and put her phone away, twirling her signal baton absentmindedly.
“At least you look healthy. That’s a relief. What have you been doing all this time?”
“I, I had some work to take care of.”
“Well, I guess there’s always work in a world like this. I won’t pry into what it was. But is your work finished now?”
“Uh… not yet.”
“Hah… so that’s why you’re wandering around in such a dangerous place? Are you affiliated with a guild? Are you out here gathering information? Who’s the head of your guild?”
At the mention of “head,” a certain face popped into Cha Eui-jae’s mind— Lee Sa-young, smirking smugly. Well, technically, he was working with Pado Guild, so… he rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh. Unfortunately, Yang Hye-jin must have taken it as confirmation. Her face flushed with anger.
“This is unacceptable! They’re sending a D-grade hunter out here all alone? What’s your Guild Leader’s name? If it’s hard to say, just give me the initials. Is this some black-market guild?”
Suddenly, Pado Guild had become a black-market guild. Seeing Yang Hye-jin ready to launch into another tirade, Cha Eui-jae quickly jumped in first.
“Oh, it’s nothing like that. Don’t worry. By the way, who were those people? The ones you chased away earlier?”
“Who? Oh, those guys in white?”
Yang Hye-jin stepped closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially.
“They’re nuts. Stay away from them.”
It was a sharp assessment. Interesting. Cha Eui-jae leaned in, listening intently. Yang Hye-jin, who apparently had a lot to get off her chest, continued quickly.
“They pretend to be some kind of charitable or relief organization, helping people and whatnot, but… they’re a cult.”
“A cult?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you notice how they had tents set up, just waiting for something like this? It’s obvious they’re up to no good. Seriously, don’t go near them. And they’re extremely hostile toward hunters.”
“Why are they hostile to hunters?”
“I have no idea! When some of our people tried to ask them a few questions, their whole demeanor changed, and they were practically throwing us out. They looked at us like we were trash.”
“So, should I go ask them?”
“Huh? You? But I told you, they’re hostile to hunters. And you’re a hunter, too.”
“Do I look like a hunter?”
Baggy gray hoodie, worn-out jeans, dusty sneakers with worn soles, and a deeply pulled-down black ball cap. His face and physique were sharp, but his outfit was loose and casual. As far as hunters go, they were usually decked out in flashy, high-end gear. Yang Hye-jin seriously looked him up and down.
“Can I be honest?”
“Go ahead.”
“You look like an unemployed guy on his way to buy beer from the convenience store.”
“…”
“That’s a compliment, by the way.”
Yang Hye-jin patted Cha Eui-jae on the shoulder and whispered.
“Part-timer, are you good at acting?”
“I’m good enough to debut as an actor.”
“Where’s this confidence coming from? Are you signed with an agency, prepping for a celebrity debut? …Then can you approach those guys and figure out what they’re up to, why they’re doing this, if it’s related to the monsters falling from the sky, and what their goal is?”
“Of course.”
“Do you have a phone?”
“No, it broke.”
“Ah… it’s hard to get a new phone right now. Hold on a sec.”
Yang Hye-jin rummaged in her pocket and pulled out something that looked like a smartwatch. A square screen instead of a clock face. She tapped it a few times.
“This is a watch we use. Less noticeable than an earpiece, and it looks ordinary. Functions like a regular smartwatch. You can’t surf the web or anything since it’s for official use, but it can track your location and send messages and make calls. Take it.”
“Thank you.”
Cha Eui-jae put on the smartwatch and fiddled with it. He soon found a glaring issue.
“…The background screen…”
It was emblazoned with the Rift Management Bureau’s logo. A smartwatch that practically screamed, “I’m with the government.”
Yang Hye-jin awkwardly cleared her throat.
“Ahem, it’s a government-issued watch. Just… change it to the default screen.”
“…Got it.”
“Anyway, be careful. Don’t get too deep. It’s fine if you don’t get any information. If it seems dangerous, just get out. Your safety comes first, understand?”
“Of course. Don’t worry.”
Cha Eui-jae smiled and whispered.
“Can I ask you for one favor?”
“Hm? Sure, what is it?”
“Could you get mad at me?”
***
Beneath a large white tent, the kind you’d see at a sports festival or a neighborhood gathering, people were bustling around. Those hit by flying debris, people injured by monsters, or others who twist their ankles while running away lay on the white sheets spread on the ground, groaning in pain. Moans and quiet sobs leaked out from various places. People in white clothing moved among the wounded, doing their best to treat them.
It was then.
“…Get out of here right now!”
A sharp woman’s voice rang out. People’s eyes turned toward the outside of the tent. In the distance, a woman wearing a fluorescent vest was pointing angrily at a man in a gray hoodie. She continued to shout something at him before spinning on her heel and disappearing. Left alone, the man awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and kicked at the ground before glancing around. A man packing up some supplies clicked his tongue.
“That Awakened woman again…”
“Is it a fight between Awakened?”
“No, that guy seems to be a civilian. I was about to bring him over here, but that Awakened woman stopped me. Tsk…”
“Should we try bringing him here now?”
“No need. He’s coming on his own.”
The young man in the gray hoodie trudged slowly, his steps heavy, toward the tent. The people in white exchanged glances, then put on friendly smiles. One of them stepped outside the tent to greet him.
“Hello. What brings you here?”
“Uh, I was just wondering… Is my sister here by any chance?”
The young man mumbled in a small, almost inaudible voice. The people in white exchanged glances again, wearing sympathetic expressions.
“Oh no… Did you lose your sister?”
“Yes… We just stepped outside for a moment, and then… the monsters came. Everyone was running, and… we lost hold of each other.”
“Ah, I see… That must have been tough.”
The man sighed, taking the young man’s hand. Despite their apparent strength, the young man’s hands were trembling badly. The man spoke gently.
“Could you describe your sister for us? Or, would you prefer to come inside and take a look? There’s a bit of blood around, so if it’s too much, you don’t have to.”
“Can I… really look for her myself? My sister is a high schooler, wears glasses…”
“Of course. Right this way.”
The man took the young man’s hand and led him to where the injured lay. The young man followed him closely, glancing around nervously. After a moment, the man glanced back at him and asked.
“There was some shouting earlier… Can I ask what happened?”
“Oh, that… It’s nothing, really…”
The young man trailed off, lowering his head.
“I just asked if that Hunter had seen my sister… She got mad at me for asking something like that when she was busy.”
“Ah, I see.”
So that’s how these Awakened people are. Instead of helping others, they only look out for themselves and lash out at civilians. The man frowned slightly but patted the young man’s shoulder.
“You’ve been through a lot. Go ahead and take a look.”
“Thank you…”
The young man began walking quickly through the space between the cots, scanning each one. His steps were unusually fast. Is he an Awakened? But he’s dressed too poorly for that. And his story seems genuine. After all, I saw the Hunter yelling at him.
The young man reached the end of the row of cots and returned with slumped shoulders.
“…She’s not here. Thank you for letting me look…”
People who’ve suffered loss often have gaps in their emotional armor.
The man gently took the young man’s hand.
“My colleagues are stationed in other areas. Would you like us to check with them too?”
“Really? You’d do that?”
The young man’s head snapped up. He had a handsome face, hidden beneath his baseball cap. If used properly, he could become a useful asset. The man smiled brightly.
“Of course. Why don’t you wait here while I contact them?”
“Yes, please. Thank you so much!”
“Ha ha, no problem. Are you hungry? We don’t have much, but there’s something to take the edge off your hunger.”
“Oh, that’s really… too kind.”
“It’s nothing. We all have to help each other, right?”
“You’re really kind. Thank you so much.”
“Well then, I’ll go make some calls. Please have a seat outside on the bench while you wait.”
“Okay!”
The man disappeared outside the tent where the wounded were gathered. The young man adjusted his baseball cap. His eyes, hidden beneath it, glowed a bright, icy blue.
