The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 254
In the still silence, Cha Eui-jae rubbed the floor with the sole of his shoe. Creak, creak… The sound was all that kept him calm. In the meantime, he placed his hand on Lee Sa-young’s chest beyond the cloth to check his pulse and moved Hong Ye-seong’s slumped body, pressing his fingers beneath his nose. Nam Woo-jin, who had gone to get tools, hadn’t returned. There wasn’t a single trace of anyone else. Slowly, Cha Eui-jae sank into a fear he thought he’d forgotten.
Hong Ye-seong opened his eyes about twenty minutes later. Creak, creak… The sharp sound of something scraping the floor echoed. He grabbed his throbbing head and pushed himself up, only to see J sitting casually on a chair, scraping the floor with a long sword, watching him.
Hong Ye-seong blinked blankly, then blurted out,
“…Murderer?”
Immediately, he clenched his eyes shut, ready to be rebutted. But instead of denying it, J threw the sword aside and stepped over to crouch in front of him, studying him closely.
“Are you… alright?”
“Huh? Yeah. Why?”
“Your sternum… Never mind.”
Of course, he’d stabbed himself in the chest with that very sword. J— Cha Eui-jae —cast a quick glance at the sword he’d tossed aside, swallowing his words. A quick scan showed there were no marks, not even on Hong Ye-seong’s white T-shirt or his body. Hong Ye-seong blinked, then leaned back on his hands, responding with a shrug.
“Oh, that? Don’t worry about it. I let him borrow my body with permission.”
“Are you really okay?”
“It’s fine! Besides, he knew a lot more than I did. After letting him borrow my body, all sorts of knowledge popped into my head. It wasn’t so bad.”
“…”
“And…”
Hong Ye-seong rubbed at his mouth, his eyes flickering with faint symbols.
“Lee Sa-young won’t have to do that anymore. That side has become the bait now.”
“…”
“Since he’s been hiding much longer than Lee Sa-young, he’d be a more tempting target.”
“Is that… knowledge he left behind?”
“I think so. I guess I got smarter!”
No, that wasn’t quite it. Cha Eui-jae shook his head; Hong Ye-seong still wore the same blissfully oblivious expression. Rubbing his cheeks, Hong Ye-seong suddenly added,
“And you don’t have to look so worried. It might sound weird, but…”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“I think I felt… a huge sense of relief. Like, finally, I guess?”
It would make sense to feel that way. From the first end of the world until now, he’d hidden himself in the gaps of the world, watching all that time pass. Just for a promise.
“Friend.”
Cha Eui-jae had no memory of being his friend. Yet he always called him that. The world he loved had disappeared in the flow of time, but he’d done his best to keep his promise. Whether it was out of true conviction or just to hold himself together, it was impossible to know.
Perhaps because he understood the feelings well, Cha Eui-jae felt a strange sting in his nose. He blinked his eyes, grateful for his mask. Hong Ye-seong stretched with a sigh.
“Ah… It feels oddly lonely. Kind of empty, you know?”
“…”
“Hey, comfort me, Kkokko!”
“Kkokko isn’t here.”
“Yeah…”
In place of the missing Kkokko, Hong Ye-seong quietly reached his arms out toward Cha Eui-jae. Instead of letting himself be fully embraced, Cha Eui-jae offered just one arm. Hong Ye-seong wrapped his arms around Cha Eui-jae’s forearm and held on, clinging to it like a koala. After a moment of silence, Cha Eui-jae asked,
“That other ‘you’ told me to go to the dungeon. What do you think that means?”
“Huh? What do you mean? He probably just meant… go to the dungeon!”
“…”
Should he shake him off or not? Cha Eui-jae tightened his grip on his arm in a silent threat. Sensing the tension, Hong Ye-seong quickly added,
“Well, I mean, maybe there’s a deeper meaning…?”
His eyes rolled before he grinned widely.
“But I have no idea! Guess we’ll find out when we get there!”
“Hah…”
Cha Eui-jae let out a deep sigh. Just then, the sound of rustling cloth broke the silence. Beneath the black fabric, Lee Sa-young stirred slowly.
Cha Eui-jae swiftly pushed Hong Ye-seong aside and sprang up. Hong Ye-seong let out a small yelp as he spun around. Cha Eui-jae pulled back a bit of the cloth covering his face. His delicate, pale complexion now had a bit of color. His eyelids quivered, then slowly opened.
“…Hyung?”
“…Yeah.”
Cha Eui-jae reached out and placed his hand over his eyes.
“I’m right here.”
“…”
His dry lips barely moved. It felt like he was trying to say “Okay.” His racing heartbeat began to settle. Cha Eui-jae closed his eyes, bowing his head slightly, feeling his cold skin warm with his touch.
***
Jung Bin reached his hand into the air. White ash settled onto his open palm. Unlike snow, which melts with time, ash remains— it only continues to pile up. One day, it would cover the whole world. A teammate standing beside him murmured worriedly.
“It was calm for a while, and now the ash is back…”
It wasn’t a good omen. Jung Bin swallowed the heavy words he wanted to say, not wanting to heighten anyone’s anxiety. Everyone likely sensed the unease already.
“Would you like an umbrella, Team Leader?”
“Oh, yes. Thank you.”
Instead of voicing his worry, Jung Bin offered a gentle smile. His teammate handed him a long umbrella, and Jung Bin opened the black canopy. By now, white ash had settled soundlessly, yet visibly, in a thin layer on the ground. A soft cough sounded beside him, and Jung Bin glanced at the teammate who’d given him the umbrella.
“Did you catch a cold?”
The teammate scratched his neck and replied,
“I don’t think it’s a cold… My throat just feels a bit scratchy.”
“Take care of your health. The Awakened Management Bureau has a lot to handle.”
“Yes, of course.”
“And…”
Jung Bin lifted his left sleeve slightly to check his watch, then looked back at the teammate who continued to cough softly, giving him a warm smile.
“Head home early today and get some rest. I can handle this task alone.”
“But…”
“I told you, taking care of yourself is essential.”
Jung Bin gently patted his hesitant teammate on the shoulder, sending him back toward the Bureau building. Left alone, Jung Bin gazed quietly at the ash falling from the sky, then took a step forward into it.
***
Seowon Guild, Reception Room.
As the cup filled halfway, a fragrant aroma wafted up. The boy who poured the tea smoothly stepped back and left the room. The marionette would finish administering first aid to Lee Sa-young. Nam Woo-jin raised his teacup, an irritated expression on his face.
“Showing up unannounced and taking my time. You didn’t even bother to make an appointment.”
“I had no choice— it’s urgent. I did inform the Awakened Management Bureau, though.”
“If not for that, I wouldn’t be sitting here. What’s this about?”
The calloused hand of the scholar grasped the teacup handle, his round glasses glinting in the light. Ga-young, seated on the sofa, wore a brown coat instead of her usual white lab coat. She smiled.
“I heard an old colleague was here, and I have a proposal for you, Doctor.”
Taking a sip, Ga-young gracefully set her cup down and offered a soft smile.
“I want to work with you. To confront the apocalypse.”
“Ha, who do you think caused the apocalypse? You have the nerve to ask me for help when I can barely find time to sleep because of the mess you’ve made. And why should I trust you?”
“Of course, I didn’t come empty-handed~ I have an antidote… no, a cure for you.”
“What?”
Nam Woo-jin’s brow furrowed. Ga-young chuckled and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“I know all about those test subjects that ended up here~ And I know you’re working tirelessly to restore them. I honestly admire it.”
“…”
“But we have limited time, don’t we? You have greater tasks ahead. I’m offering to save you time, time you could spend on more productive efforts. Such as…”
She held up a finger.
“…Preventing the apocalypse.”
Nam Woo-jin scoffed, resting his chin on his hand.
“You talk as if you know what the next apocalypse is, as if you could do anything to stop it.”
“Oh? I wouldn’t bring it up if I didn’t know. Yoon Ga-eul-ssi is with us now, along with the Seer.”
“…”
Nam Woo-jin’s eyes narrowed, his calloused fingers tapping against the armrest. Ga-young leaned forward, whispering softly.
“The next apocalypse is a plague. A disease.”
“…”
“You know, don’t you? In the face of disease, it doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, awakened or civilian… It’s an equalizer.”
Note: The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low (Special Side Story) can be accessed in the Episode List.
