The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 270
Cold water lapped against his feet and legs. Cha Eui-jae kept moving forward, unfazed. Splash, splash. When he was waist-deep, just like Mackerel had been moments earlier, he suddenly turned around. Lee Sa-young was standing on the shoreline, where the waves touched the sand, watching him. He had taken off his gas mask. His black curly hair and long coat whipped in the wind. He looked…
“I can’t go.”
“…”
“If I go in there… you might die, Hyung.”
He looked so lonely.
“…”
Was that how he’d looked when he was waiting for me by the West Sea? Cha Eui-jae felt strange, like he was seeing something he wasn’t supposed to. He pulled off his mask and tossed it forcefully toward Lee Sa-young. With a quick reflex, Lee Sa-young caught it, eyes widening in surprise. Cha Eui-jae pointed at him.
“I’ll be back.”
“…”
“Wait for me!”
With those words, Cha Eui-jae waded further into the sea. The white ash and cold water seemed to cling to him, dragging him back. As the water reached his neck, he took a deep breath and submerged himself completely in the deep water. And, left alone on the shore, Lee Sa-young…
“…”
He ran his fingers along the mask, then carefully pressed his lips to it.
***
The sea, where the whitening process had spread, was nothing more than stagnant water.
‘So that’s what he meant.’
There was no sign of seaweed, fish, shells— nothing you’d expect to find in the ocean. Not even sand or stones on the seabed. It was just emptiness. Only dark water, devoid of light. This place, too, was a wasteland. A place where nothing could live.
No matter how tough he was, Cha Eui-jae wouldn’t last long underwater. Luckily, he spotted something not far off, faintly flickering— the color of the plaid shirt Mackerel had been wearing. Cha Eui-jae swam toward it as fast as he could. Mackerel, pale as a ghost, was sinking deeper, limp and lifeless.
‘Like hell you’re going to die on me.’
Just as he reached out, something appeared in his line of sight.
It was a system window.
[Warning! This action will overwrite previously recorded memories. The consequences are unknown.]
[Proceed anyway?]
Proceed?
‘Of course I’ll do it!’
Cha Eui-jae grabbed hold of the plaid shirt with all his strength. In that instant, the flashing warning window shifted abruptly. A blinding white light burst out.
[That’s the only way I’ll ■■.]
[Don’t fail this time.]
Cha Eui-jae’s eyes flew open. The light vanished like melting snow, leaving only the limp Mackerel.
‘That voice… wasn’t that… Hong Ye-seong’s?’
But he had to set his thoughts aside. Getting Mackerel out of the water was top priority. Was he even breathing? Cha Eui-jae tucked Mackerel under his left arm and kicked hard, swimming upward.
Just then—
[Warning! Penalty for memory alteration will be applied.]
[Caution! System is imposing a physical penalty: weakening…]
‘What?’
Both Mackerel and Cha Eui-jae’s limbs grew heavier. He could feel his strength draining away. No, this can’t be happening. What’s the system doing? Is it insane?
‘Why now…!’
No matter how hard he thrashed, he was being pulled deeper and deeper. Damn it! Gritting his teeth, Cha Eui-jae refused to give up. He wouldn’t let himself drown, but he couldn’t abandon Mackerel either.
‘Somehow…!’
He thought of Lee Sa-young, standing on the beach, looking so forlorn. He couldn’t disappear and leave him behind again. He’d promised he’d come back. Cha Eui-jae’s eyes flared blue. He tightened his grip on Mackerel just as—
Thunk.
His foot struck something solid.
‘…Huh?’
Cha Eui-jae looked down. In the pitch-black deep, something white was floating, bubbling gently. Something was holding him and Mackerel up, slowly pushing them toward the surface.
He leaned down, feeling the surface of whatever he was standing on. It was smooth and cold. Cha Eui-jae exhaled the breath he’d been holding. His voice dissolved in the bubbles.
“…Are you his brother?”
The thing he was standing on trembled softly. Beneath him, through the Tracker’s Eye, he saw something huge swimming in the sea. It wasn’t a fish; it was a monster that had evolved into the form of one. Once, it had probably been human.
“…”
Cha Eui-jae closed his eyes. Could even a mutated monster have feelings?
Just this once, he wanted to believe it could.
At the very edge of his breath, they finally broke the surface of the cold sea with a splash.
“Ack!”
With a splash, the icy water drenched them again. Both collapsed into the shallow water, thankfully close enough to touch the seabed. Cha Eui-jae coughed, gasping for air as he pressed himself up on all fours. Just as he was catching his breath, a cautious hand gripped his shoulder.
“Are you okay?”
Cha Eui-jae blinked bleary eyes up at Lee Sa-young, who was holding him with a worried expression. He was half-kneeling in the seawater, completely unconcerned about his soaked coat and pants.
Wiping his wet face, Cha Eui-jae glanced over at Mackerel, sprawled out, staring at the sky, with a dazed look on his face. Cha Eui-jae gestured at him with his chin.
“Is he alive?”
“I think he’s breathing.”
“He managed to survive… thought I’d have to perform CPR, the way he’s just lying there…”
Lee Sa-young’s face turned dark.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“It was just a thought, alright? I can’t let him die, can I?”
Cha Eui-jae staggered as he tried to stand, nearly falling forward, but a steadying arm caught him this time. Lee Sa-young narrowed his eyes.
“…Again?”
“…Yeah, again.”
Cha Eui-jae looked away, avoiding his gaze. Lee Sa-young’s arm, holding him, grew gentler.
“Are you seriously insane? Do you realize you almost died out there? What were you thinking?”
Lee Sa-young’s voice was rising in frustration, but Cha Eui-jae, shivering in the cold, barely noticed. What was this feeling? It wasn’t like being overpowered by Lee Sa-young’s presence— it was… cold.
Oh, I’m just… cold. Having a civilian’s body was inconvenient. Cha Eui-jae sniffled.
“Sa-young.”
“What?”
“I’m cold.”
“Damn it.”
Lee Sa-young muttered a curse under his breath, shrugging off his coat and wrapping it tightly around Cha Eui-jae, then lifting him into his arms. Cha Eui-jae shook his head, trying to flick away the water from his damp hair, and Lee Sa-young scowled.
“Are you a dog? Hold still. There’s no towel…”
“It’ll dry on its own.”
“Not before you catch a cold.”
“Can’t remember the last time I caught one. Ages ago, maybe.”
“Well, today might be the day, so stay still.”
“Sa-young.”
“What?”
“Can you grab Mackerel, too?”
“He’s an Awakened. He’ll be fine lying there a while. You come first.”
Lee Sa-young carried Cha Eui-jae past the shoreline, setting him carefully on a low concrete wall by the beach’s edge. He rummaged through his inventory, pulling out various cloth items and piling them onto Cha Eui-jae. Too… heavy. Cha Eui-jae hunched down.
“That’s enough.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah. Any more, and I’ll be crushed under it all.”
He’d only meant it as a joke, but Lee Sa-young’s face turned serious as he lifted a few items off, studying Cha Eui-jae’s face. Cha Eui-jae awkwardly laughed.
“It was just a joke.”
“…”
“…Sorry.”
“Don’t joke about things like that.”
“But it really was heavy.”
“Of course it was…”
With a huff, Lee Sa-young turned toward the sea. Cha Eui-jae watched him retreat, then raised his voice.
“Lee Sa-young!”
“What?”
Lee Sa-young looked back. Cha Eui-jae managed to raise his right arm with some effort and waved.
“I’m back.”
“…”
Lee Sa-young ran a hand through his disheveled hair, then sighed loudly, as if to make sure Cha Eui-jae could hear. Slowly, he headed toward the white sea to retrieve the Mackerel that Cha Eui-jae had pulled from the depths.
***
Yoon Ga-eul opened her eyes.
It was an unfamiliar but familiar ceiling. A crumbling library, with books stacked in piles here and there, and people in white coats bustling about. This was Seowon Guild’s Library in a world that had met its end. Right, a fragment. Yoon Ga-eul quickly adjusted.
Recently, Yoon Ga-eul had been seeing fragments of this ruined world more frequently than before. Was there something that another “me” wanted to say? It would be nice if they could talk directly.
With a sigh, she moved toward the reception room. In the room, a young man was seated on the sofa, untouched tea and refreshments beside him.
Clearing her throat, Yoon Ga-eul sat on the sofa opposite him, smiling. Her mouth moved almost of its own accord.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Yoon Ga-eul. I work with Dr. Nam Woo-jin here at the Seowon Guild. J told me about you.”
“…”
The young man, with his dark hat pulled low, only nodded in response. His hair beneath the hat was a dark indigo color. Yoon Ga-eul rolled her eyes thoughtfully. This must be a story from when J was still alive. Was this person a hunter? Or just shy? Luckily, another part of her offered a hint.
“Um, J only mentioned you were a hunter but didn’t give your name. How should I address you?”
Yoon Ga-eul extended her hand. The young man gazed at her hand for a moment before he finally took it.
“…Mackerel.”
His hand was chillingly cold.
“Just call me Mackerel.”
…Yoon Ga-eul opened her eyes again. A white ceiling greeted her. It was the ceiling of her room at the Prometheus headquarters. She scanned her surroundings as soon as she sat up. Thankfully, Ga-young was nowhere to be seen.
Relieved, Yoon Ga-eul finally let out a breath and rubbed her hands together. It still felt as though she could feel that cold hand.
‘Mackerel, huh…’
She rolled her eyes, asking herself a question.
‘Why are you showing me this, Yoon Ga-eul?’
There was no reply.
