The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 307
In the tunnel leading to the underground dungeon at Jongno 3-ga, people in white hazmat suits bustled about. Cha Eui-jae moved through them, flipping open his jackknife as he rescued those ensnared by ivy-like tendrils, unable to move. Strangely enough, he alone remained free from the grasp of the vine-like tendrils that clung to others like octopus suckers.
‘Well, the reason is obvious…’
The dumb vines recognized him as one of their own. Cha Eui-jae smirked as he helped up a struggling researcher who had fallen. Just then, a much smaller hazmat suit came bouncing toward him.
“J-nim, everything is ready. Shall we begin?”
Cha Eui-jae nodded and approached the dead-end wall. He brushed away the white ivy-like vines and placed his palm against the surface. A tense voice called out from behind.
“…Activating now. One, two, three!”
A deep hum resonated, and a blinding white light burst forth from a massive machine. The tunnel trembled. A surge of intense energy poured over his back. Cha Eui-jae absorbed the flowing energy and focused it into the palm touching the wall. The surface quivered beneath his hand, and the energy coursing through his body began to take a spherical shape.
Just a little more. Just a little more. Cha Eui-jae gritted his teeth and concentrated. The energy that had been gathering into a perfect sphere around his hand suddenly lost its center and dispersed with a pop. The entire tunnel flashed white before dimming back down. A sigh of disappointment erupted from behind him. Cha Eui-jae clicked his tongue and pulled his hand away.
“The fourth attempt… failed.”
“Was it another energy shortage?”
“Yes. Using J-nim’s body as a conduit is effective… The energy certainly gathered at one point. This method will help conserve energy that would otherwise be lost, but…”
“But we still need to increase the overall energy supply.”
“The energy source…”
“Modification…”
The researchers launched into another round of headache-inducing discussions. Cha Eui-jae didn’t even bother trying to understand. He crouched down in front of the wall, knowing that if he showed even the slightest interest, the entire research team would enthusiastically rush to explain every detail to him.
‘No way in hell.’
He shuddered at the thought of getting trapped in another endless lecture.
The Pado Guild’s research team had been experimenting for a long time, trying to open the sealed dungeon entrance based on their established theories. They had even taken the time to explain the theory to Cha Eui-jae, though halfway through, the flood of technical jargon made him tune them out completely. In the end, the simplified version of their theory went something like this:
A dungeon’s entrance is a swirling mass of energy. Each dungeon has only one entrance. But what if they could artificially create an entrance at the same location using energy? By the system’s logic, wouldn’t it recognize that as a new entrance?
Apparently, about a year ago, they had succeeded in regenerating a small dungeon’s entrance using this theory. However, the West Sea rift was a different story. When Cha Eui-jae asked why, they responded with a heavy sigh.
“It’s simply too massive.”
“We attempted it, but… the power was nowhere near enough. Even with the guild leader, vice-guild leader, and several A-grade hunters combined, it was impossible. We just didn’t have enough energy.”
So they had gone on a hunt for a powerful energy source. But after failing to find a viable option, the dungeon entrance research had been pushed aside in favor of the erosion dungeon studies.
Just then, the youngest researcher, who looked more like a bandit, cautiously approached.
“J-nim, are you feeling any discomfort? Did you experience any pain while absorbing the energy?”
“No, nothing like that. I’m fine.”
“Oh! That’s a relief. This was the first time we’ve channeled such a large amount of energy into a single person, so we were worried.”
The bandit-like researcher chuckled awkwardly, scratching his head. Cha Eui-jae rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.
“What kind of energy sources do you normally use?”
“Oh, we use magic stones! Since we have to operate within the system’s laws, we need to use items that fall under those rules.”
“And what kind of magic stones are you using now?”
“We buy B-grade and A-grade magic stones from auctions or marketplaces.”
“The higher the rank, the more energy they contain?”
“Yes, exactly. But the best ones never appear in the auctions we can access. They only show up in private auctions for rankers… Our guild leader used to purchase those for us. But now that he’s gone…”
“What about the vice-guild leader? He’s a ranker too, isn’t he?”
The bandit-like researcher sniffled before replying.
“The vice-guild leader… is an honest man.”
“Ah. I see…”
So, basically, that meant Lee Sa-young was a corrupt bastard. The bandit-like researcher mumbled gloomily,
“I really wanted to get that magic stone that was listed on Tomato Market…”
Cha Eui-jae nearly choked on his own spit. A long-buried memory he had completely forgotten came crawling back. Among his many failures, this was one of the most spectacular. He quickly changed the subject.
“R-Right… Anyway…”
“J-nim, do you know about the Tomato Market magic stone incident?”
Of course I do, you idiot. I was the one who put it up for sale. Cha Eui-jae stabbed the ground with his jackknife. The ivy-like vines creeping toward the bandit-like researcher lost their strength and wilted. In a low voice, he replied,
“No. I know nothing about it.”
“Oh! I see. It’s a pretty funny story, want me to tell you?”
No, I do not.
Just then, his phone vibrated. Cha Eui-jae raised it and waved.
“I need to take this.”
“Oh, of course! I’ll give you some space!”
The bandit-like researcher clumsily stumbled away, peeling off the clingy vines as he went. Cha Eui-jae sighed and answered the call. A slick, teasing voice greeted him.
—It’s me, Gyu-Gyu. Mmm~ Last time, you hung up on me without a word. I was wondering if you’d thought about it?
Cha Eui-jae got to his feet and dusted off his pants before responding.
“Let’s meet. That timing was perfect.”
***
The meeting place Gyu-Gyu had chosen was a hunter-exclusive café that provided private rooms. Supposedly, it was a space designed to guarantee privacy for hunters who couldn’t even enjoy a cup of coffee in peace. The guard didn’t so much as blink when J presented his hunter ID, a sign that their training had been thorough.
The room the guard led him to was the deepest one among many. After handing over the key, the guard vanished. Cha Eui-jae unlocked the door and stepped inside. A young man with light sky-blue hair was standing by the window, turning his head as he entered. His grin, exposing his teeth, didn’t leave the best impression. The man extended his hand for a handshake.
“Wow, thanks for coming~ Honestly, I wasn’t sure if you’d actually show up.”
Cha Eui-jae shook his hand lightly before crossing his arms.
“Get to the point. I’m busy.”
“You really want me to get straight to the point~?”
When Cha Eui-jae nodded, Gyu-Gyu cleared his throat and lowered his voice. With a suddenly solemn expression, he clasped his hands together like a preacher and said,
“Let us pray.”
What the hell? Is this some kind of evangelism attempt? Cha Eui-jae instinctively took a step back. Gyu-Gyu burst into laughter, waving his hands.
“See? I told you you’d need some explanation first~”
“…”
“Mm~ Well, technically, we are going to pray. Do you know how to infiltrate? And act a little?”
Infiltration? That’s my specialty. Acting goes without saying. Cha Eui-jae nodded without hesitation. Gyu-Gyu gave him a skeptical once-over behind his black mask.
“…Hah, hold on. Can I even trust you?”
“If you weren’t going to trust me, why’d you call me?”
“Answering so confidently like that kinda lowers your credibility~…”
Cha Eui-jae asked, unimpressed,
“Why did you contact me in the first place? If it’s an infiltration job, you could bring someone else.”
Gyu-Gyu, still wearing that same grin, answered without hesitation.
“I don’t have friends.”
“…What about colleagues?”
“No colleagues either.”
“…”
Cha Eui-jae solemnly lowered his head. Gyu-Gyu continued talking, completely unfazed.
“And J, this is a place you might be interested in too~ I think our interests align. What do you say?”
“Where exactly are we infiltrating?”
Gyu-Gyu’s grin stretched ominously. Cha Eui-jae tensed as he waited for an answer. Slowly, Gyu-Gyu’s lips parted as he spoke a single word.
“A cult.”
A cult? Cha Eui-jae frowned. Gyu-Gyu casually tossed a die into the air and caught it with ease.
“Apparently, churches are empty these days. Everyone’s flocking to a cult that claims it can cure mutations.”
“…”
“I just can’t stand stuff like that~ Comes with being a pastor’s son. Feels like something I need to turn upside down.”
He extended a fist. Cha Eui-jae reached out. Something small was pressed into his palm— a note. Gyu-Gyu grinned.
“If you’re interested, come to this address.”
***
“The Prophet speaks.”
The middle-aged man standing on the platform spread his arms wide. Countless people clasped their hands together and bowed their heads. They were all dressed in white. Behind the middle-aged man hung a white cloth, and beyond it, a dark silhouette was faintly visible. A gentle voice flowed from behind the fabric.
“Welcome, seekers of salvation. You must have heard of us from somewhere. You must have come here with the desperate hope of saving a sick family member, a friend, or a lover, grasping at straws…”
Soft sobs echoed throughout the hall. The gentle voice continued.
“I understand. And I respect your unwavering determination…”
Beyond the back door, in the hallway connected to the hall, large men walked down the long corridor carrying trays. Their entire bodies, including their faces, were draped in white cloth. Then, suddenly, one of the men on the right collapsed.
Thud…
The man on the left muttered something unintelligible and looked around in confusion. But it only lasted for a moment.
Snap!
Something unseen grabbed his head in an iron grip. No matter how much he struggled or tried to turn his head, he couldn’t move an inch. A strangely distorted voice whispered into his ear.
“Stay still.”
That was the last thing he ever heard.
Crunch.
His neck twisted at an unnatural angle, and the strength drained from his body. Thud. The man crumpled to the ground. A shadowy figure swept aside the white cloth. A grotesquely contorted body and face. Thorn-like protrusions sprouted from its flesh. They were Prometheus’ test subjects.
The dark figure, Cha Eui-jae, dragged the bodies behind the corridor pillars, hiding them. Then, he pulled the white cloth over himself. The fabric seemed to adjust itself to the wearer’s body, clinging perfectly to his frame. Though his vision was obstructed, it was a small price to pay.
‘Better than being completely blind.’
It was good enough. Cha Eui-jae hid behind a pillar, carefully sensing the presence around him. Then, his eyes widened.
‘…Lee Sa-young?’
A presence eerily similar to Lee Sa-young’s was emanating from nearby.
