The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 313
What happened after that, well. I don’t really remember.
When he came to his senses, black chains were tightly binding his body. Cha Eui-jae blinked, kneeling on the scorching floor. His eyes, nose, mouth, and throat— it was so hot and dry, it was hard to breathe. He gasped for air, looking around. Bright red flames surrounded him in a wide circle.
‘It’s hot…’
Sweat dripped from his chin. Ash and sparks floated in the air. Tick, tick. Crimson embers fell just in front of his knees and fizzled out. Cha Eui-jae looked up. Beyond the shimmering heat waves, three figures stood; Honeybee, Matthew, and Jung Bin. The sharp tip of a rapier was pointed squarely at him. Faint murmurs of conversation drifted through the heat.
“…He’s secured well, so it should be fine…”
“If he lashes out again…”
“As long as he’s bound by chains, he won’t be able to.”
Jung Bin stepped forward. Part of the ring of fire around them faded away. Uncharacteristically, he was covered in cuts, and his hair was disheveled. His right cheek was even visibly swollen. Jung Bin knelt on one knee and made eye contact with Cha Eui-jae.
“J-nim, do you recognize me?”
Cha Eui-jae slowly nodded. Even that took effort. Jung Bin pulled a handkerchief from inside his suit jacket and wiped the sweat from the back of Cha Eui-jae’s neck.
“Since it seems you’ve come to, I’ll explain. This is the Jongno 3-ga underground dungeon. After you exited the dungeon, you began rampaging. Honeybee tried to stop you, but judged it was too much to handle alone. So Matthew and I came after being contacted, and we subdued you.”
“…Rampage?”
“Yes. A rampage.”
Honeybee suddenly shouted.
“Rampage? More like a fucking meltdown! A full-blown fit!”
“Honeybee, watch your language.”
“Watch what? Hey, J! I’m grateful you busted us out, but going berserk the moment we came back? That’s not excusable. The researchers and even Ga-eul-ah were there, you know?”
“…”
“What the hell were you thinking, going apesh—”
Thmp. A large hand covered Honeybee’s mouth. Matthew quietly pulled her back. Cha Eui-jae’s mouth was dry. Every breath made his throat burn. It was too hot here… too dry. As his breathing grew more labored, Jung Bin gently held Cha Eui-jae’s chin to steady him. Then he let out a soft sigh.
“…Ah, is it too hot? I didn’t consider that. I was only thinking about restraining you… My apologies.”
“Is it really that hot?”
“Right now, J-nim is in a pre-awakening physical state. This kind of heat would be unbearable for an ordinary person. I’m sorry, J-nim. We’ll transfer you to the Awakened Management Bureau.”
Without much effort, Jung Bin lifted Cha Eui-jae. Being stripped of control over his own body was not a pleasant feeling. Being carried like a sack of cargo was even worse. Clinging to his blurry vision, Cha Eui-jae managed to ask.
“…Where’s Lee Sa-young?”
There was no response. Silence was the only answer. Cha Eui-jae clenched his teeth.
***
Cha Eui-jae stared at the hat-shaped ceiling light that hung awkwardly in the center of the room, the only source of illumination in the dark and narrow space. This was the interrogation room of the Awakened Management Bureau.
As soon as they arrived at the Bureau, Jung Bin had thrown Cha Eui-jae into the interrogation room and disappeared, leaving behind only a brief, “Please wait.” Thankfully, the chains had been removed. But judging from the disciplined movements he could sense beyond the door, guards had clearly been stationed outside.
‘They really see me as a dangerous individual.’
There wasn’t much he could do except wait quietly. He didn’t want to tire out the poor civil servants. While waiting for Jung Bin, the door opened a few times. One of the staff handed him a report and a pen before leaving. One was already filled out, the other completely blank.
“When will Team Leader Jung be back?”
“He’s reporting to the Director right now… we’re not sure when he’ll return.”
Cha Eui-jae nodded silently and picked up the pen. The completed report… it looked like it was written by the youngest researcher bandit guy. Cha Eui-jae skimmed through it quickly. The detailed account of how the Memorial Dungeon portal had been opened filled the pages. But that wasn’t what mattered. What happened after was.
Soon, he found what he was looking for.
[…When Hunter Honeybee emerged, the portal was stable. However, when an unidentified female student exited, the portal began to tremble. Shrinking phenomenon observed. After Hunter J escaped, the portal vanished. Hunter Lee Sa-young was not seen. Total of three returnees. Magic stone used as energy source has been confirmed destroyed, it appears to have been fully depleted.]
[After confirming the portal’s disappearance, Hunter J began striking the wall. Hunter Honeybee tried to stop him, but a physical altercation ensued, escalating to the point where weapons were drawn…]
[Team Leader Jung and Hunter Matthew arrived to assist. The three subdued J. But I don’t believe J intended any harm. The professor said temporary delirium could occur right after portal transport. I can also provide the research data. Please consider this in evaluation…]
The rest was a lengthy defense of J. Things like, I’m sure J didn’t mean to destroy everything, and It must’ve been an extreme emotional response to the sudden shift in circumstances…
Cha Eui-jae wasn’t sure whether to feel thankful or guilty. He fiddled with the leather glove in his hand—a black leather glove, a single one. Proof that he’d met Lee Sa-young… and failed to bring him back.
He had failed to rescue Lee Sa-young.
Cha Eui-jae let out a small sigh. He remembered Lee Sa-young’s final words clearly.
“I can’t go.”
Why did he say he couldn’t go? Was something holding him back?
Just then, the door opened. It was Honeybee. She wore a black sleeveless top and leather pants, her exposed arms and face covered in band-aids and bandages. Bruises peeked out beneath the wraps, probably all from trying to subdue Cha Eui-jae. As proper etiquette dictated, Cha Eui-jae bowed his head.
Honeybee stared coldly before crossing her arms.
“You in your right mind now? Cooled off a bit?”
Cha Eui-jae nodded silently. She slammed the door shut and dropped into the chair across from him, legs crossed.
“The researchers explained it roughly. That weird… fuzzy-looking guy was you, right? The one Lee Sa-young strangled, the one who muttered weird Russian?”
There was no one else it could be. Cha Eui-jae nodded.
“…Yes, probably.”
“Well, thanks for getting me out. I was starting to wonder how long I’d be stuck in there.”
“…”
“But that’s that. What the hell was that rampage earlier? Were you actually trying to destroy the dungeon?”
“…I’m really sorry, but I don’t remember.”
“Seriously? Not even when you charged at me like you were gonna kill me?”
“No.”
“When you tried to grab and snap my rapier? When you punched Jung Bin in the face because he tried to stop you? When you kicked Matthew in the gut?”
A cold sweat slid down Cha Eui-jae’s back. I did all that? No wonder Jung Bin’s cheek was swollen red. He couldn’t apologize enough. Cha Eui-jae hunched over like a turtle.
“…I really don’t remember. I’m sorry.”
“What the hell… I seriously thought you’d gone nuts.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Forget it. We’ll call it even, since you got me out.”
Honeybee leaned her chin on one hand, then said.
“Lee Sa-young didn’t make it out.”
“…”
“That glove’s his, right? You came out with just the glove?”
“…I tried to bring him. But in the end… he said he couldn’t come.”
“What? Is he crazy? What does he mean he can’t come?”
Honeybee scowled. No kidding. Cha Eui-jae fiddled with the glove in an attempt to calm himself, though it wasn’t working. Honeybee twisted a strand of her hair, deep in thought.
“We still have to get him out. Can’t we reopen the portal somehow?”
“We’ll have to ask the research team. The magic stone used as the energy source was destroyed, according to the report.”
“Tch. Nothing’s ever easy.”
A shadow fell across her face.
“If he stays in there too long, he’ll go insane…”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, that’s…”
Just as Honeybee opened her mouth to explain—
Weeeeeoooohhhh— A loud, threatening siren blared. Honeybee leapt to her feet and flung the door open. The hallway flashed red. She grabbed a panicking Hunter just outside the room.
“What’s going on? What happened?!”
“We, uh… we’re not sure yet—!”
“Ugh, useless. Give me your radio!”
She snatched the walkie-talkie and held it to her ear. Through the static came an urgent voice:
—…A mutant has appeared! All available combat personnel, report to the 14th floor…
Cha Eui-jae’s head snapped up. A mutant… in the Awakened Management Bureau. And Jung Bin, whose neck had been torn up by his own teammate.
Jung Bin could be in danger.
