The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 326
—Breaking news. The White Hole that has existed since the Day of the Rift has been seen disappearing worldwide…
The news anchor’s voice sounded from Kang Ji-soo’s phone. The hunters couldn’t take their eyes off the sky. The hole had existed since the appearance of the Awakened. It was proof that the world had changed.
Did a miracle happen?
No.
“It couldn’t have just disappeared like that…”
Several hunters nodded in agreement at Cha Eui-jae’s muttering. Bae Won-woo rubbed his chin.
“I wonder if something is going to happen again. But I haven’t heard anyone say anything…”
“Maybe Prometheus did something again?”
“The Hunters can’t even touch the White Hole. How can they get rid of it?”
“They’re the ones who caused the mass blackout and brought the end, how can they not do it?”
“But…”
His heart pounded uncontrollably. Cha Eui-jae suppressed his anxiety and said,
“Let’s go outside first. Have you heard anything from other guilds or the Bureau?”
“Yes, the Bureau seems to be assessing the situation. Someone also told us on Hunter Channel to wait in our respective positions. But, it’s not official…”
“Yeah, but we’re not just going to look at the sky, right? Like J-nim said, let’s go to the front. We also need to check on the civilians.”
Kang Ji-soo gestured, and the hunters began to follow her one by one. Cha Eui-jae stood at the window until the last person left, staring up at the gray sky.
‘Why am I so anxious?’
Cha Eui-jae fisted against his rapidly beating heart.
The area in front of the Pado Guild building was already crowded. Not only with hunters descending from the building, but also with civilians queuing up in a long line. Bae Won-woo was already waving his pot lid-sized hand, directing the traffic.
“The Pado Guild shelter is this way! Guys! Go guide them! Don’t worry, we’ll protect you if necessary. Yes? We’re still assessing the situation. Oh my, I fully understand your anxiety…”
“J-nim.”
Kang Ji-soo, who was waiting by the door, pulled Cha Eui-jae’s arm and whispered.
“J-nim, if you appear in front of all of those people, things will get more complicated, you know? That’s what being a popular star is like. Do you want to wear a gas mask?”
“But the clothes…”
“Of course, we still have robes left that can be used. Seo Min-gi!”
“I knew this would happen, so I prepared for it, customer.”
Seo Min-gi’s head popped out from Cha Eui-jae’s shadow until his whole body was lifted off the ground. He politely held out a neatly folded black cloak with the gas mask placed on top of it.
“Please put this on.”
“Why do you have this on you?”
“Being prepared for everything is one of my rules. The gas mask also has a voice changer function.”
It sounded absurd, but it was helpful. Cha Eui-jae pulled the black cloak over his face. He then removed his mask and put on the gas mask. Hiss, the sound of his breathing escaped. Seo Min-gi adjusted his cloak with satisfaction.
“It’s not a great item, but it has the effect of reducing the wearer’s presence, so it’s very useful.”
‘But I already have the skill for that.’
However, he decided not to say that. Seo Min-gi looked very proud. Cha Eui-jae bowed his head.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Then Seo Min-gi took out another set of cloak and gas mask, and handed them to Yoon Ga-eul.
“Student Ga-eul, please wear them too.”
“Me– me too?”
“You escaped from Prometheus. You mustn’t show your face much.”
“Oh, right… thank you.”
Yoon Ga-eul put on her cloak and gas mask. Kang Ji-soo, who had been looking outside the window with a sharp gaze, pointed outside with her thumb.
“If you’re done changing, let’s go. There are a lot of people outside, so be careful. There are also people wearing white clothes, I think there are some Prometheus cultists here.”
Yoon Ga-eul swallowed nervously. Kang Ji-soo added playfully as she opened the door.
“What? You don’t trust us~? There are so many high rankers here, you think we can’t protect even one person?”
“I, I trust you!”
“Yeah, yeah~ Let’s go!”
As the door opened, a gust of warm air rushed in, as the chatter grew louder. Anxious voices, quiet prayers, and fear. People were heading somewhere, guided by guild members. Before Cha Eui-jae could ask where they were going, Kang Ji-soo spoke, smoothing her messy hair.
“Large guilds are required to build shelters when constructing their buildings. Monsters can attack schools, hospitals, community centers, and so on, so guild shelters with hunters are the safest.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Well… capacity is limited, so we can’t just accept all of them. For now, we’ll accept the elderly, children, and residents around the guild after checking their IDs. Hey, is it full yet?”
“It’s about a fifth full! There’s still room.”
“Huh, is it because it wasn’t declared a disaster? There aren’t as many people as I thought. Check regularly and notify the Vice-Guild Leader.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Just then, a small scream rang out among the gathered crowd. Simultaneously, the hunters each placed their hands on their weapons and searched for the source of the scream. There was no sign of the monster. So, what was it?
Something white and smooth ran along the path the people had made. The first to recognize it was Cha Eui-jae.
“Kkokko?”
“Bawk, Bawk!”
Flapping its wings, Kkokko flew and rushed at Cha Eui-jae. He caught it in midair just before it crashed onto his chest. Kkokko struggled in his grasp, flapping its wings and legs.
“Bawk-Bawk! Bawk! Baw-Ba-Bawk!”
“Hey… why are you like this…! Hey! Kkokko! Calm down!”
“Baaaawwk!”
Tears welled up in its black bean-like eyes.
‘You- you’re crying?’
Kkokko cried for a long time, its tears flowing continuously. Baaawwk… Cha Eui-jae, who suddenly became a person holding a crying chicken, immediately looked around. Everyone looked a bit flustered. But just then, he felt a vibration in his pants pocket. A phone call. Cha Eui-jae held the crying Kkokko in one arm and took out his phone, then pressed the call button without looking at the caller.
“Hello.”
—J-nim, it’s Jung Bin. I’m calling because you weren’t responding to the ranker chat. Where are you right now?
“I’m at the Pado Guild. Student Ga-eul is with me. What’s going on?”
—Yoon Ga-eul? Then…
Jung Bin sighed on the other end of the call.
—Hong Ye-seong-nim… I can’t reach him.
“Huh?”
Cha Eui-jae looked down at Kkokko. Kkokko was still crying, looking up at him. His sleeve was soaked through with its tears.
—I tried contacting him to hear his opinion on this matter… but he didn’t answer. The hunters waiting around the residence tried to enter, but the amulet didn’t respond.
“Did Hong Ye-seong change the entry method of his own accord…?”
—That shouldn’t be. He can’t do that under the contract. Was there a problem with the space where Yoon Ga-eul was staying?
The image of a collapsed classroom came to mind. The ceiling cracking into pieces, revealing a black void.
If something happened to the creator, Hong Ye-seong, it would have collapsed.
“The space collapsed. So I brought student Ga-eul out… and Kkokko just came here too.”
—…Then the worst assumption turned out to be true.
“…”
—It seems that Hong Ye-seong-nim is in trouble.
Jung Bin’s voice sounded heavily graved. Cha Eui-jae stared at Kkokko intently. It was fine without a single crack, but its feet, split into three, there was…
Red.
“Kkokko, this…”
At that moment,
Dung…
A haunting sensation swept over his entire body.
The fear that the soul remembered.
One by one, they looked up at the sky. The people lining up to enter the shelter, the hunters guiding them, and Bae Won-woo, who had been staring awkwardly at his tablet. Everyone.
And,
“…”
Cha Eui-jae also looked up.
A black hole appeared in the gray sky. No, it would be more appropriate to say it returned. It was always there.
Cha Eui-jae couldn’t take his eyes off ‘it’. A gust of ash-tinged wind blew, messing up his hair. His ash-and-silver locks fluttered. His fingertips trembled. His heart pounded.
Cha Eui-jae realized what ‘it’ was.
He would direct the Eye of the Apocalypse elsewhere? No. That was nothing more than human arrogance.
‘It’ appeared in this world the moment monsters emerged, the moment the system appeared…
The black hole slowly turns white from the bottom of the circle.
As if opening one’s eyes.
Soon, the black hole turned completely white. The swirling white circle moved up, down, left, and right.
The eye had opened. It watched everything.
From the moment the destroyed world that Lee Sa-young was holding onto vanished, it never stopped.
“…”
Cha Eui-jae swallowed his dry saliva. His instincts screamed.
That’s it.
That’s your prey.
A prey that you’ve failed to kill twice!
Kill it!
Their eyes met. Not just a feeling, but a certainty.
The white circle, no, the eye curved like a crescent moon.
As if provoking.
