The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 333
Phew!
The spear flew sharply, piercing several monsters at once. Cha Eui-jae swiftly kicked the approaching monster from behind, causing it to let out a grotesque scream and crash into a wall, knocking it over. He continued his attack relentlessly. The sensation of crushed flesh and bone was palpable. Cha Eui-jae raised his head to avoid the gushing white blood. Cold sweat dripped down his chin.
‘This is endless…’
If he kills one, ten will come, if he kills ten, a hundred will surround him. Cha Eui-jae glanced at the white hole above. A distinct gaze befell on him. It was watching him. The monsters were gathering around him.
‘As expected…’
Its target was me.
Immediately after realizing this, Cha Eui-jae slowly distanced himself from the shelter. But it wasn’t that easy. People, people, people. Wherever he went, there were always people. Cha Eui-jae pulled his spear out of the monster’s body and jumped up.
“…Ugh.”
For a moment, his vision blurred. Monsters were pouring out. An endless battle. A landscape bathed in pure white. Cha Eui-jae clutched the top of his mask. His stomach churned. His spear almost slipped before he tightened his grip, which was soaked in cold sweat. He could barely swallow the bile rising in his throat.
‘Why at a time like this…’
No matter how hard he tried to console himself that he was fine, those past memories would still come crawling back to his mind in moments like these.
Is Ha-eun okay?
Is she crying, looking for me?
What about the shelter? Is it really safe?
Should I have stayed by her side…
At that moment, a shrill scream rang in his ears.
“S-save me!”
“Go away! Go away!”
Spots of dark hair were visible among the white monsters. A woman was crouching, holding a child, while a man stood guard in front of them. He bravely swung his umbrella at the monsters, but it wasn’t enough. Even from a distance, his hands holding the umbrella and his legs could be seen trembling uncontrollably.
‘Damn it!’
Cha Eui-jae tried to run towards them, but stopped himself. He couldn’t go and save them. The monsters would follow him, and that would only put them more in danger. What if he just threw his spear and finished them off? Spears were disposable…
The woman hugged the child tightly and sobbed.
“Please, save us…!”
“Please save me.”
Lee Sa-young’s dying voice flashed through his mind. Damn it. Cha Eui-jae bit his tongue hard. The sharp pain snapped him back to reality.
‘What are you hesitating for!?’
Cha Eui-jae ran, pushing through the monsters. When they charged, he had to kill them all until the family was safely evacuated. The monster opened its jaws at the man, but he kicked it with all his might before its jaws could close.
Crash!
A cloud of dust rose. At the same time, Cha Eui-jae swung his spear upward, creating a whirlpool around it. The monsters surrounding him lost their balance and stumbled. Then, Cha Eui-jae slammed the spinning spear into the ground.
Crack!
The road split, centered on the spear. A wide valley formed between Cha Eui-jae and the monsters that charged like a pure white wave.
‘This should buy us some time, I think.’
At this point, he should just claim the repair costs himself. Cha Eui-jae turned to the family. The man had his eyes tightly shut and was swinging his umbrella wildly. Worried that he might hurt himself, Cha Eui-jae held the umbrella and stopped his movements.
“I’m a hunter. Please calm down.”
“Uh, huh, hunter…?”
The man slowly opened his eyes. Shock soon filled his face.
“W-wait… a-are you, J-J-J, J-J-J…”
“Yes, I’m him. It’s dangerous here. Move to the nearest shelter…”
The woman holding the child intervened, cautiously.
“Th-The designated shelter was full, so we were going somewhere else. But I sprained my ankle…”
“It’s already full?”
“Y-yes…”
The woman lowered her head, hugging the child tightly. Her movements were desperate, not as if she was trying to protect the child, but rather as if she was trying to hide them. Something was off.
‘…The child is too quiet.’
Wouldn’t a child normally cry in a situation like this? However, the child didn’t even whimper. All he could hear was the sound of strangely calm breathing. Cha Eui-jae stepped toward the woman and child. However, the man blocked his path, his body trembling.
“I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“…”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay.”
Cha Eui-jae grabbed the man’s shoulder.
“I won’t hurt anyone. I won’t do anything at all. I’ll just take a look.”
The man was pushed away with startling ease. Cha Eui-jae knelt down eye-level with the collapsed woman. The woman shrank even further. The child in her arms was tightly wrapped from head to toe, wearing a turtleneck that covered their entire neck, gloves, long pants, a hat with earflaps, and a mask that covered half their face.
“So the designated shelter didn’t accept them.”
“…”
“Were you kicked out?”
The man sighed. No matter how tightly he wrapped the child in clothes, no matter how tightly the mother covered the child with her own body, the scales covering the child’s face couldn’t be hidden. The woman sobbed.
“The man in white said that they couldn’t accept mutants… because it could endanger others… If you just send the child away, we’ll let you stay…”
“…”
“But, but I can’t just let my child go. So…”
“So you all came out together.”
The woman nodded. The child in her arms stared blankly into space. Long gills were visible on the nape of their neck.
“…”
The mutation had progressed considerably. No shelter would accept them.
‘Maybe if it’s the Seowon Guild…’
Cha Eui-jae looked up and saw a road sign, slightly crooked but still legible. It was quite a distance from Seowon Guild.
‘Can I take these people to the Seowon Guild?’
It was possible, but the path would certainly be difficult. Cha Eui-jae was still being followed by monsters. He could put the family in even greater danger…
But there was no time. The monsters crawled, filling the valley with their bodies.
At that moment.
Swoosh—
Fiery heat erupted from within the valley. The monsters crawling inside were devoured without a cry. Even the white ashes were consumed by the flames.
A huge shadow appeared through the flickering flames.
“…How unexpected.”
“Huh? What is it, J? Why are you here?”
“Honeybee?”
It was Matthew, dressed in a silver suit, and Honeybee, wielding a rapier. Honeybee leaped over the blazing valley and approached Cha Eui-jae.
“What’s happening? I came here because I saw so many monsters around here. Who are these people?”
Cha Eui-jae explained briefly. Honeybee listened carefully, then glanced at the child. Her expression was complicated. Perhaps that was understandable. She, too, had lost a companion to mutation.
“So, you’re taking them to the Seowon Guild?”
“It would be the best. The shelter won’t accept them all.”
“But…”
“Then you two should head to Seowon.”
Matthew, who had been listening quietly, spoke. He stood across the valley, facing the wall of blazing flames.
The flames reflected off the clear lenses of his glasses, obscuring his expression. Matthew took off his jacket and draped it over his left arm, then rolled up his right sleeve to his elbow. Cha Eui-jae’s eyes widened. His arms were covered in scars darker than his skin. The wrinkled, shriveled skin was a vivid burn scar.
Like the flames reflected in his glasses…
Matthew spoke in a matter-of-fact voice.
“I’ll take care of this.”
“No, I can’t just…”
“Are you sure you’re okay? Your breathing is unstable.”
“…”
“Your body temperature and heart rate are high. You’re probably not in top condition, are you?”
Hunters are so sharp-witted. As Cha Eui-jae fell silent, Matthew pushed up his glasses. He looked like a businessman on a business trip. It would have been more so if not for the howls of the monsters and the flames engulfing the area.
“You are our greatest asset. Don’t waste your energy in a place like this.”
“No, these monsters…”
“You don’t have to help. My abilities are specialized for dealing with multiples.”
“But…”
“I have expressed my refusal.”
The massive flames rippled, almost engulfing even Matthew. They resembled a gigantic wave. Sparks crackled and ignited in all directions. Matthew warned softly.
“There’s no guarantee they won’t attack you. It’s best to keep your distance.”
“…”
“I’m embarrassed to say that I can’t control my abilities perfectly.”
Matthew turned away. Flames erupted from his large hands. A warmth that didn’t match his cold face and demeanor. Honeybee patted Cha Eui-jae on the shoulder.
“Well, J, it’s okay if you stay here. I’ll take this couple. No need to say thanks.”
“Oh, thank…”
“Enough! Seriously, you’re using a high-end person like me as a bodyguard.”
Honeybee grumbled, refusing to turn her back to the woman.
“I’ll carry you. Tell your husband to carry the kid.”
“Huh, yes? But…”
“You said you hurt your ankle? Wouldn’t it be better to be carried by me than to walk through all of these monsters?”
“…”
The woman looked at Cha Eui-jae with an anxious expression. Cha Eui-jae nodded, saying that everything was fine. The woman was carried on Honeybee’s back, and the man held the child. Before departing, Honeybee glanced beyond the flames.
“So you’re staying here?”
“Yeah, probably.”
As Cha Eui-jae nodded, Honeybee slowly began to speak, rubbing the soles of her shoes against the floor.
“Then… I have a favor to ask. Could you please look after Matthew?”
Honeybee rolled her eyes with an embarrassed expression.
“That guy really hates his own abilities.”
“…”
“Please make sure he doesn’t explode.”
It was an ominous request.
