CH 18

At present, East Yeouido was ghastly to look at.

It was no wonder. The gate appeared in the middle of Yeouido, right next to the National Assembly building at that. Fortunately, as it was Seoul’s yolk land, the buildings had dense layers of mana stones, so there weren’t any major damages aside from the broadcasting station. 

[T/N: yolk land means prime real estate location]

But it was a big deal.

There were quite a number of casualties due to the collapse of the broadcasting station’s building. One person died while seventeen others were injured. Five people were missing.

Additionally, the five were not buried under the building’s rubble, but missing as they were drawn into the dungeon.

“Is Team K not ready yet?”

“They have yet to come out from the dungeon in the Sangam district.”

“Is the Sangam district the problem now?”

A task force was set up in front of the broadcasting station. It was 1am in the morning, but a crowd was still present. Most of them were from Gwanghwamun’s Seoul Regional office.

Amongst them was Lee Eunjoo, the director of the Seoul Regional Office, who rubbed her forehead while clicking her tongue.

“It’s been 10 hours since the dungeon appeared. At this rate, neither I nor the chief of the Yeongdeungpo branch office will avoid reprimand.”

“I’m ashamed.”

“If they don’t enter within the next 30 minutes, Team K will be disbanded.”

“We’re also doing our best. An employee from our branch office is also missing, so we’ll do my best…”

“Stop saying that you’ll do your best.”

“I’m sorry.”

The person apologising remorsefully was Jung Yoojin, the chief of the Mapo branch office. The Sangam district dungeon, where Team K is located, was under the Mapo branch office’s jurisdiction, but they weren’t able to contact Team K at all.

As soon as she, whose eyebrows were particularly thick and gave off a rough impression, came out of the tent used as headquarters, she gritted her teeth.

“Kwon Wook, this crazy punk, if I’d looked after him normally, shouldn’t he be good at times like this? Where is he?”

“He says that he’ll be here soon…”

At that time, a loud and clear sound rang out, cutting through the action officer’s words.

“That crazy punk is here!”

Jung Yoojin turned her fierce gaze towards it. The civil servants of the Hunter Agency, who’d gathered due to this disaster, made a commotion. It was but a matter of course.

Kwon Wook.

The man that was currently Korea’s most popular S-class hunter was over there. He, who’d awakened more than a decade ago, was still very popular at his relatively young age of thirty-two. 

Of course, it wasn’t just because of his handsome face, tall stature and agile body. He had really good senses because he started out as an idol, and he had a very friendly and amiable personality.

However, that smile was just another factor that irritated Jung Yoojin right now. Chief Jung Yoojin thundered.

“Are you in your right mind or not? Get ready to go in right now!”

“Yes, yes.”

Look at that laid-back appearance of his in front of the B-class gate. Chief Jung Yoojin was boiling internally. Perhaps because they’d just come out of the dungeon in Sangam district, they seemed fully equipped.

Just then, parents that were pacing at a side dashed over through the government officials.

“Kwon Wook! You’re Kwon Wook, right?”

“Please save my child! Our Heeyeon, she’s wearing a purple school uniform! Her skirt is chequered and she has short hair.”

“Sookyung is wearing pink sneakers!”

The man’s smile didn’t disappear as he comforted the parents proficiently.

“Yes, Madam. I heard all about it on my way here. I’ve also seen the pictures that you’ve sent…”

The other civil servants quickly restrained the parents.

“Parents, please calm down so that Hunter Kwon Wook can enter the gate as soon as possible. If you act like this, the rescue operations will also be delayed.”

At those words, the parents hurriedly backed down like they had never done that. However, earnestness filled each of their faces.

In the meantime, Chief Jung Yoojin, who approached Kwon Wook, gritted her teeth and whispered.

“Can you even smile right now? Can’t you see the cameras in front of you? What are you doing, smiling in front of those parents?” 

“Eyy, Chief. What’s wrong? You know that citizens that are watching will only feel relieved when I have a relaxed appearance.” 

“Five people are missing!”

The tall young man had been working as the Hunter Agency’s public relations model ever since his awakening, so he thought that everything would be fine as long as he made a trustworthy smile. With a smile on his face, he tilted his head.

“It wouldn’t end up on the newspaper headlines anyways.”

“The gate exploded in the middle of Yeouido. Isn’t this worthy of being a newspaper headline?”

“You’re clearly aware though.”

Kwon Wook shrugged his shoulders.

“It would only become a headline if there were ten deaths.”

As such, if you’d been the Hunter Agency’s promotional model for 10 years, you can easily tell how the media would report this piece of news. Since it exploded in the middle of the broadcasting station, everyone would probably report about it happily. 

However, the report would probably be something about how insensitive the broadcasting station was towards other’s safety, and will it be a problem and what will happen when a gate appears in front of the National Assembly. 

Kwon Wook was well aware that instead of the death toll, a series of reports insulting the Disaster and Safety Management Act or the National Crisis System would appear. 

But it was fine if they cursed him. It was because it was Jung Yoojin herself that trained Kwon Wook to be like that. 

Additionally, it would be rather unjust for Kwon Wook to be criticised as soon as he arrived. The Sangam district dungeon was rated S-class, and Kwon Wook’s Team K had been continuously targeting that dungeon for a year now.

Even if an S-class hunter led the raid, a government-managed raid, which involved extracting the maximum obtainable by-products and searching and trampling each and every monster, was bound to progress slowly.

During such a schedule, a gate suddenly exploded in the city. Truthfully, it was also a miracle that they arrived within 10 hours.

As such, Jung Yoojin didn’t say anything more, and just frowned.

“You d*mned punk, go and give your greetings.”

“Hello, Director! Team K has just arrived. I’m really sorry!”

Even before Chief Jung Yoojin finished speaking, Kwon Wook had already entered the tent where the head of the Seoul Regional office was at and bowed. She could see Lee Eunjoo gesticulating at him. 

At that moment. 

Rumble… 

At the same time, a system message appeared in front of all the hunters present at the scene.

[The dungeon raid has been completed]

[The guerrilla gate will be closed]

[Time remaining: 04:59]

Chief Jung doubted her eyes. The dungeon raid was successful? 10 hours after it exploded? Does this even make sense? A series of dumbfounded voices echoed all around her. 

“What’s this?”

“Does this make sense?”

The same was true of the task force’s tent. When Yoojin entered the tent, there were a lot of people pressing the air with faces of amazement.

“Chief!”

“Yes.”

Director Lee Eunjoo, who was similarly staring in the air with her chin in a palm, looked at Chief Jung Yoojin.

“The Mapo branch’s employee that went missing inside, what was her name?”

This inhuman fellow. Cold sweat formed on Chief Jung’s back. Lee Eunjoo has already finished calculating the most likely course of events that occurred inside. 

“It’s Kang Hara.”

“Kang Hara. Did she work as a support to civil authorities?”

“She was originally in mana stone management.”

“Alright.”

Rumble… 

A thunderous sound rang out once again from within the gate. Director Lee Eunjoo walked out of the tent. The gate was rippling.

A small smile appeared on Director Lee Eunjoo’s lips.

“It would be great if a new superstar is born.”

Those that came to their senses belatedly stood in front of the gate with oxygen tanks for those that disappeared within the gate. Ambulances were also parked in front of the gate. This was in preparation for the missing people that would appear with the gate’s disappearance. 

The paramedics, who were mobilised to save lives, stood amidst the confused Hunter Agency officials and watched the gate nervously. There were a total of five ambulances parked in front of the gate. However, the number of them that would leave for the hospital was unknown.

[Time remaining before the gate’s disappearance: 02:45]

“Oh! There, over there!”

The gate became blurry and a faint shadow appeared. One of the paramedics shouted happily.

A couple of silhouettes appeared. Please, please. Everyone placed their hands together and prayed earnestly.

The first thing that surfaced was a large man. It was also a face that’s familiar to everyone. 

“Anchor Yoon Seheon!”

A dishevelled appearance, and a face covered in dirt. His back was soaked with blood, and he was holding tightly onto three girls.

The paramedics cheered. This was because three out of five of the missing people were girls that had just become middle school students, so no one expected them to survive.

The parents that were watching from behind also dashed through the safety tape with delighted shouts.

“Sookyung!”

“Kim Heeyeon!”

“Oh, Seoyeon!”

The children had puzzled expressions, and soon burst into tears as they hugged their parents.

The paramedics grinned, approached Yoon Seheon and helped him put on an oxygen mask. It had to be done because it was unknown if he’d inhaled any toxic gases while in the dungeon.

The man looked around while wearing the oxygen mask.

[Time remaining before the gate’s disappearance: 00:13]

Another silhouette only appeared just as the gate was about to disappear. It was a silhouette that’s curled up on the ground.

Patient, please take a deep breath. Please take a deep breath. Breathe in. Open your eyes wide. Seheon couldn’t take his eyes off that side even as paramedics quickly checked over his condition.

“Kang Hara-ssi! Are you Kang Hara-ssi? Kang Hara-ssi! Please open your eyes, Kang Hara-ssi!”

The paramedic that ran to the silhouette, flipped open Kang Hara’s eyelids, touched her body, and shouted after checking her over. 

“Kang Hara-ssi is confirmed to be breathing.”

Only then did Seheon realise that he had been holding his breath all this while.

He barely managed to take a deep breath. The paramedic patted him on the back, saying well done and take a quick breath. A short breath, inhale, exhale. Good. He was urged to breathe. 

After Seheon breathed three times, the paramedic rubbed Seheon’s shoulder in encouragement.

Wee-woo. The sound from one of the ambulances signalled their departure. He was so glad to see the dust-filled sky of East Yeouido that he teared up. 

* * *

[On the 20th, the search ended 10 hours after the gate incident at Yeouido Park Road in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul. In a surprising turn of events, all five of the missing people that were identified at the time of the accident were found safely. According to the Seoul Regional Natural Disaster Response Policy Agency, around 3 p.m. on the 20th……]

* * *

— Spring at the dungeon in East Yeouido? 

— Does it make sense for all the missing people to be alive?

— There’s a rumour that the gate had disappeared naturally. 

— Have you guys ever seen a B-class dungeon disappear in a day’s time? Does that make sense?

┗ It could make sense. Why can’t it make sense?

— It should have exploded in the National Assembly. Oh Mother Nature, just a hundred metres further.

— Apparently, everyone that went in there survived. That’s more unbelievable. 

— There was an E-class hunter with them.

┗ The E-class has worked hard.

┗ Crazy. What’s with the strength of an E-class surviving in a B-class dungeon for 10 hours?

┗ Isn’t it a hidden S-class?

┗ Didn’t they awaken already?

┗ You have to pay attention to the announcement. It might be a second awakening.

* * *

Seoul Regional Natural Disaster Response Policy Agency, Seoul Regional Office. 

Located in Gwanghwamun, the Seoul Regional Office was a place that middle school students in Seoul would visit at least once on a field trip. Thanks to that, it always had a bright atmosphere. Its doors were wide-open, with the slogan ‘The Hunter Agency is open to the citizens.’

However, all the schools that applied for field trips to the Seoul Regional office recently received a rejection. Their doors were also closed tightly. The lights in the conference room remained on for three days and nights.

It was because of the gate that broke out in Yeouido a week ago.

Damages such as the broadcasting station building’s collapse did occur, but it wasn’t significant. While there was one death, the Hunter Agency wasn’t responsible because it was a casualty caused by the collapse of the broadcasting station building while escaping. 

If it was as per usual, there was no reason for the Seoul Regional office to close like this. They might have taken advantage of the public’s attention, with the public relation teams distributing materials on mana management, while the Hunter Agency’s labour union once again protested against privatisation once again.

The problem lay in the fact that the gate closed too quickly.

A B-class gate that appeared in the center of the city. The gate was closed just as the S-class hunter team from the nearby Sangam district dungeon was about to enter. 

There was an E-class employee that entered the gate.

[Chief of the Mapo Branch Office, Jung Yoojin]

Jung Yoojin raised her head reflexively. Currently, she was called to the Seoul Regional office’s conference room. And there were a dozen supervisors seated and staring at her within the conference room. 

Jung Yoojin straightened her spine stiffly. It meant, if there’s something you have to say, say it.

– This is Supervisor Yoon Hyundong. Is Kang Hara not attending today either?