234 – HGL 234

234

“There’s a certain flavor to revenge when you know what you’re doing, isn’t there?”

His tone was nonchalant, as if asking what all the fuss was about. As if it didn’t matter at all. A small question suddenly sprouted in Eui-jae’s mind. Was he being genuine? Eui-jae carefully examined Sa-young’s face. There was no hint of a smile in his thinly curved eyes. Besides…

‘Anyway, all that’s left is bad blood. Even though I don’t remember.’

If emotional residue remained even without the memories, wouldn’t that mean it was engraved in his very being? That pain, that emotion. That rage-filled emotion.

‘There’s no way he’s okay.’

The past he couldn’t remember became a lump of resentment. He couldn’t even resolve it. Because it was already in the past. He just had to carry that much weight as he lived. Lee Sa-young wouldn’t be okay. Eui-jae himself had repeated and consoled himself that he was okay countless times, but he wasn’t okay at all.

Thump. His chest felt heavy, as if pressed down. A conversation, yes. He had to have a conversation. Eui-jae reached out and grabbed Sa-young’s arm.

“You…”

But Sa-young had already taken out his phone with the hand that had been covering his mouth. Instead of looking at Eui-jae, he smiled brightly at Ivan, who was nervously biting his nails.

“I can contact her, right? Director Ham. J’s phone is busted…”

“……”

“Mm… I’ll take that as a yes.”

His dark finger pressed firmly on the call button.

A little while ago, the Awakened Management Bureau.

“Yes, yes… I understand. Yes. We will submit an additional report on that matter. Yes.”

Click, a firm hand placed the receiver down. Ham Seok-jeong frowned slightly and covered her eyes with her hand. A Hunter who had been answering a call next to her covered the receiver with his hand and spoke with concern.

“How about taking a break, Director…?”

“……”

Ham Seok-jeong slowly nodded and, leaning on her cane, rose from her seat. Her knees ached particularly badly today. She left the monitoring room and, avoiding the hallways where people were rushing about, limped to the Director’s office, where there were few people. She leaned her temple against the cold concrete wall. Hoo, a short sigh escaped her lips.

As soon as the frequency of appearances of unidentified Monsters decreased, and some order was restored thanks to the cooperation of Mackerel and civilian Guilds, calls poured in from everywhere. Most of them were from higher-ups. She was able to deal with them skillfully, as expected. Except for one person.

A greasy voice rang in her ears.

‘Let’s leave out the word Doomsday in the announcement. What was it… a Gate explosion? We can just say another one of those, or another West Sea Rift appeared. Don’t you think?’

Nonsense.

‘…Aigoo, Director Ham, Director Ham.’

A voice clicking its tongue as if she were pathetic.

‘They say the more people know, the faster it accelerates. That Doomsday thing or whatever. It’s better to control the information for now, don’t you think? You already have a lot on your plate, Director Ham. Leave the media to us. Let’s each do what we’re good at, that’s what I’m saying. I’m offering to help.’

Bullshit.

‘There will be more losses if you prematurely create anxiety. You have to know how to cover up information appropriately.’

‘What are you going to announce?’

‘Haha, why are you asking such a thing? There was a Gate explosion, but fortunately, it was contained! J did it again! Tell them not to worry. Where else can you find such a valuable name?’

“……”

Ah….

You stupid, dull humans!

Crack, her fingers, filled with force, dug into the wall she was leaning on. Ham Seok-jeong slowly composed herself, but her rough breathing did not calm down easily. Her stomach churned when she saw those who didn’t know anything talking as if they were teaching her.

What did those who had never been in the field, those who weren’t Awakened, know! Those who couldn’t even beat their own fingers and be subdued, only had their mouths alive. And what? J? Did they think J was some kind of magic key! Her eyes gradually rolled back. At the same time, the thoughts she was muttering inside became increasingly radical.

‘I should clean up the top this time….’

“…Director?”

“……”

Ham Seok-jeong slowly turned her head. Jung-bin, who had appeared unnoticed, was looking at her with a slightly troubled face. He was exactly three steps away. Ham Seok-jeong looked up, sighed heavily, and took her hand off the wall. Crumbling concrete fragments fell in a shower. Jung-bin handed her a handkerchief. She nodded in acknowledgment and wiped her hands. Then, she elegantly swept her hair back and asked.

“When did you arrive?”

“I just arrived. Hong Ye-seong said the conference room was boring, um, he kept protesting… So I brought him to the office. On the way, it seemed that the Monsters had been cleaned up to some extent…”

“Yes. I don’t know why, but the number of individuals suddenly decreased rapidly. It’s time to clean up the aftermath. You came at a good time.”

“If you’re okay with it, Director, I can take command from now on…”

Seeing the dirt and dust on his usually neat black suit, the journey must not have been easy. He even brought the picky brat with him. Ham Seok-jeong patted Jung-bin’s shoulder.

“It’s okay. Not yet.”

“……”

“Ah… no, still, would you take over the command? I have to go have a quarrel with the higher-ups.”

“Yes, anything.”

Thinking about it again, their attitude was too unpleasant to just let it go. This wouldn’t be the end of Doomsday, so it was necessary to suppress their arrogance in advance. So they couldn’t interfere any further.

“Then…”

Just then, her phone rang. It must be another higher-up. Annoyed, Ham Seok-jeong pressed the call button without even checking the caller ID.

“Yes…, this is Ham Seok-jeong, Director of the Awakened Management Bureau.”

―Why are you being so polite all of a sudden?

Ham Seok-jeong narrowed her eyes. A languid voice with a manner of speaking that had sold off all its politeness. It was definitely Lee Sa-young.

“You seem to have become even more ill-mannered after waking up from your fainting spell. What’s the matter?”

―Ah… It’s nothing much.

The voices of other people were gradually mixed in from beyond the phone. Soon, a distorted voice was heard nearby.

―Director, this is J. I’m at Prometheus’s headquarters right now.

“…What? Wait, what did you just say?”

Ham Seok-jeong hurriedly readjusted her grip on the phone. Prometheus’s headquarters. Hadn’t she been trying to find it all this time, only to fail? Perhaps having heard the voice that leaked out, a look of shock appeared on Jung-bin’s face as well. The distorted voice continued.

―This… a person named Ivan here, said that since the goal of stopping Doomsday is the same anyway… He proposed that Prometheus and the Awakened Management Bureau cooperate with each other. He asked me to tell you, Director.

“……”

―Um, I’m just conveying the message. Feel free to refuse.

Snap, snap, the sound of cracking knuckles was heard. It meant that he would destroy the headquarters if necessary. Ham Seok-jeong quickly turned her head.

Now that Doomsday had become a reality, the Awakened Management Bureau had to make dealing with Doomsday its top priority. Because more people had to be saved.

In other words, unfortunately, there was no time or manpower to deal with the disappearance of one or two Awakened anymore.

The faces of the Guild leaders she had seen in the conference room flashed through her mind. The faces of the missing Hunters she had seen in the documents as well. She didn’t know how many of them were still alive. They might all be dead.

The top priority of an Awakened was to protect civilians. But, in that case, who would protect the Awakened? There was a widespread perception that even if Awakened disappeared, they were just rolling around and dying in some Dungeon. Even if they were kidnapped, even if they were being used like slaves somewhere. It was all attributed to their weakness, and they were even ridiculed. At least those who belonged to a Guild had someone looking for them…

Wouldn’t it be better to cooperate with them and find out the whereabouts of the captured Hunters? Ham Seok-jeong raised her head. Jung-bin was looking at her with anxious eyes.

“J.”

―Yes, Director.

“If I were to shake hands.”

Jung-bin’s complexion darkened. Ham Seok-jeong closed her eyes.

“Would you be disappointed?”

―No.

“……”

―I trust you, Director.

Ham Seok-jeong sighed briefly.

“Whether we cooperate or not, we need to meet with them. It seems they are willing to contact us as well, so tell them to meet as soon as possible.”

―Understood.

Click, the call ended without further words. Ham Seok-jeong handed her phone to Jung-bin.

“Track the location of the caller and bring it to me.”

“Yes.”

Jung-bin, who had answered briefly, stood still in his place without moving. A look of concern was on his usually gentle face. He fiddled with the phone and asked cautiously.

“…Are you really going to shake hands with them, Director?”

“I don’t know yet. I’ll have to meet them to find out.”

“The Guild leaders you met earlier will strongly object.”

“That’s… unavoidable… It’s something I have to bear.”

Ham Seok-jeong looked at the wall that was carved in the shape of her fingers. She muttered.

“To save more lives… I’ll have to shake hands with my enemies.”