335 – HGL 335

335

The ‘it’ in the sky was active for exactly 31 minutes and 44 seconds. No, even the expression ‘active’ isn’t quite right. According to J, ‘it’ merely opened its eyes and watched. However, the damage caused during that short time was incalculable.

When ‘it’ opened its eyes, pure white Monsters sprang up from all directions, people underwent Mutation, and Invasion Dungeons were rapidly activated, causing the Whitening speed around the Dungeons to surge.

Ham Seok-jeong propped her chin, watching the graph displayed on the screen. The graphs representing casualties and Mutants were skyrocketing in real-time. It was an unbelievable figure, considering it only tallied events that had occurred in a mere 30 minutes.

Once it had opened its eyes, it would open them again. How much time was left? How much longer would it keep its eyes open next time? If it didn’t close them after opening them…

The world would face Doomsday in an instant.

Jung-bin, who was standing beside her, lowered his head and whispered something in her ear. Ham Seok-jeong frowned and turned to Jung-bin.

“What? Matthew is missing?”

“Yes, and…”

Jung-bin continued with a troubled expression.

“Prometheus has officially sent a letter. They say they will terminate cooperation with incompetent nations and the Bureau of Rift Management as of this moment.”

“They specifically said incompetent?”

“Yes. There’s also an unofficial request. They want Ga-young Researcher, who is currently detained by the Bureau of Rift Management, to be returned.”

Tsk, Ham Seok-jeong clicked her tongue and propped her chin again. She tapped the desk with her index finger and asked.

“Where is J now?”

“This way.”

Honeybee grabbed Eui-jae’s wrist and strode down the long corridor. Eui-jae glanced back as he was dragged along.

“Honeybee! J! Wait!”

Team Leader Han was panting as he chased after them. It was impossible for an ordinary person to catch up with Hunters. But Team Leader Han stubbornly pursued them. Honeybee ignored Team Leader Han, regardless.

“Don’t we have to listen to the Team Leader?”

“No need. He’ll probably just lie again. Didn’t you see just now? Even when we asked, he kept dodging the question and didn’t give us a single proper answer!”

Soon, a door with the sign ‘Guild Leader’s Office’ appeared. Honeybee kicked the door open without hesitation. The door fell off its hinges and crashed into the Guild Leader’s office. Honeybee stepped inside, trampling on the door that had a footprint-shaped dent. Eui-jae shrank back. He had also kicked down doors several times, but watching someone else do it made him feel a little guilty.

‘Besides, this is the HB Guild.’

Immediately after losing Matthew, Eui-jae had contacted Honeybee and told her Matthew’s story. The past where, immediately after his Awakening, he couldn’t control his ability and burned his sister and her family to death.

However, Honeybee replied in a flustered voice after hearing the story.

‘That doesn’t make sense? It’s so different from the story I know.’

‘What’s the story you know?’

‘Matthew’s family died in a gas leak accident. Matthew Awakened while trying to save them. That’s the story I heard directly from him!’

Whose story was the truth? Immediately after Whitehole returned as Black Hole, Honeybee grabbed Eui-jae and headed to the HB Guild.

“I need to check.”

However, Eui-jae could guess inwardly. That the story he had heard was the truth.

Team Leader Han, who had barely managed to reach the Guild Leader’s office, grabbed the doorframe and shouted.

“Chae-hyun… First… Hah… Let’s calm down. There’s a lot to do… Hah… right now.”

“What is there to do? Cleaning up after Matthew’s disappearance? Distribute materials to the press saying he won’t be able to come out for a while due to injuries. You have connections from your reporter days!”

Honeybee snapped sharply. Eui-jae bowed to Team Leader Han, who was catching his breath, and followed her into the Guild Leader’s office. A wide desk and chair placed against a large window. Cabinets lined up against the wall. It felt quite different from Lee Sa-young’s Guild Leader’s office. This place was more like… an office.

This place was obsessively clean. Not a single piece of paper or pen was out of place.

“That damn bastard!”

Honeybee kicked the chair. Crash, the chair flew away with a loud noise. Team Leader Han was horrified.

“No, damaging property is―”

“Shut up! Is damaging property a big deal in this situation?”

Honeybee yanked open the drawers under the desk. Eui-jae stayed by her side instead of joining the search. Honeybee would know better than him, who had only seen it briefly.

Then, something caught hard. The last drawer was locked. Honeybee didn’t care and used force to pull the drawer out with a creak.

“Why bother locking it? It opens so easily.”

‘No, that’s because it’s you.’

Honeybee grumbled and placed the pulled-out drawer on the floor. Eui-jae leaned his head in to look inside the drawer. Only a palm-sized photo frame was placed inside. The only unusual thing was that the photo was placed face down so it couldn’t be seen. Honeybee flipped the frame over.

“This is…”

A photo with burnt edges was in the frame. In the blackened photo, a young couple was standing, holding a child. They were smiling happily. Although only their mouths could barely be recognized due to the soot, probably. The writing in pen near their bodies caught his eye.

[Do not forgive]

“……”

Matthew’s face could be seen in the face of the shyly smiling boy. He felt strange. Eui-jae could understand. The feeling of putting it in a locked drawer, and even placing the photo face down so it couldn’t be seen. Eui-jae also hadn’t dared to look for his aunt’s photo.

Honeybee picked up the frame and approached Team Leader Han. And she held the frame right in front of his face and said.

“What the hell is this?”

“……”

“This is Matthew’s handwriting.”

At the time of the contract, Honeybee, Yoo Chae-hyun, hesitated for a long time before the contract. Because they couldn’t let go of a faint hope. She had lived looking only at fencing. Winning the competition, becoming a national representative and going to the Olympics, winning a gold medal, and wanting to reach the pinnacle.

Yoo Chae-hyun bit her lip. Was it okay to give up everything she had done so far and become a Hunter? Above all….

‘Can I trust this person in front of me?’

Perhaps he noticed the suspicious gaze. Matthew suddenly opened his mouth.

‘Don’t you trust me?’

She was hit right on the mark. Yoo Chae-hyun pouted and turned her gaze away. Matthew blinked.

‘Then I’ll tell you one of my secrets. It’s my biggest weakness. You can shake it, or report it to the press, I don’t care.’

Honeybee asked quietly.

“Team Leader Han, did you know about this too?”

“Yes.”

“……”

“An Awakened burned three family members to death…. If it was a peaceful era, it would have been a pretty good news story. But at that time, a new hero was needed. The higher-ups judged that way.”

Team Leader Han’s voice was calm.

“A hero doesn’t suit a past where he killed three family members. So I covered up the truth a little. As a death incident due to a gas leak accident.”

Before becoming the personnel team leader of the HB Guild, Team Leader Han was said to be a political reporter famous for his wide network and influence. Enough to be on familiar terms with many big shots. Honeybee also received a lot of help from Team Leader Han’s connections. Numerous advertisements, image making, and favorable articles.

“Ah…. So that’s why the great Reporter Han quit being a reporter and came to the HB Guild. I didn’t know that, did I?”

“It was a secret between the Guild Leader and me.”

Eui-jae looked at Team Leader Han. He used to smile kindly whenever he came to the Hanover Soup Restaurant. But now, his expression wasn’t visible. The things he had known until now, the things he believed to be true, were shattered.

Eui-jae asked.

“Did Matthew accept that?”

“He had no choice but to accept it…. Let’s just say that. By the time he came to his senses, the scene manipulation and public opinion formation were already over. The Guild Leader Awakened while trying to save his burning family.”

“……”

“That’s the truth.”

Honeybee let out a small, hollow laugh. Her bright brown eyes shone blue.

“You say it so well…. Don’t you have any conscience?”

Team Leader Han pushed up his glasses. That appearance was quite similar to Matthew.

“That’s why I’m here. To take responsibility.”

“Responsibility, my ass.”

She twisted her lips.

“You have to say it right. You were sticking by his side to monitor him. Because if Mok Taeo said the truth, everyone would be ruined! The person who manipulated it, the person who wrote the false article, and the higher-ups involved in this!”

No answer came back. Silence in this situation was as good as affirmation. Honeybee covered her face.

“It’s the worst, everything….”

Eui-jae closed his eyes. Matthew, who couldn’t forgive himself. But in reality, he hadn’t failed to forgive. He had simply been deprived of the opportunity to be forgiven and repent.

“……”

It was then. The phone in his pocket rang. It was a message from Jung-bin.

The Director would like to see you.