Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Central Management Zone, Hunter Management Bureau, Director's office.

Director Wi Hyeonsang chewed over his earlier conversation with Hunter Baek Iwon.

— ...Underground, sir?

The way Baek Iwon's expression had shifted strangely upon hearing that the Interrogator had returned to the surface.

'He couldn't have caught on to the Interrogator's identity, could he......'

A powerhouse who used his strength for the right causes. Gentle and kind, yet able to draw the line where it counted.

That was precisely why he, the nation's Ranking 1st hunter, was so beloved by the public.

To Director Wi Hyeonsang, however, the man was uniquely difficult to handle.

No matter what temptation he dangled, Baek Iwon never so much as flinched.

'It's the first time he's ever come to my office in person over something like this.'

Yeom Sahyeon and Hunter Baek Iwon shouldn't have ever even met.

Baek Iwon had Awakened five years ago.

Yeom Sahyeon had gone down to the underground prison before that, so there was no overlap in their hunter careers.

'I'd better keep a closer eye on this.'

Nothing good could come of Baek Iwon and Yeom Sahyeon getting entangled.

That man, Yeom Sahyeon, had always been one to drag incidents and accidents in his wake — then as now.

Director Wi Hyeonsang slowly straightened the upper body he'd been leaning against the chair.

He'd have met the Academy Chancellor by now, surely?

'It'd be a problem if he causes another incident.'

He'd already turned a city into a wasteland the moment he came out, and between fielding reports and cleaning up the mess, the Director hadn't even been able to clock out.

Director Wi Hyeonsang sent the Academy Chancellor a text to check in.

And not long after, the thin, transparent ornament on his desk flashed.

BUZZ— BUZZ—

A communication Mana Crystal carved like a small mirror.

A gift from the Chancellor.

Primarily used by active hunters, it could be used in Combat Zones or inside Gates where smartphone communication was difficult.

For a Director who never went into the field, of course, it was an excessive gift.

But it was valuable and rare, so Director Wi Hyeonsang hadn't bothered to decline.

The crystal flashed white, blinking insistently as if urging him to answer.

'A call would've done fine, but he insists.'

When Director Wi Hyeonsang touched the crystal, the Chancellor's face soon rose up above it, as if a screen had switched on.

"Well now, what brings you to call, Director!"

The Chancellor greeted him with his trademark oily smile.

After a brief exchange of perfunctory pleasantries—

Director Wi Hyeonsang slipped into the main point.

"It's nothing major. I was curious how the newly dispatched professor turned out today. How was he?"

The Chancellor flinched for an instant, then put on an awkward smile to smooth it over.

"Well, I can't say just yet, ha ha! He seems to be a free-spirited sort. Since we don't know his background, that makes him all the harder to read."

"That so?"

"Both you and the Association President vouched for him, so I accepted him given how short-handed we are at the moment, but......"

The Chancellor trailed off, creasing his eyes as if troubled.

A line fishing for Sahyeon's identity.

"Ahem."

Director Wi Hyeonsang feigned ignorance and changed the subject.

"Don't worry. His skills, at least, you can trust."

It was true that there was no one in the country who could match him.

That was exactly why Director Wi Hyeonsang hadn't been able to block Sahyeon's transfer to the Academy.

With the precious resource that was Hunter Lee Haje gone, rapidly developing the new Awakened was essential.

Baek Iwon was famously tight-lipped, so there was no worry of a leak.

'But the Academy Chancellor... that's another story.'

The Director's expression turned skeptical, his brows drooping.

The Chancellor relished his time among high-ranking officials.

If he went around spreading rumors the way he had to the Director, there'd be no end of trouble.

'The only people who know the Interrogator's identity are the Association President and me.'

It was only a matter of time before he was identified.

That aside, there was an even bigger problem.

'Who knows what kind of retaliation that man would dish out.'

Namely, Yeom Sahyeon's temper.

Director Wi Hyeonsang still remembered vividly.

What had happened the day Sahyeon had truly lost his temper.

'...That was before I became Director.'

The day an accident occurred because of a trivial mistake of his.

The killing intent he'd felt from Sahyeon.

The maddening part was that the man himself didn't even remember it.

'And he spent all that time underground dealing with criminals afterward, so if anything he's gotten harder, not softer.'

The Director shuddered, a chill running through him.

But the Chancellor, ignorant of the truth, pressed on persistently.

"Still, as the Academy Chancellor, shouldn't I be allowed to know that much? Even just a little hint......"

"It's classified, so there's nothing I can do. I hope you'll understand."

"Don't be like that......"

When a similar answer came back, the Chancellor creased the corners of his eyes even deeper.

"Couldn't you just tell me, and me alone? For the sake of our history together. Please!"

"......"

This little upstart......

'He dares invoke our "history"?'

Because I cut him a little slack, he's pressuring me now?

Just as the exasperated Director Wi Hyeonsang was about to speak—

BEEEEEEEP—

A shrill warning alarm blared from Director Wi Hyeonsang's phone.

Perfect timing. An excuse to escape.

Just as he was about to check the screen—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

The door of the Director's office rattled urgently.

The door swung open the moment he answered.

"Director, we have an emergency."

The Director's secretary burst in, frantic.

"What is it?"

"A Gate grade change. It's risen from D-grade to B-grade, sir."

"What did you say?"

The Director's brow crumpled fiercely.

A single grade rising was something that happened maybe once a year — and this was two grades?

"The Gate number?"

"D-383. We'll need to look into the specifics, but there's a record of hunters entering a few hours ago, so support is likely needed."

"We'd better send high-grade hunters as support, just in case."

Since it had shifted to B-grade, it would need at least an A-rank hunter — though whether there was anyone to spare, he couldn't say.

Variables cropping up was never a good sign.

Just as he was about to cut the call with the Chancellor to assess the situation in detail—

"...D-383?"

The Academy Chancellor murmured, his face working as if to dredge up a memory.

Director Wi Hyeonsang paused and asked.

"What is it? Somewhere you know?"

"Yes, that's...... give me a moment."

He pulled out a tablet, tapped the screen briefly, then pressed a hand to his forehead with a sigh.

"Oh dear, no wonder the number looked familiar. That's where Professor Yeom Sahyeon was dispatched this afternoon!"

The Director's mind hit a buffering screen.

"...Wh-Who did you say is in there?"

The Director's face turned grave as he swiped down the tablet and continued.

"Professor Yeom Sahyeon and three A-rank students. Oh, and Hunter Yun Haeseong, whom you dispatched along with them, as well—"

"How are you only telling me this now?!"

Director Wi Hyeonsang bellowed.

"...Pardon?"

The Chancellor blinked, badly thrown.

Then he added quietly, as if making an excuse.

"There were definitely no anomalies when I inspected it......"

"And it's a Gate you inspected, no less?"

Director Wi Hyeonsang stroked his jaw and let out a heavy sigh.

The Chancellor nodded with a dazed face.

"...Yes, well, the Academy test Gates are always re-inspected and approved by me......"

There was an oddly pitying look in Director Wi Hyeonsang's eyes.

It was an emergency, sure, but — what was with this reaction?

The Chancellor tilted his head, puzzled, but calmly relayed what needed saying.

"Given the grade has been raised, Professor Yeom Sahyeon alone will likely struggle, so might I ask you to send support personnel?"

At that, Director Wi Hyeonsang shut his eyes and shook his head.

"Support won't be necessary. Professor Yeom Sahyeon can handle it more than capably on his own."

"What? But......"

For a man like Yeom Sahyeon, a B-rank Gate was less than a warm-up.

If anything, it was the Chancellor's own safety he ought to be worried about.

The Director's once-furious gaze now held a strange flicker of pity.

"If you need help, try contacting the Association President. He's the only one who can keep that man in check."

"What? What do you mean by......"

The Chancellor asked back, bewildered.

"Well then, I'll be off. Good luck."

Director Wi Hyeonsang hastily said his goodbye and cut the call.

How would the Chancellor react when he realized he'd failed to catch such a critical flaw? Just imagining it made the Director's fingertips stiffen.

And a moment later.

The 'D-383' Gate inspection report relayed by his secretary.

Director Wi Hyeonsang clicked his tongue.

A document that should have been packed full, from the Gate type to the internal terrain.

'Riddled with holes.'

Sahyeon would surely check the report once he was out of the Gate, and with it in this state, the Chancellor wouldn't have a bone left intact.

'My condolences, Chancellor.'

Just as he was offering the Chancellor heartfelt sympathy in his mind—

Another knock sounded.

'Some missing document, perhaps.'

Assuming it was his secretary, the Director was about to answer when the door swung roughly open.

"......!"

The Director froze solid as ice the moment he confirmed the visitor's face.

...What are you doing here?

"You can't just barge in like this!"

The secretary, arriving belatedly, cried out in a panic.

But without batting an eye, a pair of eyes looked down at the Director, quiet and still.

"We keep running into each other, don't we?"

It was Sahyeon.

At the menacing gaze, the Director's heart lurched of its own accord.

The Director forced himself to open his mouth with composed dignity.

"Wh-What brings you all the way here? I heard the Gate grade changed — glad to see you're unharmed."

Why is it me and not the Chancellor?!

The Director inched his chair backward, stammering as he answered.

Sahyeon's head slowly tilted.

"There was an uninvited guest inside the Gate......"

"...An uninvited guest?"

Damn it, what else was there?

The Director looked at his secretary as if demanding an answer.

But the secretary only stared back wide-eyed, shaking his head.

"Hello, Director. The thing is......"

Haeseong, having taken his place behind Sahyeon, answered in his stead.

"There was an unidentified hunter inside the Gate we entered."

"What?"

"And that hunter... was someone whose status window couldn't be read."

"!"

The Director sucked in a breath.

That meant an Awakened not recorded in the South Korean Hunter Association, or a hunter residing in the country illegally.

'This is definitely a serious matter.'

"A criminal, roaming about this freely......"

When the chilling voice bored into his ears, the Director's neck stiffened.

A frost slowly settled into Sahyeon's grey eyes.

"How exactly are you managing public safety?"

"......"

The Director's pupils trembled.

...Association President, please. Help me.