Chapter 77 - Chapter 77 (2/2)

Mutter, mutter.....

The waiting room became very noisy all of a sudden. Choi Jong-In did his best to maintain his calm and looked to his side.

"Chief Park?"

"Yes?"

Chief Park replied with an awkward look on his face.

"Did I make a mistake during my introduction?"

"W-well, I..... I wonder. I'm not sure."

Obviously, Chief Park heard everything as he was standing to the side. Still, this wasn't the right time to say that out loud, no?

When Chief Park shut his mouth, Choi Jong-In sheepishly scratched the side of his head.

'Was I too careless with my approach....?'

Still, there was no reason to feel disappointed here. Without a doubt, he was one step ahead of other Guilds.

'I'm the only one who knows about the appearance of the new rank S.'

The re-measurement was scheduled for three days later. There was still some time left until the official announcement.

'Before that, though, I gotta find another opportunity to talk to him, no matter what....'

Wasn't there a good way?

While Choi Jong-In began pondering his options, he spotted someone else hurriedly running towards the building.

'…..Wait, isn't he...?

Now that was definitely a familiar face.

When that man pushed open the glass door and entered, Choi Jong-In spoke up with a surprised expression on his face.

"Chairman Baek? What are you.....?"

Baek Yun-Ho's eyes also widened after recognising Choi Jong-In.

"Master Choi?"

Choi Jong-In quickly deciphered Baek Yun-Ho's expression.

'It's like, he knows he's been busted....'

It was not very likely that he came running after an informant rang him up just now. No, the time of his arrival didn't make sense if that was the case.

'I mean, the distance between the White Tiger Guild offices and the Hunter Association is great, so....'

That's right – Baek Yun-Ho knew from the get-go.

….He had prior knowledge regarding what would happen here.

'Meaning, he knows about the existence of that man already?'

But, that couldn't be. If so, he'd never let that man go through the reassignment test in this fashion.

'If it were me, I'd make him sign the contract first and then let him take the test.'

It was here that the scattered puzzle pieces in Choi Jong-In's head began falling into their respective places.

'…..No way. Could it be?'

The White Tiger Guild. The incident during their training. The Red Gate. The mystery helper. And then, the newly-appeared rank S Awakened.

- The White Tiger must've received help from someone they don't want others to know about.

- A newbie who hasn't gone through the rank assignment test? Or, maybe a convict whose identity can't be revealed?

Now everything made sense.

…..Found him.

'So, it was that man, huh.'

Baek Yun-Ho was completely out of breath. He must've ran really hard and fast to get here. Most likely, he had not left that man to his own devices. No, the Master of the White Tiger Guild actually couldn't stop the youth even if he wanted to.

Choi Jong-In stared at Baek Yun-Ho and formed a knowing smile.

'You let him slip through your fingers.'

Because, he wasn't the same as Baek Yun-Ho.....

'Thanks for the opportunity.'

Choi Jong-In didn't say anything else and relaxedly walked past Baek Yun-Ho.

Meanwhile, Baek Yun-Ho took a look around. He couldn't spot Jin-Woo anywhere.

'Am I too late?'

Baek Yun-Ho could only look on at the distancing back of Choi Jong-In and softly sigh.

"Fuu-woo...."

Who knew that the Master of Hunters Guild would be at the Hunters Association?

Baek Yun-Ho scratched the back of his head and muttered to himself.

"Things just got complicated...."

***

The visiting hours of the Seoul's Ilshin hospital ended at eight in the evening.

"Are you the guardian of the patient Park Kyoung-Hye?"

"That's correct."

"You can go and see her. Are you aware of the visiting hours cut-off time?"

"Yes, I'm aware."

Finishing his chat by the nursing station, Jin-Woo quickly walked to the patient ward his mother was in. Thanks to his hurried steps, he arrived there not too long afterwards.

Clang...

Jin-Woo opened the door and entered the ward, and quietly sat down on the chair next to the bed his mother was lying in. She seemed to be in a deep slumber.

'With her like this, it's like she'd wake up at any moment now....'

A slumber that no one could wake up from; it was a new type of illness that appeared with the advent of the Gates.

'I heard from someone that this hospital alone has over ten patients suffering the same illness....'

Jin-Woo gently held his mother's hand.

"Mom...."

Thankfully, the life support machines using the magic crystals as fuel managed to stop mom and her hand from wasting away, even though she had been in a coma for many years now.

However, magic crystals were expensive. The magic crystals to fuel the life-support machines for a month cost over five million Won.

A youth in his early twenties would never have been able to afford such a fee, if it weren't for him working for the Hunters Association and was qualified to receive their medical aid scheme.

Because he'd been working his a*s off until now, he was able to hold his mom's hand like this. However, everything would change soon.

He would no longer simply be satisfied with her still breathing like this, and actually be able to cure her outright.

The Divine Water of Life – the cure-all the System had gifted him with.

Whether it'd work or not was something to worry about later. Right now, crafting it was his first priority.

"I'll save you."

Mom did her best to stabilise the family when his father went missing, even though she never enjoyed robust health. Not too long from now, he'd get to see her up on her two feet again.

'Please, just wait a little while longer.'

How long did he sit there by her side?

Jin-Woo finally pushed himself up after a lengthy vigil.

Ending his definitely-not short visit, Jin-Woo wordlessly walked out of the ward and carefully closed the door behind him. And when he turned around to leave, he got to spot a familiar face standing in the corridor.

"On that day... it was you who killed the monsters in the dual dungeon, wasn't it?"

A low and think, manly voice.

Sharp, scary eyebrows.

He was none other than Woo Jin-Cheol from the Monitoring Division.

Jin-Woo didn't reply. There was no reason to, nor did he particularly feel like it, either. Instead, there was something else he wanted to ask.

"How did you find out that I was here?"

"I tried to guess the places you might head off to. I called the hospital and they informed me of your presence here."

The Association was paying for mom's hospital fees, after all.

'Well, that's going to change soon.'

It was possible that Woo Jin-Cheol checked the hospital first, before anywhere else. Should he chalk that up to the swift nature befitting the Monitoring Division?

Jin-Woo let a smirk form on his face.

"Did you seek me out just to ask me about that day's events?"

"No, I did not."

"Well, then. How can I help you?"

"There is someone who'd like to speak to you. Would you mind accompanying me for a little while?"

The infamous Monitoring Division of the Hunters Association.

The main role the Monitoring Division performed was to watch and manage those high-risk Hunters, as well to punish those who broke the law. From a Hunter's perspective, they weren't really a welcoming presence.

Of course, Jin-Woo's gaze wasn't too friendly, either.

"Is that an order?"

"No."

Woo Jin-Cheol took his sunglasses off. He then deeply bowed his head, his voice sounding much more serious than before.

"I'd like to ask you for this favour."

"....."

Jin-Woo didn't expect Woo Jin-Cheol, with his fearsome countenance and all, to assume that kind of attitude.

Jin-Woo pondered a little, before deciding to find out who wanted to meet him first.

"Who wants to talk to me?"

Woo Jin-Cheol raised his head only then.

"It's the President of the Hunters Association, Goh Gun-Hui."

Woo Jin-Cheol then pointed towards the corner behind him and spoke.

"The Association President is currently here."

< Chapter 77 > Fin.