Chapter 40: Meanwhile, Han Chasu, who had fainted and woken up, was disoriented. It was because he hadn’t known the skill would act as though it were reading his thoughts.
‘Isn’t this a completely insane skill?’
To think it converted mental shock into energy consumption. His head tingled with the sensation of having been struck on the back of the skull.
‘If it was going to be like this, it should’ve just dropped me straight into a deathbed state… No, perhaps not.’
The message displayed in the system window had explicitly read, “Currently Equipped Bound Item.” In other words, there was a high probability that items inside his inventory were not subject to unequipping.
Han Chasu glared at the glittering earring inside his inventory.
‘If I put it on now, it’ll stand out.’
It would probably be best to equip it after securing a means to re-enter the deathbed state. It was the moment he had that thought and was closing the inventory window.
KWA-BANG!
“?!”
An explosion echoed from afar. Soon after, pitch-black smoke billowed into the sky, and people’s voices burst out from everywhere.
‘What is it? A raid?’
But what kind of crazy bastard would attack the Awakener Management Bureau? Han Chasu cautiously approached the window.
The scenery outside the window was utter chaos. Awakeners who appeared to be combat agents were running in one direction with fire in their eyes. Come to think of it, something had been flashing from that direction since earlier; it seemed someone had already begun suppressing the incident.
Han Chasu, who had been watching the scene with interest, soon went wide-eyed.
‘Isn’t that Baekdam?’
No, why on earth had a Healer jumped into the scene? As he pressed closer to the window, blue electricity crackled up.
Snap!
“Ugh!”
At the same time as a stinging sensation, the hand that touched the window was repelled. But the surprise was only momentary.
“Mr. Han Chasu!”
Jeong Iheun burst through the door, flinging it wide open. Together with him were about a dozen medical staff who had followed to stop him.
“I told you this isn’t allowed!”
“Come out!”
“What Hunter Han Chasu needs right now is stability, stability!”
The medical staff clung to him desperately. It seemed they were even more on edge because Han Chasu had collapsed just moments before.
But Jeong Iheun ignored them and moved toward him.
A tall man approaching with his eyes glowing red while a throng of people clung to his body. It was nothing short of terror. Especially so for Han Chasu.
His face turned deathly pale at the sight he wouldn’t want to see even in a dream.
“Mr. Han Chasu, get away from the window.”
I wish you’d get away from me instead. At least the terror was happening far away. Jeong Iheun was a threat standing right before his eyes.
Han Chasu carefully stepped backward. It was less an intention to move away from the window and more a desire to distance himself from Jeong Iheun. But Jeong Iheun seemed to think he had heeded his words. His red pupils grew somewhat gentler.
Without missing that moment, someone among the medical staff shouted.
“If you don’t leave immediately, we will call the Bureau Chief, Cheonryeong Guild Leader. This is your final warning!”
“…….”
At the mention of the Bureau Chief, his brows furrowed slightly. He looked down at the staff member clinging tightly to his waist.
“If you truly care about Hunter Han Chasu, you should stop this behavior that causes him any more stress.”
The staff member didn’t cower in the slightest even at an S-rank’s vicious gaze. With a sigh, Jeong Iheun swept his hair back.
He called Han Chasu in a low voice.
“Mr. Han Chasu.”
“…….”
“Call me right away whenever you need me.”
No, I can’t talk.
Han Chasu pointed at his own throat and shook his head. In this regard, the restriction seemed quite helpful.
“Ah, that’s right.”
Jeong Iheun’s face grew sorrowful. He covered his face with one hand and let out a deep sigh.
Then he held something out.
“Take this.”
Han Chasu obediently took a bead-like object from his hand. He had no choice, as it seemed Jeong Iheun wouldn’t leave if he refused.
“If you use that, it will contact me right away.”
He wondered what it was, but really… Han Chasu’s eyes went cold in an instant as he looked at the bead. Still, he couldn’t throw it away right in front of him, so he roughly stuffed it into his pocket.
Just then, the medical center director appeared and shouted angrily, asking what the hell this was. It seemed he had come to find out what had happened when all the medical staff left their posts at once and discovered Jeong Iheun.
“Guild Leader Jeong Iheun, what is all this commotion!”
“Oh dear.”
“Come out right now!”
“Understood. Mr. Han Chasu, rest well then. See you later.”
Jeong Iheun disappeared down the hallway with a pitiful face, trudging slowly. Han Chasu forcibly swallowed a sigh and fingered the bead in his pocket.
‘He’s that persistent even now when he’s not crazy. If his younger brother had died, it would have been truly terrible.’
It was a relief that Jeong Seoheun was alive, now more than ever. While Han Chasu was patting his chest in relief, the medical staff approached him.
“Are you feeling a bit better?”
The medical staff asked with a wide smile. It was a blatantly fake smile meant to reassure the patient.
Han Chasu stared at them and nodded. The medical staff continued speaking without losing their smile.
“We were very surprised when you collapsed earlier. Ah, did you see the smoke outside? There’s no need to worry too much. It seems a small accident occurred inside the detention center. The Crisis Management Office has been dispatched and is suppressing it, so it’ll be settled soon.”
The Crisis Management Office was both the largest military force and core institution of the Awakener Management Bureau’s 1st Headquarters. Hearing that they had been dispatched, Han Chasu merely nodded.
‘Did Baekdam just go to help out?’
But for that, he seemed far too excitedly active. Han Chasu glanced toward the window. A shadow suddenly fell across his face as he saw golden rays of light flashing in the air.
As he gradually had the leisure to think, the shocking adoption offer Baekdam had made came to mind again.
‘I thought he was only crazy about his younger brother, but it looks like he’s just crazy, period.’
He hadn’t expected Baekdam to speak such ungrateful words to him, like the Baekdam in his dream. He had expected at least a token word of thanks for saving his younger brother. But to be backstabbed like this—it was absurd. Family? That Baekdam becoming his older brother?
At this point, a lifelong contract with Jeong Iheun was starting to look like the better option.
Someone, noticing his depressed demeanor, hurriedly raised their voice.
“The medical wing is surrounded by a double barrier, so you really don’t need to worry at all! Besides, Director Gi Taeyeon has stepped in personally, so nothing will happen. It’s true. I can promise you!”
“That’s right. Mr. Han Chasu, all you need to do is sit back comfortably and rest. With peace of mind, doing nothing at all.”
At a voice that was somehow even desperate, Han Chasu slightly raised his head. The medical staff were looking at him with pleading eyes.
‘Come to think of it, these people are having a hard time because of Baekdam too.’
The medical center of the Awakener Management Bureau was staffed by professionals who only treated affiliated Hunters. Yet because of Baekdam’s insistence, they had suddenly been made to treat a random, unrelated B-rank Hunter, so their dissatisfaction must be no small matter.
On top of that, outside, Jeong Iheun had been making a fuss with his eyes wide open….
‘I must be thoroughly out of favor by now.’
After thinking quietly, Han Chasu lowered his head to them. Since he couldn’t seem to leave this place anytime soon anyway, and his image had already hit rock bottom, it was with the intention of trying to recover even a little.
But the reaction was better than expected.
“Huh.”
“H-Hunter Han Chasu.”
“Th-that… regarding your throat, we are doing our best to find a treatment.”
No, rather, something was off. Why were they suddenly radiating light from their eyes? Weren’t they Healers?
It was the moment Han Chasu’s body stiffened in alarm. The medical staff began to shout in unison.
“Please trust only us.”
“That’s right. We may look like this, but we’re the top experts in Korea!”
This isn’t good. An instinctual sense sent a warning through Han Chasu. Suddenly, Baekdam’s and Jeong Iheun’s faces seemed to overlap upon theirs.
He felt the same madness of them saying they would take responsibility while demanding he hand over his entire life.
‘I’m fine.’
It was the moment he was about to speak, forgetting the restriction.
[ Warning! ]
[ A restriction for energy conservation is currently in effect! ]
[ Currently Applied Restriction (1): Watch Your Tongue ]
[ Please participate in the effort to conserve energy! ]
[ If you continuously violate restricted actions, penalties may be applied. ]
“Cough… keok!”
Is there anything it won’t do!
A fit of dry coughs burst out incessantly. The medical staff rushed in with worried faces.
“Hunter Han Chasu, are you okay?”
“It’s not from internal injuries. I think the hospital room is just dry.”
“It is a bit dry in here. Is there no humidifier?”
“I saw a bunch in the Security Office.”
The medical staff exchanged glances. Han Chasu was bent over from the unceasing cough and didn’t see that.
‘Shall we go?’
‘Let’s go.’
‘Anyway, didn’t the Headquarters Chief say to provide Hunter Han Chasu with every convenience?’
It was a legal opportunity to screw over those detestable Security Office guys. The medical staff left with radiant faces after telling Han Chasu to wait just a moment.
“…….”
And Han Chasu blankly stared at the empty space before flopping down onto the sheets.
‘Truly, there isn’t a single sane person here.’
He groaned and covered his face with his hands. Soon, he buried his face weakly into the pillow.
‘Yeah, it’s better this way.’
He had needed time to think about the deathbed state anyway. To release the bound item, he had to re-enter that stage.
‘What should I do? Just strangling my neck probably won’t be enough…’
He tried gripping his neck as a test, but as expected, it was no use. His body, which currently had the Glass Body condition applied, collapsed before he could even properly exert any force.
‘Oh my, it looks like strangulation won’t work after all.’
Han Chasu looked down at his arm trembling against his face.
And there was a gaze quietly watching his every movement from the hallway.
It was Jeong Iheun.
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