The Hunter's Gonna Lay Low-Chapter 123

After finishing his long explanation, Jung Bin cleared his throat with a deliberate sound. His calm gaze briefly flicked to the ground beneath Uijae’s feet before falling away. Under the flickering streetlight, the swaying shadows came to a halt. Jung Bin looked at him with concern and asked,

“…By the way, J, I haven’t pressed the issue since you haven’t mentioned it, but… are you really okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Uijae replied casually.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m aware of the situation, so don’t worry about it.”

Uijae shrugged indifferently, but then suddenly asked with a playful tone,

“By the way, do you happen to know what happened to my assets? Were they seized by the government?”

Back in the days when he was living as J, most of his financial matters were handled by his aunt. It was necessary to avoid revealing his identity. He had never felt the lack of money nor had much need to spend it, so he didn’t pay much attention to it.

Even now, he didn’t really need money, but after eight years, curiosity got the better of him.

Unexpectedly, Jung Bin gave an answer that Uijae had never anticipated.

“Oh, no. The Director is holding onto it. It’s an unprecedented situation, but… yes, it seems the Director took care of it somehow.”

Jung Bin hesitated, then cautiously added another piece of information.

“And the house Hunter Park Hye-gyeong lived in… the Director purchased it.”

“……”

It had been so long since he heard his aunt’s name from someone else’s lips. A name that had once been so familiar and comforting now felt oddly distant, and Uijae didn’t like it. He quickly changed the subject.

“Let’s get back to talking about Lee Sayoung.”

“…Yes, of course.”

Jung Bin, who had been hesitating, rubbed his fingertips together before speaking again.

“Well, it’s hard to believe, really. Reopening a collapsed Rift sounds absurd. But, considering Lee Sayoung’s actions since then, he was probably serious about it.”

“His actions?”

“How should I put this….”

After a pause, Jung Bin sighed lightly.

“Yes, I’d say he was like a bulldozer.”

A bulldozer. It wasn’t a word that suited the usually laid-back and languid Lee Sayoung at all. Uijae tilted his head slightly.

“Was it really that intense?”

“Well, after Lee Sayoung appeared, the whole landscape here changed. If you were the one to suppress the chaos, J… then Lee Sayoung was the one who took what was stable and made it progress. After his appearance, the power that had been concentrated in the Awakener Management Bureau began to shift toward the guilds.”

“……”

“After completing his ability control training in the abandoned house, Lee Sayoung returned to headquarters for a rank evaluation. Naturally, he was classified as an undisputed S-rank.”

In the chaotic period following J’s disappearance, Lee Sayoung had emerged as the third S-rank Hunter. Though the fact that he came from a research facility was hidden, his striking appearance and dangerous abilities naturally drew everyone’s attention.

And rather than being burdened by it, Lee Sayoung accepted all the attention and admiration without hesitation. In fact, he wielded it skillfully.

“He openly revealed both his name and face.”

Lee Sayoung.

People were captivated by the new S-rank Hunter who showed both his name and face. Despite his reckless behavior, no one dared to criticize him, as he effectively filled the void left by J.

“You may not know this, but at the time, Hunter Song Jo-heon had left the Awakener Management Bureau to establish the nation’s first official guild, Samra Guild. Both Song Jo-heon and the Bureau, which was suffering from a manpower shortage, tried to recruit Lee Sayoung, but…”

Jung Bin gave an awkward smile.

“He ignored all of them.”

It seemed like there was an unspoken “completely” in front of “ignored,” but both Jung Bin and Uijae chose to let it slide.

Uijae pictured Lee Sayoung’s shamelessly pretty face. It wasn’t surprising that he would do something like that. Even just from what Jung Bin had told him about the past, Lee Sayoung had never been particularly well-mannered.

‘…No, wait.’

He recalled the boy who always tried his best to assert himself, even when he was bandaged and barely able to move, with Lee Sayoung by his side, always smirking.

Sure, Lee Sayoung was assertive, but he wasn’t completely rude… was he? After all, the kid had tried his best….

‘Oh, no.’

Suddenly, Uijae realized something. From the moment they first met until now, Lee Sayoung had consistently been cheeky, unpredictable, and had a natural talent for annoying people. The once obedient and strong-willed boy and the rebellious Lee Sayoung were clashing within him.

‘This is crazy.’

Behind his mask, Uijae’s face paled. It was as shocking as planting beans and ending up with a vine. Could it be that because he wasn’t around during the boy’s formative years, he had grown up this rude? As Uijae reeled from the sudden realization about the importance of proper upbringing, Jung Bin continued to relay the information dutifully.

“…Afterward, Lee Sayoung handled all sorts of dungeons and Rifts on his own, and once he had saved up enough funds, he founded Wave Guild. That’s when he scouted Hunter Baewonwoo. At the time, I also received an offer, but…”

Jung Bin trailed off. Uijae, having finally regained his composure, responded.

“You must have turned it down. You’re still with the Bureau, after all.”

“Indeed. I don’t mean to overestimate myself, but… there needs to be someone strong within the Awakener Management Bureau to maintain balance.”

Jung Bin rubbed his lips thoughtfully.

“Anyway, Wave Guild expanded its influence rapidly. Although it had only a few Hunters, they operated a large research team and made massive investments.”

“How massive?”

“There’s a joke that they spent all the money they earned from clearing dungeons and Rifts on research and ended up with nothing left. Since survival had been the priority before that, no serious research had been conducted.”

“Right.”

Back then, simply staying alive was a struggle. The world was overrun with dungeons and Rifts that appeared without any discernible pattern, spewing out monsters never seen before. Surviving had been the only focus.

Jung Bin spoke cautiously.

“But after the West Sea Rift closed, things became strangely quiet. Everything did. The frequency of Rift appearances dropped to unprecedented levels, making research easier.”

“……”

“The research conducted during that period was what led to Wave Guild being recognized as one of the top three guilds in South Korea. And in exchange for that….”

Feeling a gaze on him, Uijae looked up. Jung Bin was watching him carefully. His lips moved.

“Lee Sayoung was given ownership of the West Sea Rift by the government.”

“…Is that even possible?”

Uijae’s eyes widened. Despite his usual calm demeanor, Jung Bin’s expression was resolute. He delivered the final confirmation.

“Yes. Wave Guild has been in charge of managing the West Sea Rift and its surroundings ever since.”

The streetlights flickered wildly. Uijae, hands tucked into his jacket pockets, fell silent, lost in thought.

The boy—Lee Sayoung—had been taken to Prometheus’s research facility after J’s death, where he Awakened.

Who, how, and why? What had happened to Lee Sayoung during that year? The research facility he had been held in was now melted, and even Jung Bin, who knew more than anyone else, didn’t know what had occurred during that one-year gap.

Only Lee Sayoung knew.

‘I need to talk to him properly….’

Ultimately, the key to understanding everything was Lee Sayoung.

Uijae wanted to know everything. He needed to know what had happened while he was gone. He needed to repay the debt for everything Lee Sayoung had endured alone during that time. Even if he couldn’t offer compensation or solace….

And then…

Uijae bit his lip hard. No matter how much he tried to calm down, the storm of emotions stirred within him throughout the entire conversation wouldn’t settle easily.

Was it anger, sadness, or…?

He recalled the pale face of Lee Sayoung, standing against a backdrop of falling ash, unsteady ground, and collapsed ruins. His shining eyes and the words he had spat out.

‘What would you do if I told you I had been waiting for you all this time?’

Lee Sayoung, who had received ownership of the West Sea Rift from the government. Lee Sayoung, who had been determined to reopen the Rift that had closed without a trace.

Why?

‘To make a map for the lost.’

Uijae clenched his trembling fists. He had thought everyone had forgotten him. After all, he was a man presumed dead.

From the moment he opened his eyes amidst a pile of trash and realized that, in the eyes of the world, he had already died, to the moment he resolved to save people from Rifts—it was as if a nagging sense of unease had settled in his heart, like an uninvited guest. But….

‘Be right back.’

One person.

‘Will you wait for me?’

One person hadn’t believed in his death and had been waiting for him all along.

“……”

If that person had kept such a selfish promise.

At that moment, a slow, deliberate footstep echoed across the green flooring of the playground. A drowsy voice, mixed

with laughter, said,

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“You two look cozy.”

Jung Bin, looking exasperated, rubbed his forehead. The footsteps stopped right behind Uijae. Without hesitation, an arm coiled around Uijae’s shoulder like a snake, and soft strands of hair brushed against his cheek and ear. A firm chin rested on his opposite shoulder. A low voice murmured,

“Were you two having a secret rendezvous?”

A gloved finger playfully brushed Uijae’s cheek before pulling away. Standing upright again, Lee Sayoung tilted his head.

“But… this place is a bit tacky for a secret meeting, don’t you think?”