Chapter 99 – Cataclysm (5)

“Hello? Ah yes. You are suffering. Elderly. This is Lee Jun-hyeok of Black Dragon’s room. Did our ark come over there? Yes? Ah… All right.”

Lee Jun-hyeok’s voice came through the window. In the sunny parking lot, Lee Jun-hyeok moved like a pendulum. Several guild members, including senior Yu-jeong, followed Lee Jun-hyeok’s instructions and went out to look around, and we, who were sitting in the waiting room in front of the hospital room, couldn’t help but look into each other’s eyes as the other guild members noticed. In the smoking room, Seong Ha-yeon Hunter was smoking a cigarette and fiddling with her phone.

A few other hunters went to the nurse and tried to take out their anger on how they managed the alternative patients, but they were dragged out. There was no management manual for A-class hunters, so the nurses and doctors were clearly embarrassed.

Ichie blinked and asked me in a low voice.

“Where did you go? Shall we release the person?”

I was kind of uneasy. I looked at Ichie and nodded his head. It was because I myself knew that only bad things had happened to the Black Dragon Ark lately. He suffered an injury in the gate, and there was pressure from all sides to give up his heavenly nickname.

This time, he was pointed out as the cause of the damage in the terrorist incident and was lynched by the media. It was not unreasonable for the members of the Black Dragon Room to be worried. Because if an A-class hunter is determined and has a bad heart, an irreversible accident will happen.

I told Ichie.

“Wait. Before that, let me talk to him first.”

Lee Jun-hyeok, who hung up the phone just in time, sighed deeply and was brushing his hair. His wigless hair swayed precariously like a branch before the wind with each sweep he took. As soon as I stepped into the parking lot, Lee Jun-hyeok spoke in a sharp tone.

“What?”

“Ah, that… We’re also trying to use some people to find it.”

Lee Junhyeok looked at me with fierce eyes. It was a face that looked like it would spit out swear words at any moment, so I made up my mind. But he immediately relaxed his shoulders and sighed.

“…Thanks. It may not be a big deal, but just because you help.”

“Because I received a lot of help from the Black Dragon Ark. I really appreciate the guidance Ichie and I had during Rookie of the Year.”

“That’s what you paid for. Go and say thank you to Hayeon. I need to call you, so go.”

I turned around and gave Ichie an OK sign. Ichie nodded his head, picked up his phone, and went outside. Seong Ha-yeon Hunter was also staring at her phone in the smoking area. The silver-haired woman caught the attention of people in the smoking area.

Two are better than one, and several are better than two. The more people looking, the better. I opened the door to her smoking room, intending to suggest that she also look for it.

She saw me and greeted her simply by raising her hand. Her ashtray, right next to her, was already piling up a tower of burnt cigarette butts all the way to the filter. Before I could say anything, she pulled one of her cards out of her bosom.

“I got promoted.”

A certificate proving that you are a C-class Hunter. The color of her hair seemed to shine softly. I nodded and said.

“Now, we’re trying to find something on our own.”

“Okay? With him?”

Seong Ha-yeon Hunter asked, pointing at her reason with her chin. I nodded her head. She spat the cigarette in her mouth into the ashtray and stood up.

“Then let me go too. Are you driving here?”

“I guess I’ll have to ask that now.”

“Doesn’t care. If the car doesn’t come, I can take my car.”

She picked up her top, which she had crumpled up on the bench in her smoking room and which she had thrown away. Ichie came out towards the parking lot just in time and she found me in the smoking room and waved her hand.

“Soo Hyun-sang. They say they’re coming here by car.”

“It makes sense. Thank you. Hayeon decided to go with me too.”

“Should I call Yoojung unnie too?”

“Because finding this area is also important. I will contact you.”

“All right.”

When I saw Ichie and Seong Ha-yeon Hunter exchange greetings, I called senior Yoo-jeong. Senior Yoo Jung answered the phone before her beep went 3 times. As soon as she heard my voice, she said.

“Ah, Mr. Suhyun. How do I do it? It’s probably not around here, so I guess I’ll have to look for it in another neighborhood. Hey, if you’re busy, just go first. Suhyeon-san and Ichie-san aren’t guild members yet, so there’s no need to help them with this.”

“No. Senior. I want to help Ichi too.”

As the old saying goes, engrave enemies in water and engrave grace in stone. The first meeting with the Black Dragon Room was not a very pleasant memory, but there were many things that helped me. I was able to become stronger thanks to my training at the Black Dragon Training Center, and thanks to Hunter Seong Ha-yeon, I was able to uncover Kim Joo-sung’s infidelity and win the Rookie of the Year match.

So even at times like this, I wanted to help. Senior Yoojeong held her breath as if she was really sorry. She seemed to be moved too.

“Mr. Suhyun…”

“Ichiene’s family decided to help. Hunter Seong Ha-yeon will also go with you.”

“Ah-. All right. Yes. Then, if you find the ark, please contact me right away.”

“Yes.”

A row of black cars were coming in. Junhyeok Lee, who was leaning against the railing in the parking lot, looked at the car with a frown on his face. Men in black suits descended one after another, and finally Ichie’s uncle, Noboru Ichigaya, appeared. He was wearing brown sunglasses and a floral suit, like a night stage singer who came to celebrate the disappearance of the Black Dragon Ark.

“It makes sense!”

He called Ichie short and bold, and Ichie waved his hand and ran away. Seong Ha-yeon Hunter and I ran to Noboru and said hello.

“Thank you for your help.”

“It’s nothing. Soo Hyun Sang. Ichi takes good care of it. So, I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.”

Subsequently, Seong Ha-yeon Hunter also greeted Noboru. Noboru nodded his head, bowed, and then let the suiting yakuza get back into the car. Then he looked at Lee Jun-hyeok and said.

“Are you in charge?”

Lee Jun-hyeok greeted lightly and asked for a handshake with Noboru. Noboru shook hands and bowed his head. It was a polite attitude, like a parent greeting a teacher. Lee Joon-hyeok was a little bewildered by his attitude.

“Ah yes. I am now temporarily in charge. Thank you for coming.”

“Where can I look for it?”

“I will send Hunter Seong Ha-yeon a rough idea of ​​where to go. Now I’m a bit out of my mind.”

“Yes. Then we will set off.”

“Yes. I look forward to.”

As soon as I got into the car, I could smell the faint smell of cigarettes. The high-quality sheets were soft, and Seong Ha-yeon Hunter looked out the window and kept wriggling her fingers. Ichie briefly exchanged a few words in Japanese with the driver sitting in the driver’s seat, then nodded to her.

I said while looking at Seong Ha-yeon Hunter.

“Because Hunter Lee Junhyeok said he would send you a place to go on your phone.”

“Uh? Alas, yes. Wait for a sec.”

Seong Ha-yeon Hunter listened to me, nodded her head a beat later, and opened her cell phone to check the contents. She nodded her head and she said to me.

“Could you give me your cell phone number? I’ll scatter to find them, but if brother Jun-hyeok calls, I have to tell them right away.”

“Ah yes.”

A short phone number exchange ceremony followed. Ichie suddenly clung to me, and she held out her cell phone to Seong Ha-yeon, she said.

“Please let me know too.”

“Here’s your number.”

While I gave Ichie the phone number of Hunter Seong Ha-yeon, Hunter Seong Ha-yeon started pointing out places to go to Noboru. There were three main locations. A nursery school [Heilang], A monster warehouse dedicated to the Black Dragon room on the outskirts of Seoul, and Bukhansan Mountain.

“Mt. Bukhan?”

It was such an unexpected place that everyone, including me, had no choice but to tilt their heads. Seong Ha-yeon Hunter said.

“Once upon a time, a friend of our Ark built a guild here in Bukhansan and lived there.”

******

An old man was sitting on a rocky ridge at the end of Bukhansan Mountain. A black beard, long ponytail, and emaciated face caught his eyes. In front of the old man was the ruins of a house and a tomb. It was once the site of the [Pungnyu] Guild, which was rumored to be the most difficult guild to commute to and from in Korea.

The guild master ‘Heo Mun-tak’ was a person who particularly liked mountains and alcohol. He had known Soon-Hong Choi since he was an apprentice hunter, and at that time the two of them often drank and went hiking.

“Remember? You said that when you first rose to Class A. Climbing the mountain is not difficult.”

Choi Sun-hong said in front of the tomb.

“So, you really liked it. I feel like I can climb any mountain now. Huh?”

The grave did not answer. Climbers could be seen coming and going down the mountain. The elderly hikers looked at Choi Soon-hong, who was sitting like an ascetic, curiously, but did not dare to speak to him. Choi Soon-Hong sprinkled the alcohol he had brought on the grave.

“I used to like that you never get drunk no matter how much you drink.”

All the alcohol in the bottle spilled out, and the soju soaked in the sunlight like drops of dew on stalactites. Choi Soon-hong, who was looking through the green glass bottle, turned the bottle around and poured the remaining alcohol into it.

“But, I didn’t like it. Climbing the mountain wasn’t hard, so there was no sense of accomplishment, and I didn’t get drunk even when I drank, so it was no different from taking herbal medicine. I can do anything, but nothing is fun.”

Weeds from the grave were carefully pulled out. Choi Soon-Hong said as he got up from his seat.

“Heo Moon-tak. I gave up a lot to protect people. Just like you lost the fun of living, I gave up a lot too. But now they are trying to take my name away from me.”

The grave did not answer. Choi Soon-Hong stared blankly at the grave. The tombstone was tilted as if admonishing him. Choi Soon-Hong shook his head and said.

“Forgive me. I said I would be a good person I’m sorry.”

After speaking, the Black Dragon Ark disappeared beyond the shadows of the forest. A beat later, a vehicle carrying Ichie and Jeongsuhyun arrived at Bukhansan Mountain.

*******

There was no harvest until evening. The news of the disappearance of the Black Dragon Ark was spreading faster than eyewitness accounts of seeing it. Lee Jun-hyeok was sitting in the hospital waiting room, just staring at the TV.

[Breaking news!]

And in the suddenly changed TV screen, the anchorman delivered breaking news in an urgent voice. Lee Joon-hyeok gasped for a feeling of ominous foreboding and raised his head. Kim Yoo-jung and the others, who were having a quick dinner and resting at the restaurant, and Ichi-e and Jeong-su-hyeon, who were sitting at the TV and looking for the next place, all focused their eyes on the same news.

[There was an incident in which a group of unidentified Awakeners attacked the D-class hunter welcome party of the Diamond Club. All the D-class hunters who were attacked were in a state of skinny mummies…]

“No! No!”

Lee Jun-hyeok’s face turned white.

“Ah…”

Seong Ha-yeon put her hand on her head and leaned against her back.