Chapter 31: Ion’s Interrogation

Demon King?

The ultimate villain from countless stories?

That’s real?

And more importantly…

“You need to revive the Demon King? Why…?”

“For you…” Ion mumbled.

“…”

Jin Seongha was even more confused.

“My head hurts so bad…”

“My head hurts more.”

“Why…? Talking to someone like me… rotting your brain? That can’t happen…”

Ion staggered to his feet.

“Where you going?”

“To my place… to rest…”

Clutching his Sansevieria, Ion stumbled but didn’t fall.

Jin Seongha followed. Ion knelt beside a pile of garbage.

“This is a dump, Ion Corps Leader.”

“I know… that’s why I’m here…”

“…”

“Don’t talk to trash… you shouldn’t…”

Muttering, Ion fell asleep.

Jin Seongha caught his slumping body with one hand. Even then, Ion clung to his pot like it was a lifeline.

What to believe?

Logic said, He’s babbling from the Giant’s mental skill.

But instinct screamed there was a profound secret in this nonsense.

He had no choice but to wait for Ion to regain his senses.

“…”

Hearing Jin Seongha’s recounting, Ion felt despair.

I really rambled like a drunk…

Now he understood why Daon sat there with a resigned look.

At least he hadn’t spilled that this was a novel’s world.

If they knew their world was fiction and they were characters, even a mentally strong protagonist like Jin Seongha might spiral. They’d likely dismiss it as delusion anyway.

Huff…

Ion didn’t hide his dismay, letting out a sigh tinged with self-loathing. All eyes turned to him.

He spoke calmly, “I was hit by the Giant’s mental attack.”

He’d stick to this excuse.

“…The Giant’s skill?”

“Yeah. Like how people babble nonsense after waking from anesthesia. Same thing. I got hit by a mental attack and spewed fantastical nonsense, like something from a novel.”

They’d learn Giants had no mental skills once Level 4 became common, but that was a problem for later.

For now, he had to navigate this.

“That makes sense. It’s like patients under anesthesia,” Lee Jina said, convinced.

Jin Seongha wasn’t.

“The Demon King revival?”

“I read a lot of novels and comics as a kid. One had a mage gathering allies to revive a Demon King. I probably got ‘mana’ from there too and used it.”

“‘Teacher’?”

“That’s half-true. Someone told me about levels and Giants, but I can’t say more. Confidentiality agreement.”

“…”

Jin Seongha, arms crossed, tapped his muscular forearm, clearly displeased.

“What’s your relationship with Aide Daon?”

Ion and Daon had rehearsed this.

“No relationship. First met at the team formation press conference.”

“I’ve said it before… I saw him while reviewing team applications,” Daon added.

They’d deny any connection.

Daon’s voice carried exhaustion from repeating this.

“Then why was Daon mentioned in your rambling?” Jin Seongha pressed.

“No idea. Jin Seongha Hunter, try anesthesia sometime. Some people claim they’ll be pirate kings. Others say their mom outside is fake, and a Brachiosaurus is their real mom.”

“My husband played word games with a nurse under anesthesia. When he lost, he called her a NASA spy and threatened to call 119 after surgery,” Lee Jina said.

“I know someone who, under anesthesia, said, ‘No matter how much the doctor tortures me, I’ll save Earth,’” Jipyeong Seop added.

Despite their anecdotes, Jin Seongha’s brow remained furrowed.

“Daon… Ion… your names are similar.”

Ion hugged his Sansevieria tightly, goosebumps rising. Why’s he so perceptive?

“If you’re strangers, why did Daon panic and grab those plants the moment you collapsed?”

“That’s…” Daon hesitated.

Ion jumped in, “I asked him to. Like your companion animals, these are my companion plants. I told him to bring them if something happened so I could say goodbye.”

“Why Daon specifically?”

“Well…”

Ion faltered, out of excuses.

“Wait a second!” Jipyeong Seop shouted, standing and smirking slyly at Ion and Daon.

“Oh ho, I get it. Hmm. Heh heh.”

“…”

His look said it all.

“Ion and Aide Daon… you’re that kind of close, huh? Heh heh. Ion showing up at Jin Seongha’s house, threatening to join our guild—it was all for Daon. Oh ho! Everything makes sense now.”

“…”

Rather than be mistaken for Daon’s lover, I’d rather admit we’re orphans trained by a transmigrated teacher.

Being misjudged as romantically involved with someone like a sibling was unbearable.

Daon, equally repulsed, adjusted his glasses, throat bobbing as he suppressed nausea.

“Pity you didn’t want your secret romance exposed. My intuition’s too sharp! But don’t worry—Jin Seongha and Lee Jina will keep it quiet!” Jipyeong Seop said, giving a thumbs-up.

Lee Jina nodded warmly. Jin Seongha’s furrowed brow eased from three creases to two, finding it plausible.

“But Daon, really? Keeping it from me, your guildmaster of a year, about something as big as a relationship?” Jipyeong Seop said.

Letting the misunderstanding slide would settle this, despite the nausea.

“Sorry, you’re mistaken. We’re not dating…” Ion said, deciding to prevent future suspicion.

“I just have a one-sided crush on Aide Daon.”

“…!”

Jipyeong Seop gasped, fists shaking in the air.

Jin Seongha’s brow reduced to one crease, a hint of pity in his expression.

“So that’s it! Daon’s so cold… but Ion, you’re good-looking. Daon, reconsider! You should date when young to learn who’s right for you!” Jipyeong Seop urged.

“Sorry, I have a boyfriend,” Daon said.

“What? Since when? Who?!” Jipyeong Seop exclaimed.

“None of your business. Stay out of my personal life. I handle my own relationships,” Daon snapped coldly.

Lee Jina, realizing her mistake, bowed. “Daon, I was rude. Sorry.”

“No, Team Leader, it’s not you. Just this guy,” Daon said, glaring at Jipyeong Seop.

“Why so cold to me? Because I’m not handsome? Because I’ve got a belly?” Jipyeong Seop whined.

Probably true, but Daon stood silently, glancing at Jin Seongha as if asking to leave.

Jin Seongha, still skeptical, had no clear counter to the “Giant’s mental attack” excuse.

“You just woke, so we’ll stop here. We’ll talk again later,” he said.

“Nothing more to say…” Ion muttered.

Jin Seongha left the room, suspicion lingering.

The first interrogation ended.

Ion stayed another day in the hospital.

The D-NATE-run Awakened Medical Center’s VIP room raised cost concerns, but…

“Our guild covers VIP rooms for Hunters injured on duty. Plus, for some reason, D-NATE’s covering your costs, so milk it, Ion Corps Leader!” Jipyeong Seop had said.

So Ion lounged in the spacious bed with his plants, picking up where he’d left off.

“Sanse… the desert was tough, huh? I didn’t expect it either. I won’t take you out for a while.”

“…”

“You worked hard alone. Areca, Bamboo, Scindapsus—you agree, right? I’ll take you all out in turn, so brace yourselves.”

“…”

“Scindapsus, Ivy, you too. Once you’re mine, no escape. All mine.”

“…”

“Sanse, don’t be jealous. You’re still my favorite.”

“…”

Ion kissed the leaves, pouring out affection. Meanwhile, the TV blared serious news all day.

The anchor gravely discussed the unknown entity and level system from the Naju dungeon, citing experts.

Ion’s talk with the Giant wasn’t detailed, only described as “a Hunter skillfully defused the situation through dialogue.” Speculation about the Hunter’s identity replayed team formation press conference footage.

Thankfully, Ion had worn a mask, as faces could be kept private.

Experts claimed dungeons and the system were a theme park created by an advanced civilization, with Giants as alien lifeforms.

Two years ago, no one would’ve thought such talk would be on mainstream news.

Back then, climate crises dominated headlines. Earth was dying until the Cataclysm, when dungeon byproducts and Hunter abilities revived it.

A cult, System Age (SA, or “Age” in Korea), emerged, treating the system as a god. It sprang up in the US, Germany, Japan, and elsewhere. In Korea, the third-ranked guild, Udumbara, was linked to them.

SA wasn’t silent on this incident, declaring Giants divine envoys and demanding full disclosure of the conversation, as it concerned all humanity, not just one Hunter or guild.

Ion’s expression grew as grim as the anchor’s.

If the Giant encounter caused such a stir, the novel should’ve mentioned it, even if poorly written.

But it only covered Moshi’s role in advancing civilization.

The plot’s completely diverged.

Ion sighed, then frowned, turned off the TV, and stared at a corner.

“Don’t hide. Come out, Saon.”

Speaking to the air, Saon emerged from the shadows moments later.