Chapter 74: The Aftermath and the Hunger War

Every shop they passed, Han Dokyeom entered, buying food and placing it into the child’s hands. Given the enormous size of the child’s true form, their capacity for food was equally impressive. Still, Han Dokyeom held onto hope, believing it wasn’t entirely impossible to sate their hunger.

“Let’s go. Big brother’s hungry too. Let’s head home and make something delicious.”

At his words, the child, who had been cautiously observing him, blinked and looked up at Han Dokyeom. As if understanding, they carefully grasped his clothes.

He could vaguely guess why the child was so timid. Perhaps, faintly or intensely, they remembered what had happened inside the lake.

Whether it was the child’s pure will or a desire fueled by the Authority no longer held much importance now.

What mattered more was that they acknowledged their actions, regardless of how they interpreted them. With awareness, teaching them the distinction between right and wrong through education would naturally follow.

Strolling at the child’s pace, Han Dokyeom suddenly noticed the clear, bright sky, making yesterday’s torrential downpour seem like a lie. Only then did he recall the neglected Red Gate.

“I wonder if the lockdown’s been lifted.”

Since it was on his way, Han Dokyeom decided to make a brief stop at Seolleung Station, where the incident had occurred yesterday, before heading to the hotel. He had a premonition of the hunters’ horrified screams at the chimera’s abrupt disappearance.

Just as he picked up his phone to check for news, someone holding a selfie stick chuckled as they brushed past Han Dokyeom, heading towards the bus stop. The phone attached to the stick displayed a flood of comments, suggesting a live broadcast.

“Hello, subscribers. I’m on the move, so today’s video might be a bit shaky. Huh? No, why are you all swearing right away? Wow, did you see that just now? This is how I live. What, you’re annoyed? No, these people… Alright, I’ll get straight to the point. As I announced yesterday, I’ve got some incredible breaking news.”

Despite the man’s confident, deep voice, it was full of his unique vivacity. Coincidentally, their paths aligned, and his steps led in the same direction as Han Dokyeom.

“Ah, to tell you this, we have to go back to yesterday’s incident. Yesterday, a Red Gate burst open, and the Association and guilds went absolutely crazy. They sealed Seolleung Station, deployed all available hunters to block it, and then — poof! — the boss monster vanished just five minutes after appearing?”

Han Dokyeom’s gaze instantly fixed on the man’s back. What he thought would be inconsequential chatter was, in fact, breaking news.

“The boss disappeared, and all the hunters were just standing there, dumbfounded. And get this — some crazy reporter was apparently filming while hanging upside down from a helicopter? As soon as they saw that reporter, everyone just charged like zombies! The hunters were so hyped up yesterday, they practically staged a farce among themselves. Why did they charge, you ask? They apparently wanted to see what was captured on camera or something.”

“But it turns out that reporter was an Awakened too!” the man added with a hearty laugh. His steps halted. Following him, Han Dokyeom’s steps also ceased. Their destination was the same bus stop.

Even seated on an empty bench at the bus stop, the man’s incessant chatter continued.

“So, I came out intending to take a quick look at Seolleung Station, and wow… just now, the Woohwa Guild held a briefing and dropped a bombshell, didn’t they? Ugh, why report it after showering? They should’ve reported it before! Anyway, I’m still going, I’m going. Since I’m already out, I have to show our subscribers the sinkhole. What? You’ve already seen it on another channel? Yeah, right. Get out of here right now.”

Han Dokyeom understood that the Woohwa Guild held a briefing about the Red Gate and “dropped something,” but the problem was, what was it?

“The briefing? Ah… Woohwa said they ‘gobbled up’ this Red Gate themselves, apparently?”

Han Dokyeom’s expression immediately went blank. Oblivious to the look on the person next to him, the man scratched his cheek before giving up his seat to an approaching elderly person and continuing his story.

“At first, I was like, ‘Gobbled it up? Bullshit!’ right? But then, perfectly timed, that crazy reporter’s video, filmed hanging upside down at the scene, was released. It was taken just before the chimera disappeared, and only one part of it was zoomed in. When you look closely, wow…”

Han Dokyeom perked up his ears at the man’s voice, which was filled with exclamations of awe.

“You know Ju Uiryeong, right? That A-rank hunter who rescued people during the Eulwangri incident? They’re using a skill, respectfully kneeling. But that’s not all. Just before it vanished, something snuck in with a ‘shhhk’ sound, and when I zoomed in, lo and behold, it was Geon Ita!”

‘…Those bastards?’

Han Dokyeom’s cheek twitched, his expression as resentful as a dog whose food bowl had been snatched away. As if sensing his change in mood, the child, still clutching Han Dokyeom’s clothes, nervously shifted their gaze.

“According to Ju Uiryeong’s interview, they were worried about damage to the city, so they used their wits to teleport it to an entirely different location, resolving it with Geon Ita themselves. And now, with Woohwa Guild’s official briefing and acknowledgment, it’s become a confirmed fact, hasn’t it?”

There was no way to describe this feeling, as if all his suffering had been to spoon-feed that damn Ju Uiryeong. Han Dokyeom looked up at the clear sky, swallowing a bewildered sigh.

“Looking at the video, another hunter also got caught up in it, but because of the rain, their outline wasn’t clear, so it’s hard to identify them. Well, given the silence, they probably weren’t a famous hunter. And it seems the reporter only zoomed in on Ju Uiryeong, so practically nothing else was salvaged. What? That hunter? They probably returned too. They’re just too embarrassed to show their face.”

‘Should I just hold a briefing too? Hang a banner saying the Sahyeon Guild resolved it and broadcast it? Give those dogs and pigs a taste of their own medicine?’

Of course, Han Dokyeom had no intention of stepping forward himself. In such a case, he planned to put Taeseongyeon or other guild members forward as a figurehead.

His mind, hot with various thoughts, quickly cooled as if doused with cold water when the bus arrived at the stop. ‘Why get so worked up over fate? I’d rather die than be sick with anger.’

The man, who had been chattering on the bench, immediately ran out and waved as soon as the bus arrived. Han Dokyeom, conversely, changed his plans and decided to head to the hotel.

Since poking at something already provisionally concluded wouldn’t change anything, he thought it better for his peace of mind to relax before returning to the guild.

With such thoughts, Han Dokyeom, heading comfortably to the hotel with Agon and the child, was unaware.

That he had stepped into a true hell.

“Let’s eat, little one.”

That was the beginning: his generously prepared kimchi fried rice, offered to the child. Han Dokyeom watched the child, who, despite being timid, relentlessly shoveled food into their tiny mouth, and smiled, oblivious to his impending fate.

And two hours later, the war between the child and Han Dokyeom began.

The terrifying hunger war.

****

It was truly a terrifying three days. For those three days, Han Dokyeom had to battle the child’s hunger relentlessly, day and night. Whether due to a growth spurt or accumulated hunger from deprivation, the child complained of hunger every two hours.

Even after a hearty meal, two hours was the absolute limit.

Consequently, Han Dokyeom also had to wake up roughly every two hours to prepare the child’s meals. He considered entrusting Agon, but the thought stopped there, wondering if the creature, which didn’t even touch human food, would truly take proper care of them.

As he thus struggled, sleep-deprived and dazed, to feed the child, Han Dokyeom himself, due to lack of sleep, couldn’t even eat properly. As a result, his face became so pale that others would stare in alarm, making him look like a ghost.

Exactly three days passed. Unable to endure any longer, Han Dokyeom packed various belongings and sought out Taeseongyeon. The reason? He considered it the safest haven.

“Han Dokyeom-ssi.”

A wave of drowsiness washed over him at the gentle voice. Han Dokyeom’s eyelashes fluttered as he groggily opened his eyes. Taeseongyeon, seated neatly on the sofa with his legs crossed, came into view.

Taeseongyeon set down his teacup and asked in a remarkably kind tone.

“It seems you’ve come here to sleep.”

“Ah, give me a break. I’ve genuinely only slept about an hour at a time for three days. I’ll roughly summarize the Authority and Red Gate incident tomorrow or the day after, so let’s just see each other’s faces today, just faces… especially since you’re so handsome.”

Covered with a blanket, Han Dokyeom was sprawled out on the sofa opposite Taeseongyeon, even having brought a pillow. His voice was tinged with irritation, having been interrupted just as he was about to fall asleep.

On the table in front of the sofa, bread was piled high, enough to suggest an entire bakery had been raided. Beside it sat the child, looking around timidly.

“I’ll just sleep for exactly four hours and then get up, so please look after the child. And let me tell you, just try to take away their food. I’ll rip up our contract.”

“It would be troublesome if our Han Dokyeom-ssi abandoned me to join the Woohwa Guild, so perhaps I should generously grant your request.”

“Woohwa, please. I’m furious because of those damn pigs. Ah, I don’t know… Our little one needs to eat every two hours, so don’t criticize them for eating a lot. And don’t give me any of those ‘I’m worried’ excuses to make me feel self-conscious.”

“Dokyeom.”

“What?”

“Stop nagging for now and sleep while you can. I’ve gone to all this trouble to set up a spot for you, haven’t I?”

Despite the kind tone, there was a subtle chill to his words. Nevertheless, it was a rather generous reply, so Han Dokyeom finally began to prepare for sleep. However, as if remembering something, he let out a small gasp, staring into the air. His gaze then returned to Taeseongyeon.