Life is Like a Boomerang

Powder fell from the precariously stacked objects that had been displaced. The enormous footsteps that shook everything around them paused briefly nearby before slowly moving away.

Thud… Thud… Thud… Until the sound completely disappeared, Cha Eui-jae stared out at the pale, chilly daylight beyond the ruins. A quietly refined sense of lethality lingered in the air.

A face he had never seen before.

Lee Sa-young tapped his hand with his fingers. Cha Eui-jae's gaze, which had been focused outside, shifted to him. It was only then that Cha Eui-jae seemed to realize he had been covering Lee Sa-young's mouth. Carefully removing his hand, he mouthed a silent question with a softened expression.

'What's wrong?'

Lee Sa-young spoke out loud.

"Don't go."

"What?"

"Stay here."

Cha Eui-jae remained silent. He listened outside the ruins for a moment before springing to his feet. Then, he smiled at Lee Sa-young, the same smile he had shown once in the Guild Leader's office.

"It's okay, it won't take long."

He bent down to grab the pole he had thrown aside. Normally, he would have made an effort to conceal his intentions, saying he was just going to look around or get some fresh air, knowing no one would believe him.

Lee Sa-young quietly observed Cha Eui-jae. At a glance, he appeared unbelievably calm for someone inside a dungeon.

However, the cold sweat running down his temples, his pale complexion, and his overly tight grip on the pole, turning his fingertips white, told a different story. Physiological reactions couldn't be hidden by controlling facial expressions alone.

"…"

He was afraid.

Of what?

Their eyes met again. Cha Eui-jae smiled once more.

"Really, it's fine. I'll be back soon."

That smile, Lee Sa-young really disliked it.

Cha Eui-jae's baseless confidence and his tendency to rush headlong into things likely had a reason. People around him must have encouraged him, calling him a hero and saying he had to save everyone because he was strong. And the more recklessly he acted, the more they must have liked it. It made him easier to handle.

Lee Sa-young gently tugged on the hem of Cha Eui-jae's gray robe. Though the force wasn't strong, Cha Eui-jae didn't ignore it and turned to Lee Sa-young. His shadowed face showed a hint of puzzlement.

Cha Eui-jae was that kind of person. He couldn't ignore a hand reaching out for help. He was someone who constantly burned himself out, never backing down even if it cost his life. If that was the case…

"Hyung."

Someone had to be a strong shackle to prevent him from recklessly running off. Lee Sa-young decided to become that shackle.

A shackle solely for J, who was weak against the weak.

***

"Hyung."

"What is it?"

Cha Eui-jae answered in a low voice to Lee Sa-young's quiet call. His attention, however, was entirely on the monster that had appeared moments ago.

Its footsteps, breathing, and cries were vividly imprinted in his memories. The monster that had just appeared was Sasquatch, the first monster J had ever defeated on the Day of the Rift.

'Still… it's not a particularly dangerous one.'

The Sasquatch was a threatening monster with its massive fists, but its movements were slow due to its heavy build. Moreover, its head was covered in shaggy fur, making it slow to react and barely able to notice anything smaller than itself. If they hid their presence well, they could avoid detection by the Sasquatch with the help of Hong Ye-seong's foil blanket.

'It might be better to kill it before it gets any closer…'

The dungeon had been reconstructed in response to the unlocked title, 'Conqueror of Solitude'. Cha Eui-jae looked around. The dungeon resembled the scenery of the West Sea rift so closely that it was hard to believe it was the same space. Upon regaining his senses, he had momentarily confused it with still being inside the rift.

Was the appearance of the Sasquatch a coincidence? As his thoughts prolonged, Lee Sa-young sighed loudly and lowered his gaze, uncharacteristically.

"I'm in pain."

For a moment, Cha Eui-jae doubted his ears. Did Lee Sa-young really say that? But the next moment, he examined Lee Sa-young's body, wondering if Jung Bin had bound him with chains again. Fortunately or unfortunately, Lee Sa-young was unharmed.

"You're in pain?"

"Yes… I feel dizzy."

Lee Sa-young mumbled, blinking his long eyelashes. Somehow, his pale face seemed even paler.

Has he even rested properly since the Artisan Exhibition? He didn't seem to be sleeping well either. Anxiety coiled within him was slowly raising its head. Cha Eui-jae gripped the pole a little tighter until it made a creaking sound.

"…You did send the text saying you were okay yourself, right?"

It was an unexpected question. Lee Sa-young stared at Cha Eui-jae for a moment before answering.

"Yes, I did… Why?"

It was a relief. Maybe his worry was unfounded. Cha Eui-jae quickly looked Lee Sa-young up and down.

"Didn't you get treatment from the Seowon Guild? Jung Bin took you there."

Lee Sa-young nodded slowly.

"I did, but maybe it's because the dungeon was restructured…"

He trailed off lazily, leaning his head against the wall.

"If I rest a bit, I'll be fine. Let's move together in a while… You need to get out of here too."

"…"

"And… we need to find Jung Bin."

"…Jung Bin? He's here too?"

Cha Eui-jae feigned ignorance. Lee Sa-young nodded slightly. Thank goodness. The light he had seen earlier must have been Jung Bin. That meant they had a bit more time to wait for Lee Sa-young to recover. Jung Bin could be trusted. He could handle the Sasquatch too.

Cha Eui-jae sat down beside Lee Sa-young, clutching his pole, keeping a distance of about a head. He looked beyond the ruins and murmured.

"Sorry, but I can't wait too long. If it takes too long, I'll carry you and move."

"Okay…"

Lee Sa-young replied softly, leaning his head slightly towards Cha Eui-jae.

"But… you know, Hyung."

"What?"

"It's a bit strange."

"What is?"

"How did you come here… for what reason?"

"…"

"This dungeon doesn't just open its doors for a hunter's license."

'Damn it.'

Cha Eui-jae grimaced. Lee Sa-young was annoyingly perceptive. It was a common question he should have anticipated, but he had been too focused on rushing here to think of an answer. Even if he had thought about it, he wouldn't have come up with a plausible excuse. What reason would an ordinary awakened have to enter an invasive dungeon?

Moreover, this dungeon… Cha Eui-jae recalled.

'Wasn't it under the Pado Guild's control?'

This was a complete mess. Cha Eui-jae mentally prepared himself. If you don't know the answer, you have to improvise, but Lee Sa-young's questions were like essay questions, impossible to guess.

The tension on his face turned into a disgruntled look. Avoiding Lee Sa-young's gaze, which was examining his face, Cha Eui-jae mumbled.

"Well, you know."

"Even if the dungeon inspector isn't from our guild, they wouldn't have managed it carelessly with their work history…"

That inspector was probably knocked out cold by Kkokko's hit. Sorry, Mr. inspector. Cha Eui-jae turned his head slightly to count the cracks in the fractured wall. As Cha Eui-jae remained silent, Lee Sa-young pressed further.

"A busy person running a restaurant coming into a dungeon like this… for what reason… Hyung, do you know?"

"…The restaurant's been slow lately."

Cha Eui-jae's brief defense wasn't a good choice. Lee Sa-young, who had closed his eyes, smiled mockingly.

"Oh, really? I thought maybe you came to mine magic stones, since you couldn't get your pay being a secretary…"

"…"

Lee Sa-young, now with his eyes open, calmly observed Cha Eui-jae's face. His purple eyes, devoid of light, scrutinized Cha Eui-jae's sullen face.

"Hyung is really…"

His eyes were not normal. Soon, he would probably say something like, "Are you crazy?" or "Are you an idiot?" As Cha Eui-jae braced himself for the inevitable mockery, Lee Sa-young sighed and murmured.

"Who did you come here with?"

'Oh, come on.'

Lee Sa-young had a knack for asking the most aggravating questions, ones he couldn't answer. Wasn't this his fault? Even if he wanted to answer properly, every question Lee Sa-young asked prodded at his sore spots, making it impossible to respond clearly.

Cha Eui-jae silently stared at the floor marked with numerous white footprints. Soon, a cold, firm body slowly leaned against him. Soft hair tickled his ear.

As Cha Eui-jae straightened up, a soft voice whispered.

"There's no way Nam Woo-jin would come here himself… that guy's a library ghost."

"…"

"Did he ask you? To investigate here?"

Lee Sa-young was completely off the mark. Cha Eui-jae was about to snap back with something like, "Cut the crap."

When suddenly, white screens appeared one after another in front of his eyes.

[…System check complete…]

[Dungeon restructuring complete.]

[A new grade has been assigned to the dungeon.]

[The new grade for the Jongno 3-ga underground dungeon is S+ grade.]