A Broken Place

Tap, tap, tap. Footsteps rapidly traversed the long corridor. They were almost as fast as someone running.

People in the hallway hurriedly stepped aside at the sudden approach of the figure. However, upon recognizing the owner of the shoes, their faces shifted from irritation to surprise and then to a welcoming expression. A hunter, who had spilled coffee on his hand, shouted out.

"Team Leader Jung Bin! Have you returned?"

"Yes, it's been a while. How have you been? Oh dear, did you spill because of me?"

"No! I have a bit of a tremor!"

"How is your health, Team Leader?"

"Haha, I'm fine. I'll recover soon, so don't worry."

"Please take care of yourself!"

"Thank you."

Jung Bin's right arm was in a cast, and his face was covered in band-aids, giving him a pitiful appearance, but his gentle smile remained unchanged.

But that was only temporary. As he passed through the crowded hallway and descended underground, the smile gradually disappeared from his face. His steps quickened until he was almost running.

The Awakened Management Bureau had a special detention room and interrogation room for capturing awakened criminals. Only those with proper authority could access it, and it was located deep within the building, accessible only by elevator.

Jung Bin placed his hunter ID on the elevator authentication device.

[Authorization confirmed. S-grade Hunter Jung Bin of the Awakened Management Bureau, welcome to the Bureau.]

Jung Bin, a diligent civil servant of the Awakened Management Bureau, had returned straight to the Bureau after being discharged earlier than scheduled. He had been unable to sleep due to an ominous feeling.

And as they say, bad premonitions are never wrong. Upon his return, he was met with a broken interrogation room desk and Lee Sa-young sitting crookedly in front of it. It had been quite some time since Jung Bin was hospitalized, yet Lee Sa-young was still detained in the Bureau. He had only broken the desk without much resistance!

Jung Bin smiled.

'This is bad.'

And that made him even more scared. If Lee Sa-young had made a mess of the interrogation room, Jung Bin might have felt a bit relieved. Lee Sa-young was more terrifying when he was quiet.

Jung Bin quickly moved to resolve the situation. He burst into Lee Sa-young's interrogation room and, as soon as their eyes met, he immediately encouraged him to leave the Bureau, as well as promising to visit the Pado Guild separately.

However, Lee Sa-young didn't seem particularly angry. He didn't criticize or mock Jung Bin for coming quickly. Instead, he gestured for Jung Bin to come closer and whispered in his ear.

"I haven't sensed Hong Ye-seong's presence since a day ago."

"What do you mean… is Hong Ye-seong still here?"

Jung Bin frowned. He had instructed for Hong Ye-seong to be transported to the Jang-in Village in Bukhansan after a simple inquiry. Lee Sa-young answered nonchalantly.

"He was. Not anymore."

His tone was suggestive. Lee Sa-young patted Jung Bin on the shoulder and left the interrogation room.

"You should pay more attention to internal management."

Ding, the elevator light turned on as it reached the basement and the door opened. Jung Bin straightened his body and walked down the dark corridor.

At the end of the corridor was a firmly closed iron door. In front of it stood hunters, hands behind their backs, guarding the door. They were familiar faces to Jung Bin, as they were his direct subordinates. The hunters bowed their heads.

"Hello, Team Leader."

"I didn't expect you to be here. There shouldn't be any detained awakeners right now. I haven't received any special reports either."

"…"

"I didn't give any orders to guard this place. Who instructed you to stay here?"

"…"

The hunters didn't respond, staring straight ahead. Jung Bin smiled and asked.

"Could you open the door for me?"

"It's not possible."

"Hmm, that's strange."

"…"

"As far as I know, there's no place in the Awakened Management Bureau that I cannot enter…"

Before the hunter could pull something from his waist, Jung Bin kicked the door without warning.

BANG—!!

The massive iron door crumpled inward, and a scream was heard.

"Ahhh! What's going on?"

"Oh, here you are?"

"Wha–? Official-nim, you've come to save me!"

Hong Ye-seong, bound to a chair with chains, looked up with teary eyes. However, upon noticing the band-aids on Jung Bin's face and his casted arm, Hong Ye-seong tilted his head.

"Or not? Did you get captured too?"

"Sigh…"

Fortunately, Hong Ye-seong showed no signs of being beaten or tortured. He was just chained in the detention room. That alone was a big deal. Jung Bin sighed and turned around. The hunters who had been blocking the door stood facing Jung Bin with unchanged expressions. Jung Bin ran his hand through his hair and asked.

"Why is Hong Ye-seong still here?"

"…"

"He should have been in the Jang-in Village in Bukhansan by now. Who ordered to keep him here?"

"…"

"I don't understand why there's no immediate answer."

"…Heh."

At that moment, the head of one of the hunters by the door twisted unnaturally. His eyes lost their light, and blood vessels burst, turning them an eerie red.

Jung Bin sighed again. Creeeak, a black chain wrapped around his left arm with a chilling metallic sound.

"Geez… I leave for a moment, and things turn out like this. I owe you again."

"What's going on? Aren't they hunters from the Bureau?"

"Who knows. Maybe they're imposters, or someone tampered with my subordinates. I guess I've been underestimated."

Jung Bin coldly spat out and took a step forward. The hunters' bodies twisted more grotesquely. The sound of metal clashing was clear. Without looking back, Jung Bin spoke.

"Hong Ye-seong, please move back as much as you can."

"Huh? I'm tied to a chair though?"

"Your legs can move, right? Stick to the wall."

"Geez."

Grumbling, Hong Ye-seong moved awkwardly to the corner of the room.

At that moment, black spikes burst out from the hunter's suit.

Creak, creak… The unsettling, creepy sound was like the buzzing of insect wings. The spikes clashing against each other made a foreboding noise.

KA-KA-KA-KANG!!

The spikes rushed towards Jung Bin.

***

In the late afternoon, just before preparation time, only two customers remained in the hangover soup restaurant.

Beep.

"That'll be 60,000 won."

"Here."

Honeybee handed over her card. Cha Eui-jae swiftly and skillfully completed the payment and returned the receipt and card. However, Honeybee didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave, lingering by the counter and clearing her throat softly.

Cha Eui-jae looked at her curiously. The question she asked was unexpected.

"How is your grandmother's health?"

"Sorry?"

"You know, you had a notice on the door? Saying you closed for a day to take your grandmother to the hospital."

She must be referring to the fake notice posted during the Artisan Exhibition. Cha Eui-jae responded while tidying up the counter.

"Oh, she's fine now."

"Really? That's a relief."

"What made you ask all of a sudden?"

"Nothing much. Our guild is in the middle of a contract with a pharmaceutical company."

"Honeybee."

Team Leader Han, who was standing next to her, quietly admonished. Honeybee glanced at him and retorted.

"Why the secrecy? It's almost confirmed. The news will spread in a few days anyway."

"Even so, it's better to keep quiet. Many hunters frequent this place…"

"We're the last customers before preparation time, so what? I've checked everything before speaking."

Team Leader Han shook his head, exasperated. Honeybee put her card and receipt into her wallet and smiled at Cha Eui-jae.

"Well, if you have some spare money, you might want to buy some stocks. It'll probably skyrocket. It's a big deal."

"Phew…"

"You could use the profits to ease the hospital bills. I'm off!"

Waving her hand, Honeybee left the restaurant. Team Leader Han gestured for discretion by placing a finger to his lips, then quickly followed her out. Clatter, click. The door closed. Cha Eui-jae checked the sales and pondered.

'Did she intentionally share classified information?'

If Team Leader Han was cautious about keeping it a secret, it must be significant. Was she worried about his struggles with hospital bills? He appreciated the sentiment… Cha Eui-jae scratched the back of his neck.

"Hmm, that's some valuable information. Hangover soup restaurants do have a lot of insider info."

A familiar voice spoke from behind Cha Eui-jae. Instantly, Cha Eui-jae threw a punch, but fortunately, nothing was broken. Only a trembling voice was heard.

"Oh, your reflexes are very quick… Hello, customer…"

The voice came from the shadow under the chair behind the counter. Cha Eui-jae crouched in front of the chair and replied.

"I'll let it slide this time, but don't pop out like that again."

"Thanks to your ocean-like generosity, I've managed to stay alive. One must always be cautious."

Crawling out, Seo Min-gi stood upright and bowed.

"Before we start the conversation, just a moment."

Seo Min-gi took out something small and round from his inventory and pressed it. White fog spread out, clinging to the window glass outside. Seo Min-gi put on his sunglasses.

"Though it seems unlikely anyone would peek inside, it's always good to be thorough, given the gravity of the situation."

"Like how you eavesdropped, Seo Min-gi-ssi?"

"Of course."

Seo Min-gi replied shamelessly as he took out a tablet from his inventory. Cha Eui-jae put his hands in his apron pockets and asked.

"Did you find any useful information?"

"Well, to get straight to the point… with the help of Romantic Opener, we thoroughly investigated the national hospital."

Seo Min-gi, with a stylus between his fingers, touched his temple and said.

"There are no records at all."

"…What?"

"There are absolutely no records in the national hospital. It's suspiciously clean."

"…"

"Isn't that strange? There are records of patients from much longer ago, but only the records of the friend you mentioned are missing."

Is that possible? Cha Eui-jae furrowed his brow in confusion. He thought deeply, considering whether the records might have been lost in the chaotic times back then. After pondering, he spoke.

"If by any chance it was initially omitted…"

"An ordinary hospital developed an antidote thanks to that friend and received sponsorship from you, didn't it? There must be some kind of record. Money and items would have moved. Especially where money moves, there are always traces. But for it to be this clean…"

"…"

"In the end, there is only one conclusion."

Seo Min-gi's eyes sparkled as he pointed his stylus at Cha Eui-jae.

"Someone deliberately erased that friend's records. Very cleanly. As if they never existed."