Who Could Have Predicted This Outcome? Part 2

My name is Lee Ki-hyun, and I'm 22 years old. I am a resident of the Green Zone and a university graduate. For the past two months, I have been searching for a job, but I couldn't find anything close to my heart.

In a world where people need protectors, most specialists have no place. Without a job, I receive financial aid from the state, but it's barely enough to live on for a full month.

I live alone—maybe that's why I haven't settled for just any job yet.

Life in the Green Zone is filled with work and peace. People here have forgotten what others have to endure.

It was the year 2066, but in forty years, technology hadn't advanced a single step. It was as if we were stuck in place.

I was riding the ground metro on my way to a job interview. The transport cabin was full of people staring at their phones.

I hoped that this time, I would get the job.

Arriving at the interview, I did my best to present myself well and even managed to force a smile.

"Thank you for your time, sir. Unfortunately, given the current conditions in this world, we don't believe you are the right fit for us."

Placing my resume back into my briefcase, I left the office without showing any emotions. Stepping outside, I lit a cigarette.

Rejected again.

In today's world, offices are looking for capable people—those ready to study the nature of demons and uncover the true power of Hunters. Everything is done with the goal of winning this unbearable war.

That evening, I was sitting in a local bar with my friend. While he was drinking draft beer, I decided to keep my mind sharp and ordered a couple of dishes instead.

"Maybe I should just become a bartender or a cook," I said.

"Don't talk nonsense!" my friend replied. "I know what your brain is capable of—we studied together, after all. Don't waste your potential on something like that."

"What do you suggest, Jun-ho?"

"Your laziness is what's stopping you from finding a job, you know!"

My beef steak was brought to the table while I listened to him attentively. "Thanks," I said to the waiter.

"Aim higher! Find something you truly love and work in that field."

"Something I love, huh…"

Carefully slicing my steak into pieces, I poured a rich broth over it.

"These days, people work for the sake of saving others. At the very least, the best option would be to become a Demon Hunter!"

"A Hunter? You're suggesting I go die on my very first raid on the frontlines?"

Waving his hands, Jun-ho added, "I'm just trying to help you. Why do you hate the idea of being a Hunter so much?"

"You know how the country treats them. If your rank is below B, they consider you cannon fodder—throwing you in first to be devoured by monsters."

Hearing my harsh but truthful words, my friend took a large sip of his beer.

"You think you have little demonic blood in you?"

"If I have any at all."

"At least give it a try. Sign up for an examination, check if you have demon blood in you. Then decide what to do. You can't stay unemployed forever."

A Demon Hunter… I think I once dreamed of that life. But after that incident…

I remembered my mother's body, sprawled across the floor of our home. That stench that had soaked into every corner of the house… Sometimes, my nose starts to pick up that rotten smell again, as if it never left.

A ringing sensation filled my ears the longer I recalled that scene.

"How's work going for you?" I asked, deciding to change the subject.

"Oh, nothing good. Same as always. Today, they brought in a thousand corpses for incineration. At least the poor haven't caught the flu yet—that's a small relief."

Jun-ho works in the Orange Zone, studying corpses and researching diseases that come from demons. From the many stories he's told me, I've realized just how horrific and heartless demons truly are.

By night, I was at home, sitting in front of my computer. I browsed the internet, scrolling through news feeds.

A Demon Hunter… First, I needed to check which Hunters' sons had achieved what results.

"The son of a famous Demon Hunter becomes Seoul's 100th A-rank!"

A catchy headline. A former K-POP artist went to fight on the frontlines. His father… an S-rank Hunter?

After reading the details about them, I scrolled further.

"The son of a former S-rank Hunter shamefully scored a D-rank on his tests!"

Obviously, this wasn't an official government report. Even search engines were showing random fanatic news? D-rank Hunters deserve respect too—they fight side by side with ordinary soldiers.

"A new S-rank has emerged in Seoul—their combat abilities are astonishing!"

This news came out a week ago. This Hunter… is a woman?! She looks about my age. It's incredible to think about how many hidden talents exist in this world…

Wiping sweat from my forehead, I gave a bitter smile.

There's no way I could ever reach S-rank. I'd be lucky to even get a B-rank just to make a living.

The next morning, without much thought, I showered and decided to get tested for demon blood.

Drying my chestnut-brown hair, my blue eyes examined my reflection in the mirror. My body was far from ready for war. Of course—it's not like I ever trained my muscles.

If I think about it, I never even liked sports since childhood.

Dressed in black jeans and a t-shirt, I stepped outside. Fortunately, demon blood tests could be taken at any state clinic, so I headed to the nearest one.

"Lie down in the chamber," one of the two doctors instructed.

I lay down in the chamber, and before scanning my body, they took a small sample of my blood for analysis.

The chamber was completely silent—no outside noises could be heard.

"Check the pressure levels and start the machine."

"Yes, ma'am."

The camera above me started scanning my body.

"Chief, check this out! Something's wrong with the blood analysis…"

"What does it say?"

Printing out the results, the doctor handed them to her colleague.

"Incredible…"

"Yes. The amount of demon blood in this young man's body is exactly 50%! Wasn't the world record only 34%?"

"This can't be a machine error. If he has 50% demon blood, it means only one thing."

"No way… Chief, what should we do?"

"Call security immediately and notify the police!"

A minute later, the chamber door burst open. Sticking my head out, I asked:

"What are the results?"

Before I could react, I noticed the muzzle of a gun pointed at my head. The security guard looked dead serious—ready to shoot me at any moment. Looking ahead, I saw two terrified doctors.

The entire clinic declared an emergency. The police quickly restrained me and transported me to one of the most secure buildings in the country.

After throwing me behind bars, they refused to answer any of my questions.

"At least explain what's going on?!"

My hands were tied. The only thing I could do was wait for someone to come and check on me.

"What the hell is going on?!"

After some time, the metal door swung open, and soldiers dragged me into a corridor. After a short walk, I found myself in a room with two men dressed in black suits.

I sat down across from them, and one of them spoke.

"Lee Ki-hyun. 22 years old. Resident of the Green Zone. We've read your file, but there's one question we just can't shake. May I ask?"

"What question?"

"How the hell did the son of one of the strongest Demon Hunters end up in this situation? Right now, you're facing execution for betraying your nation and forging your identity documents, kid."

Panicked, I raised my voice.

"What forged documents?! I just went to get tested for demon blood! I haven't faked anything!"

"The problem lies in the test results, Ki-hyun," the second man added, placing the blood analysis report in front of me.

"You have 50% demon blood. We checked your parents' records but found no clear answers. Still, the results are 100% accurate."

"Fifty percent…"

I never could have imagined such a high number. Even the strongest S-ranks had around 25% demon blood. But that wasn't the real issue here…

Reading the report, I saw the final verdict:

Direct blood relation to demons.

"This means only one thing—you're half-demon. A half-blood."