NOVEL NEXT Chapter 122
Chapter 122
“I’m… I’m alive…! I made it! I really made it!”
“Is it true…? Ugh… I really survived…!”
“Sniff… Thank you, God. Thank you…”
When the rescue team finally arrived, the reality of being alive sank in, and people were overwhelmed with joy.
Some, feeling the sudden relief, collapsed and wept, their legs giving way beneath them.
The first Hunters to enter through the main gate looked utterly grim.
It wasn’t just the Special Detention Center suffering damage.
Monsters were wreaking havoc in the surrounding areas too!
That’s why it was urgent to split the team members to deal with the street monsters as quickly as possible.
The rest hurriedly made their way to the detention center.
Amidst this, there was a quick communication from the crews who had engaged the monsters early on.
They reported that the monsters were even stronger than they had anticipated, warning everyone to be cautious.
The monsters that seemed to be mutated Orcs apparently possessed abilities not inferior to those appearing in A-Class Gates.
Having heard this, the rescue team couldn’t help but be tense.
Moreover, there was bound to be a boss at the Gate.
If it was an A-Class Gate boss, then it must be a terrifying behemoth.
They already assumed that everyone inside the detention center had lost their lives.
Monsters beyond the capability of ordinary people, not to mention low to mid-tier Hunter correctional officers, were involved.
But then…
“W-What?!”
“W-What is this?!”
The Hunters who stiffly walked in through the main gate were startled to see living people.
A considerable number of them were alive, cheering joyfully in relief.
The medics quickly approached those in need and started administering first aid.
What unfolded was entirely unexpected from the get-go.
However, that was just the beginning.
Soon, the Hunters laid their eyes on the utterly devastated surroundings.
“W-What the heck is this?!”
“Goodness… What on earth happened?!”
The ground was split, caved in, and heaved…
There wasn’t a single intact spot.
It looked as if a huge earthquake had struck.
Smoke billowed up everywhere, thick and black.
This was a scene that could not possibly be attributed to just Orcs.
It looked like it had been bombed by fighter jets!
Through the smoke, the Hunters spotted something.
“Oof, Orcs!”
“Get ready for battle immediately!”
Seeing a horde of Orcs, the Hunters wore tense expressions as they quickly got into battle formations.
They drew their weapons and prepared for combat.
But something was off.
Despite the deliciously tempting humans being right in front of them, the Orcs did not advance.
Instead, they appeared to cower in fear, shrinking away.
Orcs were normally a warrior-like race!
Born from the blood of fighters!
The Hunters knew that all too well.
Yet these Orcs were trembling like frightened dogs with their tails tucked in!
It was an utterly unbelievable and bizarre sight to behold.
…Why?
Eventually, the Hunters noticed that the Orcs’ frightened gazes were fixed on one spot.
There stood the back of a woman, drenched in blood.
She held a sword from which fresh blood dripped.
And the Orcs were clearly trembling in fear at the sight of her.
Who is she…?
Confusion gripped the Hunters.
None of the current situation made sense; everything was unfolding differently than expected.
“Thanks to that person, we survived.”
Someone stepped forward amidst the bewildered Hunters.
It was Cheol-hyung.
“…Really? Who is that woman?” A Hunter questioned, his eyes filled with curiosity.
“I don’t know either.”
Just as Cheol-hyung answered, Lin Xue sheathed Acureruts and turned around.
Instantly, all the Hunters’ gazes shifted to her.
The surviving individuals also looked her way.
As the thrill of survival began to settle, a mix of gratitude and curiosity about her identity flooded their feelings.
She paid no heed to the attention directed at her and approached Lee Si-hyun.
“Big Brother!”
Beside Si-hyun stood Kang Baek.
Now that the battle was over, the shield had vanished, allowing them to approach.
Kang Baek widened his eyes, staring at Si-hyun’s blood-soaked chest.
He had clearly seen a man’s hand pierced into Si-hyun’s chest!
Seeing Si-hyun drenched in blood was no illusion.
Yet astonishingly, no injuries were visible.
He didn’t even look like someone who had received fatal wounds.
“Who are you?”
Lin Xue, now beside Si-hyun, asked.
“I… I’m Kang Baek, a colleague of Big Brother Si-hyun,” he replied, lifting his head.
Unknowingly, his gaze had drifted to Lin Xue’s face.
Her long black hair, dark eyes, feline-like gaze…
With long, neat eyelashes and a cute nose, her fair skin undeniably gave off a beauty vibe.
When her expression slightly furrowed, Kang Baek suddenly realized he had been staring at her.
He quickly lowered his head.
“Thank you so much for saving my brother and everyone here. I’m truly grateful.”
Without her, not only Si-hyun but everyone would have perished.
She was an invaluable benefactor whose value couldn’t be expressed in words.
Lin Xue fell silent for a moment without responding.
After a short while, she spoke again.
“Tell him I’ll be back.”
“Huh?”
“Hyris says she’s coming to visit again.”
“What do you mean…?”
Before Kang Baek could finish his sentence, Lin Xue’s figure faded away like a ghost.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Phew, today’s work is done.”
Ha-young exhaled in relief, putting down her drawing tablet.
After suddenly falling ill yesterday and taking a day off, she worried about her progress, but thankfully, things were looking up today, and the week would go according to plan, albeit tightly.
Ha-young poured water into a cup of instant noodles for a hasty dinner.
Living alone, it was usually too much hassle to cook properly, so she often opted for takeout or instant meals.
She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.
Thinking of watching some comedy variety show rerun on cable.
“Wait?”
As she was flipping channels, a flash news banner caught her eye.
Curious, she paused to read the content, and the phrase “Ganghwa Island Special Detention Center” jumped out.
It was where her brother, Si-hyun, worked.
Her brother had been transferred there from the main correctional facility last year to work at the Ganghwa Island Special Detention Center.
Ha-young read the urgent news with a serious expression.
And then…
“What do I do?! What do I do?!”
Her expression morphed into one of panic, feeling on the verge of tears.
There was news that many staff members from the detention center and local residents had been casualties due to an unexplained Gate opening near the special detention center.
The death toll was staggering.
Almost 100 confirmed fatalities had been reported already.
Ha-young sat glued to the TV screen.
The name list of the deceased was rolling across the display.
With reddened eyes, she trembled as she scanned through the list.
She hoped and prayed that her brother’s name wouldn’t appear.
With each surname starting with ‘Lee,’ her heart felt like it might explode.
Fortunately, by the time the second screen appeared, her brother’s name was still absent.
However, as she looked at the third screen with trembling eyes, she let out a near-sobbing sound.
“Not… not there! Brother’s name isn’t there!”
Finally, the screen switched to the list of the injured.
First the serious injuries appeared, followed by the less severe.
And there it was, her brother’s name.
-Lee Si-hyun (31)
It was confirmed.
Since the news referred to his age as the Korean way, it was definitely her brother.
The screen displayed which hospital he had been admitted to.
In a hurry, Ha-young picked up her phone.
She needed to contact their parents.
◈ ◈ ◈
In the hospital lobby on the first floor, the news was playing.
Of course, it was about the Gate incident that had occurred on Ganghwa Island.
The horrifying calamity had shocked everyone.
Abnormal Gate.
That’s what the news referred to as the Gateway responsible for the recent disaster.
It was a well-established fact that the usual opening period for Gates ranges between two to three weeks.
Countless Gates had appeared during this time, but none had been exceptions.
Yet this time, that belief in the usual rules had suffered a severe blow.
Statistically, only one exception had been recorded among the numerous occurrences.
In normal circumstances, it could be brushed off as a minor anomaly.
Yet this was a matter of human life!
That minor anomaly could claim the lives of dozens or even hundreds!
Additionally, the fact that such an unusual event had occurred indicated that there’s always a potential for it to happen again in the future.
It was only natural for people to feel extreme anxiety.
I could very well become the next victim!
The news showed interviews with anxious citizens, emphasizing the urgent need for state-level preparations.
The following segment was about the heroes who shone brightly amidst the recent tragedy.
Si-hyun’s name appeared on screen.
As a D-rank Hunter and correctional officer at the Special Detention Center, Si-hyun had led the inmates and bravely fought against the monsters, saving many lives.
There had also been mentions of his significant contributions in capturing the former death row inmate, Kang Tae-eun.
“What a remarkable young man.”
An old man in a patient gown spoke up.
The elderly man sitting next to him, apparently an acquaintance, replied, “Isn’t that just what anyone would do? He’s a correctional officer, after all.”
“When a crisis strikes, far too many people fail to do even what’s expected of them. Haven’t you heard about the other Hunter correctional officers? They were trembling in fear from the back!”
“Hmm… Compared to those fools, he’s definitely better. Still, the inmates seem even more impressive, don’t they? It’s hard to believe the inmates risked their lives for the correctional officers.”
“The inmates are certainly outstanding. But it was that officer who boldly led them out of their cells and into action. Such decisive actions in crises are not something just anyone can do. And didn’t you catch the inmates’ interviews? They all claimed they found the courage to act because of the Section Chief.”
“Just idle talk.”
A mother and daughter pair passed by while the old men were passionately discussing.
“That’s about my brother.”
Ha-young said quietly to her mother.
“I see.”
Her mother nodded.
When Ha-young first heard of the serious accident at the detention center where Si-hyun worked, she nearly collapsed.
Although Ha-young immediately assured her that Si-hyun had only sustained minor injuries, that alone nearly tore her heart apart.
Though it was said to be minor, she couldn’t help but worry that perhaps he hadn’t suffered even more serious injuries.
Her father also appeared deeply shocked.
And he immediately rushed to the hospital where their son had been admitted.
Seeing her brother upon arrival, fortunately, he seemed to be in a better condition than expected.
He had no serious external wounds, and though he’d undergone a few detailed tests, everything registered as normal.
However, he still hadn’t regained consciousness, as the doctor explained he seemed to be in a state of exhaustion due to the extreme tension from the incident.
There was no indication of any issues with his brain.
The doctor assured them he would wake up after some time.
Certainly, it was a huge relief.
However, there was something that made Si-hyun’s family feel disappointed.
Si-hyun had told his family that he was appointed as an ordinary correctional officer at the Special Detention Center, but in reality, he was an Awakened Being.
While they understood his feelings, a mother couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment at her son’s dishonesty.
“Mom, I’ll go to the bathroom for a bit, so please go in first.”
“Okay, sure.”
As the elevator door opened on the 10th floor, Ha-young headed toward the restroom.
Her mother walked towards Si-hyun’s hospital room.
Si-hyun was in a private room.
The family was bewildered as to why a minor injury patient had a private room, but the hospital staff didn’t say anything about moving him.
Jang Hak-ki, who had looked out for Si-hyun, was the reason for this, but the family was unaware of that.
“Wait?”
Her mother’s steps halted.
A woman stood in front of her son’s room.
She was strikingly tall, like a model.
Who is she?
It was someone she didn’t recognize.
Sensing the presence, the woman turned her head.
Their eyes met.
The woman’s gaze momentarily wavered.
Her mother recalled someone’s features.
The woman was Lin Xue.
She hadn’t initially planned to arrive so early.
Yet, without realizing it, her feet had taken her in this direction.
“Who might you be, miss?” her mother inquired curiously.
“I am….”
Lin Xue hesitated for a moment before speaking.
It felt odd to refer to him by that name so casually.
A smile threatened to escape as she spoke, her lips curling into a faint grin.
“…I’m Si-hyun’s ex-girlfriend.”