NOVEL NEXT Welcome to Dungeon Hotel
Chapter 24
Ah, he’s back.
‘Because I will come.’ I remembered Han Woohyun’s last words. He kept his word. —But the rumor that Han Woohyun was missing somewhere leaked, so we’re busy blocking the article, Junghyo-ya. A rumor spread that he is missing? There are only 5 S-Class Hunters left in Korea. Among them, the No. 1 Hunter was missing. When reporters hear the news, they gather around it like a cloud. Will Han Woohyun really not talk about me in front of the media? I asked Uncle in a slightly nervous voice. “So… How did he come back?” —Luckily, there was a potion left in the bag. Oh, come to think of it, you—. “Yes?” What is he trying to ask? As I calmly waited for the next word, I heard someone calling for Uncle. —Junghyo, it seems difficult to call more. “Ah, yes Uncle.” Uncle Minhyuk hesitated for a moment before speaking. —You can come back whenever you feel like it. No one is cleaning up your room. When I heard that it had been six years and he still hadn’t cleaned my room, the corner of my heart shook. Uncle Junsu and Aunt Misoon also talked about that often. Uncle Minhyuk is indifferent and cold. But I knew the hottest fire pit in Uncle Minhyuk’s stomach. Uncle is afraid that the other person will get hurt if it overflows, so he wraps it tightly to make it look cold outside. I remembered the time when I stayed at such an Uncle’s house. Long plane trees in the garden hide a house from view. Among them, if you go inside the outbuilding in the deepest place, there is my room. Uncle didn’t come home very often because he was busy with his job, but when he did, he always left a pile of small snacks in front of my room. Sometimes it was a snack that was popular in the area where Uncle went on a raid, sometimes it was a jelly that was popular at the convenience store at the time, and sometimes it was a street food that I wanted to try while passing by. Either way, there was nothing that didn’t contain the Uncle’s heart. How could I have realized someone cared about me so desperately if it weren’t for Uncle? Suddenly, the desire to go back to that time surged inside me. But it was just a brief thought. If I hold on to all my memories of that time, I become a person who can’t continue growing from childhood. I made up my mind. “I resigned…it’s all thanks to you, Uncle. Uncle has always said that. That I should cherish myself the most. I kept losing that mindset at that company.” As I was called Miss Lee, I gradually drove myself into a bond of self-deprecation every day when I couldn’t say a word, even if my project were taken away by my boss. Because everyone lives like that. The more I tried to hold it in with that thought, the more I thought about the smiles of my caring Uncles and Aunt. Even when I received a small prize at school, the fan members shouted, ‘Our Junghyo is a genius!’ No one needed to live by putting themselves down like that. Everyone had the right to live where they were considered useful and felt good about themselves as naturally as breathing. Uncle was silent for a moment at my words, then answered briefly. —You seem to be doing well. I didn’t mean to come up this time. He didn’t even seem to regard my choice as escape or resignation. As expected, it was Uncle Minhyuk. Just as he left snacks in front of my door when I was young, he left a warm heart in front of me again today. The name of that heart was faith. Whatever you choose, I believe you have chosen the path that will make you happy. That kind of feeling. I smiled slightly. The retriever who was watching my smile tilted his head. —Then I will hang up. “Yes. Uncle.” That’s how the call with Uncle ended. I approached him with a relieved expression and stroked the retriever’s head as he placed his face on my lap. “Woof! Woof woof! (Is something good going on, boss?).” “Yes, there is. A good thing.” “Woof? (What’s going on?).” “A VIP guest in Room 202. He say he came out of the dungeon safely.” At my words, the retriever pulled out its tongue and spun around. “Woof woof! (That’s great! It’s the best! You’re the best!).” Yeah. That’s great. The retriever’s barking quickly buried my answer. But you—. Please be quiet. We will get a complaint from the local. * * * Han Minhyuk and Han Woohyun were riding together in the car running at the entrance of Sobaek Mountain. The mountain road, which didn’t have a single street light, was dark, but Choi Kiho, who was in charge of driving, thought it was even gloomy inside the car. Even the air emitted terrifying energy in the car with two S-Class Hunters. It was about two hours ago that Han Woohyun appeared at the entrance to the dungeon. He suddenly appeared in the dark carrying a team member who had injured his leg, boasting a clean entry as if he had come out for a walk on Sobaek Mountain. Looking at his expression without a hint of tiredness, people might think he went to a recuperation rather than an S-Class dungeon. It was a moment when everyone in the guild was astonished. In the last communication, before communication was cut off, it was clear that Han Woohyun had fallen into the Hidden Dungeon alone, so everyone in the Hanwoon Guild assumed that Han Woohyun might not be able to return. The difficulty of the hidden dungeon varied, but the hidden dungeon that was connected to the S-Class dungeon was hard enough to kill Hunter Lee Semyung, who was once the number one ranked in Korea. Looking at overseas cases, it was an established theory that hidden dungeons attached to S-Class dungeons were likely to be EX-class or out-of-class. However, Han Woohyun said that the hidden dungeon he fell into wasn’t like that. “It was probably grade A. There were plenty of potions, food, and equipment that I brought separately.” Han Minhyuk frowned when he heard Han Woohyun’s answer. Initially, he expected this S-Class dungeon raid to take four days. Even though the grade was high, the depth wasn’t very deep, so special mutants weren’t expected. Because of that, Raid one’s food was also minimally prepared for the 4th, but a hunter about the size of Han Woohyun prepared his own personal potion, food, and equipment—. Of course, some Hunters who only thought of their own safety didn’t trust the guild and brought their personal items as much as possible. But Han Woohyun, who Han Minhyuk had seen over the past year, was not that kind of person. Contrary to popular rumors, he had a clear goal of living together with his teammates, and he knew how to be considerate of others in his own way, even if it was not obvious on the outside. So, Han Minhyuk was somewhat puzzled by Han Woohyun’s answer but now wasn’t the time for him to cover the truth of his answer. “First, get a checkup at a nearby hospital. I received a report that you were hit by an S-class monster just before you fell.” He heard that Han Woohyun was seriously injured, but did someone see it wrong while he was distracted? Han Minhyuk glanced at Han Woohyun’s clean appearance. Han Woohyun was fine without any bleeding, but the side of his armor was seriously damaged. Then Han Woohyun replied as if he felt the gaze. “It went through. Only the artifact was slightly damaged. I apologize to master craftsman.” The armor artifact Han Woohyun wore was an S-Class item made by Hwang Misoon, the master craftsman. It was a gift from Han Minhyuk to celebrate Han Woohyun’s transfer a year ago, and if it was an attack that made a hole in the S-Class item, it was a miracle that Han Woohyun survived. But in the meantime, does he say sorry to the master? “Come with me to the hospital right now.” “No, I…” “Either go to the hospital right away, or hold a press conference with the reporters camped at the entrance of Sobaek Mountain.” “….” Han Woohyun kept his mouth shut. Han Minhyuk was dumbfounded and thought he should take Han Woohyun to the hospital even if he had to force him to. He had to stop showing dull and stupid people dying in S-Class dungeons. It’s none other than for Junghyo. How many times did he see the little back flinch when the news said Hunter was injured or dead? But if Han Woohyun died in the S-class dungeon, How can a person who doesn’t show signs of illness on a daily basis remain sober? ‘So… how did he come back?’ It was clearly a sign of concern. The news must have conveyed Han Woohyun’s news. Even thinking about telling Junghyo such bad news made him feel dizzy. So Han Minhyuk half-forced Han Woohyun into the car and ran towards the Hunter Hospital. Worried that Han Woohyun might have been hurt and that this fact would hurt Junghyo, Director Choi exuded a terrifying energy that he couldn’t even breathe. “For the time being, Dungeon Team 5 will take paid leave.” Han Minhyuk spoke first after Director Choi, who was driving, skillfully drove past the reporters who were camping at the entrance to Sobaek Mountain. Han Woohyun glared at Han Minhyuk at those words. ‘Are you glaring?’ Han Minhyuk looked at Han Woohyun again, dumbfounded. “Then do you want to run the next raid right away? Right after almost dying?” “I don’t think there is any reason to rest.” Is this guy saying he wants to go to the dungeon again? Han Minhyuk felt as if his rationality was suddenly cut off. Crack. At that moment, the middle of the handle blocking the gap between Han Minhyuk and Han Woohyun twisted unsightly. “If you want to die, you’d better find another country other than Korea. If you die on this land, I will somehow revive you and kill you again.” It wasn’t clear whether it was a curse or a blessing. Director Choi hastily wiped the sweat from his hands onto his thighs. Why on earth did I drive? It was the moment when he resented the sky. * * * Director Choi, who finished parking after experiencing a huge war of nerves between two S-Class Hunters, looked soulless. Regardless of Director Choi’s condition, Han Minhyuk got out of the car and entered the Healer Hospital with the atmosphere as if he were taking Han Woohyun to the police station. Han Minhyuk was thinking of examining Han Woohyun from head to toe right away. Until he sees a familiar face in the first-floor lobby of the hospital. The unique hair color was dyed gray, and her odd-eyed eyes were black on one side and yellow on the other. “Huh? He’s fine?” The person looking at Han Woohyun with a laugh was Yoojun, an S-Class healer from the Baekho Guild. At the attitude of regretting that he was fine, Han Minhyuk said while crumpling his face. “Why are you here—” “I brought him here. I’m worried about Hunter Han Woohyun.” Another woman answered Han Minhyuk’s question behind Yoojun’s back. A dark-skinned woman in a neat black suit was also a face Han Minhyuk knew. “However…You look really fine. As if you went on some kind of vacation.” Shim Jiyoon. She was the youngest daughter whom the head of the Baekho Guild cherished. Hello! You can also buy the advanced chapter in Ko-fi now, just click the ko-fi button and look for the title of the novel in shop. Thank you for your support!
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