episode_0019

The disappearance of three hunters was just the beginning.

Approximately 200 people were dragged into the gate within about six hours of the first disappearance.

Until then, Park Cheol had been trying to maintain his composure and handle the situation, but with no tangible results, the number of missing persons kept increasing.

When he heard the news that even his younger sister, Park Daseul, had disappeared leaving behind only her phone, his patience finally snapped.

“Why the hell aren’t reinforcements coming?”

[…Cheol, I’m sorry.]

“Captain… why on earth…”

[……]

Realistically, Park Cheol knew that receiving support was impossible.

The phenomenon occurring in Myeonghak-dong at this moment wasn’t limited to this place alone; it was happening nationwide. It was a simultaneous occurrence across the country, wherever there were densely populated cities.

There were even reports of gate breaks at Seoul Station and Gwangju.

Military units were dispatched to deal with the gate breaks, and the guardian forces in other areas were scrambling to handle the situations in their respective jurisdictions.

Even though he was speaking with Park Cheol, who oversaw the entire Gyeonggi Province, there seemed to be no solution.

“…Damn.”

After ending the call, Park Cheol stared blankly at Park Daseul’s phone.

According to the CCTV footage they secured, she was attacked by a monster while talking to someone and was dragged into the gate.

He wanted nothing more than to organize a strike team and enter the gate immediately, but as the leader of the guardian forces, he couldn’t afford to act irrationally and risk his life.

Moreover, he had concluded that realistically, clearing the situation was impossible.

If it had been just goblins or creatures of that level popping out of the gate, they would have dealt with it long ago. But from that strange gate, not only goblins emerged, but also skeletons, werewolves, vampires, fanatics, and even eight-legged spirits.

Usually, each gate has its own theme and tends to spawn predetermined monsters, but this one was different.

This gate was a bit different. It seemed to lack a theme, and irregularly spawned apparitions. Some were even narrative-type apparitions that shouldn’t have come out of the gate.

Simply put, it was impossible to determine the characteristics and grade of the gate.

Among the confirmed apparitions so far, the most powerful one had even been classified as a disaster-level.

“…Disaster-level.”

A disaster-level boasted a strength that Park Cheol could never handle alone. So, he couldn’t help but feel inadequate in forming an expedition team.

“Seriously, what should I do….”

No matter how many times he thought about it, no plan came to mind.

His younger brother might still be alive or dead inside that gate.

All he could do was hope for the military to organize the gate break and come to help.

Park Cheol manipulated the phone he held in his hand and turned it on.

What caught his eye was a text message exchange with someone. The other person’s name stood out.

[Yerin Unni]

“…Ha Yerin.”

Someone who Da-Seul had recently become close to, someone who pretended to be ‘Cat’s Eye.’

He knew it was unlikely, but he also knew it was highly improbable.

But if this person really was ‘Cat’s Eye.’

If they were a member of the Twilight Unit who confronted Anubis in the video from 4 years ago.

Could they somehow resolve the current situation?

Hoping for such a faint possibility, Park Cheol sent her a text message using Da-Seul’s phone.

And shortly after, the reply he received was just one word.

[Refused.]

* * *

“I’m Da-Seul’s older brother, Park Cheol.”

The sensation of the knife at his waist felt familiar, despite not having touched it for months. Was it because he had just been playing a game?

“Da-Seul has gone missing. It’s related to what happened at Myeonghak-dong Gate. It seems like she was dragged inside the gate.”

As he fiddled with the knife’s handle, he glanced around.

There was no one in the alley or inside the shop. The surroundings were in disarray, as if someone had hastily fled from something.

“I want to go in and rescue her right away, but unfortunately, I don’t have the power to save my sister.”

Even the cats that used to frequent me seemed to have disappeared, and only one cat with a brown tail was whimpering as if trying to take me somewhere.

“I heard you’re a resolver for my little brother. I’d like to request your help.”

Blood was splattered on the ground. Judging by the smell, it was clearly from ordinary people.

However, judging by the small amount of blood, they must have been taken alive for some purpose.

“I’m going to rescue my brother and the people taken into the gate. Please cooperate. I’ll pay any amount.”

I gave a gentle stroke to the back of the cat biting my doorstep and moved on.

Following the scent. Following the direction from which a very pungent odor wafted.

“I don’t think it will come to that, but if you really are that person. Please, I beg you.”

The message ended there.

Dasul has a good older brother. Thinking so, she sent a brief reply and put her phone in her pocket.

[I’ll decline.]

The request is declined.

There’s no need for a reason when one person is helping another. It shouldn’t be about personal gain.

Especially if it involves saving someone’s life whom you know.

Above all, I had intended to do it without a request.

If I were to greedily accept the request here and receive compensation.

I would no longer have the face to see the deceased members of the Twilight Brigade.

Thinking this, as I continued walking, someone blocked my path.

“Hey, you shouldn’t go any further. Please move to the shelter.”

It was a woman with a quite worn-out face. With a spear on her back, is she a hunter?

But I had no intention of taking refuge, so I raised my head slightly and looked at the gate located a little further away.

It seems it’s not the usual gate, given that it’s not blue but rather purplish…

“Excuse me? If you’re lost, I can guide you…”

“It’s okay.”

Seeing the blood splattered around the gate, it seems that there were quite a few casualties unable to handle the monsters that came out. So the hunters are waiting a little further away.

I hopped over to bypass the hunter.

“Ah, huh?!”

As I hesitated, the superhumans who had been casting fleeting glances in my direction suddenly approached, intent on ushering me out.

“You’re not supposed to come in. It’s dangerous.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“Still not allowed. You seem to be a superhuman, why are you being so insistent?”

Hmm.

It would be troublesome if someone got hurt trying to force their way in.

As I pondered what to do, a familiar voice came from beside me.

“Move aside.”

Pushing the hunters to the side, a large man approached. Dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn’t slept for days.

Amidst this, a familiar scent wafted from the phone gripped in his hand.

It was the fragrance of the cologne Park Daseul always wore, mixed with a hint of blood.

This person was likely Park Cheol, the one who had contacted me earlier.

Given his considerable height, I had no choice but to look up at him.

After silently studying me for a moment, he asked quietly,

“…You didn’t refuse the request, did you?”

“No.”

“But why did you come then?”

“I said I’d refuse the request, not that I wouldn’t help people.”

“…Is there a reason for your refusal?”

“Helping people doesn’t require compensation.”

“….”

After a brief silence, Park Cheol asked again,

“Are you going in alone?”

“Yes.”

“If you don’t want me, how about taking at least one other person? We need to know the situation inside as well.”

“Sorry, but I’ll refuse. I don’t want anyone to see me fighting.”

“…Alone, can you handle it?”

“Yes.”

“….”

Park Cheol, who had been silently observing me, began giving orders to the surrounding hunters.

“Clear the way for this person and be ready to enter at any time in case of emergency.”

“…Yes!”

The hunters looked somewhat hesitant to comply, but ultimately followed his command without complaint.

Suddenly, I became curious.

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Why is that?”

“…If you really are the person I know.”

Park Cheol looked at me with unwavering eyes.

“I wouldn’t even have the right to doubt you.”

“…I see.”

“I honestly don’t quite understand what’s being said, but if you trust me this much, I should live up to that expectation.”

Placing a hand over my chest, I adjust the output of my body.

“Gear 4 should be adequate.”

Since there are no side effects up to 4, I’d like to wrap it up around this level if possible.

Click, click. A sound reverberates in my ears, audible only to me.

Something hot begins to flow through my veins from my heart.

It’s not my blood, but something other than human blood.

It was the blood of a vampire, unrelentingly despised.

Feeling my body slowly heating up, I casually threw a word at Park Cheol.

“I’ll be back soon.”