Ch.18Chapter 18 – Eve

December 23.

Shin Jaehyuk sat in his studio chair, typing on the keyboard. He accessed a one-on-one chat room with Lee Yujin to check on the progress of their work.

-What have you been up to lately?

-Is the gate investigation going well?

As soon as Shin Jaehyuk pressed enter to send the message, a read receipt appeared within seconds.

Ding, ding-

Multiple notification sounds rang out at once. True to her internet addiction, she replied extremely quickly.

-Yes. Everything’s going smoothly without any issues

-Easy money, sweet! haha

-But how on earth did you plant a backdoor in the Pentagon server? lolol

Shin Jaehyuk chuckled as he typed his reply.

-I have my ways lol

A few months ago, it was a request he had received from Mr. B in exchange for an introduction to the Blacksmith. The task was to investigate the locations of gates worldwide. However, Shin Jaehyuk was too busy with his training to keep handling this job, so he had entrusted it to Lee Yujin.

Yujin was perfectly capable of creating crawling programs to perform simple tasks like finding information on social media and websites. For highly secure intelligence agencies, Shin Jaehyuk shared backdoors he had previously created, allowing Yujin to secretly infiltrate their servers.

‘This is way too comfortable… Is this the power of multi-level marketing?’

While Yujin received at least 100,000 won per gate discovery, Shin Jaehyuk was getting even more money from Mr. B. It was a sweet arrangement where Yujin did all the work, but Shin Jaehyuk collected the money. He shuddered with happiness at this strange situation where money accumulated in his account while he did nothing.

‘Oh right. This isn’t the time for that.’

-By the way, you said you awakened before, right?

-Yes 🙂

-I’m E-rank though, so I don’t work as a hunter.

That’s right. A few months ago, Yujin had awakened with the ability to discern truth from falsehood. She called this ability “Scales of Truth.” The power to detect lies in people’s statements.

At first glance, it seemed incredibly powerful, but the reason it was only E-rank was because the ability wasn’t perfect. It could only determine the truth as believed by the speaker, so if the person was brainwashed or hypnotized into believing false information, the ability would yield incorrect results. It also couldn’t judge the truth of information unknown even to the speaker, like secrets of the universe.

Still, it was the kind of ability that organizations like courts or the National Intelligence Service would typically rush to scout. Fortunately for Shin Jaehyuk, that hadn’t happened. When registering her awakened ability with the Association, she had filed for “non-disclosure.”

When awakened individuals take tests and register their abilities with the Awakened Association, there are four options. The most common is to file for “public disclosure,” where party members can know the awakened person’s abilities, and the general public can easily access this information through the Hunter Association.

For those uncomfortable with their abilities being publicly known, there’s the “non-disclosure” option. This keeps the ability private from other awakened individuals and the public. Only high-ranking Hunter Association officials can access this information. Since the Hunter Association is a transnational organization, even specific countries’ intelligence agencies or judicial branches cannot freely access this information.

Third, there’s the “undisclosed filing” option for those who don’t want even Association officials to know their abilities. The Association discourages this option, and there are penalties if the ability is discovered. This option only reveals the number of abilities, not their effects. However, if the Association later discovers the ability, it becomes forcibly treated as public disclosure with a minor penalty.

The most foolish option is not registering at all and hiding the very existence of awakened abilities. In such cases, if the ability is later discovered, both the Association and the state impose severe sanctions, assuming the awakened individual had malicious intentions. Some people have even been forcibly conscripted to gates under this charge.

‘Good thing she filed for non-disclosure. I almost lost a capable assistant… She’s the only awakened person around me anyway.’

-Do you have time tomorrow by any chance?

-I just finished my semester, so I have nothing but time these days lol

-Great. Want to meet in the afternoon?

-??? What’s the occasion?

-I’d love to!!!!!

-Alright, let’s meet at that cafe then

-(Blue dog character giving OK emoticon)

***

After the second gate incident, the Second Summit was held. Some who had attended the first meeting couldn’t make it this time. China was one such case. Instead of the State Chairman who had boasted about the strength of the Chinese military, a new representative attended.

Zhang Wuyi, the telekinetic. Hero of the Beijing incident. One of the strongest awakened individuals. An awakened person who had single-handedly stormed Zhongnanhai and seized the position of Chinese State Chairman by force.

Communication doesn’t work between inside and outside the gate. Therefore, the Chinese leadership outside the gate had no idea what was happening inside. They didn’t know that undead-type demons had appeared in the Beijing gate, that the undead were inappropriate for the military to handle, or that having more people enter only advantaged the enemy.

When communication with the soldiers who had entered the Beijing gate was cut off, those outside weren’t alarmed. They believed the commanders inside could clear the gate with their orders alone. So they confidently waited for news of victory.

After two hours, they began to feel anxious. They dispatched more troops into the gate to assess the situation, but no one returned. After four hours, something emerged from the gate. Not people. Hundreds of thousands of imps and zombie hordes were unleashed upon Beijing.

Zhang Wuyi was the superhuman who slaughtered all those demons within an hour of the gate backflow. Videos of this hero using telekinesis to burst demons and save people spread across social media, earning countless cheers and applause from the Chinese people.

After destroying the head of the last demon, the hero moved to judge the incompetent leadership that had sent tens of thousands of young people to their deaths.

Toward Zhongnanhai, where the Chinese State Chairman’s office was located.

Even the enormous Chinese military couldn’t stop the steps of one enraged superhuman. All artillery fire weakly dissipated before his telekinetic shield. Under the gaze of broadcasting cameras watching from afar, he proudly entered the residence.

An hour later, an emergency press conference was held. At this conference, the Chinese State Chairman announced that he would delegate all his positions and duties to Zhang Wuyi.

Since the eyes of all world leaders were on Beijing due to the former chairman’s boasts, everyone at the summit learned what Zhang Wuyi had done. And his overwhelming power. They witnessed what a powerful individual could do against a state.

Zhang Wuyi sought to reform the military-centered world order. He delivered a speech about how the military and awakened individuals must cooperate to defeat humanity’s enemies. Most countries, except for a few extremists, shifted their stance from hunter control to hunter cooperation.

Of course, not everyone was impressed by Zhang Wuyi’s speech. They also considered the benefits of cooperation, but they feared what might happen if they antagonized a powerful superhuman and a massive nation.

A month later, the transnational Hunter Association was officially launched.

The first president of the Hunter Association was S-rank hunter Zhang Wuyi.

***

Sitting across from Shin Jaehyuk at the cafe, Lee Yujin sucked on her straw. The sweet and slightly bitter hot chocolate filled her mouth with warmth. Smiling brightly, she spoke up.

“What wind blew today that made you ask me on a date, senior? On Christmas Eve, no less?”

“A date request…?”

Shin Jaehyuk scratched his face. Come to think of it, today was the day before that pagan celebration of some god’s son. As a devout paladin of Eloah, Shin Jaehyuk had no intention of celebrating such a dreadful day.

“This hikikomori wouldn’t go out just to see someone’s face… Wait, what happened to your body? I don’t think you looked like this when we met a couple of months ago!”

Shin Jaehyuk preened under her surprised gaze.

“I’ve been working out. If I put my mind to it, I could be a national athlete.”

“Your boasting is definitely national-level.”

‘But it’s true…’

“Anyway.”

Shin Jaehyuk pulled out two fist-sized boxes from his padded jacket pocket. He handed one to her.

“What’s this?”

“A gift. To thank you for doing good work for me.”

Excited about receiving an early Christmas gift (though that wasn’t Shin Jaehyuk’s intention), Yujin happily tore off the wrapping. Inside was a round magical compass slightly smaller than her palm. It was a gate detector that indicated gate locations through mana diffusion. Shin Jaehyuk had ordered it online for gate exploration and bought one for Yujin as well.

“Wow! This is made by Professor Park Jeonggwang from our university. I heard these are really expensive?”

“For a capable assistant, this much is nothing… Anyway, I bought this, but I need you to charge mine too.”

“Oh, you said you haven’t awakened, right? But why do you need a gate detector?”

“For safety, just in case. But since I don’t have mana, I need to ask you.”

Of course, it wasn’t for safety. He planned to enter a gate tomorrow. Now that his body had moved beyond its scrawny state and gained some training, he intended to explore the world beyond the gates in earnest. Besides, on a pagan day like Christmas, it seemed much better to enter a gate and loosen up his stiff body.

‘Check on Eden’s safety and kill demons. That’s been my only thought from the beginning…’

Unaware of the context, Yujin nodded in understanding.

“I guess even ordinary people carry them these days.”

Yujin attached the gifted magical compass to her backpack like a keychain. Blue energy flowed from her hand into the compass, activating it and causing the panel to emit a faint light.

As she was about to hold Shin Jaehyuk’s compass and infuse it with magic, Yujin suddenly remembered something and stopped.

“Hmm~”

Yujin rested her chin on both hands, smiling brightly as she stared at Shin Jaehyuk. He stared back at her face.

‘What’s with her? This is uncomfortable.’

“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Hehe, I’ll do it if you answer just three, no, four questions for me.”

Yujin’s eyes glowed blue. It was the magical light that appeared when using mana. She had activated her awakened ability, Scales of Truth.

“Hey… What are you trying to ask? Is it okay for an awakened person to use their ability on a regular person like this?”

“It’s not like I’m harming you. Besides, are we really so distant that I can’t use one ability with you, senior?”

“No, that’s not it… Sigh, do as you please.”

Yujin smiled with satisfaction and asked her question.

“Senior, are you free tomorrow?”

Shin Jaehyuk thought about his scheduled gate entry tomorrow morning and answered.

“Yeah… but I’m a bit busy. Why?”

Yujin’s face instantly hardened. She asked urgently.

“Is it a woman? Are you meeting a woman?”

“Ah, no. There might be women there, but it’s just for work…”

‘Why am I making excuses like this?’

Shin Jaehyuk answered with confusion. Judging his answer to be true, she relaxed her expression and sighed with relief.

“Phew… Good.”

She seemed to struggle for words, furrowing her brow with her hand on her chin. A few seconds later, she exclaimed and asked:

“Am I the only awakened person around you who can charge the compass?”

Shin Jaehyuk thought about his thin social circle. Awakened people? Officer Kim Jungsu from Gwanak Police Station, or Kim Jaemin who had become too famous now. Of course, he wasn’t in regular contact with either of them.

“Oh, that’s right… Wow, is my network really this small?”

Shin Jaehyuk muttered dejectedly. In contrast to his gloom, Yujin’s face brightened.

“Then you’ll have to meet with me regularly, right?”

“I… guess so?”

The blue light in her eyes faded. She clapped her hands once and smiled brightly.

“Great! Here’s your compass.”

She handed the mana-charged compass to Shin Jaehyuk. He somewhat dazedly accepted it and put it in his pocket. What exactly had been her intention? It didn’t matter. Having achieved the purpose of their meeting, Shin Jaehyuk changed the subject and continued the conversation.

“So, anything new lately? Any interesting information?”

“Hmm… Nothing too special. Oh! I heard the university is creating a Hunter Department. For this year’s admissions? Or maybe next year’s. Anyway, they’re recruiting new students from this admission cycle. I guess they’re moving quickly to catch the trend. Not sure what they’ll teach though.”

“Maybe some martial arts?”

She nodded in agreement.

“Could be. I heard they’re connecting it with physical education and animal ecology. Probably education about dungeon ecosystems, survival training, that sort of thing.”

Shin Jaehyuk finished the rest of his coffee and ordered another drink. It seemed like they had a lot to catch up on after not seeing each other for months.

They talked for a long time. They didn’t even notice the time passing until Yujin’s stomach growled. They went to a restaurant together. Yujin cutely begged Shin Jaehyuk, who was about to go home, to buy her dinner. He gladly obliged his assistant’s request. The two went to a restaurant with a nice atmosphere. The dinner was delicious, and the place was comfortable. They continued their conversation. Happy time passed…

As it got late, they stood up and left the restaurant. The temperature had dropped considerably after sunset. The cold wind struck their faces, stealing away their warmth.

Shin Jaehyuk personally fastened Yujin’s jacket collar. Perhaps because of the cold, her cheeks were flushed red. Shin Jaehyuk wrapped a muffler around her and said goodbye.

“Thanks anyway. For the compass, I mean. I’ll come find you when it runs out of charge.”

“Yes, senior. Come anytime! …And if you happen to have time tomorrow, let me know!”

Yujin waved her hand with a bright smile.