CH 42

It seemed that Haeun ran away while she was talking with Seo Dojoon. 

‘I brought all the money anyway, doesn’t it matter?’

When Haeun finished thinking, she shrugged her shoulders.

“It’s nothing. More than that, Seo Dojoon-ssi, this sandwich is mine, right?”

“Yes. The line was long. It took longer than expected.”

“It’s okay. Let’s go eat another meal after we finish this. It’s on me.”

I got a huge $1,000 for my pocket money.

Thanks, Rick. I should get something expensive to eat.

* * *

An office located in a forest of buildings in New York.

The room, made entirely of glass on one side, had a bright atmosphere with good lighting. The mahogany wood desk was decorated with simple furniture. Among them, there was a small frame with a family photo in it.

The family photo contained three people—Brian Nelson, his remarried wife Baek Miyeon, and daughter Sophia Nelson. 

Her daughter’s other name is Baek Soyeon.

“How harmonious.” 

“Don’t be unnecessarily interested. Put it down right now.”

“I don’t know how to get a request without seeing her face.”

Wearing a fancy shirt, Rick smiled slyly and put the frame down. He turned around the desk, returned to the sofa, sat down, and put his chin on the table in the middle. 

Brian’s brow wrinkled at his frivolous action. 

“Now, let’s get to the point?”

Rick. His nickname is R.

The man Haeun met in the park was a famous awakening broker who works in the shadows. 

Awakening brokers secretly enter the dungeon for non-Awakened people who want to Awaken and receive a fee in return. 

Brian clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“What are those clothes? Have you ever been to the beach?”

“Oh, it’s because I just came from Hawaii.”

Rick laughed and crossed his legs.  He even waved his hand as if he didn’t care. Brian frowned slightly.

Is this guy really such a famous Awakening broker? 

He looks like a good-for-nothing guy. First of all, the loud pattern of that shirt bothers him. It was a pattern that made it impossible to concentrate on the conversation. Where in the world did he get that shirt? 

“Brian, this is something only you should know.”

However, it was high-quality information that Frederic Haniel, his close friend and colleague, gave him directly to doubt the source. It was Frederick Haniel, the president of Haniel and the in-law of the president of the American Hunter Association.

“New York is desolate as expected. As soon as I came, I got ripped off.” 

Brian was skeptical, but Rick was a really famous Awakening broker. He was also a criminal who was involved in all sorts of crimes if he digs a little deeper.

Rick was paid for fulfilling the desires of those who wished to Awaken. 

He secretly puts those who hope to Awaken into the dungeon and exposes them to danger. Among them, if they are lucky, they will Awaken, and those who don’t have the qualities to Awaken in the first place will fail. 

According to the Non-Awakened Person Protection Act, this was clearly illegal, but his schedule was always full of reservations. 

There were dozens of Awakeners born from Rick’s hands like that. 

The unlucky people often lost their lives. However, Rick wasn’t the kind of person to feel bad about such small things.

If they want to be protected after entering the dungeon, they must pay an additional fee. Would it be Rick’s fault if those who didn’t pay the additional fee died? Unpaid work didn’t exist in his dictionary. 

“Applicant protection doubles the cost… No, you know it’s three times, right?” 

Rick made a circle with his index finger and thumb.

He made a reservation after hearing that he was a competent Awakening broker with a high success rate, but he didn’t trust him at all because of his rude behavior. Brian said patiently.

“As long as you do it right.”

“Haha, I always do it right. So what about the down payment?”

Brian’s assistant put down a black briefcase in front of Rick. The bag opened with a click. Rick frowned because it was full of gold. 

“I chose the heavy one too.”

“It’s a money laundry problem.” 

“I can’t cash it right away.”

Rick scratched his head. The money he earned to spend on lodging for a while was robbed by an Asian girl, and he received the next request in kind.

‘Ridiculous.’

He closes the bag. Anyway, the amount of the cost was correct. 

“Are you certain of your skills?”

“Are you checking now after paying the down payment?”

“You must make sure she will Awaken. And she has to come back safely without any injuries.”

“If you have time to worry about that, you should hope that your daughter has talent.”

Brian asked Rick to Awaken Baek Soyeon. 

It was Soyeon’s leg problem that led him to this decision.

When a non-Awakened person Awakens, the body is reborn like a pupa becoming a butterfly. They can run faster and get stronger and more solid. 

The handicap they had before also disappears like cotton candy dissolved in water.

In fact, there were countless cases where disability disappeared after Awakening. A person who couldn’t speak attacks with sonic waves, and someone who lives by relying on an artificial organ gets a new heart. 

Brian has been pushing for legislation to legalize Awakening induction using low-level dungeons in recent years because of his daughter Baek Soyeon. 

However, it was blocked by opposition from human rights groups and non-Awakened protection groups, and despite active lobbying, it was sluggish without clear results. 

Ironically, the Hunter faction also opposed his bill. While suffering from a chronic shortage of Hunters, they were concerned that their vested interests would disappear as the scarcity of Awakened people would decrease. 

How much more time will it take for the bill to pass? 

Brian knew that Baek Doohan had recently secretly visited Korea with Baek Soyeon. His secretary investigated and said he attempted an oriental exorcism that drove away demons.

It was very unpleasant. He meant that his daughter was haunted and couldn’t walk.

‘Sophia is fine.’

Baek Soyeon wasn’t possessed by demons. It’s just an acquired disability. 

Brian didn’t believe in superstitions. If he has to believe in something, he would rather believe in an Awakening with a low success rate but a clear outcome.

It may take several more years or even decades before the law is passed and Baek Soyeon is admitted to the dungeon according to the legal process. 

So he couldn’t wait any longer. Brian was determined to fix his daughter’s disability, even if it was a somewhat illegal method. 

“I will give you the rest of the money when my daughter Awakens and returns safely.” 

An ominous smile appeared on Rick’s face.

*****

The dream she wants to avoid always comes without notice.

It is a dark space with no light. There was a musty smell coming from the damp area.

It’s a bit more fishy to say it smells like moss. 

She is aware that it is a dream, but she doesn’t know where it is.

Haeun fumbled with her hand in the dark space. The feeling of touching the hard wall was strange, so she inadvertently looked down at her hands, and there were a lot of calluses in her hand. After she stopped exercising, the calluses were all gone, leaving only traces.

The moment she thought it was strange, Haeun’s mouth opened itself.

“Where are the people?”

Her lines flowed out like a stage actress. At the same time, Haeun stopped being aware that she was dreaming, and she turned into herself in the dream.

“It seems like I am the only one.”

Haeun shuddered.

It has already been hours since Haeun was caught up in a sudden crack.

The crack occurred in the gym, where a youth gymnastics event was held in which Haeun participated as an athlete.

There were a lot of people because it was a national-level competition. There were students in attendance and families who came to support them.

However, no matter how much she went around the dungeon, she couldn’t meet a single person.

That wasn’t the only thing that seemed strange. The air in the dungeon is gradually getting sharper.

At first, it was such a weak flow that she couldn’t feel it unless she was conscious of it. 

However, as Haeun progressed through the dungeon and defeated the monsters approaching her, the flow of energy surrounding the dungeon also became heavier.

Although it is a common feature of games and dungeons, a strong one comes out differently if she kills a weak one. Can it be felt so directly? 

It felt like she was walking along without knowing that her clothes were caught somewhere. As if the threads on the clothes she was wearing were loosening little by little, and the clothes were getting shorter and shorter, but she didn’t notice at all.

Clearly, Haeun was in the best condition right now, and the monsters in the dungeon couldn’t even scratch Haeun, so she didn’t know why she felt this way.

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ encourages her to move forward without worrying.] 

Haeun moved forward, suppressing the anxiety that remained in the corner of her heart. She must hurry up, find survivors and get out of here. The fishy smell that tickled her nose seemed to grow stronger. 

But she couldn’t go far and tripped on something in her leg.

Thud–!

It rang out quite loudly.

Haeun looked around while holding her tingly knees. It was dark inside, so she couldn’t see properly. As she fumbled around, she grabbed something that looked like a hard log.

“What is it?”

Haeun rolled what was in her hand. And soon, she ran into a corpse whose eyes were turned upside down.

“Kyaaaagh!!”

Haeun was frightened and stepped back. The body had been torn apart as if a monster had attacked it.

Then Haeun saw it.

Countless victims piled up behind one death.

“Uugh!”

Suddenly, the earthenware rose. Haeun, who was reflexively covering her mouth, sat on the floor and vomited in vainly. Instead of vomit, only clear saliva mixed with stomach acid came out. Tears welled up in the corners of her wrinkled eyes.

What is this? What on earth happened? 

Her head spun.

It’s a common tragedy in dungeons, but it was the first time for Haeun. It was a dungeon that was so easy and non-threatening to Haeun that she had no idea it would be dangerous to ordinary people. 

No way, could it be that they are all dead?

Is that why she hasn’t seen anyone up until now? 

“Uh, ugh.”

Tears streamed down Haeun’s cheek as she bit her lower lip. 

This wasn’t the future Haeun expected. She thought everyone would be safe. And she will be a hero by saving those who have been waiting for her.

Ssssk—.

Something secretly approached Haeun, who was sitting on the floor.

It was a monster that Haeun had been waiting for. The number was not one. They formed a kind of group and approached in droves, narrowing the siege without hesitation. 

[The Constellation ‘Mutant of the Abyss’ says it is dangerous and urges Haeun to get up.]

The Constellation continued to urge Haeun, but Haeun, in shock, didn’t think to get up.

It was then.

“You fool! Run fast!”

Someone grabbed Haeun’s hand.