CHAPTER 266: THE ELUSIVE CRACK

"EUNSEOK-AH, I’d like you to meet my niece. This is Seon Chowon. Go and greet your cousin."

"Hello, Chowon Noona."

"Uncle Chang-ho, Eunseok-ah, please call me ’Bitna’ from now on. I don’t want to hear the name that my father gave to me as much as possible."

Wonhee watched Chang-ho, Eunseok, and Bitna’s interaction.

It made her realize something.

[The world is really small.]

"Bitna, I don’t remember our first meeting. But you said you were my friend," Wonhee said when she couldn’t satiate her curiosity anymore. "Did you already know back then that I was your uncle’s sister-in-law?"

"I didn’t know you were my uncle’s sister-in-law before the Outbreak since your relationship with Aunt Semi was still a secret by then," Bitna explained. "But I found out as soon as you revealed your relationship to Aunt Semi in public. The System keeps me updated, after all. I just had to hide it from you at first since I didn’t want to expose my identity yet."

"Oh, I see," Wonhee said while nodding. "I guess the world is really small."

"I bet some people are pissed that two chaebol heiresses awakened as high-leveled Awakened People," Bitna said, grinning. "But, as soon as I get my inheritance, I’ll disown my family."

"Tell me if I can help you with anything, Bitna-ya," Chang-ho said, adapting to Bitna’s new name easily. "Don’t forget that you can rely on me, okay? Even if you’re the first Returnee in the world, you’re still my niece."

"Aww. Thank you, Uncle Chang-ho."

It was a heartwarming scene.

But there was one person there who obviously thought the scene was "too cheesy" based on his reaction.

It was Eunseok, Wonhee’s teenage nephew.

[And that reminds me...]

"Bitna-ya, you said you wanted to check on Eunseok’s condition, right?" Wonhee asked when she remembered why they were in Eunseok’s bedroom. "Is my nephew in danger?"

"That’s what we’re going to find out, Wonhee-ya," Bitna said, and then she looked at Eunseok. "Hwang Yejun already broke the contract that you signed without your knowledge, right?"

Wonhee knitted her eyebrows. "You signed a contract that put you in danger, Eunseok-ah?"

"I-I didn’t know that it was that kind of contract, Auntie," Eunseok said defensively. "I thought I was just signing a normal contract because I invested a huge amount of money in my friend’s candy business."

Wonhee was shocked. "You invested a huge amount of money without telling your parents?"

Eunseok pouted, obviously sulking because he was getting scolded all over again.

"Your nephew consulted his financial advisor, and it’s his financial advisor who guided him all throughout the process," Chang-ho said, sighing. "We already grabbed a hold of Choi Jung. But he still refuses to talk."

"That financial advisor probably signed a contract that forbids him from talking," Bitna said. "Hwang Yejun’s ability might not be strong enough to break it."

Wonhee was surprised to hear that. "There’s something that even Hwang Yejun can’t do?"

Hwang Yejun seemed so reliable to her that she found it hard to believe that there was something he couldn’t do.

"Well, Hwang Yejun isn’t a god," Bitna said, shrugging. "But even if he doesn’t have the skills to solve a problem, I’m sure he’ll find someone else who can do the job. Don’t worry about him too much, Wonhee-ya. Hwang Yejun is reliable."

Wonhee blushed for some reason. "I-I know that already..."

[I don’t remember anything related to him, but I feel safe with Hwang Yejun.]

"Anyway, let’s get back to business," Bitna said, extending her hand to Eunseok. "Eunseok, let me hold your hand for a moment. I’ll try to see if your unnatural awakening can still be stopped."

Everyone in the room was surprised to hear that.

"Bitna-ya, you can stop my son’s awakening?"

"That’s what I’ll check, Uncle," Bitna said while holding the hands that Eunseok offered without making a fuss. "Give me a moment."

Eunseok visibly gulped when Bitna squeezed his hands.

Wonhee was about to tell Eunseok to calm down, but she swallowed her words when she saw what happened next.

Bitna suddenly had a nosebleed!

***

"WELCOME, Hunter Hwang Frost-nim and Hunter Soline."

Yejun just nodded at Lee Cheongsan’s greeting.

As soon as the press conference was over, Lee Cheongsan hurried over to the Sarang-hee Hotel— the temporary office of APA’s Vice President Yeon Soobin.

It was perfect timing since Yejun and Soline had arrived at the hotel by then.

Lee Cheongsan then ushered them to the room.

It was the room where Semi and the Autumn Guild sent the three corpses that their guild couldn’t identify.

And it wasn’t just the corpses.

[They sent two more people.]

Semi also sent the so-called ’Commander’ there. Since the Commander was still paralyzed, a single bed was put in the room where the bastard was lying down on.

And next to the bed was a chair occupied by a certain ’Choi Jung.’

It was Seon Eunseok’s financial advisor that encouraged the kid to sign a sketchy contract.

Yejun raised an eyebrow. "That financial advisor dude hasn’t opened his mouth yet?"

"Not yet, sir," Lee Cheongsan answered politely. "We’re also looking for Young Master Eunseok’s friend. When we went to their house, it was already empty. Even their candy business has already been shut down."

Ah, the enemies moved quickly, huh?

"You were abandoned," Yejun said to Choi Jung who only raised his head to glare at him. "But it seems like they left you behind because they knew my skill wasn’t good enough to break the contract you signed."

Seon Eunseok’s contract with the ’Liege’ was weak because the kid didn’t sign it directly. Those bastards had to trick Seon Eunseok by making a fake contract. And that was why the bind was weak.

However, Choi Jung was fully conscious when he signed a contract with the ’Liege.’

"It must be the ’Oath of Silence,’" Yejun wondered out loud, making Choi Jung flinch. "So, I’m right."

"An Oath of Silence is said to be an L-Grade binding contract," Soline chimed in. "It’s the same level as your L-Grade contract-breaking skill, Yejun. Is that why you need my help?"

"Yes, Noona," Yejun answered, but his gaze was fixed on Choi Jung. "I need Noona’s ability to look into the recent memories of corpses."

Choi Jung, who probably realized Yejun’s plan, suddenly trembled in fear.

"That’s right— you should be scared," Yejun said, laughing. "If I can’t break your contract to make you talk, then I’ll just kill you and ask Soline Noona to look into your memories, Mr. Financial Advisor."

***

YOOL let out a sigh while standing in front of the Namsan Tower.

Song Moonho asked him to be the bait, so he had no choice but to follow the old man’s plan.

[I’m just not sure if it will work.]

But, according to Ahjussi, the Crack seemed to be avoiding Song Moonho since Song Moonho was a Hunter.

[That’s why he left me alone here.]

"System, please help me return to the other world," Yool said out loud. Thank goodness it was already late at night so the vicinity was empty. And Song Moonho had already taken care of the guards. "I’m giving up the mission already."

Those were just empty words.

And he didn’t have a Status Window, so he couldn’t really communicate with the Status Window.

Yool was starting to feel like a fool when it happened.

Hmm?

A small crystal ball with a whirlpool inside appeared right in front of him.

For some reason, he was enchanted to touch it. And just when he was about to reach for the crystal ball...

"Good job, Yool-ah."

Ah.

Song Moonho suddenly appeared behind Yool, grabbing the small crystal ball with a whirlpool that was about to disappear when it detected the old man’s presence.

[So, this is the Crack?]

Before the Crack could escape again, Song Moonho crushed the crystal ball in his hand.

And then a blinding light exploded, forcing Yool to close his eyes.

[Dammit...!]

***

"YOU CAN open your eyes now, Yool-ah."

To be honest, Yool didn’t want to open his eyes because he knew that he would find himself in a strange place.

He could feel it in his bones.

[And I’m not yet ready to face this reality.]

"Yool-ah, if you don’t open your eyes, I’ll kiss you passionately."

"I’m up," Yool said, immediately opening his eyes. "Where are we?"

"Your reaction hurts me, Yool-ah," Song Moonho complained in a ’hurt’ tone. "Am I the only one who enjoyed our kiss?"

Aigoo.

[Why does this Ahjussi have to bring it up?]

Yool ignored Song Moonho’s question and looked around.

At first, he thought they didn’t leave Seoul since he could tell that they were still in the same city.

The only difference was it was daytime right now.

[It was nighttime when we caught the elusive and sentient Crack.]

That meant they were now inside a dungeon.

"Ahjussi, your simple plan worked," Yool said, changing the topic. "Does it mean the Crack wants me and only me?"

Song Moonho shrugged. "Didn’t I tell you? I have so many love rivals."

"Oh, please."

The old man just laughed...

... and then he suddenly turned serious.

Seeing that reaction made Yool nervous.

[What now?]

His question was soon answered when he heard a loud cracking sound in the air, as if someone just broke a glass.

When he looked up, he saw a horrifying scene.

A huge Crack appeared in the sky, and winged monsters were coming out of the big gap one by one.

No— those things weren’t just winged monsters!

"Dinosaurs?" Yool asked in disbelief, his body started to tremble because of fear. "Are we fighting dinosaurs now?"

"Not ’us’— only me," Song Moonho said half-jokingly. "Yool-ah, hide. It’s dangerous for you to stay here."

He would also like to hide and not be involved in a fight with freaking dinosaurs.

But looking around, he saw that the buildings around him were occupied by what seemed like little monsters. He couldn’t see them clearly, but he could see their glowering eyes in the dark.

Yool was terrified.

[Where the fuck would I hide in this place?!]

***

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