CHAPTER 282: THE SECOND APOCALYPSE (2)

[The Previous World...]

HWANG YEJUN.

It was a name that Wonhee hadn’t heard in a long while.

To be fair, the former #1 Hunter in Korea was more famous for his "stage name" than his real name.

"Is it Hwang Frost?" Wonhee wondered out loud. "His stage name."

"That’s right," Song Moonho said, nodding. "He was our maknae."

"If I remember correctly, he snapped and froze Seoul to death."

That happened before Wonhee awakened as a Guide.

And, to be honest, she didn’t remember much because during that time, she went through depression after Lee Seodam dumped her.

[My siblings got in trouble because of that.]

Wonhee didn’t want to think about what could have happened if she didn’t awaken as a high-ranking Guide.

"Come to think of it, maybe Hwang Yejun wouldn’t have fallen from grace if you awakened before he snapped, Wonhee-ssi," Song Moonho said, leaning against the chair while crossing his arms over his chest. "You were the first Guide in the world to ever break through the A-level barrier and become an S-Class Guide. Then you help your fellow Guides to reach the same level. Thanks to that, the Hunters have reached their full potential."

"I didn’t do it alone," Wonhee admitted while shaking her head. "Bitna, my Legendary Friend, was the one who helped me reach S-Class."

"Oh, right. She still can’t get out of the dungeon?"

"We’re trying to find a way out for her."

"Tell me if there’s anything I can do to help."

"Sure. Thanks for the offer," Wonhee said, and then she checked her watch. "We’re done with our meeting, right?"

"Yes," Song Moonho said, pausing for a moment. "Is it true that you’re building an entertainment company? Are you going back to acting?"

"The sudden influx of Cracks for the past few days turned our society into what it used to be during the first few years of the Outbreak," she explained, her voice a bit indifferent since she had grown jaded over the years. "But, fortunately, our Hunters and Guides grew stronger together so we finally got to put an end to all of this. So, I feel like we should start rebuilding our society right away to boost the morale of the Civilians. That’s why I’m starting my own entertainment company."

It was always the Civilians who would suffer at times like this, after all.

"Isn’t it the same method Vice President Yeon Soobin did when our country started stabilizing after the Outbreak?" Song Moonho asked. "He built an entertainment company for you, so you could return to acting. According to him, it’s one way to help the Civilians feel like the normalcy in their lives has returned little by little."

"Yes, that’s why I’m doing what my oppa did before."

"But that’s not the only thing you’re doing. In fact, you’re doing too much, Wonhee-ssi," Song Moonho said while shaking his head. "You already helped build orphanages and shelters for the victims of Dungeon Breaks, and you’ve also donated so much money into helping Civilians rebuild their homes. You even have a sanctuary for rescued animals."

"What’s wrong with what I’m doing?"

"You’re making the government too complacent. They’re doing the bare minimum because they know that you’re already doing so much for the people."

Oh.

She couldn’t argue with that.

"You’ve already done enough for the people, so I hope you leave some work for the government," Song Moonho said. "I’d like it if you focus on your entertainment agency."

Song Moonho’s piece of advice made sense, so Wonhee nodded.

She was about to leave (for real) when she remembered that she didn’t get the answer that she wanted to hear.

So, she asked again.

"Why did you bring up Hwang Frost, Moonhoo-ssi?" Wonhee asked curiously. "We’re so close to world peace now. I know this sounds cruel, but we don’t need him anymore. Is he still even alive?"

"When Hwang Yejun froze the entire Seoul, we were ordered by APA to kill him. But we’re not powerful enough to kill him back then," Song Moonho said, tilting his head to one side as if he was reminiscing the past. "Although even if we had the power to kill him at the time, we would have still failed with the mission. After all, Hwang Frost had already frozen himself by the time we arrived at his location."

"He froze himself?"

"That seems to be the case."

"Where is he now?"

"Hwang Yejun is trapped inside a block of ice that he made himself— and not even Graham’s flame could melt the ice," Song Moonho said. "As far as I know, Hwang Yejun is still locked up in the underground basement of APA’s HQ."

"His family and the Winter Guild didn’t fight APA to get his body back?"

"The Winter Guild was swallowed by APA, and Lee Seodam became the Guildmaster of the Winter Guild. In exchange of Hwang Yejun’s family cooperating with APA, the government promised that they wouldn’t kill Hwang Yejun. And that’s why he’s still alive."

"I see."

"Chu Wonhee-ssi, I have a favor to ask of you."

"You look serious," Wonhee said nervously. "What is it?"

Song Moonho paused for a moment before he opened his mouth. "If something bad happens to me, please try to awaken Hwang Yejun from his deep slumber."

***

THIS building is good.

Wonhee was looking around the building that she just purchased— in cash— while imagining what kind of agency she wanted to start there.

Now that the Cracks were about to disappear completely, she could finally retire as a Guide. She was a bit sad because she had already come to love her life as a Guide, but she was also excited to return to her "first love."

And that was acting, of course.

I’m still in my early thirties, so it’s not too late for me to return to acting.

Wonhee smiled a little. "I’m excited."

"Please, sir, you can’t...!"

Hmm?

Wonhee turned around when she heard Do Ahyeon’s voice.

Then she saw her bodyguard trying to stop an uninvited guest from entering the room.

"Wonhee-ya," Park Ruda greeted her indifferently. "Can we talk?"

Hmm.

To be honest, her relationship with Park Ruda was pretty awkward.

[But he looks pretty desperate.]

"Alright, Ruda-ssi," Wonhee said, and then she turned to Do Ahyeon. "Ahyeonnie, you may leave us now."

Do Ahyeon looked hesitant, but he still bowed his head politely before leaving quietly.

Wonhee was about to invite Park Ruda to have coffee with her in the café in front of the building, but he said something that made her stop on her tracks.

"Don’t you find Lee Seodam strange these days, Wonhee-ya?"

Lee Seodam was acting strange?

Ah.

So I’m not the only one who noticed.

Even so...

"Why are you asking me that, Ruda-ssi?" Wonhee asked awkwardly. "You’re the one who’s in a relationship with Lee Seodam-ssi and not me."

"Seodam is pushing me away," Park Ruda admitted as if he was embarrassed, and then he avoided Wonhee’s gaze. "But I have a feeling that you can help him, Wonhee-ya."

But why me...?

***

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