CHAPTER 51: X-CLASS VS. EX-BOYFRIEND

"HWANG FROST, listen to me," Geon said sternly while sitting in the passenger seat and looking at the X-Class Hunter in the backseat. "Are you certain that the Guides APA sent you while you were in prison were all under the influence of Forced Awakening Drugs?"

He dragged Hwang Frost back to the car because he wanted to talk about it in private.

Getting inside the restaurant wouldn’t be a smart choice since Hwang Frost’s unique hair color would stand out. The X-Class Hunter didn’t bother to put on a disguise, so people would definitely recognize him right away.

Hence, the safest choice was to bring Hwang Frost to the car to talk.

"Yeah. I wasn’t sober back then, but my senses weren’t that dull," Hwang Frost, who was plopped down in the backseat, said lazily. "I don’t like Guides, but I don’t like drugged Guides even more. Aren’t you aware of that?"

Geon clenched his jaw tight. "Kwon Jiwoong sent me a list of Guides that were, apparently, in charge of your rehabilitation. The Guides on the list were Guides who graduated from the National Guide Center, and I was the one who personally supervised them during their four-month stay in the center. I’m certain that those kids awakened naturally."

"Did those kids choose APA after they left the center?"

He nodded before adding some more information. "They’re all B-Class Guides, and they were on the same batch as Park Ruda."

"Send me the list that Kwon Jiwoong sent you– with pictures."

"Alright."

Geon summoned his Status Window, then he opened the old chatroom that he had with Hwang Frost.

As the director of the National Guide Center, he had connections to all members of Big 4.

He sent the list of Guides that Kwon Jiwoong had sent him before to the chatroom that he had with Hwang Frost.

Then the X-Class Hunter suddenly burst out laughing.

"I haven’t seen those Guide for the entire year I was locked up there," Hwang Frost said, his smile bitter. In fact, it almost looked like a snarl. "Moreover, the list says those Guides are B-Class Guides. But the Guides APA sent me were all newly awakened Guides who didn’t even know how to guide properly."

Geon pressed his temples and shut his eyes tight. "They fooled me. But I have to admit that it was my fault for not personally checking on you either. I’m sorry for being neglectful of you, Hwang Frost."

Hwang Frost scoffed at his apology. "Are you crazy? An A-Class Guide of your caliber is rare, Hyung. Of course, APA and the center wouldn’t have let you come near a ticking bomb like me even if you tried to convince them."

That was true.

Geon really tried to visit Hwang Frost several times.

But since the X-Class Hunter was too dangerous, APA and the center didn’t budge to protect him.

"I find it ironic before that they wouldn’t let me put my life at risk, but they had no problem sending several B-Class Guides to you. B-Class Guides are just as precious as A-Class Guides. But now I know why," Geon said, opening his eyes. "APA didn’t actually send those precious B-Class Guides to you."

"Yep. They actually sent drugged Guides to me instead of the B-Class Guides on the list," Hwang Frost said, tilting his head to one side. "I think APA believed I was too "drunk" to recognize that they sent drugged Guides to me."

"Is that why you asked Kwon Jiwoong about the Guides he sent you?"

The X-Class Hunter nodded. "Yeah. It seems like Kwon Jiwoong still doesn’t have any idea that I know he sent me drugged Guides back then. I can’t blame him since I was really like a savage beast before I met Wonhee."

"Are you going to continue acting like you didn’t know the Guides sent to you back then?"

"That’s the plan, isn’t it?"

Geon nodded carefully.

Their group already suspected that APA was involved with the people making the Forced Awakening drugs.

But they couldn’t reveal it until they had solid evidence.

[Kwon Jiwoong is too dumb to be the mastermind, so someone is probably controlling him from behind. But Kwon Jiwoong is still the face of APA, and the majority of the country has faith in him. If we reveal what we know without solid evidence, then people would only accuse us of destroying APA’s reputation.]

"Shit."

Geon’s trains of thought were interrupted when Hwang Frost suddenly cursed.

When he looked over his shoulder, he saw the X-Class Hunter staring blankly into the space.

[He’s probably reading his Status Window.]

"Wonhee-ya!"

Hwang Frost then disappeared after mentioning Wonhee’s name.

Geon’s eyes widened in shock then. "Hwang Frost can teleport?!"

***

"WONY Noona!"

Wonhee knew that her knees buckled, but she didn’t hit the floor.

Her back hit a solid and cold body behind, while someone grabbed her arm so she wouldn’t fall.

"Let go of that arm before you lose yours, you fake omnivore."

Huh?

Wonhee opened her eyes and only then did she realize her awkward position.

Literally.

Wonhee was leaning against Yejun’s chest while Yejun’s arm was wrapped around her waist– supporting her so she wouldn’t lose her balance.

On the other hand, Seodam was holding Wonhee’s arm.

But the two were busy having a mini staring contest.

Yejun was looking at Seodam coldly while Seodam was looking at Yejun indifferently.

That got Wonhee thinking that she was shooting a drama.

[This feels like a scene where the male lead and the second male lead vying for the female lead finally meet for the first time.]

But that wasn’t important right now!

"Yejun-ah, why are you here?"

Finally, Yejun broke his mini-staring contest with Seodam to look at her. "The System informed me that you were in danger, Wonhee-ya. Did that fake omnivore and fake herbivore threaten you?"

Wonhee realized that the ’fake omnivore’ was Seodam, so did it mean that the ’fake herbivore’ was...

[Ruda Oppa?]

For some reason, Wonhee didn’t turn to Ruda even though she could tell that Ruda was staring at her face.

[Why do I feel scared of Ruda Oppa?]

"We didn’t threaten Wonhee," Seodam said, letting go of Wonhee’s arm. "But I do understand why Wonhee would feel startled."

Oh.

That was Seodam’s "excuse."

"Please don’t glare at my Guide, Hunter Frost."

Ouch.

Wonhee had to admit that she felt hurt when Seodam protected Ruda in that situation.

[Why is Seodam Oppa quick to defend others but he couldn’t do the same when APA accused me of being a druggie?]

***

WARNING!!!

Chu Wonhee is in distress, surrounded by a Hunter and a Guide marked by the System as ’Irregular!’

That was the warning that Yejun received from his Status Window.

He was curious about the ’Irregular’ part, but he didn’t have the time to worry about that because he was more concerned about Wonhee.

And he was glad that he came there when he did.

[Wonhee is shaking.]

For some reason, his precious Guide looked scared.

That was enough to rile up Yejun.

[This fake omnivore and this fake herbivore don’t know their place.]

Yejun didn’t say anything this time.

He just stared at Hunter Seodam and his herbivore Guide that was called Ruda or something.

"You two," Yejun said indifferently. "You should know your place."

Almost instantly, the surrounding air turned cold and suffocating.

Cold and suffocating for the fake omnivore and the fake herbivore, to be precise.

What were their names again?

Ah, right.

Lee Seodam and Park Ruda both grabbed their throats as if they suddenly couldn’t breathe.

Soon, the two both fell to their knees while gasping for air desperately.

Yejun’s eyes glowed menacingly as a sneer formed in his lips.

Admittedly, the Static in his head was starting to ring loud– causing his sanity to snap a little and for his bloodlust to leak.

[Should I just kill these two fakes?]

***

["I PLAN to take his place, Wonhee."]

Seodam remembered telling Wonhee that he wished to take Hwang Frost’s place as a member of the Big 4.

["Even Civilians know that there’s a vast difference in strength between a natural S-Class Hunter and a Hunter who leveled up to S-Class with hard work. I’m aware of that. Even so, I’d still like to take the challenge and become a new pillar for our country."]

That was what Seodam told Wonhee back then.

He was really confident that he could replace the fallen member of the Big 4 who was reduced to nothing but an X-Class Hunter after losing his sanity.

All because Hwang Frost didn’t have a proper Guide.

That was also when Seodam’s resolve to be with an excellent Guide strengthened.

He thought he had finally achieved his goal because he felt stronger after sleeping with Park Ruda.

"You two– you should know your place."

That was what Hwang Frost said before both Seodam and Ruda suddenly fell to their knees, grabbing their throats while gasping for air.

Hwang Frost didn’t even attack them.

The X-Class Hunter’s mere bloodlust was enough to bring them to their knees.

That was when the realization hit Seodam– he had been too arrogant.

[I cannot beat Hwang Frost...]

Seodam honestly thought he was about to die.

Until he heard that familiar kind and warm voice.

"Yejun-ah, stop."

Hmm?

Just like that, Hwang Frost’s hostile and suffocating bloodlust disappeared as if it didn’t leak in the first place.

Seodam raised his head while still gasping for air.

And the sight before him stunned him.

Wonhee was gently caressing Hwang Frost’s cheek as if she was petting a cat and not a savage beast.

[I didn’t know you could be this brave, Wonhee-ya...]

And Hwang Frost’s expression was gentle as if he wasn’t giving Seodam death glares a moment ago.

Once again, another realization hit Seodam.

[This is what an S-Class Guide is capable of.]

Then maybe Seodam and Wonhee could paint the same picture once he became an S-Class Hunter soon.

***

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