CHAPTER 62: AN EYE FOR AN EYE

INVASIVE CRACK.

It was the worst type of dungeon known to humankind yet.

Invasive Cracks were deceptive. They would appear as a normal dungeon, then it would trap the Hunters inside before it released the monsters to the surface.

More often than not, those monsters were man-eating monsters.

Invasive Cracks were currently the most dangerous type of dungeon to exist because the gate itself was pretty much "alive." It could think, so it could also hide itself from the Hunters. And Invasive Cracks would only disappear if the gate was destroyed.

Unfortunately, that was the type of dungeon that greeted Semi as soon as she arrived at the destination where the System dropped her off.

As expected, it was a pandemonium there.

Everything was burning, and a few monsters were sighted.

Fortunately, the Special Forces was already there.

The Special Forces was a special division in the Police Force created solely for attacks related to dungeons.

Special Forces Agents were Civilians, but they were hailed as the country’s strongest Civilians. They were trained as if they were Hunters by high-ranking Hunters from APA. Moreover, all their equipment and weapons were made by Yeon Soobin.

In short, the Special Force Agents were capable of killing monsters.

Semi could see that while watching eight Special Forces Agents shooting a pack of monster wolves accurately.

The monster wolves that got hit fell one by one before they turned into ashes.

[Soobin’s weapons are really heaven sent.]

The few remaining monster wolves started to back off, but the Special Forces Agents surrounded them in order to stop them from escaping and attacking Civilians.

Semi could see why the Civilians trusted the Special Forces.

[And now I know why they are called the ’Civilians’ Strongest.’]

Thanks to the Special Forces there, the situation wasn’t as brutal as one would expect from an Invasive Crack bursting open in the middle of a business center.

Most of the Civilians being evacuated by the Special Forces Agents were working adults. There were a few groups of young adults as well since there was a university nearby. But despite the presence of the monsters, most of the Civilians were calm.

"Hunter Semi, you’re here."

Semi was greeted by Captain Lee Jiho, the leader of the Special Forces.

Lee Jihoo, a tall man with a huge build, approached her with quick and silent footsteps. Dressed in an all-black uniform with silver harness, Lee Jiho looked as cool as high-ranking Hunters despite being a Civilian.

"Have you found the gate, Captain Lee?" Semi asked because she knew it wasn’t the appropriate time for formal greetings. "What’s the situation?"

"We haven’t found the gate yet, but there’s an area that my men can’t enter," Lee Jiho said, then he pointed both of his hands politely at the huge sea of fire a few meters away from them. "Hunter Graham is there, and he seems to have gone berserk mode."

Oh.

[First, it was Hwang Frost. And now, it’s Graham who’s on the verge of becoming an X-Class Hunter. Those poor kids...]

"Help!"

Semi immediately turned to the source of the terrified scream.

She saw an injured monster wolf that got away from the Special Forces Agents and now headed to the Civilians lined up while getting evacuated.

Semi calmly pulled out a water bomb from her Inventory.

It was, indeed, a water balloon.

Of course, the material was different because Yeon Soobin created the water bombs from rubber trees found in dungeons.

[And the liquid inside will be...]

Semi threw the water bomb at the monster wolf.

She wasn’t a professional baseball player, but she was pretty sure her "pitch" was faster than any baseball players alive.

The water bomb instantly hit the monster wolf.

When the collision happened, the water bomb burst, and the yellow liquid inside hit the monster wolf.

As a result, the monster wolf melted.

The "liquified version" of the monster wolf turned into ashes before it even hit the floor.

"Noona’s pitch really puts professional baseball players to shame."

Argh.

Semi knitted her eyebrows when Song Moonho suddenly materialized beside her. But she ignored him for now to talk to Lee Jiho. "Captain Lee, thank you for the report. You may return to your post."

Lee Jiho bowed his head towards Semi before running back to his fellow Special Force Agents, completely ignoring Song Moonho.

"That child still hates me," Song Moonho said. "I wonder why."

"If you stop getting involved in Civilian-related illegal activities, then maybe Lee Jiho will finally treat you like a normal human being."

"You make it sound like I’m a criminal, Noona."

"Because you are," Semi said, then she changed the topic. "Did the System send you here to save my baby sister?"

Song Moonho just shrugged.

[This bastard...]

"I’ll stay here and deal with the monsters. Your ability will only scare the Civilians," Semi said. "In return, go and save my baby sister. The System said it will bring me to her. But I can’t see Hee-ya anywhere, so find her for me."

"I’m more interested in finding the gate, Noona," Song Moonho said. "Invasive Cracks are rare, after all."

"Then stay here and I’ll look for–"

"I’ll take care of Wonhee, Noona."

Hmm?

Semi and Song Moonho both looked up and saw Hwang Frost suspended in the air.

She wanted to scold Hwang Frost for showing up late, but she kept her mouth shut when she saw the cold serenity on his face.

[That’s the Ice Demon right there.]

If you were an Awakened Hunter in Korea, you must know one thing.

[Don’t mess with Hwang Frost when he’s being quiet.]

Anyway, Semi didn’t get the chance to scold Hwang Frost because he disappeared as soon as he appeared.

[That brat gained the teleportation skill, huh?]

"A calm and quiet Hwang Frost is more dangerous than any Invasive Crack out there. That kid didn’t even spare the monsters a glance," Song Moonho said. "I don’t want to be near the Ice Demon, so I’ll go and look for the gate, Noona."

"I guess I can entrust my baby sister to Hwang Frost since he won’t go on a rampage when he’s that composed," Semi said. "I’ll deal with the monsters here and protect the Civilians."

***

[IT’S COLD...]

Wonhee felt like her body was on fire because of the flames around her, and the bite of monster wolves stung.

But, all of a sudden, she felt cold even though she was leaning against Graham’s body.

"If Hwang Frost is that quiet, then he won’t only kill you– the Ice Demon will murder the hell out of you."

’Ice Demon?’

Oh.

That was one of Yejun’s monikers.

[He’s here already?]

Wonhee tried to raise her head, but Graham suddenly covered her eyes with his hand. "G-Graham-ssi?"

"The view isn’t pretty right now, Chu Wonhee."

Oh.

Wonhee could hear the monster wolves’ blood-curdling cries.

She almost forgot that those monsters were man-eating monsters because it reduced them to some howling animals on the verge of dying.

[They almost sound pitiful... but I can’t sympathize with monsters that eat humans.]

Although she couldn’t see what was happening, she could tell that Yejun was killing the monsters as painfully as possible.

[But why can’t I hear Yejun?]

"Is Yejun really here?" Wonhee wondered out loud. "I mean, I can feel his presence because of the cold. But I don’t hear him..."

Yejun was usually expressive when he was pissed off.

"Ah, it’s because you haven’t seen Hwang Frost on a battlefield yet, Chu Wonhee," Graham explained, his hand still covering her eyes. "Hwang Frost is usually loud when he’s pissed because he whines like a child. He also likes insulting people from head to toe. But he never acts goofy on the battlefield– he’s always quiet and very focused when slaying monsters. That’s why he’s called an Ice Demon."

[I kinda want to see this Ice Demon since the Yejun I’ve seen so far is pretty much a man-child...]

Wonhee tried to remove Graham’s hands from her eyes, but she forgot that she had one broken arm and a burned hand. As a result, she let out of a gasp when the excruciating pain hit her. It almost made her faint.

Now that her adrenaline rush was gone, she felt the full blow of her injury.

"Wonhee-ya?"

Hmm?

Wonhee could finally see Yejun after Graham removed his hand from her eyes.

[Oh...]

The Yejun in front of Wonhee was still the handsome Yejun that she knew.

However, the air around him was different.

[Is it just me or Yejun looks extra cooler today? Not pun intended.]

Anyway, Yejun just gave Graham a blank look.

Graham immediately removed his hand from Wonhee’s waist and moved backwards with his hands raised in surrender.

"You’re bleeding," Yejun said while standing next to Wonhee and inspecting her wounds. "You were bitten by those monsters."

Wonhee beamed because she remembered something. "But the monsters couldn’t tear my flesh! The System said it was because my body was now as sturdy was any Hunter."

She was excited because she finally felt her perks as an Awakened Person.

But Yejun didn’t look as excited as she was.

"Your broken arm and that burn on your hand," Yejun said, looking at her with cold eyes. "Those injuries aren’t caused by monsters."

Wonhee avoided Yejun’s gaze. "I’m fine. They don’t hurt."

"It was my fault," Graham said. "I broke Chu Wonhee’s arm."

"I figured that much," Yejun said bluntly. "Then you have to pay for it."

Wonhee gasped when, in just the blink of an eye, Yejun broke Graham’s arm AND stabbed Graham’s hand with an ice dagger. "Yah!"

***

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