Daegwallyeong, in the new administrative # Nоvеlight # system, was Road 381 of S2 District.Rattle, rattle, rattle.When a dangerous-sounding noise came from the car, Mok Geonho, sitting behind Sawon, shouted into his ear.“Even if this is an expedition team in name, are they seriously taking us in this piece-of-shit car? Huh?”Seo Hansu answered Mok Geonho’s complaint.“They’ll probably pick us up in a nice car when we come back.”Sawon covered his ears and said in a low voice.“Don’t yell right in my ear. It’s loud.”The people in the car were the Hinari expedition team assembled in the meeting a few days prior. The members were four hunters from Rescue Team 3, which was Mok Geonho’s team; one person, Kim Wujeong, captain of Rescue Team 2; two researchers; plus Sawon and Ji Hayeon and the driver, for a total of ten.Mok Geonho pressed his cheek to the window and grumbled at Sawon.“Last year’s expedition team went in a top-class van. Ever since I got stuck with you, nothing ever goes right. Man, when am I finally going to break up with this bastard.”At that, Ji Hayeon, next to Sawon, answered.“How is that Gu Sawon’s fault.”Whether he had tact or not, the snot-nosed rookie hunter jumped in before a silence could fall.“They said they got chewed out last year for using a van…”Even the hunters and researchers of the Central Hunter Bureau technically held civil servant titles. Because of that, they had to care more than they’d like about how things looked. Choosing an old van had been a correction after last year’s blunder. As the conversation flowed on naturally, Mok Geonho threw in one more complaint.“Ah, fuck this. How much longer do we have to go.”The reply came from the driver’s seat.“At least another five hours.”“I’m gonna lose it.”This time curses burst out of both Seo Hansu’s and Mok Geonho’s mouths at once. Kim Wujeong, who had listened to everything up to now in silence, finally spoke.“Why are you whining so much when you’re built like mountains. If you want to avoid the otherworldized zones, there’s no helping it.”Their destination was coordinates 37.4905°, 130.6654°. Donghae, in what used to be Gangwon-do. It was the spot where a Gate had first fixed itself in the human world.Fissures evolved through four stages: “initial,” “growth,” “expansion (Heukgu formation),” and “fixation (Gate).” In the initial stage they drifted across Earth as tiny dust-sized dots. Then they settled in some space and grew, spreading thread-like roots in all directions like cancer cells—that was the growth stage. Fissures in the growth stage were still so small in size and volume that people often failed to notice them. Once growth ended, the fissure began to expand, as a pitch-black space formed and the Heukgu stage proceeded. If they failed to seal it at the Heukgu stage, the black space became a complete sphere and settled as a Gate. It fixed into a door to Hinari that would never close. There was no way to shatter a Gate once it had fixed. That was why they had to succeed at sealing it in the Heukgu stage no matter what.Every so often, as they passed along the winding Daegwallyeong road, the view below came into sight. Large round shapes like grapes were sparsely scattered. Sawon quietly watched them.Clunk, clunk, clunk.Another uneasy sound came from the car. This time the whole body of the vehicle shook violently.Sawon glanced sidelong at Ji Hayeon next to him. Ji was clenching his legs tight, struggling not to let his body tip over. Even so, he kept one hand shoved in his coat pocket. Sawon’s sharp eyes caught the movement—his fingers were twitching slightly through the thin pocket fabric.Pretending not to see it, Sawon tilted his head a little to the right.“You okay?”But at that exact timing, a hunter who’d been silent beside Ji suddenly clapped a hand over his mouth.“Team leader…”Arms folded, Seo Hansu replied.“Which team leader? Rescue Team 3’s Mok Geonho, Rescue Team 2’s Kim Wujeong, or the ancient relic who used to be a team leader, Gu Sawon.”But the guy’s condition was clearly bad.“Whichever team leader… I… I can’t… hold it…”At the same time, the car lurched again. A shriek followed.“Blaaargh!”With a massive belch-like sound, a sour stench spread. Sitting opposite him, Kim Wujeong jumped up in horror.“Ah, fuck, a bag! Bag!”Only then did Ji Hayeon’s body tip toward Sawon. The kid kept retching like he was under a curse.“Hey, what kind of hunter gets carsick, carsick! Don’t we have a bag!”Now half-raised from his seat, Ji Hayeon retreated another step toward the window. Then he reached out, grabbed the back of the seat, and used his own body to block Sawon. Thanks to Ji shielding him, Sawon was spared from seeing the horrific eruption firsthand. The sour smell filled the car. Right in front of him, Ji’s back started to flinch and jerk. Looking closely, Sawon could see he was biting his lips and holding his breath. Catching on to his state in an instant, Sawon reached out.“Chief, over here.”Sawon curled an arm around Ji Hayeon’s waist and yanked him in. Off-balance, Ji’s backside landed right on Sawon’s thigh. Sawon immediately threw open the window beside him.Then he grabbed Ji Hayeon’s jaw in one big hand and turned his face toward the window.“Look at the scenery. Don’t look at that mess.”Ji stuck his head out toward the window and drew in breaths. But the bobbing of his throat and his twitching back told the story of his condition.Looks like he’s got a weak stomach…“Blaaargh!”From the right came continuous sounds of retching. The hunters were in utter chaos; the only ones staying calm in this space were Sawon and Ji Hayeon. Kim Wujeong had his feet up on the seat, holding a bag to the kid’s mouth. It was the price of having sat across from the carsick patient.“This is insane. When do we get to a rest stop!”Then came the sound of the turn signal clicking on.“There is a makeshift rest area. Should I pull in there?”“Yeah. Hurry! Just go into anything you see!”“Blaaaargh!”At some point, Seo Hansu had crammed his big body up onto the seat as well to get away.As soon as the car stopped, Kim Wujeong hoisted the retching hunter up and carried him out. The snot-nosed rookie and Seo Hansu followed. Stretching, Seo Hansu drew a vicious glare from Kim Wujeong.“Hey, he’s on your team. Why am I the one taking care of him.”“Well, no one told you to sit in front of him.”“That little… Haah. Your team member made this mess, so you’re cleaning it.”“Kim Wujeong’s got no humanity.”Seo Hansu muttered. Kim Wujeong jabbed a finger at him, saying the one with no humanity was him. Once everyone who’d been blocking the door got off, Sawon released his arm from around Ji Hayeon’s waist. Ji’s expression was impossible to read—whether he felt bad or relieved. Playfully, Sawon patted his back.Ji rose up on his toes to avoid the stuff spilled on the floor as he got out.The place the driver had called a makeshift rest area had a sign that read “Observation Deck.” On the good-view spot, there was a small container shop and a few vending machines. Ji Hayeon stared fixedly at the distant railing of the observation deck.Does he want to enjoy the scenery?Sawon took Ji Hayeon by the wrist.“Gotta soak in plenty of nice things before crawling into the dark. Come on.”Under the pull of his grip, Ji let himself be led without much resistance.No tourists were around at the observation deck; it had been closed to the public long ago. The shop and facilities were unmanned as well, so there wasn’t a soul. Just as Sawon finished a long stretch,“…It’s been a really long time.”At Ji Hayeon’s words, Sawon froze.“You’ve been here before?”Ji turned to look at him.“Yeah, when I came with my grandma…”But as soon as he saw the expression on Ji’s face, Sawon couldn’t help being surprised. A soft smile he’d never seen before had bloomed there. The curve of his eyes and the slight swell of his cheeks drew the gaze.What the hell. So he can smile like that.He was sure it was the first time he’d seen that smile. Yet again, Sawon felt a strange sense of familiarity. His own eyes softened to match. When Sawon smiled and lifted his brows, urging him to go on, Ji’s face instead darkened.“…It’s nothing.”Ji turned his gaze away and looked again at the view beyond the cliff. So his mood was flipping like a turned palm again. Sawon wrinkled his nose in a show of dissatisfaction.“How is it nothing. Why’d you stop halfway.”“It’s really nothing. I’ve just been here before, that’s all.”Ji gripped the railing. At their feet lay a drop that looked like you’d fall straight down if your body tilted.“Your grandma’s place was in Gangwon-do? Who’d you come with?”Sawon had no intention of letting go of a convenient excuse for a question.“…Gu Sawon.”But the answer that came out of Ji’s mouth was something completely different.“Why do you keep staying at the Central Hunter Bureau?”

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