Chapter 109: Chapter 109

“Just one pump of syrup! How is it?”

“Hmm, it’s good. Nice work.”

“Hahaha!”

When I nodded in approval, Jason returned to his seat, looking as pleased as a large dog wagging its tail.

Honestly, his performance in the last interview had been pretty satisfying. I might even consider granting him a rematch someday. Effort like that deserves to be rewarded.

Turning my attention back to Evan Harper, I spoke.

“Evan, you can evaluate me all you like. That’s your business.”

After a brief pause, I continued.

“What I’m curious about is your identity as the first returner. And following that, why you’re so interested in me. Those two things—clear?”

“Hmm...”

“Give and take, right? So, what about you?”

“I see your point. I understand your personality now. Then I’ll be straightforward.”

Evan straightened his posture, placing his hands neatly on the table. His eyes sharpened with intensity.

“Hunter Jeong Si-hyun, are you truly a returner?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I asked if you’re truly a returner.”

“You call people who came back from another world ‘returners,’ right? Since you, the first, were called a returner, I just went with the title.”

“Hmm…”

My honest answer made Evan frown. I wasn’t sure why, so I took another sip of my coffee. As his gaze moved from my face to the coffee cup I was setting down, he finally spoke again.

“You asked why I’m interested in you. It’s because you and I are fundamentally different.”

“Hmm… I honestly don’t get it.”

“The less we know about each other, the harder it is to share everything. You understand that, right?”

“…Ah, so that’s why you’re trying to evaluate me.”

“Exactly.”

And here we were again, back to evaluations. As if trust and judgment about a person could be built in a single day.

This seemed like a good point to wrap things up. I had people waiting for me.

“Then there’s no point in continuing this conversation. Let’s finish with one last question.”

“Go ahead.”

“Jason mentioned you wanted to avoid causing a commotion, which is why you’ve kept this visit to Korea quiet. What’s the reason behind that?”

“Ah, it’s nothing major.”

Evan’s face returned to its usual blank expression as he replied in a flat tone.

“I considered the possibility of cooperating with you in the future. I’ve taken care not to disrupt the course of your actions so far.”

“Hahaha! Evan’s a perfectionist, after all!”

Jason’s booming laughter supplemented Evan’s explanation. Just as he claimed to understand my personality, I felt I had a grasp of his as well.

“…That’s a pass.”

Smirking slightly, I rose from my seat. I still wasn’t sure if this guy was good, bad, or just plain suspicious, but at least his attitude passed the test.

If he wanted to evaluate me, I’d be evaluating him in return.

“Oh, right.”

“Something else?”

“I’ll be traveling soon, but since your attitude was decent, I’ll give you a little tip for earning points with me.”

“Hmm?”

Evan leaned forward, curious.

“That gate measurement device—you developed and improved it, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then how about solving those chaotic, hard-to-observe special dungeons that always end in observation failures? If you can manage that, it’ll be a big plus for you.”

“…It’ll take a few weeks.”

“Perfect. If you’ve got nothing else to do, work on that. Evaluate me as you like; I’ll take care of my own tasks in the meantime.”

After my kind explanation, Evan slowly nodded. I’d given a perfectionist a homework assignment—now all that was left was his response.

If he completed the task like a diligent student, I’d revise my evaluation of him upward. Meanwhile, he could come to his conclusions about me. When the time came, we’d compare notes and continue the conversation.

“For now, I have an appointment.”

Leaving Evan deep in thought, I casually waved to Jason and stepped out of the meeting room.

Unless someone was actively trying to hide something, there wasn’t much more to figure out about Evan. Beyond satisfying my curiosity, he wasn’t a major concern.

“…Now the real game begins.”

I was about to shake the world itself, openly and boldly.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of my footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.

With every step, the resonating sound was like a mighty bell tolling, heavy yet exhilarating, as if announcing the path I was about to walk.

***

[(Breaking) Japan Fails to Conquer SS-Grade Dungeon! Many Hunters Dead—Global Shock.]

[Worldwide Surge in High-Grade Dungeons Leads to Ongoing Chaos.]

[Hunter Jeong Si-hyun’s Unexpectedly Quiet Activities Despite a Flashy Debut.]

[“Hidden Ace or Excessive Silence?” Opinions Divided.]

The state of the world continued to shift.

S-grade dungeons began appearing frequently across various regions.

Nations with ample hunters and strong resources tackled these dungeons independently.

However, countries lacking high-grade hunters faced collapse or were forced to request support from other nations.

Among these developments, the SS-grade dungeons announced by the World Hunter Association stood out. Though few in number, their infamy was already widespread.

Japan had gathered its capital-region S-grade hunters to challenge one such dungeon, only to face devastating failure.

The news of this failure shocked not only Japan but also other countries and their citizens worldwide. This was because a significant number of high-grade hunters had been invested in the attempt.

It raised an unsettling question: How safe are any of us in our own countries?

This uncertainty was enough to instill fear.

Although no SS-grade dungeons had yet appeared in South Korea, even ordinary citizens could predict the inevitable—

It was only a matter of time.

[Title: Dungeons Are Absolutely Brutal These Days]

[Anonymous Poster]

Just saw the news about Japan’s SS-grade dungeon. Almost no survivors.

Can they even try again and succeed?

They’ll have to, what else can they do? LOL

└ For real LOL

If the dungeon goes berserk, it’s over. The whole area will be wiped out.

└ Wow, even imagining it is terrifying.

└ Not just a district, an entire country could collapse.

Japan still has plenty of high-grade hunters. They’ll figure it out. LOL

[Title: Honestly, Korea’s Situation is Scary Too]

[Anonymous Poster]

Sure, we haven’t had an SS-grade yet, but how many S-grade dungeons are there right now?

Maybe Hunter Jeong Si-hyun and Kim Ji-ah will handle it as a duo?

└ They’ve been too quiet lately, which is kinda unsettling...

└ Aren’t they essentially freelance hunters? They could leave for another country anytime.

└ The Bureau will manage them, surely;;;

└ How do you “manage” hunters of that caliber? LOL

The guild alliances are holding out for now, but if the number increases, we’re screwed.

└ Seriously, terrifying stuff.

[Title: Just Got Some News!]

[Anonymous Poster]

The S-grade dungeon near Incheon that appeared yesterday?

Apparently, Hunters Jeong Si-hyun and Kim Ji-ah duo-cleared it right away. LOL

Pure brilliance!

Damn, I knew they’d come through LOL

Please clear all the other dungeons too!

Goddesses, take me now!

WTF LOL, one-day clear on an S-grade dungeon? What is this madness?

For real LOL, absolutely reassuring!

The surprise update about the duo’s activities sparked joy among citizens, sending online communities into a frenzy.

But the very next day:

[(Breaking) Hunters Jeong Si-hyun and Kim Ji-ah Head to Japan Following S-Grade Dungeon Clearance!]

[“A Trip to Japan During This Crisis?” Unexpected Choice by Hunters Jeong and Kim.]

[“Why Japan?” Heated Reactions to Hunter Jeong Si-hyun’s Surprising Move.]

No one had seen this coming. At first, people denied it outright.

But the truth was, they had already left.

The public’s reactions were intense.

[Title: They’re Coming Back, Right?]

[Anonymous Poster]

It’s just a vacation, right? Please tell me it’s just a vacation...

Wow, both of them being freelance hunters is terrifying.

Nah, no way. It’s gotta be a vacation.

For real, it’s not because of some Japanese hunter brokers, right?

└ No way Ji-ah unni would do that!

During this crisis... What is the Bureau even doing?

└ What can they do if someone classified as “unmeasurable rank” decides to leave?

└ At least it wasn’t done in secret. I’m clinging to that fact while praying.

└ LOL, true, they left openly and honestly.

[Title: So That Incheon S-Grade Dungeon...]@@novelbin@@

[Anonymous Poster]

Did they clear it on their way to the airport or something?

LMAO

LOL, that’s hilarious.

This is turning into a legend LOL.

An S-grade dungeon as a “by the way” task? ROFL.

└ If that’s true, they’re on a whole different level. LOL.

The scariest part is how plausible this sounds LOL.

└ Agreed LOL.

└ Honestly, it makes sense. LOL.

└ Actually, I like this. It means they’ll come back, right?

Reactions were diverse, but the underlying sentiment was clear.

The public wanted Hunters Jeong Si-hyun and Kim Ji-ah to return to South Korea as soon as possible.

To relieve them from the terror of high-grade dungeons.

Jeong Si-hyun’s strategy of keeping the public on edge had successfully set the stage.

Now, the real show was about to begin.

***

Meanwhile, as for Si-hyun herself...

After arriving safely in Japan, she made her way to the accommodation without any issues.

Si-hyun had intentionally booked a modest place, fearing that starting with something too luxurious would set her up to always seek better and better experiences. She believed that the joy of travel lay in discovering delights gradually.

Someday, she’d enjoy the finest accommodations, but for now, this was enough.

…And then, she discovered an unexpected twist.

“…There are two beds.”

Two double beds.

So far, so good.

One for herself, and the other for Ji-ah and Si-yoon to share.

It might seem a bit selfish, but she didn’t have much of a choice.

But then came the realization.

“…The beds are in the same room?”

Whether she used one bed or shared one, it didn’t make much of a difference now.

She had chosen this place from the Bureau’s list because the kitchen and living room looked the nicest.

Apparently, she’d overlooked other crucial details.

She couldn’t blame anyone else.

This was entirely her own mistake.

“…Wait a second, I wasn’t the only one who saw the photos.”

When narrowing down the options, she had consulted Ji-ah and Si-yoon and made the decision together.

That left two possibilities:

Everyone had been careless.

Someone had noticed but chose to stay quiet.

“…”

Si-hyun immediately turned to face her sister and Ji-ah.

The two of them were watching her, hands over their mouths, clearly trying to stifle laughter.

“Both of you, hands off your faces.”

With an exasperated expression, Si-hyun demanded.

Slowly, the two lowered their hands, revealing grinning faces, barely holding back giggles.

They couldn’t hide their amusement any longer.

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