* * *
Given all the trouble ‘Seo Inho’ had caused before, I could understand why they wouldn’t want me around.
I must’ve been a serious pain in the ass.
The guild probably went through hell cleaning up after him.
Bet they had to pull all-nighters dealing with it.
Honestly, it might be better for everyone if I just parted ways with them here rather than endure the side-eyes all the way back.
“We’re going together.”
But before I could say anything, Do Soohyuk answered for me.
I turned to him, eyes wide in surprise, but he just brushed some dust off his clothes like it was no big deal.
“Ah… Understood.”
What surprised me even more was how quickly the guild member accepted that answer.
But what followed was something I didn’t expect at all.
“There’s been chaos back in Korea because the Hunter Association President has disappeared. The Association probably doesn’t have the resources to send a private jet, so I was just checking. Given the kidnapping and all, we didn’t want to leave you alone…”
“Wait, hold on—”
Startled, I cut him off and quickly looked around to see if anyone overheard.
The reporters still seemed too busy yelling at the guild members to pay attention.
I stepped closer to the guild member and hastily cast a small sound barrier.
“How do you know I was kidnapped?”
“Huh? Oh—well, someone posted a video of you boarding a ship with a Numen Stone on Huntube.”
“Huntube?”
Apparently annoyed by how close I was standing to his guild member, Do Soohyuk pulled me away.
But my mind was already flooded with Huntube.
I already had a ton of antis.
Now that something like this got uploaded, I didn’t even want to imagine the comment section.
“Yes. Turns out someone involved in illegal trade was hiding nearby and recorded the whole thing. The footage was dark, but you know how good cameras are these days. Some customers who were at the snack shop even commented that you looked like the strange guy they saw there. And after that, well…”
The guild member trailed off and made a large, circular gesture with his arms—like mimicking an explosion.
Clearly, a lot had happened in Korea while I was gone.
Maybe all this chaos in the Chinese press wasn’t solely because of Do Soohyuk either.
“When we went looking for you, the shop was wrecked, no one could get in touch with your father, and there were tons of eyewitness reports about a tall, skinny man.”
“Have they… figured out what country he was from?”
“There hasn’t been any official statement from the government yet. Based on the ship’s location and everything, most people are convinced it was China, but the Chinese government is denying it completely.”
The more the guild member spoke, the drier my throat felt.
If it ever came out that North Korea was behind the kidnapping, the fallout would be massive—far worse than it is now.
This wouldn’t stay a personal matter; it could escalate into an international crisis.
Maybe the government already knew the full truth.
“Hunter, sorry, I’m just really curious… can I ask which country you were kidnapped to? Are you sure it wasn’t China?”
“⋯⋯.”
I swallowed the sigh that was threatening to escape when a guild member cautiously asked the question.
But the moment he saw Do Soohyuk’s face next to me, he flinched in surprise and quickly waved his hands.
“Ahem! S-sorry. It’s just that Guildmasterof Arion and Guildmaster of Cha Sung have both kept their mouths shut. All we heard was that you were rescued, with no other details. I just got curious without thinking…”
What, what kind of expression was I making?
I glanced at Soohyuk beside me, but he looked the same as always, just calmly scrolling through his phone.
Anyway, since Woo Jaehyun and Cha Rui had already confirmed the rescue publicly, that likely meant things were already settled with the government.
That explained why no official statement had been made yet.
Now that it was confirmed not to be a North Korean government operation but the work of a rogue anti-government faction, there was no reason to escalate the situation.
As long as North Korea kept quiet, they’d probably try to let this blow over as quietly as possible.
Of course, public opinion might not be so easily appeased, but from my perspective, I was just relieved the controversy was fading.
“By the way, how long has it been since we entered the dungeon?”
“Ah, it’s been exactly two weeks today.”
Two weeks?
Because it took a bit longer to clear than the uninhabited island dungeon, it added almost four extra days.
The image of my father lying on the couch, looking frail, suddenly flashed through my mind, and anxiety kicked in.
“Let’s get back to Korea. Quickly.”
If we delayed any further, I was seriously worried my dad might actually collapse holding the back of his neck.
And, as if my words were a curse, my father really did fall ill.
I let out a faint sigh as I checked his temperature while he lay in bed.
Just three days ago, when I first returned home, he was perfectly fine.
He was overjoyed, cried a lot, but thanks to the potions, he didn’t have any lasting injuries.
His cheeks had sunken a bit—probably from the emotional shock right before he lost consciousness during the kidnapping—but I’d actually felt relieved.
I figured I could just help him regain his strength with good meals and care.
But not even half a day had passed before his condition deteriorated rapidly.
Maybe it was the sudden release of tension—he started showing signs of a high fever and flu-like symptoms.
When his temperature spiked to 39°C (102°F), I tried to convince him to go to the hospital, but he stubbornly refused.
Obviously, he was worried people might find out about me.
Seriously, what’s so great about a son who only brings worry…
I couldn’t exactly drag a sick man to the hospital by force, so in the end, nursing him at home was the best option.
Thankfully, we had all the meds he needed at the house.
“Your fever’s gone down, but still—I’ll go alone today. The store’s been closed too long.”
“I’m fine now…”
“No, you’re not. Don’t you trust me?”
“I do.”
Even as he wore a worried expression, my father answered without hesitation.
Despite suffering because of me, he still gave me his absolute trust.
Overcome with guilt, I lowered my head and rubbed my forehead.
“I’m sorry, Dad. All this… because of me…”
“Don’t say that. None of this is your fault.”
Whenever I blamed myself like this, my father would always speak firmly, like now.
And what came after was always the same.
“It’s my fault, really…”
There it was—retrieving the blame.
My father would take even my problems and claim them as his own.
Looking back, maybe that same sense of responsibility and guilt is why someone like Seo Inho got away with throwing tantrums for so long.
Even now, my father was absentmindedly fidgeting with the ring I had given him.
He must’ve been remembering the day I was kidnapped.
“Dad, I gave that to you, so don’t take it off.”
“Hm?”
Startled, he looked up at me.
That was the face of someone who’d just been caught red-handed.
Seeing that flustered expression almost made me sigh.
“R-right. Of course… You gave it to me.”
“I’ll make something delicious when I get back. Please just rest today.”
I pulled the thick blanket up to his chin and told him again to relax.
I emphasized it on purpose, just in case he got up and started doing chores while I was out.
“O-okay, I will.”
His response didn’t sound all that convincing, but before leaving, I made sure to leave one last important reminder.
This was the most crucial part.
“And whatever happens, don’t open the door for just anyone.”
“You little brat!”
Leaving behind my father, who waved the blanket playfully as if I were treating him like a kid, I stepped out of the room.
There hadn’t been any reporters showing up at our doorstep so far, maybe due to some behind-the-scenes pressure—but who knew about today?
Alright, perfect.
After double-checking all the protective barriers, I finally stepped out the front door, carrying a huge load of ingredients I had prepped overnight.
Exactly twenty minutes later, I froze on the spot as I got off my bike, arms full of heavy grocery bags.
The sight in front of my store left me speechless.
There were always people lining up for the opening, sure—but never this many.
It looked like a literal swarm of ants.
From the crack of dawn, the crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder.
The street, already narrow, was so jammed with people that cars couldn’t move at all.
Wasn’t it rush hour?
And more importantly—how the hell did they know I was opening today?
And that wasn’t even the worst part.
“Kyaah! Oppa!!”
“Please look this way!!”
I had a strong hunch that this chaos was all because of that guy.
The person standing first in line right in front of the shop was none other than Woo Jaehyun.
Towering alone like a statue, he was casually chatting with people like they were old friends.
Despite the honking and chaos behind them, his surroundings were eerily peaceful, like they were in a bubble.
“Hyung!”
And of course, like he had a sixth sense, Woo Jaehyun spotted me instantly and raised his hand.
The human lamppost beamed brightly and waved, and as he did, everyone’s eyes naturally turned in my direction.
In an instant, the noisy crowd went completely silent—as if we were in a marketplace that had suddenly been hit with a freeze spell.
Was I… about to get booed?
But that thought didn’t last long.
People who had been staring at me with their mouths hanging open suddenly erupted into cheers.
* * *
