[Did they really all die???]
[Was that blood just now?]
[Holy shit, I think I’m gonna puke.]
[What the hell is all this;;;;;;]
[Are you out of your mind???? Shouldn’t this be stopped immediately????]
[There’s no way this is continuing. How many people have died already?]
“Okay, everyone, let’s calm down. This isn’t your first time seeing stuff like this, right?”
[No, Ji-won, but it’s never been this bad before.]
[Shouldn’t we pull out now??]
Yoo Ji-won calmly brushed back his blood-soaked hair and looked down at his phone.
“You all saw the paperwork before coming in, right? I’m going to clear this dungeon all the way to the end. No one’s to blame here. Every single person came in of their own will.”
But no matter how rationally he put it, there was no way the viewers who had just witnessed such a massacre could stay silent. Ji-won fumbled with his phone, unable to even wipe off the blood.
It seemed like gathering the bodies would take a long time—but it didn’t. Even decapitated, the identity of the deceased could be confirmed through the bracelets they wore.
It was a small relief that water was flowing inside the dungeon. I washed my face completely and threw on the formal jacket Baek Tae-beom had given me. It still radiated a gentle warmth.
“Have you gathered them all in one place?”
“I’ll take care of the processing. I’ll try contacting the outside.”
Lee Hae-ran spoke in a composed voice as she stared at the recovered bodies. Around sixty people had died in an instant. The lingering echo of Loki’s maniacal laughter had long since vanished.
With a heavy heart, I typed into the chat.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: Why didn’t you tell me earlier?
[CH.#fdl990/One More Dazzling Than the Sun]: And if I had, do you think you could’ve saved them?
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: I could’ve done something, anything.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: I could’ve at least saved one person.
[CH.#fdl990/One More Dazzling Than the Sun]: And what exactly could you have done?
[CH.#fdl990/One More Dazzling Than the Sun]: These people didn’t even listen to their own leader.
[CH.#fdl990/One More Dazzling Than the Sun]: What could you possibly have done with people like that?
I bit down hard on my lower lip.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: I would’ve threatened them if I had to.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: I’m not someone who gives up so easily.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: That’s exactly why I’m still clawing my way forward to stop this damn apocalypse.
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: And I’m not some clown dancing around for your entertainment.
[CH.#fdl990/One More Dazzling Than the Sun]: Pathetic. You could’ve died too, and you don’t even realize it!
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: Pathetic? Of course you think so. Have I ever not been pathetic to you?
[CH.#fdl990/One More Dazzling Than the Sun]: What did you just say?
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction]: Exactly what you heard.
[CH.#fdl990/Free Wind]: Waaiiiiit, wait!!
[CH.#fdl990/Free Wind]: I leave for one second and everything turns into a war zone? Hold on~ pause!
[CH.#fdl990/Free Wind]: Ga-hyeon, you’re not taking this too seriously, right? Apollo just has this habit of acting all old-school and stiff~ he’s saying all this ‘cause he’s worried about you! He’s scared something might happen to you!
I silently chewed on my lips. Apollo didn’t respond.
‘I noticed too late.’
I should’ve caught on right away, but I stood there watching them argue, and this is the result.
‘If only I had insisted they turn back at the start—then I would’ve checked.’
It was because Jin Ha-yoon had stepped in that I got delayed. Not that I blamed him. It just… hurt. Because I could have saved them.
Then, suddenly—out of nowhere, a large hand reached forward and brushed my lower lip, blocking my view.
“You’re going to make it bleed.”
“Ah.”
I awkwardly closed my mouth. Baek Tae-beom raised one eyebrow.
“You know this isn’t your fault, right? Don’t make that face.”
“What kind of face am I making…?”
Baek Tae-beom lowered his head slightly to meet my eyes and gave me a soft smile.
“A bad one.”
“What kind of expression is that supposed to be?”
“One that’ll make you cry if I describe it.”
“No one’s crying here.”
I touched the corners of my eyes, but they were bone dry. Baek Tae-beom, feigning ignorance, opened his arms wide as if inviting me in. I let out a short, incredulous laugh.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m giving you a special chance to get a hug.”
He was getting more impish by the second.
“No thanks.”
“This is your last chance, you know? You’re really not going to? My arms are about to fall off here.”
“I know for a fact that doesn’t happen from something like this.”
“Can’t you just humor me once?”
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. Wet droplets slid down. Then, taking a step forward, I rested my forehead lightly against Baek Tae-beom’s chest.
Baek Tae-beom gently brushed back my damp hair.
“Thanks for hugging me.”
“What the hell are you saying?”
“Can we stay like this for a bit? Just until everything calms down.”
His suggestion wasn’t bad, so I nodded with my forehead still pressed against him. Baek Tae-beom didn’t fully embrace me. He just carefully stroked my hair and patted my shoulder.
Wrapped in that quiet care, I whispered.
“Take care of Kim Seong-jae later. Without anyone knowing.”
“Got it.”
“Not even going to ask why?”
“Because I’m always on your side, hyung.”
After the cleanup was done, we began ascending the stairs that remained after all the black figures and treasure had vanished. This time, they were just normal stairs—nothing that sapped our strength—but the silence was far more oppressive than before.
People had literally burst like balloons and died. Being shaken up was only natural. Some had even chosen to abandon the challenge and turn back.
“Looks like about ten people dropped out. More stayed than I thought.”
“Maybe this incident helped weed out the weak links?”
Kim Seong-jae butted in with a cheerful expression. I was momentarily at a loss for words.
“…What did you say?”
“It’s not like this is the first time people have died, right? And honestly, the ones who died were probably just nobodies greedy for quick riches. They would’ve only gotten in the way moving forward, so I’d say this was a good thing, actually.”
For a moment, I couldn’t comprehend what I had just heard.
“I noticed you haven’t been a hunter for long. You’ll need to get used to this sort of tragedy. Especially someone like you—an unmeasurable-rank hunter….”
“…So you’re used to it, then? Mr. Kim Seong-jae.”
“Of course. I may not look it, but I’m a veteran. It’d be a little insulting to compare me with you, Mr. Choi Ga-hyeon.”
I wondered if he realized Baek Tae-beom was glaring at him with bright yellow eyes. Kim Seong-jae just laughed heartily, trying to keep it light. In the silence, his laughter echoed almost mockingly.
“But still, how does anyone get used to watching people die?”
At my words, Kim Seong-jae shook his head with a look that said, Kids just don’t get it.
“If you want to survive in this industry, that’s just how it is. Survival of the fittest. Articles about hunters dying come out every day—you can’t let something like this shock you.”
Then he added, like he was testing me, “You must be pretty soft-hearted, huh?”
I smiled sweetly.
“If it’s survival of the fittest, then that means hunters have to compete with each other too, right?”
Casually, I hooked my staff around Kim Seong-jae’s ankle.
“Exactly. If you can’t do that, you—ACK!”
Climbing the stairs while looking at me, Kim Seong-jae didn’t see the staff and tripped, tumbling down hard. Baek Tae-beom and I walked past him without a word. From behind us came a shrieking voice, boiling over with rage.
“Hunter Choi Ga-hyeon! What do you think you’re doing?! You—! YOU—!”
“Oh~ my bad~ I didn’t see where I was stepping~.”
I waved my hand lazily and walked up without looking back. This was survival of the fittest too. Deal with it.
[The Constellation, ‘Warrior Who Protected Civilization,’ claps with joy.]
[The Constellation, ‘Warrior Who Protected Civilization,’ has sponsored you 500 Coins.]
[Remaining Coins: 19,500]
[The Constellation, ‘One Who Holds Two Snakes,’ has sponsored you 500 Coins.]
[Remaining Coins: 20,000]
[CH.#fdl990/One Who Guides the Dead]: Serves him right.
Yeah, I thought so too.
[CH.#fdl990/Free Wind]: Ah, Apollo~ seriously, you’re not gonna say a single thing? Why are you so damn stubborn? What is it now? Come on, act your age for once. You’re, like, a thousand years older than us!
As I scrolled through the chat, I realized we’d reached the top. Standing at the very front, Lim Chang-joo came to a stop and turned to face us.
“If anyone wants to turn back, this is your last chance. After this, there won’t be another opportunity.”
A few people, clearly hesitant, turned back and began descending the stairs. I looked past Lim Chang-joo at the scene unfolding ahead.
A massive stone bridge stood before us, with words etched into its base.
[Skill: Free Language]
[You activate the skill. Skill: Free Language]
[Free Language is now active. The Constellation’s blessing is conveyed.]
“…Bridge to the Gods.”
I murmured as I gazed at the blood-soaked river and the monsters scaling the walls.
