Chapter 24: Calamity: Army and Hunters

Seoul, Hunters Association’s headquarter building.

Dok, Dook–

Chairman Yu frowned, hearing a knock on his door.

“Come in!”

Chief Yoon rushed to the room, leaving her breathless.

Hosh, Hosh–

While Chief Yoon still tried catching her breath, Chairman Yu cut her off before she could say any words.

“If you want to talk about the Portal Gate in Mapo, Chief Lee is already on his way to go there. So, you should…”

Before Chairman Yu finished his sentence, Chief Yoon interjected, “It’s a Red Gate.”

Hearing the Red Gate from his subordinates made Chairman Yu speechless. He looked as if he didn’t know what to do about the sudden information.

Chairman Yu just silent for a moment and immediately asked Chief Yoon. “The one at Mapo?”

“Yes, sir!”

“How about Chief Lee?”

“I told him on the phone about the current situation, but it looks like…, our people are stuck in a traffic jam, and it will take about 20 minutes to reach the city.”

Bam–

The angry Chairman Yu hit the table.

However, it didn’t make Chief Yoon scared to report more information to him. She then told Chairman Yu the story about the four pedestrians that discovered the Portal Gate. And also about the soldier that noticed the Red Gate.

Chairman Yu massaged his forehead with one hand, and his face looked grim hearing the details.

“30 minutes of the Red Gate without any hunters at the scene? And with only a soldier?!”

Chief Yoon gulped and tried to ease Chairman Yu’s rage. “As of now, reinforcements had arrived in the city. Two helicopters, one main battle tank, and 73 soldiers have got dispatched by the ROKA.”

Even with the help of an army, Chairman Yu was still not happy with the circumstances. Without the presence of the hunters. The army stood no chance against any creatures that came out of the dungeon.

“I will call the Commissioner-General of the National Police Agency to help clear the traffic toward the Mapo-gu. Tell Chief Lee about this.

“Let’s trust the army for the evacuation. We focus on handling the Red Gate.

“One more thing! Try contacting solo hunters or any guilds close to the place to help the civilians of Mapo and the army. It’s an emergency!”

Chairman Yu didn’t want to waste a lot of time. So, he used whatever options were currently available.

“Yes, sir!”

Chief Yoon’s purpose for coming asking for help from the Chairman got achieved. Because, except the Chairman of Hunters Association, no one could have the authority to contact high-ranking officials from the government.

—- —-

—- —-

Mapo District, Seoul.

“Looking at this endless sea of people, it will take a long time for the evacuation to get done.”

Now, with the help of helicopters and battle tanks, 70 more soldiers were being added. They could stop the panic and commotion that was happening everywhere.

“How long have you been back from the Red Gate?” The army commander asked the first soldier who was at the scene and witnessed the red gate.

“Nearly 1 hour, sir!” The soldier reported while saluting the commander.

The commander tried thinking of a plan in this kind of situation where he knew it was impossible to defend against the creatures from the Red Gate. At the same time, he had to stay and protect their own people, even if he needed to sacrifice himself and his subordinates.

“Since you got stationed here. You should know the area around here. Take 40 soldiers with you and make something like a garrison between this city and the Red Gate.

“And Take this two-way portable radio. With that, all of the soldiers will follow your command aside from me.”

The soldier was shocked hearing his commander’s order. But, he understood how dire the situation they were in currently.

“Yes, sir!”

The soldier saluted the commander and left to carry out the order. However, his arm got grabbed by the commander.

“I’ll send one helicopter to give you a broader view from above.

“Hold as long as possible. After the evacuation is complete, I will come to you with other helicopters and battle tanks.”

The soldier nodded his head. He then went toward the direction of the mountain while picking the soldiers on his way.

—- —-

“Ah. Yes, Chief~nim. I’m on my way right now.

“Pardon? Ah, there are two other hunters nearby? Ah, right. Thank you!

Tut, Tuut–

Hwang Eun-bi got called by Chief Yoon of Hunters Association, telling her the critical situation about the city.

On the other hand, Eun-bi stopped her steps. She had trouble moving forward because everyone tried to stay away from the downtown while she wanted to get there.

“Hunter~nim?” Suddenly, a soldier asked Eun-bi in the midst of people.

“Yes?”

The soldier was lucky to see the gear Eun-bi was wearing. That was why he asked if she was a hunter or not.

“This way, hunter~nim. My superior already told us the detailed operation. We will give you the fastest road to get there.”

“Thank you!”

As Eun-bi moved away from the crowd, she followed the soldiers. She ran toward the empty lane that the soldiers had cleared, for when something unexpected happened.

The road was narrow. It only fits two people. Nevertheless, Eun-bi started running and left the soldiers behind. She couldn’t care about that anymore since the Red Gate was the most urgent case.

On her way, she looked at the long line of people that seemed like there was no end to it. Eun-bi started to worry about Kim Ji-woo’s mother. She picked up the phone and dialed Ji-woo’s phone number.

Tet, Teet–

There was no answer from Ji-woo’s phone.

‘Imo, I hope you are fine!’

Eun-bi increased her speed and ran as fast as she could.

—- —-

—- —-

Ji-woo kept staring at his sister that had her head lowered.

“You don’t have anything to say?”

Kim Ji-won shook her head. She was still scared about Ji-woo fighting her friends. She still couldn’t believe her quiet and nerdy big brother could become like that.

“Good, now I’m the one that’s talking here.”

Ji-woo and Ji-won sat in front of the convenience store. There were two seats and a table available for the customer.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Ji-won, who was still lowering her head, answers evasively.

“I-I don’t k-know… what are you t-talking about.”

Thud–

A sound from Ji-woo hit the table startled Ji-won.

Ji-woo sighed, “I understand why you act like that toward me. In the end, I am the one that causes all of the trouble for our family. But why do you act like that too against mother?! Did your head lose some screws?!”

Ji-won couldn’t accept being lectured by Ji-woo. She raised her head and stared back at his brother.

“Did you know how much mother is working and suffering to just earn some money for both of you?”

Ji-won rage burst out, and she began to talk back to Ji-woo. “You have no right to speak to me like that!”

Ji-woo frowned, seeing his sister angry with him. He also understood why she said he didn’t deserve to say such a thing.

“I know I’m the one that makes mother suffer and father die because of me too.”

“You don’t deserve to say my father is yours!”

Ji-won kept refuting back at Ji-woo. Her eyes now started to become red and watery. She tried to hold back her tears.

Ji-woo saw his sister’s eyes and could feel her emotion. He actually didn’t want to talk about his father. However, he needed to convince Ji-won that their mother and father weren’t the reason why she was suffering.

Ji-woo wanted to shift that hatred toward him alone for now. He clearly knew that changing Ji-won’s attitude couldn’t be done in a single day.

It was not like Ji-woo was on an assassination mission that could get completed in an hour. It was not the same!

“Alright, everything is my fault, okay? Now, what mistake did mother have? To make you act like that towards her? Tell me!”

“T-That… Eomma…, she… “

Thud–

“Tell me!” Ji-woo yelled at his sister.

Ji-won could only lower her head without answering Ji-woo.

“Listen… I’m fine with you blaming me for everything. Still, you can’t act like that toward her. Mother is always there for you. Without mother, can you imagine how you will live before?”

Ji-won replied with her teary eyes. “It’s all because of you!”

Ji-woo felt helpless right now. He then shrugged and got up, giving the last lesson.

“Okay, only vent your anger on me, not on mother. If you still act like that and make her worry about you, I wouldn’t be lenient even though you are my sister.”

Ji-woo felt that Ji-won had reached her limit, and it seemed like she would no longer care about any words he said.

That’s why Ji-woo only gives up momentarily and would try it again in the future. He left while looking at Ji-won that lowering her head at the table, probably her eyes still red.

(BREAKING NEWS! We just got the news that there is an outbreak from the Red Gate at Mapo-gu. Because of the late report and response, the situation has become more dangerous now. It’s get expected that the city would fall as there were no hunters currently on the site. There is only an army with a small number that takes the role of defending the city, …, )

Ji-woo shivered to hear the news and stopped his track.

‘The address… That is close to my mother’s place!!!’