While riding in the car toward the Yesung Guild, I checked the System.
The first thing I looked at was the quest rewards.
《Main Quest: Clear by entering the Unidentified Rift and successfully conquering it!》
《Main Quest clear rewards will be granted.》
《Sub Quest: Clear by protecting key figures in the Unidentified Rift!》
《Sub Quest clear rewards will be granted.》
The rewards were similar to usual. Cash Boxes, and an increase in trait rank.
And then—
This.
Two days ago, when we came out of the Unidentified Rift.
At the moment the Silverlight’s Blessing skill was released and I blacked out, I saw a strange System window along with the quest success notification.
《ë□□ì□¬ì□□ has paid a price.》
《Main Quest rewards will be adjusted.》
《Adjusting......》
《Adjustment complete.》
《New Main Quest clear rewards will be granted.》
It was unfamiliar—and yet, a status window I had seen once before.
Back during the Gyeongbokgung (Royal Palace) incident.
The System had helped me deal with the hidden “Source of Qi” flower.
'Of course, Eun Woojeong was the one who actually pulled the flower out.......'
It was the moment I most clearly realized why I occupied the position of a “supporting character,” so it stuck with me especially strongly.
It’s exactly the same as the status window from back then.
Although I passed out the moment I saw it and couldn’t confirm what reward I received, I was certain I had clearly seen that status message.
'...It said someone paid a price.'
I couldn’t tell who paid it, because the text before that was corrupted.
'If it was the same last time, maybe it’s not just broken text—maybe something’s interfering.'
I stared at the status window for a while, then let out a sigh and closed my eyes.
Enough. Staring at it wasn’t going to make a satisfying answer fall into my lap.
I had only ever succeeded in “talking” with the System once—and that was when I gambled my life.
There was no guarantee it would work a second time, and anyway, if the System was giving me rewards that helped me, there was no reason to bet my life questioning it.
I pushed the unsolved questions aside for now and checked the rewards first.
Thud.
When I dismissed the status window, something fell into my hand out of thin air.
A crystal vial, slightly smaller than my palm. Inside was a softly shimmering liquid.
A strange blend of white and sky-blue.
I checked the item information.
[Lantern That Shines in the Dark]
Finds what has been lost. No matter what it is.
“...?”
I narrowed my brow slightly.
It didn’t look like a “lantern” at all. Was the description wrong?
The explanation itself was vague. It finds anything?
'...If it says “anything,” then it might not be limited to objects.'
I didn’t know where I’d use it yet, but it was an item the System had handed over after paying a price. I needed to keep it safe.
By the time I put the item into my inventory, the car arrived at the Yesung Guild.
Eun Woojeong got out midway and disappeared, the car carrying Ryu Sunghyun headed to the Circle Guild, and the ones left were me, Cha Sahyeon, Kwon Taehyuk, and Kwon Seoyul.
After putting a choker on Sahyeon and taking his hand in his younger appearance, we rode the elevator up. A secretary who had already been waiting in the hallway greeted us politely.
“I’ll guide you to the reception room.”
He looked familiar—right, it was the secretary we’d met last time. Hadn’t he said he was the chief secretary?
'But he looks more tired than before.'
Had he been handling Yoon Jeha alone this whole time?
Well, you couldn’t just leave an S-rank Hunter who barged in claiming to be Kwon Taehyuk’s guest to any ordinary secretary.
I felt bad for him—and at the same time, realizing I’d soon be in the same position drained my energy all on its own.
“This way.”
The chief secretary, dark circles under his eyes, led us to a reception room at the end of the hallway. The soundproofing, at least, was solid.
When the door opened, Yoon Jeha came into view, sitting on the sofa with a restless expression.
At the sound of the door opening, he hurriedly turned around—and when his eyes met mine, he jumped to his feet.
“Cha Supporter!”
“Hm?”
Seeing Yoon Jeha rush toward me with a bright smile, I reflexively took a step back.
'What’s with him?'
His gleaming red eyes were close to madness.
Pure fear washed over me, to the point where I seriously considered bolting, when an arm suddenly slid in front of me.
“Ahem.”
Kwon Seoyul raised one corner of his mouth and blocked my way.
“Our hyung is pretty shy, so he doesn’t really like people being that aggressive.”
“What?”
The joy on Yoon Jeha’s face instantly twisted into irritation.
“Move.”
“Nope. Talking from where you stand works just fine, right, hyung?”
“Cha Supporter. What the hell is this bastard?”
“......”
I genuinely didn’t know how to answer. I turned to Kwon Taehyuk.
Kwon Taehyuk, who was watching the two with an expression not much different from mine, spoke with a sigh.
“Please sit down, Hunter Yoon Jeha. I’m sure I warned you in advance. In exchange for letting you meet Hunter Cha Seohu, you were to maintain proper manners.”
You warned him?
A small wave of emotion stirred in me.
“Give me a break. What did I even do?”
Scoffing, Yoon Jeha still stepped back without much protest.
When I saw him return to the sofa, I tapped Kwon Seoyul—who was still blocking the way—in the side and moved to sit down.
As soon as I sat, Cha Sahyeon, who had been holding my hand and following me, took a seat right next to me as if it were only natural. Seeing Sahyeon settle in at my left, Kwon Taehyuk silently took the seat to my right.
“Damn it.”
Arriving last, Kwon Seoyul grumbled as he sat next to Sahyeon and crossed his arms.
With everyone lining up on the same sofa as me, Yoon Jeha’s face filled with disbelief.
“What did you call me here for?”
I had no desire to carry on a long conversation with Yoon Jeha with this lineup. As soon as I got to the point, he frowned and gestured with his eyes at my sides.
“You want to talk here? Clear out the obstructions, will you?”
“Obstructions?”
He wasn’t wrong.
“Weren’t you going to talk about those cult bastards anyway? The two people here are trustworthy.”
“...Not three?”
I answered while pointing at Kwon Seoyul.
“This guy’s just extra. Still, he already belongs somewhere, and he’s far removed from the cult freaks, so you can ignore him.”
Having my finger pointed at him, Kwon Seoyul looked genuinely shocked.
“What the fuck? So it wasn’t two including this brat—you meant two excluding me?”
“Hey, Cha Supporter. I’m not in the mood to joke around right now.”
Ignoring Kwon Seoyul, Yoon Jeha spoke in a low, cold voice.
“What I have to tell you is......”
He paused, his expression turning complicated, as if he didn’t know how to explain it.
I didn’t know what could make Yoon Jeha—who usually ran his mouth without restraint—act like this, but I had no reason to back down.
“I’m not joking either. Hunter Yoon Jeha, as you know, I’ve clashed with those cult bastards more than anyone. They’re so obsessed these days with catching just me that they’ve pretty much lost their minds.”
Yoon Jeha narrowed his eyes, but unable to outright deny it, he asked irritably,
“So?”
“Given that, the people I travel with are obviously those I trust. And due to ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) various issues, I’m currently living in hiding—yet you kept coming after me, so I came all the way here. In this situation, do I really have any reason to accommodate your circumstances further?”
“.......”
The fact that Yoon Jeha had pushed into the Yesung Guild looking for me meant he needed my help that badly.
With the cult causing incidents on such a massive scale, their vigilance was understandable—but if I indulged every pointless demand, it would never end.
'If you don’t like it, then the conversation’s over.'
Shrugging with that expression, I watched Yoon Jeha chew on his lip before letting out a deep sigh.
“Fine. Fine.”
Running a rough hand through his hair, he hesitated, then asked,
“About the hotel incident last time. That, uh.......”
“That?”
“I met an Awakener who was cooperating with you.”
“Hm?”
If it was someone cooperating with me, I recalled who had been there at the time.
Kwon Taehyuk was sitting beside me now, so not him. I already knew Park Minhyuk, so he wouldn’t have put it that way either.
“Circle Guildmaster, maybe?”
“You mean the newly appeared S-rank? No.”
“What did he look like?”
After hesitating until the very end, Yoon Jeha finally spilled it.
“I met him behind the clock tower. Dark hair, wearing a hat. He looked about high school age.”
“Oh.”
Don’t tell me—it was J?
The only person around me who looked like a high school student was that guy.
'Damn it.'
I clicked my tongue internally.
Of all people, he had to ask about J. The guy was a double agent, and he was deeply entangled with Cha Sahyeon in more ways than one—I couldn’t casually talk about him.
When I didn’t give a clear answer, Yoon Jeha urged me on anxiously.
“You know him, don’t you? He mentioned your name. Asked me if he was a collaborator of Cha Seohu, told me to take some flowers. So don’t bother trying to deny it.”
“No, no—wait a second.”
I stopped Yoon Jeha as he grew more agitated by the second.
“I’m in a complicated situation with that person, so I can’t easily talk about it. First—why are you asking?”
“Why am I asking?”
Murmuring my words back to himself, Yoon Jeha let out a hollow laugh.
“Haha.......”
After laughing weakly, he rubbed at the corner of his eye and spoke in a trembling voice.
“Because he’s my younger brother.”
“What?”
“He’s my brother. I’m sure of it. The younger brother who disappeared a long time ago... my brother.”
“.......”
It was an answer I never could have imagined, and I was left unsure how to react.
'Brother? J—that guy—is Yoon Jeha’s younger brother?'
Was that even possible? I hurriedly pieced together the cult information I’d learned so far.
To create the “Catastrophe,” they kidnapped children and conducted human experiments.
Among the countless children, one of the very few who survived was Cha Sahyeon, sitting right beside me.
J survived as well—but unlike Sahyeon, whose Seed was successfully implanted, he was a failed product.
'If that J really is Yoon Jeha’s younger brother.......'
With a faint hope, I asked,
“Hunter Yoon Jeha. Is that why you chased the cult bastards? To find your brother?”
“...Yeah.”
Yoon Jeha nodded weakly. I had never seen him look this drained.
'What am I supposed to do with this......?'
Should I call J and let the two meet? If I asked Sahyeon, calling J wouldn’t be difficult......
'The problem is, J is still effectively in the clutches of the cult.'
If I moved carelessly, both sides could end up in danger. I couldn’t make a decision easily.
As I continued agonizing over the situation—
“That’s a misconception.”
A firm voice came from beside me.
Startled, I turned my head to see Cha Sahyeon looking at Yoon Jeha with an emotionless face.
“J is not your brother.”
“What the hell, kid.”
Cutting off his hope so coldly, Sahyeon’s words made the red in Yoon Jeha’s eyes turn icy.
“Cha Supporter. Is this your brother? Interrupting adults’ conversations like that—”
“All test subjects taken to the laboratory met identical conditions.”
Sahyeon continued calmly.
“They were either orphans, or their immediate family had all recently died. Not a single exception.”
“...!”
Yoon Jeha’s eyes shook.
