CHAPTER 235: BABIES

"OPPA-ya!"

Aww.

Soobin thought he was going to have a heart attack when Wonhee called him ’oppa-ya.’ It had been almost two decades since his baby sister called him that way. After all, only children would call their older brothers ’oppa-ya.’

But now...

"Hee-ya," Soobin said, swallowing the lump in his throat. And then he got down on one knee and opened his arms. "Come here."

Little Wonhee giggled, and then she jumped and literally threw herself at him.

He caught his baby sister in his arms and stood up, hugging her tight.

[I miss this Hee-ya.]

But why was Wonhee acting as if she had completely turned into a child? Memories and all.

Although if this was the case, how did her baby sister recognize him right away?

[It looks like this Hee-ya is around five years old. I was only eighteen years old then. She couldn’t have recognized me if she had regressed without her current memories.]

"Guide Chu Wonhee and Hunter Hwang Yejun’s memories are currently mixed up," the Administrator explained. "Right now, they regressed to their five-year-old selves— and that includes their memories. But their current memories weren’t erased. That’s how they recognized you even though you’re older than what they remember at the moment."

Ah.

That explanation answered all Soobin’s questions.

Hwang Yejun’s parents also looked satisfied.

"How did this happen, sir?" Hwang Yebin, Hwang Yejun’s mother, asked while holding the little Hwang Yejun in her arms. "Why did Yejun and Wony turn into little kids?"

The administrator said two words that shocked them. "Reverse Guiding."

"Reverse Guiding?" Soobin repeated in disbelief. "What did the System make Wonhee do for her to need Reverse Guiding from Hwang Yejun?"

"I’m telling you this because you’ll need to cover up for Guide Chu Wonhee," the Administrator said, snapping his fingers. "But you ought to remember that what I’m about to say must be kept strictly confidential."

The room was suddenly covered with what seemed like a soundproof barrier.

"Guide Chu Wonhee used her ability to lower Hunter Belle Blanche’s stat level from S-Class to F-Class."

What?

Wonhee did that?

Soobin was too stunned to react.

[First, Hee-ya raised Do Ahyeon’s stat level from C-Class to S-Class. Now she lowered Bride’s stat level from S-Class to F-Class? If other people find out about her ability...]

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that a war might break out.

[There are many countries in the world that would want Hee-ya’s ability!]

And, surely, there would be countries who’d see his baby sister’s ability as a threat.

[Some countries might want Hee-ya dead than let Korea rule the world with her lead.]

"It seems like you realize how important it is for us to keep Guide Chu Wonhee’s ability a secret," the Administrator said. "Although it is a great ability to have, Guide Chu Wonhee is still a Guide. Hence, using a skill that attacks Hunters instead of guiding them takes a toll on her body. Hence, Reverse Guiding was needed to help her expand her Mana Tank."

"What did my son do to help Wony expand her Mana Tank?" Hwang Junsang, Hwang Yejun’s father, asked worriedly. "This is the first time my son used Reverse Guiding..."

"Hunter Hwang Yejun did well. He’s the strongest Hunter for a reason," the Administrator said. "Hunter Hwang Yejun gave a piece of his Core to Guide Chu Wonhee. It was a painful process for him, but he endured and helped Guide Chu Wonhee expand her Mana Tank. But the process both exhausted them in all aspects, so the System decided to help them recover properly. Turning them into little kids was the side-effect."

"It’s temporary, right?" Soobin asked for confirmation. "How long will this last?"

"They will recover their memories one by one," the Administrator said. "But their child-like appearance would last for a few days."

Oh.

[At least there were no other side effects.]

"Oppa-ya, I’m hungry."

"Our Hee-ya is hungry?" Soobin asked. He couldn’t help but "baby talk" to his sister while she was looking up at her with those huge, puppy-dog eyes. "I’ll give you anything and everything you want, Hee-ya."

Wonhee giggled. "I want to eat Mr. Crabby, Oppa-ya!"

Right.

[Hee-ya was obsessed with King Crabs when she was a toddler.]

***

"EOMMA and Appa lied to me."

Hwang Yebin, Yejun’s mother, was surprised by what her "young" son said. "What did Eomma and Appa lie to you about, Yejunnie?"

It was strange to be able to hold her "toddler" son in her arms.

[Yejun has become a little distant from us when he became a Hunter.]

Hence, Yebin was savoring that moment.

When Vice President Yeon Soobin left the room with the Administrator, Yebin and her husband brought their "toddler" to the Winter Guild HQ’s penthouse— the floor just below the rooftop.

[This is where we stay when we can’t go home due to our work.]

"Eomma and Appa said angels live in heaven," Yejun said, pouting. "But I saw an angel! That cute girl with chubby cheeks is an angel, isn’t she?"

Yebin and Junsang exchanged knowing looks.

[Our son is talking about Wony, isn’t he?]

"That girl is so pretty and her smile is so nice to see," little Yejun said, his face beaming. "Eomma, Appa, I want to marry her!"

Junsang almost choked on his saliva. "Honey, our son’s feelings didn’t change even though he regressed to a child."

Well, the Administrator said Yejun and Wony’s current memories overlapped with their old memories. But Yebin had to admit that her son was really captivated with Wony— with or without his recent memories.

"Son, you can’t marry a girl you just met," Junsang said gently. "Why don’t you start as friends first?"

"But I’ve already met the angel before!" little Yejun said, raising his arms. "We were under a big star— this big!"

Yebin knitted her eyebrows, confused.

[I’m pretty sure Yejun and Wony didn’t meet as children...]

And what was that "big star?"

***

"HI, BABY."

Eww.

Yool frowned as soon as he saw Song Moonho coming out of what seemed like a portal.

As expected, that ahjussi would ambush their group once he arrived at the Namsan Tower. And he wasn’t alone.

At least thirty square-headed villains were there.

Those were small-fries.

However, Song Moonho also brought the core members of the Autumn Guild’s elite team as if he was really about to go all out.

That made Yool a bit worried.

[Is Ahjussi really gonna betray Wony and the Big 4?]

***

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