CHAPTER 283: THE SECOND APOCALYPSE (3)

"CHU WONHEE, don’t even think about consoling Lee Seodam or whatever."

Wonhee almost choked on her soju when her best friend, Ong Yool, scolded her. "I’m offended that you even thought I’d do it, Yool-ah."

"Well, you fell into depression when Lee Seodam broke up with you," Yool said sternly. "You even resorted to self-harm back then."

Do Ahyeon, who was silently drinking his soju, suddenly became teary-eyed. "I-I still remember when I saw Noona bleeding..."

It was something that Wonhee and her friends could talk about because 1.) they were in the safety of her penthouse while having soju and fried chicken, and 2.) that incident happened so long ago that she didn’t mind her friends bringing that up.

[I can’t believe that I hurt myself before over a man who didn’t want me...]

It was her dark history.

"I still get chills every time I remember how Vice President Yeon almost killed Lee Seodam back then," Yool said while rubbing his arms as if he got goosebumps. "Your brother literally bombed APA HQ without caring about the innocent people working there."

Ahyeon nodded eagerly. "I-It was even s-scarier when Vice President shot Lee Seodam continuously with the strongest f-firearm he ever created. If Hunter K-Kunwoo didn’t help Lee Seodam back then, he would have d-died."

"Jang Semi’s revenge was also scary," Yool added with a firm nod. "Our country’s economics almost collapsed because of Daesang Group. All because APA wouldn’t let them kill Lee Seodam."

Haaah.

Wonhee could only sigh and shake her head. "My older siblings lost their minds after they found out I harmed myself because Lee Seodam dumped me."

"If you didn’t awaken as an A-Class Guide, the government wouldn’t have "forgiven" Vice President Yeon and Jang Semi," Yool said while shaking his head. "You’re the only A-Class Guide who’s compatible with the new Big 4 as a Guide. APA saw your value, especially when you raised Lee Seodam as an S-Class Hunter— something that Park Ruda failed to do."

That was true.

Wonhee also leveled up as an S-Class Guide back then— the first Guide to ever reach that level in the world.

[My value skyrocketed, and I became a national treasure.]

That was how the government and the citizens of their country had forgiven Soobin and Semi for their attempt to kill Lee Seodam and harming innocent Civilians in the process.

"Park Ruda is obviously pushing Lee Seodam to you because he didn’t want to be responsible for him anymore," Yool said, clicking his tongue while shaking his head. "I wonder if they secretly broke up or something."

"I’m n-not sure either," Ahyeon said awkwardly. "T-There are no reports of them breaking up."

Wonhee didn’t know about that, too.

Ever since she awakened as a high-class Guide, she found a new purpose in life.

[Plus, I had to negotiate with APA a lot so Soobin Oppa and Semi Unnie wouldn’t be treated as traitors by the country.]

She didn’t have time to chase a man who was no longer hers.

[I was too busy improving my older siblings’ reputation and raising the new Big 4.]

"What are you g-going to do now, Noona?" Ahyeon asked worriedly. "N-Noona can be too k-kind sometimes."

"More like a pushover," Yool said bluntly, scoffing. "Chu Wonhee, don’t even think about getting involved with Lee Seodam, okay?"

"Of course, I won’t," Wonhee said confidently. "I’m no longer the Chu Wonhee who was crazy in love with Lee Seodam."

***

"WONHEE-YA..."

Hmm?

Wonhee was surprised when she found Lee Seodam sitting next to the elevator in the basement parking of her apartment complex.

It was obvious that he was waiting for her there.

"Seodam-ssi, what are you doing here?" Wonhee asked, surprised and confused. "If you need Guiding, you could have just called me."

Guiding Lee Seodam wasn’t awkward because she just needed to either hold his hand or make some food for him.

It was true that she was "raising" the new Big 4 because she was compatible with them.

But their Matching Rate didn’t reach 75%.

Thank goodness.

[Plus, thanks to Bitna’s contribution, only Guides and Hunters that belong to the minority have to resort to Advanced Treatment.]

"I’m not here for some Guiding," Lee Seodam said, standing up. "I’m just here to talk to an old friend."

’Friend.’

"Don’t you feel awkward?" Wonhee asked bluntly. "I am your ex-girlfriend, Seodam-ssi."

"But you were my friend before we started dating."

Yeah, this man definitely didn’t feel awkward.

[Or maybe he’s just desperate?]

Even so...

"You have Park Ruda-ssi."

"I’m not that curious about what Ruda is thinking these days."

That was pretty harsh.

"Then are you saying you’re curious about mine?"

"I heard you’re starting your own entertainment agency," Lee Seodam said. "Are you going to return to acting?"

Wonhee nodded. Any talk that involved her acting career would never fail to make her feel good. Even if she was talking to Lee Seodam. "That’s right, Seodam-ssi. I’m preparing to make a comeback as an actress. It’s not too late to return to acting."

"Wonhee-ya, you’re the first and only S-Class Guide in the world."

"What about it?"

For some reason, Lee Seodam looked really frustrated. "The entire world treated you like a god because of your abilities. Thanks to you, Guides all over the world learned how to raise their levels along with their Hunters without depending on physical intimacy. That was how valuable you are. But anyone could be an actress. You won’t be special anymore. Are you fine with that?"

"I still don’t get what you’re trying to say, Seodam-ssi."

"There are only a few Cracks left in the world. Once they’re gone, then our world would really return to normal."

"Isn’t that a good thing?"

"Is that how you really feel?" Lee Seodam asked, getting more and more aggravated. "Are you really fine with a world that doesn’t need Hunters and Guides anymore?"

"Of course I am," Wonhee said firmly. "In fact, I can’t wait for our world to return to normal. A world that doesn’t need Hunters and Guides is a world I’d like to live in. I don’t want the Civilians to continue living in fear."

Lee Seodam looked disappointed and confused by Wonhee’s answer.

[But why?]

Wasn’t a peaceful world the best world to live in?

"I thought you would understand me because you’re the most valuable Guide in the world, Wonhee-ya," Lee Seodam said indifferently. "But I forgot that whether you are a Guide or a Civilian, you’ll live well because you’re a chaebol. People like you can do whatever you want because you have a very stable safety net."

Of course, Wonhee was already used to getting criticized for being born a chaebol.

Although she was born that way, she was one of the many people who believed that billionaires shouldn’t exist. And, if they did, they should be spending their excessive wealth on helping the less fortunate.

That was what she was doing— spending her wealth to help others.

And that was why Wonhee wasn’t hurt even though Lee Seodam was making her feel bad about being a chaebol.

The rich can’t be oppressed, so I’m just going to suck it up.

However, there was one thing she was curious about.

"Seodam-ssi, you’re an S-Class Hunter. Moreover, you belong to Korea’s Big 4 that most people fear and look up to at the same time," Wonhee said carefully, and then she casually dropped the "bomb." "Are you afraid that you’ll be nothing if you’re no longer a Hunter?"

Lee Seodam looked shocked as if he didn’t realize it until Wonhee pointed it out.

[And maybe I shouldn’t have said anything that day.]

***

"WONHEE-SSI, I found it."

Hmm.

Wonhee would forgive Song Moonho for coming to her penthouse at such an ungodly hour because he looked so excited— and it was a rare sight. "What did you find, Moonho-ssi?" she asked sleepily while rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "That better be important enough to disturb my beauty sleep."

"Of course, it’s very important," Song Moonho said, smiling brightly. "I actually found the final Crack that we need to clear to finally end all the Cracks in the entire world."

Oh, then it was worth losing sleep for.

***

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