CHAPTER 289: THE TRAITOR

[The Previous World...]

LEE SEODAM.

Before the Outbreak, he was just a struggling college student juggling several part-time jobs to support himself and his family.

He felt so pathetic then.

And then the Outbreak happened.

He became a Hunter.

But he wasn’t satisfied with his level.

The Big 4.

Ever since the Big 4 was established, he had always envied them for the love and respect they received from all over the world just for being powerful.

Of course, the Big 4 also gained fame and amassed astronomical wealth.

Lee Seodam wanted that for himself.

Not long after that desire grew in his greedy heart, an opportunity came knocking on his door.

Hwang Frost, the strongest among the Big 4, had fallen from grace.

All because Hwang Frost didn’t have a proper Guide.

That was when Lee Seodam saw Park Ruda’s true value.

Hence, even though he loved Chu Wonhee genuinely, he had to break up with her in order to be with Park Ruda.

He got what he wanted, though.

Eventually, he became an S-Class Hunter and replaced Hwang Frost as the newest member of the Big 4.

He thought he finally won in life.

Lee Seodam became a well-loved and well-respected Hunter not just in South Korea but also all over the world. His personal life was also satisfying because Park Ruda was there to fulfill his needs both as a Hunter and as a man.

He thought it would last for a long time.

However, Chu Wonhee got in the way.

Chu Wonhee— the chaebol who was born with everything.

Lee Seodam regretted breaking up with his ex-girlfriend when she awakened as a powerful Guide.

However, he knew it was the best for the two of them.

He couldn’t stand Chu Wonhee’s kindness, after all.

Even if he tried to, he couldn’t look at Chu Wonhee properly because doing so made him feel inferior.

But he thought he could just ignore it.

Until the System came out and revealed Chu Wonhee was the key to closing all the Cracks in the world.

Chu Wonhee was the key to bringing the world back to "normal."

And Lee Seodam hated it.

He hated the "normal" world where he was nothing but a regular person.

Of course, he had already accumulated enough wealth to live in luxury for the rest of his life even without working a "normal" job.

However, he didn’t want that.

Lee Seodam was an excellent Hunter, and he wanted to remain that way.

The adrenaline he would get every time he killed monsters in a dungeon couldn’t be replaced by a comfortable life in a safe world.

He hated even the thought of it.

But what could he do?

He was the only one who thought that way.

Lee Seodam almost gave up his greed, until he received a mysterious message from an unknown entity through a purple Status Window— different from the blue and normal Status Window from the System.

[If you don’t want this world to return to normal, then either kill Chu Wonhee or at least destroy her heart and Core.]

And that was the day Lee Seodam joined hands with the Virus.

***

HMM?

Lee Seodam woke up when he felt Park Ruda getting up.

Of course, he brought his Guide with him.

I need Park Ruda both as a Hunter and a man with needs, after all.

Right now, they were in a dimension similar to a dungeon. But it was safe there because it was a space governed by the Virus.

The house that Lee Seodam and Park Ruda were using was deemed safe.

"Where are you going?" Lee Seodam asked when he got up and saw Park Ruda already fully clothed. "You can’t just wander around here, Ruda. This is still a dungeon."

And that was why the Big 4 hadn’t found him yet.

"I’ve already given you enough Guiding," Park Ruda said, turning to him with an irritated look on his face. "I need you to send me back to the real world."

"If they are hunting me down, they’re also hunting you down."

"I know that. But my uncle needs me. He’s sick."

Yes, Lee Seodam was aware that Park Il-sung was sick and that the old man was the only family member that Park Ruda had.

"I’ll be careful not to get caught," Park Ruda said. "I’ll just give my uncle his medicine that will last him a month, and then return. The church that my uncle is using as a shelter is hidden well."

That was true.

The Big 4 didn’t care about the churches and the cults that rose to fame when the Outbreak began.

I’m not even sure if they know that Park Ruda has an uncle working in a church.

"Seodam, please."

Lee Seodam let out a sigh. "Alright. Give me your hand," he said while pulling out a Gate Stone from his Inventory. "Just press this on any door. But, just so you know, that particular Gate Stone is registered to you. It won’t work if someone else uses it, and it will self-destruct if you try to bring other people with you."

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Park Ruda.

The Virus simply didn’t trust anyone.

"I know," Park Ruda said, snatching the Gate Stone from Lee Seodam. "I wouldn’t want to bring anyone here anyway."

Was Park Ruda upset because it seemed like Lee Seodam was doubting his loyalty?

He’ll realize soon that I can’t do anything about the Virus’ surveillance.

Lee Seodam should have known back then that there was something wrong with Park Ruda.

***

HUH?

Wonhee was surprised when she saw Ong Yool holding a round aquarium with the "flowery brain" inside.

That "flowery brain" was the System.

But...

"Why do you have the System with you, Yool-ah?" Wonhee asked, confused. "Shouldn’t it be with the remaining Big 4 or Bitna?"

After all, her best friend was a Civilian.

Since the System was the most important in the Awakened World, it should be with Hunters who could protect it.

And I don’t want Yool to be in danger because of this mess.

"I don’t know, but this thing has chosen me or something," Yool complained, clicking his tongue. "It keeps saying that it wants to use my "vessel" as its "host.""

Wonhee looked at the System suspiciously. "What are you trying to do with a Civilian, System-nim?"

[Ong Yool is compatible with me.]

And what does it exactly mean?

***

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