CHAPTER 39: UPCOMING TRAGEDY

"BUT MISS, aren’t you Chu Wonhee-ssi?"

Oh.

Wonhee fixed her bucket hat and face mask. She went to the police station in disguise because if someone recognized her at the police station, she was pretty sure she’d get involved in a scandal again.

Even Ahn Kisoo wore a cap and a mask to cover his face.

As a result, the police didn’t recognize the famous Guide.

Not yet, at least.

Wonhee had a feeling that her and Ahn Kisoo’s disguise didn’t really work since some of the officers in the police station kept stealing glances from them. Then the officers would whisper among themselves.

[We should leave soon.]

"Excuse me," Ahyeon said, standing in front of Wonhee to protect her from prying eyes. "Since the victim is a Hunter, we’ve sent a report to APA."

Ahn Kisoo, who was there when Wonhee called her older brother, nodded. "Since APA will be here soon, then I’ll just repeat my statement to them. But I’ll appreciate it if you put in your report the thing I said about the victim waking up in an hour, Mr. Police Officer."

The police in charge of the case looked stunned at first.

Then complaints began to pour out of them.

"The suspect is a Civilian, so why did you call APA without informing us first?"

"Ah, these kids don’t trust us."

"Are you looking down on the police force?"

"I-It’s not like that, sir," Ahyeon denied, flustered, while shaking his hands. "We’re just following the protocols, and the protocols dictate that we should call APA if Awakened People are involved in an incident–"

"APA this, APA that!" the highest-ranking police officer in that station yelled, slamming his hands on the table. "You’re making the police force look bad if you call APA for every incident that happens here!"

Oh.

Wonhee knew that the police force was bitter ever since the government gave APA Hunters the same power and authority as the police, but she didn’t expect it to be this bad.

[Their ego must have been hurt pretty bad...]

"Sir, please calm down," Ahn Kisoo said calmly, though his voice trembled a bit. "Please understand that we didn’t mean to insult you. Like what my colleague here said, we merely followed the protocol since the victim is a Hunter."

"Come to think of it, aside from that boy, the two of you wearing face masks should give me your IDs if you wanted to make a statement," the police officer said. "Remove your masks and show me your ID."

Wonhee was starting to get nervous when, thankfully, their lifeline arrived.

"Good morning, good sirs."

Hmm?

The one who came to the police station wasn’t Soobin himself.

But Wonhee’s older brother sent Lee Cheongsan– a well-known A-Class Hunter.

[He’s also Oppa’s best friend and right-hand man.]

Plus, since Cheongsan was a high-ranking Hunter from APA, the police officers in the station all stood up and greeted him politely.

[After all, executives from APA are treated like high-ranking police officers.]

"Children, you may leave," Cheongsan said, patting Wonhee’s head gently. "I’ll take care of everything here."

Wonhee smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Oppa."

"Wait," the senior police officer said. "Lee Cheongsan-nim, with all due respect, those children can’t leave yet–"

"Sir, Vice President Yeon Soobin would like to give you and your squadron a little gift for working hard," Cheongsan said, smiling. "Our VP sent you the newest handguns in his collection."

And then several men dressed in black suits entered the police station while carrying black briefcases.

The brooch attached to the men’s suit had the APA’s crest.

[Oh, it’s legit.]

"Wony-ah, you may go," Cheongsan whispered to her. "We prepared a car for you and your friends– my driver will take you to a safe place that your brother prepared for you."

Wonhee smiled and nodded again. "Okay, Oppa."

***

"YOEON Soobin, you can’t hide Chu Wonhee from APA forever!"

Soobin rolled his eyes at Kwon Jiwoong’s nagging.

As expected, the APA President came running to the National Guide Center after he received the report that Wonhee woke up as an S-Class Guide. Kwon Jiwoong was definitely informed that Wonhee and Hwang Frost had a 100% matching rate as well.

Fortunately, Soobin already sent off Wonhee when Kwon Jiwoong arrived.

But he was forced to welcome the APA President.

Geon, the director of the National Guide Center, ushered them to his private office then.

"Now that Chu Wonhee is officially registered as a Guide, she’s bound to work for APA," Kwon Jiwoong insisted. "I understand that I agreed to give Hwang Frost to Chu Wonhee, but Chu Wonhee doesn’t know it– she doesn’t know that APA has already absorbed the Winter Guild. That means Hwang Frost belongs to APA. And so, if Chu Wonhee wants to become Hwang Frost’s Guide, then she has to come to APA as well.’

Haaah.

[Look at this opportunistic bastard.]

"You’ll get a stomachache if you become too greedy, Kwon Jiwoong," Geon said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Have you forgotten that I was there when you absorbed the Winter Guild and made a deal with Hwang Frost?"

Kwon Jiwoong flinched as if he was guilty.

Oho?

Soobin was locked up in his Hidden Workshop when the Winter Guild fell into the hands of the greedy APA.

Fortunately, his husband was the director of the National Guide Center.

"First of all, APA did not "absorb" the Winter Guild," Geon corrected the APA President. "You only insisted on overseeing the guild’s operation while Hwang Frost is unstable. But according to the contract, once Hwang Frost returns to normal, then APA will reinstate his S-Class Hunter status and return the Winter Guild under his command."

"T-That’s true," Kwon Jiwoong said, then he cleared his throat when he noticed that he stuttered. "However, Hwang Frost is yet to get better. Even if he has a high matching rate with Chu Wonhee, it doesn’t mean he’ll get better instantly. Hence, Hwang Frost must stay under APA’s custody. Then wouldn’t it be logical to bring Chu Wonhee to our side while we’re at it? You treat APA like we’re the villain here. We just want to nurture the best Hunters and Guides that Korea has!"

Bullshit.

"If you’re worried about whether Hwang Frost is sober enough to return to society, then you should judge it yourself," Yeon Soobin said. "Come out, Hwang Frost."

Kwon Jiwoong was shocked.

And the APA President almost fainted when Hwang Frost entered the room with a big smile on his face.

Yes, Soobin and Geol asked Hwang Frost to hide his presence on purpose.

"Kwon Jiwoong, look at my eyes," Hwang Frost said, boasting about his clear amber eyes. "Do I still look "drunk" to you, huh?"

***

WONHEE was currently in Soobin’s penthouse with Ahyeon.

It was the penthouse where Soobin and Geol lived together, and it was the safe place that her brother prepared for her and her friends.

[I can’t believe Oppa trusts me so much to let my friends step foot in here...]

After all, Soobin’s house was the safest place in all Korea. Hence, the security there was very tight. Not even his brother’s subordinates had been there yet.

[Oppa really cares about me.]

"I’m worried about Ahn Kisoo-nim," Ahyeon said worriedly. "He decided to stay with the team investigating the case..."

"The thing that Yool mentioned to us in the past has finally happened," Wonhee said. "I can’t believe that Song Sunho really tried to "kill" himself in front of Ahn Kisoo. But since Ahn Kisoo is the main character, I’m sure he’ll be fine."

"I wonder why Yool Hyung directly meddled. He said he doesn’t want to change the story as long as it doesn’t affect his life..."

Ahyeon stopped talking when they heard someone pressing the keypad.

Hmm?

Then the door suddenly burst open.

"Yool-ah!"

"Hyung!"

Yes, it was Yool who arrived at the penthouse alone.

[Cheonsu Oppa probably sent Yool here.]

"Hi," Yool greeted them, exhausted. Then he plopped down on the sofa. "Have you heard from Ahn Kisoo yet? Is Song Sunho already awake?"

Wonhee and Ahyeon sat on either side of Yool.

Her on the right side, and Ahyeon on the left.

"Ahn Kisoo-nim hasn’t called yet, Hyung," Ahyeon said. "But why did you shoot Song Sunho-nim? If he wasn’t going to die anyway, why didn’t you just let him shoot himself? Even if Ahn Kisoo-nim gets framed up, he’ll be fine."

"Yes, Ahn Kisoo would have been proven innocent lately had we followed the exact thing that happened in the novel. But he would have been taken to the Autumn Guild, and that’s what I want to avoid," Yool explained. "Because if Ahn Kisoo was taken to the Autumn Guild, then he wouldn’t be in time to stop Graham from going berserk."

Wonhee gasped softly. "G-Graham-ssi will go berserk? But he looked fine the last time I saw him..."

"The dungeon that Graham entered is dangerous. He’ll be too exhausted once he’s out. In the novel, he didn’t receive treatment from Ahn Kisoo in time because Ahn Kisoo was under the custody of the Autumn Guild."

"What happened in the novel, Hyung?" Ahyeon asked worriedly. "Did Graham-nim really go berserk?"

"Yes, and that’s one of the main conflicts of the novel," Yool said, sighing. "Not many people died in the novel, but people close to both Graham and Ahn Kisoo died trying to stop him from burning Seoul to ashes."

Wonhee was about to say something.

But, all of a sudden, her Status Window suddenly popped up in front of her.

WARNING!

Next Client: Han Graham

Status: Berserk Mode!

Mission: Bring Han Graham back to his senses!

Wonhee covered her mouth with her hands when she gasped. "The System is asking me to stop Graham-ssi from going berserk!"

***

sola_cola’s thoughts on this chapter: Someone’s gonna be busy soon.

***

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