Chapter 202 – Life Is Over (4)
“So how did the story go?”
Next day. After the surgery, I visited Hunter Lee Jun-hyeok, who was resting in the hospital room.
Hunter Lee Jun-hyeok, as if he had heard the story from Hunter Kim Pan-seok after the surgery had already been completed, asked us a question first with a calm attitude. His face was wrapped in a large bandage, and the doctor said the operation went very well.
Ichie put the fruit basket he had brought into the refrigerator, and Yujeong opened the window blinds and looked outside the room. Seong Ha-yeon was sitting next to me and touching my thigh. I straightened my posture and relayed the story I heard at the meeting.
“First of all, I’ve been given some detailed plan summaries.”
I delivered the plan to Junhyeok Lee. In the plan written by middle-aged hunters, including Kim Pan-seok, it was written in detail how and where to investigate in the future. Lee Joon-hyeok nodded his head as he looked over the plan. He asked looking at me.
“Didn’t he tell you anything else?”
“Hunter Kim Pan-seok didn’t ask me to do anything. I want you to convey this plan and your will to overthrow Hunter Lee Hyeon-woo to the Black Dragon. It felt like this.”
Anyway, the current head of the Black Dragon’s room was Lee Jun-hyeok. Because I was temporarily in the Black Dragon Room, I couldn’t decide the future of the guild on my own. Lee Joon-hyeok looked over the plan one more time with a sullen attitude and asked me.
“Okay? What do you think?”
“I don’t know. The Diamond Club… I wonder if it is right to do this for justice.”
Just a short while ago, they were the ones who tried to kill me because I was better than Kim Joo-sung, but also manipulated the competition. It was only to find the culprit who caused the damage and to retaliate, but it did not seem to have good intentions. Junhyeok Lee Hunter said.
“This floor is all like that. Everyone who seeks justice will go to the goal. I’m a bit reluctant to continue working with the Diamond Club, but to be honest, isn’t it right that we think Lee Hyun-woo is suspicious too?”
Everyone nodded at his question. Lee Jun-hyeok looked around us once and continued talking.
“Anyway, our ark is now missing over the gate. I don’t know what he was possessed of, but he ended his life as a criminal in a terrorist organization. Chasing terrorist groups is a necessity for us.”
Lee Jun-hyeok looked straight at me as he said ‘we’. Ichie nodded. I also nodded.
Yesterday’s enemies can be today’s allies. He seemed to think that even if the evil deeds of the Diamond Club were to be revealed someday, it would be right to cooperate now. Junhyeok Lee Hunter said.
“All we have now is one building for the hunters who have remained loyal in the end. That’s all. In fact, I think we should change the name Black Dragon’s Room now. We kept the name Black Dragon Room in the hope that our ark would return, but now there is no reason to return.”
“What will you change your name to?”
Seong Ha-yeon asked. Lee Jun-hyeok frowned and said.
“I’m still thinking about it. I think I need to talk more with other hunters. Let’s talk about it once I’m discharged. I’ll call and talk to Hunter Kim Pan-seok separately. Know that.”
“Yes.”
That’s how the story ended. On the way out of the hospital room again, Ichie asked a question.
“By the way, is Kim Pan-seok also an S-class hunter?”
Seonghayeon shook her head and said.
“No. Is that person a B-class? It wasn’t S-class. Except for Jang Ji-wan, the Diamond Club S-rankers are all in the provinces right now. Because of dispatch work.”
Ichie was taken aback by her words and asked again.
“I’m a guild master, but I’m only a B rank? Choi Yeon-joo Hunter. It was S-class, right?”
“That’s because Choi Yeon-joo Hunter was originally a researcher, so he had to be in Seoul to work at the research institute, so he was able to concurrently work as a guild leader. S-rankers are often dispatched.”
“I see.”
Ichie nodded her head. Senior Yoojung asked me.
“By the way, she said that she would change her name. How would you like to change the name of the guild?”
I shook my head and answered her question.
“She said she was changing it to a cool name, but I’m not really sure. It will be decided when you are discharged.”
“Once then, we can talk about it again.”
“I see.”
At my words, Senior Yoojeong smiled and nodded her head.
******
A few days later, with the news of Hunter Lee Jun-hyeok’s discharge, we all moved to the Black Dragon Room building. Hunter Lee Jun-hyeok must have already made up his mind to change his name, and the sign of the Black Dragon room in the guild has been removed. Entering the building without a signboard, I felt empty in my heart.
It was because there was still a picture of a black dragon in the hallway, and a black dragon was drawn on the carpet in the office. The black dragon still remained in the uniform and trophy hanging in the corner of the office.
“Ah…”
Seong Ha-yeon was about to enter but shed tears. I hugged her tightly and patted her on the back. Ichie patted Seong Hayeon on the back, and Yujeong held her shoulders. I let out a deep sigh.
Originally, when entering the office through the front door, there was another signboard saying [Black Dragon’s Room], But this signboard was also off. Seong Ha-yeon took a deep breath and went inside with her expression hardened. Other Black Dragon Hunters, including Lee Jun-hyeok, were gathered there.
The office desks and chairs were all pushed into the corners. People were gathered, and in the middle of the office was a picture of someone’s portrait. It was a picture of Choi Soon-hong.
A photo of Choi Sun-hong was hung like a portrait, and [Downtown Cheonma Yeoljeon], Which he liked, and bamboo leaves were placed. A dry mat was spread wide in front of the simple ritual table. Seong Ha-yeon saw that, and she distorted her face once again, and she gritting her teeth and holding back crying.
Lee Jun-hyeok saw us coming and said.
“Are you here?”
“Last time, did you decide to send it like this?”
When I asked, Lee Junhyeok nodded his head.
“Because he was the ark. I decided to bow one last time before officially changing the name of the guild. Since he didn’t go well enough to have a grandiose funeral, I decided to omit that, and just like this. Put on what you like and bow to me. I’ll finish it then. If you guys are going to do me too, do it.”
I asked the Almighty. Even if it was someone else, I was the one who had Choi Yeon-ju, who died because of Choi Soon-hong, in her heart.
[What should I do?]
[I had a lot of resentment, but I am a pitiful person. Please do it for me at least once.]
At her words, I nodded and stood behind Lee Jun-hyeok. Ichie stood next to me, and Yujeong senior stood next to Ichie. Seong Ha-yeon was crying while leaning against the wall. It wasn’t until another black dragon room hunter gave me a pat on the back that she stood leaning against me with her face distorted.
Lee Joon-hyeok sighed deeply and placed a drink in front of the ancestral table. He put down his wine glass with a thud, and lit incense in front of it. Lee Joon-hyeok then looked at Choi Sun-hong’s picture and spoke politely.
“Lord Ark. We are now going to close the Black Dragon room name and start anew. In the meantime, it was fun because the ark was there, and I received a lot of help because the ark was there. Thank you so much.”
And Lee Jun-hyeok bowed his head. The hunters who had gathered quite a bit bowed together. Me, Ichi, and Yu-jeong all bowed silently. Once and twice. Lee Jun-hyeok, who bowed for the second time as if his head was touching the floor, raised his head.
He had tears in his eyes. He took a deep breath and picked up the [City Battle of Heavenly Demons]. He lit the book with a lighter lying on the floor, and the old paper book burned in an instant. He didn’t weep all the way.
It was like someone who knew that shouldn’t be the case. Seong Ha-yeon also held back her tears. The two of them cried in their hearts. This was a place where weeping and mourning were not allowed. After all, he died as a disrespectful human being.
And that seemed to make them both sadder.
All of the elderly hunters in the Black Dragon Room sighed with mixed expressions. If a sigh could be visualized, there would have been a thick fog covering this place. There was a smell of burning old paper. Lee Joon-hyeok stirred his ashes into the air and wiped his eyes.
Then he turned to us and said.
“Let’s clear it up. Now I have to send it The Black Dragon Room and the Ark.”
