Chapter 42: …Where Would You Find an Invader?

Go Nam-tae's heart skipped a beat whenever he thought of the day he first met Park Seong-yeon.

As soon as he had opened the mirror, he encountered an old man glaring at him while holding a sword. He knew the moment he saw him. The man looked like an ordinary middle-aged man on the outside, but his aura and the weight of his years were far beyond that.

If he had been able to cross through the mirror, Go Nam-tae would have been crushed by his aura alone.

But this time, it was Park Ki-beom. South Korea's number-one hunter. He felt a bit nervous at the thought of meeting him. Yet, strangely enough, the pounding in his chest could only be described as anticipation.

'…It's because humans can't cross this fissure, right? Will he be holding a sword too?'

Go Nam-tae suppressed his anticipation and opened the door. He thought he might not even meet him at all. But… there he was. Park Ki-beom, a man whose face was his business card. His expression seemed a bit stiff, but fortunately, he showed no hostility.

"…Hello, I am Park Ki-beom."

"Oh, …hello?"

Although the other party wouldn't be able to hear him, Go Nam-tae greeted him back in a trembling voice. Go Nam-tae bowed his head deeply and shouted.

"It's nice to meet you! Thank you so much for that time!"

An encounter only he knew about; Go Nam-tae called it a debt of gratitude. Park Ki-beom wouldn't know, but Go Nam-tae had encountered him before. On the day a fissure appeared right next to the hospital where his father was staying, Park Ki-beom had personally responded to the scene. The sight of him covered in dark red blood after slaying the monsters that burst out of the crack was terrifying enough to make one's knees shake, yet it was also something to be grateful for and reassuring.

He also greeted the man standing next to him.

"My thanks to you as well, Mr. Jeong Sang-myeong. Thanks to you that day, my father and I were safe."

But Go Nam-tae's greeting did not reach them. Even if it did, it would only be awkward in the current situation. Go Nam-tae sent out a note first.

-[I would like to ask Mr. Park Ki-beom. Are you willing to trade directly? You may decide after receiving the goods.]

Contrary to his feelings, the note contained only indifferent and stiff contents. Park Ki-beom, having received the note, nodded.

"Let's see it first."

"All right!"

Go Nam-tae immediately sent the items he had prepared. He included the tomatoes that Park Seong-yeon had specifically asked for, along with three watermelons as a bonus. Bonuses were supposed to create regular customers, after all.

But the aura of Park Ki-beom as he received the "bonuses" was somehow precarious. Even if they were as big as a person's torso, there was no way they were heavy for the top hunter. It was worrying enough to think the watermelons might soon turn into shattered pine boards.

That was when Yang Man-chun, who had carefully set aside the other watermelons, rescued the one from Park Ki-beom's hands.

"Oh, my goodness, is this truly a watermelon? Oho, ha ha ha! I have been waiting for this ever since I heard about it from Master Jae-won!"

It seemed the tragedy of the watermelon turning into splinters had been avoided. Go Nam-tae sent another note.

-[The watermelons are a gift. They are for Jae-won's friend regardless of whether we trade or not. Once you have decided, please give your answer to Jae-won.]

Having seen the "Door-Fissure" for themselves, the other side would need time to think it over. He wanted to ask them to investigate the new Labyrinth, but that would only be possible if they were willing to continue this trade.

Just as Go Nam-tae was about to close the door, Park Ki-beom suddenly bowed his head deeply.

"Thank you, Mr. Go Nam-tae!"

"Oh, uh… you don't have to go that far…"

"Seong-yeon is the only bloodline my brother left behind, and he is like a son to me. He is also the only blood relative I have left. Thank you so much for saving this child!"

"…?"

Go Nam-tae paused for a moment. He felt like he had heard something strange. 'The only blood relative?' He didn't understand. It felt like he had overheard someone else's complicated family history again.

Danhong spoke.

-"That mister's eyes look sad."

"True."

-"I think he'll feel better if he eats some rice cakes."

"…Huh?"

-"Can I give these to that mister?"

Danhong held out a plate of rice cakes she had secretly hidden away. After nagging Heung-bok to cover it well, she now brought it out. Go Nam-tae stroked Danhong's head.

"You're a good girl, Danhong. This is your first plate, so let's put it in something else before giving it to him."

-"Ehehe…!"

The little one, who had been laughing happily, suddenly urged Heung-bok.

-"Heung-bok, give me a leaf! Quick, quick! Let's hurry!"

*Rustle.*

Heung-bok plucked a leaf and handed it over. Meanwhile, Danhong was floundering about, wrapped in another leaf. They looked out for each other, played pranks, and bickered… They were just like siblings.

**[29 seconds remaining.]**

For Danhong, the rice cakes were larger than her body, but by Go Nam-tae's standards, they were barely four pieces. There were four people over there, so they would at least be able to have a taste.

Anyway, thanks to her, he quickly wrapped the rice cakes and sent them through the door safely. The door closed before he could even explain that Danhong had specially prepared them. Only then did Danhong, having escaped from her pumpkin leaf blanket, jump up and down.

-"Ah! Those rice cakes are so delicious! I didn't get to see them eat! This is all Heung-bok's fault!"

Closing the door wasn't Heung-bok's fault, but he did cover her eyes. Go Nam-tae decided to soothe the one whose temper was flaring first.

"Shall I make some more rice cakes?"

-"That's right! There are no more rice cakes now! So let's make a lot, a lot of them!"

'She didn't get rid of all the rice cakes just for this… right?' But what if she did? It was much better to see her like this than when she was walking on eggshells.

"Come on, let's go make some rice cakes!"

-"Hooray!"

As Go Nam-tae turned around happily, he suddenly looked back in a hurry.

"…Oh, wait!"

-"What is it?"

"About the watermelons…"

But Go Nam-tae couldn't finish his sentence. If this picky eater found out, she might not even touch the watermelons.

'He said he heard about the watermelons from Jae-won, so he must have told them everything.'

"…They'll be surprised by how delicious the watermelons are."

Go Nam-tae set aside his worries and turned away. …He shouldn't have trusted Kim Jae-won.

---

"Gasp!"

Park Ki-beom flopped down into his seat.

"…Uncle?"

Park Ki-beom slowly stood up and instead worried about Park Seong-yeon.

"Are you all right?"

"Huh? Yes, I'm fine. Uncle, what's wrong?"

Seeing his nephew's bewildered expression, Park Ki-beom sighed further to himself. Perhaps he was fine precisely because he didn't know.

"Brother?"

But it seemed Jeong Sang-myeong didn't know either. Park Ki-beom asked Yang Man-chun this time.

"Did you know, Advisor?"

Yang Man-chun let out a small sigh and replied.

"…Yes. Not for certain, but I had my suspicions. But seeing you, Guild Master, it seems my guess was correct."

"Then why…!"

Park Ki-beom, who was about to raise his voice, immediately shut his mouth. Park Seong-yeon stood there looking perfectly fine. The person who made this possible was Go Nam-tae… or whoever was claiming to be Go Nam-tae. He must have had no choice but to make the same decision.

"I'm sorry, Advisor."

"Ho ho, Guild Master."

"Uncle, Mister, what are you talking about?"

"Brother? Advisor, please explain."

Park Ki-beom wiped his face and spoke to the two who were still dazed.

"A fissure is an exit for an invasion from the Labyrinth to Earth. The energy that pours out differs depending on who the invader is."

Everyone knew this. But that wasn't all.

"…Humans cannot open fissures. That is one of the absolute laws established as a taboo by the first sage, Danwol."

"…!"

Park Ki-beom asked Yang Man-chun.

"What floor do you expect he's on?"

Yang Man-chun closed his eyes tightly and spoke.

"…Floor 52 or higher. Yes, at the very least."

Those called the best in South Korea were only just now challenging Floor 52. Yet Go Nam-tae was a commoner until recently—someone who hadn't even officially registered. Such a person was opening a fissure from somewhere beyond Floor 52?

A heavy silence flowed. But soon, Yang Man-chun broke the suffocating silence.

"Whether he is the real Go Nam-tae or an unknown being imitating him, I do not care."

"Advisor!"

"Mister?"

Yang Man-chun said as he spread his trembling hands.

"Yes, I felt it too. I felt a terrifying pressure that almost made my limbs give way. But wasn't it different from other fissures?"

"Pressure…?"

Park Seong-yeon had never even felt the pressure. It meant that he exuded a different aura depending on the person. They had no choice but to be even more wary. But Yang Man-chun seemed to think differently.

"Have you ever heard of something coming out of a fissure and saving someone?"

"…."

"Actually, a moment ago, I received word from France."

"France… Did Ji Yul-geon return from the Erosion Zone? When? No, what did he say?"

A startled Park Ki-beom asked, almost lunging forward. Ji Yul-geon was a top-tier priest belonging to the Seonghwa Knights and was strong against curses. The time Park Seong-yeon was hit by the curse was, of all times, when they had been away on an expedition. It meant that the man who had been their only hope all this time had returned.

"He says he will return to the country in secret soon. I barely managed to stop him from rushing here immediately."

"Stop him? Why! Ah…"

Would the bastards who timed their terror attack to coincide with the Seonghwa Knights' expedition just sit idly by and watch him return? They would try to stop him even if it meant killing Ji Yul-geon.

"Instead, I sent all the food Master Seong-yeon has eaten so far. He will let us know the results soon."

Jeong Sang-myeong chimed in.

"Poisons or hallucinogens likely won't be detected. That's what the lab has been focusing its testing on."

What the lab couldn't find, Ji Yul-geon would likely struggle with too. Sending it to him was to check if there were any other curses. Yang Man-chun was certain nothing like that would be found.

"If he truly is an invader, I will personally stop him. However, I felt goodness in the food he sent. Where would you find an invader who wants to trade using crops grown in the Labyrinth?"

…There was one. Go Nam-tae.

In the midst of the short silence, Park Seong-yeon opened the small bundle wrapped in pumpkin leaves.

"Wow, this must be the rice cake from Nam-tae that Jae-won mentioned!"

Before anyone could stop him, Park Seong-yeon snatched a rice cake and ate it. Park Seong-yeon, who was busy chewing, clenched his fists.

"To eat something this delicious all by himself… Kim Jae-won!"

Shouting in anger, Park Seong-yeon held out the remaining rice cakes with trembling hands.

"I'm sorry for being rude and eating first. It's just that Kim Jae-won bragged about it so much…"

Everyone put a rice cake into their mouths, as if possessed, as he offered them with an embarrassed smile. After that, they all moved only their tongues and teeth in silence. If this was just a taste, it was truly cruel. If they wouldn't lose face, they would have licked the bean powder off the pumpkin leaves.

Park Seong-yeon spoke while gauging their reactions.

"Jae-won said that the watermelon over there has a flavor that's out of this world…"

"…."

Delicious food softens a person's thoughts. A meal that cleanly washed away mana fatigue and a piece of rice cake that was all too brief for a palate cleanser scattered the sharp wariness that had been present until a moment ago. With unspoken permission, Yang Man-chun sliced the watermelon.

But neither they nor Go Nam-tae knew. That Kim Jae-won had only bragged about the watermelon and left out the warning.