After the boss group was eliminated, the cleanup of Jeju Island also began to progress rapidly.
Unlike the Seoul incident, which was confined to Ahyeon-dong, the monsters had spread across the entirety of Jeju Island, making the search area extremely vast.
However, the Association’s reconnaissance team began to speed up the monster suppression as they fully deployed over several hundred Reconnaissance Drones.
Furthermore, the cleanup accelerated as other guilds that had finished up in Seoul arrived on the island, and small-scale Hunters who had been guarding Jeju Airport, as well as various harbors and ports, were also deployed.
Now, with most of the monsters suppressed, the situation had reached a point where the remaining stragglers could be handled by the guilds based in Jeju.
However, since it was getting late, those who had come down from Seoul decided to stay in Jeju Island for one night.
Even though Jeju Island had been devastated by the monsters, there were still hotels, resorts, condos, and pensions that were lucky enough to escape major damage.
The groups each found a place to stay, and Seong-jun’s party decided to stay at a pension right in front of the sea.
“Haha! It is an honor to host such famous people. Since you are all such great Hunters, I won’t have to worry even if a monster shows up. Hahaha.”
The lodging facilities that hadn’t sustained much damage were actually desperate to host Hunters.
Although most monsters were cleared, it wasn’t perfect yet, and no one knew when or where a monster might suddenly appear.
In such a situation, if Hunters stayed at the facility, they could quickly deal with any monster that might show up.
At the pension owner’s words, Seong-jun spoke with a smile.
“I’m already grateful that you gave us the entire building for free, but you even prepared all this food. Thank you so much.”
Gwang-taek and Yuseon also chipped in.
“Haha, if a monster crawls out, we’ll take care of it ourselves, so don’t you worry!”
“Exactly. At most, there will only be two or three of them. We won’t even need to step in; Chang-su can handle that much cleanly. Right, Chang-su?”
At Yuseon’s question, Chang-su clenched his fist and spoke.
“Don’t worry, Brothers and Sister. If one appears, I’ll rush over and finish it off before the meat gets cold.”
Seeing Seong-jun’s group so confident, the pension owner broke into a wide grin.
“Haha, this is truly reassuring. There is plenty of meat and alcohol, so please eat your fill.”
After saying that, the pension owner left the area to give them privacy.
Once only the group remained, Gwang-taek glanced at Lee Seon-hwa and spoke.
“You said your name was Seon-hwa, right? So, that means you can’t do anything right now, starting with financial transactions?”
Immediately after their brief talk with Lee Seon-hwa, Seong-jun had roughly explained her situation to the group.
Thus, they were aware that she was a Chimera merged with a monster and that she needed to hide from the Ministry of National Defense.
“Yes, so I think I’ll need a lot of help from all of you once we get to Seoul.”
At Lee Seon-hwa’s words, Yuseon looked at Seong-jun and asked, “Then where will she stay? Doesn’t she have a home right now? Even if she did, she wouldn’t be able to go there anyway.”
As Yuseon said, Lee Seon-hwa had nowhere to stay immediately.
“For now, I’m planning to have her stay in our hideout building. I’ll make a living space on the fifth floor and set up a separate lab on the second basement floor. I could get her a separate house, but she might be discovered if she moves around outside, so I thought it would be better for her not to go out for a while.”
Even though she had faked her death in the Secret Laboratory, Seong-jun judged that it wasn’t the time to relax yet.
He thought it would be better to minimize her external activities by having her eat, sleep, and conduct experiments in the hideout rather than traveling between a home and the base.
“I agree with Seong-jun. We can’t afford to wander around recklessly when we don’t know the situation over there. Until I’m certain they’ve judged me to be completely dead, I plan to refrain from outside activities as much as possible unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Lee Seon-hwa also had no intention of wandering outside.
With a safe residence and lab secured, there was no need to cause unnecessary risk.
“On that note, I think I might be able to get some help from the Association this time. I heard they handle identity laundering for Hunters who secretly naturalize from other countries. If the Association asks me for help, I plan to request an identity for Ms. Lee Seon-hwa in return. But since there’s no guarantee it will work, we should also prepare to create a forged identity separately. Brother Gwang-taek, do you know anyone who does that kind of thing?”
If the Association wanted Seong-jun to take an active role, he planned to request an identity for Lee Seon-hwa as compensation.
Of course, he intended to take everything else he could get as well.
However, this was merely Seong-jun’s plan; the Association might not ask for his help, or even if they did, they might refuse the identity laundering.
Therefore, he was considering a forged identity as a backup.
“Well, his work is certainly closer to the shadows than the light, but I don’t know if he knows people like that. I’ll ask him indirectly when we get back to Seoul.”
When Gwang-taek said he would check the situation, Seong-jun smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, since we don’t know how things will go with the Association, just see if it’s possible. Anyway, today was a truly spectacular day. We were clearing an A-rank Dungeon when we suddenly rushed to Ahyeon-dong to stop a Dungeon Break, and then we flew all the way to Jeju Island to stop another. At any rate, everyone worked hard. Now, let’s drink!”
As Seong-jun raised his glass, everyone clinked theirs together.
Thus, their spectacular day was coming to an end.
***
This Dungeon Break had left many scars on Korea in various ways.
The casualties were not few, and the property damage was astronomical.
Incheon and Busan had managed to clear their dungeons by deploying the maximum capacity before the Dungeon Break occurred.
In Seoul, they had somehow managed to wrap things up with Ahyeon-dong being devastated, but the damage to Jeju Island was far too severe.
The entire island had been turned into a wasteland.
However, one hopeful thing was that even though B-rank Dungeon Breaks occurred in two regions simultaneously, they had stopped them all without support from other nations.
Although they had the help of the Holy Emperor, they hadn’t received support on a national level, had they?
As it became known that Seong-jun’s performance was the reason this was possible, interest in Seong-jun spiked once again.
Especially in the case of Seoul, if Seong-jun hadn’t been there, the 2nd Defense Line might have been breached, and the monsters could have spread throughout Mapo-gu.
Thus, his contribution stood out even more.
On top of that, by treating all the lightly and seriously injured people at the temporary shelters and healing patients in Jeju Island as well, his image as a Saint became completely solidified.
Meanwhile, having returned to Seoul, Seong-jun immediately went to his uncle and aunt’s house.
“Oh! Welcome back. I heard you were very active in Jeju Island, just like in Seoul. You aren’t hurt anywhere, are you?”
At his uncle Lee Seon-jae’s words, Seong-jun smiled and replied.
“Of course. See? I’m perfectly fine. I was more worried about you and Aunt. You must have been very shocked.”
“Haha, I went through it once in Taean, so I wasn’t that surprised. Of course, your aunt seemed quite startled, but I was fine. Believe it or not, I was known for my grit since I was young.”
At Lee Seon-jae’s bravado, his aunt Yu Mi-ran snorted and spoke.
“Hmph! Your face turned pale and your eyes were as wide as saucers, so what grit? Don’t tell the boy such useless lies and come over here and help carry these side dishes.”
“Ahem! Woman! That was just because I was momentarily flustered from seeing a monster right in front of my nose! I told you I wasn’t surprised at all. Don’t you remember me trying to support you?”
“Good heavens, really now. Fine! I get it, so just come and carry the dishes already!”
What could he do? In the end, Lee Seon-jae stood up and headed toward the kitchen.
“Ugh, fine. I’m doing it, aren’t I?”
He then carried the side dishes to the dining table in the living room.
Of course, Seong-jun also rushed to the kitchen to help.
While they were sitting at the table eating, Seong-jun cautiously asked Lee Seon-jae.
“By the way, Uncle. Have you thought about what I said yesterday?”
At Seong-jun’s question, Lee Seon-jae took on a serious expression.
“Hmm, about opening a chicken shop in the building you purchased?”
“Yes. If you’re going to do it anyway, you should scale up and do it properly. And use this chance to move house as well. I’m planning to move into a nice apartment this time. You should come to that apartment as well, Uncle. I heard there are still vacancies, so if you and Aunt say okay, I’ll handle everything.”
When he suggested moving house following the chicken shop, Lee Seon-jae let out a sigh.
“Sigh, an apartment too? No. That’s too much of a burden for me. This place is still livable. You earned that money by risking your life, so use it where you need it.”
He could consider the chicken shop since it was a building Seong-jun already bought and he didn’t plan to take other tenants.
But receiving an apartment was a bit too burdensome.
“Your uncle is right. How could you spend the money you worked so hard for like that?”
When Yu Mi-ran also expressed her refusal following Lee Seon-jae, Seong-jun put on a disappointed expression.
“Uncle, Aunt, I’ll be really upset if you keep acting like this. Am I a stranger? You two are like parents to me. When I lost my parents in that accident and all my other relatives turned their backs on me, you were the only ones who took me in. And I know you were always anxious that I might be ignored somewhere for being an orphan. Thanks to you, I grew up well, wearing good clothes and eating warm meals. So please, let me do something for you this time.”
At Seong-jun’s earnest words, Lee Seon-jae and Yu Mi-ran were momentarily speechless.
“……”
“……”
Looking at them, Seong-jun continued.
“I told you yesterday, I have a lot of money in my bank account. No matter how much I spend, so much comes in that it just keeps piling up. I’m not going to take it all to the afterlife anyway, so let me show some filial piety like this. Let your nephew, who is like a son, give back to the uncle and aunt who are like parents, and let me feel a bit proud.”
What else could they do?
In the end, Lee Seon-jae and Yu Mi-ran had no way to win against Seong-jun’s persuasion.
“Sigh, man, when did he get so good at talking? I have no words to refute him.”
“I know. Our nephew wants to show some filial piety to his ‘parents,’ so we can’t just keep refusing. Sigh, fine. Let’s enjoy some luxury in a good house for once.”
Once his uncle and aunt accepted, Seong-jun’s face brightened instantly.
“Haha, of course you should. I’ll take care of everything, so don’t worry about a thing and just relax.”
Seong-jun felt very good now that he could finally do something for them.
Even as he saw the massive amounts of money accumulating in his account, it had been difficult to bring up the subject out of fear they might be offended.
He had used this Dungeon Break incident as an opportunity to speak comfortably.
Thus, Seong-jun continued his meal with a joyful heart.
***
After finishing his meal and leaving his uncle’s house, Seong-jun headed straight home.
Just as he arrived in front of his house…
“Are you Healer Kim Seongjun?”
Someone called out to Seong-jun.
By the looks of it, the person had been waiting there for a long time.
“Hmm? Who are you?”
When Seong-jun asked curiously, the man gave a pleasant smile and spoke.
“I am Yoshimoto Genzo, and I have come from Japan. I came to see you because I have something to tell Healer Kim Seongjun.”
At his very polite tone, Seong-jun nodded.
“Ah, yes. You’ve come from far away. But what is this about?”
The moment he heard the man was from Japan, Seong-jun could guess his purpose.
It was obvious he had come regarding Kato Asumi, who was called the Saintess of Japan.
Nevertheless, Seong-jun asked as if he knew nothing.
Yoshimoto maintained his politeness as he spoke.
“Have you perhaps heard that the Saintess of Japan, Lady Kato Asumi, wishes to meet Healer Kim Seongjun?”
As expected, it was indeed about Kato Asumi.
“Ah! I remember hearing about that from the Association President. However, I have a lot of work on my plate right now, and the Holy Emperor is also visiting Korea regarding me. I replied that it’s difficult right now, but I would make time to visit Japan later. Did you not receive a response from the Association?”
At Seong-jun’s question, Yoshimoto showed a troubled expression.
“I am not sure about that. I am merely the messenger. Haha, Lady Kato Asumi mentioned that she fully understands the situation where it’s difficult for you to leave Korea immediately due to the Holy Emperor’s visit. However, she requested that you visit Japan as soon as your schedule with the Holy Emperor is finished.”
In other words, she understood that he couldn’t visit because of the Holy Emperor, but anything else was beyond her range of understanding.
It meant he should come to Japan the moment his schedule with the Holy Emperor ended.
Although the words were very polite, the meaning behind them was quite arrogant.
Seong-jun replied with a bright smile.
“I see. But what should I do? Even if it’s not the issue with the Holy Emperor, I expect to be quite busy for a while. I can’t give you a definite time, but please tell her I’ll visit once my busy affairs are somewhat handled.”
Seong-jun also replied politely with a smile on his face, but the meaning behind it was, ‘Am I someone who comes and goes just because you tell me to? I’ll go when I feel like it, so wait.’
Whether he caught the meaning immediately or not, Yoshimoto’s expression stiffened slightly.
“The person in question is Lady Kato Asumi, who is called the Saintess. Since you hold the class of Healer, you must know what she means to other Healers. Rather than doing that, why not visit her immediately after your schedule with the Holy Emperor?”
At Yoshimoto’s words, Seong-jun let out a cold laugh.
“Heh, well. Kato Asumi is certainly a great expert who ranks among the top ten Healers in the world. However, being great and being respected are two entirely different things. She might be called a Saintess and be respected and worshipped in Japan, but that doesn’t mean she’s worshipped in other countries as well. It seems problematic to apply Japanese standards to Korea.”
She was a Saintess in Japan, but it was a mistake to think that title worked in other countries.
Of course, there might be places where it did, but at least not in Korea.
To be blunt, wasn’t Seong-jun also called a Saint in Korea?
Simply put, there was no reason for Seong-jun to bow down to her.
“Let me tell you again, I find it hard to leave right now. So tell her that I’ll visit when my busy work is settled and I have time. Although, if there’s some special reason she can’t wait, it wouldn’t be bad for her to visit Korea once.”
Yoshimoto’s expression soured rapidly at Seong-jun’s words.
It meant, ‘I’m busy and it’s hard to make time, so if you really want to see me, come yourself.’
“Hmm, may I take that as Healer Kim Seongjun’s official stance?”
When Yoshimoto asked for confirmation, Seong-jun answered simply.
“You may.”
Realizing that further conversation was pointless, Yoshimoto stepped back obediently.
“I see. Then I will relay those words exactly. Farewell then.”
After saying that, Yoshimoto turned around and walked away.
Looking at his retreating figure, Seong-jun chuckled.
“How dull. Anyway, why does that woman keep wanting to see me? If the goal was recruitment, they could have sent someone else. Ah, forget it. I have enough tasks at hand; there’s no need to worry about a Hunter from another country.”
Whatever Kato Asumi’s purpose was, it wasn’t something Seong-jun needed to worry about.
He had enough on his plate and couldn’t afford to care about such things.
Whatever it was, if she were truly desperate, wouldn’t she come to Korea herself?
Once Yoshimoto was completely out of sight, Seong-jun slowly entered his house.
***
At that time, at the Association.
The Association President and executives were in the meeting room discussing the recent incident.
“The situation is mostly settled, but the casualties were high and the property damage is enormous. Seoul had less damage than expected, but Jeju Island is truly in a serious state.”
“Even if it was an unavoidable situation, the event has already occurred, and someone will have to take responsibility. Most likely, the arrow of responsibility will point toward the Association. We must prepare for that.”
“By the way, I heard Healer Kim Seongjun was incredibly active again this time. Apparently, people are already calling him a Saint after it became known that he saved the lives of those on the brink of death and even healed the seriously injured ones. Just like last time, why don’t we actively utilize Healer Kim Seongjun?”
When the opinion to use Seong-jun was raised, the Association President let out a sigh.
“Sigh, Healer Kim Seongjun already said he would actively help if we want. However, he demanded something in return, just like last time. Since this situation is much more serious than before, that compensation will have to be even larger. What on earth should we give him?”
During the Taean Incident, there were no casualties or property damage, except for a few Hunters.
But this time was different.
The casualties and property damage in Ahyeon-dong alone were significant, and Jeju Island was at a level that was hard to watch.
It would likely take a long time to be restored to its former state.
Since the situation was incomparably more serious than Taean, the price they had to pay to settle this using Seong-jun would also have to increase accordingly.
“Even so, we must bring Kim Seongjun in. If the responsibility for this incident is transferred entirely to the Association, it won’t end with just a few of us losing our jobs. The aftermath might even reach you, President. But if we bring Kim Seongjun in, the situation changes. We won’t be able to avoid responsibility itself, but we can dilute the intensity of that responsibility as much as possible.”
Seong-jun was receiving nationwide support after playing a pivotal role in both the Taean Incident and this current crisis.
If such a person compared this incident to an unpredictable natural disaster and made friendly remarks toward the Association, the intensity of the responsibility placed on the Association would surely weaken significantly.
“Tsk, it can’t be helped. Then, from now on, let’s discuss what we should give him.”
Ultimately, the Association President decided to take Seong-jun’s help.