Honeybee carefully pushed the door open and scanned the guild hall. Eui-jae also peeked his head in to check the situation.
Inside, four or five hunters were already gathered. Most looked like they had been called while receiving treatment, bandages wrapped around various parts of their bodies.
The boy standing before them spoke in a flat, emotionless tone
"Patients in treatment are simultaneously going into violent fits. I request your assistance in subduing them."
"Subdue? Not treat?"
"They are mutating patients. Also, take note: subdue, not kill. I judged that handling it alone would take too long, so I asked for help."
The hunters murmured among themselves. Mutation cases were troublesome to deal with. One muttered that his arm was injured. The hesitation was written on all their faces and it was understandable. Mutants were as powerful as monsters, and fighting them could easily lead to further injuries, even death.
One hunter raised his hand.
"What about breaking their arms or legs?"
"Please refrain if possible."
"Tch, that's really restrictive. Do we really have to?"
"No, it's not an order. It's a request."
"Then I'm out. My ribs still hurt."
"Same here. I'll just go back to bed."
"Yes, that's fine."
"I came here for treatment, not to get hurt again."
The hunters dispersed, leaving the hall empty. The boy watched them go, then turned and disappeared down the corridor.
Honeybee clicked her tongue.
"Hunters these days… have no guts at all."
"Maybe they just don't want to die."
"Even so. If they leave things alone, the situation will only get worse."
"You can't force people to sacrifice themselves."
"…"
A sharp look fell on Eui-jae. Adjusting his mask, he asked
"What?"
"No, it's just… when you say something like that…"
"Like what?"
"...Makes me want to hit you."
"What? Out of nowhere?"
"Don't know. Just feel like it. Take one hit."
"What are you even…?!"
Honeybee lunged with a fist. Eui-jae barely managed to grab her arm, struggling as she swung wildly. Even for him, her flurry of punches was difficult to fend off. Just as he was about to suggest a truce, a sly voice cut in.
"What's this? Since when are you two so close?"
"Ugh."
Honeybee flinched, her face contorting. At the bottom of the stairs, pale-blue hair swayed. Gyu-gyu grinned broadly, waving.
"Hey there. It's been a while"
"Get lost!"
"Aww, harsh. We're not on that bad of terms, are we? Besides,"
He bounded up the stairs two at a time, stopping right behind them.
"Even if I wanted to leave, you're blocking the way, aren't you?"
"…"
Honeybee's light-brown eyes flashed with killing intent. Eui-jae wisely released her arm. She ground her teeth, then slammed the door open.
"Out. Now."
"Scary, scary. Aren't you curious why I'm here?"
"Not one bit. Shut up and get lost!"
"But I wanna say it. Ah, J, it's been a while. How've you been, huh?"
Gyu-gyu grabbed Eui-jae's hand and shook it up and down furiously. Damn it. What was he supposed to do? Should he tell him to shove off like Honeybee? But Gyu-gyu was quick. Before Eui-jae could answer, he leaned casually against the door and began babbling.
"Not a big deal. My mom's showing the early signs of mutation. She's admitted here in the Seowon Guild hospital."
"…Mutation symptoms?"
"Yep~ I came to visit."
"…Then why are you crawling up from below?"
"Ah, I tried to see the doctor, but got kicked out. Heard he collapsed too."
Honeybee hesitated before asking
"You heard what that puppet said?"
"My ears are sharp. I was on my way to help when I bumped into you two blocking the way!"
"…"
"Hey, don't glare at me like that, I'm just explaining. Anyway, I'll be off."
"…Wait."
Gyu-gyu froze with his hand on the door. Honeybee's face twisted into something vicious as she spat out her words.
"…You're coming with us. I was going to help anyway."
"Oh? Really?"
"Shut up and move!"
"Ow, ow, stop kicking my ass!"
Eui-jae followed the two of them down the corridor. Honeybee crossed her arms as she walked, speaking low.
"What are you doing? You should be back in bed."
"Feels like I need to move a little to clear my head."
"…"
Honeybee bit her lip, then sharply turned away. She probably felt the same.
"Do what you want."
"…Thanks, Honeybee."
"Don't say stuff that doesn't suit you."
From the front, Gyu-gyu's singsong voice carried back.
"You two are so close… wanna be friends with me too?"
"No one said we're close!"
He got kicked three more times before finally shutting up.
Gyu-gyu led them unerringly toward the ward where the mutated were being held. The sharp stench of disinfectant and medicine grew stronger, mixed with rising noise, crashes and monstrous howls. At last, they reached a thick iron door.
From his jacket pocket, Gyu-gyu pulled a keycard and tapped it against the reader. Beep. The light above flashed green. He pushed the door open cautiously, whispering
"From here on, we go our own ways. My mom comes first."
He winked and slipped inside. Honeybee exhaled slowly, drew her rapier, and glanced at Eui-jae.
"Don't overdo it. Just help enough. Got it? Enough!"
"Got it. I don't want to end up back in bed either."
"Heh, finally talking sense."
With a faint smile, she disappeared after Gyu-gyu.
Eui-jae caught the closing door and peered inside. Chaos. A long corridor lined with rooms, swarming with mutants. Their distorted bodies howled and wailed, the noise splitting his skull.
A stabbing headache struck.
'No! No! No!'
'I don't want to mutate!'
'It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts'
"…"
The meaning beneath their cries pressed into his mind. Gripping the doorframe, he bowed his head, nausea rising. His vision flickered. No, he had to endure. Swallowing bile, he stepped inside. Immediately, something lunged.
Clutch! Eui-jae's hand snapped out, seizing the attacker. The boy choked, caught by the throat. His skin and hair mottled with white patches. His mouth and hands were already monstrous, fangs clicking, claws shredding Eui-jae's sleeve. But his flesh remained unscathed.
The boy writhed.
"Kiiiiek!"
"Ease your grip, please. You'll snap his neck."
The flat voice came from nearby. The marionette, calm even amid chaos, approached with a bow.
"I heard the conversation. Thank you for assisting."
"You're welcome… but, what do we do with him?"
"The patient's gown has his room number. Return him, and lock the door from outside."
Indeed, the number 108 was stitched to the chest. Still holding the thrashing boy, Eui-jae scanned the doors. '108, 108… found it.'
The room stood wide open, a normal-looking hospital room, far more humane than Prometheus's labs. He shoved the boy inside, slammed the door, and locked it.
'If the locks work, why were they all out?'
Honeybee's furious shout answered from down the hall.
"Are you out of your damn mind? Releasing them all so you can round them up at once?! What the hell kind of logic is that?! You're the type to jump from the 20th floor 'cause you're too lazy to take the stairs!"
"I judged it better than letting them break the doors and destroy the locks."
'Ah.'
Eui-jae sheepishly rolled up his torn sleeve.
'…Honestly, that's kind of reasonable.'
If Honeybee heard, she'd kick him. With that thought, he resumed hauling mutants one by one back into their rooms.
And still, sharp eyes followed him.
Gyu-gyu, biting his lip, watched the figure darting among the chaos. His white-streaked hair gleamed almost as much as the rampaging mutants. Even brighter than the last time he saw him.
Since his mother's first symptoms, Gyu-gyu had gathered countless mutation cases. Usually civilians, rarely Awakened. Was it because the System protected them? Or something else? Still unknown.
Their blood turned white. Their skin blotched pale. And soon after, they became monsters. Speed varied, but families of Awakened mutated more slowly.
'Then an Awakened would be even slower…'
The possibility gnawed at him. Gyu-gyu fingered the dice in his pocket. Jung Bin approached.
"Mr. Gyu-gyu, how is the situation? Your mother…"
"She's fine. The situation's obvious. The hero's flying around."
"He should still be resting…"
Jung Bin sighed. The dice rattled softly in Gyu-gyu's pocket. His gaze lingered on the scattering strands of ash-gray hair.
"Are you close to J?"
"…Pardon? Why do you ask that?"
"I mean, close enough to share secrets."
"…"
"My guess? He's hiding something."
At that, Jung Bin's expression stiffened.
"…Are you suspecting mutation?"
"Awakened mutate slower than civilians. His hair's getting lighter. Who knows what's under those clothes."
"…"
"Plus, he survived the West Sea Rift. No one knows what happened in there. Wouldn't it be safer to check the possibility?"
Gyu-gyu leaned back against a hospital door. From inside came the muffled sobs of his mother.
"See, the thing is…"
Thud! J slammed a massive mutant to the ground. His hand trembled slightly as he held it down. Just for a moment, then he straightened, pretending nothing was wrong.
Did he think no one noticed? It was obvious.
Gyu-gyu smirked bitterly.
"If J ever turns into a monster… I don't even want to imagine what'll happen."
He clapped Jung Bin's stiff shoulder twice and whispered
"…Dig into it."