No. 149

-…….

An awkward silence hung over the phone.

Meanwhile, Yoo-seong tried to recognize the voice that he’d heard.

The pronunciation had been correct but with a slight yet unmistakable accent that couldn’t be hidden. It seemed the person on the other line was a foreigner who had studied Korean well.

-Do you know who you’re talking to?

The voice had lost its confidence. The person seemed to be stalling for time.

“Is there a problem with your cognitive skills?” Yoo-seong snapped at him. “If I knew, I wouldn’t have asked. If you can’t speak Korean properly, why didn’t you call an interpreter?”

There was dead air on the call once more.

-That wasn’t what I was expecting based on what I’ve heard about you. You’re known to have good manners.

“Well, I think courtesy should be something exchanged by both parties. If you call me to warn me about something without even introducing yourself…” Yoo-seong paused for a second as he realized something. “Wait, before that, how did you even get my number?”

It was only a simple phone call. However, a direct line to Oh Yoo-seong was also one of the most valuable items currently available. As far as Yoo-seong was aware, there were only a handful of people who knew how to get in touch with him.

Seoyu and Sung-wook.

Director Yang Chang-guk.

Japanese Prime Minister Murata.

And, of course, the US leaders who had gotten his number after dealing with the Prime Minister.

It was clear that the person could only be calling him from Murata’s side or the US side.

-It’s not important who I am. Just having your number is proof enough that I am in a position to…

“No. That’s it. I don’t have time to waste on lesser humans.”

Just like that, Yoo-seong hung up his phone. Danny had watched the entire conversation, and his mouth had been open the whole time.

“I’m not worried,” Yoo-seong told him.

“What?”

“Because in less than ten seconds…”

Riiing-!

On cue, the phone rang again, and Danny realized what Yoo-seong meant.

The young man’s jaw dropped again in admiration.

-Alright.

This time, the voice sounded as if it were suppressing anger.

“So, what is it this time?” -We will postpone the details. Depending on what you do, you will suffer huge losses.

“To keep me from hanging up, the next thing you say needs to be a lot more helpful. And I’ll make sure you won’t be able to call me a third time.”

One of the things Yoo-seong had learned in China was the art of shamelessness.

Generally speaking, he had a polite attitude; however, sometimes, it was necessary to wear a mask.

And, of course, the effect was significant. There was a small but obvious change in the other person’s attitude.

-Who asked you to go to Hawaii?

This question somehow felt like déjà vu.

-No, I don’t even need to know. It’s probably those barbarians. It seems like they had enough money from the Salamander profit to hire you. So, how much did you get?

“Would you believe it if I told you I got zero dollars?”

-What?

“I’m not here because someone requested me. I’m just taking a short break.” Yoo-seong’s answer also felt like déjà vu as it escaped his lips.

-Listen carefully. The capital and time we have invested in that place are not a joke. We won’t allow a hunter to ruin our plans just because of money or his famous ‘sense of justice…’

“I have something to ask you…”

At this, the person on the other end of the line stopped talking. What Yoo-seong said next shocked him.

“When did you obtain the technology to determine that a crack would be ‘unclosed’ before it opens?”

-………!

The voice on the phone seemed to be speaking with another person. They were mumbling in English. Yoo-seong couldn’t understand them, but somehow he could grasp the tension on the other end of the line.

He felt as if both sides had misunderstood him. From what he’d heard from Danny, he could tell quite a few things. He fully understood why the Kowala Company was upset about his arrival. This crack was significant because it would ultimately bring Hawaii to its knees. Yoo-seong’s arrival was like a flame to an already-shortening fuse.

Meanwhile, Hawaii’s enemies, to whom Yoo-seong was speaking right now, were also not happy about him being on the island. They must have thought he was working for the Kowala Company. Still, because it was only a single crack, the Kowala Company should have been able to handle it by themselves.

Unless multiple cracks were opening at once, which would exhaust their manpower.

In that case, the only reason they could be asking Yoo-seong not to intervene was…

They knew this single crack would be an unclosed one.

“Why would you spend the time and effort calling to threaten me? It doesn’t seem like a simple case of your enemy hiring a strong hunter.”

It was about Yoo-seong’s decisive ability. The advantage that allowed him to close cracks that pulse breakers could not.

“Either you or someone else connected to you have the skill to determine whether or not a rift occurring in a particular area will be unclosed.”

-What nonsense…?

“It must be quite a secret, just based on your reaction right now.”

The upcoming Storm-class crack in Hawaii.

If it really were an unclosed crack… It would be the best thing that could happen for the mainland capitalists. No matter how hard the Kowala Company tried, it would be impossible to stop the endless waves of Salamander pouring out of the unclosed crack.

Naturally, Ali’s team would have no choice but to request external support.

-Now, wait…

Beyond the handset, Yoo-seong heard a quiet discussion, as if the person he was speaking with were receiving a report from a subordinate.

Before long, his unknown caller began to speak in an urgent tone.

-Now, I have just received information that you don’t actually have any contract with the Kowala Company. It seems that… you really were only stopping by…

“I told you. I didn’t come to this island for any purpose. But now…” Yoo-seong turned to Danny. “Now, I have a purpose for being here. Thanks to a foolish caller’s tip.”

-#@%&**(!!!!

Yoo-seong pulled the phone away from his ear just as a string of English profanity erupted. He also heard the sound of a palm hitting a desk.

-You can’t! I’ll stop you from signing with the Kowala Company at any cost! You are intending on closing a rift in another country without permission!

“…….”

-Is it about the money? Or your personal sense of justice? If it’s the latter, your country will pay the price for your selfishness. If it’s the former, well, I’m sure that we can…

“You’re not saying what I want to hear.”

-What…?

“I have been waiting for a while for you to give me an answer. What did I ask you in the first place?”

Yoo-seong had asked him a couple of questions at the beginning of the call. Who he was, and how he got Yoo-seong’s number.

Since receiving the second call, he had been waiting for those questions to be answered. However, the person on the other line had ignored his questions.

“I’ll say this for the last time…”

-I…

“I don’t have time to waste on lesser humans.” Yoo-seong took the phone from his ear and brought it close to his lips. “And you are not going to be able to call me anymore,” he whispered.

Toot-!

Then… that meant he’d really kept his word.

“Hey, Danny?” Yoo-seong turned to the stunned young man watching him.

“Y-Yes?”

“Guide me.”

“Guide? Where to?”

“To the place where the Genesis-class rift will appear.”

“……!”

Danny felt confused.

He had only listened to Yoo-seong’s side of the conversation and had no way of knowing about the unclosed crack. Only one thing was certain to him at the moment.

Hunter Oh Yoo-seong, his idol, was angry.

“If you don’t want to guide me, I’ll find it myself.”