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Chapter 29 - Dynasty

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Outside the Auditorium, the Hunter Association members had gathered to evacuate the commoners and other students. Go Geun-Hee turned around, looking behind over his shoulder after he'd felt the presence of the people they waited for. They had contacted the parents or the relatives of the people who went missing at the Fuschia Gate.

Seong Il-Hwan and Park Kyung-Hye arrived first. Park Kyung-Hye looked so distraught, holding Seong Jin-Ah in her hands. She looked so pale as if all blood had drained from her body. Woo Hak-Jin arrived next with his close friend who became the coach for the young man who went missing, Song Chi-Yul. The parents of Baek Yoon-Ho, Min Byeong-Gyu, and Choi Jong-In were still on the way.

"Ms. Cha Hae-In and Cha Hae-Sal's parents are working oversea. They most likely will take a long time to come here, just the same with Belladonna and Bastian's mother, the only living relative they have. I am curious, though", after turning on his cigarette, Woo Hak-Jin turned to Kim Song Eun whose face had the clear print of a hand as if someone had slapped him hardly "Minister of Defence, what happened to your face?".

For your information, Woo Hak-Jin was the Chief of the Hunter Metropolitan Army Agency (the special Hunter whose job desk was similar to the Police and Soldiers who prioritized the safety of the common people) right now. Meanwhile, Kim Song Eun was the Minister of Defence. Ironically, even if Kim Song Eun was one of the most feared and powerful men in Seoul, it did not change the fact that he was still a hen-pecked husband.

"...My wife blamed me because she didn't get the chance to meet our son after knowing that he went missing at the Fuschia Gate right after he had just come back from his military service. She lamented about how lucky I was because I still got the chance to meet with him and she even said that I am not allowed to enter the house before I bring back our son".

Song Chi-Yul remarked, "You're surprisingly calm for someone whose son went missing, Hak-Jin".

"I should get used to this by this point. Do you think how many times my son has gotten into the near-death experience especially when it's related to Ha-Neul Agassi's safety?", with the solemn looks in his eyes, Woo Hak-Jin blew the smoke from his mouth "Every little bird will leave their nest and fly away. My son only goes through that phase faster than ordinary kids. We, the parents, only can trust our children to come back home safely in this kind of situation because elsewhere the children will go home other than to their parents?".

Listening to Woo Hak-Jin's words, Seong Il-Hwan felt relieved a little because his wife calmed down a bit.

Looking at Amanda who kneeled silently with both hands raised in a praying position, Park Kyung-Hye asked "What did Lady Amanda do?".

Clenching his fists inside his pocket, Go Geun-Hee replied "Amanda is using her Clairvoyance ability to foresee those children's whereabouts inside the Fuschia Gate. Hopefully, she can use telepathy to contact one of them. If it's possible, with the help from the S-Rank Hunters here, Amanda will try to disrupt the waves of Mana on this Gate to open up the Gate forcefully".

Seong Il-Hwan sounded hopeful "What can we do to help you?".

Go Geun-Hee snapped his fingers and transferred his Mana to Amanda "We just need to transfer our Mana to her. Exactly like what I've done".

Kim Song Eun asked sceptically "Does it even possible?".

Woo Hak-Jin muttered, "Never heard about it".

Of course. It was only possible when the Rulers were involved. They needed to do this. Not only were the successors from the King of Dead and the Mother of Life trapped inside it, but also because they felt the ominous being inside the Dungeon.

Suddenly, Amanda sucked in a deep breath and collapsed backwards. Go Geun-Hee caught her but before he could ask something, Amanda grabbed his bicep, holding her forehead.

She muttered as her eyes shook "...Double Dungeon".

It was not the doing of the Rulers.


Cha Hae-Sal was the first to voice out her exasperation "Unnie, Sunbae, I can't believe you two. I mean, I understand with my reckless twin Unnie—".

Cha Hae-In sounded offended at that "Hey!".

Ignoring her twin sister, Cha Hae-Sal continued "—But why did you jump too, Sunbae?".

Seong Jin-Woo shrugged "And let you two off somewhere we don't know? Not a chance".

Cha Hae-In sighed exasperatedly "Still, don't you think that your action was too reckless, Sunbae? Why would you jump?".

Holding her hand, Seong Jin-Woo declared "I can't let you disappear to only Gods-know-where in front of my eyes without the guarantee that I'll ever get to see you again".

Cha Hae-In blushed furiously "W-what are you talking about, Sunbae? Still, it's not the reason to...".

(Inside the shadow, Igris lifted his thumb "Smooth move, my Liege".

Bellion whistled "It seems like that our Future Queen is shy".)

Woo Jin-Cheol clasped his hands "Alright, as much as we enjoy your lovey-dovey moment—".

Seong Jin Woo and Cha Hae-In shouted in unison "We're not!".

"Oppa, it's so mean of you. You should have let them have their lovey-dovey moment".

"They could have done it privately".

"Oh, you're right".

Seong Jin-Woo asked incredulously "The very first thing you two did once you reunited is to group teasing me and Hae-In?".

Cha Hae-In narrowed her eyes "I guess I can understand a little about the reason why they fit each other as a couple".

Ha-Neul and Woo Jin-Cheol stated in unison "We are not a couple".

Min Byung-Gyu snickered "Oh, really? Your action told us otherwise".

Before their bantering escalated into a fight, Choi Jong-In cut them off "The most important thing, we should stick close together and survive. Especially considering not all of us can fight here".

"You're right, but first of all", Baek Yoon-Ho's eyebrow twitched before he asked pointedly "Should you jump, Choi? Of all people, I didn't think that you would do it!".

Choi Jong-In scratched his neck nervously "Let's just say that it's sort of... reflex. After all, had I been able to catch Hae-Sal in time, she would not have gotten thrown into this Gate".

Cha Hae-Sal felt touched but being the blunt woman she was, Cha Hae-Sal tilted her head and said innocently "However, what's the point of coming with us like this when you can't even fight?".

Ouch. It was true and it was hurt.

Choi Jong-In sulked "...I know, unlike Woo Jin-Cheol or Eun Seok Hyung who is Awakened, I'm not an 'Awakened', even".

Feeling guilty, Cha Hae-Sal amended and waved her hands "Um... but at least, you're handsome and smart, Sunbae!".

Eun-Seok chuckled heartily "Now, now. Let's wander around, shall we? We need to know whether we can find any kind of supply or not".

They wandered around this place. The place where they landed was indeed Dungeon with the touch of Ancient China. They walked around the courtyard until Eun-Seok mumbled.

"Don't you think it's strange? We don't meet any single soul here".

Min Byung-Gyu replied casually "Isn't it good? I'd prefer not to meet the monsters here".

"That's not the point. As much as I don't want to admit it, he's right", Bastian lifted his eyeglasses to fix their position "We don't meet other people or monsters. We don't even find any single living soul like the animals".

Now, they mentioned it... this place was indeed oddly devoid of the living beings. Suddenly, Seong Jin-Woo and Go Ha-Neul felt a strong headache as they grabbed their head. When they re-opened their eyes, it was only the two of them in the—.

Seong Jin-Woo mumbled audibly "...Cartenon Temple".

Architect grinned creepily "Welcome, Player and Hidden Player".

Seong Jin-Woo and Go Ha-Neul exchanged glances before they commanded "Arise / I Summon Thee".


Meanwhile, the others were panicked (went crazy for those who close with their missing friends a.k.a. their love interest, such as Woo Jin-Cheol, Choi Jong-In, or the big sis from the twin Cha).

Cha Hae-Sal was horrified "Where'd they go?".

Baek Yoon-Ho frantically looked around "To where did they disappear suddenly?".

When Seong Jin-Woo and Go Ha-Neul had to face their 'test' in the Cartenon Temple, the others were wandering around until they arrived in another temple.

Phoenix Temple.

"Greetings. Welcome to the Phoenix Temple, Hunters".

They were welcomed by a Chinese woman who wore the extravagant Chinese red dress like the one from the royal family members of Chinese Empire would wear. Bastian recognized that woman as one of the people who went missing in the Fuschia Gate years ago.

She was Liu Zhu Que, the little sister of the strongest Hunter in China, Liu Zhigang.