Title: [Anonymous] Deleting in 10 Minutes
Yae-syeong did Yae-syeong stuff.
But then the auction was stopped halfway.
In the anti, 240 broke Gyu-Gyu's shoulder.
240 got tied up by Jung Bin.
Then cousin got hit with a paddle by Hornet and passed out.
When they ca to, Hornet was checking the headcount with a sword, so they almost passed out again.
Matthew handed out roasted sticky rice cakes and told everyone to go ho.
So they went ho.
The end.
Believe it or not, it's up to you.
Comnts (34)
—Is this an Artisan Exhibition or a coliseum?
—Each part is unbelievable.
—If you're going to lie, at least do it sincerely——
—Strangely, the details feel vivid...
—Shouldn't there be a report if soone's shoulder was broken? This is unsettling...
⤷Are you from the secretary team? Is 240 still not at work? I have sothing to report.
⤷No ㅜㅜ Instructions co via email, but they haven't co to work.
Cha Eui-jae slowly read the posts, but instead of feeling reassured, his doubts only increased. If Lee Sa-young wasn't coming to work and only sending emails, there was enough possibility that Bae Won-woo was handling business under the na Lee Sa-young.
Just as Cha Eui-jae, biting his lip, was about to start browsing other posts, Choi Go-yo, who was whistling while drawing on his tablet, suddenly raised his head. His gaze fixed sowhere in the air. Cha Eui-jae glanced up slightly too.
82 [CH.1]"A gaphone has been used."
82[CH.1]"Writing gaphone ssage..."
A red gaphone icon appeared on the right side of the view. But Cha Eui-jae consciously kept his head down and his eyes fixed on his phone. The gaphone was from the Hunter channel that he had sealed after the Artisan Exhibition. Cha Eui-jae glanced sideways at Choi Go-yo, who was probably seeing the sa thing with his mouth agape.
'If you look or acknowledge it, you'll be screwed.'
Soon, big letters with bright red color and neat white borders suddenly popped into view.
82 [CH.1]" Jung Bin has used a gaphone."
[4] Jung Bin: Please maintain channel security. Hong Ye-seong-ssi, we won't hold you accountable, just confirm you're alive. If you're alive, just drop a dot ^^
So he uses a precious gaphone just to confirm if Hong Ye-seong is alive? Cha Eui-jae, staring blankly at the text, quickly calculated in his mind.
Surely, that guy was wrapped up like a kimbap and taken away by the awakened agents. He said he was going back into the mountain, right? Though he was distracted by Lee Sa-young, Hong Ye-seong's desperate cries were so vivid they stuck in his mory. Choi Go-yo murmured.
"Crazy... Could he have been kidnapped? Wow... if he really was kidnapped, the country would be in chaos. This is serious."
Cha Eui-jae felt the urge to shut Choi Go-yo's mouth. Each of those remarks tended to beco unavoidable flags. But before he could stop him, Choi Go-yo planted another flag.
"Or did he run off because he wanted at? Have you checked any chicken shops?"
Then three ssages arrived on Choi Go-yo's phone in quick succession. Cha Eui-jae casually checked the notifications. Since he was using the phone, the contents were imdiately visible.
Seo Min-gi: Hong Ye-seong escaped during transfer to Bukhansan, whereabouts unknown.
Seo Min-gi: Most personnel of the Awakened Managent Bureau are being deployed for Hong Ye-seong's search and protection.
Seo Min-gi: Please contact Romantic Opener.
'Shit.'
[Trait Poker Face (B) activated.]
Thanks to the ever-reliable Poker Face trait, Cha Eui-jae maintained a calm expression and composed voice as he handed the phone back like he hadn't seen anything.
"Thanks for showing . But you got a ssage."
"A ssage? What is it?"
Choi Go-yo's face changed color several tis as he checked Seo Min-gi's ssage. He turned pale, then red, then blue. He jumped up and hastily packed his things.
"Sorry! I have to go right away."
"Already? At least have a bowl of hangover soup before you go."
"No, no. Sothing urgent ca up."
"What kind of urgent?"
"I, uh, can't tell you. It's classified."
"Classified?"
"...Really can't tell you! I'll co back with the Vice-Guild Leader next ti!"
Choi Go-yo darted out of the hangover soup restaurant like a bullet. Only then did the restaurant regain its calm. Jung Bin's gaphone chat still lingered prominently before his eyes.
'No way...'
There were too many things coming to mind about why Hong Ye-seong might have suddenly escaped. But Cha Eui-jae decided,
'...Let's just focus on business.'
to ignore it for now.
***
Fortunately, the security of channel 1 seed to be well maintained, as most regular hunters appeared completely unaware of Hong Ye-seong's escape. They were just curious about who had won the weapons auctioned at the Artisan Exhibition. And channel 1 hunters, like Bae Won-woo or Honeybee, didn't show up until the shop was closed.
After finishing all the business and closing the shop, preparing the ingredients needed for tomorrow, it was already dawn. Cha Eui-jae sighed briefly as he finished the dishes and took off his rubber gloves.
Then,
"Cock-a-doodle-doo."
A strangely familiar rooster crow was heard. It was too clear to be dismissed as a hallucination. The sound ca from outside.
Opening the door, Cha Eui-jae looked around and slowly lowered his gaze. Inside a blue Baccas box placed next to the hangover soup shop door, a smooth, white sothing was curled up. Noticing Cha Eui-jae's gaze, it lifted its head and looked up at him.
Round but soulless black bean-like eyes. Smooth white porcelain-like body. Overall, it looked like a slightly foolish porcelain chicken.
It was Kkokko.
"Bawk?"
Cha Eui-jae quietly stepped back and closed the door.
Click, clack.
From beyond the door, Kkokko's curious clucks were faintly heard, but Cha Eui-jae ignored them and went to the kitchen to get a ladle. Holding the ladle that fit perfectly in his hand, he stared into space.
'Let's organize my thoughts.'
First, Hong Ye-seong, who was being transferred to Bukhansan, disappeared. Bukhansan is a mountain in Seoul, so it's physically close to the hangover soup shop. Thus, he could be found nearby. Second, Hong Ye-seong was crazy about magic stones. And that magic stone... Cha Eui-jae glanced at his inventory.
'It's still in my inventory...'
He regretted not giving it away back then! Gritting his teeth, he recalled that just before being taken away, Hong Ye-seong had seen Secretary Kim. He even tried to call for Secretary Kim. Though the mory was a bit blurry, he was sure their eyes had t.
Porcelain chicken Kkokko, made by Hong Ye-seong and only adheres to his commands. Why was Kkokko placed in a Baccas box by the hangover soup shop door instead of being with its master?
"Cluck, bawk, bawk..."
The clucking sounded ominous. It wasn't a greeting or a call to Cha Eui-jae, and it certainly wasn't a curious sound. It was more like clearing its throat before shouting...
'Fuck!'
Cha Eui-jae quickly opened the door and brought Kkokko inside along with the box. For a mont, Kkokko seed to show a hint of disappointnt. Sighing, Cha Eui-jae tapped its blunt beak with a finger.
"Hey, where's your master and why are you alone here?"
"Bawk."
"...No, don't answer. I feel like it'll be troubleso if I know."
"Bawk?"
Kkokko, tilting its head, stretched its neck towards the door. Cha Eui-jae also turned his head.
In the middle of a dark street with only a faint streetlight, a bright blue hiking outfit with sunglasses, a hat, a black mask that clung to the face, and a colorful handkerchief around the neck— soone who looked like a pri mber of a hiking club stood in front of the door.
'Suspicious.'
It was 2:30 AM now. It was too late to dismiss this person as a regular hiker passing by. Usually, hikers descend before dusk. And this wasn't a regular custor either; it was an unfamiliar face.
Cha Eui-jae glanced at Kkokko, who was quietly nestled in the box. Kkokko that suddenly appeared at the door. A hiker who appeared like a ghost once Kkokko was brought inside. So perhaps this hiker...
"Bawk."
Kkokko stretched its neck a bit more. The keen intuition that had saved Cha Eui-jae's life several tis crawled up his neck. Swiftly, Cha Eui-jae placed Kkokko on the table and locked the door.
Click. A peculiar standoff unfolded with just a door between them. The hiker pushed up their sunglasses with a hand holding a hiking stick.
"Excuse ."
"..."
"Can I ask you sothing?"
Gripping the ladle tighter, Cha Eui-jae quickly responded.
"I don't believe in it."
"I'm not a cultist. I'm not here to convert you. I'm non-religious."
"We don't buy water purifiers, newspapers, or hexagonal water."
"I'm not a salesperson. I'm not part of a pyramid sche. I just need to ask you sothing."
"Sorry, but we're closed."
"Please, just listen. I urgently need to find sothing. If I don't, I'll die."
"..."
A flash of lightning struck. The ntion of death made his plea even more persuasive. The hiker's sunglasses glead white. Shortly after, a low rumble of thunder followed. Raindrops began to fall, one by one.
And Cha Eui-jae saw it.
'Oh, fuck.'
"Have you seen..."
The hiker, drawing out his words, took an egg from his pocket, peeled it, and pulled down his mask. His exposed lower face looked disturbingly familiar. He took a bite of the boiled egg. Skillfully, he ate only the white, revealing the round, well-cooked yellow yolk.
Lightning struck again. Behind the sunglasses, his eyes with rotating golden patterns flashed brightly.
"A round, pretty magic stone, like this yolk."
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