Chapter 21: Butterfly Effect
The sliding door slid open, and as someone entered the shop, the previously relaxed atmosphere froze solid once again. The hunters who had been chewing their rice stopped their chewing motions, and someone who nearly choked managed to stifle it through sheer willpower.
A figure, bent over with a gas mask, stopped in its tracks, seemingly assessing the situation. An almost absolute silence, where not even breathing could be heard, prevailed.
It was the one standing by the door who broke the silence first.
"Strange."
Lee Sa-young sneered as he walked briskly across the hall.
"Why is a government official here?"
Jung Bin responded calmly.
"Of course, I'm here for dinner. I didn't expect to see you here, Lee Sa-young-ssi."
"Hmm... you seem free."
"Haha, not really. Even without Lee Sa-young-ssi stirring things up, Korean civil servants are always busy."
Despite the clearly barbed words, Lee Sa-young scoffed and went to sit in a corner. The hunter who had been sitting at that table, shoveling down hangover soup, gasped and threw money on the table before fleeing.
Damn it, those bastards are scaring away all my customers. Cha Eui-jae looked forlornly at the other hunters starting to stir and shuffle their seats as one left. Regardless, the two uninvited guests continued their conversation.