Chapter 98: Trigger
That day, he never once regretted holding that boy's hand at the Mangwon Rift. However...
Cha Eui-jae muttered nonchalantly with his hands in his apron pockets.
"He got a lot better with continuous treatment. Well, he wasn't completely cured. He needed periodic antidote treatments... but I couldn't return from the West Sea Rift. The supply of antidote materials must have stopped."
What weighed on his mind was that he couldn't take full responsibility. The boy, who likely died quietly due to J's absence, lingered in a corner of his heart.
Did J save everyone who entered the West Sea Rift after leaving the boy behind? No. He saved no one. Moreover, he lives on, thrown into a peace that exists without him. The back of the hero, once idolized, was stained with failure.
Perhaps that's why the people he saved from the Jongno 3-ga underground dungeon felt more precious to him. They were people he saved after countless failures.
Cha Eui-jae, not understanding why he was telling this long-buried, scattered story, continued speaking awkwardly. Come to think of it, he had never shared this story with anyone before.
As he scuffed the sole of his shoe on the ground, he added,
"It's been 8 years since I entered a rift. That's how it is."
"...."
Seo Min-gi listened silently, without a hint of sympathy or worry. That made Cha Eui-jae feel more at ease. The man, tapping his tablet pen on the screen, finally spoke.
"I'm just confirming, so please don't be offended. Have you ever tried hiring a detective agency? There are many errand centers run by hunters nowadays."