HDCA 09

CHAPTER 09

No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with a good plan. Without realizing it, I muttered about asking Seo Taeju for help—but immediately shook my head.

Seo Taeju, as expected of a novel’s protagonist, was fundamentally a righteous person.

If Michael were truly in danger, he wouldn’t just stand by and ignore it.

But how would I even ask him?

I couldn’t say, “I read it in a novel that a monster wave will happen here,” nor could I say, “I saw the future—let’s go hunt monsters together.”

He’d just treat me like a madman and lock me up.

The thought of a confinement ending made me shake my head violently.

“That bastard would absolutely do it. No doubt about it.”

Setting aside the imprisonment ending, on the day Michael would face the monster wave, Seo Taeju would be in Busan inside an S-rank dungeon.

That dungeon was where he obtained an important item, so I couldn’t stop him from going.

“Haa… what now?”

I circled Michael’s name again and thought.

Since the monsters were fire-attribute, it would be simple if I could just summon a large amount of water—but where would I even get that much water?

If there were a Hunter capable of producing enough water to wipe out all the fire golems, that would solve everything—but the strongest water-type Hunter in the novel was B-rank, and a foreigner at that, so I couldn’t bring them here.

And since the monsters came from a dungeon, normal water wouldn’t even work.

“What could there be… what items were in the novel? There was something that could summon water—”

Then suddenly, one item came to mind.

“Oh, that.”

The item was called Cheongun (Blue Cloud).

It appeared in the later part of the story and was discarded as useless in the Cradle arc—but it was more than enough to deal with fire golems. No, it would be perfect.

“So that means…”

I searched the Seoul dungeon map on my newly bought phone.

There were so many dungeons packed into such a small city.

Tsking, I filtered by “forest” attribute—and the 72 dungeons dropped down to 10.

Then I added the monster type “Forest Guardian” and searched again.

Only one result appeared.

“Found it.”

C-rank Seoul Forest Dungeon.

For my D-rank body with no stamina, it was a dangerous dungeon.

But I already knew everything about it from the novel—what monsters appeared, how to kill them, everything was already in my head.

I couldn’t clear it with alchemy alone, but with a few items, I could definitely reach the boss room.

“Guess I’ll stop by an item shop while I go to the supermarket.”

I glanced at Seo Goun’s disgusting wardrobe.

“I should sell all of this.”

“What is this now?”

“Breakfast.”

I yawned lazily and held out the egg-dipped toast.

Seo Taeju looked back and forth between me and the toast with a strange expression.

What’s with this guy? I offered him food and he’s staring like I handed him poison.

“It’s not poisoned. Not even drugged.”

Just then, he seemed to decide I actually had poisoned it.

He frowned, snatched the plate, and threw it straight into the sink.

Crash.

The plate shattered.

“You…!”

My vision went white for a moment.

Honestly, I didn’t expect him to smile and eat it or anything. I wouldn’t even mind if he ignored it. But—

He threw it away? In front of me?

Me, who used to be grateful for even one meal a day before becoming a cop.

And he just threw away food in front of me?

The anger I’d been holding back exploded instantly.

“Shit… I’ve been holding back, but what the hell are you doing? Do you think food is a joke?!”

“You must be desperate for money again. I’m not giving you any more. No, I won’t.”

“Money? This damn bastard—”

Who the hell does he think I am, some beggar?

“Desperate?” after everything I went through as an orphan who grew up in an orphanage—

Rage flared.

But the one who sparked the fire didn’t even care.

“Feeling bold because of that purification thing? Don’t get cocky. Just being in the same room with you makes me feel like shit.”

He shoved my shoulder and walked out.

“What the hell did that bastard just say?”

Even when I read the novel, I used to curse Seo Goun from Taeju’s perspective.

So I understood that Taeju treating me like this was technically “canon.”

But I thought we had at least become tolerable after Salt’s purification.

That’s why I even made him breakfast—out of goodwill after staying up all night thinking about the dungeon strategy.

“Sunshine policy? Cancelled.”

Strategy mattered for saving humanity. I didn’t need to be friends with him.

‘Besides, I’ll just return to my world after meeting a god with the wish orb. Why do I even need to get along with him?’

That bastard can do his thing, I’ll do mine.

There was no reason to reconcile anymore.

And no—my childhood memories? Probably just my imagination.

Sure, I was prickly—but I never did anything like that.

“He used to bite anyone like a rabid dog, and now he’s acting like a human being?”

The principal’s words flashed in my mind—but I ignored them.

“Peep?”

Salt tilted its head at me.

“Nothing. Let’s sleep.”

Even I, who likes cleaning, didn’t feel like cleaning broken dishes right now.

‘The one who broke it should clean it.’

I yawned and headed toward my room—then the doorbell rang.

“Who is it?”

On the intercom, a red-haired man stood outside, looking annoyed.

“Don’t tell me Seo Goun ran up debt too… no way, right?”

It was absurd—but honestly, Seo Goun in the novel would do something like that.

While I hesitated, the bell rang again and again.

“…Who is it?”

“Who else?! I’m here on Seo Taeju’s errand! Open the door!”

Taeju?

In the novel, Taeju only tolerated conversation, not closeness. The only people he interacted with were guild members or a few party teammates.

If someone called him “hyung”… they must be from the guild.

‘Why send an errand runner instead of coming himself?’

My irritation spiked.

“Is he a guild member or what? Why is he acting like this?”

“What?!”

“Fine, I’ll open it.”

I muttered and opened the door.

Soon after, a red-haired man stormed inside.

“Are you crazy? It’s hot as hell and you took forever to open the door!”

‘Vice guild leader or regular guild member, just get your business done and leave.’

I was already exhausted from lack of sleep.

‘Maybe I should skip the item shop and just sleep… why did I even get possessed here? I need coffee.’

As I stared toward Taeju’s room, the red-haired man came out holding a document envelope.

“You’re living way too comfortably. Meanwhile Taeju hyung is working his ass off.”

What does Taeju suffering have to do with me?

I shrugged.

“Stop talking nonsense and leave if you’re done.”

As I turned toward the kitchen, he grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.

“Seriously, is that all you can say?”

“Who the hell are you?”

I frowned.

The man’s face twisted.

“You’re seriously saying ‘who are you’ to me?”

“So what, should I say ‘thank you for insulting me’ to a stranger?”

“You’ve completely lost it.”

“Listen, I don’t know why you’re mad, but get out while I’m still being polite.”

I shoved him away.

I was Seo Goun, yes—but I was also Kim Haea.

I didn’t owe anyone hatred just because I possessed someone’s body.

Then he shouted sharply.

“Do you know how much trouble Taeju hyung had because of the Seohyeon-dong monster wave?!”

Seohyeon-dong? That’s the wave I already prevented after possessing this body.

So what?

I turned back.

He gritted his teeth.

“Taeju hyung was in a dungeon with the Center that day! If it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t have had to abandon the dungeon halfway! You sent that message! Because of trash like you, he ended up owing the Center!”

Center—the national Hunter organization.

I laughed.

“How is that my fault?”

“What?”

I don’t even know if Seo Goun sent a message or not before I possessed him.

But so what?

“Even if a message was sent, Taeju made the choice. If he didn’t want debt, he shouldn’t have gone.”

“You’re insane!”

“If someone texts me asking for help, I still have the choice to ignore it. Right?”

“You’re unbelievable… you’re not just trash, you’re insane.”

“Yeah, I am. Now stop barking and go think about how your precious hyung will repay his debt.”

I clicked my tongue and turned away.