Chapter 76 – A Bad Premonition

“Thanks for the meal, Do-jun!”

“I ate well thanks to you!”

The classmates each said a word as they left the restaurant.

“Do you really have to go?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s too bad, really.”

“But why are you taking Su-jeong with you?”

“I have something important to tell her.”

Though curious, the classmates didn’t ask any further questions.

They didn’t want to upset Min Do-jun by prying.

They were just disappointed about parting early.

‘We need to get closer so I can borrow money…’

Though money was their ultimate goal, they didn’t act hastily.

There would be other opportunities.

‘We can meet again later.’

Meeting frequently would help them get closer and eventually enable borrowing money.

‘Today I should be satisfied with just having a meal with Do-jun.’

But they didn’t know this would be their last chance to meet Min Do-jun.

“Do-jun, is this your car?”

“Yeah.”

The classmates looked enviously at the Mercedes parked in front of the restaurant.

“Looks fully loaded – how much did it cost?”

“About 200 million won?”

The men were genuinely envious that he could mention 200 million won so casually.

“Why didn’t you get a sports car?”

“I heard B-rank hunters and above usually drive sports cars.”

“This is just the only car I’m familiar with. Plus sports cars stand out. And they’re noisy.”

Both men and women looked at Min Do-jun with admiring eyes at his assessment that only the wealthy could make.

Except for one person – Im Hyeong-chan.

‘That guy, where is he trying to go alone with our Su-jeong!’

While other classmates thought he must have real business to discuss, Im Hyeong-chan felt differently.

He suspected Min Do-jun had ulterior motives toward Im Su-jeong.

Though he wanted to stop them, as a mere ordinary person he had no power to stop a hunter.

All he could do was watch while trembling.

“Get in.”

Min Do-jun personally opened the car door for Im Su-jeong.

‘Wow, feel these seats.’

Though not her first time riding in another man’s car, it was her first time in an imported car.

“Well, we’ll go first. Have fun.”

“See you next time, Do-jun!”

“You better answer when I call!”

“Mine too!”

Min Do-jun gave a single wave and drove off somewhere with Im Su-jeong.

“Do-jun, where are we going?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Though she didn’t know the destination, Im Su-jeong was happy just being in the car together.

When they stopped at a light, Min Do-jun turned to look at her seriously.

“Su-jeong.”

“Y-yes?”

“Do you like me?”

Im Su-jeong blushed deeply at the direct question.

It was unexpected.

“W-what do you m-mean…”

“Just tell me straight. Do you like me? Or dislike me?”

“I-I don’t dislike you…”

“So?”

Urged by Min Do-jun, Im Su-jeong lowered her head shyly.

“I… like you.”

“Really?”

Min Do-jun asked with a subtle smile.

“Then would you go to a place like this with me?”

They must have arrived at their destination as the car stopped.

Im Su-jeong looked around and spotted the sign.

A sign that read MOTEL.

“Oh!”

She was startled, having not expected this at all.

“A-are you joking…”

When she turned, Min Do-jun was staring intently at her.

His serious expression suggested this was no joke.

As if to prove it, he asked again:

“Could you go in?”

“…”

Im Su-jeong lowered her head again, face red as a radish.

‘What kind of situation is this?’

Not only suddenly asking if she liked him, but bringing her to a motel…

‘This doesn’t seem like a joke…’

Im Su-jeong already had feelings for Min Do-jun.

When she first heard his annual salary was 3.2 billion won, she was ready to give everything, but when it rose to 60 billion, she felt even more strongly that she couldn’t let him slip away.

In her mind, she had already married him and had three children.

That’s how confident she was in her ability to win Min Do-jun over.

‘But I didn’t expect him to be so forward…’

Though these days people might get intimate after just making eye contact, isn’t this too fast even then?

‘We haven’t even met for 2 hours yet!’

Plus it’s not even 8 PM yet.

Shouldn’t things progress after some drinks, in the dark hours of dawn?

‘What should I do? How should I answer?’

She had no intention of refusing.

She wasn’t financially naive enough to kick away 60 billion won that had rolled her way.

Her current dilemma was how to accept while maintaining appearances.

‘If I accept too easily, he’ll think I’m loose.’

But if she hesitates too long, Min Do-jun might change his mind.

‘Being too clingy looks bad.’

After contemplating briefly, she finally spoke.

“Yes…”

“Yes? What did you say?”

“I can go…”

She nodded shyly.

‘Act modest.’

It was a fox-like method to maintain appearances while still getting what she wanted.

Seeing this, Min Do-jun smiled and said.

“Then let’s go.”

Click-

Getting out of the car, he grabbed his bag from the back seat and took Im Su-jeong’s wrist.

‘Are we really going in?’

She had considered the possibility it might be a joke, but he was really taking her into the motel.

Following him reluctantly, she looked around.

She was worried someone might see them.

Fortunately, no one was there – but she didn’t know.

A man was secretly watching.

It was Lee Cheon-sik, who had been tailing Min Do-jun.

‘They seem like old classmates meeting after a long time, yet they’re entering a motel together.’

He had been following Min Do-jun since his house.

He wondered why he had dressed up in a suit and even visited a salon.

‘So it was to seduce a woman?’

Seeing them enter the motel, it clearly wasn’t just for meeting classmates.

‘Well, it’s natural for a young man to meet women, but…’

Even he hadn’t expected them to enter a motel when it was only 8 PM.

‘I should stop tailing here.’

Lee Cheon-sik quietly turned away.

He’d have to wait until morning to see the couple emerge.

‘Hey kid, is that guy gone? If he’s gone, once; if he’s here, twice.’

[Woof!]

‘Okay.’

Min Do-jun checked his watch with a satisfied smile.

It wasn’t even 9 PM yet.

‘Fortunately, I won’t be late.’

Having shaken off his tail, he could attend service today.

This was why he had met his classmates.

To escape Lee Cheon-sik’s surveillance.

‘In his eyes, I must look like I’m here to play with a woman.’

He hadn’t entered the motel because he had feelings for Im Su-jeong.

He just needed a place and excuse to break free from surveillance.

Im Su-jeong was merely bait for this purpose.

Min Do-jun glanced at the shower.

He could see her silhouette showering.

Though he knew what expectations she had in following him, Min Do-jun had neither the intention nor time to play along.

‘I need to hurry to the pickup location before it’s too late.’

He took out the clothes he had prepared from his bag.

He changed from his suit into casual clothes.

Then he transformed his face into Gil Chung-su’s appearance.

Click-

Min Do-jun carefully opened the door and left the motel with his bag.

Im Su-jeong would be furious when she finished showering, but it didn’t matter.

They would never meet again anyway.

“Hello, mister.”

“Mr. Gil! Why didn’t you come last week?”

As soon as he arrived at the chapel, Min Do-jun smiled slightly at Gwak Gi-deok’s question.

“I had something to do. Did anything happen while I was away?”

Though he asked for information, he didn’t expect much.

Surely nothing could have happened in just a week.

“Something did!”

Min Do-jun’s eyes went wide.

“What happened?”

“You know how I’ve been giving a lot of offerings? Maybe because of that, He called for me last week.”

“Who did? Lord Heaven?”

“Yes! I met Lord Heaven after last week’s service!”

Lord Heaven was the god of the religious order.

Naturally, meeting Lord Heaven alone wasn’t easy.

Perhaps that’s why Gwak Gi-deok spoke proudly about it.

“My strategy of catching Lord Heaven’s eye through large offerings worked.”

“Wow, I’m so envious! What did you two talk about?”

“How could a mere believer like me have a conversation with Lord Heaven? I just listened to His words. Even without me speaking, He saw right through my heart.”

“What did He say?”

“He said He acknowledged my sincerity and would help my daughter become a hunter. He told me to bring my daughter next time for service. So I brought her.”

Gwak Gi-deok introduced the woman beside him.

“This is my daughter. Seon-yeong, say hello.”

“Hello. I’m Gwak Seon-yeong.”

“Ah, yes. I’m Gil Chung-su.”

Min Do-jun bowed awkwardly, apparently not expecting him to bring his daughter.

‘Kim Peter told him to bring her?’

What could be the reason for calling her?

He had a bad feeling about this.

“Sir, why do you think Lord Heaven called for your daughter?”

“Hm? To give her a blessing, of course. It’s almost Seon-yeong’s birthday.”

Does such a blessing that supposedly increases awakening probability really exist?

No matter how much he tried to recall his memories from before the regression, he’d never heard of such a thing.

Feeling uneasy, Min Do-jun looked at Gwak Seon-yeong.

“Seon-yeong, do you really want to become a hunter?”

“Of course.”

“What a silly question. You think I’d force someone who doesn’t want to be a hunter to come here?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I’m just curious about your reason for wanting to become a hunter.”

Gwak Seon-yeong answered calmly.

“People say being a hunter is like winning the lottery. Isn’t wanting to win the lottery natural in a capitalist society?”

“But facing monsters would be dangerous…”

“That’s fine. If I can make money, that level of risk is acceptable.”

“Do you really think money is more important than your life?”

“Hey, Mr. Gil! What kind of talk is that to someone who’s decided to become a hunter? Let’s stop this nonsense and receive the service. It’s midnight.”

Min Do-jun closed his mouth as the High Priest ascended the platform.

‘She seems genuinely determined to become a hunter.’

He had tried to persuade her to give up becoming a hunter due to his bad feeling, but if she had already made up her mind, there was nothing he could do.

‘Though it’s not my place to interfere with someone becoming a hunter…’

The problem was Kim Peter.

‘I can’t tell her not to go just because it seems like a scam…’

Getting more involved might be unnecessary meddling.

Maybe Kim Peter really would give her a blessing?

Still, he couldn’t trust it.

‘Even if there is a blessing, it definitely won’t be given with good intentions.’

Kim Peter was definitely not a devout believer.

He must have some ulterior motive.

‘A normal religious order wouldn’t sell sleeping pills.’

The doctrine itself was typical of a cult religion, so that went without saying.

Nevertheless, Min Do-jun gave up trying to persuade her.

‘How can I persuade someone who believes so firmly in Lord Heaven…’

If he spoke against Lord Heaven, he’d be marked as a suspicious person.

‘Better to stay quiet.’

The service finally ended past 3 AM.

Now everyone would take the van home.

Except for one person.

“Ms. Gwak Seon-yeong.”

“Yes?”

“Lord Heaven is calling for you. Shall we go?”

“Ah, yes.”

Gwak Seon-yeong moved at the attendant’s words.

When Gwak Gi-deok tried to follow, the attendant stopped him.

“Lord Heaven only called for Ms. Gwak Seon-yeong.”

“What? Then I…”

“Please go home and wait for the results.”

“Ah! I will!”

While Gwak Gi-deok turned away without any suspicion, Min Do-jun glanced sideways.

‘Something feels wrong…’

An ominous feeling came over him.