Objectively, Yoo Haram who studied Hell Gate scientifically should really be considered as more of a specialist than Yoo Seodam. However, no one present in the meeting would admit that in Yoo Seodam’s presence.
The fact that Yoo Seodam was a hunter who had survived Hell Gate for three years was recently revealed through the internet, and everyone and their grandma knew about it. On top of that, he also had the ability to control dimension, so who in their right mind would ever doubt him?
Yoo Seodam grabbed the microphone and said “On my way here, I looked at your data. What you said is quite plausible. Back when I’m still in the Pretty Pebble Collection Club, I thought diamonds were the most valuable pebbles.”
Someone laughed as he said that.
“So, I want to show you the material I’ve been preparing. This is the tablet I use when watching movies on Uflix… Does it matter? I’ll just connect it.”
Then, on the screen, data about ‘Mirror World’ appeared. It was a strange phenomenon different from dungeons and rifts that the Murim people had been dealing with all around the world.
In fact, the data itself didn’t really have any connection with Hell Gate. But no one knew about it except Yoo Seodam. And it was enough to counter Yoo Haram’s data as well as persuade other people.
“The reason behind the rise of Hell Gate’s energy is simply because some parts of Hell Gate are synchronizing with Earth. But don’t worry. While ‘specialist’ Yoo Haram here is working hard on examining the materials that I brought, Murim people are solving all of those abnormal phenomenons.”
On the screen, several photos of Mirror World that resembled Hell Gate appeared. Most of them were horrible and full of disgusting things, it was to the point that it was blurred for censorship purposes. However, for the hunters who had seen pictures of the inside of Hell Gate, they had to admit that the world inside the pictures closely resembled Hell Gate.
‘I don’t really care whether they admit it or not, because the world derived from Hell Gate in the first place….’
In fact, Yoo Seodam himself didn’t know why the Hell Gate’s energy was rising. However, he had someone who excelled in dimensional science, namely, the system.
<I’m investigating the cause right at the moment, but please rest assured that nothing seems dangerous.>
After that, the discussion proceeded swiftly.
Yoo Seodam declared that, ‘The Hell Gate expedition is meaningless’ and said, ‘Even if you go on an expedition, it isn’t plausible to do it just with a few elites.’
Whenever someone tried to refute him, Yoo Seodam would happily unravel what happened at Hell Gate.
“The Hell Gate expedition proposal was dismissed.”
Eventually, when the moderator, Tae-oh announced the result, Yoo Haram got up from his seat and left the room.
The meeting ended. One by one, people started leaving the venue after confirming that the camera was turned off and the outro of the live broadcast was coming out.
And then, Seol Jungyeon rushed to embrace Yoo Seodam.
“No…Noonim, your image….” Yoo Seodam said helplessly.
There were a lot of eyes watching them. Nevertheless, Seol Jungyeon didn’t care about it at all and placed her lips on Yoo Seodam’s lips.
Before he could enjoy the kiss, Yoo Seodam hurriedly looked around him. He saw that there was one camera that was just about turning off.
‘We are in trouble.’
More and more people started leaving the venue. Yoo Seodam slowly pulled back from the kiss and looked at her. Seol Jungyeon was so short that she barely touched the chest of Yoo Seodam. She usually looked so big, but in fact she was so small.
Seol Jungyeon was staring at Yoo Seodam with slightly moist eyes.
“You came too late.”
“I’m sorry…. I didn’t know that the time difference wouldn’t work.”
Originally, the time difference between the world Yoo Seodam travelled to and Earth would be at least 2 times or at most 15 times.
However, for some reason, this time there was an error with the time difference. Yoo Seodam didn’t know the cause. Is it because he left to another world from inside the rift? Or because the destroyed world was parallel to Earth?
Because of that, the people on Earth were so worried about him.
“It’s okay… It’s okay now…. The most important thing is that you returned safely.”
In fact, from the moment Yoo Seodam appeared, Seol Jungyeon wanted to rush at him. She wanted to feel his embrace, his eyes, and his touch after a long time. However, with superhuman willpower, she tried hard to hold back her impulsive mind.
But it was also because of that, as soon as the restraint was released, Seol Jungyeon ran towards Yoo Seodam and forgot all about the image she had built.
Yoo Seodam gently patted Seol Jungyeon’s head as he raised his head because in addition to Seol Jungyeon, there was another woman he wanted to meet here.
‘I’m sure Taylor was here… Where the hell is she?”
No matter how hard he tried to look for her, Yoo Seodam couldn’t find Taylor Nine.
* * *
I arrived in Korea around the time dinner was over in Korean time. Noonim wanted to stay with me a little longer, but unfortunately, she couldn’t clear her schedule right away.
-Next time we meet I have something to give you.
After she said that, she returned to the House of Goblins which had become the House of Murim. I couldn’t predict at all what she was going to give me next time.
On my way home, I checked the internet to search rankings on my smartphone. And as expected, just before the live camera was turned off, at around the timing of the outro, the scene where Seol Jungyeon Noonim held me was captured and transmitted. They also captured the scene when she kissed me.
‘Seol Jungyeon’ adorned the internet’s real-time search rankings this time with mostly scandals with me. It’s a scandal related to the Murim Lord. It was by no means a good sign. So I hurriedly told Noonim to clarify, but she adamantly refused.
‘Is it really necessary? I’ll just leave it alone.’
I remembered she looked quite happy as she said that.
“Whew…….”
I wondered if it would work somehow.
After midnight, I was able to get home. When I opened the door and walked in, I saw Taylor chugging some beers in the kitchen with only dim light lighting up the room. Her cheeks were already burning red, and she seemed to be quite drunk.
Somehow, I felt something was off. I hadn’t seen her for around two months, but really, her atmosphere was different from usual.
“Uh, you…. Why did you go first? It would have been nice if we were on the same plane.”
Then Taylor smiled as she tilted her head. She was looking at me with a strange gaze.
“Yoo Seodam.”
“…uh.”
“Yoo Seodam!”
“I’m listening.”
“Yoo Seodam….”
She crumpled the beer can on her hand as she mumbled.
“Yoo Seodam, you are a very difficult man to have.”
“……”
I couldn’t answer. I didn’t answer.
“You are drunk-”
“Right! I’m drunk.”
Suddenly, Taylor screamed slightly, but moments later, her voice turned normal once again.
“I’m only saying this because I’m drunk….”
Drinking is not an indulgence. It just helped people to be courageous. She probably drank several cans of beer just so she could say what she wanted to say next.
Taylor stood up from her seat and came over to me. Then, she grabbed me by the tie and dragged me to the sofa. After that, she pushed my chest with her tiny her to the sofa.
“You know what? I’ve been living for 17 years while only looking at you.”
She looked me into the eyes. It was then I realized, her eyes were clear without any sign of intoxication. She wasn’t drunk at all.
“Now I know, I can’t keep you to myself. That would be greedy of me, because you’re too big. Too fucking big. You asshole…” (P/N ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°))
Taylor’s eyes looked slightly moist. Maybe it was the result of the moonlight and her sparkling eyes.
“… It’s been a long time since we’ve been like this.”
17 years. From adolescence to adulthood. We had been living almost half of our lives together. She knew me better than anyone else, and I could proudly say that I knew her better than anyone else. However, today, that conviction of mine was crumbling.
“I’m not sure either. Seodam. I thought I knew everything about you, but at some point….”
She looked at me with a childish look.
“When you said that you are a Dimensional Traveller, or when you finally got the superpower you wanted so much, or even when you were dealing with magic or mugong, I understood everything. Even if you suddenly become an alien… I’ll love you and all your secrets. I’m sure I will.”
Then, I remembered the old Taylor. A timid and young girl who smiled cheerfully whenever she learned about another person.
A girl named Taylor Nine was more cautious about human relations than anyone else, but at the same time, she was someone that would open all of her heart for someone.
How do I know it?
Because I was the only one who she opened her heart to.
When she set her goal, Taylor would always cling to it.
“You… Do you have anyone you are interested in right now?”
I tried to open my mouth, but Taylor stopped me by putting her hand on top of my lips. Then, she shook her head with an anxious eye.
“Just forget I ever asked that…. Just, don’t tell me.”
Then she raised her head again, before smiling widely.
“Whether you have or not, I don’t care. No matter what I hear, I don’t think I can give up on you. I don’t want another bitch that suddenly appeared to steal you from me. All I need is a piece of you, any leftover is also fine… I’ll have it.”
She didn’t try to unbutton my top with one hand like usual. Instead, she quietly put her white legs on both sides of my thighs and hugged me.
It was getting warmer and warmer than before.
“Let’s just be together tonight…. I just want to be together like this and I want you to just think about me today…..please.”
She said to me with a voice that seemed somehow anxious.
“Can you please do that?”
I quietly nodded. Before long, she fell asleep with a faint smile as if satisfied.
The night got deep, but I couldn’t sleep.