Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 56

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 056

 

I rolled around on the dirt ground. My whole body ached as if someone had trampled on me.

 

I lay sprawled on the dirt ground, gasping for breath.

 

“Huff, huff… Huff!”

 

‘I’m alive, right?’

 

Rolling only my eyes to the side in that position, I could see the real Cult Leader with his face buried in the dirt ground.

 

The Cult Leader in a white dress shirt was lying face-down on the floor unconsciously and pathetically, but the people around him seemed uninterested.

 

‘Don’t tell me they can’t recognize him just because his clothes changed a bit?’

 

Or are they all distracted by the Summoning Ritual?

 

…Whatever. I don’t care if he gets trampled and breaks his ribs or nose bones… No, let them break. Just break.

 

I decided to abandon useless concern and check on An Param who was lying right nearby.

 

“Huff huff… An Param.”

 

“…”

 

“Hey, are you, okay?”

 

“Kek! Cough! Cough!… Aaah!! What’s okay about this! Do I look okay to you right now? I almost died!!… Ugh, ueeek.”

 

“You’re fine.”

 

Now all I need to do is report to the police station with An Param’s mobile phone and everything will be over.

 

‘I’ll make sure they all eat prison food.’

 

I desperately wanted to just lie on the floor like this, but I had to hurry and move my body.

 

I don’t know how long Yu Jin-chae can hold out. First…

 

“Huh? Isn’t that the sound of police car sirens?”

 

Suddenly, siren sounds could be heard along with murmuring commotion.

 

“…!”

 

And it wasn’t just one, but the overlapping sounds of multiple sirens.

 

I bolted upright, forgetting my fatigue. I could see Yu Jin-chae perfectly playing the role of the Cult Leader relatively nearby.

 

“Please wait a moment. We’ll reinstall the altar and…”

 

Yu Jin-chae’s eyes, which had been tactfully appeasing those trying to hurry the ritual, met mine for an instant.

 

At that moment, I could see her eyes widen in surprise, then move quickly as if grasping the situation, before settling down calmly with relief.

 

‘Did Yu Jin-chae call the police?’

 

The siren sounds grew louder and I could see several small dots approaching from the distance.

 

As the outline of the small dots became clearer, even people who hadn’t noticed the siren sounds began to quickly realize the seriousness of the situation one by one.

 

“What’s… that. Isn’t that the police?”

 

“Who is it! Who the hell called the police?!”

 

When people reflexively turned around to go back into the building due to the gradually tightening pressure and fear… only then did they discover it.

 

The 1st floor of the building devoured by flames.

 

“…Fire?”

 

“It’s a fire! There’s a fire!!”

 

“Then, then where to? Where the hell are we supposed to go!”

 

Police in front, a burning building behind.

 

The people caught in a dilemma could only stand there in panic.

 

…Meanwhile, I stood alone comfortably in the chaotic mess, observing the situation.

 

‘This must be what it feels like to watch a fire from across the river.’

 

Since I had nothing to worry about, it was natural that I didn’t feel anxious even seeing the police cars.

 

‘Besides, I’m the victim.’

 

Perfect. No need to report anything.

 

Just as I was thinking of lying back down on the floor and watching them get dragged away.

 

Behind the dozens of parked police cars, I spotted several familiar black vans and one sedan with incredible shine.

 

…What’s this.

 

And the tall, lanky man who got out of that sedan was even more familiar.

 

As I watched the man who got out of the car casually look around, goosebumps instantly ran down my spine.

 

‘Why is that guy coming out here.’

 

“Baek Cheonhyeong? Isn’t that person Baek Cheonhyeong?”

 

An Param, who had been acting like he’d never get up again, hits my shoulder and asks with a highly excited face.

 

“Wow, crazy, this is my first time seeing that S-rank! But… why did an S-rank come here?”

 

So why did that guy come here.

 

Wasn’t he a company ghost? There were widespread rumors that he lives at the company…

 

At that moment, I somehow remembered the joke Baek Cheonhyeong had made when he came to visit me in the hospital.

 

-“Both during the Underground Dungeon incident and this time too, Teacher, you really… have experienced many coincidental events.”

 

…Was that really just a simple joke?

 

What if, just what if… it wasn’t a joke but a meaningful remark? What if I failed to understand it?

 

Could this time also pass as a ‘simple happening’? Would he believe the story about being kidnapped as a sacrifice for a cult?

 

…I can’t be certain.

 

Even if I explain the situation together with Yu Jin-chae, it would be twice as hard to clear suspicion because of my track record.

 

Moreover, it’s even more so when I can’t truthfully explain the escape process.

 

‘What should I do.’

 

Now I became restless like any other person who spotted the police car.

 

Baek Cheonhyeong is strictly my employer.

 

If he judges from today’s events that I’m unsuitable to be a kindergarten teacher, I’ll have no choice but to leave the kindergarten.

 

…That absolutely cannot happen.

 

I must protect it.

 

My 5 million won monthly job.

 

I immediately stopped thinking and cast Mime toward Yu Jin-chae.

 

‘Let’s run.’

 

I wave my arms and hands desperately to convey the message.

 

‘I’m going home now!’

 

‘I wasn’t here today.’

 

‘Got it? Teacher, see you tomorrow, bye!’

 

And I hurriedly went around the burning building and began climbing the hill behind the building without a plan.

 

The only path leading outside was already swarming with police, Baek Cheonhyeong, and other hunters.

 

‘If I go there, I’ll get caught with 100% certainty.’

 

Then what to do?

 

Coming out, I realized this building was completely blocked on both sides and the back by mountains.

 

Still, the mountain doesn’t look that high, so if I climb over and go down the other side, there should be something.

 

A road or whatever.

 

I have my wallet in my bag, so I can use this to catch a passing taxi or ask a passerby to give me a ride to the nearest bus stop. (I shouldn’t do this carelessly.)

 

As I was pushing through the grass and climbing up, someone frantically followed behind me.

 

“Ahh~!! Let’s go together!! Teacher!”

 

…It’s An Param.

 

“Just stay there.”

 

“If I stay there, they’ll call my parents! You think I don’t know?”

 

“You’re smarter than I thought? But thinking it’ll be fine if you come with me is also funny. Do you think I won’t be able to call your parents?”

 

At those words, An Param visibly hesitated, but immediately pouted and muttered.

 

“…Abandoning a believer might disqualify you as a cult leader.”

 

Only his mouth is alive.

 

After climbing the mountain for about 30 minutes alongside An Param who stubbornly followed, I could see a downhill path.

 

“Wow, it’s a road!”

 

As An Param said, a wide open road was visible. The two of us began going down toward the road boldly like wild boars.

 

The road was quiet enough that cars passed by about once every 10 minutes.

 

However, as if the road ahead was blocked, the cars that had passed in front of us were returning the way they came not long after.

 

I hid with An Param in the bushes near the road until I could find a suitable vehicle.

 

After about 10 more minutes passed, like a miracle, a taxi stopped near where we were hiding and spat out a tall man.

 

The moment the man got out, I grabbed An Param’s arm and ran straight to board the taxi.

 

-Thud.

 

“Huh? When did you get in?”

 

The taxi driver looked back at the rear seat with a startled face.

 

“Please take us to Seoul BOND Headquarters.”

 

“Excuse me…?”

 

“Seoul, BOND Headquarters, please.”

 

“Uh… Yes! Yes, we should go. Departing now.”

 

The flustered taxi driver hurriedly grabbed the steering wheel and started tapping the navigation upon hearing the destination.

 

“Well… That’s strange. This is the second person from Seoul today. Is there something to see on this hill?”

 

I remained tense until then, and only after confirming the driver was moving the car could I lean back against the seat.

 

An Param, who was sitting next to me, also leaned his head against the window following my lead. His breathing was heavy.

 

“Phew…”

 

I sighed and reflexively looked out the window. At the same time, I could see who the previous passenger of the taxi I had practically stolen was.

 

“…”

 

The Field Team Leader was staring at me with a dazed expression.

 

Lee Gyeon, it’s Lee Gyeon.

 

I naturally turned my head to look straight ahead.

 

…You must have mistaken me for someone else.

 

The taxi departed just before Lee Gyeon could properly collect his thoughts.

 

***

 

Yu Jin-chae opened the staff lounge door in an excited state.

 

A familiar space, familiar people.

 

However, her solid rationality flew away like the wind due to the presence of just one person.

 

Thud thud.

 

She approached with quick steps toward the man who was just taking out an apron from the cabinet and putting it on.

 

The man had a nonchalant face as if nothing had happened last night.

 

Hah, really, this is so absurd.

 

“Teacher Hwiyeon, how could you just abandon me and leave?!”

 

Na Hwi-yeon looked back at her with a blank face, a beat late. But then…

 

‘Wow… Wow. Look at this guy smiling.’

 

You can laugh in this situation? Why are you smiling?

 

No, that’s not what’s important – you actually came to work after going through all that?

 

‘Are you made of iron?… No, no, this is just someone who’s crazy about work!’

 

Finally, he opened his mouth with a benevolent smile like an enlightened monk.

 

Of course, the content was quite worldly.

 

“Life sucks. When I got home, it was two hours before work.”

 

“That’s what you have to say right now?”

 

“Teacher, the taxi fare was 200,000 won. The tears just kept flowing…”

 

Yu Jin-chae couldn’t even manage a hollow laugh at this absurd situation.

 

Na Hwi-yeon had dramatically emerged from the burning building, then suddenly started waving his arms in the air before disappearing with An Param.

 

While she was stammering in bewilderment, the company arrived responding to her emergency request, and the police arrived due to a separate secret report she had made after stealing a believer’s phone.

 

And so Yu Jin-chae… ended up becoming both the victim and the first reporter, even receiving a Brave Citizen Award on her way back.

 

‘What was it they said recently, that these cult bastards have been getting into illegal voice phishing to secure capital, causing enormous damage to victims.’

 

Moreover, several attempted kidnapping cases that occurred in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi Province were revealed to be the work of this cult organization.

 

Throughout the entire statement process with the police, Yu Jin-chae had to keep swallowing the three syllables “Na Hwi-yeon” that kept bubbling up in her throat.

 

‘It’s obvious he doesn’t want to go through the same thing as that underground dungeon incident ever again.’

 

But, you fool, you’re the victim…! No matter how much you hate attention, you should at least receive compensation!

 

It was fortunate that the caught G Detective Agency bastards and cult members didn’t even mention the disappeared Na Hwi-yeon in their attempts to reduce their crimes.

 

-The sacrifice was always just one person from the beginning!

 

…What the hell. Suppressing the urge to beat him up was also an ordeal.

 

But an unexpected ordeal was added to this as well.

 

…The mockery from Field Response Team members who happened to be dispatched to the scene and Baek Cheonhyeong.

 

 

If you knew what kind of praise and mockery I received, you wouldn’t be able to laugh like that…!

 

Moreover, having the colleague who went through that fanatic group’s den with me disappear like the wind before I could even feel the reunion and emotion I should have enjoyed now that everything was finally over… was even somewhat disappointing.

 

“But… were you two together yesterday?”

 

Park I-deun, who had been listening to the strange conversation between herself and Na Hwi-yeon, tilted her head and asked.

 

Even Kang Sa-gwa and Kwon Hae-seong were looking this way with curious faces.

 

Only then did Yu Jin-chae realize she had gotten too excited.

 

‘How… do I handle this?’

 

Feeling flustered, she wanted to come up with a decent excuse, but nothing suitable came to mind. However, in the meantime, Na Hwi-yeon stepped in to handle the situation on her behalf faster than anyone else.

 

In a completely unexpected way.

 

“We have that ‘overnight camp’ coming up soon, right? I was asking Teacher Jin-chae what we needed, so we met up and looked around together. We ended up going pretty far, but I suddenly got a stomachache and went home without being able to tell Teacher Jin-chae…”

 

However, Yu Jin-chae couldn’t admire Na Hwi-yeon’s incredible excuse-making skills as she usually would.

 

…Because she had completely forgotten about it.

 

The ‘overnight camp’ that didn’t exist until last year but was suddenly revived due to the Principal’s whim. Also known as the 1-night, 2-day sleepover event with the kindergarten children!

 

And with the fact that came to mind along with this, she felt a chill run down her neck.

 

‘I was probably the one in charge of organizing that…’

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————