Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 162

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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162
The moment I stepped out of the Gate, Bae Na-young rushed toward me.
“Brother!”
“You waited here?”
“Yes. I was worried.”
Not only Bae Na-young, but numerous troops stood ready before the Gate in case of emergency.
“How did it go?”
Bae Na-young glanced back at the Gate and asked, her eyes betraying concern that no enemies had emerged—and that Eres hadn’t come out with me.
“There was only one Gatekeeper inside, and the rest were petrified monsters. Eres said she’d search for the gate leading to their main base and went alone.”
“Alone? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“She wouldn’t listen to me anyway. Let’s head back for now.”
Aither had told me not to judge incarnations by human standards, and perhaps all incarnations were simply this willful by nature.
I left some troops at the Gate to await Eres’s return and withdrew to Derham.
The war, the scorching heat, the flood damage—everything had been largely resolved. I’d spent so long in Telus that I was beginning to crave rest back in Korea. No matter how much I’d made Newus my second home, I couldn’t deny that Korea, where my family waited, felt like my true home.
“Alex, I’m heading back to Korea for a while.”
“Have a safe journey, Your Majesty.”
The role of king didn’t suit my temperament, so I was king in name only—Alex had already taken over managing all of Newus’s affairs.
“This time I’ll be gone for a bit longer. Contact me if you hear from Eres or if anything comes up here.”
“Sigh… Understood.”
Alex, buried under mountains of work, sighed at the news that I’d be away for an extended period.
“Your Majesty, are you going to Earth?”
At my mention of staying in Korea for a while, Alice dropped her book.
“Yes, what’s wrong? We used to visit Earth frequently.”
“It’s just that you said you’d be gone for a long time this time. And Bae Na-young is going with you.”
Alice lowered her head and fidgeted with her fingers.
“Are you afraid to stay here?”
“No! That’s not it. But…”
Alice suddenly lifted her head, waved her hand dismissively, then lowered it again.
She’d grown accustomed to this place and, having escaped the burden of needing to mature prematurely, was increasingly showing her true childlike nature.
Alex would look after her while we were gone, but he’d seen too much hardship to pity an orphan like Alice. So he only provided the bare minimum for her, which made Alice uncomfortable around him compared to Bae Na-young or me.
“Would you like to come with us?”
Bae Na-young asked.
“Really?!”
Her sapphire eyes widened so dramatically I thought they might pop out of her head.
“There’s no reason you can’t. Pack your things.”
“I’ll be right back!”
The moment I gave my permission, Alice bolted toward her room.
“She’s that happy about it?”
“I brought a lot of books from Earth, and when I showed them to her, she loved them.”
“Well, Earth does have better books.”
The Royal Palace library was perhaps the largest on the Eastern Continent, but Tellus had a structure where books were difficult to distribute to commoners, resulting in a small market. Consequently, the variety of books available was limited. On top of that, with the prolonged war, cultural literature had nearly disappeared entirely.
In contrast, on Earth, anyone could become a writer if they had internet access, so there was a far greater variety and quantity of books.
Alice stood before the Gate with a small travel bag slung across her back. It wasn’t her first time crossing a Gate, but since this was her first time to Earth, she felt somewhat nervous.
“Let’s go.”
Bae Na-young and I extended our hands.
Alice gripped our hands tightly, and the three of us crossed through the Gate.
“Welcome back, Hunter Lee Ji-seok.”
A Hunter from the Awakener Management Bureau greeted us. Since the World Tree was a critical stronghold, the Guards stationed there carried themselves with military discipline.
“Who is this person?”
Upon spotting Alice, he asked with visible tension.
Because of incidents involving Eres, Gaff, and the Angelic Forces, anyone crossing the Gate—whether a child or even an animal—required proper identity verification.
“She’s a resident of Newus. Please register her identity and put my name down as her guardian.”
“Understood.”
Alice, tense with anxiety, followed the Hunter’s instructions and had her fingerprints and retinas scanned.
“Let’s go.”
Alice turned her head around so frantically I worried her neck might snap off as she took in the sights of the city.
“I’ve never seen buildings this tall before! They’re so square-shaped!”
Compared to the rounded architecture of Newus, the angular buildings here seemed to fascinate her.
“You’ve arrived.”
Mother, who had been watering the garden bed outside the house, welcomed us.
“Yes, I’m back. This time I’ll be staying for a while.”
“Good. You must have had a difficult time.”
Mother embraced both Bae Na-young and me warmly.
“Hello, what’s your name?”
After embracing us, Mother asked Alice.
“Hello. I’m Alice.”
“My goodness, your Korean is quite good.”
Though she had an accent, Alice had mastered Korean in a remarkably short time. The title of genius hardly did her justice.
According to Bae Na-young, it was only a matter of time before Alice surpassed both her and Jae-in in intelligence.
“I’m Ji-seok’s mother.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Rather than using the etiquette of the Newus royal court, she bowed in the Korean manner.
“How polite. But why are you so thin?”
“Pardon?”
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“A little.”
“Ji-seok, did you drag this child around without even feeding her?”
“No, she ate before we came….”
“Goodness, the child is nothing but skin and bones. Come on, let’s go eat.”
Mother took Alice’s hand and entered the house first, with Bae Na-young and me following behind.
In the kitchen, Na-young’s Mother was preparing the meal.
“Younger Sibling, I’ll need to put out another spoon.”
“You’ve arrived?”
Na-young’s Mother embraced Bae Na-young and looked at Alice.
“My goodness… what a beautiful child, like a doll.”
“Hello.”
Alice bowed her head politely in greeting.
“But how thin you are. Come, sit down quickly.”
Na-young’s Mother seated Alice at the table first.
“We get the cold shoulder, though?”
“She loves children so much. Older brother, if you don’t want to get scolded, it’s best to stay quiet.”
“Why me?”
“Because you got married and won’t have children.”
I closed my mouth and quietly took my seat.
“Hee-chul and Hee-ah, come in and eat!”
“Yes~”
Learning that young Hee-chul and Hee-ah were living without parents, Mother had brought them here to stay at my house as security and boarders.
“Hunter Lee Ji-seok, hello!”
Hee-chul entered with his head bowed so it wouldn’t touch the doorframe. He was already tall when I first saw him, but now he looked to be nearly two meters.
“Have you grown even taller?”
“Hehe, I’ve been eating well.”
“It’s been a while, Hee-ah.”
Hee-chul scratched the back of his head with an innocent smile that didn’t match his massive frame.
“Hello!”
Hee-ah also bowed politely in greeting. It had been a while since I’d seen her, and her cheeks had filled out nicely.
Both children had grown up malnourished in North Korea, so they had hearty appetites. The elderly women who pitied them gave them all their meals, so they’d gained weight, but their bright smiles befitting their age were a joy to see.
Alice turned her head to look at Hee-chul and Hee-ah.
“Hello.”
Alice bowed politely to Hee-chul and Hee-ah, then turned her head forward again, but Hee-chul stared at Alice without blinking. His eyes were completely captivated by her.
“Should I call the police… no wait, Alice, how old are you?”
“I’m 12.”
“Hmm…”
Hee-chul’s large frame made his face look well over 20 years old, but he was actually a year younger than Alice.
“Who is that older sister?”
“Her name is Alice, and she’s a child from Telus. Since she’s visiting Earth for the first time, would you like to play with her, Hee-ah?”
Bae Na-young answered Hee-ah’s question.
“Ji-seok~ we need to bring out the food.”
I got up from my seat and brought out the side dishes.
“Let’s eat.”
The table was laden so heavily with dishes and side dishes that the phrase “the table legs will break” seemed fitting. Since we hadn’t called ahead, it seemed Mother ate like this every day.
“Why strain yourself? Why not eat outside instead of doing this yourself?”
“I’m doing it because I’m bored.”
Both mothers continuously piled side dishes onto the children’s rice bowls and pushed the serving dishes toward them.
“You’re eating the kimchi well. Isn’t it too spicy?”
“No, it’s delicious.”
Alice panted heavily as she ate both kimchi and ribs, tearing into them with gusto.
There was no reason her palate wouldn’t adjust. She was someone who had survived in the villages by eating rotten meat and raw wood—a little red pepper powder or fish dishes she’d never tasted before were hardly a problem.
Among all the dishes, the ribs seemed to suit her taste best, and she tore into them with genuine delight.
Everyone’s stomachs had become visibly distended, yet the food kept coming endlessly.
“Mom, the children can’t eat anymore.”
“Already?”
“Already? Look at their bellies.”
The children’s stomachs had become so bloated they were breathing heavily.
“Then go play for a while. I’ll have dinner ready later.”
Mother turned on the television. It seemed she lived these days for watching dramas and feeding the children.
“I’ll take a look around the area and come back.”
“I’ll go too….”
I stopped Alice as she tried to get up.
“Your eyes are half-closed. Just rest. We have plenty of time later.”
Leaving the children and Na-young behind, I walked around near the World Tree.
The World Tree Academy had grown to more than five times its original planned size as hunters from countries around the world came to train. Training facilities and buildings stretched endlessly, and it took considerable time to see everything if one walked slowly.
A little distance away, I could see the Research Facility where Jae-in worked and the Rigen Factory. With cutting-edge equipment, technology, and massive funding, many item crafters and scientists came for training from around the world, hoping to learn. These skilled professionals, once they arrived, often fell in love with the environment near the World Tree and decided to stay.
Behind the Research Facility and Factory stood a Hospital. While some people came simply for recuperation and recovery, the World Tree’s influence had forced a complete overhaul of surgical manuals themselves. People with rare diseases visited from various countries to receive treatment, and the doctors’ skill levels steadily improved.
The residential district surrounding all of this was also growing day by day. At this rate, it was clear it would become larger than Seoul.
“How many times have I told you not to stiffen after finishing one movement! You need to connect them smoothly! That moment when you stiffen will be your final moment!”
Jung Min-gi was shouting loudly at the Korean Hunter Training Facility.
The target of Jung Min-gi’s shouts was Yang Sang-heon, who looked utterly exhausted. He was so worn out he could barely hold his sword properly, and his entire body trembled.
No matter how close the training facility was to the World Tree, exhaustion didn’t disappear, nor did all wounds heal instantly.
“Hunter Jung Min-gi, take it easy. You’ll wear the kid out.”
“You’ve arrived? But unless you’re going to teach him directly yourself, don’t concern yourself. He volunteered for this.”
Jung Min-gi spoke bluntly.
“…Why are you being so irritable?”
“When did I ever neglect Earth? And now you come back anytime you please—should I just keep my mouth shut whenever you tell me to?”
His eyes were unusually cold.
“If you want to spar, just say so. Don’t provoke me so clumsily.”
His expression was plainly visible.
“You caught me…? It’s because you won’t show me your true strength. Stop reading people’s faces. It’s embarrassing.”
Jung Min-gi relaxed the intensity in his eyes.
“I can see what’s obvious. Want to go a round?”
“Come on then.”
Though he’d stopped the pointless bickering, Jung Min-gi’s earnest gaze and the sword he leveled at me made clear that his desire for a match was genuine.
I gestured to Yang Sang-heon to rest in the corner of the Training Facility, then stepped before Jung Min-gi.

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