Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 55

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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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55
“First, drink this and let’s head to where our group is.”
I pulled a potion from my waist and offered it to him.
“Not me—please give it to my younger sibling, Hee-ah!”
“There’s more, so drink it for now.”
I practically forced it down his throat and headed to Base Camp together. The child who came running after me rested briefly and drank the potion—he was noticeably faster than when I first saw him. Could he be hitting sixty kilometers per hour? At that speed on this uneven terrain, he was moving as fast as a D-rank Hunter who actually knew how to use their feet.
Upon arriving at Base Camp, I explained the situation to Bae Na-young. Shocked to learn he was only ten years old, she wrapped a blanket around him, and I began my questioning.
“What’s your name?”
“Kwon Hee-chul, sir.”
After exchanging names, I asked Kwon Hee-chul about the situation in North Korea.
“So… you’re saying people ate monster meat because food was scarce?”
In Korea, we handled monster meat with extreme caution due to its toxicity, yet starving North Korean citizens were consuming it.
“Yes. We had nothing else to eat, so we had no choice. But when people eat it, they get sick.”
“Did you eat it too?”
“Yes. I’ve eaten a lot since I was young, but I didn’t get sick.”
“Are there many people who became as strong or fast as you after eating monster meat?”
“There are some, but not many. Those who got stronger from the meat became hunters. But many died. Even now, there are a lot of sick people.”
In other words, those fortunate enough to eat monster meat developed enhanced bodies, while the unlucky majority were dying off.
“How many sick people are there?”
“Well… there are a lot. Maybe a hundred?”
More than I expected.
“My younger sibling ate it too. I tried to make them eat as little as possible, but they were so hungry… Now they’re very sick. They won’t open their eyes. I worked as a hunter, but they still wouldn’t treat them right away. That’s why I found you and ran away.”
Kwon Hee-chul pointed at me with tears welling up. Though his body was larger than an adult’s, his heart was that of a ten-year-old child.
“What about your parents?”
“They died when I was young.”
It pained me to hear him say “when I was young” when he was still so young now.
“Thank you for telling me. Rest here and eat something for now.”
I ladled a bowl of the soup we were eating and offered it to him.
“No! My younger sibling is very sick! We have to go quickly!”
“We’ll call strong people from Korea to help.”
“No! If we’re late, my sibling will die too!”
Kwon Hee-chul clung to me desperately.
Contacting the Awakener Management Bureau now wouldn’t get Hunters sent immediately. We’d only recently learned of North Korea’s existence, and the Korean Government and the Bureau wouldn’t risk armed conflict, so it would definitely take considerable time.
“Kwon Hee-chul, let’s go.”
I stood up from my seat.
“Oppa…”
Bae Na-young grabbed my arm with a worried expression.
“The kid is sick. I’m not planning a full-scale war—I’ll just extract the sick people.”
“Then I’m coming too.”
“I’m going with you as well.”
“Can we help too?”
Bae Na-young, Yang Sang-heon, and Oh Brothers stepped forward. It seemed I had good fortune with people.
“Good. Oh Brothers, organize the vehicle for departure and unload anything we don’t need. Yang Sang-heon, contact the people from Hwagok Recovery since they should be nearby—borrow a vehicle that can fit more passengers and follow us.”
While Oh Brothers organized the car, I discarded Kwon Hee-chul’s tattered clothes and changed into Yang Sang-heon’s spare outfit. Yang Sang-heon had grown quite large, but since Kwon Hee-chul was exceptionally tall and broad, the clothes fit snugly as if a younger sibling were wearing them.
“Wear this for now. I’ll get you better clothes later.”
“This is wonderful! I’ve never worn new clothes before.”
Seeing him happy over something so trivial made my heart ache.
“Let’s move out.”
“Yes!”
Kwon Hee-chul gave directions from inside the car, and I climbed onto the roof to unfold my sensory perception.
Tap tap.
I rapped on the car roof.
“Hunter, what are you doing?”
Si-hwan poked his head out and asked.
“There are watchers over there. You all stay here and wait for Yang Sang-heon. When I contact you, come then. If danger arises at any point, run. If that’s not possible, surrender unconditionally. Don’t get hurt.”
Yang Sang-heon could handle himself reasonably well now, but if Oh Brothers got cocky just because he’d grown stronger, he’d die instantly.
“Yes!”
“Bae Na-young, come with me. Kwon Hee-chul, lead the way.”
“Understood.”
“Brother, there’s still quite a distance. Can Kwon Hee-chul make it? Wouldn’t it be better if you carried him?”
Ever since learning he was only ten years old despite his size, I’d treated Kwon Hee-chul like a child.
“Don’t worry about it.”
Judging by the speed he’d shown earlier, he was well above average.
Kwon Hee-chul sprinted through the densely wooded forest at forty kilometers per hour, stepping on thick branches and leaping from heights exceeding ten meters—movements that seemed like something Tarzan himself would make.
“Incredible… Not quite as fast as you, brother, but genuinely swift.”
“Hmm… At that level, he’d qualify as D-rank, and with proper training, C-rank hunter status wouldn’t be a problem. Is there any way he could learn skills?”
As I pondered Kwon Hee-chul’s abilities while following behind, we arrived at North Korea, the place he’d mentioned.
We hid in the nearby mountain and looked down at North Korea. Though the night was deep and Bae Na-young and Kwon Hee-chul couldn’t see well, everything was as clear as daylight to me.
North Korea consisted merely of a few large buildings—too small to deserve even the name of a village, let alone a nation.
The facilities were poorly maintained, but surprisingly, the defensive walls were well-constructed. Likely a precaution against monsters.
“Where are the Younger Sibling and the sick people?”
“They’re in that building with the red roof.”
Kwon Hee-chul pointed to the rear. It looked more like a factory or warehouse than a residential space.
“Among the adults, are there many as strong as the Supreme Leader?”
“There are over two hundred hunters. But the Supreme Leader is still the strongest.”
The Supreme Leader was just beyond S-rank level. There likely weren’t other S-rankers, and A or B-rankers probably weren’t numerous either, but it was still more than expected.
“Understood. Wait a moment. Bae Na-young, how wide can you spread your blindfold?”
“I can cover all of that.”
“…Your range has expanded?”
“I’ve been practicing a lot.”
Bae Na-young made a V-sign and laughed.
“Okay. Then let’s do it this way.”
I explained the plan to Bae Na-young.
* * *
I wrapped my head in the suit and gave Kwon Hee-chul a cloak to cover his head as well.
We crouched low and approached the barrier. Despite knowing full well that Korean forces were coming, the sentries on guard duty were dozing off. It was clear this wasn’t a group with much military discipline to begin with. Still, they’d probably notice if a vehicle approached.
There was considerable distance between the two watchtowers. I positioned myself in the middle of them.
“Think you can get over this?”
The barrier was about six meters high, and with the barbed wire strung across the top, it reached seven meters.
“Standing still won’t work. If I run from behind and kick off the wall, I think I can make it.”
“That’ll be too obvious. Get on my back.”
I checked my surroundings to ensure safety, then launched myself upward from a standing position. With the levitation magic in effect, both ascending and descending felt smooth.
After landing, I followed Kwon Hee-chul’s guidance and came upon the factory-like building I’d seen from above.
Peeking through the door, I spotted three guards. One was dozing in a chair while cradling a rifle, and the other two were facing each other in conversation.
I signaled to Kwon Hee-chul by placing a finger to my lips, indicating silence.
Then I moved in quickly, grabbed the rifle, struck both of them in the abdomen to drop them where they stood, and strangled the sleeping one into an even deeper slumber.
I then unfolded my aura sense to scan the surroundings. I detected no presence nearby.
“It’s behind this door.”
Kwon Hee-chul pointed to a large iron door. Steel bars crossed the door, and it was locked with a brutishly massive padlock.
“They always keep it locked like this?”
“Probably because I escaped. We need to find the key.”
“Move aside.”
I grasped the steel padlock in my hand.
“It’s too solid. It won’t break even if you hit it hard. If we make noise, someone will come.”
I crushed the padlock in my palm.
“Wow….”
Kwon Hee-chul’s eyes widened as if he’d witnessed something miraculous. With my strength now exceeding 110, I could lift tens of tons. A padlock like this was beneath contempt.
“Are the hunter uncles stronger than me?”
I wanted to gauge the capabilities of North Korean hunters.
“I don’t think so!”
…It didn’t seem particularly helpful. But among the North Korean hunters I’d encountered so far, only a few ranked B or C by Korean standards—most were D-rank or lower.
Kwon Hee-chul opened the door. The place hadn’t smelled good to begin with, but as the door swung open, a stench poured out so overwhelming that even my sensitive nose could barely tolerate it.
Kwon Hee-chul entered first, then I deactivated my suit and followed behind him.
Adults and children alike lay on the cold floor with blankets or paper spread beneath them. They were so malnourished and emaciated that it would be fair to say they were nothing but skin and bones.
Among them, children made up roughly half. Everyone was so listless that my arrival barely elicited a reaction.
“I’m a good man. I’m here to help you.”
When some of the children became frightened upon seeing me, Kwon Hee-chul reassured them. He seemed to play the role of an older brother among them.
“Sir, this is Hee-ah.”
Kwon Hee-chul pulled my hand and introduced his younger sibling. The girl lying there was as gaunt as the other children. No—her complexion was poor and her heartbeat sluggish, like a candle flickering on the verge of extinguishing, far more critical than the others. If Kwon Hee-chul hadn’t come when he did, something tragic might have happened.
I distributed potions bit by bit to Hee-ah and the other children who appeared to be in serious condition. I gave them everything I had in my pockets, but it was far from enough for the children to recover.
“I’m from Korea. I’m leaving this place now. Adults, please hold your children.”
Kwon Hee-chul encouraged his friends, and they all began to stir and move.
“We’re not going.”
One of the adults huddled in the corner spoke up.
“Why not?”
“If we leave and get caught, we’ll die. We don’t want to be involved.”
His eyes as he answered held no light, no will to live.
“Do you think you’ll live long staying here?”
“Still, it’s a way to live a little longer.”
“Do as you wish. Those who want to leave, come with the children.”
I had no intention of forcing grown adults to come. I’d decided to leave one in five behind.
“What about those children?”
A woman in the corner was clutching two children to herself.
“Mom won’t go.”
I wouldn’t force adults, but the children—left here, they would die. It was understandable for them to worry when a stranger appeared telling them to follow, but I couldn’t bear to let these children perish in such a place.
“Hello.”
I approached and knelt on one knee to meet her eyes, offering a greeting. The woman clutched her children tighter with her gaunt arms.
“Your children are suffering, aren’t they?”
The woman cast her eyes down, looking only at the floor, offering no answer.
“I’ll take responsibility and feed the children. I’ll have them see a Doctor for their ailments. I can’t force you. But if you stay here, the children will suffer more.”
I explained calmly.
“Auntie, come with us. They’re good people. You’ve seen it in dramas.”
Kwon Hee-chul came beside me and added his support.
“Dramas?”
“We watch a lot of Korean dramas.”
Kwon Hee-chul pointed to an old television set in the corner. Korean DVDs were scattered beneath it. I’d wondered why they spoke standard Korean rather than North Korean dialect—it seemed that after North Korea’s collapse, dramas and books had all been brought in from Korea.
At the mention of dramas, the woman made eye contact with me for the first time. It was troubling that a life-changing decision hinged on a television drama, but if she would come with us, that was all that mattered.
Hoping she would take it, I slowly extended my hand.

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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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