Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 85

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

85
“I saw him a few days ago.”
Ye-seul spoke while keeping her gaze fixed on the asphalt ground.
“Saw what?”
“Hyung-bin on his knees in the middle of the street.”
Hyung-bin, realizing what she meant, fell silent.
“Is it because of what you did before?”
“Yes… I’ve committed wrongs, so if I can be forgiven by kneeling and begging, then I should beg.”
“You could just pretend you don’t know and move on, couldn’t you?”
Ye-seul asked why Hyung-bin wouldn’t take the easy path, even though she herself wouldn’t do such a thing.
“I’m not some great person going around apologizing. I’m a selfish bastard. I do it because I’m terrified that the people I’ve hurt will harbor resentment and take it out on my younger siblings later.”
Ye-seul watched Hyung-bin quietly. His words painted one picture, but when he was begging that day, it looked nothing but sincere. Could someone apologizing out of fear of future consequences ever apologize with such genuine conviction? From what Ye-seul had seen of Hyung-bin so far, he seemed incapable of acting, which made his apology feel all the more authentic.
The two of them sat on the street and talked like that until the drinking session ended.
“She cried after drinking? Ye-seul did?”
Ye-seul crying. That was the most surprising part of Yang Sang-heon’s story. The only emotional expression I’d witnessed from her was when she sacrificed herself in her past life. The subtle moments—only I know about those.
“She was sobbing hard.”
“Well, that’s something…”
If the two of them are happy, I have no reason to object. I know how hard Hyung-bin has been working lately. When I heard that he spends his free time apologizing to the people he wronged and giving them compensation, I was a bit surprised. Fortunately, since he hadn’t committed any serious crimes, most people accepted his apologies and money and forgave him to some extent.
I already knew he wasn’t irredeemably evil. He simply chose the easier path because circumstances were difficult. I just created the right environment, and he turned out to be not a villain at all, but someone more virtuous than I am.
“That’s good.”
“… Another couple has formed.”
“Another?”
“Jae-in is dating a woman who joined as a researcher.”
“Really?”
“Isn’t that an abuse of power? Seducing a subordinate.”
“Yang Sang-heon, if you’re jealous, just say you’re jealous.”
“I’m jealous. Ugh.”
“Brother, try this.”
Bae Na-young brought in-flight meals from the private jet, arranging them beautifully on a plate.
“There are things like this? Now that I’ve experienced luxury while traveling with Eres, I understand why that’s nice. Before, I wouldn’t have known unless I’d lived that way.”
“So was it good traveling with Eres?”
Bae Na-young pinched my side.
“No, it wasn’t good because it was Eres, ouch ouch ouch.”
It didn’t hurt, but I pretended it did.
“Hmph… I see right through your acting.”
Bae Na-young saw through my exaggeration, but when I played along with the pain to appease her, she released her pinch. Then she went back to where the in-flight meals were laid out and looked around at various things.
“I should bring something for my sister too.”
At first, Bae Na-young hesitated to approach Ye-seul, whose expression was cold. Later, once she realized that despite her appearance, Ye-seul was incredibly gentle, she took the initiative to hold her hand, showed her around, and took care of her.
“Sister, this is champagne and it’s sweet and delicious. Try some.”
Bae Na-young offered Ye-seul champagne in a beautiful glass.
“No way!!”
Every man on the plane shouted in unison.
“Why… why are you doing this?”
Bae Na-young flinched in surprise, then turned around with a bewildered expression.
* * *
After a chaotic flight, we landed at Cancun Airport, Mexico. Mexico, too, had been unable to defend all its vast territories since the Gate crisis, and the government had lost its grip on power. Since then, the Cartel had been protecting several cities from Gates and monsters. Naturally, the Cartel also controlled the profits generated and managed the cities themselves. The government was merely a shell for conducting negotiations with foreign powers.
Only a few strongholds remained, and one of them was Cancun, a resort destination. Though not as thriving as before, several luxury resorts still operated here.
One might wonder who would come to such a chaotic place, but the Cartel maintained an unspoken rule: no illegal activities in Cancun. And it was genuinely upheld. The Cartel maintained security here more reliably than the police and provided luxury services beyond anything the world had seen. Thanks to this, wealthy tourists frequented the place.
“Well then, we have some time. Let’s rest for a bit.”
We had about six days ahead. A massive army supposedly emerged suddenly from somewhere nearby, but I didn’t know exactly which Gate. I’d need to explore the area while we stayed.
The airplane door opened, and humid air greeted us.
“I wish Mother and my mom could have come with us, oppa.”
“We’d be fine, but it would have been too hard for them with this heat.”
Besides, since we didn’t know when or where this incident would strike and a battle of massive scale was anticipated, I hadn’t brought our mothers along.
“Señor Lee, welcome. We’re honored to have you. I’m Pablo, your guide.”
As we descended from the plane, a well-dressed local man stood waiting in front of a limousine that looked like an elongated Humvee. He greeted us in fluent Korean. Despite the sweltering heat and his formal attire, he wasn’t sweating a drop.
“Ooh… Hola! Hola!”
The Oh Brothers repeated “Hola,” the one Spanish phrase they’d learned on the plane, over and over.
“Hola, señor. Let’s go.”
“Ooh.”
The Oh Brothers and Yang Sang-heon marveled at the limousine. I wanted to make a fuss about it too, but since the others were already doing that, I maintained my composure and got in the car.
“I don’t understand why men love cars so much….”
Ye-seul and Bae Na-young held hands as they entered the vehicle.
“Isn’t this a bit much?”
The interior decorations were far too flashy. The leather felt slick, and rather than elegant, it looked like the kind of car nouveau riche used for parties.
“Señor, my apologies. We had to hurry to find a bulletproof vehicle, so this was all we could secure.”
Pablo, sitting in the front passenger seat, bowed his head through the partition window separating the front and back seats.
“It’s fine. But do we really need a bulletproof car?”
“The resort area where you’re headed is safe, but the road to get there isn’t particularly secure.”
Our limousine departed, with escort vehicles following front and back.
“It wasn’t like this before, but since the government lost its function and the Cartel took control, security has deteriorated significantly. The Cartel has an unspoken rule about not touching tourists, but we’ve prepared thoroughly to handle any unforeseen incidents.”
“Hmm….”
No one even tensed at such words. We were all hunters ourselves, and I was an S-rank hunter—who would dare touch us?
The car departed, and I gazed at the surroundings through the window. The sight of tropical trees lining the landscape lifted my spirits.
The problem was that good mood didn’t last long.
Between the airport and the resort, endless slums with ramshackle wooden houses stretched out. Many people lay on the ground of the slums as if dead. It wasn’t merely hunger—they looked as though their very souls had been drained away.
“A new type of drug has been spreading recently, you see.”
As we watched in silence, Pablo added an explanation.
“They’re like that because of drugs?”
“When people pour all their money into drugs, there’s no way they can maintain a proper life.”
Drugs had begun entering Korea, but compared to other countries, we were relatively safe from the dangers of narcotics. Seeing the drug problem of the Americas with my own eyes—something I’d only heard about—left a bitter taste.
“The ocean!!!”
My sour mood evaporated the moment I saw the brilliant blue sea. Besides, there was no reason for me to worry about another country’s problems, nor could I solve them.
Though it was the same ocean, the vast, crystalline waters stretching before me from this distant land felt entirely different from Korea’s seas.
“This is a private beach where only Señor Lee and his party may enter. However, I ask that you contact me before leaving this area.”
After hearing Pablo’s instructions, I changed into a swimsuit in my room and came back out.
The men swam in the azure waters or played with a ball, while Bae Na-young lounged drinking beverages and leisurely enjoyed her vacation. Beside her sat Ye-seul, embarrassed in the bikini Bae Na-young had insisted she wear.
“Ye-seul, you don’t have to wear it if you’re uncomfortable.”
“Huh? Oh….”
“What? You were forced into it? Say something.”
Bae Na-young must have assumed Ye-seul was just being her usual expressionless self and poor at refusing things. Feeling apologetic, Bae Na-young handed her something to cover up with, and only then did Ye-seul’s face relax a little.
After enjoying the ocean, we returned to find resort staff had set up tables, chairs, and a large parasol on the sand for dinner. Dining with a view of the sea in such a private space made me think that having money really did have its perks.
“Brother, why did you tell us to bring all our equipment on this trip?”
“You never know. That’s how the world works.”
“Hmm….”
After dinner, we returned to the room and started the second round of drinking.
Our group loved to have fun, and after completely setting aside work and training for once, we were fully relaxed on vacation.
Empty bottles lined up one after another, and only Hyung-bin, Ye-seul, Bae Na-young, and I remained sober. Well, Bae Na-young was drunk—she just didn’t look it. It reminded me of the first time we went on a trip together.
“I think I’ll take a walk.”
As the smell of alcohol grew overwhelming, Ye-seul stood up and, glancing toward Hyung-bin, headed outside.
Hyung-bin quietly began tidying up the drinking area.
“Aren’t you going after her?”
“Huh?”
“I’ll clean up here, so go after Ye-seul.”
What an infuriating fellow.
“Oh, okay. But why the sudden formal speech?”
“Just because. Go on.”
He was old enough, and I didn’t want to speak casually to someone genuinely trying to correct his past mistakes.
Hyung-bin gave a slight bow and left.
* * *
“Everyone’s eating well.”
“Right? I don’t even know why I drink alcohol.”
“With your build, I thought you’d be a good drinker.”
“I get that misconception often.”
“I get misunderstood a lot too—we’re alike.”
“Hehehehe.”
Hyung-bin laughed foolishly. The two walked along the beach, making trivial conversation.
Hyung-bin noticed men watching them from a distance.
“Huh? There seem to be quite a lot of them. Should we head back?”
Before Ye-seul could notice the men, he changed direction. Only now did he realize they’d walked all the way to the boundary Pablo had mentioned while lost in thought.
“Yes.”
“Excuse me.”
But they didn’t let the two of us pass. Five locals approached, and the man at the front spoke to us.
“What do you want?”
Ye-seul, who spoke English better, answered.
“We’re just asking for directions.”
The man with a smile on his face continued approaching us. His gait was as light as his expression, and his clothes—a short-sleeved shirt and shorts—made it seem like he was heading out for a casual stroll.
“Ye-seul.”
Hyung-bin stepped in front of Ye-seul, positioning himself between her and the approaching man.
“We’re tourists. We don’t know anything.”
Hyung-bin’s eyes caught the weapons hanging at their waists. Various thoughts crossed my mind. How many lost travelers carried weapons in a place like this? What were the odds they meant us well?
“I know you’re tourists.”
“What?”
The man swept a kick at Hyung-bin’s knee.
“Ugh!”
The powerful blow knocked my stance off balance.
Crack!
A fist drove into my lowered face.
“Hyung-bin!”
A stranger’s hand reached for Ye-seul’s wrist as she tried to rush toward the fallen Hyung-bin.

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