The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 70

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 70

* * *

While making their way through the snowy plains, no other monsters appeared.

Not even when they passed through the snow zone and entered the ice-covered area.

Compared to the chaos they had faced trying to enter this place, the interior was simple to the point of being almost careless.

But the only ones who properly recognized this fact were Hana and Kang Hyeon.

Just the two of them.

The rest seemed too focused on finding the Guild Leader to have any leisure to look around.

“The traces continue this way!”

“Strawberries! We need to find strawberries while we move!”

Moreover, the Vice-Chairman looked even more anxious as the frostbite that had started at the back of his neck was spreading wider by the moment.

“The strawberries inside the Gate have the effect of removing the frostbite status ailment!”

Before entering here, Hana had told them about the strawberries’ effects.

He seemed even more impatient with the thought that they needed to find the strawberries before his body completely froze.

“Oh! Found them!”

Fortunately, they were able to find the strawberries before long.

On the frozen ice, vine-like stems were poking up through the thin layer of snow.

And at the end of each stem hung red strawberries that glowed transparently like glass beads.

Hana, who had spotted the strawberries, pointed at the vines.

Before Hana could even finish speaking, Taesan’s Vice-Chairman rushed ahead.

“I’ll get them!”

The moment the Vice-Chairman strode toward the strawberries.

Crunch.

His foot pushed away the snow.

And the surface of the glacier revealed beneath it.

The moment she saw it, Hana’s face hardened.

The ice was cracked all over.

As if it would split apart at any moment.

“…! Don’t!”

Sensing danger, Hana shouted urgently.

“Get out of there! Quickly—!”

But the Vice-Chairman was already plucking one of the red strawberries with a pop.

At that moment.

The vines that had been exposed on the glacier writhed as if they were alive.

The vines that had been moving like snakes drove their stems straight into the glacier.

Crack-crack-crack-!

Because of this, a tremendous rupturing sound burst from the already cracked glacier.

“Fall back!”

The glacier began to split with the ground where the Vice-Chairman stood as the center.

The cracks spread in all directions in an instant, and the ice sheets that had been interlocked began to be pushed in different directions.

Rumble rumble rumble.

Was it the day before yesterday?

I think the dormitory stairs in Harry Potter moved just like this in that old fantasy movie I saw on YouTube!

Hana lowered her stance to maintain balance on the shaking glacier.

The ground was moving.

No, to be precise, the terrain itself had been completely overturned.

Some shot upward, others sank downward.

The ice sheet beneath their feet writhed like a living beast, constantly changing positions.

“Ahhh!”

“Be careful!”

Screams erupted from all directions.

Hana also felt the ground beneath her feet suddenly sink downward.

“…!”

Looking down, she saw that the ice she was standing on was sinking.

“Yun Hana!”

Kang Hyeon immediately reached out his hand.

But the ice he was standing on was shooting upward instead.

A height difference opened up in an instant.

“Seo Ganghyeon!”

Hana also reached out, but their fingertips only brushed past each other precariously, almost but not quite touching.

Kang Hyeon gritted his teeth.

“Damn it!”

He tried to jump down after Hana immediately, but every time he stepped, new ice sheets popped up to block his path.

When he turned one way, ice pillars shot up from another side, and from yet another direction, split ice walls rose like barriers.

Rumble rumble rumble—!

A massive ice wall even rose right in front of Hana.

It was just a moment.

A blue and transparent ice wall that seemed like it would reach the ends of the sky completely blocked her view.

“…!”

Hana reflexively stepped back.

The figures of Kang Hyeon and the Taesan Guild Members, who had been visible just moments before, were completely hidden beyond the ice wall.

Hana, who had been tapping the thick ice wall, teared up.

Ah.

For reference, it’s not because she’s scared.

It’s just that tears came out physiologically because it’s so cold.

You don’t believe me?

But it’s true…

Really… I think?

Sniffle. Hana wiped away the flowing snot.

“…Why is getting one strawberry such an ordeal?”

* * *

At that moment.

Outside the Gate.

Damian’s cheek muscle twitched as he stood in the middle of Hana’s garden at Yangpyeong Hospital.

【SYSTEM】

【Stage 1 of ‘White Night’s Snowfield’ has been cleared.】

“Well. They actually managed to clear it.”

Damian swept back his perfectly styled hair.

Was this done by the Association Chairman’s nephew?

Or was it done by Seo Ganghyeon and Yun Hana?

“Whichever it was, it’s good that I prepared for this.”

Muttering this, Damian looked at Kim Secretary who was standing behind him.

“Kim Secretary. Did you look into what I asked you about?”

“I checked with the Hunter Registration Office, but we couldn’t identify anyone who accessed ‘1’s records.”

“Hmm. Is that so? Did you check the CCTV?”

“Yes. We checked, but the screen was off during that time, so nothing was recorded. They said they were inspecting the power system.”

“What a coincidence.”

“If there are any additional findings, I’ll report them immediately.”

“Please do.”

Damian let out a light sigh that seemed disappointed.

However, a faint smile still lingered at the corners of his mouth.

It wasn’t an expression of complete trust, nor one of suspicion.

It was simply a face that seemed to find things interesting.

The very fact that someone had moved while avoiding his eyes.

As if that variable was rather amusing.

Kim Secretary avoided Damian’s gaze and pushed up his glasses.

Naturally, the CCTV hadn’t been turned off—he had deleted the contents.

Kim Secretary glanced sideways at the garden while Damian wasn’t looking.

‘Why did Hunter Yun Hana access ‘1’s personal records?’

Kim Secretary’s gaze shifted to Damian.

Damian’s desire to come to this garden had been sudden.

‘He couldn’t possibly know that it was Hunter Yun Hana who tried to access ‘1’s personal information, could he?’

Was that why he came to the garden?

But it didn’t seem to be the case.

Damian simply seemed interested in a record of an item left behind by the previous Vice-Chairman.

“By the way, Kim Secretary. Have you ever tasted the items that Hunter Yun Hana grows?”

“No, I haven’t. Would you like me to get some for you?”

“Would you do that?”

Damian’s face brightened considerably.

His deep dimples made him look almost innocent.

“Then I’ll ask you to do that. I can’t stand being curious about something.”

* * *

Unaware that an uninvited guest had come to the now-empty garden of Yangpyeong Hospital.

Hana was in the middle of an unexpected hellish core workout.

Hana concentrated his mind, tensing each muscle to maintain balance on the ice that swayed left and right.

He thought it would be easier to balance on a gym ball than this.

“Why am I doing exercises here that I don’t even do outside!”

One wrong step and he would slide right down.

Popcon seemed to understand the situation too, moving his short legs in quick steps beside him to maintain balance.

“Popcon, you be careful too—”

It was the moment he was about to tell him to be careful.

Crack.

An ominous sound echoed from directly under his feet.

Even the ice he was standing on was about to break.

“This is driving me crazy, really.”

At this point, Hana felt a bit wronged.

Just a few strawberries—no, not just a few. He was planning to take quite a lot.

Anyway.

He had only come to get some of those. Wasn’t it too much for the ground beneath his feet to collapse?

Hana quickly scooped Popcon into his arms and looked around.

Fortunately, a solid snowy plain stretched out just beyond the crevasse.

“I wonder if I can jump over this…?”

Hana hugged Popcon tighter as he looked at the width of the crevasse that seemed easily taller than himself.

But there was no choice.

If he didn’t jump now, he would fall coolly along with the broken ice.

“Whatever, just do it!”

Hana took a few steps back, got a running start, squeezed his eyes shut, and jumped with all his might.

The moment Hana’s feet left the ice,

Crack!

With a chilling sound, the ice shattered into pieces and broke apart.

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