On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons

Chapter 148: The Remnants of a Nightmare

Whisperings— Glances—

The three of us ate burgers at a table in the restaurant, feeling like monkeys in a zoo.

“Isn’t that Sung Mi-Na?”

“Oh, c’mon! Why would she be here?”

“But she looks awfully similar...”

The cause of the disturbance was Sung Mi-Na, who was munching on fries. Maybe the sunglasses covering half her petite face weren’t enough of a disguise.

Slightly lowering her glasses, Sung Mi-Na glared at me. “Why? what?”

Despite being tempted to comment that she looked like a squirrel eating acorns, I held back, afraid that she’d soccer kick me like yesterday.

“Hehe, do you enjoy your food? Just curious.”

“Yum!” Seong-Yeon opened her mouth wide, taking a big bite out of her second burger.

My niece is such a big eater.

Before Seong-Yeon were four dolls from the limited-time set menu, and each had its own pose. We’d get a free burger along with each purchase. Such a clever marketing trick it was. I took a big bite of my burger, just like my niece.

Ah, heavenly!

After holing up in the publisher’s office, eating nothing but Chinese food and dumplings, the burger melted in my mouth.

Flash! Ruuumble!

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of light, accompanied by a deafening thunderclap. Someone did a superhero landing in front of the restaurant. It was a girl in black helmet and tights, donning an insulated suit. Bright yellow lightning bolts crackled all around her. After looking around for a few moments, she finally spotted us in the restaurant.

“Ah! Teacher Yu, found you!”

Yelping like a puppy having found its master, she rushed toward us. She was none other than S-rank Hunter Thunder Emperor slash my student, Sung Mi-Ri.

“Teacher Yu! It’s been a while! How did your promotion exam go?! Ah, but the answer is obvious! You’d definitely have passed it with flying colors! I wanted to be your supervisor, but they wouldn’t allow it because we’re acquaintances! Teacher Yu, will you listen to my story? I’m a supervisor this time as well! My assigned candidate was such a troublemaker! Moreover, his name is Steve Choi! Do you know how envious I was of Uncle Gal Joong-Hyuk?!”

Sung Mi-Ri squeezed my hand, yapping on like a rapid-fire cannon.

...She must be ecstatic to see me.

I hadn’t seen her for a while since I’d been staying illegally in China due to the Three Martial Association, busy fighting the Sun God, and recently stuck in the publisher’s office for a week to meet the deadline.

“Haha. It has indeed been a while. How have you been doing?”

“Yes! I’m great, and it’s all thanks to you!”

I don’t remember helping her in the slightest, but I have a burning question in mind.

“How did you find me? Did Mi-Na noona tell you?”

“Your smell and my gut feeling!”

My smell? Did I smell? I sniffed around myself, bothered by the disturbing information.

“Also, Mi-Na unni?”

Sung Mi-Na was about to make her escape when she stopped in her tracks, as if caught stealing red-handed.

Sung Mi-Ri spotted her older sister and tilted her head curiously. “Huh? Why are you here, unni?”

Then, I witnessed the moment Sung Mi-Na's panicked expression transformed into one of innocent childlike wonder. On top of that, she showed an angel-like smile as she threw herself into Sung Mi-Ri’s embrace with all her might.

“Mi-Ri~”

“Did you come to see me? I’m so happy!”

“Geez, Unni. People are watching...”

Was she really trying to keep the charade up? Well, I could understand it, considering the long frosty relationship they had shared. Nevertheless, it was difficult to accept the fact that she was older than me, especially when her innocent appearance made her look like a middle schooler.

“Wow, it’s really the Thunder Emperor!”

“Then that’s really Sung Mi-Na?!”

“But, just now, didn’t Thunder Emperor call that man teacher...?”

“Is that her rumored teacher?! The genius trainer who turned the B-rank Thunder Emperor into an S-rank Hunter?”

The fuss from those who’d guessed Sung Mi-Na’s true identity boiled like water dropped in hot oil.

I don’t think we should stay here any longer...

“First thing first, let’s leave!” I rushed out of the restaurant, holding the Sung sisters on each arm, with Seong-Yeon on my back, before more people began to gather.

I dropped by to get more food for us and returned home but...

“You’ve returned, Mr. Sword God.” Lin Xiaoming greeted us with a bright smile.

Right inside my house!

“Why are you here again! A-and what’s with that getup?!”

Instead of her usual cheongsam, only an apron covered her nude body.

“This servant still hasn’t received any orders from Mr. Sword God, so I thought I’d help around the house instead. Do you really not have any orders for me today?” Lin Xiaoming asked, staring at me with a provocative and lascivious gaze.

Meanwhile, Sung Mi-Na crumbled behind her mask. “You crazy bitch! I said that I’d kill you the next time I see you!”

“Hoho, jealousy is an ugly thing, little girl who’s sharing a father-daughter relationship with Mr. Sword God.”

“Bitch! I don’t care if you’re SS-rank, you’re so dead today!”

Sung Mi-Na and Lin Xiaoming glared at each other ferociously like a meerkat and viper snake.

“M-Mister! How could you let such a woman in your house?! I’m disappointed in you! Waaah!”

Flash!

With tears, Sung Mi-Ri disappeared like a flash in the sky.

“Uncle, which one is your lover?” even my beloved niece asked quietly, glaring at me.

...Haha, what a mess.

~

Anyway, it was a bit of a ruckus, but I managed to get it all under wraps. Then, I caught up on how everyone was doing. Above all, I was glad to hear that Xu Zhu would be returning to school very soon.

My temporary teaching assignment had ended, so I wouldn’t be able to teach at the academy anymore. Regardless, Xu Zhu was still a dear student of mine. After a peaceful and enjoyable day, I headed for bed.

[Your innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]

[You see someone’s “dream.”]

Then, I had a strange dream.

*** @@novelbin@@

People, seemingly about a hundred of them, gathered in what looked like the interior of a cave.

“W-where is this place?”

“I-I’m a goner...”

“Waaah! Mommy! Where are you?!”

There were impeccably dressed men in suits, a girl in a patient outfit, and even a crying child with a toy robot in his hand. The group was so diverse in age, gender, and nationality that they had nothing in common.

After a few moments of panic, they tried to escape.

“Argh! What’s this?”

“We can’t get out!”

However, there was an invisible barrier at the entrance of the cave, rendering their escape impossible.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Is anyone out there? Please, help us!”

The people begged, pounding their fists against the invisible barrier.

Ding!

Just then, a strange beep resounded and someone’s voice rang in their heads.

-Congratulations. All of you have been chosen as the seeds of god.

The congratulatory message was devoid of any emotions and almost robotic.

-Depending on your choices and play style, you can become a benevolent god or a malevolent one.

“You! Who are you! Get me out of here or I won’t let you off!”

“Stop this, o-or I’ll report you to the police!”

-May you overcome all hardships and adversities, survive, and reign as the “god” of this world.

Everyone was screaming but only got a manual-like answer. Lastly...

-Starting the tutorial.

The voice declared.

Riiip!

A cracking sound rang out and the invisible barrier at the entrance disappeared.

“Everyone! We can get out now!”

“Let’s get out of here quickly!”

Everyone rushed out of the room, but they didn’t get very far before they stopped in their tracks like statues.

Shaaaa!

A shrill, deafening noise echoed in all directions like a nightmare.

“W-what’s that sound?”

It wasn’t just one, but many of them. It sounded like a torrential downpour of millions of raindrops gathered together, pounding the ground.

Then, they screamed in unison.

-Monsters have appeared! All armies! Slay them!

-Waaaah! Give us your flesh and blood, monsters!

“I-insects?”

“Kyaaa!”

The walls and ceiling of the cave were soon filled with swarms of hundreds of millions of bugs, like a massive tsunami wave washing over the humans.

“Aaaargh! Save me!”

“Mommyyyy!”

Along with their horrific cries, the people were being eaten alive by the endless swarm of insects.

***

“Pant!” I gasped, waking up from my sleep.

What kind of dream is that?

I dreamed that I was one of those helpless people, getting devoured by the swarm of insects. It reminded me of the time when I nearly died after being attacked by a swarm of imperial ants. Even now, I could still see those from my dream, their flesh getting ripped apart and turning into skeletons in an instant.

Was it really a dream? It was so vivid... If I hadn’t been lucky enough to survive, would I have met the same fate as they did?

Throb throb!

“Ugh, my head.”

A headache washed over me as if I had a terrible hangover. I wasn’t feeling well, maybe because of the nightmare. Well, since I didn’t have any appointments today, I should just stay home and get some rest.

Ding dong! Ding dong!

Just as I had made up my mind, the doorbell rang.

Tsk, who’s this at such an ungodly hour? I thought, but it was only 1 PM.

Wait, it was already this time? Did the headache stem from oversleeping?

Ding dong! Ding dong!

The doorbell rang again, this time much more urgently. I didn’t know who was at the door, but they were clearly in a hurry.

“Yes, I’m coming...”

Clunk!

The door opened—Lin Xiaoming helped me to fix the door, so it was good as new now—and a huge shadow loomed over me, snapping me out of my daze.

Flick! Bam!

I quickly slammed the door shut again and yelled, “I’m not interested in anything you’re selling! I don’t believe in it! There’s no one in!”

I yelled the three magical lines that were said to repel unwanted guests in rapid successions, but...

“Open.”

It didn’t work at all.

The doorknob rattled fiercely.

Crack!

Then, my door was ripped open.

“Didn’t I tell you to come to the Hunter Association’s training ground today? How dare you ignore your senior’s words!” Gal Joong-Hyuk, standing at a towering height of two meters, held the ripped door in his hand, looking down at me with an expressionless face like a golem’s.

“Come with me now. I’ll make sure to set your rotten attitude straight.”

Throb throb!

My headache grew more intense as the seconds passed. It felt as if a swarm of bugs was gnawing away at my brain. Instead of losing all sense of reason, I was beginning to feel an indescribable rush of anger.

I glared at Gal Joong-Hyuk.

“A lowly insect dares to interrupt me?”

Tzzz!

Someone’s emotion from the dream resonated with mine, and a black haze spread from my eyes.

“Do you have a death wish?”