Chapter 24

Ha Si-ho, at that time, she was a 15-year-old middle school sophomore.

With a pretty face and a small frame.

She was a lovely girl, always adored by those around her.

Frequently confessed to by her peers.

Even the girls liked her for being cute.

At 15, Si-ho’s life was truly happy.

Perhaps that’s why she didn’t realize how precious that happiness was.

That day was just like any other.

“Si-ho, are you ready?”

Hearing her mom’s voice from outside the room, Si-ho rolled around on her bed, playing with her phone.

Her face was full of annoyance.

It was a rare weekend.

But they were going camping in the mountains.

Her mom had no consideration for a middle school sophomore going through puberty.

“Ha Si-ho, aren’t you going to answer me?!”

“Ah, Mom! I was changing clothes!”

At that moment, the door swung open because her answer was late.

Si-ho protested, but her mom just snorted.

“Lying on the bed, what a joke! Hurry up and come out!”

“Don’t you have any respect for your daughter? Si-ho might get hurt.”

“She still calls herself by her own name. A middle school sophomore, no less.”

“My daughter is pretty like her mom, so it’s okay.”

As Si-ho pressed her cheeks, saying she was pretty, her mom sighed deeply.

But she didn’t seem to dislike it.

No mom can beat her own daughter.

“Can’t even talk properly.”

Si-ho’s mother, Kim Ji-sun.

Mrs. Kim was always like that.

After Si-ho’s father, a firefighter, passed away in an accident, she raised her son and daughter alone, becoming a strong-willed woman.

But perhaps because they grew up without a father, she felt sorry and became endlessly soft in front of Si-ho and Seo-ho.

‘Should I scold them a bit?’

But her son and daughter had grown up so well.

Every time she saw them, she could proudly puff out her chest, remembering her husband.

So today, she couldn’t bring herself to criticize Si-ho’s behavior and let it slide.

“Ha Seo-ho.”

“Si-ho, our daughter, you shouldn’t call your brother by his name.”

“He should act like an older brother.”

“Before he’s your brother, he’s my son. Respect him. He went out this morning for Hunter work.”

Hearing that, Si-ho frowned.

That guy ran away first.

Recently, after awakening as a Hunter as soon as he became an adult, her brother Seo-ho had been going out for Hunter work every day.

They said he had S-class potential and was a once-in-a-generation Hunter talent, but to Si-ho, it was all hype.

She couldn’t understand why the internet was going crazy over her brother, calling him Seollsan Iri and saying he was handsome.

Come to think of it, her friends always asked to be introduced to him whenever they saw him. The world was secretly filming her.

“I hope he doesn’t overdo it.”

And her mother, Kim Ji-sun, worried about Seo-ho every day.

After all, being a Hunter was even more dangerous than being a firefighter.

Having lost her husband in a firefighting accident, her heart was never at ease.

So Si-ho quickly hugged her mom before she could start worrying about her brother again.

Anyway, Ha Seo-ho was no help at all.

“Mrs. Kim, instead of thinking about Ha Seo-ho, think about your pretty daughter beside you. Si-ho is jealous.”

“Ugh, bring your stuff. Let’s go grill some meat.”

Seemingly cheered up by Si-ho’s aegyo, Kim Ji-sun patted her head and went out.

Following her mom, Si-ho grabbed her packed bags and went outside, getting into the car.

“How far are we going?”

“To Yangpyeong.”

“That’s far. Haa, if only Ha Seo-ho had Space Movement, we could get there in an instant. Why can he only use ice? Useless except for making shaved ice.”

“You expect too much. Your brother is so talented.”

“What’s the point? He doesn’t even give me allowance. Mom, raising a son is pointless.”

Grumbling, Si-ho fastened her seatbelt.

Seeing Si-ho, Kim Ji-sun smiled and started driving towards Yangpyeong.

At that time, the two were enjoying their time heading out for camping.

But misfortune always strikes suddenly.

While her mom was driving, Si-ho was singing along to a YouTube song to pass the time when she accidentally looked out the window.

A small black dot was rushing towards them.

“Uh.”

The moment Si-ho made a sound, the dot started growing larger.

Teeth the size of a person, protruding from its mouth.

Two eyes glowing yellow in the light.

A monster twice the size of a large truck, destroying everything in its path, was rushing towards them.

A large Dimensional Being had appeared.

The rapid Dimensional Gate phenomenon started in an underground natural cave beneath the river.

It was activated under such adverse conditions that even the sensory ability users deployed by the country couldn’t detect it.

Thus, in the worst situation with no Hunters nearby, the Dimensional Beings moved solely to satisfy their desires.

On a highway speeding at 100 km/h.

Now clearly visible to the naked eye, the large Dimensional Being had reached the opposite lane.

Seeing it, Si-ho, who had been staring blankly, screamed when it crashed into a car on the opposite lane.

“Mom!!!!!”

“Si-ho, hold on tight to your seatbelt!”

With Si-ho’s scream, Kim Ji-sun pressed the accelerator to the maximum, increasing speed.

At that moment, the large Dimensional Being narrowly passed through the highway from behind.

If they had been even a little late, they would have been crushed by the Dimensional Being. Si-ho felt a chill she had never felt before.

Her teeth chattered.

They had come out for a fun trip, but what was this situation?

But Kim Ji-sun’s mind was just as chaotic.

If she were alone, it would be fine, but Si-ho was beside her.

They had to escape somehow.

“Ahhh!”

“Help!”

But the problem didn’t end there.

Cars were blocked ahead, causing chaos.

Following the large Dimensional Being, smaller Dimensional Beings had blocked the highway, smashing car doors and dragging people out.

Blood splattered, flesh flew.

In an instant, the scene turned into a hellscape as the small Dimensional Beings hunted people indiscriminately.

While Si-ho was stunned by the unreal situation, Kim Ji-sun slammed on the brakes.

It was purely survival instinct.

*Screech!*

“Si-ho, unbuckle your seatbelt! We need to get out now!”

Quickly unfastening the frozen Si-ho’s seatbelt, she took her and ran across the highway.

Since it wasn’t an urban area with walls, Kim Ji-sun started running towards the nearby mountain with Si-ho.

“Mom.”

“It’s okay. Mom’s here. Don’t be scared, Si-ho.”

Clenching Si-ho’s hand tightly as she called out, Kim Ji-sun climbed the mountain.

Staying there would mean certain death if the large or small Dimensional Beings smashed the car.

They had to escape by climbing this mountain.

‘It’s okay. It’s okay! Kim Ji-sun, don’t panic or get scared. Si-ho is here.’

But in the sudden life-threatening situation, Kim Ji-sun also felt extreme fear.

She was human too.

If a Dimensional Being pierced or bit her, she would die.

That was an undeniable fact.

In the face of death, everyone is just an ordinary person.

So, her legs, feeling like they would give out any moment, almost made her collapse several times.

But she suppressed the fear with sheer willpower.

She had her only daughter now.

Her middle school sophomore daughter couldn’t even open her mouth in the face of death.

She was a mother.

She had to save her daughter, so she had to overcome the fear, make decisions, and act.

‘Don’t panic. It’s okay. There were many people there. The Dimensional Beings’ attention will surely be drawn there for a while.’

Moreover, in such a situation, Hunters would come soon.

If they could hold out in the mountains after requesting rescue, they could save Si-ho.

Thinking that, she quickly turned on the GPS and called her son.

Seo-ho didn’t answer, probably busy working.

Though it was painful, Kim Ji-sun suppressed her emotions and left a message for Seo-ho.

To follow the GPS and save Si-ho.

After sending the message, she switched to vibration mode.

She considered the possibility that nearby Dimensional Beings might detect them if they heard the phone or message sounds.

“Si-ho, hold this. Your brother will contact you. And turn on your phone’s GPS too.”

She even entrusted her own phone to Si-ho.

In case one broke, Si-ho had to be rescued.

*Rustle-*

At that moment, a chilling sound echoed around them.

Something was moving at the edge of the distant forest.

Kim Ji-sun desperately moved through the forest with Si-ho.

But the sound didn’t seem to fade.

It was terrifying.

She felt like she would be consumed by fear.

Her late husband kept coming to mind.

But holding the small hand in hers, she clenched her teeth and shook her head.

This couldn’t go on.

The wind mixed with the sound, but the pursuing sound was clearly one.

If it’s just one.

“Si-ho, run straight down this path now.”

She spoke decisively, looking straight ahead.

Her voice didn’t tremble at all.

“What are you talking about? What about you?!”

Si-ho, who had just come to her senses, looked at her in shock.

But Kim Ji-sun just repeated the same words.

“I’ll take another path. Let’s meet outside the mountain. Okay?”

“Why! Let’s go together. Mom, please.”

Si-ho felt intense anxiety hearing her mom’s words.

Even at her young age, she could guess what her mom, who wasn’t looking at her, was planning to do.

“Ha Si-ho!”

And Kim Ji-sun shouted at Si-ho with genuine intensity for the first time.

Her face, which she had tried to hide from Si-ho, was trembling pitifully.

But she was clearly smiling.

To reassure her frightened daughter even a little.

Her smile was one only a mother could make.

“Our daughter is good. Mom, please do me a favor.”

Si-ho’s face was already a sea of tears.

But Kim Ji-sun wiped her tears with her sleeve and comforted her.

Her mother’s eyes were so serious that Si-ho couldn’t refuse her words.

Just as no mom can beat her daughter, no daughter can beat her mom.

At this moment, Kim Ji-sun was the strongest woman.

“Now, quickly. Don’t lose your phone.”

She pushed Si-ho’s back.

“Go! Hurry!”

Si-ho didn’t want to go, but unable to resist her mom’s urging, she started running up the mountain again.

Watching Si-ho gradually disappear, she picked up a branch from the ground and quietly swallowed her breath.

Cold sweat and tears streamed down, unable to overcome the fear.

But she had given up everything for her daughter.

A mother is that kind of existence.

For her child.

“Here! Over here!”

Even willing to give her life.

Kim Ji-sun shouted and wildly waved the branch.

She was desperate to keep the attention away from Si-ho.

As if her wish had been granted.

*Rustle*

With the sound of stepping on leaves, a wolf-like Dimensional Being covered in black fur appeared from between the trees.

Meeting its blood-red eyes made her body tremble.

Survival instincts surged, making her legs want to run away.

But a brief flashback passed through her mind.

Marrying her kind husband.

Giving birth to Seo-ho, and then Si-ho.

The two children were lovely, and her husband always treated her well.

She was happy.

Even though her husband had passed away in an accident.

Her life was filled with happiness.

Seo-ho was now an adult, living his own life.

Only, she was worried about the still young Si-ho.

Just a 15-year-old child.

Someday, she would have a boyfriend, get married like her, have children, and bring cute grandchildren to hold, complaining about how hard it was for her mom.

Yes, that was her only regret.

Seeing her child grow up safely and form a happy family.

Seeing Si-ho and Seo-ho live happily like she did.

She was sorry they grew up without a father.

Sorry she couldn’t do better.

But seeing her good children smile happily made her life without regrets.

She tightened her grip on the branch.

Such a child.

She had to protect our Si-ho.

‘Honey, I’m sorry. I couldn’t take care of Si-ho and Seo-ho until the end. But please do me this favor.’

Please protect our pretty Si-ho.

With that single wish, Kim Ji-sun, seeing the Dimensional Being flying towards her neck, remembered Si-ho’s last face.

‘Our weak-hearted Si-ho, don’t cry too much….’