# Chapter 56
[Reporter A Journal] Dungeon rampages increasing, dungeon stabilization ‘sluggish’
Dungeon rampage incidents have been rapidly increasing recently. However, ability users’ dungeon conquest capabilities show no signs of growth, and work proceeds sluggishly. The stabilization of the A-class dungeon located in Jecheon is no exception. After the first search team failed to stabilize the dungeon, even though a second search team led by S-class Esper Ji Sangjun was dispatched, the dungeon conquest still appears to be at a standstill. Citizens have raised concerns that the Korean Ability Management Authority’s capabilities for resolving and handling dungeon problems are inadequate.
The Korean Ability Management Authority stated that they are comprehensively reviewing reports on the dungeon based on the search results from returning search teams and will work hard for quick problem resolution.
(Omitted)
[Note Animal] Cat rescued from A-class dungeon… “It was scary in the dungeon, meow”
An Esper returning from an A-class dungeon. Netizens’ reactions to the cat in his arms are passionate.
On the 21st, it started with a photo accidentally taken by a reporter preparing for a dungeon stabilization interview. Though it’s just a back view taken from a distance, the cute sight of the cat feeling safe in the arms of a reliable ability user has already spread far and wide through SNS.
Esper Ji Sangjun specifically mentioned in an interview that the cat is an ordinary cat that accidentally entered the dungeon. After thorough examination for harmful bacteria by a research institute under the Korean Ability Management Authority, they plan to put it up for adoption.
(Omitted)
***
The memory of that day still seemed to be a jumbled mess buzzing in Dohyuk’s mind.
‘Are you crazy? Do you want to die? Do I have to tell Esper Choi Dohyuk the most basic thing about staying alert in a dungeon?’
Gulkak died with its head exploding from Sangjun’s ability. Originally, Dohyuk was supposed to inflict a fatal wound to make it flee, then track it to its nest.
With a thud, the headless body lost strength and naturally crashed to the floor. The sound of life escaping. The sound of death settling in. Dohyuk stood blankly and listened to that sound. All the Changgwi were dead. To wait for the Changgwi to reconstruct and track the nest again, a third search team would have to be dispatched after a long wait. It was a tremendous waste. Sangjun’s head was already throbbing about how to report this to the higher-ups.
Still with a dazed face, Dohyuk slowly bent his knee. Rough hands groped the messily scattered corpse. Beyond the sticky bodily fluids, everything tangled in his fingers was cold. Monsters have no body heat. That’s Gulkak. It’s a monster. Not a human. Not Yu Junseo. Despite knowing this, despite knowing… Dohyuk was confused. Overflowing despair poured down his cheeks. It became increasingly difficult to breathe. Even half-fainting, Dohyuk continuously groped the corpse covered in monster fluid, again and again. A corpse with its neck crushed. The cold sensation touched his fingertips again. It’s the sensation of death. His hands felt like they would freeze.
As if he couldn’t even hear Sangjun’s shouts, Dohyuk’s hands began to tremble, so Sangjun finally grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back to base. Dohyuk’s choker blinked from green to yellow, then back to green as if it had malfunctioned.
Dohyuk’s memory was cut off for a moment.
How much time had passed? When he came to his senses, Junseo was in front of him. Dohyuk stubbornly checked Junseo’s pulse and breath. In his mind, the dead Junseo and the living Junseo tangled. The moment he confirmed the warm body temperature, Dohyuk’s memory cut off again.
It was a panic attack due to PTSD.
***
‘Esper Choi Dohyuk-nim.’
‘Please.’
‘Please kill me.’
‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry. But you know.’
‘I don’t want to remain as….’
‘Please.’
Wait.
Dohyuk thought. What expression did Seoyeon make at the very last moment?
***
His head throbbed. As he frowned, something soft touched between his eyebrows. Dohyuk gasped like a wild animal submerged in deep water. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” Whenever someone whispered, breath flowed over his forehead. As the other’s breathing became explicitly noticeable to Dohyuk, he finally grabbed the other with relief.
More, it’s not enough yet, a little more.
He felt like he would drown at any moment. Suffocating, Dohyuk clung more firmly to the only lifeline. What touched his forehead blew breath onto Dohyuk’s lips. It was sweet. He parted his lips. Like a beggar, he received and bit the breath that blew in again. He might have chewed it in case he’d lose it. It was so rapturous he wanted to swallow it all.
His memory cut off again. Between the pitch-black darkness, the whisper “I’m here” laid down a small path. Only the gentle voice whispering in his ear created small ripples in his deeply sunken heart.
***
Sangjun visited when not even three hours had passed since Dohyuk regained consciousness.
“Are you okay now? First, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had trauma.”
“No. I acted carelessly… I’m truly sorry.”
This was also Dohyuk’s first panic attack. If not for the enhanced hallucination abilities of the Changgwi, he might have lived without ever experiencing PTSD. As Dohyuk apologized, he habitually applied slight pressure to his hand. If he hadn’t been holding Junseo’s hand, it would have been a meaningless gesture of clenching and unclenching his fist. Although he thought he had gotten used to bare hands in the dungeon, it seemed not.
Dohyuk again feared that the soft hand he distinctly felt might get hurt in his hand. His teeth clattered against each other. Back to square one.
***
After fainting again and regaining consciousness, Dohyuk removed the machinery hanging from him in the recovery room and moved to the lounge. Sangjun, who came as soon as he heard the news, looked at Junseo, who was keeping watch beside Dohyuk while tightly holding his hand, regardless of whether Sangjun came or not. The question was succinct.
“Did you tell him?”
“Not yet. Rest is more important right now.”
Junseo replied to Sangjun. His emotionless voice had a strangely sharp edge to it. Sangjun sighed.
“Esper Choi Dohyuk. Do you know how long it took you to wake up?”
At those words, Dohyuk’s gaze unconsciously turned to Junseo. Junseo’s jawline drew an even more delicate line than usual. Junseo had already been gradually withering away from not eating proper meals even while in the dungeon. But now, his condition was worse. His snow-white frozen expression was so sharp it seemed like it would shatter with a clattering sound at the slightest touch. Dohyuk lowered his gaze. Junseo’s neck line, which had become even thinner, was visible. Dohyuk bit his lip. Sangjun answered his own question.
“Six days. It’s already been six days since we left the dungeon.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not saying this to hear an apology. Haah, I’ll just ask straightforwardly… Esper Choi Dohyuk’s trauma. It’s related to the Esper Lee Seoyeon incident, isn’t it?”
Sangjun added that although the dungeon stabilization had failed, he had finished clearing up the noisy matters at his level. He told him not to worry about that, saying that the third search team had been roughly assembled as well. They would now be preparing to enter the dungeon while waiting for the dungeon to reconstruct. Sangjun spoke simply, but Dohyuk knew it wasn’t a simple story at all. As evidence, Sangjun’s face was covered with deep fatigue. To save Dohyuk, who had lost his mind, Sangjun had to kill even Gulkak.
Dohyuk knew that many people had suffered from the ripple effect. Because of him. Dohyuk wanted to vomit out all his twisted insides.
“……”
“Is it still confidential? Wouldn’t it be better to protect Esper Choi Dohyuk himself rather than trying to protect the headquarters like this? If necessary, I can help you. The headquarters doesn’t even think about protecting Esper Choi Dohyuk right now. They wouldn’t treat even disposables like this. Moreover, that cat is now also…”
As his constantly bitten lips reddened as if they might burst at any moment, Junseo reached out to restrain Dohyuk. Junseo’s thumb touched Dohyuk’s lips. Focusing all his attention on Dohyuk, Junseo said:
“Get out. He just woke up. Right now, stability is important, so let’s talk about that later.”
“Ha. Later? Yu Junseo. Do you know what instructions came from above? Orders to recover by next week, before the dispatch of the dungeon conquest mission. No matter how urgent the situation is these days, do you know how dangerous it is for an Esper to go to a dungeon with psychological trauma? I don’t understand at all, but does Esper Choi Dohyuk understand?”
“It’s fine. This is the first time I’ve experienced this during a mission. The anomaly also made Gulkak stronger. It’s just that I was a little careless. I can fully recover by next week, and I’ll be careful in the future. This won’t happen again.”
As Dohyuk desperately answered, whimpering like an abandoned dog, Sangjun stared at Junseo. As if asking, ‘Do you think this situation is normal?’
Without answering, Junseo pulled Dohyuk’s hand that he was holding. His soft voice seemed to stroke Dohyuk’s hair.
“Sleep a little more and then think about it, hyung.”
I don’t know why the lips touching my protruding finger knuckles feel familiar. The moment those dry fingers covered my eyes, gentle guiding enveloped Dohyuk. Like someone under hypnosis, Dohyuk surrendered to the approaching drowsiness.
