[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-hunter-wants-to-live-quietly-bl":3,"chapter-the-hunter-wants-to-live-quietly-bl-the-hunter-wants-to-live-quietly-bl-chapter-155":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Hunter Wants to Live Quietly (bl)",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},996255,1298,"Chapter 155: The One Hidden in the Gaps","the-hunter-wants-to-live-quietly-bl-chapter-155",155,"\u003Cp>After the embarrassment and shame subsided a bit, the first thing that came to mind was guilt. Thankfully. Cha Eui-jae absentmindedly ran his hand through his hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Is it okay to have such thoughts about someone who's unwell?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no worse thought than this. Cha Eui-jae rubbed his mask roughly. But the sensation of that firm body clinging to him was still vivid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arms that wrapped around his waist as if they'd never let go again, a back rising and falling as if to catch its breath, and that breath, mixed with a faint sob. How could he not welcome it? Cha Eui-jae didn't know how to reject warmth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially if it came from his only success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, this is driving me crazy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But isn't this trashy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was ruffling his hair wildly when he heard something shuffle across the wooden floor. Cha Eui-jae poked his head out of the door. Kkokko was walking over, balancing a wooden tray on its head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the tray were two ceramic cups filled with sikhye, a traditional Korean sweet rice drink, and not a drop wavered as the ceramic chicken reached the door's threshold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'That's comfort-level bed service.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko stepped over the threshold and stopped in front of Cha Eui-jae. It then rolled its little bean-like eyes up to look at him. Cha Eui-jae took the tray and placed it on the table, remembering to thank Kkokko.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thanks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bawk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko's smooth chest puffed up proudly. When Cha Eui-jae looked back at the tray, he noticed that one of the cups had \"For Hong Ye-seong\" written on it. He felt a sudden urge to intrude on Hong Ye-seong's territory out of sheer stubbornness, but since he was here for help, he suppressed the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Eui-jae picked up the unmarked cup, but he couldn't bring himself to drink the sikhye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The stare... it's constant...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing the serving, Kkokko had curled up on its cushion and was staring at Cha Eui-jae with its round, black eyes. It was as if it was demanding something. What more did it want? Cha Eui-jae glanced at Kkokko and then tried to strike up a conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bawk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko tilted its head. Cha Eui-jae could manage most tasks, but understanding what a ceramic chicken was saying was beyond him, unfortunately. With a puzzled expression, he lifted the cup and pretended to drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You want me to drink this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bawk, bawk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko shook its head vigorously and then lowered it, letting out a deep sigh. A chicken sighing! And not just any sigh, but one that grated on his nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This thing... it's not just a chicken, is it?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, there was something rather intelligent about those bean-like eyes. Cha Eui-jae stared into Kkokko's beady black eyes. Kkokko didn't look away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as an unintended staring contest was about to continue, Hong Ye-seong entered the room, swinging a plastic bag. Perhaps it was the green tracksuit, but he looked even more laid-back than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have you tried the sikhye?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, not yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give it a try! I made it myself. Even the government official acknowledged its taste. Have some nurungji too. Oh, should I bring you some dongchimi1 as well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I appreciate the thought, but can we get to the main point?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will you leave after we finish?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Ye-seong's eyebrows drooped into a sad arc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm bored...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Eui-jae glared at him from behind the mask. With a pout that rivaled Kkokko's beak, Hong Ye-seong reluctantly straightened his posture. Then, as he snapped a piece of nurungji, he asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, alright. So, since you carried in Lee Sa-young, this must be about him, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah. He woke up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Ye-seong's eyes brightened as he chewed on his nurungji.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's good! He woke up sooner than expected.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But there's a bit of a problem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What problem?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You told me that since two souls are housed in one body, we should leave them alone until they stabilize. That there's nothing we can do but wait.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I did say that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Eui-jae fidgeted with his cup and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At the time, I was too out of it to ask, but what exactly did you mean by 'stabilize'?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some thought, Hong Ye-seong downed his sikhye, then set the empty cup down with a clink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well... think of it like juice. Over time, what's inside evaporates, right? And if there's no external stimulus, it won't shake. It's something like that. I expected that if we waited until the souls fully fused, they would naturally stabilize on their own.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...So, did he wake up too soon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Ye-seong blinked, pausing mid-motion as he placed a piece of nurungji on Kkokko's head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, from the way you're talking... don't tell me...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He hasn't fused.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lee Sa-young. There's two of him. Inside.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What, seriously?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Ye-seong's eyes widened. Cha Eui-jae rubbed his forehead and muttered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm sure. It's the same guy we saw in the ruined world. But it's not just him— our Lee Sa-young is there too...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's really strange... Two souls with their own identities in one body? That's... yawn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Ye-seong, who had been rambling as if possessed, suddenly yawned and squinted his eyes. His eyelids drooped as if they were about to close any second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So... what I want to say... is... hmm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept yawning and bobbing his head like a sick chicken. It was disconcerting to see someone who had been chattering nonstop suddenly about to doze off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What's going on with him?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Eui-jae reached out to steady Hong Ye-seong's swaying shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, what's wrong with you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? Ah... I don't know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, but his drooping eyelids slowly began to close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why am I so sleepy all of a sudden...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What nonsense is this? Hey!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mmm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that final word, Hong Ye-seong slumped over, still held by Cha Eui-jae's hand. From the soft snores coming from him, it seemed he had really fallen asleep. Did this guy have narcolepsy2 or something? Cha Eui-jae was bewildered. Growing anxious, he shook Hong Ye-seong's shoulders more forcefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, you're just going to fall asleep without properly explaining anything?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a voice spoke from somewhere other than Hong Ye-seong's mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll answer instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't be surprised, friend. I just put him to sleep for a bit. I can only intervene this way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Eui-jae slowly turned his head with a creak. Kkokko was sitting there, staring right at him. Its shiny beak moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You remember, right? There can't be two of the same person in one world. Likewise, this guy and I can't exist at the same time. This is just a minor trick, but it doesn't violate the system's rules. As long as you perceive me as Kkokko, it works.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko was talking!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Eui-jae's eyes widened. Even after rubbing his eyes, it was clear the voice was coming from Kkokko's beak. And it was a familiar voice. After all, it was the same voice he had been speaking with just moments ago— Hong Ye-seong's! Golden patterns began to spin rapidly in Kkokko's small, black eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Eyes of Appraisal. But it was far more complex and intricate than the one he knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko raised one of its white wings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know you have a lot to say and what you're going to say. But don't equate me with the artisan. Words have power, you know? Thinking it and saying it out loud are different.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The system is already watching Lee Sa-young. It's probably keeping an eye on this place too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing there awkwardly, Cha Eui-jae glanced up at the ceiling. Kkokko continued speaking slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The moment we break the rules, I'll be kicked out before I can answer any of your questions. So, let's help each other out. Of course, I can't tell you much...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Eui-jae swallowed the words he had been about to say. He then lowered his head, gripping his mask. The one he was now speaking with was indeed the \"Hong Ye-seong\" he had encountered at the end of the Memorial Dungeon. And this one had the most information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Ye... no, Kkokko, flapped its wings and smacked its lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sigh, I was determined not to get involved this time... but you just had to drag me out, didn't you? You never act predictably, which makes you fun to watch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko tilted its head and began chattering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, friend, what have you done? Why is Lee Sa-young like this? Why didn't the souls fuse? This is an unexpected situation even for me. Care to explain?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, friend?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko stretched its neck. Trembling for a moment in silence, Cha Eui-jae suddenly lunged at Kkokko, grabbed it, and shook it violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give me back Kkokko, you crazy bastard!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Squawk!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the quiet mountains, the loud crowing of a rooster echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twenty minutes later, Cha Eui-jae was still sitting in Hong Ye-seong's \"love house,\" but the one sitting across from him now was Kkokko.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko had stacked up cushions to match Cha Eui-jae's eye level. The owner of the house, Hong Ye-seong, was curled up beside them, sound asleep, occasionally smacking his lips. Cha Eui-jae had taken off his mask and placed it beside him, sipping on sikhye while glaring at Kkokko.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko, who had been grooming itself diligently with its beak, finally opened its mouth— or rather, its beak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What could have awakened Lee Sa-young? Where did things go wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop throwing out questions and just explain properly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've thought about it, and even if nothing was done, there must have been some kind of trigger.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What kind of trigger?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, something that would make Lee Sa-young open his eyes wide. Like, for example...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kokko tilted its head back and forth, its eyes rolling around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A kiss, maybe?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cha Eui-jae coughed, quickly covering his mouth, and then subtly averted his gaze. His already wide eyes grew even wider. Kkokko tilted its head curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What, did you really do it? I was just throwing it out there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wow...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kkokko muttered, covering its beak with its wing. Its round eyes narrowed into slits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thief.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling guilty, Cha Eui-jae shouted in protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shut up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's why he woke up. According to the plan of the Lee Sa-young from the ruined world, the two were supposed to fuse without realizing it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you know about that plan?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small black eyes once again lit up with the intricate pattern of the Eyes of Appraisal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because I'm the one who modified that watch. To make it usable again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1774,"2026-06-03T08:27:40.766Z","2026-06-03T08:27:45.013Z",1,"novelbin.me","967770d60381a100129f9cf7b808469edbefa8448fcd480ea9363189a3664389","the-hunter-wants-to-live-quietly-bl-chapter-156","the-hunter-wants-to-live-quietly-bl-chapter-154",332,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-hunter-wants-to-live-quietly-bl-cover.jpg"]