Read Novel Full Chapter 739
Chapter 739: Welcome to the Land of Dreams! (2)
People who’d initially stared blankly at the Hunter Association breaking news, wondering what on earth it was talking about, quickly started piecing things together. First came testimony from people claiming they’d seen Han Yujin in their dreams, or Seong Hyunjae and Chief Song Taewon. Then word spread that anyone who could lucid dream could step into that chaos themselves, and more and more people started trying.
– I’m good at lucid dreaming, so I told my little brother to wake me up in an hour and went to sleep lol. The Breeding Facility was absolutely crawling with monsters! Died instantly and woke right up
– I killed a monster! Fighter jets and helicopters were flying everywhere and bombs were going off, it was insane
– I was beating on a monster with a hammer and some Guild Leader sent it flying in one hit! Didn’t get to see the Haeyeon Guild Leader before I died T_T
You really could go. It was real. As testimony kept pouring in, people everywhere started wanting in on the dream world.
[Hello, everyone! The whole world is buzzing right now over this dreamland situation, so we’ve prepared a special broadcast with Hunter Lee Jeongha, who has a mental-type special skill. Hello, Hunter Lee Jeongha.]
[Hello~.]
[The Hunter Association put out breaking news about the dream world, right? And now people are showing up saying they met Director Han Yujin in their dreams. Ah, someone just posted in the chat too. They said they saw Director Han Yujin buying cold medicine!]
[There are also rumors that the Sesung Guild Leader has come down with a cold.]
[Unbelievably, it seems that anyone who can lucid dream can meet Director Han Yujin’s group in their dreams! Apparently even non-awakened people can safely hunt monsters there.]
[It may be a dream to us, but we’re told it’s reality for Director Han Yujin and his group. The Hunter Association has even announced that it’s closely tied to the recent London incident. Thanks to Director Han Yujin’s group hunting monsters in the dream world, the capital of Britain was restored to us.]
[The chat is going wild saying they need to read the tips and go to sleep already. All right then—your ticket to dreamland: lucid dreaming tips! Let’s get started right away. We can save the world too—lucid dreaming made easy, even for non-awakened people! First, please prepare a mana potion.]
[Low-grade mana potions are easy for just about anyone to get. Since they also improve concentration in non-awakened people, they’re especially popular with students preparing for exams. Drinking a mana potion before bed helps with lucid dreaming.]
Mental buffs made lucid dreams more vivid. Mana potions and items that boosted Mental Strength helped too. More than anything, a comfortable place to sleep mattered. A warm glass of milk was a must. Tips of every kind started flooding in.
– Posting from the way to Gimpo Airport, just before entering Olympic-daero
– Olympic-daero is covered in monsters, gotta clear a path so before bed stare at weapon pics for 3 minutes
└ Big axes are good. Axes. Don’t do guns, you’ll friendly-fire somebody
– Dreamland Hunter Association hunter mall looking for people to transport equipment!
– Aquatic monsters are crawling out of the Han River too, need people who can operate boats
Posts swapping information and gathering people to help Han Yujin’s group on the way to the airport updated nonstop. Sure, some people said it was pointless, asked what the big deal was, wondered why everyone was making such a fuss. But far more people wanted to join in.
– Local shut-in of one is saving the world today
– Heard that even S-ranks can’t use skills in dreams so as an F-rank there’s not much difference lol
└ fr low-ranks can do it too
– I use a wheelchair because of an accident but in dreams I can run around again lmaoooo
└ omg what happened
└ dungeon break, going to get revenge now
– Killed one monster and woke up but I still feel amazing. One of the people who saved London. Guess I should visit England on my next vacation
└ One of the people who saved London too 2222 I got two monsters!
– Woke up while carrying supplies lmaoooo
└ same lmaoooooooo
– Monsters are scary as hell but maybe because it’s a dream they were auto-censored for me
└ I saw all the blood, but I do like gore
– My mom is no joke lmao… I better start listening to her from now on…
– My grandpa used to be a fighter pilot when he was young and he really went to fly one, he was having the time of his life
– Honestly dungeons and Hunters always felt like somebody else’s problem, never thought I’d get a day like this
└ it feels weird but good lmaoooo
– Who was the guy in front of Dongjak Bridge yelling at the Haeyeon Guild Leader to call him hyung lmaooo
– I don’t think I can fight, is it okay if I just bring a light stick?
└ excellent bait highly recommend
└ thx I’ll flash it with all I’ve got
└ are you the light-stick psycho at Hangang Bridge?? “can’t fight” my ass lmaoooooooo
└ if this one awakens they’re at least A-rank
– Ah, crap, I just woke up and now they’re campaigning near the National Assembly
– Broadcasting station in Yeouido is going all out, it’s bright and loud as hell and the monster aggro is insane lmaoooo
– Hey! So-and-so is doing a guerrilla concert! One member couldn’t come because they can’t lucid dream
└ they’re crying on social media lol if there are any mental-type Hunters in the fandom go help them out
– More foreigners are showing up too, I think there are more people than monsters now
– There’s an article saying they’re setting off fireworks at ㅎㅎ, apparently they’re firing everything they’ve got to lure monsters toward the Han River
– I can’t get a mana potion T_TTTTTTTTTTT
└ they said you can still see the monsters and Han Yujin’s group even if it’s not a lucid dream, just go to sleep first
└ just don’t take sleeping pills or drink, put on one of the recommended videos and go to bed
Anyone could take part. All you had to do was dream and want it badly enough. It really was like a festival out of a dream.
With monsters and people flooding in from all sides, we couldn’t move very fast. But the airport was getting closer.
“Okay, okay, push them toward the Han River!”
“Heavy machinery team, third wave incoming! Bulldozers at the center!”
Long gone was the eerie feeling of thick moonlight stalking us under a sky swallowed by the enormous moon. The noise of people had swept the moonlight and monsters away alike.
– Kyarrrk!
“Jesus, you scared me! Die, you little bastard!”
“What is this, a flea market? I came to kill a monster or two!”
“Stop firing guns! Ricochets are flying everywhere! Hammers are good, hammers!”
“Fireworks going off now!”
Boom, boom! On the far side of the Han River, brilliant fireworks exploded bright enough to seem like they might hit the white face of the moon. Monsters and people alike all turned to look. In that moment, we sped up and tore down the highway.
“So pretty!”
Yerim marveled at the sky packed with fireworks in every shape and color, like someone had emptied out an entire fireworks warehouse. It didn’t exactly fit the situation, but it was beautiful. Then again, maybe it did fit. Everyone was exhilarated. Caught up in it.
“I knew people would come, but I didn’t think it’d turn into this. I’m pretty sure more than half my class showed up. And they look like they’re having fun. Even though it’s a dream, it could still be terrifying. And there are a ton of non-awakened people too.”
“That’s probably exactly why. Because they’re ordinary people. If I were out there with them, I’d be excited too.”
If I’d gotten a chance like this before the regression, I would’ve thrown myself into it any way I could. The world was made up of ordinary people, mostly. That was true. But it was hard to really feel it. There was nothing wrong with living a quiet, ordinary life. I’d wanted that too. At one point, I’d even been satisfied with it.
Still, there had always been that desire—to stand in a moment that mattered, just once. To be the one who did something. The one who protected. Not a bystander. Me. With my own hands.
“And on top of that, they’re protecting the world they live in and helping other people. At the end of the day, doing something good is the most satisfying thing there is.”
Nobody hated being praised. Hearing thank you never got old. I raised a hand and waved at the voices calling my name.
“Even so, please stay alert. Not everyone out there means well.”
Chief Song said it without letting his guard down.
“True. Who knows when some asshole’s attack dog might come sniffing around.”
I meant your house, Hwang Rim. Don’t pretend you don’t know. No idea what shape they’d be in out in reality, but in a dream? More than possible. And there was one other person too.
“And there are probably plenty of people who’d love the chance to stab Seong Hyunjae in the back.”
Seong Hyunjae had been sitting quietly, but when he caught me looking at him, the corners of his eyes curved in a soft smile. With that expression alone, he looked innocent enough. If a missile suddenly came flying at him, I’d probably still think, Yeah, fair enough.
“…My apologies. Let me apologize in advance.”
A stone meant for Seong Hyunjae had somehow hit Chief Song instead. No, that wasn’t what I meant.
“Chief Song Taewon is popular too.”
“You really have room to talk?”
“Most of mine are dead, so I’m fine.”
“…Yuhyun, let’s watch what we say in front of Chief Song.”
“Don’t worry. There’s nothing legally actionable.”
Kim Seonghan chimed in. Sure, things had been cleaned up neatly, but anyone who held that much of a grudge against Yuhyun would probably be a high-ranking Hunter. Wasn’t Chief Song there too when he killed the Sudam Guild Leader? Chief Song let out a small sigh, while Hunters from the Achates Defense Bureau shot Kim Seonghan sidelong looks.
Surrounded by countless people, we crawled along Olympic-daero until Gimpo Airport finally came into view. The plan was to fly to France, then continue overland and search for Park Hayul.
“There’s still no word on Noah or Liette, right?”
I asked a Hunter from the Hunter Association who had only just entered the dream world and joined us. Since we were rotating people awake and asleep in shifts to keep communicating with reality, if anyone had found the two of them, we would’ve heard immediately.
“No. The information team says they haven’t seen any relevant posts.”
“I hope they’re okay…”
“There are almost no monsters in other regions, so please don’t worry.”
Maybe they’d gone too far away and didn’t know what was happening. Still, if it was those two, they were probably fine. I’d left word that we were heading to France and asked people to pass the message along, so once contact was made, they’d come find us.
When we entered the airport, I saw the military lined up in formation. There were Korean soldiers, but Americans too. Among them, a foreigner who looked fairly high-ranking stepped down from a truck and approached us.
“Hello, Director Han Yujin.”
“Hello.”
“The United States and the European Union will spare no support for Director Han Yujin. Fighter jets have already been fully mobilized and are prepared to escort you safely all the way to France.”
“Thank you.”
“No need. Frankly, we had so many volunteers it became a problem.”
He winked and continued.
“The veterans were especially eager. Retired military, I mean. You could say this is a second prime for them—years of age, injuries, all of it swept clean away. Of course, we’ve already completed the test flights.”
In dreams, age, injury, disability—none of it mattered. Even so, I couldn’t help wondering whether this was really all right.
“It’s a short dream, after all.”
“A dream that became a brief reality. That alone is enough. What keeps people going usually isn’t anything so grand.”
A lot might change because of this. The thought came to me suddenly. It was a dream, so it wouldn’t create direct change. But it wouldn’t stay just a dream either.
“We’ve assigned the pilots in teams of twenty in case of emergencies. Even if more than half of them wake up, there won’t be a problem. Our communications network is secure as well.”
A Korean official told us everything had been prepared perfectly.
“In addition to emergency evacuation equipment, rescue helicopters will be standing by in each sector of the route, and three backup aircraft will follow behind.”
“Please rest comfortably until you reach France.”
“Starting aerial monster diversion now!”
Outside the airport, fireworks started exploding again. Once people heard the runway had to be cleared of monsters, they’d somehow acquired instruments and loudspeakers and were now causing an uproar. Kkwaenggwari gongs rang out sharply, horns blared, and soldiers began clearing the runway all at once. Fighter jets and helicopters were already busy overhead.
“Han Yujin, I’ll stay outside.”
Mari told me to be careful.
“It might be dangerous if you get too close to Park Hayul.”
“Okay. Thank you—for a lot of things, Mari.”
“It’s nothing. Come back safe!”
Mari woke from the dream, and Kim Seonghan bowed to Yuhyun, Yerim, and me.
“I’ll wait outside and then head to France.”
“Director Han! Goodbye.”
It looked like Shishio would stay outside too. The others said they’d either move to helicopter points, head to France separately, or board escort fighter jets. Which made sense. There’d be no fighting inside the plane. If monsters got in, we’d have to evacuate fast before it crashed.
Along with our group, Moon Hyunah boarded the aircraft. I could see countless people outside the window. Amid the roar of fireworks, the plane slowly began to move.
“But why are we still dragging him around?”
Moon Hyunah asked, staring at Hwang Rim sprawled across one of the long seats in the private jet. Ah.
“Good question. Why is he still here? He had every chance to get off.”
“Little Jin~ That’s harsh!”
“We should definitely dump him at the French airport.”
Having him with us felt wrong. Especially since Park Hayul had once worked with him. Though really, why did it have to be Park Hayul? If it had been Marisa, maybe I’d know how to handle it. But Park Hayul? I had no idea what I was supposed to do when I met him. Would talking even work? He was the kind of guy who could veer off in any direction without warning.
With everyone’s help, the plane lifted off safely. The moonlight still pursued us, but now it was only spitting out flying monsters. Even those were manageable—the plane was moving faster than the monsters could emerge from the moonlight, so the fighter jets handled them easily without the aircraft taking any real damage.
If it kept to summoning monsters like this, we’d be fine. But there was always the chance it would change tactics, so we couldn’t relax.
“I’ll stand watch, so everyone get some rest. They said they stocked clothes and food too.”
Ms. Hyunah waved us off, telling us to make ourselves comfortable. The second she said it, exhaustion crashed over me. I stifled a yawn, and a message window appeared.
[Yujin]
…Myungwoo?