Episode 68: The Eve of the Storm (1)
-Thump thump-
A dark, underground staircase with no end in sight.
In that place where a quiet silence flowed, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of someone’s heavy footsteps.
-Stop-
Someone who was walking slowly, as if counting the number of stairs going down, stopped at one point.
The stairs continued downward without ending, but someone’s legs showed no will to go down any further.
-Swoosh-
Immediately after that.
The mysterious figure stopped walking, raised his hand, and pulled back the robe he was wearing.
-Sarak-
As the robe covering the entire head was pulled back, the outline of someone who had been hidden in the shadow of the robe was revealed.
Light gray hair, large horn-rimmed glasses, and a warm appearance that makes him seem like he’d be quite popular around here.
Baek Yu-seong, the first disciple of Jeong Da-bin, the leader of the Truth Tower Guild.
The identity of the man standing blankly in a suspicious place was none other than Baek Yu-seong.
-Mumble, mumble-
Baek Yoo-seong, who had revealed himself, immediately wrapped his right hand in a magical power that was ominous, sticky, and emanated a foreign atmosphere, and stretched it out and placed it against the right wall.
-widely-
-Kugugugugugu!-
The moment Baek Yoo-seong gently touches the wall.
Cracks began to appear in the ordinary wall with a loud noise, and a hidden space slowly began to reveal itself.
Unlike the dark stairs, this space has soft lighting, creating a secretive atmosphere.
Excluding Baek Yoo-seong, who joined late, there were six people waiting for him, each sitting on a sofa of their choice.
-Thump thump-
“Oh, you’re finally here. You’re the last one to arrive, but you’re still the boss. Boss!”
As Baek Yoo-seong entered the hidden space, one of the people who had arrived earlier, a blond man with dark skin, showed his discomfort.
And at the blond man’s mutterings, the woman in the white gown sitting across from him also opened her mouth in surprise.
“Oh my, it really pisses me off. It’s like I’m thinking the same thing as that pervert.”
“What are you doing?!
“It’s not that I don’t eat it, but that I can’t eat it. And I like big ones. Ugh, small ones don’t suit my taste.”
A woman in a white gown looked between the blond man’s legs and laughed in a mocking manner.
“You little shit! Let’s see! Let’s see! Did you see it?! Did you see it?”
“Stop it, Cha Eun-ho. The brat is here too, so let’s stop this useless thing and start the meeting. Isn’t that right, Captain?”
The blond man, no, Eunho Cha, who could not stand the woman’s provocation, jumped up from his seat and was about to throw a punch at her right away, but Gil Ho-min, who was sitting next to him, immediately stretched out his hand to stop Eunho Cha.
“No, why are you only doing this to me! That bitch was the one who started it all… … .”
“Hahaha, Mr. Eunho, you’re handsome. As Homin said, we’re gathered here for a grand plan. Oh, you’re not saying you’re going against his wishes, are you?”
“……joy.”
At the persuasion of another man with a gentle and calm demeanor, holding something like a Bible in his hand, Eunho Cha finally calmed down and sat down again.
As the tense atmosphere calmed down to some extent, a middle-aged man who had been silently watching the situation began to speak.
“Since Baek Yoo-seong is here, let’s get started. First, let’s start with the five major guilds in the metropolitan area… Rose, what’s going on with the first one?”
In response to the middle-aged man’s question, a woman with a rather plain appearance named ‘Rosé’ turned the screen of her laptop she was holding towards the other six people.
The screen of the laptop she showed had two pictures displayed side by side.
One picture showed the leader of the first guild, Hong Jin-woo, entering a hotel with an attractive woman’s arm linked, and the other picture showed the vice-leader of the first guild, Lim Yu-hwan, allowing a slender woman into his home.
“I succeeded. I took a clear picture of this photo, the will, and the body. I already sent the threatening text message with my own ability. For the time being, I won’t be able to move. I’ll be busy dealing with this matter.”
“Kikki, those guild heads are all horny little bastards. For putting hands on their own subordinate guild members.”
“Yes, that’s right. Like who else?”
“This bitch has been… … since just now!”
“Stop it. Apologize for this, Choi Seo-hee. If it weren’t for Cha Eun-ho’s [Charm], that plan wouldn’t have worked in the first place.”
The middle-aged man stopped Cha Eun-ho from exploding again and spoke firmly to the woman in the white gown, Choi Seo-hee.
“Oh my, I’m sorry. I unknowingly started to empathize with those two women. They were used without knowing what was going on, and then they wrote fake wills and committed suicide. Thinking back on it, their lives were so pitiful. Sob sob.”
“Ha, you crazy bitch. There are hundreds of people whose lives were ruined because of your drugs. Don’t you feel bad for them?”
“They chose to do this on their own. It wasn’t like someone forcibly controlling their minds. And you, please don’t say anything about my abilities. If it weren’t for my abilities like yours, the plan to stop the Salvation Guild would have gone awry.”
““… … .””
As soon as Choi Seo-hee started talking so confidently, no one objected for a while and just remained silent.
Even Cha Eun-ho, who had been engaged in a fierce war of nerves with Choi Seo-hee, kept his mouth shut like a mute who had eaten honey at that moment and just made a displeased expression.
“Hahaha, I have nothing to say. Of course, if it weren’t for Seohee’s [narcotic] ability, it would have been difficult to stop her, the leader of the Salvation Guild. Even my followers are too weak to handle her. Oh, and come to think of it, you were also treated badly by Anonymous before… .”
-widely-
“… That’s not important now. Jews.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Anonymous. I guess I said something unnecessary.”
When the past incident was mentioned, a middle-aged man, anonymous, put his hands on the table and showed his discomfort, while a calm-looking man called Judas immediately offered an apology.
“… Anyway, the drug addicts will take care of the salvation side. Cha Eun-ho and Gil Ho-min will take care of Geumseong, and I will take care of Baekhwa.”
“Hmm~ So that person you’re talking about now is someone from Baekhwa? I don’t remember seeing him on TV, but is he an office worker?”
Choi Seo-hee, who was looking closely at the nameless person’s appearance with an interested look, asked the nameless person.
Instead of answering her question, Moo-myeong nodded and soon turned his gaze towards Baek Yu-seong, who had joined the latest, and opened his mouth.
“Finally, Baek Yoo-seong will handle the truth. Baek Yoo-seong, do you understand?”
“Huh, do you think Aesongi can stop it on her own? She’s the weakest among us, except for the country girl. Heh heh.”
Eunho Cha, who was participating in the meeting while lying down on the sofa, started to snicker at Rose.
“Shut up, Cha Eun-ho.”
——————
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“Cha Eun-ho, I think it would be better for you to just keep your mouth shut.”
At Cha Eun-ho’s provocation, Rose crumpled her face and growled, and even Gil Ho-min, who often hung out with Cha Eun-ho, shook his head and scolded him.
“Let’s stop talking nonsense. Anyway, we just need to block the door of truth that connects the inside to the truth. It’ll be a simple matter if we use the magic power he gave us. Can you do it? Baek Yoo-seong.”
“okay.”
Moo-myeong asked Baek Yu-seong again as if he wanted to get a definitive answer, and Baek Yu-seong answered briefly with a stern face.
Moo-myeong didn’t like Baek Yoo-seong’s passive attitude, but he remembered that he had no choice anyway and moved on to the next story.
“Okay, that’s enough about Seoul. Let’s talk about Jeju Island.”
“Wait a minute, Captain. So the Association doesn’t have to worry about that?”
“Let’s leave that one alone. It’s a bit tricky to touch. Anyway, given the nature of the gates that will occur that day, it would be advantageous to have some players.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Gil Ho-min, who briefly thought of the gate that would occur in Seoul upon hearing the anonymous explanation, nodded as if he was convinced.
“Oh right, since you’re talking about Jeju Island, I just remembered this. Didn’t you say that there was an S-rank demon called Devil Wood in Jirisan that was keeping the other three guilds tied up? To prevent them from interfering with Jeju Island?”
“… that plan failed. Someone dealt with Devil Wood before it could grow.”
“Oh, that’s too bad.”
“So, Choi Seo-hee. How is ‘Project H’ progressing?”
“… It’s on the verge of success. All but one of the test subjects were destroyed, but that one person is in near perfect condition, aside from some side effects and mental instability. Are you really going to let her take charge of one of the three?”
Myeong seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded.
“Yes. It can’t be helped that it’s unstable for now. We need to minimize our interventions so that his plan can be completed successfully. The test subject will be assigned to the Sacred Heart of Daejeon. Considering the abilities of the guild leader there, there’s a lower chance that the test subject will be damaged.”
“Whew… I guess there’s nothing I can do about it. I understand. I hope all the hard work I put in doesn’t go to waste.”
Choi Seo-hee sighed and reluctantly accepted the anonymous offer.
“Haha, then am I from the bamboo forest side? Mr. Anonymous.”
“Yes, Jew. You take charge of the bamboo grove.”
The Jew nodded readily, with a refreshing smile that made him look like a good person.
“Good, Jukrim. I didn’t like that person. He dares to be a heretic and give false hope to the people. This is a good opportunity to spread the doctrines of our religion. Oh, and if you are interested in our religion… … .”
The rest of the group naturally followed along with the Jewish man’s actions of preaching his doctrine as if they were all used to it.
Meanwhile, Rosé, who still looked upset, perhaps because of Cha Eun-ho’s whining earlier, asked Moo-myung.
“Captain, then who will be in charge of Busan’s shipping? Isn’t that the most important? It’s also the closest to Jeju Island in terms of location.”
“You don’t have to worry about shipping. They’re in the middle of clearing a Class A dungeon. It’ll take at least a week. The entire core force of the clearing force has been mobilized. I guess we were lucky in that regard.”
“Huh, that’s right. I was lucky… … .”
“Huh? Why are you stopping talking? Is there something bothering you?”
Moo-myeong noticed something strange in Rose’s behavior, which seemed to suddenly become deep in thought while she was speaking, and tilted his head.
“Oh, when you say ‘luck,’ someone suddenly comes to mind. Captain, I have a good plan. Do you want to hear it?”
Rose seemed to think for a moment, tapping away at the notebook she had brought with her short fingers, then smiled meaningfully at the nameless man and began to continue her story.
***
“Oh! Have we finally arrived?”
An evening where the sun is almost setting and it is starting to get dark.
After finishing my training at the academy and returning home, I smiled happily at the long box sitting in front of my house.
That box is probably the item I asked Jeong So-won, who works at Cheonhamyeongjang, to do.
Fortunately, it seemed like Jeong So-won had taken care to make sure I received the items before I left for Jeju Island tomorrow.
Just as I was about to pick up the box with such a happy heart.
A familiar voice was heard from behind.
“What is that, Mr. Kim Baram?”
Even without confirming the identity, the owner of the voice is probably Kim Sun-ah.
When I looked back, my sharp intuition was right on the mark, and Kim Sun-ah, dressed in an office outfit, was looking at me and the box alternately with a curious expression on her face.
“It’s nothing.”
For some reason, as I watched Kim Sun-ah’s curious expression, I felt reluctant to reveal the contents of the box, so I secretly hid the box in my arms.
Keep wondering like that. Hehe.
Then, Kim Sun-ah made a pointed expression at my actions and pretended to sound upset.
“Is this really so? Between us?”
“What was our relationship…?”
“Um… , sharing hot breath every morning…?”
What are you talking about like that, woman?
If someone were to hear it, they would be very confused, but he says it so nonchalantly.
Kim Sun-ah is probably the only person who describes her relationship with someone she works out with in the morning like that.
When I looked at Kim Sun-ah with a look of bewilderment at her shameless choice of words mixed with an excessive amount of playfulness, Kim Sun-ah also seemed a little embarrassed and cleared the air by coughing.
“Ahem… Hmm, you know I’m joking, right? Anyway, you’re not really going to tell me?”
“No, there isn’t.”
To Kim Sun-ah’s question, I answered confidently without any hesitation.
“Ha, this really pisses me off. Is your personality really that twisted?”
“no.”
“… … Haa, that’s okay. But it’s still really disappointing. You could have told me. Is it something you can just reject so firmly?”
Kim Sun-ah must have judged that I had no intention of telling her anything, because she gave up and passed me by with a truly hurt expression on her face.
‘What, are you really that upset?’
Actually, I really didn’t intend to tell you.
As I was looking at Kim Sun-ah’s gloomy back, my heart started to weaken and I stopped her as she slowly walked away.
“Oh, I’m kidding. I’ll tell you.”
“Really?!?”
Oh shit, I got tricked.
Is this the acting ability of a person belonging to the number one guild in information gathering, Baekhwa?
I felt an unexpected sense of awe at Kim Sun-ah, who immediately turned around and smiled brightly as if her sudden expression of exhaustion was just an act.
“Uh… , that… … .”
“Are you really going to take back what a man says? Don’t you know that a man’s words are worth a thousand dollars?”
Damn, it’s even designed so perfectly that it can’t escape.
Is this really the ‘monster rookie’ of the Baekhwa Guild?
I was in a desperate situation where I had to reveal the contents of the box to her because of her elaborate scheme, so I tried to think of a way out of this situation.
And then, seeing Kim Sun-ah’s expression that made me so angry, I felt even more reluctant to tell her.
‘What method… … , ah!’
“Okay, tell me quickly. It’s getting late, let’s settle this deal and go our separate ways.”
“Now, wait a minute! I never said I’d just tell you.”
“Huh?!? Why are you acting so petty now? Woof~~ Kimbaram~~ Get off, get off~!”
What the hell do you want me to do???
Something about that taunt subtly touched my male pride, but I told her about the plan I had come up with anyway.
“I’ll let you know if I win the bet. But, it’s a bet that Kim Sun-ah has the advantage in.”
“A bet…? What kind of bet is it?”
“You know that empty space we always go to for our morning exercise? Let’s go there and take a picture of the entrance. The first one to get there wins. What do you think? It’s worth a try, right?”
Kim Sun-ah laughed as if she found my suggestion funny.
“f*ck, isn’t this too advantageous for me? Even I’m an A-class player.”
“You have to try it to know whether it’s long or short. I’m confident in running too.”
“Okay. Let’s give it a try. But, I won’t ask you to step down after you lose.”
“That’s what I have to say.”
Kim Sun-ah seemed ready to take the bet I proposed seriously, as she took a hair tie out of her handbag and tied her light brown hair back tightly.
Then he came close to me, stood next to me, and took a ready stance.
“Sniff…, sniff sniff.”
“Ready? Let’s go when I give you the signal… … , why are you like that?”
But Kim Sun-ah, who had come toward me, suddenly stuck her nose in my direction and started sniffing.
‘What is it? Do I smell like sweat? I just came back from the training grounds after taking a shower.’
“Hmm… Oh, sorry. Is this the one? The skill book I asked for appraisal for last time. It smells really sweet.”
“Huh? … Aha. Sniff sniff, is that so? I’m not sure.”
“That’s right. You know, the smell of the deli manju sold at subway stations sometimes. Eight, I’m suddenly hungry. I even had dinner.”
I looked dumbfounded at Kim Sun-ah’s grumbling.
No, is that my fault?
More than that, you were saying that I smelled like that?
Somehow, lately, Go Joo-yeon, who I’ve become close to again, keeps seeming to bury her nose in my body without me knowing.
It might have been an unbearable scent for Go Joo-yeon, who loves sweets.
Anyway, that’s not important right now.
“Okay, anyway, we’ll go when you give us the signal.”
“Okay, I get it. I’ll win quickly and go get some snacks.”
“Then you gain weight… … .”
-Tingle-
“Haha, if it tastes good, it’s 0 calories. … Okay, anyway. Now let’s count~ Three, two, one. Let’s go!”
-Pavabat-
As soon as I shouted the starting signal, Kim Sun-ah, who had returned to serious mode, jumped forward at an incredibly fast speed.
As expected, A-class is A-class, is this it?
“Puhhhh… .”
As I quietly watched Kim Sun-ah quickly walk away, a smile escaped my lips without me realizing it.
In the first place.
I had no intention of running.
-Snap-squeak-
Immediately after that, I picked up the box that I had left next to me, quickly opened the front door of our house, and slipped through the crack in the door.
“Hey~~~ You~~~~! You little scammer~~~~~~!!!!!”
Meanwhile, Kim Sun-ah must have noticed my amazing strategy because she started shouting from afar.
Huh, slow down.
It’s already too late~
Just before opening the front door and entering the house.
I smiled brightly at Kim Sun-ah, put my index and middle fingers on her forehead, and then waved them away, then shouted in a very cool voice.
“Adios.”
“Hey~~~! You bad guy~~~!!!”
You have a really nice voice, haha.
Life is a battle, Ms. Kim Sun-a.
With Kim Sun-ah’s screams as background music, I went inside the house with a feeling of exhilaration for some reason.
-thud-
