#Episode 13
“Good morning, team leader.”
Ji Chang-soo was momentarily dumbfounded by the bright greeting from the new employee.
“Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”
“… … Uh… … No, I’m fine.”
Yesterday was a day when I had absolutely no luck.
Wouldn’t the gate measuring machine, which has an accuracy rate close to 100%, make mistakes several times? Wouldn’t a newbie who has a birthday get caught up in a gate that suddenly appears?
Ji Chang-soo was a man with some flexibility.
Strictly speaking, it was my own mistake. There is no excuse for preparing a surprise party right after work.
Sending the newbie out alone is what caused everything.
It was a day where many things went wrong and I was so sorry that I sent the new employee home early.
But the expression on the face of the new employee coming to work today is a little unusual.
It wasn’t like he looked upset or anything.
It was too bright.
“Hey, newbie.”
There is only one person on the gate security team who is called a newbie.
Jeongbin turned his head and said.
“Yes, team leader. Would you like some coffee?”
“No, I’ll make the coffee and have it. Are you okay with that?”
Jeongbin smiled softly.
“Yes, it’s okay. As we live, things like yesterday happen, right?”
In fact, it was something that should not have happened.
But what happened yesterday was a blessing for Jeongbin.
I wasn’t talking about the abnormal gate.
First of all, I had a strong desire not to get involved in the affairs between Jin Shihou and Jin Song. That is a clear fact.
In fact, even now, that feeling hasn’t changed.
However, Jin Shihou and I had already become like siblings, and going back even further, Jin Shihou had already saved Jeong Bin’s life.
He was a benefactor, and he gave me an amazing reward.
Even if you don’t want to get involved, you can still help.
No, I wanted to help if it would help.
Because I received something.
Then, I saw Ji Chang-soo’s face, blankly staring.
Oh, we were just talking.
Jeongbin continued speaking with a soft smile.
“The Gate incident was actually my fault for letting my guard down, and I’m so glad it ended well. Thank you, Team Leader, for your concern.”
“… … Uh… … Okay. If you think of it that way, I’d be grateful… … . Hmm… … . What was I trying to do?”
As if he had been waiting, Jeongbin handed over the meeting materials for this morning to Ji Changsu.
“Thank you… thank you.”
“No. Then I will prepare for the meeting right away.”
People don’t change easily.
If it looks like someone has changed, it’s because the mask they’ve been wearing has come off and their true self has come out, or they’re acting.
And Jeongbin was the former.
I felt free and hopeful.
Since becoming an Awakened One, Jeongbin has not placed much importance on making money or having power.
What Jungbin wants most is power. To become stronger.
To become stronger, kill more monsters, and give complete freedom to the world.
It’s not just Jungbin, but many awakened people think like this. Jungbin is different in that he just has more freedom as mentioned before and has the hope of becoming stronger. That’s why it seems like he’s changed now.
Jeongbin thought back to the conversation he had had with the source that had given him this hope in the morning.
‘When do you get off work?’
‘If nothing comes up, I get off work at 6 p.m.’
‘Really? Then buy a chicken when you come. And leave about a hundred thousand won on the desk over there.’
If someone who didn’t know heard this, they’d probably think he was some kind of gangster, but no. A hundred thousand won? Why would you regret something like that? I can give you a million won.
‘Do you have anywhere to go?’
‘Yes.’
‘Where is it?’
‘secret.’
‘… … .’
‘Good luck.’
Jeongbin left the money on the desk and came out.
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
What is Jin Shihou doing now?
* * *
Gyeongbuk Gimcheon Innovation City.
The SRT station there was very empty.
This is the result of people who were already there fleeing to the gate safety zone after the S-class gate that exploded at the Yulgok-dong Community Center a long time ago destroyed a radius of several kilometers.
Jin Shihou looked around.
hmm.
“He didn’t come.”
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
Jin Shihou took out a small device from his pocket.
The smartphone that died out as the watch era arrived, and it was a model that came out in 24 years.
iPhone 15 PRO.
Jin Shi-hoo turned on his smartphone and opened Messenger.
There was only one chat window.
Even the most recent message is from an hour ago.
Jin Shihou clicked on the chat window.
[Certified Real Estate Agent Kim Min-jae: This room is amazing. It gets a lot of sunlight, has tight security, and the rent is cheap. In this day and age, monthly rent is only 300,000 won. If you come now, I will try to negotiate with the landlord to lower the deposit.]
[Me: I’m on the train now. I’ll contact you about 10 minutes before arrival.]
[Certified Broker Kim Min-jae: Then I will come out to pick you up at the right time.]
[Certified Broker Kim Min-jae: Where are you?]
[Me: I passed Cheonan 10 minutes ago.]
[Certified Broker Kim Min-jae: If it’s Cheonan, you’ll be here soon. I’ll also leave now.]
Jin Shi-hoo called certified real estate agent Kim Min-jae.
The signal is going.
After about 5 beeps, he picked up.
-hello.
“This is the person who said he would come to see the room today. He just arrived. Where are you?”
-Oh, Mr. Jeongbin? You’re already here? I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I couldn’t pick you up because I got a little busy.
Jin Shi-hoo couldn’t help but laugh strangely at his way of speaking, which secretly mixed formal and informal speech.
-You know the address, right? Take a taxi and come. I’ll pay for the taxi fare.
It was simple.
This is Gimcheon. If you come all the way from Seoul to Gimcheon and turn back because someone has a bad attitude, that’s a waste of time.
Kim Min-jae was coming out like a full stomach.
Indeed, he was the man with the lowest rating among real estate agents on the Internet.
Jin Shi-hoo hung up the phone without saying anything and got into a taxi.
The distance only took five minutes.
‘Kim Min-jae Certified Broker’ located in a small shopping mall. After seeing the sign, I walked towards it. I could see Kim Min-jae through the window.
He was watching TV with his feet up on the sofa. His smiling face was really strange to see.
Kim Min-jae.
He was Qin Shihou’s colleague on the Titan continent.
He was my colleague and he passed away about two years ago. I still remember the image of him dying.
‘Ah… … . Life is like this, really. Hey, Sihoo.’
‘Yes, bro.’
‘You must go to Earth alive. Before you go, kill all those lizard babies. That’s something only you can do.’
‘You could have done it too, but what if you collapse here? I’m afraid someone will say you’re doing it too hastily.’
‘You little brat… … You speak so beautifully. Do you, do you remember the favor I asked you before?’
‘yes.’
‘I believe you. My grandmother is very sick. She must be having a hard time looking for me even now. When I go back, I will really ask you, really.’
Jin Shihou held tightly to the hand of the dying ‘him’.
‘Brother, have you ever seen me break a promise?’
‘None.’
‘Okay, Grandma. I’ll make sure to take care of it when I return to Earth.’
‘If… … really if.’
Jin Shihou shook his head because he could tell what she was trying to say.
‘… … I still have to do it. If he’s dead, if he really is dead… … Please perform the ritual for me. Just once, once.’
‘I’ll do it twice.’
‘Kid, I take back what I said earlier about not having affection. Take care. I’ll go first.’
‘Yes, bro. You’ve worked hard. Get some rest.’
Kim Min-jae was a warrior.
A general among generals who led tens of thousands of soldiers in the war against dragons as the first captain of the Holy Empire Infantry Corps on the Titan Continent where Qin Shihou was the general.
He was 32 years old as of 2024 and was said to have been a licensed real estate agent on Earth before crashing on Titan.
It was simple.
The Kim Min-jae laughing while watching TV through that window is fake. The real Kim Min-jae that Jin Shi-hoo knows is dead.
Jin Shihou came to keep his promise. That’s all.
I opened the door and went in.
Then, Kim Min-jae, who was watching TV, opens his eyes wide.
“What, why are you here?”
“… … .”
“Why are you here when you should be in Seoul?”
Jin Shi-hoo quietly took out his smartphone. Kim Min-jae tilted his head.
“What, why are you taking that old thing out?”
When Jin Shi-hoo pressed the call button, Kim Min-jae’s watch vibrated. Kim Min-jae glanced at the watch and burst into laughter as if it was ridiculous.
“What the heck, since when did you start using two names? This little shit is crazy, what does Jinsong do? Isn’t it your job to watch over the unique awakened people… ?”
Jin Shihou didn’t listen any longer and just turned around and walked towards the door. There was a lock button. He locked the door for now.
And after changing the ‘OPEN’ sign to ‘CLOSE’, he walked towards Kim Min-jae and sat down in front of him.
“What are you doing? Why are you coming to someone else’s business… … Wait a minute.”
Kim Min-jae’s eyebrows furrowed. He must have noticed something strange. He asked.
“You, Jin Shihou… … are you right?”
Didn’t answer.
“Let’s make one rule.”
“……rule?”
“I ask the questions and you answer them. If you understand, nod your head.”
“… … Did this kid come here after taking some medicine?”
This time I ignored it too.
“Grandma, your name is probably Hong Seung-ja Hee-ja. Where are you now?”
“Where are you? You’re in heaven. You’re even asking a question, you punk.”
Jin Shi-hoo closed his eyes for a moment and let out a quiet sigh.
That’s the worst answer. The answer you least want to hear.
I opened my eyes slowly.
A faint murderous aura emanated from him. Kim Min-jae blankly stared at Jin Si-hoo.
Jin Shihou asked.
“When did you return?”
“… … .”
“Did I treat you well until you passed away?”
“… … .”
“Have you had even one meal before you left?”
That was when.
A bitter smile appears on Kim Min-jae’s lips.
“Did this kid really take his medicine today? Are you asking because you don’t know?”
“I’m asking because I don’t know.”
“That’s short talk.”
“Tell me the answer first.”
Kim Min-jae gave the only answer that he really hoped it wasn’t Jin Shi-hoo.
“I killed him. As soon as I came to Earth.”
“… … .”
“That old lady’s face as she died by her own grandson, didn’t I tell you that on the phone before? Why are you like this today? Is there something wrong with me?”
Killed.
As I said before, the answer ‘killed’ was one of the worst answers that Jin Shihou could ever think of.
That was enough.
No, this is more than enough.
Kuuuung!
White smoke flows out from Jin Shihou’s body.
At that moment, when Kim Min-jae was making a very surprised expression at the White Lotus Flower being operated to its extreme, Jin Shi-hoo reached out and grabbed Kim Min-jae’s hair.
“Let’s get fit today.”
Jin Shi-hoo’s fist slams down into Kim Min-jae’s face.
Kwaaaaaaaang-!!
The building collapsed.
* * *
200 people.
If you look at it as a lot, it’s a large number, but if you look at it as a small number, it’s a very small number.
Not all 200 people were friends with each other. And not all 199 people asked me for favors.
How should I explain it?
I can say this confidently right now, but all 200 people, including me, were talented people with at least one extraordinary talent.
Even the least talented people were able to become ‘Grand Masters’, a level one level above Masters on Titan.
The people of the Titan continent called us, the two hundred monsters from another world, ‘Ii Baek Goi’.
Some of them became subjects of the Holy Empire, some took refuge with the Water People, some became dungeon masters, and some became kings.
Sometimes we were enemies, and sometimes we were allies.
The two hundred men were friends, comrades, and also enemies.
Kim Min-jae was my colleague. He was one of the people I trusted and one of the people I could trust with my back.
Is there even a single reason to keep alive a guy who brags so proudly about killing his grandmother?
He reached out and grabbed Kim Min-jae by the neck.
Kwaaak.
Without saying a word, he clenched his fist.
