Chapter 56

"I don't want to comment in front of Mom."

"Why, Mom is curious too."

She reached out and placed her hand on Seo-un's hand.

"Is there no one you like around you?"

Seo-un had a troubled look on his face as his hand was held.

"Hmm... If anything happens, I'll definitely tell you."

Boom, their phones, set to vibrate, rang simultaneously. They took out their phones and checked the disaster message.

【Urgent Disaster Message】

A variant disaster control center in Gangwon Province, Cheorwon, has reported the appearance of a 240th variant, a 4-level risk Goralani. The 'Dalseji' guild is being dispatched. It is expected to take about 1 hour to arrive. Access to the Cheorwon area is prohibited.

"What do we do... It seems the Searcher didn't predict this."

Seo-un's mother covered her lips.

"Does the Searcher usually predict most of the variants these days?"

"Mom isn't sure, but there have been more disaster messages warning of variants to prepare in advance. That's how many damages have been reduced."

Just as Seo-un was about to put his phone down, the variant disaster control center started calling.

"Mom, did you... tell Dad that I'm meeting you today?"

"No, I didn't. He's working today, so he probably doesn't even know I'm out."

Seo-un, who had only blocked his father's number, hesitated about whether to answer the call from the control center. Chahaya took Seo-un's phone, saying it wouldn't matter if it was an official call.

"No, I'll take it."

Seo-un reclaimed his phone as Chahaya was about to take it.

"Yes, this is Chahaya Seo-un."

[Hello, Mr. Chahaya Seo-un. This is Kim Sung-chan, the head of the administrative safety department's variant disaster control center. Have you seen the disaster message?]

Thinking it was his father, Seo-un put his phone down and switched to speaker mode.

"I just confirmed it."

[We are currently contacting the upper and super upper-level variants in Korea. The Dalseji guild has requested support. I would like to ask if you can join in Cheorwon immediately.]

"Didn't you say it's a 4-level variant?"

The Dalseji guild, short for 'Strawberry Conquers the World,' is not large but has a considerable number of mid- to upper-level members.

[Yes, that's correct. Three mid-upper level members have already set out, but we've been informed that the variant is about 20 meters in size. We are currently gathering those who can support on a first-come, first-served basis. If you help us handle this variant, we will reward you with 50 ounces of 3-level Yu-gwangseok.]

Chahaya chuckled at the mention of first-come, first-served.

"What if 4-level Yu-gwangseok comes out from this Goralani variant? You know why guilds handle variants, don't you?"

Since Yu-gwangseok can't be divided, one guild usually handles one variant unless there's no significant risk.

[Given the difficult situation, I ask for your understanding.]

It was as if they were telling the two guilds to figure it out themselves.

[As you know, there are very few upper-level variants in Korea. Our military can handle up to level 3, but from level 4, there are many casualties. For the sake of your family and friends, I ask for your help.]

Seo-un's mother, trembling with anxiety, held her son's hand tightly. Seo-un was always weak for crying.

Chahaya roughly guessed Seo-un's thoughts as he was deep in thought. He had a serious expression, as if considering whether to use his ultimate move.

"I'll go."

"Huh?"

"It's been a while since I met Mom. Mom, I'll disappear now to avoid being a bother."

Before she could stop him, Chahaya took Seo-un's phone and continued.

"This is Chahaya. I will join."

[Thank you! Please join us at Myeongsan, the location of the variant, as soon as possible. Ah! Hold on.]

Suddenly, the call was put on hold, and a calm classical tune played. Seo-un's forehead creased in annoyance.

[...I apologize. We just received news that this variant has been handled by Mr. Eomjigeon. Fortunately, he was in Gangwon and could handle it quickly.]

"That's a relief."

Chahaya ended the call with a tone of relief that it was over.

"So, we don't need to go, right? It's all taken care of, right?"

"Yes, Mom."

Chahaya reassured her on Seo-un's behalf.

"I'll really get up and go now."

"Why? It's all taken care of. Stay a bit longer, Haya. The dessert will be out soon."

"It's really fine. Spend the rest of the time with Seo-un."

"Just eat and go."

Seo-un held him back with genuine concern.

"If you miss me later, come to the guild office. I'll wait for you?"

"How long has it been since we saw each other? Just don't wait."

"I told you, thanks to someone, I've been trained."

Chahaya got up without hesitation.

"Mom, see you again."

He gave her a light hug and patted her back. She patted his back and said it was nice to see him today.

Chahaya only nodded at Seo-un and turned away.

As he walked out of the private room and into the street, his manager followed, but Chahaya said he had something urgent to do and took the stairs instead of the elevator. He found a car waiting outside.

Instead of getting in the car, Chahaya walked.

Even though there was no black wall or variant smell in the city, he put on a mask and reflected on his eccentric behavior. Or rather, on Seo-un, who had made him this way.

He immediately confronted Seo-un, who was trying to distance himself again after coming to Seoul. He didn't know what had triggered this, but it didn't seem to be about money. He had spent money like water on clothes he didn't need.

What if he kidnapped a mind reader and read Seo-un's thoughts one by one? But he had a premonition that the field mouse would completely disappear if he did.

Chahaya passed by people who glanced at him and took out his phone. He made a call and, as soon as the other person answered, he pulled the phone away from his ear.

The connection was poor, and static continued for a while.

[...Have you returned to Korea?]

Hearing Inni's voice after a long time, Chahaya spoke calmly.

"Yes, Seo-un was upset about when the funeral would be over."

[Seo-un has returned?]

"I found him."

[...Did you talk to him?]

"Not yet."

[Did you find a way?]

"Not yet."

Speaking in a foreign language, Chahaya looked like a complete foreigner due to his unusual eye color. Walking for a long time, he never blended in with the crowd.

***

Eomjigeon was a super upper-level variant with the ability to control water. The amount of water he could control was said to be more than the Han River, but Seo-un had never met him in person.

"Wow, it's for the bathroom."

Except for today, that is. Seo-un opened his eyes coldly at Eomjigeon's rude comment.

"Don't look at me so fearfully. It's true that your old nickname was that, Deputy Guild Leader Chahaya Seo-un."

After dropping his mother off in the same car, Seo-un went to the variant disaster control center headquarters instead of returning home. Of course, this was after he heard from his mother that his father had not yet returned from work.

The headquarters in Yongsan, rebuilt with Han Don-hee's money, was not an exaggeration. He was the one who had destroyed it.

Han Don-hee had made a fuss about setting up a statue of himself, but no one listened.

"Hey, Chahaya Seo-un."

Seo-un ignored Eomjigeon and headed straight to the second floor. As a variant, he could easily enter and exit the headquarters by just revealing his identity. Since it was only the second floor, he used the central staircase, but Eomjigeon, who had quickly caught up, blocked his way.

"What's the matter?"

"Just curious. This is the first time we're meeting in person."

"Yes, now that we've met, that's it."

When Seo-un tried to go up, avoiding Eomjigeon, he blocked his way again.

"Why did you go into hiding?"

"That's not something you should be curious about, Mr. Eomjigeon."

Eomjigeon belonged to a guild responsible for the Paju area.

Variants appeared almost everywhere in South Korea, but strangely, there were no reports of variants in islands or North Korea. This had always been a variable for the government and variants.

In the Paju area, variants had appeared fewer than ten times. The current variant number was 240, but only about 50 were actually threatening, with the rest being 1-2 levels. All variants in Paju were of low level.

Seo-un ignored Eomjigeon, who kept following him, and walked down the corridor to the 'Disaster Cooperation Policy Division.'

The phones in the 24/7 headquarters were ringing non-stop.

"Sir! We checked the photo you sent. It's a silkworm moth, not a variant. Yes, just wave a broom at it, and it will run away or fly. You want us to chase it?"

"Your hamster has become a variant that eats its young? What's the size? Sir... If the hamster is still smaller than your palm, it might be due to stress..."

"Did you say you turned into a variant yourself? If you can't control the overwhelming power and want to destroy everything, try to calm down first."

The civil servants receiving variant reports kept calling for 'sir' as if pleading.

There's nothing easy in this world. Seo-un muttered to himself.

"Wow, you really ignore people well."

Seo-un continued to ignore Eomjigeon and looked for Secretary Yoo In-sung.

They had been close since the days when he worked exclusively for the control center, and he was one of the few who left messages when Seo-un was in quarantine.

Seo-un tapped on Yoo In-sung's desk, where he was deeply engrossed in something.

"Bro, I'm here."

Since he had already informed Yoo In-sung that he would come, Yoo In-sung scolded him for coming so late.

"Hey, Seo-un, you seem even sharper after being in quarantine?"