Chapter 22

EP 5 - The Hunters (6)

"…I'm really sorry."

I sat in the middle of the room, looking around at the dozen or so people. I wiped away my reddened eyes and slowly continued.

"Meeting my younger brother again…"

As expected, Kang Seok-ho was a similar type of Awakened as Yeo Do-yeon. Additionally, he was a member of Team 1 led by David Kim.

The information I obtained from our first meeting was roughly this: a conversation of no more than 30 seconds, not much information was gained.

I laid out the main points to the key officers of the Apgujeong Camp.

"Greetings, I'm Han Seung-moon from the Seoul Emergency Martial Law Command. Nice to meet you."

Hong Seon-ah clapped once brightly at my greeting, but the others didn't join in, making it awkward for me to lower my hand.

An old grandmother asked me a question.

"So… the country is coming to rescue us?"

"…I'll get straight to the point."

* * *

The explanation of the military's rescue operation was complete. Except for the part about the military knowing about the Apgujeong Camp and leaving it alone.

"…You've worked hard."

David Kim briefly praised me.

The others looked shocked, while only Hong Seon-ah smiled brightly. She slightly lowered her eyes and spoke.

"Then… the rescue is off?"

"No. The original plan, which was based on the assumption that the sky was safe, has been canceled, but the state has not abandoned you."

"How can we believe that?"

A middle-aged man asked, clearly agitated. Everyone seemed to agree tacitly.

I couldn't let this man continue talking. I needed to break the flow of the conversation. If my true intentions were revealed, I'd be in trouble.

I continued as solemnly as possible.

"I've explained what the operation was and why it failed."

I was smiling warmly, but inside, I was boiling with anger.

There were two reasons I came here: Hong Seon-ah and the media.

But everything had gone wrong.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence. A series of unfortunate events, a minor failure.

But I, who was just a half-baked cripple in terms of body, mind, and superpowers, was someone who couldn't afford to make mistakes. I was someone who would die if I made a mistake.

I was too powerless in front of the wolf, and the driver who had been a politician for less than a month was an impulsive kid.

I reminded myself: I'm a nobody.

And I ingrained 'humility' and 'sincerity' into my mind. I wouldn't fall again.

I clenched my teeth and smiled.

"Now, I'll explain why I'm here."

I came here to take Hong Seon-ah and the media, using Kang Seok-ho and Min Seong as an excuse.

"First, to find my younger brother I care about."

Now, the excuse had become the truth.

"Second, to reassure you all with my presence."

I boldly bluffed to them.

"I am one of only two current members of the National Assembly in South Korea. I run the superpower task force in the military and am the head of the Monster Damage Recovery Foundation."

A nobody needs to put on a good show to survive.

"And I've come here to fulfill my promise to escape with the last members of this camp."

Politicians often use such bravado in their speeches.

"South Korea has not abandoned you."

I decided to be more of a politician.

*

"There will be no rescue."

"Damn…"

After the camp officers left, I sat down with David Kim and Hong Seon-ah. They were the first and second in command of the organization.

"Vice Minister Cha Jae-geun is a very cold person. He's the type who can cut off a limb without batting an eye."

I deliberately warned them about Cha Jae-geun.

I wanted them to be closer to me than to him.

"We need to prove that we are worth rescuing.

…Or we need to escape on our own."

Hong Seon-ah said with a worried look.

"It's a rumor among the officers, but they say the organization is starting to fall apart. It was a makeshift group from the beginning, and without Uncle Chun-sik, it's like a pile of beans—"

"Seon-ah."

"Oops! Sorry!"

Hong Seon-ah quickly shut her mouth, but I quickly grasped the situation.

The reason this pile of beans was still surviving so well was one.

There was an overwhelming contributor who had established this organization from the beginning,

and this contributor was leading them with excellent leadership.

A superhuman with both moral authority and real power.

David Kim. Korean name Kim Chun-sik.

That was why this Apgujeong Camp was still maintained.

He asked me candidly.

"Exactly what do you do?"

"I'm the overall supervisor of superpower-related matters between the National Assembly and the government. No one has more authority in superpower matters than me, except for Vice Minister Cha Jae-geun."

"You're quite a remarkable person."

He chuckled and brought up another topic.

"Actually, the topic of escape has come up many times. It's just that people were too comfortable to take the risk."

"…There were discussions about escaping?"

Hong Seon-ah interjected, slightly annoyed.

"Awakened might be able to, but civilians are in danger the moment they step outside the front door. Still, Uncle Chun-sik respected their opinions."

A turtle trapped in a pot doesn't want to get out,

it just pulls its head into its shell. Is that it?

David Kim seemed to be a surprisingly calm person. I started talking about the current situation.

"If you didn't escape because you were afraid to go outside, that's already a mistake. With the flying monsters, the apartment is no longer safe—"

Bang!

"—it isn't."

David Kim instantly stood up and pulled open the curtain.

"Damn it!"

Far away, a large bat was pulling a person out of an apartment window like a larva from a beehive.

Several bats were flying towards the scene from the sky.

It was a truly terrifying sight. I saw a person fall to the ground.

"Come out now!"

Hong Seon-ah shouted, and Kim Chun-sik moved to the back.

Then, something amazing happened.

—!!

A wave of fire.

Flames surged and instantly covered the sky.

A massive wave of fire flew through the air, sweeping away the swarm of bats.

It was an overwhelming sight I had never seen in any movie. The hot air warmed the room.

…Didn't she say she couldn't use a pillar of fire?

"…Hehe."

With the monsters burning and falling, Hong Seon-ah mumbled with a dazed look.

"I said it was hard, not that I couldn't do it, yo…"

I caught her as she fell forward. Her hair was warm, as if she had just used a hairdryer. David Kim muttered seriously.

"…We need to hurry."

*

"Ouch, what was that?"

"A monster attacked the apartment."

"Damn, I need to go check it out."

The therapist who was taking care of Yeo Do-yeon got up and ran to the front door. She was an old woman known as Doctor Grandma.

She explained about Yeo Do-yeon.

"Her skin was all burned, and she lost a lot of blood, so she lost consciousness. But Awakened are tough, so she'll be fine if she gets some rest."

I saw Doctor Grandma off at the front door and came back inside. In the bedroom, Yeo Do-yeon was sound asleep.

"…Phew."

The Cold One, sitting on the living room sofa, sighed in relief and spoke to me.

"How did you manage to get here safely?"

"Finding a way back is the problem."

According to David Kim, the camp had about 1,200 members, with roughly forty Awakened. Either number was staggering.

We silently watched the cloudy sky through the window. It was the rainy season, and the gate was hidden by dark clouds.

"Phew…"

I sighed, lamenting the reality.

It was doubtful that Cha Jae-geun would help, and we couldn't even contact him. How were we supposed to escape with thousands of people from the heart of Seoul?

I concluded solemnly.

It's hopeless.

"It'll work out somehow."

"Excuse me?"

The Cold One, who was cleaning his glasses with a cloth, smiled calmly.

"Um, I'm about 15 years older than you. Can I give you a little advice?"

Those 15 years were 15 years as a war correspondent. I nodded readily.

"Why do you need my permission to give advice?"

"Actually, the only thing left after living is regret, isn't it?"

A philosophical topic was suddenly thrown at me.

"Ah, I should have done this then. I should have done that then… But thinking about it, that means we always think of better ways later, right?"

He smiled as if the world was a maze.

"Then, if you think about it more? Even if it seems there's no way out, it might just mean we haven't found it yet."

"…So, you're saying I should try harder?"

"No, I'm just sharing my experience, but in conclusion—"

The Cold One smiled and nodded.

"Yes."

"Really…! Me!"

I laughed in disbelief, and the Cold One chuckled without a care.

"Hehehe…"

"Are you feeling better now?"

"I'm naturally a witty person. I'm just holding back because of the situation. If we ever have a drink together, I'll make you laugh so hard you'll cry."

"Ah, yes! I understand!"

Witty? I gave him a look of disgust and shook him off. Then I grabbed the doorknob of the room where Yeo Do-yeon was sleeping.

"Don't live so seriously."

At that moment, the Cold One said casually.

"Politicians always smile, but their eyes are dead. If you live like that, your life will be empty."

Now I understood what he meant. It wasn't about trying harder.

"Sometimes, it's okay to just think it'll work out somehow. That's how I'm still alive."

"…"

"Hey, I'm a humanities major, so I often say things like this. Just take what you need. I thought you looked a bit tired, so I said a few words."

The Cold One smiled ambiguously and went into another room. I stood there holding the doorknob, silently staring at the sofa where he had been.

*

I sat on the bed. Yeo Do-yeon was lying face down with bandages on her back. The white bandages were already soaked red.

I gently patted her shoulder. Her muscles were smooth and taut. This was her life.

"Hey."

"…"

"Are you asleep?"

She didn't answer.

I silently pulled the blanket up to her shoulders and stayed by her side for a while.

It was the first time I had let my hair grow since retiring from sports, and it had already reached her shoulders. I passed the time by braiding her hair.

How long had it been?

"Damn you…"

"You're awake."

"I told you not to touch my hair…"

She nudged me. It was a weak push. I covered her with the blanket she had kicked off and spoke.

"This is the Apgujeong Camp. Mr. Cold and I are both safe."

"…Oh. Oh."

"The therapist here treated you. They said Awakened have natural immunity to bacterial infections. They seem to have made some progress in research here."

"Ugh…"

The medication hadn't fully worn off. I got up to avoid disturbing her rest.

"Hey, man…"

Suddenly, she mumbled like a drunk.

"Look at me."

I did as she asked and looked at her. Yeo Do-yeon stared at me with a weak gaze and spoke in a barely audible voice.

"You're a snake…"

"What?"

"If it's hard, just say so. Kid, really…"

"…Are you drunk?"

She continued in a dazed voice.

"Not everyone can eat people…"

"…"

"Try not to look at people with those eyes…"

I closed the door silently and left the room.

Knock. Knock.

There was a knock at the front door. I checked who it was through the peephole and opened the door with a bright smile.

"Seok-ho!"

"Ah, hello, sir."

"Hey, hey. Come in!"

There was a lot to do.

I needed to gauge what feelings he had towards me, his position in the organization, and how the internal affairs of the organization were running.

For that, I first smiled brightly.

It was time to be a politician again.