Chapter 9

Parting the sea and making an entrance!

Parting the sea and making an entrance!

The thief always had cold feet.

"Hey, I'm not a thief. I just moved in today..."

Even to himself, it sounded like a lame excuse.

"We're not thieves! We're excellent delivery men!"

Kahye ran up to Youngsu, stood in front of him, and pushed her forehead against his aunt's, spreading her arms wide to defend him.

"Hehehe."

Perhaps because of Kahye's boldness, a smile crept onto her aunt's lips.

"Oh, this... I shouldn't be smiling like this."

"No, it's fine. It's good to laugh together. It looks nice..."

Youngsu scratched his head.

It wasn't because he was awkward; it was because he was happy.

Just talking to her made his lips curl up.

He had been missing this kind of interaction.

"Hehe, I saw you come from the moving center today, but I didn't know you were a teacher."

"My financial situation improved, so I just moved in."

"I'm glad you're a teacher. The person who used to live here would get weird when he drank."

Relief was evident on her face.

Youngsu felt good that she saw him in a positive light.

"Is Ahji living here?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Hehe."

Kahye covered her face and laughed, then went back behind her and clung to the hem of her skirt, burying her face.

A smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

"Hey, don't pull so hard. You'll rip my skirt."

'If you do, I'll buy you ice cream!'

Youngsu's face turned red.

"Hehe."

Kahye looked at him and smiled sweetly.

A fatherly smile appeared on her lips.

It was a smile that said she would buy ice cream without any conditions.

"By the way, since you've moved in, aren't you going to share some rice cakes?"

"Huh? Oh, oops..."

Youngsu's face turned pale.

"Hehehe. I was just kidding."

"Phew... I've been living alone for too long, so I forgot how to interact with neighbors."

"It's okay. I moved here not long ago and tried to share rice cakes, but no one opened their doors."

"The world is so dangerous these days..."

"It's different from the past. When I was a child, people would share rice cakes when they moved in, and that's how they got to know each other..."

"Right..."

Youngsu's childhood was the same.

It was a memory from the times when people were more considerate.

'Are we about the same age?'

"When I was a child, on the days when steamed rice cakes were served, I would ask my mother if someone had moved in..."

It was a cozy childhood story that only people of similar age could relate to.

"When I was a child, everyone would share steamed rice cakes when they moved in. I remember they even shared rice cakes when the roads and electricity first came to the neighborhood. When a convenience store opened, they would serve red bean porridge."

Feeling a bit closer, Youngsu enthusiastically talked about his childhood.

"Really? They even shared rice cakes when electricity came... I thought you were older than I expected. In my neighborhood, we've had electricity since I was a child."

She looked at Youngsu with curiosity.

"Oh..."

Scratch, scratch.

This way, it seemed like he was making himself look older.

"Hehe. I've lived in Seoul since I was a child."

"Oh, I lived in a small village in Gangwon Province. When I went to Inje, I would wonder when it would come. The roads and electricity came very late."

'Inje, when will it come? What an idiot! It's almost an old man's joke!'

After saying it, Youngsu's face felt hot.

But she turned her head and covered her mouth.

"Hehe."

Her lips were smiling.

'Heh...'

That was enough.

If she smiled.

A satisfied smile appeared on Youngsu's lips.

Rustle.

Only then did he notice the garbage bag in her hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I held you up for too long when you were carrying something heavy."

"It's okay. People who raise children are strong."

She smiled and showed her bicep with her other arm.

Compared to his, it was so small it was almost invisible.

He chuckled.

"Aunt, I want to hang."

At that moment, Kahye, who had been hiding behind the skirt, suddenly jumped out and hung onto her arm.

"Oh!"

She staggered.

Youngsu quickly caught Kahye with both hands, looking worried.

"Ouch. Our Kahye is heavier than I thought?"

Youngsu gently picked up Kahye.

"Uu... I'm not a pig!"

Kahye puffed her cheeks and turned her head, looking upset.

A smile formed on Youngsu's lips.

"Right. Kahye isn't a pig. You're so light. You could fly, couldn't you?"

Whoosh!

Youngsu lifted Kahye into the air with both hands.

"Kya ha ha ha."

She burst into laughter, as if she had forgotten her earlier pout.

Youngsu gave her a nod.

She nodded gratefully and quickly locked the door, then went down the stairs.

He followed her implicitly, continuing to play with Kahye.

By the time they had thrown away the garbage bag and returned to the third floor, the three of them were there.

"Where are we going? To London!"

Whoosh!

"Kya ha ha!"

While Kahye was happily traveling the world, she took out her key and opened the door.

"Thank you, teacher. I'm fine now."

He was fine too.

He could do anything for her.

Seeing the bright smiles of her and Kahye, Youngsu didn't feel tired at all.

But every meeting has a parting.

"Chirp. The plane is landing."

"Yee, I want to ride more!"

"Kahye, the teacher has to go in."

"Yee..."

"Will we see each other again?"

"Will you make the 'whoosh' sound again?"

"Sure. I can make the 'whoosh' sound for Kahye anytime."

"Hehe! Then go. Thank you."

Kahye, who had learned it from somewhere, placed her hands neatly on her stomach and bowed, then ran into the house.

With Kahye's departure, he was left alone with her in the hallway.

"Teacher, really, thank you every time."

"It's nothing..."

Youngsu hesitated to say more.

He had many things he wanted to ask and say, and he was no stranger to interacting with people. If he continued the conversation, he could have gone on.

But it was the same for her.

She hesitated as if she had something to say.

However, an awkward silence fell between them, and they eventually bowed and turned away with awkward smiles.

Click.

Youngsu, who had arrived at his own door, opened the door to his home, where no one was waiting for him.

'There will be another chance to talk later...'

Youngsu closed the door and entered his home.

Bang.

...

Bang.

Bang!

Youngsu, who had climbed into the truck, took out the terminal next to the navigation system and registered the items he had bought all day yesterday and the items he was taking with him.

Yesterday was a busy day.

He had quit his job at the delivery company, repainted the truck, and bought items.

He also bought a gas gun for self-defense and ordered an item from an expensive bulletproof suit craftsman.

He registered all the equipment for when the truck broke down and the food and drinks for a three-day stay.

After working as a delivery driver for about a year, he had developed a compulsion to organize things.

"Done."

After finishing the registration, he tried to reattach the terminal to the side of the navigation system, but the screen was flashing.

<Items have been registered.>

<Reinforcement information - can be checked in the item section.>

'Can only reinforce items registered on the terminal?'

Click, click, click.

When he pressed the menu, reinforcement information, and items, the names of the items he registered today appeared one by one.

<Samyong Ramen 5+1: +0 Reinforcement>

<Samyong Ramen 5+1: +0 Reinforcement>

<Doctor New Energy Bar: +0 Reinforcement>

<Ultra LED Flashlight: +0 Reinforcement>

...

...

<Work Waterproof Clothing: +0 Reinforcement>

<Chalk Net: +0 Reinforcement>

All the items were marked with '+0 Reinforcement'.

'Since they haven't been reinforced yet, it's natural, right?'

This time, he would complete the mission and get 2 more reinforcement points to reinforce the items.

If he had to choose from what he had, he would reinforce the gas gun, but it would be more beneficial to save it and reinforce the bulletproof suit he ordered from the craftsman a week later.

'Since the car was fine even after dealing with the orc chieftain...'

The reinforced suit he ordered this time was almost like the hero costumes in American movies when you just wear a mask.

Carbon nanotube special fibers provide bulletproof and stab-proof functions, and the chemically produced artificial leather provides heat resistance, insulation, and energy storage functions.

It cost exactly 500 million won. That's 500 million won per piece, for three pieces.

There are three types: a hero costume style, a suit style, and an undergarment style, so he bought all of them.

The first one to arrive is the hero costume style.

However, since it takes time, today he had to settle for the bulletproof vest the craftsman had ready-made.

'It should be safe. It costs 10 million won, after all...'

Squeak, squeak.

Youngsu, who had tightened the seams with clips, took a deep breath.

"Phew..."

Now the preparations were complete.

Click, click, click.

<Route: from '<Earth>-Unnamed' to '<???>-Unnamed'>

Click!

<Destination selected. Do you want to move? Y/N>

<Y selected.>

The truck was enveloped in light.

Since he had experienced it once before, this time he covered his eyes to prevent losing his vision.

"Was the last place... the beach?"

Youngsu lowered his hand and leisurely looked out the window.

The sun was slowly sinking into the sea, leaving a blood-red trail.

It was clearly morning in Korea, but here it was evening.

'About an 8 to 10-hour difference?'

But then, at that moment.

Whoosh!

Swoosh...

From the sea, lizard people with snake heads were emerging, holding spears made of coral and rising out of the water.

'Last time there were pig-headed humans...'

"Ahh! Get out of the way! It's the lizardmen!"

A fisherman at the dock, startled, threw the net he was working on and ran to the land.

'Lizardmen?'

"Aaaah!"

"Send a signal to the city!"

"Call the soldiers!"

"Please... God Dante, have mercy on us..."

The fishermen were in chaos.

Some were running, some were calling on their gods, and some were holding farming tools and standing guard.

Youngsu made eye contact with one of the fleeing fishermen.

"Hey! It's the mage!"

"Help us! Mage!"

'Even if they ask for help...'

He couldn't do anything without understanding the situation.

Swoosh...

At that moment, one of the lizardmen looked in his direction.

Crunch...

The lizardman gripped the coral spear, flicked his tongue, and tilted his head.

Thump...

"Aaah! He's coming!"

A fisherman screamed and ran past the truck.

'He's running!'

The lizardman ran toward him.

Creak.

He turned the key, but the engine didn't start.

'What a piece of junk!'

Bang!

Rrrrrrr, thud...

He pounded the dashboard with his fist, and the engine started.

But the lizardman was already about 10 meters away.

The truck was manual.

With trembling hands, he lowered the side mirror, pressed the clutch, shifted gears, and tried to press the accelerator.

Swoosh!

He made eye contact with the lizardman, who had leaped into the air, just a meter away.

Yellow irises, black vertical pupils, and a coral spear aimed directly at his face...

His hair stood on end.

Vroom!

Bang!

Swoosh!

Squeal!

He took his foot off the accelerator and immediately pressed the brake, causing his body to lurch forward and backward in the seatbelt.

"Where is he?"

Fortunately, the lizardman flew far away with one hit.

'Now that I think about it, I've seen something similar before...'

Youngsu, momentarily stunned by a sense of déjà vu, quickly checked the car.

The spear had clearly hit the front windshield...

'It's fine!'

The car was undamaged.

'Last time it was fine too...'

"Phew..."

Youngsu felt somewhat relieved.

But a problem arose.

Swoosh?

Sssssss...

The lizardmen who had come to the shore were all looking in his direction, their muscles bulging as if they were excited.

'It's okay, I have a bulletproof truck. If I can hit them with one shot...'

Youngsu shifted gears and chose to reverse.

Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!

He pressed the accelerator, but the car didn't move.

Rumble, rumble...

The car shook from side to side, and sand flew in all directions.

"Damn!"

The wheels were stuck in the sand.

He had parked in front of the beach to pick up the incense.

He tried shifting gears to go forward, but...

Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!

Only sand flew in all directions.

"Oh! Is the mage going to use an earth-related spell?"

'It's not that!'

He was in a bind.

Swoosh!

Rrrrr!

Startled by the loud noise, the lizardmen flicked their tongues and ran toward him again, spears at the ready.

"Damn, move!"

Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!

Sssss!

The lizardmen, who had been running toward him, leaped up and thrust their spears at the window.

'It's bulletproof, so it should be fine!'

Crash!