novelraw Chapter 160 : Intern Jae-hee (1)
Chapter 160 : Intern Jae-hee (1)
A dry, wasteland wind blew as the woman in the Bride’s Mask approached.
“‘The angel would like to stay,’” she began, stopping before Chevalier to slowly remove her mask.
“‘He would like to awaken the dead and make whole what has been smashed.
But a storm is blowing from Paradise; it has got caught in his wings with such violence that the angel can no longer close them.
This storm irresistibly propels him into the future to which his back is turned, while the pile of debris before him grows skyward.
This storm is what we call progress.’”
The face beneath the mask was plain, but her eyes shimmered with a faint red light. A soft glow radiated from behind her rounded, upswept hair, like a halo.
After reciting the cryptic verses in a clear, resonant voice, the woman—Chun-hyang—let a faint, crooked smile touch her thin lips.
“A pleasure to meet you, Chevalier.”
“…Who are you people?” Chevalier’s gaze shifted between Chun-hyang, Iljimae, and Jeon Woo-chi. “How… No, why did you approach me?”
“We are the Crimson Poverty Front.”
Chun-hyang spread her arms and spun gracefully as she introduced them.
“A gathering of villains who intend to burn this world to the ground.”
“…So you’re those villains I’ve heard are skulking in the shadows.”
“We’re not nearly as infamous as you are. You went to war with the state right out of the gate.”
Chun-hyang slowly held something out.
“We’re about to begin our work in earnest, and it just so happens we have an opening in our party.”
“…”
She was offering him a Butcher’s Mask.
Inviting Chevalier to fill the seat left vacant by Robbin’ Hood’s death, Chun-hyang smiled sweetly.
“I thought you would be a perfect fit for the role. I’ve come to offer you a place with us.”
“…”
“What do you say, Chevalier? Son of a traitor.”
Staring into Chevalier’s sunken eyes, Chun-hyang whispered affectionately, “Shall we break the world together?”
***
After the meeting of the New Five Heroes—the Heroes’ Association—had concluded, all five members departed, citing their busy schedules. Jae-hee ended up having dinner with Mu-gung.
“To celebrate seeing you again, and to congratulate you on becoming an intern! Dinner’s on me.”
“Really? Thank you so much!”
Still completely broke, Jae-hee shamelessly bowed his thanks and followed her.
The place Mu-gung led him to was an ordinary diner, but the portions were enormous.
“I saw you snacking earlier and figured you had an appetite, so I chose a place with big servings.”
“How did you know? I’m always hungry!”
Jae-hee ordered spicy stir-fried pork, one of the holy trinity of Korean men’s comfort food. Mu-gung ordered a boiled pork slices set.
“This is delicious!”
Popping the seasoned vegetable side dishes into his mouth, Jae-hee soon spotted a sign at a nearby self-serve counter.
“Whoa, free rice refills?”
Mu-gung chuckled. “The side dishes are free refills, too.”
“A beautiful place like this actually exists!”
Before the main course even arrived, Jae-hee had already wolfed down a whole bowl of rice with just the side dishes. He finally slowed down once the main dishes were served, and they resumed their conversation.
“It was always bad, but I’m seriously hungry all the time these days. Maybe I’m having another growth spurt.”
“You’re still growing?”
“Yeah. I’ve shot up a lot these past few months, especially.”
When he’d first entered prison, Jae-hee had been in the high five-foot range, but now he was easily over six feet tall. After a lifetime of malnourishment, regular meals had sent him shooting up in a single burst.
“But… something feels different lately. It’s like the nutrients are going somewhere else besides my body…?”
“As you refine your Awakened ability, you start channeling more energy into it,” Mu-gung said, placing a few slices of her boiled pork onto Jae-hee’s plate.
“I’m also refining my ability while training under the Chosen One… and I found that increasing my overall output and honing my skills made me ravenous.”
“Ah! A comrade! In hunger!”
Jae-hee returned the favor, scooping some of his stir-fried pork onto her plate.
She said, “Thank you,” and popped a piece into her mouth, chewing contentedly.
Watching her eat so well, Jae-hee’s expression suddenly turned a little sad.
Mu-gung blinked in surprise. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“Oh, no, it’s nothing. I was just… suddenly thinking of my master.”
Sharing a meal with someone like this had unexpectedly brought Ghost to mind.
Jae-hee let out a quiet sigh. “I hope she’s not skipping meals just because I’m not there… I finally got her to quit smoking, but what if she’s started chain-smoking again? And she really needs to lay off the soju…”
“Hahaha. You’re a very good student.”
Seeing Jae-hee so lost in concern for his master, Mu-gung grew worried as well.
“…I’m worried about that grandmother we rescued.”
“Oh, the one from the Foghowler village?”
“Yes.”
Mu-gung spoke as she chewed. “I visited her a few times after that, but I’ve been so busy since becoming the Chosen One’s sidekick… I haven’t had time to go back. I heard the village restoration was recently completed, and she’s moved back home.”
“Wow, you really did visit her?”
Ghost had bet that Mu-gung was all talk, but it seemed she had been sincere.
She looked a little sheepish. “Lately, I just call to check in on her in the morning and evening.”
“That’s still amazing.”
Mu-gung offered a bitter smile at that.
“I became a soldier because I wanted to protect those who were ignored, those outside the system. I left the military and came this far with that same conviction… and I still hold to it. But…”
She heaved a long sigh.
“It’s not easy.”
Just as the two exchanged an awkward glance, the other diners began turning their attention to the TV mounted on the restaurant wall. Jae-hee and Mu-gung looked over to see what was happening.
“Ah.”
The President’s address to the nation, which had been announced on the morning news, was just beginning.
On the screen, an elderly man with a scholarly air and neatly swept-back white hair stared into the camera with resolute eyes.
«Good evening, my fellow citizens. I am President San Kim.»
The President began in a calm voice.
«To be honest, as I prepared for this address, I struggled. I debated what to reveal and what to conceal. In the end, I have decided to respect the people’s right to know.»
He took a breath, then spoke without hesitation.
«In ten years, humanity will be extinct.»
A sudden silence fell over the restaurant.
«The indiscriminate use of Awakened abilities has accelerated Realm Erosion, and as a result, we have triggered our own extinction. It is already irreversible.»
The President let out a small sigh.
«In some ways, we are the victims here. We enacted and abided by numerous regulations on high-grade Awakened abilities, but it was other countries, squandering their powers with no regard for the consequences, that accelerated the Realm Erosion.»
The President stared straight through his glasses at the screen.
«But such is our world. Such is humanity. This is the world we all live in together and for which we share responsibility.»
Even in the face of an unprecedented crisis, the President’s voice was firm.
«Extinction is upon us, but it is not over yet. If we minimize, conserve, and efficiently use our Awakened abilities from this point forward, we can delay our demise for as long as possible.»
The people listening swallowed hard.
«And if, during that delay, we can conduct further research and develop countermeasures, we may yet be able to preserve our world.»
The President slowly bowed his head to the camera.
«My fellow citizens. I ask for your full cooperation in this last, desperate struggle.»
After a few seconds, he raised his head and smoothed back a stray lock of hair.
«First, in accordance with the Awakened Protection Act, all Awakened individuals must wear an Awakening Inhibitor. As I stated, this is to mitigate the effects of Realm Erosion and delay our extinction.»
The President continued.
«Rest assured, this is not a cause for concern. In regions where a Gate alert is issued, the inhibitors will be automatically deactivated, and your abilities will be unrestricted. The purpose of this policy is not to restrict your right to self-defense but to encourage a more efficient use of Awakened abilities.»
People began to murmur, looking at one another. The voice from the TV continued unabated.
«Furthermore, all Hunters across the nation, and the guilds to which they belong, are to sequentially disarm and step down from Gate defense duties, following the directives of the Gate Defense Bureau.»
“…!”
«This is no longer a matter of vested interests; it is a matter of immediate survival. Of course, we are also preparing a fair compensation plan, which will be detailed through other channels.»
Having said this, the President rose from his seat and gestured to his side.
«And now, allow me to introduce them.»
The camera panned over to reveal the New Five Heroes, standing at attention.
«From this day forward, they will be the Republic of Korea’s sole Awakened armed force and the dedicated unit for handling Gates—the Heroes’ Association.»
The New Five Heroes bowed in unison as the President explained.
«Until now, various organizations in different regions have operated in a haphazard fashion, wasting Awakened abilities to close Gates and defeat monsters.»
Hunters, guilds, the military, the Gate Defense Bureau…
Countless organizations had sprung up, dealing with Gates on a case-by-case basis.
«But from now on, the Heroes’ Association will be solely responsible for handling Gates, carrying out efficient closure operations with a minimum of Awakened power.»
From now on, five S-Rankers would be entrusted with the defense of every Gate in the country.
It sounded like a dangerous, fantastical idea, but without such an extreme austerity measure on the use of Awakened abilities, there was no way to delay their extinction.
«My respected fellow citizens.»
The camera returned to the President.
San Kim nodded.
«We can do this. If we resist, if we fight to the very end, if we help one another, we can survive even one second longer against the coming doom—and claim victory.»
The President spoke with conviction, then bowed deeply to the screen.
«For the sake of our survival, I implore you to cooperate fully with the government and its policies.»
Slowly straightening up, the President said one last thing.
«Thank you.»
Beep.
The address to the nation was over.
The moment the broadcast ended, the restaurant erupted into chaos. Diners began chattering loudly, sharing their opinions on the President’s words.
Mu-gung, too, was lost in thought, while Jae-hee popped a piece of cold pork into his mouth.
What’s going to happen now?
Even hearing the word “extinction,” it didn’t feel real.
Even hearing “ten years,” he couldn’t tell if that was a long time or just around the corner.
All he wanted was to eat well and have fun tomorrow.
Master…
Jae-hee glanced southward, toward the prison cruise he knew was still floating somewhere off the southern coast.
What do you think about all this?
***
At that same moment.
Aboard the prison cruise. Deck 10. Commander’s Office.
Ghost, who had been watching the President’s address in Hae-eun Seo’s room, spoke flatly.
“That San Kim is a politician to the bone.”
Bringing over a glass of liquor, Hae-eun asked, “Why? It was a great speech.”
“He’s just ‘not telling any lies,’ that’s all.”
Ghost took the glass from Hae-eun and took a sip.
“Just as he said, when Realm Erosion peaks and that ‘Gate’ opens, ‘humanity’ will be wiped out.”
To be precise…
“‘Old Humanity’ will be wiped out. But ‘New Humanity’ will survive.”