novelraw Chapter 79 : Chapter 79
Chapter 79 : Chapter 79
Chapter 79: Survival
Voices were exchanged in the hotel lobby where Zero cadets were gathered.
“Did you hear? Lee Junhyeok almost died trapped in the super-high heat kiln sauna.”
“What is that, then was he almost assassinated?”
“They said it wasn't that. It just broke down. They said workers discovered them and saved them.”
Night in Jeju Island.
Several cadets were resting leisurely on the sofas provided in the hotel lobby.
And among them, the hot news that just came out was spreading.
The story that 3 cadets were trapped in the super-high heat kiln sauna and were rescued just before dying.
And Lily was also one of the cadets interested in that matter.
Unlike the cadets chattering gossip lightly, she was viewing this incident with suspicious eyes.
‘To call it a simple breakdown situation, the fact that 3 people were neglected for a long time is strange as expected.’
As far as she found out, the time the three people stayed inside the kiln sauna was from 7 PM to 9 PM, a whopping 2 hours.
And the sauna side said they recognized that the door and facilities of the kiln sauna broke down at 8 PM and started access control and repair work.
That point was strange.
They started access control at 8 PM, but actually didn't recognize the three people inside for an hour.
Even the workers neglected the three people inside while proceeding with repairs for 30 minutes.
Of course, accidents can happen in any way, but the situation itself is too strange.
‘If it's terror, it would probably be terror targeting Lee Junhyeok. Since there has often been terror targeting children of influential people.’
Son of the Sword Emperor and an excellent prospect in itself, a position just perfect as a villain's target.
But of all people, Ryu Jinwoo was next to him. That point bothered her strangely.
It might be attaching unnecessary meaning due to the surveillance request received from Ju Yeonhwa.
Anyway, more information will come out after more time passes.
‘If I organize that content and send it to Ju Yeonhwa-nim, that person will make the judgment.’
Collecting and sending as much information as possible regarding this matter.
Lily nodded and strengthened her will.
“They say the ones who were together were Lee Junhyeok, Ryu Jinwoo, and Sonic Park, what kind of combination is this?”
“Right. Maybe they got trapped together by coincidence?”
“Hey, but did you see that? Ryu Jinwoo.”
And then, the name Ryu Jinwoo popped out from the mouths of those sitting on the sofa.
Lily instinctively held her breath and pricked up her ears.
“That? I saw it. He was carrying some kind of python.”
Soon the male cadets smirked and shrugged their shoulders.
“It was visible exactly when he broke the locker.”
“Ah, I saw it too. It was dope.”
Words mixed with admiration flowed out all at once from the mouths of male cadets sprawling on the sofa.
Lily opened her eyes wide.
‘Python?’
She opened the search window immediately.
Search results, images of snakes continued.
A species of large snake.
An explanation followed that it is the most gigantic among snake types found in Korea.
‘How does he carry such a thing hidden on his body? Don't tell me it's a Contracted Phantasmal Beast?’
Lily approached them immediately.
“What does that mean?”
“Huh? Uh-uh....... Li, Lily?”
Male cadets getting flustered all at once as she approached.
“Isn't the person named Ryu Jinwoo a Non-Awakened? How can he be carrying a snake?”
“Ah, that is.......”
The male cadets hesitated and exchanged glances with each other.
“T-There is such a thing. Haha.”
“Time is already late. Gotta go in.”
“Have a comfortable night!”
Coughing in vain and springing up from their seats, they scattered and disappeared as if they had seen a ghost.
‘......What is it?’
Lily bit her lip and mulled over their attitude.
It was clear they were hiding something. Is it important information that cannot be spoken recklessly?
Perhaps she caught a clue Ju Yeonhwa wanted.
Lily immediately took out the receiver and inputted a message cautiously.
[Eyewitness testimony of male cadets: Ryu Jinwoo is said to be hiding a python (a type of snake) on his body.]
After transmitting the message, she felt strength entering her fingertips.
‘As expected, that person named Ryu Jinwoo. He is hiding something. As per Ju Yeonhwa-nim's suspicion.......’
And a moment later, a reply arrived from Ju Yeonhwa's side.
[Confirmed. Additional information related to that does not need to be transmitted.]
Short and cold instruction.
Lily did not know the reason.
‘Could it be information she already knew? A Non-Awakened having a Contracted Phantasmal Beast....... It's not a common occurrence.’
She had to follow instructions, but an unknown uncomfortable feeling remained in a corner of Lily's heart.
***
“You must be the only one coming to the infirmary twice a day.”
Looking down at me lying down, the infirmary teacher let out a sigh.
“Once was an accident.”
“Still. I see you too often.”
“That is true.”
It really is so. Though it's not like I did it because I wanted to.
Lying on the sickbed, it felt like the previous flames were still burning at my fingertips.
[Tactical Manual]
[Hundred Night Yaksha]
[Yaksha Style, Heavenly Demon's Night Slash, White Lotus Dance, Flame Annihilation Night Light]
A name newly settled in the sub-category of Hundred Night Yaksha.
[Yaksha Style: Flame Annihilation Night Light]
At that moment submerged in the hot heat inside the super-high heat kiln sauna, realization came.
The realization that I could directly wield that heat filling my body.
When I swung the sword utilizing that sensation, flames soared from my fingertips.
It was an amazing spectacle and fresh experience.
Of course, a price followed.
Burning Pain was engraved as if I actually burned myself.
Even now, the inside of my palm was faintly hot.
When will it get better.
Well, considering everything, all my techniques are like this so it wasn't strange.
If I use Heavenly Demon's Night Slash, the sensation of the body splitting continues for a while, and if I use White Lotus Dance, the feeling of being caught in a net doesn't go away.
It means the phenomenon of swordsmanship I realized returns to me as well under the name of ‘Settlement’.
So naturally, the infirmary and sickbed entered my living radius.
“They say suffering in youth is bought, but that doesn't mean ending up in a sickbed.”
Swoosh-!
While the infirmary teacher's hopeless tone continued, the curtain on the right was pulled open coolly.
Lee Junhyeok showed his face with a serious expression.
“Teacher, please do not blame Jinwoo. Thanks to Jinwoo, the workers knew we were inside. If not for that, we wouldn't have been rescued.”
The guy defending me with his unique old-man-like tone.
As per Lee Junhyeok's words, the incident was being settled like that for now.
The workers really didn't know we were inside.
They testified that they couldn't think of anyone being inside as if possessed.
And that was thoroughly the truth.
It was natural since they were caught in ‘Suggestion’.
No one was lying.
Since the situation was strange, investigators also suspected terror by suggestion-type spells.
But the magic power used for suggestion wasn't discovered, the inside wasn't visible well in the super-high heat kiln sauna due to its structure, and the malfunction of the security system wasn't the sauna side's problem either.
The external entrusted server itself was down temporarily.
In other words, an accident caused by amazing coincidences overlapping. That was the conclusion they reached.
Anyway, whether to say thanks to that, the three of us trapped in the kiln sauna are scheduled to receive considerable compensation from the sauna side.
Result-wise, my status rose from a locker destroyer who had to pay money to an accident victim.
As expected, life is unpredictable.
On the other hand, it might be fortunate to receive even compensation.
Since as long as the culprit is Edward, I couldn't even expect the crime to be discovered in the first place.
As such, he is a troublesome guy to have as an enemy.
‘It's troublesome if they keep attempting terror on me like this.’
Bremen bastards, those called comrades wishing for me to die.
Perhaps Balzac's life might have been unfortunate too.
No, since Balzac was an earthworm from the demon world in the first place, maybe it didn't matter much.
Calling that ‘life’ is ambiguous too.
Anyway, thanks to Balzac's bizarre ability and special treatment, I, who am being mistaken for him, have been placed in a more difficult situation.
‘Should I use the receiver.’
The security receiver received from the Bremen side is inside my luggage.
If that receiver connected to the customer center, I would have made a scene with all my might.
Telling the boss to come out. Asking how they can work like this.
But unfortunately, I was the underdog.
I am in a position where I have to beg them to please trust and watch instead of arguing.
Swoosh-!
The curtain hung on the opposite side of Lee Junhyeok was flung open.
“Dammit! It can't be a simple breakdown! It's an attack! You guys saw it too! The workers were strange!”
Sonic Park shouted as if resentful.
This guy has been in this state all along.
He was grinding his teeth at the story that it is being judged as a simple accident for now.
“Cadet Sonic Park, I understand your feelings but quietly in the infirmary.......”
“There's only the three of us anyway. Damn Ryu Jinwoo bastard! You saw it too. I'm telling you they tried to kill us?”
At the infirmary teacher's warning, Sonic Park shouted seeking my agreement.
I understand the guy feeling wronged too.
Because if one was there, one couldn't not know it was terror.
The one who responded first to Sonic Park's scream was Lee Junhyeok.
“I also think it's strange, but ultimately without evidence, it cannot be proven. It seems the workers really didn't see us, and there are no traces of being controlled by someone, so there is no choice but to accept it as an amazing coincidence.”
“I absolutely cannot accept it! Lee Junhyeok, who are the guys trying to kill you? I will find them first and kill them!”
“There isn't particularly anyone to call an enemy. Honestly speaking, even if this matter is an attack, this is the first time I suffered something similar. Although I heard there is terror targeting children of influential people often.”
At least he has been fine until now.
Lee Junhyeok said.
‘That's because, it was aiming for me.’
Swallowing words I couldn't spit out, I shut my mouth quietly.
It was rather advantageous for me that this matter didn't grow bigger.
That was also why I accepted the compensation plan offered by the sauna side quickly.
Let's assume a full-scale investigation starts and Edward gets caught eventually.
Then what will happen?
In the worst case, the relationship with Bremen I got entangled with gets revealed.
Since there is already a record of visiting the guys' main base disguised as [Beetle Comics], if my tail is stepped on, my life will crumble entirely.
Even the current daily life maintained precariously won't leave even a trace.
‘The desperate one has to endure. Sigh.’
It's unfair, but is there any way?
I have no choice but to match the crazy terror group mistaking me for Balzac.
Even after that, Sonic Park argued back and forth with the infirmary teacher.
Eventually, the infirmary teacher who couldn't bear it anymore naturally ‘anesthetized’ Sonic Park, and the chaos was settled for now.
The infirmary became calm again.
“Still, the condition has become much better. It's anew, but Jinwoo, your recovery power is truly surprising.”
The infirmary teacher mumbled as if interested while examining the chart.
“The body is recovering in an instant. Did you hide a healing factor inside your body or something?”
......Not that.
I just ate a Fatigue Recovery Potion.
My precious SP.
If it leaks out like this, when will I gather it.
“Anyway, since time is late, sleep here today. Tomorrow we go to Hero Land! Aren't you excited? You should sleep early and rest well, right?”
The infirmary teacher smiled with a wink and left the room.
Tomorrow is Sunday. There is no training.
Instead, as part of a unique experience, we are scheduled to head to ‘Hero Land’, an amusement park attraction in Jeju Island.
I don't know if I should say it's fortunate.
Actually, the real incident happens tomorrow.
If what happened today was about the level of a stone tripping my foot while walking, tomorrow will be like facing a rock rolling down from the middle of a mountain.
Ding-!
[‘Reporter’s Sense’ activates.]
[The smell of an incident is felt at ‘Hero Land’. Follow the Zero Academy party and head to Hero Land.]
[Reward: 2,000 SP]
And as if to give certainty to my thought, the Zero Times coverage quest popped up.
‘Big events will happen generally.’
Tomorrow, an incident occurs.
A major event related to the Jeju Island Chapter.
Since Edward is also involved in this incident, I was predicting it would happen as scheduled.
No, conversely, I should say I could be certain the kiln sauna terror was Edward's doing because I know the incident that will happen tomorrow.
But now I know.
Detailed parts of the story are changing continuously.
How the incident will proceed tomorrow, even I cannot know now.
I have no choice but to be in a position to experience and cover the incident anew.
The one fact I know is that an attack by the ‘Alliance’ will happen tomorrow.
Anyway, it would be right to think about tomorrow's matters tomorrow.
I laid my body as if burying into the bed and pulled up the blanket quietly.
“I'm excited for Hero Land tomorrow. Since that place is also a famous attraction of Jeju Island.”
“Are you possessed by a ghost that died unable to go to famous attractions. You said the kiln sauna was a famous attraction too.”
“Haha! Somehow if they say famous attraction, you want to stop by at least once, right? Since there must be a reason for famous places.”
Lee Junhyeok's eyes shone with expectation.
It's unfortunate, but you will suffer tremendously tomorrow.
An attack happens at Hero Land tomorrow.
Terror targeting even the cadets of Zero Academy outright.
Among them, Lee Junhyeok is marked as a major target and is scheduled to suffer properly.
“Thinking about today's matter, be careful just in case.”
Something like this hint is what I can tell him.
Although it's at a level embarrassing to call help, this is my best.
So suffer.
Since unexpected misfortune from outside is like the fate of famous people.