Episode 120. If you want to live, you have to work. (2)
“Oh, you’re here, hunter Jeong Si-woo.”
“Yes, where is he?”
As soon as I arrived, an Association staff member bowed and greeted me. I nodded and asked him to show me the way. There was no time to lose.
“This way. Follow me.”
“Yes, okay.”
Whew. I couldn’t help but sigh. This was why -The Fourth Disaster- was more exhausting than others. There was no time to rest and no way to solve it quickly.
The Returnees stopped pouring in exactly when the Great Overlord appeared. It meant that this routine would be repeated until the Fifth Disaster began.
‘…Well, that doesn’t mean I want the Great Overlord to appear soon.’
If he appeared now, the world would end. It was better to have the Returnees tire me out.
“Si-woo!”
“Ajusshi!”
I followed the Association staff and turned around the alley corner. I could see a crowd of hunters. Among them were Yoo Ji-yeon and Sung Hyun-woo. The two gladly waved as soon as they saw me.
“Don’t bother greeting me. How’s the situation going?”
“I’ll tell you.”
Zhang Wei walked out from between the two.
“A Returnee appeared close to here. It’s been about 30–40 minutes since he appeared. According to the field Analysts, his ability seems to be specialized in defense.”
“Specialized in defense?”
“Yes, as I said on the phone, two 1st class hunters and the Association team, along with Yoo Ji-yeon and Hyun-woo here, attacked him, but it was no use. He’s estimated to have the strongest defense ability of all the Returnees that appeared so far. His ability is perhaps even the most advanced in comparison to all living Awakeners.”
“Hm… I think I’ll have to see for myself.”
I could roughly guess who it was, but… If I knew who he was without even seeing his face, I would seem suspicious. I walked towards the scene, acting like I had no clue as well as I could.
But then, the Association staff said something out of the blue.
“Excuse me, hunter Jeong Si-woo, what about your specially manufactured suit?”
“Specially manufactured suit?”
“The Analysts say there could be harmful substances such as radiation because Returnees have come from a different world…… They said that you could have health problems if you don’t wear a special suit.”
“Huh, that’s an interesting theory.”
Walking toward the scene, I glanced at the Analysts.
“The specially manufactured suit was probably made by the guild those Analysts are in. And it’s damn expensive, uncomfortable to wear, and only lasts for less than a month, right?”
“…….”
“Don’t be a fool. The Association isn’t the kind of organization to be manipulated, is it? This wouldn’t have happened if President Kim Min-jae were here… What a shame.”
The Association staff’s face turned red as I spoke sarcastically. The word Kim Min-jae was their weakness. He probably felt like he had disgraced the great organization called the Association.
“…Excuse me, Analysts. Can I have a word?”
Most members of the Association were fanatic followers of Kim Min-jae.
I walked ahead, looking at the stricken faces of the Analysts. I had the Interim President of the Association in the palm of my hand, and I wasn’t about to watch the Association be humiliated when I owned it.
* * *
“Hm, looks like a lot happened here.”
The scene was a total mess. The ground was sunken as if a bomb had dropped, and the sides of the tall buildings were completely demolished. It looked like a war broke out here.
Sung Hyun-woo and Yoo Ji-yeon scratched their heads awkwardly. Yeah, with two Awakeners possessing enormous firepower, it would be strange if this didn’t happen.
“Don’t worry about it. You guys didn’t mean any harm.”
I smiled and comforted them, and then I walked toward the center of the scene. Among the ruins stood a man.
“Mr. Jeong Si-woo, it could be dangerous to approach him.”
“Didn’t he stay still even after all the attacks?”
“But he might suddenly act strangely……!”
“If he might, since I’m the strongest one here, I should take responsibility and step forward. Or should I get an Association staff member or a civilian filming over there to approach him? I get paid to take responsibility for things like this.”
It wasn’t dangerous at all. Before I came back in time, he didn’t budge even though we took turns attacking him for three days. Something other than attacking him was going to make him move. I could vaguely see the man in the cloud of dust as I got closer and closer.
“Don’t come near; I’ll approach him by myself.”
He was a good-looking man with chiseled features. He looked Western, not Asian. Like the main character of a novel, he was broad and tall, made up of only good traits.
Well, it was inevitable if you thought of the world he was taken to.
“Hm, hm. Hello there… Ugh, I can’t do this.”
I tapped him on the face. It was hard as metal and didn’t feel like skin. His body wasn’t conditioned from training. It was a defensive measure built by various ‘factors’ hovering around him.
“So, I have to deal with this crazy guy again.”
I was about to say something, but I couldn’t help but sigh. There was no way I could forget this guy from my past life. Like his nickname, the Strongest Returnee, he was unbelievably powerful.
But his mind was disproportionately young. After all, he was a punk who never had a hard time, unlike the other Returnees.
Power earned without effort.
Power earned without the determination to be responsible.
When everyone feared him, calling him ‘The Strongest Returnee’, this is how I evaluated him.
“Open your eyes, you brat.”
An immature kid holding a nuclear missile launch button.
“…Or do I need to call you ‘S2 zizon swordman S2’?”
“Argh!”
At my words, the man standing still as a statue opened his mouth and yelled. His eyes shook with confusion and embarrassment. The look on his face was asking me how I knew that name.
“Just come along nicely before I call your real name, okay? You don’t remember me, but this Hyeong knows you very well. Quit being a pretentious jerk and let’s go, okay?”
“What… what? Hyeong? What are you talking about…?”
He stammered. But I had no intention of explaining further right here.
“Mr. Jeong Si-woo! Mr. Jeong Si-woo, get away from him!”
People behind me were in a panic since the Returnee started moving.
“Si-woo… Si-woo!”
“How did you know, and what do you mean you’re my Hyeong?”
“Ah, this is exhausting.”
My head hurt already. As the situation turned chaotic, I caressed the back of my neck and pulled the Returnee by his hand. This wasn’t the right place. We needed to talk comfortably over a nice warm cup of coffee.
“That’s enough. I’ll take care of him, so please step back. I’ll take full responsibility!”
* * *
“Si-woo, are you sure this is okay?”
“Mr. Jeong Si-woo, really……! No, I won’t ask you anymore. I’m tired of this, too.”
I could hear Yoo Ji-yeon worrying and Zhang Wei sounding like he gave up. It looked like Sung Hyun-woo read my memory a bit because he laughed once and asked me nothing. He probably found it ridiculous, seeing for himself.
Well, I felt the same when I first found out about this guy.
“Both of you, go out. Having outsiders will just agitate him more.”
“But….”
“Do as I say. You, too, Mr. Zhang Wei. Go take a break.”
At my firm voice, Yoo Ji-yeon, Zhang Wei, and Sung Hyun-woo left.
“So, now they’re all gone.”
And there was only me and him left in the Returnee Response Room.
“Shall we start talking again?”
“…Okey-dokey.”
He spoke in a flippant voice that didn’t compliment his looks. No matter how often I hear it, I can’t get used to it.
“What did you mean you’re my Hyeong? And how did you know my nickname? I thought no one would know.”
“You told me everything before.”
“Before? What are you talking about? I don’t remember.”
I tapped the table, looking at the flustered Returnee.
“You don’t remember, but I do. You definitely told me.”
“What……”.”
“Just accept it. That way, you’ll understand what I’m about to say.”
He frowned. He looked very dissatisfied.
“Looks like you don’t believe me, so I’ll explain in more detail. Your real name is Kim Cheol-soo. While playing an online game, you got caught up in The Great Disappearance and were sucked into a world identical to the game. You turned into your game character, and after enjoying a playing time of exactly 51 years, 10 months, 27 days, 11 hours, 15 minutes, and 14 seconds, you cleared the final scenario and returned here as the reward.”
“…….”
“Thanks to your character’s maximum level specs, it wasn’t difficult to clear the scenario. Simply put, you went on vacation for 51 years before you came back here.”
“That’s not true. I struggled a lot for over 50 years.”
“You said it yourself. That you just enjoyed your vacation.”
“…Well, let’s say that’s true.”
Of course, it is. You said so a long time ago. I heard you once had fun with more than 20 women at a time, you punk.
“The reason you came back is because of your brother, who’s having a hard time. To help your younger brother, who’s struggling with your family’s difficult financial situation, and your mother, who is ill.”
“… That’s right.”
“But too much time passed while you were clearing the scenario, and you couldn’t bring back all the treasures you earned. Knowing that you couldn’t bring back the ‘Elixir’ to treat your mother, you ‘paused’ your body and were thinking of a way to bring back your treasures. Correct?”
“Yes.”
“And as soon as I called your nickname, you were so surprised that you came to your senses.”
“I want to deny it, but… you’re right about everything.”
His face softened a bit. He was a little surprised, but it looked like he was now more desperate than surprised upon hearing his situation from me. Because he barely returned but had nothing left.
‘In the past, he went ballistic here.’
After getting attacked for three whole days, he discovered that his mother and younger brother had died. And in his lonely and desperate state, he was discriminated against for being a Returnee. He was told he had to be killed as soon as possible.
Those negative emotions drove him mad, and he was captured by The Five Heroes after brutally killing countless people. After he came to his senses, he blamed himself for his wrongdoing, answered all the questions I asked, and killed himself.
A child wielding great power. A tough-looking fellow with a tender heart. That was what I thought of him.
“I’ll help you.”
“…What?”
“I’ll help you look for your brother and mother. Or a child or grandson your brother might have had. I’ll help you find your blood relatives, no matter what.”
“…….”
“And if that doesn’t work… I’ll be your friend. I’m probably the only one who understands your situation.”
His eyes shook at my words. Before I came back in time, he had told me.
That in the other world, there were only NPCs that repeated the same thing over and over again. That no matter how beautiful and wonderful they were on the outside, on the inside, they were merely creatures created by the system. That every day was hell, and he hated the life that repeated itself.
So, this was what this guy, who struggled to come back, needed to hear the most.
“What do you think? And I’d like you to help me in exchange.”
“Help you?”
“Yes. Why don’t you use your power to help people who are in situations like yours? Those who barely came back but couldn’t find their families, and those who sadly lost their families and loved ones in the Disasters. To help those people, I want you to help me. Then, I’ll help you, too. I’ll use all my connections and power to do what you ask.”
I wasn’t the one who came up with this offer. As he lay dying, he desperately asked me to say those words to himself if I somehow went back in time. It was his dying wish.
“…….”
His future self, who experienced tragedy, was talking to his just-returned self.
Through me.
“Well, okay.”
“…….”
“Where would I use this power in this modern society, anyway? And you’re going to help me find my brother and mother, or my family. So, I’m especially helping you. Okay? Especially…….”
He spoke unabashedly, but tears fell from his eyes.
His voice started to quiver.
And soon, his crying became louder.
At that moment, I could tell that he wasn’t going to be a big threat this time.
“Dude, stop crying.”
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