Chapter 44: Serial Runaway Event (7)
After resolving the incident, I returned to the motel.
P suggested having a drink, but with no particular inclination, I headed to my room earlier. Although there was a computer in the motel room, I chose to lie on the bed and spent hours on my phone. Sansuyu, who had been sticking by my side, fell asleep leaning on my shoulder, and the whimpering Shiba also quieted down at some point.
-Tick Tock.
Only the clock filled the silent room.
I was occasionally responding to Dallae and Seyeong’s messages when a sudden thought had me leaving the room. I sluggishly stepped out and breathed in the outdoor air.
The cool dawn breeze was unexpectedly refreshing.
“You’re here.”
A sudden voice reached my ears. Without looking at the face, I responded naturally.
“It’s Cheondo, isn’t it?”
“You can even recognize us without seeing the face now.”
“How could I forget the voice of someone who showed their naked body and ran away?”
“Ha. What running away?”
Cheondo wordlessly came and stood next to me with a pack of cigarettes in hand.
“Want one?”
I continued to stare at my phone. Cheondo, looking at me, offered softly while crossing her arms.
“You seem emotionally shaken. What happened today?”
She’s quick to notice. I extended my hand without the mask.
“…Give me one.”
Her white hand met mine, offering a lighter and a cigarette. I puffed out smoke.
“Want to hear?”
-Nod.
“Sometimes there are those days. When looking at someone else, feelings of your past overlap. So it’s somehow lonely.”
It was not a grand story.
“Just, seeing a child who lost their parents, I was reminded of the past.”
“Hmm… you didn’t have parents?”
“Straight to the point. It’s not like that. If it’s about love, I received plenty. I’m not someone to be pitied.”
-Huuk.
The cigarette made my mouth dry, but the bitter taste wasn’t unpleasant.
“When I was young. My father killed someone.”
I spoke, reminiscing about a man who probably doesn’t exist in this world but was alive in another timeline.
“The daughter, the son of the dead man, was my friend.”
“I see.”
“Yes. I’ve been sensitive since I was young, so I could quickly realize.”
I had seen it dozens of times by the side.
“How quickly a child who lost their parents breaks, I’ve seen it more than hundreds of times.”
I was not particularly empathetic. In fact, I could commit a crime anytime if situations didn’t align. It was the case with Lee Seyeong.
“I experienced seeing someone I know crying to death more than getting hit.”
Depression was accompanied by mental illness and symptoms from stress.
Those bound the immature body and mind, ultimately killing the young soul.
I closed my eyes, recalling the white chrysanthemum placed on the desk of my first elementary school deskmate.
My father had the worst character.
“So, I strangely want to take care of kids and want to show only good things if I have a son or daughter. Because my father couldn’t.”
The child who couldn’t do anything, growing up, learned guilt.
This incident was the same. If I hadn’t known that the monster turned into an Ent couldn’t return into a human, I couldn’t have killed that man.
“But it’s absurd that a bad guy like me thinks like this, too? Hypocrite, maybe?”
Cheondo stood silently, listening to my entire story.
I felt a guilt I couldn’t fully express with words. Vomiting one’s past and acting petulant was extremely impolite.
An emotional dumpster.
Listening to others’ unpleasant stories was, in itself, a difficult and painful task.
“I’m sorry for saying such things.”
“No. Rather, I’m sorry for bringing it up first. Can you hand me the lighter?”
I extended the lighter to Cheondo. She attempted to light her cigarette, but it wouldn’t ignite.
“It seems it’s out of gas.”
“Is that so? Then come here.”
I tilted my head. Our cigarettes touched each other.
“…What are you doing?”
“Draw in. Let’s share the fire.”
“…….”
Cheondo silently stood and eventually inhaled slowly, lifting her head. I could feel the air moving beyond the cigarette.
-Huuk.
“What a ludicrous guy.”
Cheondo, showing her petulant side, still maintained her emotionless expression.
‘Could’ve used magic?’
The result would’ve been the same; it didn’t matter. I smirked.
“So, why did you come? To encourage your disciple? It’s not really needed.”
“What are you talking about? I just came to tell you that I’ve heeded your request.”
I took another drag. Cheondo continued speaking.
“Recovery might be tough, but we intend to provide financial support and mental treatment as much as we can.”
“How about her mother?”
“She is there. Seems like she had an irresponsible father. Would you like to meet her? Her name is Shin Chae-Rin.”
“It’s fortunate amongst the misfortunes. I have no intentions to meet.”
The gloomy smoke rose to the sky, scattering in the wind.
It wasn’t an emotion to dwell on for long. Feeling my heart slowly calm, I looked at Cheondo beside me. Her black and red mingled hair sparkled with light.
“You look pretty today, Master?”
“…Are you insane? Also, since when am I your master?”
“If Baekdo is a master, then Cheondo is also a master.”
I grinned and put out the fully smoked cigarette. Cheondo gave me another cigarette from her pocket and put it in my mouth.
“You’re smoking again? I’m not an addict.”
“Come here.”
“Yes?”
At that moment, as I was about to remove the cigarette from my mouth, Cheondo touched her cigarette to mine. I somewhat knew what she was doing and drew in.
“This is revenge.”
It was surprising that she maintained her expressionless face amidst this.
“Revenge, my foot.”
“Quiet.”
Cheondo and I silently exhaled smoke.
The same cigarette, but this time, for some reason, a peach fragrance twirled in my mouth.
“…Hwangdo is causing a fuss.”
“Yes?”
“Telling me not to steal her disciple. Did something happen between you two?”
“No? Nothing happened.”
“Hwangdo is causing more fuss.”
Cheondo, seemingly having a headache, slowly rubbed her forehead and put out her cigarette. She seemed to have no intention of smoking more. I looked at Cheondo’s outerwear. A thin but large yellow windbreaker wrapped her over her black full-body latex battle suit. It reminded me of peach bags used in peach cultivation.
Cheondo opened her mouth in a serious tone as I looked at her emotionless face.
“The hideout of those guys has been revealed.”
Her eyes were directly staring at me.
“It’s tonight. Will you come with us?”
I slowly looked at my fists and insteps. The regenerative power stolen from the World Tree of Healing had reached a non-standard realm.
With potions and abilities available, it was possible to regenerate the skin on the spot. The broken bones had long since found their places.
My body was in perfect condition.
I looked at Cheondo. She seemed to already know my answer.
“Let’s just go. Whatever.”
Cheondo smiled at my response.
“Follow me.”
The Spring Peach Blossom members, including me, were seated around a motel room, each in their own posture, listening to Cheondo’s story.
“There are two hideouts located here. One is disguised as a pharmaceutical company, a pseudo-religious group. And the other is an abandoned factory.”
Cheondo began her explanation skillfully and emotionlessly.
“They probably have noticed our organization’s movements and are slowly withdrawing. Therefore, we need to move even faster.”
Cheondo pointed to the place on the map where the pharmaceutical company was located.
“Bob and I will infiltrate this place.”
“So, the three of us will infiltrate the factory?”
“Yes.”
At P’s question, Cheondo nodded, but P and Roshi tilted their heads as if they did not understand. P raised her hand to speak.
“Captain, I am glad to go out with a handsome junior, but to be honest, I am a supporter, and this girl is a healer, right? Is it the right choice to allocate the combatants to one side?”
“Although I don’t want to admit it, it’s a valid point.”
A rare agreement between P and Roshi. Cheondo chuckled as if she didn’t know what they were talking about.
“Why no combatants?”
“Yes? No, I am not disregarding him, but honestly, isn’t he underdeveloped?”
“A lack of power can be compensated with buffs. If his stats are adjusted, Lee Shiheon will probably have skills similar to Bob’s.”
Roshi looked at me with widened eyes. Was he really like that? Her expression was full of doubt.
“I didn’t say anything. Master just blurted it out.”
As I surrendered, raising both hands, Roshi and P scratched their cheeks and again looked at Cheondo. Could we believe that? I, too, filled with the same doubt, looked at Cheondo.
Cheondo spoke confidently.
“Believe in the one I believe in.”
“…Did you watch a weird cartoon again, Cheondo?”
“Shut up, P. The mood is finally settling.”
Cheondo’s leaf sword slapped P’s head.
“Ouch!”
P, holding her head due to the ruthless strike, fell. We stayed silent. We thought that if we intervened, we would be in worse shape.
Cheondo put her drawn sword back into her waistband.
“If something happens, contact through magic. If magic is interfered with, use the radio. Shiheon, you know how to contact through magic, right?”
“Yes. But what if I can’t even use the radio?”
“Then, rely on your ability to handle the situation.”
This atmosphere was pushing me too much. Unable to gauge Cheondo’s intentions, I tightly shut my mouth and observed P and Roshi’s faces. They seemed generally indifferent, but doubt still lingered.
“Master. It’s good to test the junior’s abilities, but can we entrust him with such a big incident?”
“Roshi is right. We do trust our junior, but what about his judgement?”
It was an opinion anyone could see coming, and Cheondo nodded as if it was obvious. An accepting demeanor. For a moment, I thought she would retract her statement, but Cheondo hardened her expression and murmured softly.
“If it’s annoying, you guys lead.”
“……”
“……”
We didn’t give any response.
“I anticipated your discontent. If Shiheon’s actions go wrong, I’ll ask him to take responsibility-”
“I have no intention to do so-”
“-Shut up.”
“Yes.”
I was silenced in one breath.
“The growth of the disciple will be a great help to us in the future. Perhaps it could be the last piece.”
“It’s abstract.”
“You’ll understand when you see.”
To the dissenting P, Cheondo showed a small smile.
“He has an excess similar to Baekdo.”
“Master?”
“Yes. That’s why the heavier the task, the more growth. Haven’t you guys seen the most miracles? My eye is accurate.”
Roshi had a suspicious expression but did not say anything. Was it really okay to do this?
A huge sense of duty pressed on my shoulders, and I grinned painfully.
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