Chapter 85: Birthday Date (8)
TL/Editor: Raei
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Min-Bom steeled her heart.
There was no point in wondering why this had happened today.
It was better to quickly resolve it and go see Jung-gyeom.
Last time, she had faced the villain alliance alone.
This time, with other hero colleagues around, it shouldn't be as difficult.
Solace took a deep breath.
"Are you all ready?" she asked the other heroes.
They all nodded determinedly.
It was her first sortie as the top-ranked hero.
The other heroes, aboard the helicopter, nodded too.
Smoke was seen rising in the distance.
The noise from Tryno's rampage was getting louder.
Everything he destroyed was creating a huge noise.
It wasn't that they weren't nervous.
Until now, fighting such high-profile villains had been the job of Shake, and the second and third-ranked heroes.
But Solace was now officially the top-ranked hero.
An encounter with them was inevitable.
Hiding her fear, Solace spoke to the heroes in the rescue team.
"Don't worry. I'll do my best to ensure no harm comes your way. Please focus on rescuing the civilians."
The heroes nodded again.
---
---
It didn't take long for the situation to take a strange turn.
Along with the battle's roars, disorganized sounds burst from the in-ear earphones.
"The civilians...! The civilians are acting strangely!"
"They're not cooperating with the rescue!"
"Ah! This won't do! Please, don't do this! We're here to help you! Put down your weapons!"
"...Luna...!"
Solace muttered to herself.
Luna's existence was a secret even among the heroes.
Their confusion was understandable.
Shake, who was beside her, said to Solace.
"Solace! Ignore the civilians for now! Our priority is to eliminate the villains!"
-Bang!
A bullet grazed Shake's shoulder.
Shake looked around for Stingshot, but all he could see in this chaos were Tryno's explosions.
"But that bastard...! What's happening...?"
Shake eventually gave up looking for Stingshot.
Tryno's power had grown stronger.
The proof was that he could detonate things without even touching them, as if shooting a forceful wind from his fists.
"Argh!"
Another member of the rescue team was flung backward by Tryno's attack, receiving severe burns all over from the explosion.
Solace's eyes began to shine brightly.
She mustered her courage and started attacking Tryno.
Tryno let out a laugh as if he enjoyed her attack.
"Solace...! I've been waiting for this day!"
The madness sent shivers down her spine.
She didn't know what made him so obsessed with power.
Through the in-ears, a voice came through.
"Solace! Shake! It's impossible to find Luna! We don't even know what they look like...!"
While Solace was dealing with Tryno, Shake replied.
"Then come back! We need to suppress Tryno first...! Something's off with this bastard...!"
The rest of the combat heroes also asked.
"Should we gather too?"
"Everyone but the one looking for Stingshot, gather! Liquid is also nowhere to be seen!"
It didn't take even a few seconds before all the combat heroes had assembled.
And at that moment, Solace saw it.
A smile creeping across Tryno's face.
"Liquid!"
Tryno called out briefly.
-Bang! Bang!
From the ground, manhole covers shot up into the sky, and thick streams of water burst forth from below.
Everyone could tell it was Liquid's ability.
Like a giant transparent swimming pool, a tremendous amount of water gathered high in the sky, then crashed down on the heroes who had gathered to capture Tryno.
The range was so vast that everyone except Solace, who was fighting Tryno, got soaked.
But that was it.
"...What?"
None of the heroes, including Shake, were hurt.
Shake quickly dismissed his concern and moved to charge at Tryno.
But at that moment, another villain appeared.
It was Riem.
She briefly asked Shake.
"How does it feel to be engulfed in Liquid?"
"....What?"
-Whoosh.
Then, everything disappeared without a sound.
The combat heroes.
Shake.
Riem.
The water that had shot up.
All vanished from sight.
As Solace stepped back in surprise, Tryno said.
"Now it's just you and me, Solace."
---
---
The plan proceeded as planned.
Song Soo-yeon was hiding in a building, secretly watching the battle scene below.
The plan was for Liquid to envelop the other heroes, then teleport away with Riem to a different location.
The goal was to withdraw all heroes from the fight, creating a one-on-one scenario between Solace and Tryno.
Given the fight was happening downtown, there were many onlookers.
Tryno had to defeat Solace here.
For Song Soo-yeon, the reason Solace needed to fall was different from the other villains.
The villain alliance did it for their notoriety.
Tryno did it for his pride.
Song Soo-yeon did it for Jung-gyeom.
Solace had to be defeated.
She then took out her phone.
The time was already pointing to 4 o'clock.
With a trembling heart, she texted Jung-gyeom.
[Where are you, mister?]
The reply came quickly.
[Home. Where are you?]
[I'm currently on a shoot.]
Song Soo-yeon bit her lip and texted.
[I heard Bom was dispatched. Are you alone on your birthday?]
[For now.]
Song Soo-yeon looked down at the battle again.
Tryno, enhanced by drugs, relentlessly pushed against Solace without showing signs of fatigue.
Song Soo-yeon mustered her courage.
[...Mister, should I come celebrate with you? You must have no plans now anyway.]
A peaceful text amidst the exploding noise.
Song Soo-yeon was completely absorbed in the conversation.
Jung-gyeom replied.
[Are you nearby? Can you come right now?]
Rubbing her cold hands, she pressed the keys.
[I can't come right away. But...]
While looking down at the fight, Song Soo-yeon said.
[...I think I can make it in 3 hours?]
[7 o'clock?]
[Yes.]
Jung-gyeom seemed to be pondering and did not send a follow-up reply.
Holding her phone, Song Soo-yeon redirected her focus back to Solace and Tryno, witnessing the chaos she had caused.
Controlled citizens were rampaging everywhere.
To alleviate her own guilt, since Jung-gyeom hated villains, she had placed weaker commands than planned.
'Do not cooperate with the heroes.'
Then, something caught Luna's eye.
'Ah! Aargh!'
A boy was wandering the streets, screaming like a zombie, affected by her ability and not having evacuated to safety.
The reason was unknown.
As soon as she saw him, Song Soo-yeon was hit by a wave of guilt like never before.
"..........."
The decision was made quickly.
"...Evacuate the children."
At her command, the controlled citizens moved in unison to start evacuating the children.
She closed her eyes tightly, taking a moment to digest this sh*tty feeling.
---
---
A turn of events occurred.
"...What..."
Solace gradually began to overpower Tryno.
She improved as she fought.
Reading Tryno's habits and actions, she cornered him.
How this was possible, Song Soo-yeon could not understand.
Just a few hours ago, Tryno's ferocity seemed unstoppable.
Yet Solace was breaking him.
Her eyes shone brighter, and her hair turned whiter.
"Argh...!"
Tryno groaned under Solace's punch.
Song Soo-yeon watched anxiously.
Why... Why is he losing?
Hadn't she bet everything on this?
At this rate... Solace was likely to return to Jung-gyeom unscathed.
-Bang!
The next moment, Tryno was sent flying into a building wall.
Solace's attack had hit its mark.
Through the radio, Stella's voice rang out.
"We're out of time...! Tryno, you need to finish this. The heroes Riem and Liquid took will return in 10 minutes...!"
"Shut up...!"
Tryno roared, something he had never said to Stella before.
Tryno was struggling to stand up from below.
Song Soo-yeon's expression grew even more troubled at the sight.
This shouldn't be happening. This can't be happening.
Defeat was looming over again.
"Stop lying there!"
Solace's voice clearly echoed between the buildings.
Even to Song Soo-yeon's eyes, her figure was shining.
Tryno got up again and charged at Solace, but the outcome seemed predetermined.
"...Ugh...!"
Song Soo-yeon felt the injustice of it all.
Min-Bom seemed blessed by the world itself.
Beautiful, with strong abilities, loved by everyone.
In contrast, Song Soo-yeon had lived a life of misery and was destined to continue that way.
Cursed in appearance, even the person she loved was being taken away.
If only she had that person... she could have endured everything else.
She hated this unfairness to the point of disgust.
"5 minutes left, Tryno...! Stingshot, Luna! You need to run...! Don't forget, Riem can't help this time!"
Stella's urgent voice came through the radio.
At that urgent call, Song Soo-yeon's legs were already moving.
Just as Stella said, Riem wasn't there today.
-Bang!
Luna kicked open the emergency door and entered the staircase.
But she didn't head to the ground floor.
Instead, she went to the balcony on the 3rd floor, where Solace could be seen.
She was done being inferior.
Done being pushed around by Solace.
She would fight back to the very end.
"Solace!!"
Luna shouted.
It was as if all other sounds went silent.
The cries of the rescue heroes.
The noises made by the citizens.
Even the fight between Tryno and Solace stopped.
Only the broadcasting station's helicopter in the sky broke the silence.
"...Ha... Ha...."
Solace's eyes turned towards Luna.
Song Soo-yeon was enveloped in an intense pressure.
It was the first moment she saw Solace as a complete enemy.
"Who are you?" Solace asked.
Luna did not answer.
"...Surrender," Luna advised.
Tryno used the opening created by Luna to put some distance between him and Solace.
His body was already battered, bleeding from multiple places.
Luna looked at all the nearby citizens.
A world she hated to the core.
Before Jung-gyeom appeared, it was a world she wanted to destroy.
There was no hesitation in taking them hostage.
"If you don't surrender.... the citizens will get hurt," Luna said.
Solace, steadying her breath, said,
"..........So you're Luna."
"....Yes. So-"
"-Heroes don't bow to threats."
With those words, Solace resumed her attack on Tryno.
Song Soo-yeon was left in shock.
She thought this would work.
But it didn't.
Whether Solace didn't care about the citizens or simply wouldn't be swayed by threats.
Solace was unshakable.
If things continued this way, Tryno would be defeated, and Solace would arrest him.
Luna's own safety wouldn't be guaranteed.
And Min-Bom would return to Jung-gyeom, spending an unforgettable night together.
It was a future Song Soo-yeon couldn't bear.
A future she had to prevent at all costs.
"F*ck...! F*ck...!"
Song Soo-yeon's mind began to race furiously.
"...!"
Then, she remembered a threat she had heard from Tryno.
The threat that had shaken her the most.
Should she say it?
...She had to.
This was the only way.
"......Jung-gyeom!!"
Luna shouted.
Solace, who had been charging at Tryno, froze in place.
For the first time, confusion colored her actions.
"...............How do you....?"
Solace's eyes showed a faint trace of fear.
Song Soo-yeon knew that her feelings towards Jung-gyeom were not a lie.
Song Soo-yeon said,
"....I'm a psychic. Did you think I couldn't read who your precious person is.....?"
Song Soo-yeon had never actually read Solace's heart.
But knowing about Jung-gyeom, the lie was bound to work.
".......You....!"
Song Soo-yeon pressed on.
She couldn't back down now.
A threat must be intense and shocking.
It should freeze someone with fear, making them incapable of moving.
It must incapacitate their reasoning.
The start was good. She had to follow through.
What should she say?
That Jung-gyeom would get hurt?
She couldn't utter such trivial threats.
There was only one option.
She forced out the words that felt like a lump in her throat.
After all, these were Luna's words, not Song Soo-yeon's.
"Stay put,"
Song Soo-yeon warned.
"Before I kill that person Jung-gyeom."
Song Soo-yeon had to muster all her strength to hide the tremble in her voice.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢