Chapter 142: Demons Are Everywhere (4)
“Ha, she’s not falling for it. Look at that ironclad defense.”
Nam Du-chang smoked his cigarette and spat on the ground.
“A woman should be able to smoke. I bet behind the scenes, she drinks, smokes, and does all sorts of weird stuff.”
They unpacked their luggage after arriving at the pension prepared for the four members. Nam Du-chang lit up the cigarettes he had refrained from smoking openly until now.
“Exactly.”
Gong Tae-beom chuckled and lit his own cigarette. Both being ability users, the harmful substances from the cigarettes were absorbed and then expelled from their bodies, but they could still feel the sensation of it entering and leaving.
They could enjoy cigarettes purely, without the harmful substances. It was a privilege, not a demerit, for male ability users, so most of them smoked.
“I told you, bro. She definitely has a boyfriend.”
“I know. But no goalkeeper means no goal, right? E-class should just welcome me with open arms. tsk*”
“Even if the guy’s a non-ability user, it works somehow. Heh.”
Gong Tae-beom lightly brushed his face with his hand.
“What? You did some background check?”
“Come on, isn’t it basic to skim through a training mate’s SNS account?”
“Really…? I never bothered with that.”
“You can find everything if you look. Bro, remember that idol last time…”
“Hey, shut it.”
Nam Du-chang was about to raise his fist but then lowered it. Though he was a year older, Gong Tae-beom had a higher ability grade.
“I was just having a bit of fun, right? She enjoyed it, too. It’s enough for her to have a passionate moment with a young ability user before turning 30. I was practically doing her a service.”
“You sent her to the hospital, didn’t you?”
“She only owns a four-story building in Seoul, nothing in Busan. Anyway, you’re not one to talk, are you?”
“What did I do? No one plays cleaner than me.”
They could speak so openly because there was no one else around.
Even if someone overheard, no one would want to start trouble with ability users.
“Ha, damn. She’s got a lot of mana.”
“Someone’s already staked a claim on that mana tank.”
“Who cares about that? Wash it off and reapply. Anyway… what about tonight?”
“Obviously, this.”
Nam Du-chang reached somewhere discreet.
“Hehehe.”
“Ah, don’t bring that out. It’s disgusting.”
“You’ll join in soon enough. Hey, I’m going for Canada, you take Seoul.”
“Whoa, crossing the line, aren’t you? Are you crazy?”
“I’m letting it slide because I’m your senior. 2:2. Our team’s A-class will be off meeting high and mighty folks in Ulleungdo, so let’s just enjoy ourselves, okay?”
“No way you’re giving me Seoul.”
As the two men bickered,
“Interesting conversation you’re having.”
“…Who are you?”
A man in a modified hanbok, holding a folding fan, approached near the pension.
“I’m just a passing scholar.”
Even for ability users, there were people they needed to be cautious of, perhaps like a young man in a modified hanbok.
“What? A damn scholar? Don’t bother us, and mind your business. We’re just discussing what drinking game to play tonight, right?”
“Right. We’re talking about a game called Blue Marble. I don’t know who you are, but…”
“Put out the cigarette when talking to an elder.”
Swoosh.
With a flick of his fan, the cigarettes in their mouths were sliced in half instantly.
“What, what…?!”
“An ability user?!”
“Ahem. As I said, just a passing scholar.”
The young man pulled out a traditional pipe and threw something at them.
“Why smoke foreign cigarettes in Ulleungdo? Here, have some Hallasan.”
“……?”
“I’ve disposed of one, so giving a pack in return is only right. Use domestic products instead of foreign cigarettes.”
“You smoke a pipe… Made in Korea?”
“Of course… *tsk*. Ah, damn, can’t this be helped?”
The man who called himself a scholar scratched his head and covered the bottom of his pipe with his hand.
“Try smoking it. You won’t even think about foreign cigarettes anymore.”
“This crappy-”
“Smoke it.”
“……”
Compelled by the scholar’s words, Nam Du-chang and Gong Tae-beom instinctively reached for the cigarette pack.
“Need a light?”
A flame like a torch appeared at the tips of the scholar’s fingers, and as soon as Nam Du-chang and Gong Tae-beom put the cigarettes to their lips, the flame began to burn the ends of their cigarettes.
“…Wow, what’s this? It’s not what I know?”
“This pack looks like this, but actually-”
“Welcome, trash.”
Snap.
“The last cigarette you’ll smoke as humans. Hehe.”
As soon as the scholar clapped his hands, the two men, dumbfounded, continued to smoke, staring at him.
Then.
Swoosh.
Something popped out of the cigarette and slid straight down their throats.
Crunch.
After the scholar disappeared.
The two men who had finished their cigarettes picked up the butts off the ground put them back in the pack and threw them in the trash before disappearing.
“Did you join the academy just to snag a Korean guy and get married?”
“…….”
From the very first words exchanged in Eunhae-Young’s room, Yumir was slightly, no, blatantly offended.
“What did you say?”
“You came here to chase after Korean men.”
“How can you say something like that….”
“What? Did I say something wrong? Go ahead, report me for personal insults. Record it.”
“…….”
Yumir thought to herself.
Should she just forget about secrets and openly wear an ‘E’ with an ‘X’ behind her name?
Or should she use the ‘S+’ grade she talked about in her country?
“I came here to study.”
“If you wanted to study, why crawl into Korea from Mexico?”
“I’m Canadian.”
“Canada or Mexico, same thing.”
She only needed the status of an academy student to stay on Sejong Island officially.
Though she tried to study as a student, she couldn’t tolerate such insults.
“You think I joined the academy to get with a Korean man?”
“Aren’t you in a relationship with the library’s parachute librarian?”
“Yes.”
She admitted it.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“You’re so brazen, I’m speechless. Foreigners always have such nerves, huh?”
“I didn’t come here for men; it just happened that we clicked and started dating.”
“Ha. You’re out of your mind.”
“What’s wrong with dating a man?”
“He’s a ‘No’ ability user.”
Why emphasize the ‘No’?
Not using the official term ‘Non-ability user’ and instead using a word that means ‘none’ gave a clear idea of what kind of person she was dealing with.
“Are you an ability supremacist?”
“Supremacist? No. It’s the mindset we should naturally have as a new humanity. Why mix genes with inferiors?”
“…….”
She suddenly saw this person in a different light.
What had appeared to be mere meddling in relationships and contempt for women chasing Korean men now seemed akin to a KKK or Nazi member.
“Do you really think ability users are superior?”
“Of course. Abilities are a blessing from God to the new humanity. It’s nonsensical to mix such a blessing with the obsolete or inherently doomed.”
“So, it bothers you that I’m dating a Korean non-ability user, or do you actually think that way?”
“…….”
Eunhae-Young didn’t answer.
Whether she was unaware of her mixed feelings or chose to remain silent, Eunhae-Young said nothing.
“So, you just hate that I’m dating a handsome man?”
“Shut up.”
She hit a nerve.
The expected reaction burst forth, and Yumir decided not to provoke further.
“It’s fine. I’m content with my life and will live as I please. Leave me alone.”
“You…!”
“Even if I’m a ‘B’ grade, there are lines you shouldn’t cross.”
Living as she pleased.
It was a magical phrase.
A warning to ability users not to provoke her further, hinting at a potential ‘dark turn’ while she still has some sanity left.
“I just want to live my way, meeting who I want. Let’s not interfere with each other in that regard, senior?”
“Hmph.”
Eunhae-Young scowled.
“So you hop into a car and immediately flirt with two guys.”
“I wasn’t flirting. I made it clear I wasn’t interested.”
“Nonsense. You didn’t outright reject them.”
“Why stir up trouble on the first day of practice? You’re the one causing trouble, but I’m trying to let it slide since I’ve come all the way to Ulleungdo.”
Trying to prevent them from turning into devils for no reason.
Though she swallowed these thoughts, Yumir was half-resigned.
“Let it slide? The woman who wants to ‘let it slide’ says-”
“Excuse me.”
There was a knock from outside.
“Is everyone ready for practice? It’s time to go.”
“…Nam Doo-chang?”
Eunhae-Young was surprised.
Her look seemed to say, ‘Nam Doo-chang has that kind of voice?’
Yumir felt the same.
“Just a moment.”
When Yumir opened the door, Nam Doo-chang stood outside, expressionless.
There was no bad odor; instead, there was a scent of toothpaste as if he just brushed his teeth.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
The sudden change in atmosphere from when they were in the car gave Yumir chills.
“If you’re ready, come out. The practice leader will be here soon.”
“What? I thought the leader was going to be-”
“It’s decided that an ‘A’ grade will lead the practice.”
Nam Doo-chang emotionlessly tapped his Taeguk Watch.
“Student council president Yoon Iseon will lead.”
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