Lord, hear my voice. Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
- Psalm 130
- It is expected to be congested for about 3 kilometers across the Hwangan Bridge from the downtown area. A car crash occurred near the western ring road a while ago, and the handling of the accident has just been completed, but since the control of the lower lanes in the direction of Yeoksam-dong continues, it seems difficult to resolve the congestion.
The monotonous voice of the traffic caster came out of the speakers. But no one listened to the broadcast. There was nothing special about it. Without even listening to the radio, they could see a road that was going to be clogged up for hours whenever they looked up, so the channel was changed by someone's lack of enthusiasm.
- The evacuation measures that had been imposed in the Migwang-dong area of Yeondo-gu have finally been lifted. The area was closed for several months after a gate was created last March and mutant species appeared, resulting in casualties of two civilians and seven Awakened.
While holding the game console and immersed in the puzzle game, Yugeon suddenly raised his head. His father was in the driver's seat, his arm propped on the window frame, and his fingertips tapping the steering wheel. His mother was leaning on her back and looking through the window. On top of the dashboard, things like finished candy bars and cookie wrappers were scattered. The scenery was no different from when they left home.
- At a press conference this morning, the Awakening Management Headquarters announced that all hazards in the Migwang-dong area have now been removed and that two C-class Esper teams will be stationed at all times to defend the area until the gate is completely destroyed. As a result, some Hunting Orders, such as āTaegwangā and āHeelekā, who cooperated in the sweeping operation, expressed their intention to protest...
It was a family outing after a long time. All the nearby roads had been closed for the past few months and had barely been lifted. Citizens who could not enjoy their leisure time properly because of the danger of mutants roaming the city immediately left their homes as if they had been waiting for the day. There was almost no room for people to step their foot due to the crowds everywhere.
Decades since the Outbreak swept the world. Large-scale facilities such as amusement parks and zoos became relics of the past that could only be seen in photographs. An open lot with no cover was the worst for avoiding mutant attacks. The number of uninhabitable lands increased. Refugees flocked to cramped spaces. Population densities soared and buildings became precariously high.
However, Yugeon was not aware of such complicated things. He was just happy to take advantage of the weekend to go to the theater and indoor game center in the neighboring city.
"Mom."
After being locked in the car for several hours, even Yugeon, who had been quietly playing games without complaining once, stuck out his head. The mother turned around with an irritable face. The child's dark, thin eyes stared up at her.
"When are we going home?"
"The car has to move."
Heeseong, who had been complaining of motion sickness for a while, suddenly intervened.
"Ah, hurry up and go. I feel like I am going to vomit. My head hurts and I'm going to die!"
"Uh-huh, you are not going to die......"
The moment their mother was about to nag, the car slid forward. The road, which had been blocked until a while ago, opened like a lie. Countless cars were sucked into the big bridge.
"Why are we falling all of a sudden?"
"How do I know? Maybe there's an accident ahead."
Squeak! The car came to a sudden stop before he could finish speaking. Yugeon, who was leaning his body forward, was pushed back. He just blinked his eyes even in an unexpected situation, but his parents were more surprised.
"Yugeon-ah!"
The shock quickly spread back like a wave. Ear-piercing horns were heard from all sides. The impatient drivers opened the windows and shouted loudly to the front. Something was out of the ordinary.
"Baek Heeseong. Fasten your brother's seat belt. You too."
"But I don't feel good."
"Quickly!"
Heeseong frowned and shut his mouth. That was when he realized that this was not the time to complain. He hurriedly dragged his younger brother and put him in his place. A sturdy belt crossed the ten-year-old's tiny body diagonally. The whole time his brother's hands were passing over his body, Yugeon was staring blankly ahead. The black eyes were fixed in one place as if possessed.
"......"
"What's the matter? What are you looking at?"
Heeseong also turned his head. And was quietly startled.
"What, what is this...... what's going on?"
His father mumbled like a moan. But there was no one who could answer that, including himself.
The scene unfolding before their eyes was a calamity. There was nothing short of a disaster.
The middle of the bridge across the vast river was crushed. Asphalt and concrete chunks fell like dust, and cars filling the roadway crashed helplessly through the cracks of the half-destroyed bridge. It was an unrealistic scene that you could only see in disaster movies.
An insidious shadow was cast over the car body. Yugeon looked out of the window while holding on to the tightly secured seat belt with both hands. There was something in the air above the bridge. At first, he thought it was a construction crane. But when he looked closely, he could tell. That it was part of the body of some creature. Huge enough to make one feel a distant awe just by looking at it.
Is that the mutant we've only seen in the news or in safety education videos? Yugeon thought half lost. But it was too big for that. The mutants seen through the low-quality CCTV at the accident sites were not this big.
It was impossible to guess what shape it was, what the overall size of the body, or what the structure of the body was. It was indistinguishable whether the mutant's body the size of the house seen through the window was an arm, a leg, a head or a torso. But strangely enough, for a moment, he felt like their eyes met. His mind went blank with terrible fear.
The forelimbs, the antennae, the tentacles, noā¦ something that couldn't be clearly defined cut through the air. Kwaaang! His ears choked up. Concrete shards splattered. Some of them hit the side of their car, and his vision was badly shaken.
"Ahh!"
Someone screamed their ears out. Was it dad or mom, or hyung, or someone else out there? There were so many terrible noises everywhere that it was impossible to tell them apart.
"Guys. Honey!"
Dad looked back urgently. His hand, clutching the steering wheel, was shaking. Looking around at the faces of his wife and children who were lost in the sudden devastation, he clenched his teeth bitterly.
"Don't panic and move. Then our whole family can live. You learned it at emergency training at school. Remember?"
Heeseong nodded in tears. But Yugeon couldn't answer. He could see the shadows falling again through the windshield in the front of the car behind their parents looking back at them.
"You have to get out of the car first. When dad says one, two, three then......"
"Ah."
Dad, I was going to call you. But before he could even say those short words, the world turned upside down. The car rattled loudly, and the seatbelt that was still fastened was tightened as if it would break his ribcage. He couldn't breathe for a moment.
Unable to withstand the attack of the giant mutant, the car's ceiling sank. The thick metal was crushed too easily like a sheet of paper. After a brief lapse of consciousness, Yugeon opened his eyes, gasping like a drowning man. It was hard to tell things apart because his eyes were blurry. All he could see was the car window, which had been cracked like a spider web, and the crumpled door.
"Cough, Cough."
The lowered ceiling made it difficult to straighten the neck. He bowed his head and coughed with difficulty. A series of intense shocks one after another made his eyes blurry and his stomach nauseous.
His brother sitting next to him was fainted in the same position as if he was seated in a chair. The backseat window was smashed out, leaving a few scratches on his cheek. Fragments of broken glass were scattered on his knees as well. Fortunately, there seemed to be no other wounds other than that.
What about mom and dad? He involuntarily looked forward. The front, where the driver's and front passenger's seats were, where his parents had been until a while ago.
Everything was a mess like a piece of paper crumpled up in random ways. The ragged ceiling fell to the point where it almost touched the chair. And in the meantime...
"....."
Yugeon stiffened in that position. The child's face with wounds everywhere turned white.
He moved his dazed eyes and looked down. It was all red in color. Blood dripped onto the floor and splattered toward the back seat. It wetted the cookie crumbles that had fallen onto the floor of the car and flowed down to Yugeon's feet.
Cracked concrete crumbled into chunks and fell into the river. With a loud, deafening sound, the spray soured. When the ground supporting the front wheel suddenly disappeared, the car body tilted forward. The car with the family was now narrowly caught on the edge of the collapsed bridge.
"Hyung..."
Yugeon forgot that he was wearing a seatbelt and desperately shook Heeseong from the seat next to him to wake him up. But sitting far apart, there was a limit to the short arms of a small child.
He thought of the seat belt that restrained his body late. Yugeon looked for the unlock button with his trembling hands. As soon as he untied his belt, the car rumbled loudly and leaned even steeper.
Yugeon pulled Heeseong's arm sharply. It was only then that Heeseong, who had been ill in a cold sweat, came to his senses. What he saw as soon as he opened his eyes was the river swaying over the window.
"Where's mom? Dad?"
Heeseong asked. However, instead of answering, Yugeon clenched his teeth and shook his head. All he could think of was not to let him see the front seat. He begged desperately so that he wouldn't look elsewhere.
"Hyung, let's get out of here. Quickly."
He tried to push the door on the other side as hard as he could. However, as the car body was deformed, the door was also distorted, so it did not open well. The handle was just rattling around. The button to lower the window was also useless.
"The door won't open."
"What, what should we do?"
A terrible shock struck again. The brothers clung to each other with their faces covered with tears and runny noses. In the meantime, Yugeon hugged Heeseong with his whole body, saying he would protect his older brother who was much bigger and taller than him. The car window shattered and debris spilled into the car.
"Ah ugh!"
Yugeon scratched his limbs on a piece of glass. His skin was torn and blood spurted out. Heeseong, who saw his younger brother getting hurt in front of his eyes, trembled to the point where he could hear the sound of his molars bumping.
There was a hole in the glass, but at most it was about the size of two or three fists. They didn't have the confidence to squeeze through the jagged glass and go out from that narrow gap. Just thinking that he might get hurt like his younger brother made his spine shiver. But they couldn't stay still. The car now tilted almost vertically, filling the entire broken window with the river.
Someone must have reported it, but in reality, the accident site was a bridge in the middle of the city. It was difficult to access unless a helicopter or a boat was launched. In addition, the only road across the bridge was completely destroyed, causing massive traffic jams back and forth. They didn't know how long they would have to wait for the rescue team to come.
If they stay like this, they'll die. He had to do something. His whole body's blood boiled on impulse. Heeseong knocked on the window with all his might. Choeag! His eyes flashed. The broken glass stuck to the window frame came off cleanly. It was not just that, the door was also deeply damaged.
"What was it? Just now..."
Heeseong looked down at his hand. It was fine. Suddenly, instead of human nails, there were sharp, long claws, no, blades protruding from his knuckles. But he remembered the sensation he had just felt. Apparently his hand ripped the door open.
The impulse flared before he could think of anything. They can get out of here. They can live. The will to survive engulfed his mind. He swung his arms wildly under the influence of evil.
Soon after, the hinge broke and the entire door fell off. As the brothers managed to get out of the car and rolled on the floor, the crushed car eventually slipped into the river. Splash! The black figure sank below the surface of the black water. The great calamity that wound around the bridge with its limbs disappeared before they knew it.
Despite their successful escape, Heeseong was still extremely excited. He collapsed on the floor and swung around his arms in a convulsive manner. Asphalt dug shallow and pebbles splattered every time his fingernails brushed past.
Then all of a sudden, his head felt like it was going to explode. All his senses became terribly sensitive. His senses of sight, hearing, touch, and smell ran wild. It was unbearably painful.
"Haa, haaa. Ah, it hurts."
He raised his hands and closed both ears. All the veins of his eyeball burst, turning red, and the muscles of his whole body convulsed. It wasn't normal for anyone to see. He didn't know what happened to his older brother, but he thought something horrible would happen if he left him like this. Yugeon hurriedly rushed in and grabbed his brother.
"Hyung!"
But now, Heeseong couldn't even notice his younger brother. He swung his arms wide and threw away the small body that was clinging to him.
Although the brothers were both young, the older brother was a middle school student who would soon be in high school and the younger brother was still in elementary school. The difference in physique from the age of five or six was not negligible. Yugeon was pushed and tossed around helplessly. He jumped up and approached again without showing any signs of pain.
"Hyung, what's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Please stop, it hurts! It hurts!"
He swung his fingertips wildly, scratching Yugeon's collarbones. The sweatshirt with a puppy printed in front was torn and stained with blood. Yugeon held back the pain and narrowed the gap. The fingernails that lost their reason scratched the corner of his eye this time.
A burning pain spread over one eye. Then, hot blood ran down his eyelashes and cheeks. Blood from the long cut in his eyelid got into his eyes, making it difficult to see. However, Yugeon did not let go of his older brother. He hugged him with his whole body, wriggling like a time bomb about to explode, and endured the pain like he was prepared to die. It felt like it had to be.
"Ugh..."
After struggling in pain, Heeseong vomited blood. His arms and legs, which were stiff and twisted at extreme angles, as if they were electrocuted, gradually lost strength. Is this really the end? Mom, dad, hyung, and me, are we going to die like this? Yugeon thought with a hazy mind, covered in blood from his brother's vomit and his own.
At that moment, a small waterway opened from the depths of his body. The water, which had been hovering only in one place, began to move to another place. It was as if the hose was connected to a full water tank. Warm energy flowed gently through the veins of his whole body. Slowly, but never stopping, Yugeon lost consciousness as he felt the waves flowing through his body.
How much time had passed? Soon after, vehicles bearing government license plates stopped in front of the bridge one by one. The inscription on the side of the vehicle was clear. The Awakening Management Headquarters. The people who got out of the car were all dressed in dark red uniforms. They moved in perfect order, controlling the scene and recovering the casualties.
"We just arrived at the site of Hwangan Bridge. The bridge is completely destroyed, and there are no signs of mutants. The gate is also... ah."
A man who was walking between the debris with a radio let out a brief sigh. His gaze fixed on one place.
"There are two civilian survivors, no, one is an Awakened. He is not registered, but there are traces of rampage symptoms, so it is presumed that he awakened his abilities from this incident. Both are minors. I can't see their parents. There are no other survivors..... Yes, I understand. I'll rescue them for now."
Chijig. Communication was cut off with an inorganic sound.
The crouching city breathed heavily under the thick darkness. Between the wires tangled like moss, the red and blue neon lights winked as if they were about to go out.
A man sitting with his back in the driver's seat looked outside. The night view through the heavily tinted car window was like a swamp submerged in flames. He took out a cigarette and lit it. At first glance, it looked just like a handmade cigarette, but it was made by condensing all kinds of psychotropic drugs in high concentrations. It was enough to shock an ordinary person to death if they smoked it.
He bit the filter and sucked in deeply. The acrid smoke filled the airway. However, the pounding pain in his head did not subside. He blew out the smoke and blinked his pale eyebrows. In contrast to the languid movement, his eyes are bloodshot.
With drugs, pain was tolerant. Once addicted to drugs, he was not satisfied with a small amount, so he had also gotten used to the pain of breaking the brain and burning of each cell. Even though he knew it had no effect, the man smoked like a habit.
Ji-iing. The cell phone that was thrown randomly into the passenger seat rang through the silence. Even that small noise made his sensitive hearing nerves hurt. His eyes flashed black and stomach turned upside down. He frowned slightly for a brief moment, then answered the phone casually.
- Are you really going there? It's all been a bummer lately.
Without a greeting or an introduction, a random question flew in. The man leaned his head back with a cigarette in one hand and a cell phone in the other. His throat tasted blood. He inhaled the smoke deeply to suppress the bloody smell.
"I have a feeling. It's real this time."
- If you're going, recover some health and go. Do you need a rental guide?
He habitually smiled even though he knew he was invisible to the other side.
"Since when did we become so close? You are worrying about my condition."
- I don't care what happens to you. I'd be embarrassed to see the headlines saying our Head lost his mind and died on the streets after having a fit.
"....."
- How many months has it been since you last received guiding? No, should I count the years now?
"I don't know... ah, the rental is fine. No matter how hungry you are, you can't just buy cheap junk food."
- Who can't even eat that junk food and making a fuss?
"It hurts a little. Still, it's not that bad."
- Who wants a rental guide for the rest of their lives? Just buy someone for one night and put out the fire, or borrow someone else's for a few days. Tell me if you want some A-class ones.
"You know. My palate is a little picky."
- What the fuck do you mean, palate? You're about to go rampage, but you are still checking your palate? What a load of bull. That's why all the guides you get ran away.
"This guy..... Why is your mouth so vulgar? Our Chan-ie, what should we do? Sooner or later your mouth will look like a dirty mop."
The man frowned as if he was genuinely sorry and upset. Soon afterwards, curses flew from over the speakers with noisy shouts.
- Woo Shinje, you bastard. I don't care if you die in a ditch or not. Get lost!
The line was cut off. The man threw away the facade he had been disguising a while ago. He swept his disheveled bangs and opened the window. And he threw half the smoked weed on the dirty asphalt floor. The butt was thrown away untouched, but the embers subsided quickly in a strange way. As if someone had trampled it on and rubbed it off.
He put his cell phone on the passenger seat. No, he was going to put it down. Crack. The edge of the thin screen was cut into the shape of a grasp because of the moment's inability to control the force. Glass powder fell from the cracked liquid crystal.
"....."
He frowned quietly. There was a hint of madness hidden under the straight and gentle features. The cell phone began to twist into a mess. The sound of cracks, bangs and smashing of plastics and metals was terrifying. Eventually, the cell phone, damaged beyond recognition, was also thrown outside.
Decades passed since the first time the monsters appeared through the gate, namely the Outbreak. The world's population was decreased by one-third. All over the world, it was like a reenactment of the Black Death, a wretched punishment for mankind, and the beginning of the end. There were many people who concluded that there was no longer hope in this world.
However, just as Europeans in the 14th century eventually overcame the Black Death, mankind in the 21st century also found a breakthrough in the Outbreak. Around the time of the Outbreak, people who realized mysterious abilities that could not be explained by modern science began to appear one by one. Thus, the world order was reorganized around those people who have manifested superpowers, the āAwakenedā.
All the awakened people suffered from the side effects of their abilities. Although there are individual differences, the most common side effect was that all senses became terribly sensitive.
Some people were nauseous because they couldn't stand the slightest of smell in the air, while others screamed in pain just by rubbing their skin on their clothes. The same was true for sight and hearing. Even if you closed your eyes and covered your ears, you could clearly see the blood vessels and membranes inside your eyelids, and hear the sound of your own heart beating and organs moving.
It was not uncommon for those who had not been āguidedā for a long time to faint, lose their spirits, go mad, or even commit suicide as they could no longer stand the sensation of the tide. In addition, the higher the rank, the worse the side effects. This was the reason why the average life expectancy of the Awakened people was so short despite having miraculous abilities.
The man stretched out on the seat like a wet cotton ball. Maybe it's too late for the drugs to take effect? A speckled light of ecstasy spread over the white face that seemed to have been painstakingly painted by a romantic painter, over the black dress shirt, and over the randomly scattered limbs.
When will this terrible pain that had followed him like original sin from the moment he was born end? How long should he suffer and long for unbounded liberation? What if his life ended right now? What if all the mutants disappeared from the ground? What if this long war ended with the defeat of mankind?
"The beast tormenting you does not leave anyone who goes in its path, but even blocks them to death. He is wicked and desolate in nature, and has never been satisfied with greed..... and the more he eats, the more hungry he feels."
The night view that filled the field of vision gathered, mixed and distorted at will. He pursed his lips weakly and muttered like a sigh.
"There are so many beasts like him..... There will be more and more until the savage teeth of the hounds kill him." [1]
Either way, he had to stay alive. Tracking āhimā until he stopped breathing.
Armed men gathered in a dark alley. Some wore bullet belts and full magazines, while others wore gas masks that half covered their faces. It was a narrow and dirty road that most people hate and avoid, but the way they carried themselves was peculiar. They were a group of Awakened people and the Hunters who hunted mutants.
Unlike the Awakened who belonged to the Awakening Management Headquarters, called Espers, Hunters were not tied to the state. While Espers were treated like special forces officers and defended the country, Hunters were free to seek prey solely for their own benefit. Depending on their abilities, they could earn no penny or an astronomical amount.
Although they were the same Awakened people, the paths they pursued were completely opposite, so Espers and Hunters naturally had an extremely bad relationship. It was not a day or two that they called each other by friendly nicknames such as civil servants pups who even gave their souls to the country or hyenas who turned their eyes on money.
"What did you get?"
"What can you even get from that situation? I didn't even notice anything else with my ass on fire."
"Same here."
"Today's job is just pointless. The money won't be enough to eat. I'm going to croak at this rate."
"We're still getting the basic wage..."
"You can barely buy drugs with that amount."
"Just take that and look for a job somewhere else next time."
The two Hunters were sitting on the garbage bags piled up in the corner of the alley, exchanging frivolous conversations. Just from their completely armed appearance, they could be easily comparable to the mercenaries who had been fighting an all-out war, but the conversation between them gave off the exhaustion of daily work.
"There's not much to go anywhere else these days. There aren't a lot of places that are willing to give F-class people money."
"That's true. If the job is a little safer, it has shit pay. If the pay is pretty good, they just push F-classes to die at the front."
The Hunter, who was filled with self-inflicted lamentation, chuckled and took out a cigarette. He held the cigarette with one hand and flicked it slightly. A red spark flared from the end. Pyrokinesis, the ability to create and control fire at will.
People with this kind of ability were not rare, but they were very efficient and had many uses, so they were not beaten wherever they went. Even so, an F-class' ability would only be limited to lighting a cigarette or smoking a campfire.
"There's that gate that was recently discovered. The boss wants to make big bucks with that one. I heard that an S-class Hunter is going to appear at the gate."
"What? S-class?"
"You know āMidheavenā? There's a guy I knew over there, so I heard a sneak peek."
"I guess it really is a big fish. Will they put up a daily job announcement? Then I'll quit right here and transfer."
"Ugh. There must already be a lot of high-ranking Hunters over there. Why would they hire F-class Hunters? It would just be a waste of money for them."
"When you are S-class, hundreds of millions of won per raid is just ridiculous. They should do some charity and throw away some money."
"What's hundreds of millions? I heard that good places attract billions or tens of billions of won at most. It's just a big company, a big company."
"It must be worth living. It's like winning the lottery like 10 times. They must be very busy every day buying a large house, riding a foreign car, pouring expensive liquor like water, and spending money."
"I don't know. Really?"
"Why?"
The Hunter shrugged his shoulders, biting the cigarette and accepting his colleague's nutritious chatter.
"S-classes aren't human. I heard it's good for your mental health to just think of them as another species wearing human masks. Do they even like foreign cars or liquor?"
"If they are not human beings, then what, ghosts? Even if it's an S-class, eating, sleeping and shitting would be the same as us."
Instead of answering, he dropped his finished cigarette on the floor and rubbed it out haphazardly.
"I don't understand either. I've never seen an S-class before."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a loud noise from the other side. But the others didn't care much and did their own thing. As if it was written, āThere they go againā, a couple of unenthusiastic eyes only peeked at it.
"Relax."
A young man standing with his back against the cement wall with faded leaflets stuck to it, clenched his teeth while maintaining a stiff posture. This was because he intuitively felt the violence that would follow. He bowed his head slightly and black hair ran down his forehead.
"Are you already getting tired? Stand up straight."
Again, a heavy fist struck his lower abdomen. No matter how much he wore a bulletproof vest in case of a mutant attack, he could not prevent the shock from being hit in his guts. The young man groaned silently and closed his eyes tightly. At first glance, there was a scar drawn thin like a double eyelid on one eye.
"Kid, where is Baek Heeseong? Where has he gone again that there's not a single sign of him?"
A tall, middle-aged man with a big body clenched his fist and asked with a loud voice. He was the leader of a group of Hunters, a Hunting Order. The Hunting Orders also varied according to the level, from a place with many members under a systematic structure to a place with just a few idiots. And here, unfortunately, it was closer to the latter.
The man was an F-class Awakened with muscular strengthening type ability. He was a good talker, he was an Awakened, and his ability allowed him to strengthen his whole body, but he was an F-class so there wasn't much difference other than that he was a little stronger than the average person.
"After I gave first aid to his injuries, he received guiding for a short while and now he's taking a rest."
"Huh? Taking a rest? After making all this mess? Mother, these rotten orphans really are messed up. How can you show that you didn't learn a thing from your parents?"
The Hwangan Bridge disaster, which took away his parents and a peaceful life in an instant, eventually remained an unsolved incident. Everything happened in under an hour at most, and most of the civilians on the scene died. The situation was already over when the center was dispatched after receiving the report. The two boys, the only survivors, were too young and in shock to make a proper statement.
"....."
Yugeon only stared at the floor with his mouth tightly closed. He had already become too accustomed to the unprovoked violence and verbal abuse from others for no reason. Skepticism and resistance to irrationality were the leisure of the haves. Since he didn't have anything, all he had to do was endure.
When he was younger, he was a little softer and more naive than he was now, so he followed other people's words straight away. When an adult asked him to answer quickly, he did, and he was beaten up for it because how dare he talk back and forth. So he stayed still, and that time, he was beaten up again by saying it was cheeky to keep his mouth shut. His current attitude was what he learned through numerous trial and error.
"It's not like this has happened once or twice. That's why we don't hire black-headed beasts."
"I'm sorry, sir."
Yugeon apologized in a toneless voice. It was also familiar to receive a grudge against his older brother instead.
Heeseong made a mistake in the operation tonight. The goal of the operation was to find and destroy the mutants that remained in the city center even after the gates were closed. However, the F-class Hunters, who had only dealt with small mutants until now, unfortunately encountered a higher level mutant. The problem was that Heeseong, who encountered the hideous monster right in front of him, immediately fell into a panic and retreated, ignoring the instructions. Since he broke the battle formation without permission, the other Hunters were almost put into danger.
His older brother was always like that in the past, that is, even before he became an Awakened. A small scratch on his body would keep him on edge all day, and he couldn't stand seeing blood, whether it was his own or someone else's. Whenever he was stressed, he would immediately fall ill with a high fever. It was the total opposite of Yugeon, who would stand up immediately wiping his hands even after a bad fall, covered in dust and blood.
Heeseong's character, if he had been born at a time of peace, would have only sounded a little eccentric, but not a fatal flaw. Heeseong was always at the top of the list. He was an honor student who had never been out of the third place in every test, and only his personality was a bit sensitive. He would have gone to a prestigious university without any problems and got a good job.
Unfortunately, however, this was the era when strength proved everything. The lowest F-class among the Awakened, a person with only an ability to mutilate, plus timid, nervous and naive. Heeseong was always in need of a cold meal wherever he went. If there wasn't a guide by his side, he would have died of rampage and from the side effects of his ability early on, or he would have been caught and killed by the mutants many years ago.
"Hey, you are right. I should kiss up your asses. I don't have enough people to round up the mutants, so I have to smile and pay for you guys."
"I'll correct it."
"Then what's with that face?"
A thick finger roughly pressed Yugeon's forehead. Yugeon reflexively gave strength to his toes. His head was slightly tilted back, but his entire body did not stumble.
"Yugeon-ah. Is it finally making you sick that you have to roll around in the field while other guides get cradled like they are precious treasures, huh? You have any complaints? No, tell me if you have one, don't crumple your face like a fucking bastard who needs to take a shit."
"It is not like that."
"What do you mean no? It's all written on your face."
"No, it's not."
"Baek Heeseong can only make 0.5 servings, so you should be making 1.5 servings. That way, my money to you guys will be a little less wasteful, right? Yes?"
"......"
"It's just your misfortune that your older brother is a fucking moron. So what can you do?"
The heart that he thought had already worn out and torn was scratched again. Yugeon, who had been silently looking down with a submissive attitude, raised his eyes for the first time. The sharp eyes, that were hidden under the black eyelashes, glared straight at the man.
The man instantly felt the unrefined killing intent in his eyes. And immediately after that, he became ashamed. He deliberately swung his hand more violently to deny the feeling of shame. This time, it was the face, not the gut that was protected by the equipment.
Jjaag! Yugeon's head turned helplessly. One of the spectators from behind blew a small whistle. That wasn't the end of it. Without even giving him a break, the man slapped his cheeks a couple more times in succession. It was not long before the edges of his lips burst open and blood leaked out immediately.
"Where the fuck is this little bastard rolling his eyes cheekily at."
Yugeon bit his bloody lip and didn't let out a single moan. He was quite a tough guy. Guides were those that were no different from ordinary people, except for their guiding abilities. They could easily die in a single attack from mutants and rarely healed well if injured. He recognized this kid when he went to battle alongside the Hunters, equipped with only a gun and a short knife, saying if there was anything lacking in his brother, he would make up for it.
What an unpleasant fellow. What's so good about him? The man shook his head, spat and turned his back. That was enough of the anger for ruining the operation. If he hit it wrong and the kid ended up crippled, or if he left with his brother, saying he couldn't do this anymore, he would suffer a big loss in power.
Anyway, there was only one guide in this Order. Among the Awakened people, Guides were rare, at most one out of dozens, or one out of hundreds. That was the reason why he couldn't throw away the trash called Baek Heeseong even at great risk. Those damn Baek siblings were so badly in love that the older brother and the younger brother had to come as a set.
"That Baek Heeseong, tell him to pull himself together. Next time, if that fool messes around again, there will be no second chance for you both. The next operation is really important. Understand?"
A low-pitched reply came a beat late. His voice was slightly hoarse.
"...Yes."
He climbed the narrow, steep stairs. There was old dust on the walls and floors covered with low-quality cement, and emergency lights that marked the number of floors have long since faded. A shabby building a few blocks away from where the mutant sweeping operation was carried out. This was Heeseong and Yugeon's house.
In front of the abandoned old pawnshop next door, there was a shop with a butcher's sign that was almost out of print. From the outside, it looked like they were dealing with human flesh, not necessarily cattle or pork. It was an overall unsavory landscape.
Through the cracked glass window, a bright red, cheap neon sign in the shape of a cross flashed in. Standing in the front of the door, he shoved the key into the rusty keyhole. With the development of technology, and since some Awakened people could easily hack into the locking system without even touching it, even doors that could be opened by recognizing a person's brain waves have been developed. The place where he lived, however, still had to put the key in the keyhole every time.
"I'm back."
Behind his back, the front door closed with an uncomfortably loud noise. Since it was so old, the wood was twisted and did not close well unless you put a lot of force on it.
The inside of the house was as shabby as the outside. It was a narrow one-room apartment from anyone's point of view, but you can argue that it was a 1.5 room after separating the kitchen and the main room with a poor sliding room. On the old bed in the corner, he could see a large, puffy bundle of blankets. Without hesitation, Yugeon zipped down the overcoat he was wearing.
"Hyung, have you eaten?"
"....."
"I told you to eat first. You didn't even go grocery shopping, did you?"
Yugeon threw his coat over his shoulder. The coat hung loosely on the back of a chair. He familiarly opened the refrigerator and looked inside. As expected, there were only a few bottles of mineral water. A hysterical cry came back from under the covers.
"You're so mean. You want me to go grocery shopping outside? How can you make your one and only hyung do that impossible thing?
"I always did that impossible thing by myself every time."
"Are you and I the same? Hey, Baek Yugeon. What the hell are you talking about?"
Again, the words were thrown around carelessly. If they continued this useless conversation, Heeseong would get hurt again and put a wall around his heart.
Unlike Yugeon, who was calm in nature even if he had to take insults or get hit in the face in front of many people, Heeseong was very delicate and sensitive. Every word and gesture that Yugeon said casually, he was often hurt.
No matter how much he thought about it, he could never figure out where he made a mistake with his crude sensibility that had been dulled by many battles. As a result, later on, he stopped talking at all. Yugeon, who was otherwise already on the quiet side, became less talkative than he was previously before.
How could he make his brother feel better? Yugeon frowned slightly. However, he had no talent for comforting someone and no eloquence to end an argument in a fluent manner. So all he had left was a calm apology.
"I'm sorry, hyung. I was wrong."
Heeseong tossed in the blanket at the apology he gave without changing his expression.
"No. I was also mean. That was my problem."
"Next time, let's start by going to the convenience store in front of us. It's not like we are going to fight a mutant, it's just a brief visit 5 minutes away."
"What if I suddenly lose control? Just like in the past..."
"It's okay. Rampages don't happen that easily. If so, then all the Awakened people wandering alone on the streets are all crazy people with a death wish."
"All right, later. It's too soon."
The man who was crouching on the bed finally pulled back the covers. The face of a young man in his mid to late 20s was revealed. His complexion was as pale as a sick person, and was also sweating profusely.
"Guide me. I couldn't even sleep and kept waiting for you."
Yugeon was not harsh enough to keep nagging the other person when he was suffering that much. He was at least soft to his brother, if not to noone else. Yugeon, who was examining Heeseong's complexion, blinked slowly. There was no significant change in his expression, but the tensed shoulders loosened a little.
"Is it really bad?"
"I feel like I'm going to die."
"Since when?"
"It has been like that since a while ago, when we were on the mission. I thought I'd get even more scolded if I showed that I was sick."
"Then don't keep it to yourself."
Among the Awakened people who suffered from pain for the rest of their lives, Heeseong was at least on the good side. He was an F-class with the weakest side effects, and a dedicated guide was always next to him. Nevertheless, the reason why he grunted about suffering and dying every time was because he was naturally sensitive and vulnerable to pain.
"Yugeon-ah, earlier, I'm sorry. I was wrong. I mean, make me feel better."
Heeseong trembled with his parched lips and cried. He was almost 30 years old now, but at times like this, he looked younger than his younger brother. Yugeon sighed quietly and put his knees on the edge of the bed. Heeseong rolled up the blanket and spread his arms as if he had been waiting. A long, dry hand wrapped around Yugeon's back.
The brothers fell in a lump. The cheap mattress weighing the weight of two adult men creaked. Yugeon thought he could smell the cool wind outside. Heeseong fumbled down Yugeon's arm, found his bare hand under his sleeve and grabbed it. It was instinct. Since guiding over clothes was significantly less efficient.
Yugeon patted him gently, as if to soothe his brother who was hugging him as tight as he could. Soon, a gentle warmth spread throughout the blood vessels and nerves throughout the body. This special ability was called āGuidingā, and it was only exclusive to āGuidesā.
"Huh, uh, haaa."
The sharp pain in his head gradually subsided. Heeseong let out a moan of satisfaction without realizing it. He shivered intermittently as if he reached a climax.
As he always felt, guiding was just like a drug. In fact, the Awakened people who could not find a suitable guide took drugs as a temporary measure. Of course, it wasn't much better than getting a real guide, but they could forget the pain for a few hours.
They risk their lives fighting with mutants, hurriedly insert needles in their forearms before side effects come, go hunting again to earn money for the drugs, and live for only a few years, leaving nothing but evil and madness. It was a regular scene on this floor.
Heeseong was afraid that he would do the same. He didn't even have the courage to do drugs. So he became more obsessed with his younger brother. When he first woke up his powers as an Awakened and showed symptoms of a rampage, it was Yugeon who risked his life to save him. He still couldn't forget the horrible feeling he had of the time when he lost his reason and tore his little brother's flesh. From that day on, Yugeon had been his lifeline.
"I'm sorry, Yugeon-ah. I'm sorry."
Heeseong's heart was relieved by the sense of calmness as if he were surrounded by clouds. The sincerity that had been buried came out without him knowing.
"What are you sorry for?"
"I know you're being bullied because of me. That guy calls you out just to vent his anger. Cursing and hitting."
Heeseong's arms were still on Yugeon's waist. Yugeon hugged his older brother's back and rested his forehead on his hard shoulder, his bones sticking out. A dry smile spread across his lips, which were bruised and covered with blood.
"That bastard is unfortunately the boss so if that geezer wants me to crawl, I have to crawl. If he's mad then he's mad."
"But..."
"It's already done. I don't mind."
"You're going through something like that and I can't do anything. You rarely make mistakes, and you're talented, so only if you worked with a Hunter other than me, you wouldn't be having a rough time and can make a lot of money. If it weren't for me."
"Don't say that."
"Yugeon-ah, you know me. Should I just be weak? Then it'll be less burdensome for you. Other than me, all the other Hunters do it..."
"I told you not to."
Yugeon cut off Heeseong's gibberish words. Contrary to his blunt tone, the guiding still flowed warmly and circulated all over Heeseong's body.
13 years have passed since the mutant attack on the Hwangan Bridge. In that accident, the brothers lost their parents and their peaceful life. All they got was a blood-stained childhood and an old room.
After the catastrophic Outbreak, the existing order collapsed. Power became the justification and logic. Some Awakened people, intoxicated by their own strength, despised non-Awakened people as if they were second-class citizens. The government also gave uniforms and badges to teenage children as long as they had high ranks.
It was an era when compassion for the weak have disappeared. There were so many people who died hunting mutants or being hunted by mutants that they could not count with both hands in a single day. The few welfare facilities were packed just by collecting babies who lost their parents due to sudden accidents. There was no room to feed, dress, and sleep even for the children over ten years old.
Yugeon and Heeseong also had to go out and work to earn for a meal. It was fortunate that one was an Awakened and the other was a Guide. Thanks to their means of earning a living, they had a much less miserable growth period than non-Awakened children.
"Hyung."
Whatever he was thinking, Yugeon, who was staring at the air and holding his brother's back, suddenly spoke up.
"Hm? Uh huh."
"Let's just do our next mission, and when we get paid, let's take a break for a while."
"What's the matter? Are you mad? Because I... I made a mistake again?
As soon as he finished speaking, Yugeon left his seat and stood up. An unstable and shaky gaze followed behind him as he headed toward the kitchen. Heeseong had always been like this. After he poured out all kinds of harsh words to Yugeon, he would get nervous, immediately become discouraged and look for him. Like he was afraid of being abandoned.
"It's not like that. We should take a break from time to time. We also have to visit our parents' grave, and hyung should also practice going out alone."
After a bit of hesitation, a weak answer came back.
"All right."
"Let's eat, then drink coffee?"
"Yes."
"Hyung is always the same. Still haven't improved your cooking even after 10 years, and all you can make is a good cup of coffee."
It was clumsy to call it reconciliation or consolation. But it was enough to soften the rigid atmosphere.
"I did... I can't taste other things very well, only coffee."
An unconscious smile spread across Heeseong's lips, as if looking back on the years they spent together. Yugeon also laughed as he rolled up his sleeves as if nothing happened.
"Wash up and come out. I will prepare dinner."
A group of Hunters gathered at an abandoned factory in the outskirts of the city on a night when smoke and fine dust covered the sky and no moon to be seen. A few years ago, a large Gate opened in this area and the entire industrial complex was abandoned following the devastation of the surrounding area. The factory had since been used as an outpost and hideout for Hunters.
Mankind kept losing territories this way. The mutant hunting zone became a dead ground for the general public, a hunting ground for Hunters, and a defense line for Espers.
"Haa."
Someone breathed out a sign while wiping their equipment. The blade of a special combat knife made of mutant by-products shone in the dim moonlight.
"I have to pay my daughter's tuition fees this week. What kind of middle school kid goes to seven tutions at once? My back is for sure going to break if this keeps up. My wife will weep when she sees me in the underworld."
"Ugh. Are you bragging about having a daughter?"
"Why the hell does she need tuition for every subject? Does that kid have no idea how hard it is for her father to make money out of mutants? When I was a kid, I didn't even go to private tuitions and I did well in my studies."
"What do you mean, 'when I was a kid?' You sound like an old geezer. I heard kids these days have to do that. If they don't, they won't be able to catch up. Many universities closed down, so it's a lot tougher than ours."
Famous Hunters whose names are even known to the public were almost treated like celebrities, but they were busy F-classes and absolute commoners in Korea. Talking about children's education and college entrance exams while gathering in a deary abandoned factory and preparing for battle. It was an oddly black comedy-like scene.
"No, no. The days when everyone held pencils instead of guns and knives were so long ago, so I think your memories are messed up. Only two types of people joined multiple tuitions at the same time. Either one wanted to be the number one in the whole school, or the other one a total idiot. My kid unfortunately inherited my genes, so it's definitely not the first one."
"Really? Let's see. Hey! Kid. Guide Baek!"
The arrow suddenly turned to Yugeon. A black tactile vest, a leather holster that can fit pistols, and a walker with thick soles. He was dressed in his so-called 'work clothes'.
"....."
Yugeon, who was sitting on a logistics box taller than his height and swinging his feet meaninglessly, blinked without any expression. The middle-aged men, who had been chattering, beckoned him to come over.
"Come on, you. Kid. Get your butt over here."
Instead of answering, he jumped down from the box. All eyes turned to him at once. It was not because Yugeon was so young compared to other Hunters that he was called a little boy or a kid. In terms of height alone, it was rather a big difference. He stood out particularly among the men of their age, whose foreheads were gradually widening, and flabbed on their sides.
"This kid probably still has wet ink on his ID card. Look, I can't come up with an answer if I only argue with this father-in-law. You tell me. Did you go to several tuitions too?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I've never been to school properly, so I don't know what tuition is like."
"What?"
There was a moment of silence.
"My parents passed away when I was 10, and since then I've been following Hunters around for work. Of course, I didn't go to school."
Instead, he took online classes. It was provided by the Ministry of Education for minors who could not afford to go to school because of their jobs. In terms of lectures, there was almost no compulsion to consider the circumstances of those who were fighting with mutants every day, so even if you left the video on and left the seat all day, you would get a diploma.
Countless tragedies had occured since the Outbreak. Too many people lost their parents, children, siblings, friends and lovers to the mutants. There were also quite a few who became Hunters after suffering a loss and obsessed with revenge. Still, it was rare to find someone who was so blunt about it.
"Still, hyung got his middle school diploma..."
Yugeon stopped talking and gently shut his mouth. Each of the men with a grim face was looking at him with strange eyes. He noticed that they seemed to be shocked by his remarks, but couldn't tell what point it was exactly. Were they surprised that he was more ignorant than they imagined?
"This kid. You should've told us earlier. It just makes people sad."
"Yes, man. Trigonometric functions or relative pronouns or whatever, you still grew up well. Especially a guide like you, huh? If you keep your guiding straight and take good care of your partner, you can easily make a lot of money. Don't be discouraged and try to live well kiddo. So you don't have to be embarrassed when you see your parents in heaven."
"But why didn't you join the center? I thought they accept guides unconditionally?"
The Center here referred to the Awakening Management Headquarters. It was mainly composed of intermediate-level Awakened from E-classes to B-classes. F-classes were not accepted since they were underqualified, and S- and A-classes could earn hundreds of millions of won ridiculously per raid if they worked as a Hunter so there was no reason to hang up on the salary given by the state. As a result, most of the mid-class Awakened were affiliated with the Center.
"Hyung is an F-class so he did not qualify, and I can't be separated from him."
"Why? Can't you just put another guide with your hyung?"
"There aren't many guides who want to take on F-classes in the first place, but no matter what, hyung will just refuse. Hyung doesn't like touching anyone other than me."
"Huh. Guide Baek, you are also living like a dog, in one way or another."
"Should this hyung-nim give you something good?"
Big hands patted his shoulders and back roughly. He then sneaked out a powdered drug wrapped in paper as if he was being generous.
Unlike Heeseong, Yugeon did not have a bad reputation among the Hunters. The Leader hitting and verbally abusing Yugeon was just an angry response to Heeseong's missteps. Even if he was an official member of the Order, these daily workers, who only received one day's wages, had no reason to feel bad for him. There was also no reason to speak up for him, so they just let it slide when they saw him get beaten up.
"It's fine."
Yugeon pushed away the bag. It was obvious what was inside. Drugs that make you forget the pain and boost the excitement.
"Just take it, this kid."
"Still."
"It's for your brother. What? He doesn't do this?"
āYugeon-ah, you know me. Should I just be weak?ā
Heeseong's feeble voice was heard over and over like auditory hallucinations. Yugeon sighed and closed his eyes. A scar on the upper eyelid, which was not normally visible, was revealed.
"When an adult gives you something, don't refuse. You can just say thank you and keep it. What do you mean it's fine?"
The man did not even budge at Yugeon's sharp refusal. Rather, he giggled and shoved the bag in his hands. A rough hand was placed over Yugeon's hands wearing gloves. As the space between them narrowed, the bitter and acrid smell of cigarettes wafted from him. No, it's not regular cigarettes, it's cannabis again. It was also of low quality and had a terrible smell.
"And, ha. Since you took it, please do some volunteer work for your hyung-nims."
"Aren't we and your brother the same? It's not like you will wear out easily from a few favors. Let's help each other, yea?"
Then, he gently rubbed his bare wrist that was slightly exposed under the glove. It was a gesture with clear intentions. Yugeon looked down silently.
Yugeon guiding other Hunters other than Heeseong was only when they were injured or in bad enough condition to interfere with the mission. Most of the time, it was just holding hands or hugging lightly. The terms of the contract were like that in the first place.
Some guides sold their guiding for money. Their clients were desperate Awakened who were either on the verge of madness or near death. Holding hands or hugging was the cheapest course, and if the price increased, petting and even sex were possible.
But Yugeon was different. He was a member of an undisputed combat group and a life-or-death fellow on duty. They canāt treat him like a rental guide they bought with money. If it was a place with strict discipline, there would be an immediate disciplinary action.
Yugeon looked down, lowered his gaze, and grinned. The charming eyes were gently curved and lips relaxed. There was a friendly smile attached to it, different from his usual impression.
"Living like a dog."
But the words that came out of his mouth were far from sociable.
"But should I really live like a dog?"
Yugeon twisted his wrist and pulled it out. He casually tossed the pack away and stepped back.
"Even if I didn't get to properly learn how to make a living, I'm not cheap enough to sell my body in exchange for a drug packet out of all things."
Those who were dazed by the unexpected response soon smiled in vain. It was a pity. All they wanted was to be nice to this brat as they felt sorry for him who was struggling to feed his lacking brother.
"Damn it, you bastard."
"It's not that hard to figure out what's going on."
"Hey. You've crossed the line. You think it is hilarious when we are pampering you for being a guide?"
Just in time, the heavy container door opened. Heeseong, who looked depressed, and the leader, who was gripping his forearm like a detective who arrested a criminal, came out together. It seemed that Heeseong was called to a corner and scolded.
Heeseong, who was rolling around his eyes desperately, soon found Yugeon who was surrounded by Hunters. He didn't know what was happening but something seemed odd.
"Yugeon-ah!"
He shook off the leader's hand and ran. The leader glanced at him with a look of surprise. He wondered if it was the same guy who was shuddering even when he was just raising his hand and pretending to hit him earlier.
"Don't touch my Yugeon. Stay away from my guide!"
"Hyung."
"I will kill all of you. Uh, I'm going to kill everyone. You-you bullies, I'm going to rip you all into pieces."
Black hair that looked just like his younger brother, thin cheeks stained with tears, and with a tall, skinny frame. Overall, he looked very weak, but they felt the strange intimidation from him like someone who was driven to the limit from his empty eyes.
Baek Heeseong, this bastard. He looked like he was going crazy. It was surprisingly frightening when these gloomy guys turned their eyes. The Hunters swallowed their dry saliva. Their fingertips twitched, judging the timing to use their power if a fight suddenly broke out.
"Huh? What are you guys up to? What the fuck are you doing? Stop fooling around and get ready! I ain't taking responsibility when you dumbfucks' equpiment broke down or whatever while on the mission."
It was the leader's loud shout that broke the deadlock. It might be a good thing at times like this that he was someone blinded by money. Several pairs of the hostile gazes lingered on the two brothers, then dispersed one by one.
They drove across a half-destroyed industrial complex in an old van that looked like it could be used for human trafficking. Upon arriving at the mission site, he noticed a Gate large enough to swallow a logistics container. People were gathering in front of it. They were Hunters who gathered after smelling the money.
Seeing that neither Espers in uniform nor access control signs, it seemed that the center was still quiet. It was understandable. All the information about the newly opened gates or mutants was money. They could earn savory money by selling the information to the Hunters before leaking the news to the government or the media.
"I spent some money getting in touch with the first discoverer. This means I put all my money into this one."
Since a few days ago, the leader had repeatedly stressed that this case was really important, and that if they make a mistake this time, they will all die and he will follow them too. Everyone was already overwhelmed by the pressure.
Gazes judging each other's ranks went back and forth between those who arrived earlier and those who had just arrived. However, the gate was not in the center of Seoul where large Hunting Orders were situated, so only Hunters from the outskirts of the metropolitan area were there.
"I'm sure you guys didn't come here to drink at night. It seems that the rumor spread quickly in quite a short time. Is that all of you?"
An unfamiliar Hunter looked up and down at the party and asked with a suspicious look. The leader shrugged nonchalantly.
"We all are just F-class bums. I promise we won't go near the gate, so you big guys just share the goods among yourselves. We just want to snoop around and pick up some leftovers."
"If you're just here to clean up the small fries, that's fine for me. Well, we're in a position to work together for the night, so yeah. Let's do our best."
A temporary alliance was established, even though it was a relationship that was strictly based on private interests. There was no need for tedious procedures such as self-introduction or pre-operation meetings. The Hunters immediately surrounded the huge black hole in the middle of the asphalt road. Beyond that, the endless darkness shook uneasily. It was a sign that the gate was about to open and the mutants were on the verge of pouring out.
The timing was just right. The information that the leader bought at a high price seemed to be a real deal. If a new mutant species that had never been discovered before appeared here, they would get the participation points, and even better if they could gain a strategy on how to target the new mutant species. Even if that wasn't the case, the income from selling mutant carcasses and by-products would be quite lucrative.
At first glance, the gate resembled a sinkhole created by the ground caving in. However, unlike a typical sinkhole, the inside was neither visible nor reflected light. Would it be like this if you looked at the dark matter in the universe with naked eye?
After the Outbreak, many people studied the principles and compositions of the Gates, but no one had yet to reveal the truth. All they knew was that the gates were passageways between āthis worldā where humans live and the āother worldā where the monsters were from.
The gate was an entrance where mutants poured out constantly. It was the gold vein of mines and an oil field where oil was gushing out. But it was just as dangerous. The unknown space beyond the gate was called a Pit. Few people knew what was inside. In the first place, the number of those who returned alive after crossing the gate was small, and even those who survived did not easily speak out about what they had seen or heard. As if they didn't even want to think of it.
Hunters were famous for doing reckless things without hesitation if they got money, but even so, no one dared to jump into the gates recklessly. At least they knew it wasn't worth risking their precious lives, so the lower rank Hunters moving away from the gate to deal with the mutants that managed to slip through the front lines, and the higher rank Hunters hunting right in front of the gates became unwritten rules.
"No matter what happens, stay calm, don't break ranks just because you're surprised or scared, especially you. Baek Heeseong, you bastard! Yes, you dumbfuck. You better get your head straight. If you run off again, fuck, you'll really die in my hands this time."
"......"
"Aren't you going to answer me?"
"I'll cover him properly. It won't happen again."
Instead of Heeseong, who was turning blue from tension, Yugeon stepped forward.
"I'm not even expecting you guys to beat up the mutants at your level. At the very least try to bring back the mutants' characteristics and how to target their weak points. We can make a lot of money just by selling the information."
"Yes."
"Oh, by any chance, if you see any mutant corpses that other Orders took down, take it right away. Finders keepers. It's not a game. What, no steals? Farming manners? My ass. You know there's no such thing like that in real life, right?"
His nagging continued. It was something they heard every time they went on a mission, but today he felt like the leader put more strength into it. Yugeon, who was standing still, heard a murmur behind.
"What S-class? All I see are people with similar levels."
For low-rank Hunters, an S-class Awakened was an existence that could only be accessed through TV or the Internet. Even at the Awakening Management Headquarters, C-class Espers were classified as high-level personnels, and one could easily become an executive if they were A-class. It was not an exaggeration to say that the S-classes lived in a completely different world.
They said buildings fly away with a single gesture, that they can move mountains and create rivers. They went in and out of the Pit on a daily basis. There were all sorts of rumors, but very few people have actually seen them. Of course he was curious. However, no matter how much he looked around, the aforementioned S-class was nowhere to be seen.
"I'm sure he's coming."
"Wherever you go, you pick up rumors that never make sense."
"I'm telling you it's not a rumor! It came up on the anonymous bulletin board of the Hunter community."
"Didn't I tell you to stop snooping in that damn community or whatever? I'd rather believe in politicians' promises during the election season than believe in the rumors that come out of that."
"Because this time, it's real!"
The Hunters squabbled and left for their positions. Before he knew it, their figures mixed with the others and disappeared. Yugeon also moved silently in line. But the story he heard earlier kept ringing in his head.
What would it feel like to live as an S-class Hunter? At the very least, there must be a big difference from Yugeon's busy life living from day to day. It was said that there were fewer than 10 S-classes nationwide. Money, for them, must be rotten to the point where it was meaningless to count, and with a single word or gesture from them, not only Hunters, but also most high-ranking politicians, celebrities, and Espers from the Awakening Management Headquarters would come running. They would only have subordinates around trying hard to please them, instead of the bosses who verbally abuse and raise their hands for littlest things.
A life where he would never have to endure abuse or bow his head to anyone ever, nor have to worry about the living expenses for the next month. If he lived like thatā¦ would he be happy?
"Let's go together."
Heeseong, who followed him hastily, grabbed his hand. Only then did Yugeon come to his senses. He forgot to take care of Heeseong as he ended up walking fast deep in thought.
"Oh, sorry."
"I mean, it's scary."
An adult male, who was about to turn 30 next year, whined in a weak tone. Heeseong's time seemed to have stopped on a winter day at the age of 16, when the bridge was torn apart and the car with their parents disappeared into the icy river. However, Yugeon himself also had no right to feel sorry for him. Since he too was pretending to be mature on the outside, and a part of him was also tied to the bridge, forever 10 years old.
Yeah, this mission shouldn't be a big deal either. It must have been that he was a bit anxious when his brother was excessively worked up over him a little while ago. Rather, now was not the time to be distracted by other things. They have decided to take a break for a while after they get paid from this gig. They just had to finish today's job safe and sound.
Please let this night pass safely, Yugeon tried to erase all the thoughts from his head. Heeseong kept throwing curses around, his wet eyes glistening; and the S-class the Hunters were arguing about, didn't show up.
As soon as the Hunters were assigned assorted tasks, they scattered to their respective positions. Heeseong and Yugeon were guarding the alley on the outskirts far away from the gate, and were in charge of handling any mutant that might flow into the downtown area. It was clearly obvious that the boss was getting rid of the troublesome thing out of his sight.
Yugeon leaned against the narrow alley and double checked the equipment. A pistol and a combat knife were his weapons.
He was completely like a regular person except for his guiding ability. Fire and ice did not come out of his hands, and he did not have excellent physical abilities. Therefore, he had to take good care of these things to keep himself alive in the hunting grounds.
"Are you okay?"
Yugeon asked, habitually tapping the handle on the back of the pistol.
"What?"
A casual answer came back. Only then did he stop fiddling with the gun and raised his head to look at his brother.
"Just now."
"What about it?"
"Hyung got angry. Before the departure."
"....."
"Don't mind them. They also made similar demands like that before, but I always refused."
"Ah that, ha, haha."
Heeseong laughed hysterically. Ever since he became an Awakened and started working as a Hunter, he was an older brother who only got annoyed every day and rarely smiled. Something was out of the ordinary.
"What I said earlier, they are not empty words."
"What?"
"When I said I'm going to kill everyone who touched you... they are not empty words."
"......."
"I also don't want to be bullied forever either. Why should I? I'd rather kill them all and I'd die too."
He knew his mind was slowly wearing away little by little. Even Yugeon felt like he would sometimes go crazy from the life of repeated slaughter while covered in monster blood, how could Heeseong, who was weak and sensitive from the beginning would be able to withstand it longer. That's why he suggested that they finish this job and rest for a while. They really just needed to get through it safely just this time and tonight.
"Hyung."
"Everything that touches me and my guide, I will tear them all apart, so they couldn't even find the body..."
Heeseong lowered his head, shoulders shaking intermittently. Unrefined, dreary words stuttered out.
"Hyung!"
Heeseong raised his head blankly at the stern voice. The eyes of the brothers, about the same height, met in the air. Both had dark hair and dark eyes, but Yugeon's eyes, which were calmly submerged, and Heeseong's eyes, which were blurred and slightly out of focus, were remarkably different.
"......."
Yugeon bit his lip and frowned while choosing what to say next. He knew it in his head. As always, he had to soothe Heeseong. He had to talk about Heeseong's favorite dark coffee and microfiber blankets, and talk about vacations that they would get after this mission, so he could relieve his mood somehow.
Until now, Yugeon had never said a harsh word to Heeseong, even as a joke. Because he knew how hard his brother was going through each day. He thought he should work harder and do better to take care of him as his brother suffered from side effects that would never get better for the rest of his life. Even if they argued, all he had to do was apologize by saying that he was all wrong, and clumsily comfort the older brother who was getting nervous after spending a harsh day.
But at this moment, for the very first time, the impulse triumphed over reason. Words that had never been said before came out of his mouth.
"I'm your younger brother before I'm your guide."
"What are you saying?"
"Do you even think of me as a little brother? No, as a family?"
Heeseong's lips trembled in shock.
"Baek Yugeon, you."
Heeseong looked like he was deeply hurt. He glared at Yugeon, as if he was a traitor, as if he heard terrible things he could never have imagined.
"How can you say that to me? I'm having such a hard time. How can you..."
"Hyung."
"Yeah, it's all my fault again, isn't it? It's all because I'm useless, right? I know what you mean. You are on their side, too."
"It's not like that."
"You're just taking care of me because you feel sorry for me. Do you finally want to throw away this useless brother now? You're really... so mean."
Yugeon opened his mouth to say something. But he stopped.
"......."
He realized it too late. A long time had passed since the battle began, and it was too quiet. There were no signs of mutants that should have crawled out of the gate by now, nor the sound of other Hunters fighting. It was so quiet all around. Like lying in the middle of a bridge full of corpses and wrecked cars.
The old trauma rose from beyond the memory. A cold chill spread through the spine. Yugeon forced his stiff head to move, looking upwards, not outside the alley or behind his back.
The sky became dark. The original sky was full of soot and fine dust, so it wasn't very bright, but even the faint light created by artificial lighting in the city had completely disappeared. A huge thing covered the top of his head, completely obscuring him. It was too big to say it came out of the gate the size of a large truck at best. Soon, not only the vicinity of Yugeon and Heeseong, but also the surrounding streets darkened as if there was a power outage.
Through the thick darkness, its body was glimpsed. It was like a star. Of course, he wasn't talking about the stars in fairy tales that sparkled beautifully with golden lights. It was close to the surface of an old planet, with all elements intermingled, moving between high temperatures and absolute zero, melting everything.
Was that also a mutant? They were supposed to hunt it? Nonsense. It was impossible. How the hell did that... instinctive fear and aversion was felt simultaneously.
Like a cloud carried by the wind, it slowly stopped swimming in the air. He knew it by instinct. Its gaze was on Yugeon and Heeseong. Did this thing recognize the two boys struggling on a bridge that collapsed a long time ago... It was too much of a guess.
"Ah, euh, heu, eu..."
Heeseong's legs loosened and collapsed on the floor. He couldn't even scream out of overwhelming fear, muttering like a madman.
"Why... Why? Why me again?"
Yugeon clenched his teeth and forced his cold limbs to move. Heeseong's mouth had to be shut. They seemed to have already been discovered, but there was nothing good about attracting its attention any longer.
"Why in the world... Keoheog!"
Then something unexpected happened. With a shriek, Heeseong's eyes fell sharply back, revealing only the whites. He foamed at his mouth and collapsed on the spot.
"What's that matter? Are you okay?"
Heeseong, who had fallen to the floor and trembled convulsively, suddenly stood up. Then he waved his arms around with a scream.
"Ugh...!"
Yugeon's forearm was cut long by the reckless attack. The thick hem of the garment was cut and his bare skin ripped apart. No matter how competent he was, guides never had combat power. Likewise, although Heeseong was the weakest F-class among the Awakened, he was superior to the general public. There was nothing he could do as he too was caught off guard.
Attacks followed close to a struggle. Yugeon leaned against the wall and sat down as if collapsed. He couldn't feel his legs either, maybe he had cut a muscle or a nerve.
"Eurgh!"
Heeseong, who was crying in agony, suddenly bowed his head and vomited blood. That wasn't enough, he banged his head against the wall and scratched himself. He looked as if he was going crazy because he couldn't stand the pain within. He staggered out of the alley as if he were running away.
It was a typical rampage symptom. Rampage symptoms in Awakened people appeared in those who had just manifested their powers, or those who had not been guided for a long time and were on the verge of madness. The former was the most fortunate case, since the Awakened were still immature in their abilities, so they could calm them down easily. The latter, however, was the worst case. The Awakened, who lost their reason and already squeezed out all their remaining lives, became much stronger than usual. The guides had to risk their lives to approach and try guiding, or they had to attack and subdue them with the determination to kill them altogether.
But it was strange. Heeseong had been an Awakened for over a decade and it wasn't that he had not received guiding for a long time. But why did he suddenly go wild like he did 13 years ago? Panic after reuniting with the monster that killed his parents in the past?
"Where did that sound just come from?"
"This way."
He could feel their presence from outside of the alley. The others seemed to have come after hearing the noise. A sound like a growling beast leaked out of Heeseong's teeth. The Hunters were getting closer and closer.
"No..."
Yugeon muttered like a moan. But the body didn't listen. Blood gushed out from the deeply cut leg.
"This is Baek Heeseong's spot. Hey! Hunter Baek. What's there?"
"No wonder we can't even see a mutant nose. Apparently they all flocked to this place."
"I think they're fighting."
Yugeon stopped breathing for a moment. Everything seemed slow because of the extreme tension. Beepā¦ A long tinnitus filled his ears.
Heeseong moved like a broken marionette. Familiar Hunters appeared around the corner. The first thing he saw was the face of the Leader with a lot of frowns. As usual, he opened his mouth immediately to question Heeseong. However, there was no way that Heeseong, who had gone insane, could hear those words. Panting and staring at his colleagues with unfocused eyes, he swung his sharpened hands...
Kwajik! Hot blood spewed like a fountain in the air. At that moment, like a black and white silent movie, the world sank and shattered into pieces. As if the unmute button was pressed, the terrible noises rushed in all at once.
"Hey, dude, wake up!"
"What are you doing... Ugh!"
A round, heavy thing fell from where it was originally attached. Thump, thump. The head of the leader, who was neatly cut from the top of his neck, was thrown onto the cold asphalt floor. Someone else's blood splashed on his face, which he couldn't even close his eyes. An arm flew away and a leg was cut off. Heeseong was also covered in blood from the attacks pouring in from all directions. Desperate screams rang through the air.
Yugeon leaned against the wall with his clenched fist and barely pulled himself up. Before he knew it, the shape that was floating in the night sky disappeared without a trace. It was exactly like that 13 years ago. The wide bridge was smashed in its entirety and caused a disturbance, then disappeared in an instant. As if it was done.
Just a little while ago he was talking with his brother. He still had to apologize for being harsh, and persuade him to finish this job well and return home safelyā¦ but a ball of fire rose from the inside of his stomach. You took my parents away, my normal life, and now you're going to take my brother too? And just like back then, you're going to disappear again as if nothing happened?
"Help me..."
"Gasp!"
"Stop that bastard. Stop him!"
With trembling hands, Yugeon pulled out the gun he was wearing on the holster. Even in the midst of this, his body moved steadily based on the countless battle experiences he had accumulated. He raised his gun and aimed it straight ahead. But he didn't know who to shoot. Hunters running at his brother with the determination to kill? Or the older brother who was running around crazy and hurting people?
He was also afraid of losing Heeseong as much as Heeseong was afraid of being abandoned by him. It was so, so scary to lose the only family left.
"Help me! God damn it, someone help me!"
Someone had gone mad. Yugeon's fingers, which were hardened like stones, suddenly moved. He moved his gun slowly to aim at the target. And he tightened the index finger hanging on the trigger.
A faint movement was felt from the gate beyond the alley. The sound of greedy croaking of the throat, the sound of crawling on the ground with its multiple legs, and the sound of saliva dripping from the snout full of fangs. It was unfamiliar and so familiar at the same time. It was the sound of a mutant, the old enemy of mankind, climbing out of a dark pit in search of prey. The faces of the Hunters, who were busy blocking Heeseong, turned blue.
The chaos unfolded once again. It was literally hell. The Hunter and the prey were reversed. Those who hunted monsters were now merely prey that were hunted helplessly.
An insect-type mutant whose entire body was covered with a hard shell and a blade-like splinter on its front feet. It wasn't much different from what was predicted in advance. If only everyone had straightened up their ranks and responded calmly, they would not have been hit so unilaterally. But now there were variables. Due to Heeseong's rampage, the hunting power was considerably reduced. Almost everyone was in a state of panic.
"Lord, I don't want to die, ah, I don't want to...!"
"Argh!"
There were very few who were prepared for battle and kept their positions. They were all caught up in extreme fear and were busy running away in a hurry. Drenched in their own or other people's blood, abandoning all their cherished weapons and equipment.
"....."
Yugeon stopped still in his position, still pointing his gun, and then slid his hand down. His head was screaming that he should go to save Heeseong immediately and protect him at the risk of his life... but the body did not move.
He saw the dark sky without a single starlight, and the earth that had become a haunted circle. A deep despair swelled up from his ankles to his neck. He was engulfed in the bloody scent that smeared like night mist, and it was only then that he realized it.
Here was...
He was in the middle of a deep, deep abyss that can never be escaped.
Taang! The bullet hit the mutant's forehead, which was approaching him with its black eyes shining. It succeeded in damaging the hard hide covering the whole body, but did not penetrate the brain. Yugeon clenched his teeth and took a stance again. The wound from Heeseong's scratch still hadn't stopped bleeding and he was already light-headed. But as far as aiming, it was accurate without a single point of shaking.
This time, one shot in the mouth. Dark, thick blood spurted out. The mutant struggled, wriggling with several legs. The sordid streets lined with abandoned factories have become even more terrible. Blood was splattered like graffiti on the dull concrete walls, and the bodies of the mutants and Hunters were scattered everywhere like illegal waste. Among them, the black gate stood with its mouth wide open.
"Keeg!"
A strange sound, like a leaking wind, came from the mutant's throat. Its airway seemed to have been torn. But he still couldn't rest assured. Not only were they extremely difficult to kill with a common weapon, but they often came alive even if they cut their heads and split their stomachs.
The magazine was empty from the previous shot. Without hesitation, Yugeon gave up the attack and turned around. Heeseong was lying on the ground, covered in blood. Dozens of Hunters attacked him indiscriminately, so the rampage was finally stopped, but his condition was very bad. His whole body was full of wounds, and his limbs, which had used excessive force, convulsed from time to time. Yugeon supported his arm across his shoulder. The weight was put on his injured leg, making him stumble.
"Ugh..."
They had to hide before the enemy came after them again. He took Heeseong and went into the alley around the narrow, winding corner. Just until they were sure they would be able to avoid the enemy's attention for the time being. He took a heavy breath and laid Heeseong on the flat ground. And he himself sat leaning against the half-collapsed wall. However, there was no time to rest. There was something more urgent.
"Hyung, are you okay? Can you hear me?"
"....."
There was no reply from Heeseong. Breathing was slowing down little by little. It was dangerous. The principle was to subdue the rampaging Awakened and take them to the hospital as soon as possible. Even with such prompt action, the survival rate was not high. Even if they were lucky enough to survive, the aftereffects remained and their bodies and minds were left damaged permanently.
"Please, please....."
Yugeon knelt down in front of Heeseong and hurriedly took off his bulletproof vest. The lock was soaked in blood and did not open well, so he had to tear it in half. His hands trembled terribly, making mistakes several times. He brushed his hair several times in vain. He lowered his body and hugged his unconscious brother. Do your best, so that your hearts are touching together. The blood from Heeseong's wounds soaked all over Yugeon's clothes.
"You can't die. Wake up. Wake up."
Yugeon murmured raptly as if he had gone mad. Unlike his usual blunt way of speaking, his voice shook pitifully.
"Is it because I didn't know what to say? I made you feel bad... I was wrong. Hyung, I'm sorry about everything. So please."
He tried desperately to guide. Just like that time when he was holding onto his unconscious brother on a broken bridge. But even that didn't work out. It was because Heeseong was dying. Guiding was a means of calming the abnormally sharp senses and maximizing the body's natural ability to recover. It was only a catalyst for healing, it could not be the healing itself.
"Kieeg!"
The roar of the mutant was heard. It was wounded and full of tantrums. He expected that it would catch up with them sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to be this fast.
"....."
Yugeon bowed his head and clenched his teeth. His breathing, which had been shaky as if he was about to cry at any moment, gradually subsided. He slowly rose to his feet, clutching his trembling hands. Between his messy bangs, darkly sunken eyes appeared.
The ammunition he was equipped with was already used up. The gun had become useless. Now all he had left was a small knife, about half the length of a blade. But he couldn't just run away. There's his older brother who's losing his breath just behind him.
Even though guides had no fighting power, if you were prepared to die and rushed in, you could at least get rid of one mutant. How many years had he been rolling on this floor? Once he made up his mind, his head cooled down surprisingly quickly. Soon, over the half-crushed telephone pole, the hideous body of the mutant appeared. The mantis-like monster found its prey and howled with joy. It was then.
Kuung. The world distorted.The air became heavy and it became difficult to breathe. Shapeless hands seemed to squeeze his lungs. A moan that had not yet come out was ringing in the back of his throat.
The very first thing that happened was the insect-type mutant in front of him. The hard skin that did not break no matter how many times he shot was crushed. It was as easy as crumpling an empty aluminum can. Then, the sound of joints being shattered and digestive organs being crushed in the body was heard. Ppagag, Ttug, Wageujag. Several legs twisted in different directions. Its whole body was trampled all over and it floundered like crazy.
"Kkig! Kieg! Kkeueug..."
The screams of the mutant died down along the way. He couldn't even make a sound. And finally. Peoeog! The head with antennae couldn't overcome the pressure and burst out without a shape. Brain matter and body fluids spread to a few meters in a radius, as if someone dropped a watermelon from a considerable height. Skin fragments and flesh were mixed with the purple body fluid.
In the place where the mutant died, there was only a miserable silence. Yugeon remained motionless and hardened in his place. His fingertips and toes were icy cold as if they were immersed in ice water. How long had it been?
Then the sound of footsteps broke through the terrible silence. It was the sound of hard-soled shoes or walkers.
A strange man appeared from beyond the cold darkness. He slouched across the chaotic alley. One step, and another. Following his steps, the street lamps broke. The cars left unattended on the side of the road crumbled. The dead bodies of the mutants were squashed again. The Hunters, whom he didn't know whether they were unconscious or not, were no exception.
The sound of the crushing of human and monster bodies rang out one after another. The man gracefully passed between them, as if he were a conductor savoring the harmony of the orchestra. It was an unrealistic sight. He then came to a standstill. It was a distance where his expression could not be seen clearly from where Yugeon was. A precarious breath leaked out of his lips.
The man was unusually tall. He was dressed neatly like an heir to a chaebol family or a successful entrepreneur at a young age, but under the dress shirt, there must be a body that had been trained by many battles. However, he didn't feel rough at all, perhaps because his face was like a rose made out of glass.
He stretched out his gloved hands and pointed upwards. To the clear dark night sky.
"Did you see it?"
It was a nonsensical question that cut back and forth. On the subject of the horrific massacre just before that, the voice was perfectly smooth.
"....."
Yugeon remained silent without lowering his vigilance. The man tilted his head slightly as if waiting for his answer. His disheveled hair trickled down his forehead. His hair was also a rare color. A color that looked like it had been dried over a long winter night, a mixture of dull brown and dull gold. If he had to define it, it was ash gray. But where could someone find this splendid ash gray color?
"Are you going to keep your mouth shut?"
"....."
"That's the perfect character to earn a living."
The man lowered his eyes. It was quite a theatrical gesture. With that small change in expression, there was a surprisingly bleak atmosphere.
"You don't want to talk? What can I do for you then? If that person's head is blown off, will you be more than willing to answer?"
He spoke as if he was contemplating whether to kill a bug by stepping on or not. He couldn't be more sincere, and he was fully capable of doing so. Cold sweat was forming in his hands.
Yugeon closed his eyes tightly. Unidentified mutant that he encountered when he was young, Heeseong's sudden rampage, rumors of an S-class coming, and the strange man in front of him. Fragments of information wandered dizzyingly in his darkened vision. Did his injured leg not only spill blood but also the ability to think? His head was not working properly. Everything was terribly confusing. He finally opened his eyes and asked briefly.
"What do you mean?"
"Old calamity."
"Calamity..."
Yugeon repeated his words in a daze. It was a metaphor that would have been difficult for him to understand, who had always used direct and crude speech. But somehow he understood.
"If you're talking about that big mutant that was floating in the sky, it suddenly appeared and then suddenly disappeared. And..."
He talked like he was bewitched. But soon forcefully shut his mouth. He shouldn't talk to him any more. Go, run away, instinct was warning.
The opponent was not normal. He didn't know when he was far away, but he could tell now when he saw him up close. The whites in his eyes were red with ruptured blood vessels, and his pupils fluttered intermittently to and fro. The white skin visible through the shirt sleeves and the inside of the collar was tinged with blood. It was not an external wound, but the internal injury spreading to the surface of the skin.
Carnivorous plants attract prey with their colorful appearance and sweet scent. Charm and madness are two sides of the same coin. That man was dangerous. Much more than the mutants that were after Yugeon and Heeseong.
"Ah... ha."
The man who kept watching Yugeon tenaciously laughed. Like an angel who fell in the middle of the ruins. His eyes glistened with dangerous light.
"Did you see that?"
Yugeon recoiled reflexively. He had never felt so regretful for not bringing a spare magazine with him.
"He saw it. How can you be okay? Was there another S-class in this country that I didn't know about?"
The man approached, asking softly. Yugeon put the fallen Heeseong behind his back and stepped back, hiding him from the man's gaze. A large stainless steel column collapsed in the middle of the alley, blocking the two of them. The man moved forward nonchalantly without even looking at it. The column crumpled on its own and was slammed into a wall in the distance.
"You don't feel anything like that."
His eyes staring intently at Yugeon were like a television screen messed up from statics, trying to keep the focus on him.
"But you also don't seem like a normal person."
A hard object caught Yugeon's foot. A gun was thrown away at random. It seemed like another Hunter was equipped. They probably lost it while they were running away, or dropped it while they were dying. It was either one of them. He focused on the gun at his feet without taking his eyes off the man. His back was tingling with tension. He had to wait, even for a brief opening.
"I see. You are a guide."
Yugeon didn't miss the chance. He kicked the gun with his tiptoe and grabbed it quickly. He could barely feel the weight in his hand. Fortunately, it was not empty. He skillfully fixed his gun and aimed it straight ahead.
"A guide with a gun. I'll shoot you if you come any closer."
He didn't think any S-class would get easily shot by a gun. However, no matter how powerful he was, he was still basically a human being made up of blood, flesh, and bones. If there was a hole in the heart or brain, he would definitely die.
"Scary."
He didn't bat an eyelid even though the gun was aimed at the center of his forehead. He smiled brightly and raised both hands half-heartedly.
"But why is the guide with a gun here? And without a leash. What if someone takes you away?"
Instead of answering, there was a click from the gun. Yugeon was already half pulling the trigger.
"I don't have a hobby of picking up things that have fallen on the street. It's because there's a lot of stuff like this just thrown away... I'm starting to get a little greedy."
Even after hearing those words, Yugeon didn't budge. When to shoot? Could he even land a hit? Even if he did, would he even get hurt? That was all he could think of. His hair moved gently. It was a quiet alleyway with no wind blowing at all.
"......."
Yugeon stiffened and rolled his eyes to the side. His hair was moving at will. An invisible force gently swept his disheveled hair. His hair was kept short so there was no way it could stuck in his ear.
Recognizing the oddness, the strength in his legs loosened in surprise. Yugeon staggered back in place and sat down. The pain that he had forgotten spread from his injured leg. The man laughed out loud as if he were going to die of fun.
"Surprised? I was joking."
He narrowed the distance between them. A shadow cast over Yugeon.
"I came here a little late, and the situation was over. So I thought it was a waste of time again."
He fumbled on the floor and grabbed the gun again. Just as the trigger was pulled, the man put his palm on the gun barrel. If it were an ordinary person, the palm, no, the whole hand would have been blown away. But it didn't.
"Shouldn't I make it worthwhile?"
He smiled with his eyes and took the gun from his hand. The alloy barrel was crushed with the bullets inside. Yugeon, who lost his means of resistance in an instant, licked his lips in disbelief, dazed.
The man took off the leather gloves that were tightly wrapped around his hands. The bare hands exposed below were as white and straight as the face. A large hand clutched Yugeon's neck and pressed him to the ground. The shock on the back of his head came suddenly. His vision dyed black and then quickly came back.
"Ugh!"
Sparks flew out from where they touched. The energy inside his body was sucked into the other person. When guiding Heeseong, Yugeon always had to pay attention. He was a full tank and Heeseong was a small glass. He had to pour the glass carefully in a strong and steady stream so that the water did not overflow and the glass did not fall over. This man, on the other hand, was a desert. A vast, barren land that had not rained for a long time. A drop of water spilled by mistake was swallowed up in an instant and without a trace.
It still was not enough. A little more, more. Until the guide stopped breathing and even the body dried up. Until all this hateful thirst was gone. Vicious longing ran through the blood vessels of his whole body. This was not guiding. It was too one-sided to be called a guiding. It was violence and extortion. He couldn't imagine how hungry the man must have been if it was just from touching his neck.
Yugeon shook his head like crazy and struggled. He grabbed hold of the strong forearm that was strangling his neck and scratched as hard as he could, while kicking the man on the top of him with his feet. But the man didn't even budge. One arm wrapped around his waist and hugged him while he was strangling his neck with the other. The veins on the back of his hand stood out clearly. At first glance, from a distance, they might have looked like lovers fervently rolling around in the middle of the ruins.
"Ah... Ugh."
A moan escaped from the man. Yugeon barely managed to open his eyes. The man's face was visible through his eyes brimming with tears. His cheeks were dyed red and his eyes lit up like stars. His eyelashes trembled as he lowered them.
With that ecstatic appearance in front of his nose, Yugeon struggled hard again. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out of his throat. His eyes were blurry, ears deaf. Despair of not being able to escape no matter how much he resisted engulfed his whole body.
"I don't know it was this crazy because I never had a guide. I never really understood the guys who were crazy about you guides..."
He relaxed the grip on his neck. The air suddenly rushed in.
"Kulleog! Keog, haa, heog!"
Yugeon, who was released from the restraint, sprawled out on the ground. He heard a low laugh in his ear.
"I think I will get hard from this."
"You... crazy, bastard."
"You have to use pretty words."
"......."
"Doesn't it hurt your pride that you are only getting an F-class cock for that ability? Does rank no longer matter as long as you are getting fucked?"
"Shut up."
"Is that guy that good? His face though, it's quite... unfortunate."
The man looked back at Heeseong, who collapsed long ago, and shrugged his shoulders. Yugeon's eyes caught on fire.
"Shut your mouth!"
"Didn't I just tell you not to say mean things?"
He frowned slightly. It was a tone like he was trying to persuade a small child. It sounded like a mockery because it was soft and unbecoming. Yugeon looked up at him blankly, and ferociously twisted his face.
Seeing this expression made him very happy. There was no such thing before. How could he only show up now? He held Yugeon tightly and looked affectionately into his eyes. He gently swept his messy black hair and clasped his chin. It became more unbearable. He overlapped their lips without giving the other person a chance to react. He firmly fixed his head, which was trying to bend down albeit weakly, and squeezed through his lips. The wet tongue dug in and persistently sucked the inside flesh. There was a faint taste of blood as if the wound around his mouth had burst again.
Yugeon, who was mesmerized, came to his senses. The moment he realized what he was going through, his eyes reddened.
"Uh, heueup!"
He hurriedly reached out his arm and tried to push the man's chest, but he did not budge. This time, he grabbed the collar of his shirt. A couple of buttons were ripped off by Yugeon's hand. He tried to grab him by the collar, but it didn't work either. The man laughed, ringing in the back of his throat, and pressed their lips together even more ferociously.
He was very persistent. He sucked his tongue until his cheeks were hollow, then bit his lower lip. He also poked his tongue on the soft roof of his mouth, stinging. The man's weight was loaded between his open legs, making it difficult for him to breathe. It was just a kiss, but Yugeon felt like he was being stabbed to the depths of his body. The hallucinations lingered in his mind, as body fluids were exchanged through the moist, pale pink mucous membranes.
Little by little, the bruises visible through the open collar of the shirt disappeared. It was like looking at an upside-down replay of ink seeping into paper. The man's injuries were healing in seconds just from being guided. He was appalled. Was this what they were talking about when they said ādon't think of S-classes as humansā?
As soon as the lips fell off after a long indulgement, a fist flew straight from Yugeon. The man grabbed his wrist to block the attack. This time, he pulled out the knife from his waist and tried to attack again, but his opponent mercilessly pressed down his injured thigh. A handful of blood gushed out over the torn pants. Yugeon shuddered and swallowed a groan.
"Eurgh..."
"I told you to say only pretty things. But you didn't listen. So I can't help but to block that pretty mouth because I will get angry."
Yugeon glared at his opponent without being discouraged even though both his wrists were caught on the ground. His scarred eyes frowned, and his breath escaped through his wet lips. His wrists felt like they were going to break at any moment, but he didn't show the slightest bit of pain.
Most guides usually fell into two categories. Cursing their situation and falling into self-pity, or trying to get the Awakened people under their feet as if their guiding ability was a government post. But this young man was neither the former nor the latter. So it was refreshing. In the first place, it was ridiculous to see a guide on the battlefield. As much as the king of the chessboard was on the front line side by side with the pawns.
The king who had left the throne should be given a suitable weapon. It was no fun reaching a checkmate too easily.
"Almuten."
The man lowered himself and whispered in Yugeon's ear.
"It's the name of the calamity you are facing."
He let go of the wrists he was holding onto. But Yugeon did nothing. He could only gasp with his eyes half-closed, already losing focus. Until now, he had only been enduring without backing down.
"He'll come back for you one day. They never let go of prey once they see it."
He sat up, wiping the blood from his lips with the tip of his tongue. It was a simple attitude as if he had never rushed in. All the objectives that have come this far have been achieved. No, he had achieved far more than he expected. There was no more reason to waste his time in this dirty alley.
"We'll see each other again soon."
"That, heu, what does it..."
"Hello, guide with a gun. Next time, I hope you feed me something other than bullets."
The man turned around and left. The sound of footsteps gradually faded away. Only his last words lingered in his ear. The sound of sirens and helicopters could be heard faintly in the distance. The Awakening Management Headquarters seemed to have finally arrived. In any case, those damn Espers never came on time. Sometimes it was good and sometimes it was bad, the current situation, however, was the latter.
Yugeon slowly closed his eyes. His whole body ached as if he were stuck under a boulder, and he felt chilled to his bones since he lost a lot of blood. He couldn't think of anything anymore. Even his brother unconscious next to him. Soon, his consciousness went black.
[1] Dante Aligieri, New Songs: Hell, Park Sang-jin, Minumsa, 2007.