episode_0023

23.

Rooftop of Korea University Hospital.

Baek Min-ho stood on the rooftop railing.

“Yes, you’re coming up? It’s midnight. What are you doing at this hour calling a busy person?”

-I’m sorry, but I need to help you for a moment.

I held the smartphone at an angle with my head and shoulders.

“What can I help you with?”

-It’s a medical issue.

“I have provided all the necessary surgical and internal medicine support related to the major.”

-It’s not my problem.

“Yes, then who?”

-Lee Seong-han.

“Ah.”

Baek Min-ho let out a sigh.

I was so surprised when I got the call. I arrived in a rush in an ambulance from the university hospital.

I don’t know the full details.

Because I came in such a hurry.

Baek Min-ho thought it was because of the gate.

There have been a lot of gates opened recently. That’s true.

Moreover, the VIP youth was not even a little bit in trouble. He only had some bruises, contusions, and scars.

The woman was the problem.

“Did you say your name was Kang Jin-young?”

Your life was in danger.

Even who was it?

She was Kang Mi-young’s younger sister.

If you can’t survive, you’re a loser. I’ve been observing Kang Mi-young’s personality for a long time.

“Should we hire more staff?”

“Pour it all out! Raise the survival rate as much as possible!”

That’s why I managed it with all my heart.

There are still no signs of waking up, but fortunately, his condition has improved.

‘The problem was after that.’

Personnel were assigned to each organization.

Kang Mi-young’s side is the Hunter Management Bureau.

Kang Jin-young is a ghost company of the National Intelligence Service.

-“This fact must not be discovered. Hunter Bureau. Are you doing your job properly?”

-“That’s what we have to say. We’ve been hit hard by the security failure! What are we going to do?”

-“What? Are you done talking?!”

-“Okay, I’m done talking. What are you going to do!”

Actually, Baek Min-ho also wanted to bring up the security issue this time.

-Where?

“It’s the rooftop. The password is… ….”

-Okay. I’ll go right away.

Just as Baek Min-ho was finishing smoking a pack of cigarettes, the rooftop door opened.

“It’s been a while, Major. Are you looking unwell?”

“Don’t skip the conversation.”

“That’s what I was thinking. I want to say something good again, but I’m sorry I can’t.”

Where should I start?

Baek Min-ho stubbed out his freshly lit cigarette with his shoe.

When something is important, it is resolved seriously.

“First of all, your younger sibling will have difficulty moving. For the time being.”

“How much?”

“As with all mana shocks, it doesn’t last long. About 3 days? It’s because of my special constitution.”

Baek Min-ho put both arms into his pockets.

“What are the statuses of the two people?”

“The treatment procedure has begun. As the Major said, it will be quiet for a few days.”

“Thank goodness.”

“I, that’s not a relieved expression.”

Do you really need to say that?

A glaring gaze.

Baek Min-ho, who was overcome by the passion, stepped down.

“Lee Seong-han. That guy was different from the start, so there was no need to do anything.”

Baek Min-ho shrugged his shoulders and then turned his body as if something had flashed.

“That’s right. That guy’s arm─”

“Eight?”

“I almost flew away. Is there any other way?”

“Other measures.”

Kang Mi-young suddenly becomes quiet. You can’t even hear her breathing.

“Excuse me, Major. This is my personal opinion, but do you really need to drag that guy around when you’re so busy with construction?”

“Are you dissatisfied?”

Kang Mi-young’s face remained silent for a moment.

He was frowning a lot.

As if he heard something he shouldn’t have heard.

It’s not for nothing that I’m dragging you around.

Because it’s hard to solve everything by yourself.

You must train your successor in advance.

There are few people as talented as Kang Mi-young.

Even if there was a sprout, there was no answer once the country was established.

“I know what you’re thinking. You must be anxious because you can’t eat right now. I can see it clearly, clearly.”

I don’t know about that.

It might be taken away.

They say that the enemy within is the scariest, but Kang Mi-young experienced it firsthand.

I never thought that my younger brother, with whom I had maintained a peaceful relationship, would be such a scapegoat.

She trembled with betrayal.

“It will be hard to move in that state. I don’t know if it would be okay to take a strong medicine.”

[Kang Mi-young’s ‘Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)’ is triggered.]

“Is that so.”

Kang Mi-young’s breathing.

It became strangely steep.

A face that looks as if it is filled with guilt.

She was the one who lowered her head.

‘Why are you suddenly like that?’

Wasn’t it Kang Mi-young, originally known for being cold-hearted? She’s a woman who takes seriously the rumor that coolant flows through her veins instead of blood.

Something felt strange today.

“Thank you. It was a great help.”

“No, I’m busy with work too. I’ll contact you when I wake up.”

“Okay.”

Kang Mi-young carefully goes down the rooftop stairs.

I took a few hurried steps and then crouched down.

The red pupils were dark, as if they had been discolored.

‘I did it. By hitting his head… But I didn’t believe it. It was definitely the puppeteer.’

[Kang Mi-young’s ‘delusion of victimization’ is triggered.]

She closed her eyes.

There was no one in the world I could trust.

* * *

It’s an unfamiliar ceiling.

White tiled ceiling.

[『Global Quest』]

[You have been re-enlisted unintentionally. Build up your performance and be discharged.]

“… Damn, it’s still there.”

Lee Seong-han felt like he had woken up from a hangover. The pungent smell of disinfectant. It was definitely a disease. It wasn’t a dream.

What if it was a dream?

He must have woken up at home, not here. Lee Seonghan carefully shook his head.

Boom.

The sound of bones clinking filled the air. Another empty single room. I could sleep quietly.

“Ahhh.”

My neck is also sore.

My back is aching.

I feel like I had a nightmare.

Ding ding.

The sliding door opened and the doctor came in.

1 person.

The meddlesome attitude was familiar.

It was Baek Min-ho.

“I’m a doctor, doctor! Oh my, look at this! Where are you touching!”

“Sorry, but identity verification is required first─”

“Where are you from? Security!!”

Baek Min-ho briefly argued with the sentry and then walked over.

“Ah, you’re awake. I showed you something bad. Welcome to Korea University. How are you feeling?”

“Korea University?”

“The Armed Forces Capital Hospital is temporarily being used together as it needs to go through normalization work.”

Korea University.

It is the best university in Korea.

A prestigious university recognized worldwide.

Why are you in a place like that?

“You’re hurt.”

“Ah.”

Hunter Association.

The events that took place there overlap sequentially.

Yeah, I met Kang Mi-young at the end.

I don’t remember anything after that.

It was easy to figure out the answer to the conjecture.

You can just ask him directly.

“Your Majesty. You’re awake.”

They say even a tiger will come if you call it.

Now was the time for S-class pile drivers to arrive.

Lee Seong-han saluted with a straight posture.

“Loyalty!”

“Right.”

“Sigh.”

“I’m sorry I’m late, I’ve been busy with official business while you were away. Can you spare some of your time?”

* * *

Lee Seong-han put on his coat and walked out unsteadily.

Reception room on the first floor of Korea University Hospital.

It was a space created for entertaining VIPs, but today, Kang Mi-young rented it out.

“Sit down. Sorry for coming so early.”

“It’s okay·····.”

Lee Seong-han’s condition had already improved.

The speech was ordinary, and the conversation was ordinary.

Except for the bandage on his head.

“Can you tell me in detail what happened there? ”

Lee Seong-han explained in sequence the events that occurred at the Hunter Association.

The puppeteer appears.

Fake association president.

The truth about tower climbing.

Incompetence of the South Korean government.

And their escape plan after the tower collapses.

“I don’t know which one to believe.”He added a lament.

Kang Mi-young scanned Lee Seong-han’s scarred limbs.

“······You’re hurt. That damn bitch Kang Jin-young did something stupid.”

Being in the military sucks.

Kang Mi-young knew it too.

Does that mean I should escape abroad?

It’s impossible.

The Awakened had no choice.

Every day when I woke up, I thought I’d rather die.

But Kang Mi-young.

She also has people to hold accountable.

“Your Majesty, I will judge the severity of this matter and handle it myself. I promise to arrest the puppeteer.”

Kang Mi-young spoke calmly and twisted her body.

As if he had something to say.

“Besides, you have a promotion test coming up soon, right?”

“Promotion test? Wasn’t it supposed to be a promotion when the time came?”

“What are you talking about? You have to take a promotion test to be called a proper Awakened One.”

The explanation was this.

An Awakened person who has completed his military service appropriate to his rank?

You have to take a promotion test.

At this time, as a prerequisite, you must obtain a hunter’s license.

There are several benefits to being promoted.

The global deadline is reduced.

Benefit from various public services.

Lee Seong-han, who had been listening intently, nodded as if to say that it wasn’t bad.

“I’ll be back to work soon.”

“Yes.”

“How about getting your equipment in order first?”

Equipment? Lee Seong-han was lost in thought for a moment. He had only been properly equipped when he enlisted.

I swept away every penny I had, whether I had it or not.

“Is my equipment that bad?”

Lee Seong-han took a sip of barley tea.

An item found in the VIP reception room. It was delicious and refreshing.

“I will add the cost of the equipment. It is natural for a senior to invest in capable people.”

Content that really catches the eye.

I felt that Lee Seong-han was not bad either.

‘It’s definitely better than not paying at all.’

It is a world where even non-awakened people can use good equipment as long as they have money.

“The equipment you are currently using has accumulated fatigue due to long-term use. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes.”

Lee Seonghan searched through all the equipment he had brought and found a greatsword.

A dagger made by grinding a magic stone.

It is a commercial product distributed to the public.

The price is reasonable too.

Isn’t that the magic stone that can even pierce through steel?

The cutting power was also excellent.

“If you need advice from a superior regarding equipment, I can go with you. How about it?”

Kang Mi-young, who had been speaking well, paused for a moment.

“Ugh, ugh!”

He blushed and waved his hand.

“Ah! Of course I’m not forcing you!”

“Is that so?”

“I will have to fully respect your wishes. If it is burdensome, I apologize in advance.”

“… Is it burdensome to hang out with an old lady like me?”

“No!”

“Ugh. I guess I was being rude. I hope you don’t think it’s weird.”

“The Major is pretty and talented. Any man would like her. Hehe.”

“Ugh.”

Kang Mi-young turned her head.

“Be moderate in your flattery.”

His pupils were dim. His breathing was ragged. Did he feel pain or something?

Good intentions cannot be packaged differently.

The intention must be clearly stated.

“Please come with me. I can trust you, Major.”

What could possibly happen?

…

…

…

“It turns out that the saying that if you hit your head, it will return to its original state is true.”

‘yes?’

Exactly three days later.

Lee Seong-han was attacked by Kang Mi-young.