Chapter 90.2

Chapter 90 (Continued)

In a terrible state or already deceased.

He must have endured hellish times crossing the beast-ridden wilderness to return to the city.

There was no way his mind could be in good shape.

‘Who’s worrying about whom here?’

So, I decided to be considerate of him as well.

“What were you talking about…?” asked Baek-seo.

“Nothing at all,” Do-il replied nonchalantly.

I returned to my seat beside Baek-seo.

“So, what happened to Master…?”

“It wasn’t anything special. That idiot couldn’t gauge his own limits and pushed himself too far. Thanks to him, I ended up like this,” Do-il said, pointing to the bandage around his left eye.

“Well, it was bound to happen. Still, living as long as we have is already something.”

According to the last report I saw, the recovery rate of explorers’ bodies was 0.09%. Even that was usually because a comrade brought them back by chance, making actual recovery nearly impossible.

Given the low survival rate, it’s hard to know if an explorer is dead or alive, so they have a ten-year re-certification system.

If they don’t re-certify within ten years, there’s a three-year grace period.

After those three years, they’re declared missing and presumed dead.

The day I first sought out my master was when he came to re-certify.

“What’s your current tier?”

“I’m at the sixth tier now.”

“Wow, I knew it. Woo-jin, you were always a genius. I’ve never seen someone with magic as pure as yours!”

We talked about recent events and shared stories about my master.

If it weren’t a funeral, it would have seemed like an ordinary conversation between people who hadn’t met in a long time.

Despite knowing each other’s feelings, we pretended not to, making it a strangely considerate situation.

“What a… miserable end,” Do-il said, lost in memories.

Just then, a young couple arrived to pay their respects.

A guy with fiery red hair slicked back.

He walked with a confident stride, sunglasses on his face, hands in his pockets like a thug.

Trailing behind him was a girl with sky-blue twin-tails, her expression icy.

“Who are they? Hold on.”

Do-il quickly went back to the condolence room. It seemed he didn’t recognize them.

“……?”

I didn’t know them either.

Could they be people connected to my master?

They stood in the condolence room, silently staring at my master’s portrait, but they didn’t bow. Were they Christians?

‘No…. What is this?’

They didn’t even lower their heads.

The guy, after staring at my master’s portrait, glanced at Do-il.

Then he smirked as if he found something pathetic.

For a moment, I wondered if I had seen it wrong because his disdain was so blatant.

Do-il seemed to feel the same, his face blank with confusion before hardening.

“Who are you guys?”

“We just heard Kim Man-seok was dead and came to see. So, he’s finally gone.”

“……?”

The guy pushed his sunglasses up onto his forehead, grinning provocatively.

“Oh, beef stew! Let’s go get some beef stew.”

“Okay.”

They moved to the dining area, briefly glancing at Baek-seo and me as they passed.

The atmosphere grew tense, and I could feel the hostility in the air. Baek-seo also seemed displeased.

The old humanity guests shot murderous glances at the newcomers.

However, either oblivious or indifferent, the guy happily ate his beef stew.

He ate with such relish, it looked like he was filming a mukbang.

“Man, this is why I love coming to funerals! One more bowl, please!”

The guy cheerfully raised his bowl towards the server. The girl silently chewed on some boiled pork.

Do-il looked at them in disbelief.

The student server, sensing the tension, broke into a cold sweat.

A heavy silence filled the room.

When the server brought more stew, the guy thanked him loudly and then scanned the room.

“Hmm?”

The guy noticed the hostile glares directed at him.

His face twisted with irritation, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

“What are you looking at, punks?”

A blatant provocation.

“You disrespectful brat, do you know where you are!?”

One of the mourners shouted, and the guy’s lips curled into a smirk.

“I wanted to see this bastard dead. I have my reasons for being here. You think only your feelings matter? I came here because I wanted to, so mind your own business.”

Swish!

“Whoa?”

Do-il swiftly approached and pressed a knife to the guy’s neck. The guy was startled but then smirked, impressed.

“Brother, keep it down. You’re being loud.”

“Oh, right. My bad.”

The girl’s admonishment was met with a smooth response from the guy. They seemed uninterested in Do-il’s drawn knife.

“Who the hell are you two? What’s your relationship with Man-seok?”

Do-il’s voice was deadly serious. The guy pondered and replied.

“Nothing special. Just someone we knew.”

“……?”

“Kim Man-seok…. He was one of those old-timers who opposed the Neo Seoul system, wasn’t he? He was pretty famous.”

The Neo Seoul system has many issues.

Like the factory conditions I experienced in my infancy, it often ignored the constitutional rights of its citizens.

Criticism was always present, and my master was one of those who voiced it.

As a prominent figure among the old humanity, his opinions carried weight.

“He was a loudmouthed old man. He annoyed me. But seeing him go out like this! I had to see it for myself.”

The guy pointed at the portrait with his spoon.

The mourners’ faces twisted with anger.

“This city is making so much progress for humanity! But that idiot had to stick his nose in it! Hilarious, isn’t it!?”

“Brother, you’re hurting my ears. Be quiet.”

Before I knew it, my feet had moved.

I grabbed the back of the guy’s head.

“Huh? Ack!”

Bang!!

I slammed his head down hard.

His head smashed into the beef stew, breaking the table, and hitting the floor. A scream escaped from him.

Once more, I lifted his head and slammed it down.

Bang!!

“Have you said your piece?”

My voice was chillingly calm.

The girl, presumably his sister, quietly chewed her boiled pork, only glancing at us.

“Ha! This kid’s got spirit…!”

Despite the skin on his head tearing from my grip, the guy forced himself to look up. He had considerable strength.

“What are you?”

The guy asked, his face smeared with beef stew broth and bits of food, a twisted smile on his face. His veins were bulging with rage.

At least he seemed willing to fight back.

Good.

I was already losing my patience.

“Disciplinary Committee. I’m detaining you for insulting the deceased, public disorder, and obstruction of duties.”

If he’s going to provoke recklessly, I’ll respond accordingly.