Part 1 Chapter 5 (11)

The dizzying dawn of May 2nd, when one of the research buildings in the Daejeon Research Complex was annihilated.

From Saturday morning, New Seoul was in chaos. Emergency disaster texts rang incessantly, and all magic tools temporarily went haywire due to the aftermath of the battle.

The chaos intensified as Gwanggeom, who held all the keys, offered no answers and secluded himself.

Rumors even circulated that President Seonui Cheol visited the Association and requested a private meeting with Gwanggeom.

Is Gwanggeom the type of person to blow up a building while drunk? No. However, neither the Association nor the government had a way to make Gwanggeom speak.

The Association was in an uproar. Ten heroes who returned alive from Seoul immediately declared their withdrawal from the Association. Furthermore, Kang Soyeon, a non-ability user supporter, went missing.

Great chaos. If they could at least say they fought an unknown enemy and drove them away, it would be reassuring, but Gwanggeom remained silent.

– This, isn’t New Seoul unstable now?

It had already been five days since Gwanggeom went into seclusion, May 6th.

Seonui Cheol extensively promoted a meeting with Seoul residents to quell their anxieties. The government and the Association dispatched personnel to ascertain the survival of 60,000 Seoul residents.

And on May 7th, 09:00 AM. Finally, representatives from Seoul and New Seoul met at S University.

Haneulseong, no, Ryu Cheon-seong, who was known to be dead but actually remained in Seoul and gathered people underground.

Jang Hujeong, who was finally promoted to Minister from his perpetual position as Vice Minister of the Monster Countermeasures Department.

The morning of the 7th began with the scene of the two shaking hands in Gwanak.

* * *

May 7th, 10:00 AM, Azure Syndicate Hideout.

– Yes. With the help of James Lee, a Korean-American, I created an underground city so that you, the residents of Seoul, could survive underground. Although the quality of life was not as good as before, we always had faith that the government would rescue us and….

“That man, he really seems like a politician. How can he just spout lies so smoothly in front of the camera?”

Gaeul shook her head with a dumbfounded expression. Deokbae, who had been quiet, pointed out.

“You act perfectly fine in front of the camera too.”

“Hey, Jo Deokbae-ssi. I act for a living, but that man is supposed to tell the truth to the public, isn’t he?”

“As long as the listener feels good, that’s all that matters.”

“So, if Seonui Cheol’s words make everyone feel good, then they’re good?”

Gaeul threw a fit. While Yooishin was the one who took her life, Seonui Cheol was the one who gave the order. Deokbae tapped the armrest of the chair with his hand.

“That’s not what I’m talking about right now.”

“What do you mean ‘not’? I died because of Seonui Cheol. Ah, seriously. Why did I vote for someone like that?”

“Still, Seonui Cheol did do some things well, didn’t he?”

Jihwa interjected. She already knew well about Seonui Cheol’s actions since becoming president. At the ambiguous gazes from the two fixed on her, Jihwa waved her hand.

“Ah, I’m not defending Seonui Cheol! It’s just… when the Pyongyang incident happened and the president blew up the Han River bridge, he actually handled it well, didn’t he? Otherwise, the country would have really been ruined.”

“…No. Even if it wasn’t Seonui Cheol, someone would have definitely handled it.”

“Anyway, Seonui Cheol is our enemy now. Isn’t he?”

At Gaeul and Deokbae’s counter-questions, Jihwa became depressed again. Feeling her shoulders slump, Deokbae scratched his cheek.

“But do you like Seonui Cheol?”

“No. I’m not interested anymore. I just used to trust him a bit, but now….”

“Why are people without voting rights talking about politics? Monstrous humans can’t even register their residency.”

Phoenix appeared, dragging his slippers. Gaeul’s eyes narrowed.

“What? Where did Architect go?”

“I sent them to get an interview. Don’t worry. They’re not going anywhere today.”

After Phoenix secretly visited Daejeon, the three took turns accompanying Phoenix.

During the day, they handled various complaints in Seoul with Haneulseong, and in the afternoon, they rebuilt buildings with Architect.

In the evening, they all together eradicated the remaining monster remnants in southern Seoul, and at night, they slept in bed, wrapped up by Cheon Gaeul’s tentacles like gimbap.

They decided to keep watch so that he wouldn’t go anywhere alone again.

Deokbae and Jihwa, who were restricted by orders, were excluded, and Haneulseong and Architect, being human, kept watch during the day.

And at night, Cheon Gaeul kept watch. Even though he was a monstrous human, Phoenix used the emotional debt he felt towards her, and because she threatened to cry uglily if he wasn’t with her, Phoenix slept with Cheon Gaeul.

Today was the day people from outside were coming, so everyone was busy. Cheon Gaeul asked with suspicious eyes.

“Really?”

“Yes. There’s also someone I’m supposed to meet.”

“Who?”

The tip of the tentacle sharpened. With an intensity that seemed ready to stab at any moment, Phoenix leisurely pointed at the screen.

“There they are.”

On the screen, those who visited from the government and the Association were lined up. People who came with a quota of 30 through previous negotiations.

Nearly 10 of the government officials, including Jang Hujeong, were people who came along for administrative tasks. There seemed to be a few more, but Gaeul’s eyes were drawn more to the heroes behind them.

“Ah.”

A small elite unit consisting of 13 A-ranks and 2 S-ranks. Lee Seung-hyung, looking pale, caught Gaeul’s eye.

Deokbae exclaimed.

“They’ve brought a nuclear bomb. Didn’t you get the list beforehand? Can Haneulseong handle all of them alone?”

“It’s fine because we’re facing them not as villains but as former members of the National Assembly. They probably don’t want to fight anyway.”

“What if they want to fight?”

“Then the number of hostages will just increase.”

At Phoenix’s nonchalant words, Deokbae nodded, seemingly satisfied. Jihwa still fretted, calculating the enemy’s strength, and Gaeul remained silent.

Phoenix observed Gaeul’s state.

“You can go say hello.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. Gaeul-ssi probably needs to sort things out emotionally with them. Shall I go with you?”

“…No, I won’t go.”

Gaeul gave up on meeting Lee Seung-hyung. There were several reasons, but most of all, Phoenix weighed on her mind.

Though he was pretending to be cool, he was surely hoping she wouldn’t go inside. Gaeul steeled herself.

Beep. An alarm rang on Phoenix’s smartwatch.

“Ah, they’re here.”

Phoenix snapped his fingers and changed his clothes. Dressed in the priestly robes he most often wore, Phoenix pointed to the hideout and spoke to the three.

“Anyway, monstrous humans, listen carefully. Don’t come out and get caught by the S-ranks and cause trouble. Never leave this Barrier. Understood?”

“Alright.”

“Understood.”

Deokbae and Jihwa’s eyes turned to Gaeul. Phoenix also fixed his gaze as if urging an answer. Gaeul nodded with a sour expression.

“Got it.”

Phoenix smiled at that and left the hotel. The three quietly turned their eyes to the broadcast video on the screen in the lounge.

“…Surely he’s not going to pick a fight, is he?”

“Of course not. Everyone will be watching, so he won’t do something crazy like that anymore. …Probably.”

Deokbae trembled his leg in anxiety. One could be subdued with a single finger, and the other had already experienced defeat.

But for a moment, he wondered if Phoenix might just go ahead and do it. Gaeul denied Deokbae’s suspicion.

“…No. If he was going to fight, he would have fought already.”

“Indeed, he can’t start a dogfight with two S-ranks in the middle of Dongjak. Look at Guro. It’s completely destroyed.”

“Then wouldn’t Architect really commit suicide?”

“They absolutely can’t, can they? If they do, he’ll revive them as a monstrous human. Definitely.”

Jihwa and Deokbae exchanged words. Gaeul fell into thought with an anxious expression.

“So, who is the person he’s supposed to meet?”

The monstrous humans fell silent.

“…Lee Seung-hyung?”

Deokbae offered his opinion first. Jihwa tilted her head.

“Why? Since he fought Seolhwa Princess, wouldn’t he be concerned about Seolhwa Princess?”

“…Is that so?”

Deokbae tried hard to hide his true feelings, which had aged him ten years. The bomb embedded in Lee Seung-hyung’s heart was a secret he couldn’t tell anyone.

“…Maybe he wants to see both?”

Gaeul cautiously stated her opinion.

“Since he’s already had a dispute with Gwanggeom, he’s probably thinking about what to do with the other two S-ranks.”

“That could be. …Huh?”

Jihwa was surprised as she looked at the group on the screen.

“Yuseongga’s wild child?”

“Who’s that?”

When Deokbae asked, Jihwa brought up another screen and played a different broadcast video. Panelists on an economic news channel were exchanging words.

[…In that sense, what do you think it means that Director Eun Yuha of Yuseongga has joined the special envoy?]

[It’s social experience. Her brothers work so hard, so isn’t it that she came out after being nagged not to just play at home every day?]

[Can you really speak so carelessly?]

[What problem could there be? The whole world knows that Director Eun Yuha is a wild child. Look at this.]

The panelist on TV pointed to the drink box Eun Yuha was holding. It contained four types of drinks, taken out from a cafe of a Yuseong affiliate.

[Is this a picnic? Did she go to play? I really feel sorry for Yuseong….]

“A straw hat, a dress, just…”

Jihwa shook her head repeatedly. She already knew about Eun Yuha, the Yuseongga’s wild child’s eccentric behavior, but she didn’t know she was that immature. Deokbae pointed at Eun Yuha and asked.

“How old is she? Is she young?”

“She was born in ’99. The cursed generation.”

On December 25, 1999, when the first seven dimensional gates appeared. Countless people worldwide lost their lives to the pouring monsters.

Consequently, the following year, 2000, saw so few children born that the birth rate was only 30% compared to the year before.

And even among those, there were cases of death.

The world called them the cursed generation.

Children who faced disaster before they even grew up after being born. The mortality rate of newborns in ’99 soared, and the birth rate of newborns in ’00 crawled along the bottom.

Deokbae clicked his tongue as he watched the fleeting video.

“She’s one year older than Seolhwa Princess and she’s like that? Seriously. Some are already pillars of the nation, while others are a mess. …What are you looking at so intently?”

“Ah. It’s nothing. Just…”

When Deokbae asked, Gaeul crossed her arms. Tapping her forearm with her hand, she looked extremely anxious.

“Nah. It can’t be.”

The coffee box in Eun Yuha’s hand. Among the four drinks, a pink, sparkling strawberry shake particularly stood out.

* * *

The City Hall of Dongjak-gu. While government officials and heroes greeted Seoul residents in the building Architect had rebuilt, Seok Harang was at a loss due to her predicament.

“Unnie, I told you, you really shouldn’t just go out alone in places like this!”

“It’s fine. Who would pay attention to me?”

Eun Yuha spread her arms and laughed. Just as she said, no one in Seoul paid attention to Eun Yuha. Instead, whispering sounds reached Seok Harang’s ears.

– I wish that wild child would just die….

– Why did God make someone like that the youngest daughter of Yuseong…?

“Those bastards…!”

Seok Harang rolled up her sleeves, about to rush forward, but Eun Yuha shook her head.

“It’s fine. Just leave them. If people knew the truth, they’d only be shocked, wouldn’t they? That all my brothers are dead and I’m the only one left of the Yuseong bloodline.”

“…How long are you going to hide it?”

At Seok Harang’s question, Eun Yuha merely smiled.

“Well, I don’t know what will happen, kid, though it’s fine for now. Jaemin oppa is over 35 now, so he keeps getting introductions and it’s driving him crazy. Even the government and the Association keep pressuring Jaemin oppa.”

“About what?”

Eun Yuha pointed at Seok Harang.

“To marry him to you.”

“What idiotic nonsense. …Ahem! That’s not going to happen! That’s like telling me to marry unnie!”

Eun Yuha shrugged at the fuming Seok Harang.

“My oppa had a good personality, didn’t he? And a lot of assets. Though he’s dead now.”

“…No, it’s not that I dislike Eun Jaemin-ssi. Where is it that people of the same gender marry? Unnie, if the person you love is a woman, would you marry her then?”

“…….”

Eun Yuha closed her mouth. At her uncharacteristic frown, Seok Harang was startled.

“H-hold on, really?”

“Harang-a.”

“Yeah.”

Seok Harang swallowed. For some reason, Eun Yuha’s steps, as she passed the main road and entered an alley, seemed even solemn.

“Don’t ever tell anyone about this. Understood?”

Eun Yuha winked and put her index finger to her lips. Seok Harang was greatly shocked and froze in place.

“……Wow, that’s seriously creepy.”

Seok Harang carefully hugged herself.

Inside the alley, Eun Yuha pushed open a firmly closed door.

“Hello….”

The blue-haired girl who greeted Eun Yuha, Phoenix, hardened her expression. Eun Yuha lifted the drinks in her hand and smiled refreshingly.

“First, I didn’t know what you’d like, so I prepared the top 4 best-selling drinks. What do you like?”

Eun Yuha. The wild child who had been secluded in the Yuseong family residence, stepped foot in Seoul herself, not as a doll but in her true form.