Chapter 33 (1/2)

Episode 3: Age of Ghosts / Chapter 33: Break Time (1)

TL: emptycube

Edited: Obelisk

“Did you hear? They say people came out from Kangdong District!”

“Really? Are they okay?”

“Search for their pictures. They are so savage.”

“Just what happened… Holy s.h.i.+t. They have swords and armor…”

“Whoa… They say that people came out from Seongbuk District and Mapo District too. Just what happened inside?”

“That we don’t know…”

“Then I wonder if the missing military will come back?”

“I don’t know… f.u.c.k, I just wish all this ends quickly. No one is able to do anything and the world is becoming a mess.”

Choi Hyuk was completely exhausted but due to Baek Seoin’s Intuition, they were able to escape without difficulty.

As soon as they escaped from Kangdong District, a message appeared.

[After a 3-day break, your mission will begin.]

To be happy about having a break or to despair at the fact that they had another mission…

“Ah, what. There’s more?”

Lee Jinhee, who was sort of hoping that everything would end after they escaped Kangdong District, kicked the ground in irritation.

“Of course. Do you think they gave us this power for nothing? They probably gave it to us because there’s some reason.”

Said Baek Seoin as if it was obvious, however, his voice couldn’t help but contain a bit of disappointment.

Chu Youngjin didn’t say a word.

The scene of the city in front of them… was unfamiliar.

“This place is fine.”

Stated Baek Seoin. Choi Hyuk nodded.

“Really…”

When Choi Hyuk scanned the city, he couldn’t help but think that perhaps his mother was okay after all.

“Uhh? He’s…”

“The King without Subjects.”

As Choi Hyuk’s group exited the transparent wall, the people nearby started to murmur. Choi Hyuk’s group had escaped a day later than the others. It was partly due to the fact that they started late and also because they had to take a longer path to avoid monsters.

“I don’t see any policemen or soldiers.”

Baek Seoin was right. They didn’t see any military power that could maintain order. At least, the fire department seemed to have taken that role. However, they weren’t able to properly control the situation. There was no way that civilians without any firearms could face warriors who had karma. Even if they tried to investigate what had actually happened, the survivors would get p.i.s.sed off if they didn’t receive food, clothes, living quarters and other things.

The kings of each group had gone to a meeting with the president last night and hadn’t come out yet.

“Jung Minji’s words might actually be right.”

Choi Hyuk recalled Jung Minji’s speculation that the police and military might be on their own mission. Just where were they and what were they doing? It could even be that the mission they would receive after the break would have something to do with them.

Thinking about it, Choi Hyuk felt bad. It was expected. For Jung Minji  to die and for her death to be so unpleasant.

When Chu Youngjin first told him that Jung Minji might have died, Choi Hyuk felt his mind go blank.

He was indifferent about the deaths of others until now. He didn’t really feel sad. Perhaps his indifference was because he didn’t think others as his equal which was why their deaths never heavily impacted him emotionally.

While the annihilation of the suicide squad did send ripples in his heart, he was more dispirited than sad. An ‘everyone is so weak…’ loneliness.

But, Jung Minji’s death was different. He couldn’t believe it and when he heard it, he was really shocked. It was because Choi Hyuk had accepted her as his equal. It wasn’t because she was good at fighting but because she was strong as a person.

She was able to see things that he couldn’t see and was able to move people in ways he couldn’t. When he cooperated with her, Choi Hyuk felt his back was covered. For her to have died in vain, Choi Hyuk felt sad. He had thought that he would be able to continue to cooperate with her in the future…

However, Choi Hyuk hurriedly forgot about his sadness. As there were much more pressing matters.

“What you all going to do?”

Choi Hyuk asked them…

“I don’t have anywhere to go.”

Baek Seoin’s reply.

“I’m going to come back after seeing my mom.”

Lee Jinhee.

“… I have nowhere to go.”

Chu Youngjin.

Choi Hyuk nodded his head and said.

“I have to go somewhere so I’ll be back. Let’s meet back here tomorrow or the day after.”

“Where are you going?”

“To find my mom. At Seongbuk District.”

“Ah…”

Baek Seoin wordless grabbed Choi Hyuk’s shoulder, hoping for the best.

The group went on the main road between the tents. It became noisier where they pa.s.sed. People who were walking hurriedly made way. Public officials who watched this tilted their heads in curiosity.

Choi Hyuk occasionally felt fear and anxiety in the people’s gazes.

‘Yeah, you guys probably have a guilty conscience.’

However, he decided not to care about it now. His mother was first.

Choi Hyuk separated from his comrades and kicked the ground.

Bang!

With a single leap, he was able to jump tens of meters.

“He got even stronger…”

Said someone with a terrified expression.

“Wha.. What the!”

The spectating public officials had lost sight of Choi Hyuk and were looking around frantically. In their eyes, it looked like Choi Hyuk had just vanished.

When he arrived at Hyehwa Station, he kicked the ground.

Cras.h.!.+

The ground exploded. The surrounding people freaked out as they moved back but Choi Hyuk didn’t have the time to care about them.

“f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.ds…”

On his way to Hyehwa, he was quite happy. The city was quite unscathed and the hope that his mother was still alive inflated in his chest.

However, when he arrived at Seongbuk District, he felt suffocated. A transparent wall. It was the same as the one he saw in Kangdong District. It meant one thing – his mother had to partic.i.p.ate in the survival game.

It felt like his stomach was being sc.r.a.ped with a blade. Would he even be able to find any news about her? Would she have died without leaving any traces?

His imagination went off and Choi Hyuk was about to go crazy.

He frantically looked for someone and asked.

“Have you seen someone called Choi Miyeon? She’s in her mid-forties.”

When he spoke her name, a bitter taste rose to his mouth. His mother who had cared for him as a single mother. This was why Choi Hyuk used his mother’s last name instead of his father’s without anyone’s knowledge.

The person who shared his last name. His only family. Even while he said her name, he was already partly in despair.

However, he received an unexpected reply.

“Choi Miyeon… Choi Miyeon? Huh? Where have I heard about her? Choi Miyeon… mid-forties… Ah! Are you talking about the saintess?”

This was the reply of the first person he asked.

If there was the Guardian Bae Jinman of Kangdong District, then there was the Saintess Choi Miyeon of Seongbuk District.

Choi Hyuk was able to find news about his mother without much difficulty.

A [Ring of Rebirth] had appeared in Choi Miyeon’s office.

“a.s.sistant Manager Kang… please come up.”

Lee Kyungsoo, who was a new recruit, called out to a.s.sistant Manager Kang. Though a.s.sistant Manager Kang would beat and push Lee Kyungsoo around in and out of the company, physically, he was no match for the new recruit.

While Lee Kyungsoo was over 180cm tall and a martial artist who had practiced kickboxing since young, a.s.sistant Manager Kang was a clumsy person who had just barely exceed 160cm and had no history of playing any sports.