Chapter 44 (2/2)

“Why are you sure that he is Kim Su-hyeun?” the director asked.

“I am not sure. But just… he said he is Kim Su-hyeun.”

Lee Ju-ho hid Su-hyeun’s identity and found a compromise point to persuade the director.

Kim Su-hyeun was a name that no one could ignore among the awakener of recent years. The name had a special meaning as well as a mystery. He was the world’s only 10-level trial challenger. It would be understandable, that he got this information in some special way, during his trial. At least, it would be better than Lee Ju-ho to make up a lie. Whether it worked or not, the director seemed to be thinking for a moment.

And soon, the director opened his mouth. “No.”

“Sir!” Lee Ju-ho’s voice rose for the first time.

Even he mentioned Su-hyeun, the director still denied it. Even after Lee Ju-ho’s response, the director shook his head as he reconfirmed his decision.

“It is hard to believe what you just said. Even if the source of information is Kim Su-hyeun, we don’t know if we can trust him. The information may be wrong.”

“But still! You should not play a gamble with the lives of so many people!”

“I am the one who listened to you and made decisions. I’m responsible for that decision. So, if your information is wrong, I’m responsible for it too. Can you take responsibility for that?”

Lee Ju-ho gritted his teeth at the director’s words. In the end, it meant that he would not act because he was afraid of responsibility. For the director, even if Lee Ju-ho ‘s words were true, there was no problem. Citizens would die, but it would be an unexpected and difficult situation to cope with, like natural disasters. He wouldn’t have to take responsibility.

But what if he evacuated citizens as Lee Ju Ho’s requested, but then what would happen if the dungeon didn’t appear? The responsibility of putting the people into fear with false facts would follow. And that would be the responsibility of the director, not Lee Ju-ho. Lee Ju-ho was not in a position to take such a responsibility.

“So… Are you going to gamble with the lives of the citizens?” Lee Ju-ho asked.

“What do you mean gambling?”

“You left the safety of the people behind to avoid the responsibility now. If… If what I said happens, will you pretend you never heard this?”

“That is not what I meant. Do you have to think awry like that?”

“That is what it is!”

Thump, thump—

Slam—!

Lee Ju-ho approached the director and hit the desk with his fist. The desk was cracked and the documents on it fell. The director frowned at his anger.

“You are so upset now. I will pretend I didn’t hear that.”

The director glanced at Kim Do-ui next to him. His glance meant to let Lee Ju-ho go quickly. Kim do-ui sighed and took Lee Ju-ho out of the room. He regretted following the director’s orders.

“That is what happened.” Lee Ju-ho looked very angry as he was finishing the story.

His red face looked like it would almost explode soon. The director’s decision showed nothing but negligence and disregard for the safety of citizens to avoid responsibility. However, Su-hyeun, who asked him to talk with the director, didn’t seem very upset.

“Yeah, he is that kind of man. Whew…” Su-hyeun sighed deeply.

He looked resigned rather than upset. Lee Ju-ho looked at Su-hyeun curiously.

“Do you know the director?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“The way you said that sounds like you know him very well…”

Of course, Su-hyeun knew what the director of the Awakeners Accreditation Authority was like. Perhaps not many people knew him as well as Su-hyeun.

“I had lots of bad experiences,” he thought.

The director was always just like this. He was full of fear of his responsibility, and he was indifferent to the safety and security of others. As a position to be responsible for the safety of many people, Su-hyeun thought he was the worst person. So, he didn’t expect much. But there would be a chance. That was why he asked Lee Ju-ho to talk with him. But the result was as he expected. Since he expected the result of this, he was not upset.

“Are you okay?” Lee Ju-ho asked.

“What do you mean?”

“That I mentioned you.”

“Well, that is—”

Su-hyeun didn’t think it was a big problem. Lee Ju-ho had tried to persuade the director in his way. Rather than getting angry, it was something to be thankful for.

“—okay. Anyway, getting help from the Authority won’t be an option anymore.”

“What will you do now? It will be hard to get other awakeners’ help that day. Many people will be gathered in Ansan to attack the dungeon in there.”

It was unfortunate. If there were more awakeners, even the damage would be great, but hundreds of thousands of people would not die. At that time, so many people had died. It was one of the worst disasters that Su-hyeun remembered. And…

“I was there,” he thought.

This disaster happened when Su-hyeun just started as an awakener. He was not mobilized in the green dungeon that day. Instead, he mobilized in that disaster. And he had to see with his own eyes that many people dying on the spot. And he had no power to stop that.

“It is different…this time.”

Unlike the time when he had just started to awaken, he had power now. It would be different. Remembering the future and being empowered made that difference.

“If the Authority won’t help,” Su-hyeun said in a low voice, as he had planned anyway, “I guess I will do it by myself somehow.”

Lee Ju-ho thought Su-hyeun said nonsense. He felt embarrassed, so he asked him, “…What? By yourself?”

“Yes,” Su-hyeun who thought he might not hear well, replied clearly, “By myself.”