Chapter 299 - Seoul (7)
Seoul (7)
Jung Won-sik was an Awakened who’d cleared the Tutorial, but he didn’t think of himself as an Awakened.
Born and raised in a well-off family, he had no intention of risking his life to fight against the monsters. It was the same when the Tutorial invited him. Naturally, he chose the Easy difficulty level.
It had already been a few years since the Tutorial began, and the Easy Difficulty level’s attack had improved significantly.
Jung Won-sik targeted the Tutorial’s floors without much difficulty. In addition, he was promised a monetary reward outside and got support and advice from top challengers.
It wasn’t dangerous to enter the Easy Difficulty level, especially with perfect attack equipment that was used even by the Hard difficulty level challengers.
Although the Tutorial wasn’t that social at the time, people still met.
Easy difficulty had many challengers, similar to Normal difficulty level, so I would often meet people in the waiting room.
For those people, Jung Won-sik was the object of envy.
His safety was unconditionally secured on the stage, where all sorts of dangers lurked, and after he cleared the stage, he sliced steak and ate it while others nibbled on jerky in the waiting room.
Naturally, people flocked around him. People wanted to target stages with him.
Even if it was a stage where solo play was required, people used Jung Won-sik’s attack to target it.
In such a life, Jung Won-sik was as pleased as anyone could be.
Jung Won-sik, born with a golden spoon, was used to winning people’s favor easily. He liked hogging the spotlight.
Along with the special situation made by the Tutorial’s existence, Jung Won-sik felt as if he had become a hero in a fairy tale.
After finishing the Tutorial, Jung Won-sik’s life became even better. He came out on Earth and didn’t live as an Awakened.
He continued living a wealthy life as he had before entering the Tutorial. There was only one difference.
Jung Won-sik had a powerful and young body compared to ordinary people. In a world where accidents sometimes occurred due to monsters, he had a great advantage.
Above all, he had a sense of superiority, believing he was different from others. He was satisfied with his powerful individuality.
Usually, by making use of such abilities, people received attention. He drew envy from the world and enjoyed it: money, power, popularity, and high social status.
Everybody thought he was untouchable, and he enjoyed himself.
Jung Won-sik was very satisfied with his life, but he was also worried. Traces of past anxiety and fear lingered in his mind.
He made an unforgettable mistake when he just began the Tutorial.
[Jung Won-sik, 33rd floor: Even so, aren’t you a loser? There’s no chance of you clearing the Hell difficulty level anyway. Why do you all like him so much?]
It was just a childish comment. Someone else was getting attention, and Jung Won-sik was jealous that the person was considered powerful by everyone.
[Lee Ho-jae, 60th floor: I’ll remember your name. I don’t know how many years it’ll take, but once I’m out, I’ll find you.]
Jung Won-sik didn’t think much when he had first seen the message. There were too many violent people whom he had met before.
The problem was the flood of messages after that.
[Jung Gi-joon, 51st floor: Get your hands off the message window right now and step back. One finger of yours will disappear after each passing moment.]
[Goo Dae-ho, 53rd floor: LOL]
[Lee Won-il, 17th floor: You’re in Easy Difficulty, right? It hasn’t been long since you arrived, has it?]
The people who were chatting with Jun Won-sik sent him personal messages. The content implied that Jung Won-sik had f*cked up.
He was worried because he thought he made a big mistake at that moment.
[Lee Joon-suk, 90th floor: Phew… ]
[Park Jung-ah, 90th floor: No, don’t bother touching someone who’s getting better.]
[Lee Chul-min, 98th floor: I came here because I heard there was a person here who wanted to kill himself in the worst way possible.]
Jung Won-sik lost contact with all the Hard difficulty challengers he knew, but he saw Lee Ho-jae as a mere challenger.
After looking back at the old writings in the community, he was sure that Lee Ho-jae, the challenger, was a real nutcase.
Immediately, Jung Won-sik clung to Park Jung-ah, the head of the Order of Vigilance. He begged her to let him know how to relieve his anger somehow and asked her to make them reconcile.
He was brushed off.
He then contacted Kim Min-hyuk, the deputy head, but the only thing that came back was that he couldn’t help him. They also asked him not to contact them as much as possible because they did not want to be involved.
After all other attempts failed, there was only one way left for Jung Won-sik.
He soothed himself. He tried to forget his mistake, reassuring himself that it would be impossible for Ho-jae to clear Hell difficulty.
Unfortunately, his mistake was not forgotten.
Lee Ho-jae proved his presence by always stinging Jung Won-sik like a thorn set firmly in his heart.
While eating, he lost his appetite, and sometimes he couldn’t sleep a wink even though he was lying down in bed.
While he was having fun, he thought of Lee Ho-jae and his mood became worse.
Days passed and even years, and it had slowly reduced.
Just when he thought his memory was fading. “He came out… He really came out…”
When Lee Ho-jae appeared at Seoul Station, Jung Won-sik held his face and groaned quietly.
While he was thinking about how to get through this, Seoul Station exploded. Jung Won-sik looked at the television for a moment, feeling puzzled, then took out his cell phone and dialed.
“Secretary Kim, please find me a ship to China.”
He was ready to go abroad. It’d be great if that monster didn’t remember him, but if he did, Jung Won-sik had to hide. If he was not allowed to hide, he would use his status as an Awakened to move to another country.
He packed up his things while making plans. Night approached, and he was about to go to bed, anticipating his journey that would take place the next day.
At that moment, a split appeared in the air.
The face he had seen on TV a little while ago walked out of thin air, a sight that he couldn’t believe. The man coming out had a broad smile on his face.
“I told you I was coming, you b*stard.”
* * *
“Stand up straight,” I said to the shivering b*stards.
Why can’t they even stand on their hands?
“Don’t shake, keep your legs straight.”
Damn it. I was supposed to beat them up.
I couldn’t even touch them because I was afraid they’d die if I hit them.
“Wasn’t it seven? Why are there only four now?” Hochi asked from the side.
“Three are dead.”
It’s a pity. As an Awakened, there were cases of death in battle. Why’d you have to die? Y’all should have stayed alive until I came out.
While scolding the four, Kim Min-hyuk, who had been to the guild in Seoul, returned.
Kim Min-hyuk looked at me, then at the four people standing on their hands. He asked in a puzzled voice, “What is this?”
“They’re the ones you gave me the addresses of earlier.”
“…You already caught them?”
Of course. I could get their location in 5 seconds by searching the Internet. What a good world this was.
Kim Min-hyuk shook his head, turned away from the four, and headed for the kitchen. He seemed to be retrieving the snacks in advance.
“Ughh…”
While we were talking, one made a strange noise and fell down. Huh, you can’t bear a half-hour handstand?
“Are you an Awakened?”
It was not a matter of will. They couldn’t resist my order to do a handstand. So if they really collapsed, it meant their arms didn’t have any strength left and couldn’t support their body.
“Let me see, you… Seventh, Jung Won-sik?”
“Yes, that’s right. Actually, I tried to contact you several times, but…”
When Jung Won-sik was physically unable to maintain his handstand position, he began to talk, as if he had escaped the punishment of doing a handstand. He seemed to have asked for a lot of help here and there.
Kim Min-hyuk’s name was also mentioned. Kim Min-hyuk’s shoulders flinched as he did something in the kitchen.
But he should contact me if he wanted to make up, why bother Kim Min-hyuk? I didn’t get it.
Contrary to what he was saying, I grinned broadly. I made them sit back.
“Okay. Everybody’s reflecting, right?”
Four people nodded eagerly.
I spoke in a calm voice like a kindergarten teacher would to a child. “Then from now on, don’t blabber without thinking. What you say without thinking can hurt others. I was hurt, but I let it go. I’m a merciful person you see.”
I heard Hochi say, “Don’t spout such nonsense,” but I ignored him.
“Now, since I’m done with self-reflection and punishment, I should let you go back home, right?”
Maybe because I was speaking with a smile, there was a glimmer of hope in the eyes of the four.
Ah. I think I can understand why the God of Hope goes around talking at moments like these.
“Then, time to go back home.”
I clapped my hands. The shadows of the four rose and devoured their hosts.
The four men screamed as they were swallowed up by the shadow, but soon got overpowered and sank under the shadow.
“…Are you sure you sent them home?”
“That’s right. They’ll arrive in about a month.”
Though for them, it’d be as long as three years.
I let out a chuckle. “Did you like it?”
“Uhuh. Good. I’m happy. I’m extremely happy. It’s thrilling! It’s the best! Hah!”
A ten-year-old burden had been lifted off, and I threw myself on the sofa with joy.
“Hah. I loved it.”
The pleasure I received from taking revenge on those b*stards was much larger than returning to Earth.
It was refreshing. I’d been waiting for this moment for so long. I waited for this day, imagining it over and over again. I wanted to bully them myself, but they were too weak for that.
If you die easily, to whom will I show my love?
So I let them experience the same thing as me at the time.
Let them hang in there for three years without any information, no promise of when it would end.
If you come out of your right mind, I’ll admit my fault. See you in a month.
The revenge wasn’t over yet.
“Crazy man.”
That’s too harsh, haha.
Hochi commented while looking at the pages of the comic book he was reading. “You’re a hundred times worse than the villains out here.”
“I know. I feel the same.”
I acknowledged it. I don’t know what kind of villains there were, but I was a bad guy.
“Why bother the weak? Poor things.”
“Hey, what does weakness matter? It has nothing to do with being strong and weak. They pissed a person off, so they’re paying for it. I’m fair to everyone.”
Hochi shook his head, clicking his tongue. “No wonder you’re a lunatic that’s been targeted by the gods.”
* * *
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
I was in a happy mood, sitting face to face with Hochi on the sofa, when a strange situation occurred in part of Pyongyang.
One sign of life had disappeared.
“Nothing. I think Yong-yong overdid it.”
“What do you mean?” asked Kim Min-hyuk, who had been quiet.
I sent Grandma just in case anything happened, but it’s too bad.
“I think the G-class in Pyongyang is dead.”
Seoul (7) Finished