Chapter 44 – Chain of Outrages (7)

Back at the motel after resolving the incident.

There had been an invitation from P to have a drink, but I wasn’t in the mood, so I entered the room ahead of time. There was a computer in the motel room, but I gave it a mere glance before lying down on the bed and passing an hour or two on my phone.

Sansuyu, who had been closely watching my phone, dozed off with her head leaning on my shoulder. Shiba, who had been crying for attention and playtime, eventually quieted down as well.

– Tick tock tick tock.

In a room where only the clock made noise.

As I sporadically replied to texts from Dal-rae and Se-Young, a thought crossed my mind, and I rose from my spot, stepping outside the room. I lumbered out and took a deep breath of fresh air.

The cool morning breeze was surprisingly pleasant.

“Are you here?”

I heard a sudden remark. Without even looking at the face, I responded nonchalantly.

“Aren’t you Heaven?”

“Now you can tell without even seeing the face.”
“How could I forget the voice of someone who showed me their naked body and then ran away?”
“Ha, what running away?”

Cheondo silently approached me and stood by my side. She then casually glanced up at me with an emotionless expression.
A pack of cigarettes was held in her hand.

“Want one?”

I continued to look at my phone. Cheondo kept gazing up at me, and with her arms crossed, she softly spoke.

“Your emotions are in turmoil. What happened today?”

She’s quick to notice.
I removed my mask and extended my hand.

“…Give me one, please.”

Cheondo’s white hand met mine. A lighter and a single cigarette. I placed it in my mouth and exhaled smoke.

“Do you want to hear about it?”

I nodded.

“Sometimes you have days like that. You look at someone else and it feels like your own past is overlapping with theirs. That’s why it’s a lonely day for no reason.”

It’s not a grand story.

“Just, seeing a child who lost their parents reminded me of the past.”
“Hmm… Were you parentless?”
“You’re quite direct. Not exactly. I received more than enough love. I’m not someone who deserves pity.”

– Hoo-wook.

My mouth was dry from smoking.
The potent, bitter taste wasn’t unpleasant.

“It happened when I was young. My father killed a man.”

He probably doesn’t exist in this world.
I continued, thinking of the man who might still be alive in another timeline.

“The dead man’s daughter and son were my friends.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, well. I’ve been perceptive in unusual situations since I was young, so I could tell right away.”

I know because I’ve witnessed it dozens of times.

“I’ve seen more than a hundred times how quickly a child who lost their parents crumbles.”

I’m not particularly empathetic.

Rather, if the circumstances do not align properly, one might commit a crime at any moment. Such was the case for Lee Se-young.

“More than experiencing being beaten, I’ve witnessed more people I know crying to their deaths.”

A mental illness accompanied by depression. Abnormal symptoms brought on by stress.

These afflictions constrict the underdeveloped body and mind, ultimately leading to the demise of the innocent.

I closed my eyes, recalling the white chrysanthemum placed at the desk of my first elementary school partner.

My father had been the worst kind of person.

“Perhaps that’s why, strangely enough, when I see children, I feel compelled to care for them. If I were to have a son or daughter, I’d want to show them only the good things in life—unlike my father.”

A child who had been powerless to act eventually learned guilt as they grew older.

This case was no different. Had I not known that the enchanted creature could never revert to its wooden form, I would have been unable to kill that man.

“But I’m a bad person too, so isn’t it absurd that I’m thinking like this? Am I a hypocrite?”

Cheondo stood silently and listened to my story.
I felt an indescribable sense of remorse.
It’s incredibly rude to dwell on one’s past and grumble.

Emotional trash can.

Listening to others’ unpleasant stories is a difficult and painful task in itself.

“I’m sorry for bringing this up.”
“No, I’m actually the one who should apologize for mentioning it first. Can you hand me a lighter?”

I offered the lighter to Cheondo. She put a cigarette in her mouth and flicked her finger to ignite the lighter. No flame appeared.

“Seems like it’s out of gas.”
“Is that so? Then come here.”

I tilted my head. The two cigarettes touched each other.

“…What are you doing?”
“Inhale. Let the flame spread.”
“…….”

Cheondo stood silently, then slowly inhaled with her head held high. She could feel the air stirring beyond the cigarette.

*Hoo-wook.*

“What an absurd person.”

Cheondo’s petulant face remained emotionless.

‘Did I use magic?’

The result was the same, so it didn’t matter. I smirked.

“So why are you here? To encourage your apprentice? There’s no real need for that.”
“What nonsense. I just came to let you know that I granted your request.”

I took another drag of my cigarette.
Cheondo continued speaking.

“Improvement will be difficult, but we’ll employ every means we can, from financial support to psychological therapy.”
“What about the mother?”
“She’s there. Judging by the reaction, it seems the father was rather unreliable. Do you want to meet her? Her name is Shin Chae-rin.”
“I suppose it’s a blessing in disguise. I have no intention of meeting her.”

Gloomy smoke drifted up into the sky, dispersed and fluttering in the wind.

It wasn’t an emotion meant to last long. Sensing my heart gradually calming down, I turned to look at Cheondo beside me. Her black and red hair, infused with light, shimmered.

“You look especially beautiful today, Master.”

“…Are you out of your mind? And when did I become your master?”

“If Baekdo is a master, then so is Cheondo.”

She smirked and crushed the spent cigarette. Cheondo then took another one from her pocket and placed it into my mouth.

“Smoking again? I’m no pushover, you know.”

“Come here.”

“Excuse me?”

Just as I was about to remove the cigarette from my lips, Cheondo leaned in, her lips pursed around her own cigarette, and touched it to mine. Understanding her intentions, I took a drag.

“This is revenge.”

Her expression remained stoic, which was astonishing.

“Revenge, my foot.”

“Quiet.”

Cheondo and I exhaled plumes of smoke wordlessly. Even though it was the same brand of cigarette, this time, for some reason, the taste of peach lingered in my mouth.

“…Zodiac is causing quite a commotion.”
“What?”
“They told me not to take away my statue. Did something happen between you two?”
“No? Not that I’m aware of.”
“Zodiac is causing even more commotion.”

Heaven furrowed her brow and extinguished her cigarette as if she had a headache. It seemed she had no intention of smoking any more. I looked at the garment Heaven was wearing. Over her full-length black latex battle suit was a thin yet large yellow windbreaker wrapped around her. It reminded me of the peach bags used for cultivating peaches.

As I stared at her emotionless face, Heaven spoke in a serious tone.

“Their hideout has been discovered.”

Her eyes stared directly into mine.

“It’s at dawn today. Will you come with me?”

I glanced at my fists and the tops of my feet. The regenerative power I’d stolen from The World Tree of Healing had already reached a realm beyond standard limitations.

With the use of potions and powers, I could regenerate my skin on the spot if necessary.

The broken bones had long since returned to their proper places.

The body was in perfect condition.

I looked at Cheondo. She seemed to have already heard my response.

“Let’s just go. Whatever.”

At my reply, Cheondo laughed.

“Follow me.”

* * * * *

Members of the Do-won-hyang organization, including myself, gathered around in a motel room, each in their own stance, listening to Cheondo’s story.

“There are two hideouts located here. One is a pseudo-religious group disguised as a pharmaceutical company. The other is an abandoned factory.”

Cheondo began to explain, skillfully and without emotion.

“They’ve probably noticed our organization’s movements and are slowly withdrawing. As such, we must move even faster.”

Cheondo pointed to the location of the pharmaceutical company on the map, and said,

“I’ll go in there with Bob.”

“Then the three of us will enter the factory?”
“Yes.”

When P asked, Cheondo nodded. However, P and Rossi just tilted their heads, seemingly confused.
P raised his hand and spoke.

“Captain, it’s nice to go out with a handsome junior, but honestly, I’m a supporter, and she’s a healer, right? Is it the right choice to focus the combatants on one side only?”
“I don’t want to admit it, but you’re right.”

A rare agreement between P and Rossi. Cheondo smirked as if he couldn’t understand their concern.

“Why aren’t there any combatants?”
“What? No, I’m not ignoring you. But honestly, isn’t his growth somewhat lacking?”
“If his power is insufficient, we can just provide a buff. If only his abilities are adjusted, Lee Si-heon will probably have skills similar to Bob’s.”

Rossi looked at me with wide eyes.
Are you really saying that? Her expression was filled with doubt.

“I never said anything. The Master just made assumptions.”

Raising his hands in surrender, Rossi and P scratched their cheeks and looked back at Cheondo. Can I trust those words? I, too, gazed at Cheondo with the same doubt.

Cheondo spoke confidently.

“Trust me as I trust you.”
“…Cheondo, have you been watching strange cartoons again?”
“Be quiet, P. Aren’t you going to set the mood for once?”

The leaf-shaped blade of Cheondo’s sword struck P’s forehead.

“Ouch!”

P collapsed, clutching his forehead from the merciless blow. We remained silent, thinking that if we intervened, we might end up in a worse situation than P.

Cheondo sheathed the sword he had drawn back into his waist.

“If something happens, contact me through magic. If magic gets interfered with, use the radio. Lee Si-heon, you know how to communicate using magic, right?”
“Yes. But what if we can’t even use the radio?”

“Rely on your ability to handle situations then.”

This atmosphere seemed to be pushing me too much. Unable to discern Cheondo’s intentions, I firmly closed my mouth and observed P and Rossi’s expressions. Overall, they didn’t seem too concerned, but lingering questions were still present.

“Master, it’s good to test your junior’s abilities, but is it right to entrust them with such a significant matter?”

“Rossi has a point. We do trust our junior, but what about their judgment?”

It was an opinion that anyone could see coming, and Cheondo nodded as if it were only natural. She seemed convinced. I briefly thought she might retract her statement, but Cheondo’s face hardened into a grim expression and she muttered assertively.

“If you have a problem with it, then you can take the lead.”

“…”

“…”

We didn’t have much of a response.

“I anticipated your objections. If Lee Si-heon’s actions take a wrong turn, I will hold him accountable—”

“I don’t intend for that to happen—”

“—Quiet.”

“Yes.”

I was dismissed in an instant.

“The growth of our disciple will be a great help to us in the future. Perhaps, it could be the final piece.”
“That’s rather abstract.”
“It is for now. But you’ll understand when you see it.”

Heaven smiled at White Peach who asked in response.

“That one is an excessive bunch, similar to White Peach.”
“Master?”
“Yes. That’s why the heavier the task, the more they grow. Haven’t you all witnessed that miracle the most? My eyes are sharp.”

Rossi looked doubtful but didn’t bother to say anything.
Can I really do it like this?

As a great sense of responsibility weighed down on my shoulders, I let out a bitter smile.