Episode 60
Cha Dongseok was a D-grade Combat-class Awakened who had been dispatched from Neo Seoul to the Demon Stone Mine. His mission was to patrol the perimeter of the mine, identify threats, and eliminate them.
“Damn it!”
Dust had piled up thick and hazy on his goggles, making it hard to see. It was because of the sand that blew incessantly. Cha Dongseok took off his goggles and roughly wiped them with his sleeve, grumbling.
“Can’t something be done about this damn sand? I have to wipe my goggles every ten minutes.”
“The whole world has turned to sand; what can be done? We can’t dig it all out. Just endure it, Captain. Hehe!”
His subordinate looked at Cha Dongseok and snickered.
“Fuck! If I could, I’d dig it all out myself. It’s just not possible.”
“If that were possible, would we even be human? Even a god couldn’t do it.”
“All the gods are probably dead. If gods existed, would the world have fallen apart like this?”
Cha Dongseok put his goggles back on and looked up at the sky. They said the sky used to be so blue, but now it was merely yellow.
Come to think of it, he had never once seen a blue sky. That was why he hadn’t believed the stories about the sky being blue in the old days.
“I’d like to see a blue sky before I die.”
“Hehe! Do you think that’s possible? Wake up from that dream already.”
“You bastard! Can’t a man dream?”
Smack!
Cha Dongseok smacked the back of his subordinate’s head. Even so, the subordinate just grinned.
The subordinate spoke.
“Shouldn’t we head back soon? I think the sun will be setting before long.”
“Fine. Turn the wheel.”
“Yes, sir!”
Just as the subordinate was about to turn the wheel, something alien came into Cha Dongseok’s sight.
“Wait! Stop.”
“What is it?”
“Over there, isn’t that a person?”
“Huh? What nonsense. In the middle of the desert, what person would— Fuck! There is one.”
The subordinate’s eyes went wide.
There were figures walking atop a sand dune far in the distance. They were too far away to make out their faces yet, but he could tell they were human.
“Scavengers?”
“There shouldn’t be any Scavengers operating around here.”
“We never know, so get ready to fight at any moment and drive toward them.”
“Yes, sir!”
There were five of them in the buggy, including Cha Dongseok. They prepared to attack at a moment’s notice and drove the vehicle at high speed.
Soon, they encountered the unidentified people.
Two men, one woman, and a Bactrian camel—the mode of transport Scavengers mainly used. Dust was caked thickly on their heads and shoulders.
Cha Dongseok stopped the buggy in front of them and shouted.
“This is the Demon Stone Mine managed by Neo Seoul. Stop and identify yourselves.”
“The Demon Stone Mine? Then we’ve found the right place.”
The woman’s face brightened as she looked at Cha Dongseok. She was a great beauty with blonde hair and blue eyes. The gazes of the men in the buggy focused on her.
Though it would have been enough to make her uncomfortable, the woman nonchalantly revealed her identity.
“My name is Mandy Systein. I’m a Supervisor under Neo Seoul, dispatched south with Pathfinder Team 7 to conduct a demon beast ecological survey.”
“The Supervisor of Pathfinder Team 7?”
Cha Dongseok’s pupils trembled. The Pathfinder teams were elite armed groups. Their combat strength, focused on exploration, was incomparably greater than theirs, who merely patrolled the Demon Stone Mine. If she truly was a Supervisor affiliated with the Pathfinder Team, she was definitely his superior.
“Can you prove your identity?”
“If you contact Neo Seoul, you’ll get an answer right away.”
“Hmm!”
Then the man riding the Bactrian camel opened his mouth.
“I can vouch for her identity.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m Kim Sangik, a Mechanic dispatched with the Pathfinder Team. Here’s my access card.”
Kim Sangik had his access card. Unlike Mandy, he frequently entered and exited key facilities, so he always carried it on him.
Cha Dongseok checked Kim Sangik’s access card.
‘It’s genuine!’
Access cards were impossible to steal or forge. That was because they reacted to the holder’s biological waves, allowing entry into key facilities.
Cha Dongseok’s gaze turned to the last man.
“What about him?”
“He’s with me. I’ll vouch for his identity.”
Mandy stepped forward and vouched for Jeon’s identity. Jeon pushed back the hat on his head and looked at Cha Dongseok.
“I’m Jeon. I’m from the slums.”
“The slums?”
Contempt flickered across Cha Dongseok’s face in an instant. It was a reaction to the word “slums.” In Neo Seoul, those from the slums were treated like criminals. Especially if they were an Awakened from the slums, they were viewed with even more prejudice. Not everyone was like that, but a considerable number belonged to criminal organizations. Moreover, since they didn’t register as Awakened with Neo Seoul, their identities were uncertain.
At the center of many crimes were Awakened from the slums. Because of that, the perception of them was not good.
Kim Sangik spoke.
“This man is not dangerous. I will vouch for him as well.”
“Hmm! Very well. However, once inside the Demon Stone Mine, he must be isolated. I ask that you please understand.”
“Understood.”
Kim Sangik nodded.
Cha Dongseok pointed to the back seat of the buggy and said.
“All three of you, get in the car. We’re going to the Demon Stone Mine.”
“Finally, a ride.”
“We’re saved.”
Delight appeared on Mandy and Kim Sangik’s faces. They had walked for nearly half a month. They had conserved their strength by taking turns riding the Bactrian camel, but the pain remained unchanged. Their whole bodies ached and throbbed. They wanted to get into the Demon Stone Mine quickly and rest comfortably.
The two hurriedly got into the buggy.
Unlike them, Jeon did not get in right away but approached the Bactrian camel.
“You’ve worked hard all this time. Now live freely.”
Jeon whispered, removing the saddle tied to the Bactrian camel’s back. The camel quietly closed its eyes and rested its face against Jeon’s. The sight looked as if they were communing with each other. In truth, they had spent quite a long time together. But now that Jeon was entering Neo Seoul, it was right to part ways.
“Farewell!”
At Jeon’s words, the camel let out a loud bray and soon ran off into the desert.
Jeon watched the camel’s retreating figure for a moment, then climbed into the buggy.
One year traveling with Deiodeun, and seven years wandering alone. It had been a full eight years since he’d ridden in a car. Perhaps because of that, he felt strange.
“We’re departing.”
At Cha Dongseok’s command, the buggy set off. Jeon closed his eyes and felt the vehicle’s vibrations.
Mandy and Kim Sangik watched Jeon with complicated expressions.
‘To think we really made it near Neo Seoul safely.’
‘Does this even make sense?’
The fortnight they had spent with Jeon felt like a dream. They had faced countless dangers on the way here. At times they had encountered massive demon beasts, and at other times they had nearly fallen into quicksand. But Jeon had sidestepped every threat by a hair’s breadth, as if he had detected them all in advance. Walking on sand had been difficult, but not once had they faced a life-threatening situation.
The two of them knew very well how unbelievable that was.
That they had returned safely like this was practically a miracle. And Jeon was the one who had made that miracle happen. It was no wonder the two looked at him with awestruck gazes.
Whether Jeon knew of their gazes or not, he stuck his head out the window and looked ahead.
Far in the distance, a rocky mountain stood tall above the desert.
It was the Demon Stone Mine.
The sight stirred fresh emotions after eight long years.
‘To think I’ve returned here.’
When he had left this place, he hadn’t thought he would ever be able to return. Back then, simply keeping up with Deiodeun had been overwhelming enough.
A massive gate opened, revealing the interior of the Demon Stone Mine city. The Demon Stone Mine city looked the same as it had eight years ago. Almost nothing had changed.
Cha Dongseok got out of the car and spoke to Mandy and Kim Sangik.
“I’ll escort you two to your quarters.”
“What about him?”
The one Mandy pointed at was Jeon.
“There is a separate place for those from the slums to stay.”
“He is also with our party.”
“I apologize. It is the Demon Stone Mine’s regulations.”
Cha Dongseok was firm.
Mandy tried to say something to that, but Jeon spoke first.
“I’m fine, so go and rest comfortably.”
“But...”
“There’s no need to worry about me. As you know, I can sleep well anywhere.”
“Okay.”
With Jeon saying this, Mandy had no choice. She and Kim Sangik followed Cha Dongseok toward the lodgings.
One of the Awakened spoke to Jeon.
“You, come with me.”
His attitude, tone, and gaze toward Jeon were all bristling with hostility.
“Let’s go.”
Jeon smiled and followed the Awakened.
The Awakened didn’t say a single word the entire way. It was enough to make the situation uncomfortable, but Jeon’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.
The place the Awakened took him was a shabby lodging deep within the mine city.
Creak!
Upon opening the door and entering, he saw people waiting inside. They were all Cha Dongseok’s subordinates.
Slam!
As the door closed, the Awakened who had brought Jeon opened his mouth.
“You said you were from the slums?”
“So what?”
“How did a slum rat come in with them? What purpose do you have for entering the Demon Stone Mine?”
“Purpose?”
“Aren’t you connected to the Scavengers?”
He treated Jeon like a criminal. The other Awakened surrounded Jeon, creating a murderous atmosphere. But Jeon answered without a hint of intimidation.
“I have no connection whatsoever to the Scavengers.”
“Then why did you enter the Demon Stone Mine?”
“Is this something you’re doing with permission?”
“What?”
“Even if I’m from the slums, I am clearly the Supervisor’s companion. Are you sure you can handle the consequences?”
“What did this fucking bastard just say? You think that bitch can protect you? Hell, if we throw you into the underground levels of the Demon Stone Mine, no one will ever find you. So you’d better answer honestly while we’re being nice. No, before that, show me your rank insignia.”
The wrist rank insignia was the surest way to ascertain another’s class and grade. That was also why it was an absolute taboo among Awakened. Right now, these men were violating the taboos among Awakened. It also meant they looked down on Jeon that much.
The Awakened roughly grabbed Jeon’s wrist.
“What? You’re wearing a gauntlet? You not taking this off?”
He tried to forcibly remove Jeon’s gauntlet. It was something he would never have done if he considered Jeon an equal. The other Awakened didn’t stop his actions and merely watched.
They looked down on Jeon because they knew he was from the slums.
“Haha!”
Jeon laughed at the absurd situation. Then the Awakened gripping his wrist furrowed his brow even more.
“What? You bastard! Laughing? You think I’m funny?”
“Yes! You look funny to me.”
“You son of a bitch...”
Crack!
At that moment, a chilling sound of breaking bone rang out. The Awakened stopped cursing and looked down at his wrist. The arm that had tried to remove Jeon’s gauntlet was snapped and dangling limply. Jeon had broken it in an instant.
The Awakened, belatedly realizing his situation, screamed.
“Kuaaack!”
“Haven’t you learned that trying to forcefully check another’s rank insignia gets your wrist broken? I’m disappointed.”
At Jeon’s words, the air inside the room grew icy cold.
“This bastard...”
“He’s crazy.”
The Awakened inside drew their weapons. Jeon looked at them and smiled.
“It seems none of you were taught properly.”