103
Ch.103 Kyaooong
The salty taste of embarrassment, the sour taste of shame, and the bittersweet taste of self-loathing.
The emotion of flavor that pairs well with sweet and sour pork—Sagugu and I both picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork at the same time.
The two women’s faces flushed red as they broke out in a cold sweat.
“Why don’t you say something instead of freezing up? What’s the deal with you flirting with my man?”
“Ah, no… I, uh, that’s…”
“Park Deun-deun, are you married?”
“Yeah. Deun-deun here is my man… Ack!”
“What’s a married man?”
I grabbed the wrist of Gu Seo-ryong, who was wrapping her arm around my neck, and twisted it.
As Gu Seo-ryong immediately groaned and regenerated her wrist, the two women’s eyes widened again.
“What kind of regeneration speed is that…!”
“Is this lady a superpower human, too?”
Then, as if realizing something was off about the two women not being too surprised by her regeneration, Gu Seo-ryong leaned in and whispered in my ear.
“Honey, what’s up with these two? They’re like superpower humans or something.”
“They’re Yeo Woon-jae’s disciples.”
“Huh? Wait, are they the ones with those weirdly suggestive hero names like Wave and Vibe? The ones who said, Let’s go to a hotel and wave and vibe?”
“No! What do you mean suggestive? That’s not it!”
“I think there’s been a misunderstanding. We, uh, didn’t mean it like that.”
“Didn’t mean it like that? I definitely heard the word mate with my own ears.”
“Sagugu heard mate too? These people said mate”
“Mate, mate—you’re being noisy.”
As soon as she learned the two women were Yeo Woon-jae’s disciples, the energy emanating from Gu Seo-ryong completely shifted.
From hostility and irritation to curiosity, interest, and anticipation.
Gu Seo-ryong tapped my shoulder and gestured for me to follow.
“Honey, I think we need to have a little intimate conversation. Should we step aside for a moment?”
“We’re in the middle of eating.”
“Uh, Park Deun-deun… I think it’d be better if you just went along with it… To avoid making things worse.”
“Even these adulteresses are saying that, so why don’t you come along? We can order more food later.”
“Adulteresses? That’s really a misunderstanding. If you’d just listen to us…!”
The two women desperately glanced at me, their thoughts floating to the surface over the boiling emotions.
Please just go along quietly and watch your words.
They’re acting like this, so why not just come? With a sigh at Gu Seo-ryong’s urging, who had read their thoughts just like I had, I got up from my seat.
“Sagugu, come here.”
“No! Sagugu is eating! Tasty food!”
“We’ll, uh, keep an eye on things here.”
“Sigh… Fine, stay here and eat with these ladies for a bit.”
Leaving Sagugu behind, Gu Seo-ryong headed to the restaurant’s restroom and flicked her fingers, activating her ability.
An ability that prevents specific sounds from being perceived by those within range, targeting Gu Seo-ryong’s and my voices.
“Why are you and Sagugu here?”
“Gathering intel. Places like this, serving such cuisine, are high-end restaurants only accessible to people of status or those working for the government.”
“Did you come with some government officials?”
“Yeah. I was buttering up an official I’d previously persuaded, trying to get access to the city’s power data to find potential locations for the lab.”
Gu Seo-ryong pointed her middle finger toward a private room inside.
From the soundproofed room came the vulgar words of a middle-aged man hallucinating about Gu Seo-ryong and Sagugu.
“In this era, for humans to use energy like electricity, the city generators made by Meister are indispensable. If there’s a facility related to the lab inside or near A-City, we should be able to tell just by tracking the energy flow, right?”
“So, did you find anything?”
“There are a few suspicious places. What about you? Why are you with them?”
“They said they’d buy me food, so I followed.”
“…Do you need to be taught, like Sagugu, that you shouldn’t just follow anyone who offers you food?”
“You’re the one who told me to follow leads when they appear.”
“Oh? So you followed them because I told you to? That’s kinda sweet. But… Why would they buy you food?”
“Hmm.”
Gu Seo-ryong, quietly pleased, flickered her forked tongue, oozing sticky emotions.
I waved my hand like shooing away a bug, dispersing the scent, and explained how this happened.
After hearing everything, Gu Seo-ryong, who had been leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, sighed in disbelief.
“Kage, Baskerville, Yeo Woon-jae… Seriously, honey, do you emit pheromones or something? Why do all these important people keep getting tangled up with you?”
“What’s a pheromone? Sounds like something kids would like. Is it like peepeekong?”
“…Just a heads-up, never mention peepeekong in front of Sagugu. Anyway, it was good that you came to eat with those girls. And turning down Kage was the right move.”
Receiving praise that didn’t feel particularly rewarding, I suddenly asked Gu Seo-ryong a question that came to mind.
“Aren’t you upset that I didn’t become Kage’s subordinate?”
“Why would I be? I’d hate it if you even pretended to work under Kage.”
“What about his disciples?”
“Yeo Woon-jae isn’t Kage.”
“Hmm.”
I recalled that Gu Seo-ryong had once been driven out of A-City by Kage.
“Holding a personal grudge doesn’t seem like you.”
“Oh? What is like me?”
“You said Kage might know about the lab’s information, so I thought you’d say it was necessary to join him.”
“Hmm… Not wrong, but becoming a hero would mean being monitored by countless other heroes. To avoid suspicion, you’d have to obey Kage and tread carefully. I like my man’s cunning side, but I don’t even want to pretend to see him groveling under another man’s orders.”
“Neither sounds like a good look.”
“That’s just how a woman’s heart works.”
Is that so? Hard to understand.
Glancing at the restroom door, Gu Seo-ryong perched on the sink and said,
“So, honey? Since this is such a good opportunity, can I make use of this situation? It’d be hard for you to gather intel alone, right?”
“Hmm… Fine.”
“Then you’ll follow my lead?”
Since it made sense, I nodded. Gu Seo-ryong grinned mischievously and tickled my chin and neck with her fingertips.
“Great. From now on, in front of them, you’re my husband.”
“No.”
“Come on, it’s necessary. Just trust me this once.”
“Why should I do that?”
“Explaining would take too long. You okay with that?”
Frowning at the mention of a long explanation, I sighed and gave up.
“If you do anything weird, I’m done.”
“Hmm… Is kissing you weird?”
“Yes.”
“Too bad. Then, lend me your hand?”
Suddenly, she grabbed my wrist and rubbed it against her head, tousling her hair.
Gu Seo-ryong, now disheveled, glanced at the mirror and roughly combed her hair back into place.
“What was that for?”
“Hehe~ Guilt-tripping? Establishing hierarchy? A battle for conversational dominance?”
“What does that have to do with messing up your hair?”
“It’s a thing, innocent Park Deun-deun.”
Trrr. Gu Seo-ryong tore the chest area of her dress, then tugged at the collar of my clothes, stretching it out.
“I’d love to leave a few hickeys here and there… But you won’t let me, right? Well, they can just imagine it.”
“Why make them imagine something weird?”
“Because it works. Signs of a fight stir guilt, making it easier to take control. Signs of rough reconciliation bring relief, and if they feel responsible, even A-rank heroes will feel ashamed and avoid eye contact. Perfect for sneaky schemes, right?”
Without hesitation, Gu Seo-ryong explained her actions, then happily gestured for me to follow.
Returning to the table, Sagugu, who had been devouring food as it arrived, waved enthusiastically at us.
“Mommy! Sagugu was eating nicely and quietly!”
“Good job.”
“Uh, um… About that…”
“Did your talk go… Well?”
Gu Seo-ryong glared sharply at the two women, then sat beside Sagugu in silence.
Under the heavy quiet, the two women glanced between my neck, Gu Seo-ryong’s torn clothes, and her messy hair.
Judging by their reactions, there really must be a reason for this.
I sat across from Gu Seo-ryong, next to Sagugu, and ate chili shrimp.
Then, breaking the silence, Gu Seo-ryong sighed and crossed her arms.
“I’ve heard the gist from him. Seems there was a bit of a misunderstanding.”
“Ah…!”
“First, I should introduce myself properly. I’m Gu Seo-ryong.”
“Oh! I’m Wave—Choi Seo-hyun. And this is…”
“Vibe, Lee Yuri.”
“Introductions? Sagugu is Sagugu!”
“Good girl.”
As Gu Seo-ryong patted Sagugu’s head, she yanked my arm.
“Brother introduce too?”
“I’m Park Deun-deun.”
“Brother…?”
Confusion swirled in their minds—Brother? Mommy? Younger sister? Daughter? Fragments of questions floated in their heads.
Gu Seo-ryong, noticing their gazes at Sagugu and me, adopted a pitiful tone.
“She’s my daughter. She’s… Not well. The terror of facing monsters, the fear of death… It’s left her like this.”
“Ah…! That happens sometimes. I hope she recovers soon.”
“Sagugu not sick? Healthy-ub?”
“Sagugu, Mommy’s talking. Eat quietly.”
“Om-nom.”
Gu Seo-ryong stuffed a dumpling into Sagugu’s mouth to quiet her, then turned teary eyes toward me, voice trembling.
“With my daughter like this, I thought maybe he was tired of me and seeing other women. But if it’s just that you two wanted a one-night thing…”
“Huh?”
“Not that I blame you. I’m a woman, too—I understand wanting a strong man’s seed in these times. Especially for superpower humans, who feel the importance of strength firsthand.”
“Huh? No, that’s not…”
“Did I misunderstand? Was it really an affair?”
“No! Just—wait!”
Their flustered panic intensified, trapped in a maze of confusion. Gu Seo-ryong whispered, offering an escape.
“Or… Did you have something to ask of him, offering your bodies in exchange? He said you seemed to have a reason, but I didn’t believe A-rank heroes would go that far.”
“Yes, there’s another reason…”
“We, uh, have a favor to ask Park Deun-deun. We didn’t know how else…”
“Hmm… As a woman, I know how heavy that choice is. But it’s strange—what could A-rank heroes possibly want from him that’s worth that?”
“Well…”
“If it’s not just an excuse to get out of this, could you explain? In detail.”
“Guh… Ugh…”
“Don’t I have the right to hear it? Or not?”
The air tightened like a snake coiling around prey, pressuring the two superpower humans.
Sweating under the tension, one of them downed a glass of alcohol in one gulp.
“Hah…! First, I’m sorry. You’re right. We should explain enough to clear the misunderstanding… But we can’t go into too much detail.”
“It involves hero affairs…”
“Oh, I see… Then just give us the gist.”
Gu Seo-ryong smoothly poured more alcohol into their empty glasses.
At the bottle’s rim, a transparent poison dripped from her fingertips into the drink.
When I shot her a look, she mouthed, Truth serum.
“I’d like to clear up any misunderstandings, too.”
“…First, Park Deun-deun is a superpower human with remarkable talent.”
The two women recounted the day’s events.
How S-rank heroes Kage and Baskerville had approached to recruit me as a hero, except it wasn’t about becoming a hero, but Kage’s subordinate.
By the time their story ended, the two women were half-dazed.
“So, there’s no benefit to becoming Kage’s subordinate. Do you know how many heroes and humans Kage has abandoned, saying it was necessary?”
“After they die, he calls them necessary sacrifices, then tells the survivors to look at the living… As if anyone wanted to die.”
“Oh my… This Kage sounds like a terrible person.”
“Ha! Terrible? Not exactly… Just infuriatingly righteous.”
“It’s necessary, it’s the right thing. Hard to argue, but still…”
“Thinking of Yeo Ryeong, how could he do that? Seriously.”
“Betrayal! Betrayal!”
Drunk on alcohol and the serum, the two clinked glasses and downed their drinks.
At the unfamiliar name Yeo Ryeong, I grew curious. Gu Seo-ryong, like a whispering snake, asked,
“Who’s Yeo Ryeong? First time hearing that name.”
“Huh?! You don’t know Yeo Ryeong? She’s…”
“Yeo Woon-jae’s daughter. She died saving Kage when he was still a B-rank hero…”