Chapter 140

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Translator: Ace

Chapter: 139

Chapter Title: Frozen Longing

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A rickety old speaker croaked out an equally ancient tune.

Like the calluses on an aged musician's fingertips strumming a guitar worn by time.

Jin sat in the reserved seat right beside it, the prime spot to bask in the music's warmth. He wiped the frost from the window with his palm.

The ice melted against his skin, trickling down the glass and reflecting the winter draped over the city.

The view beyond was frigid.

Twisted streetlights stood over heaps of black trash bags stacked layer upon layer. Frozen sidewalks lined buildings, while silver exhaust vents puffed white breaths.

Neon signs that once blazed bright now flickered with faint afterglows. Beneath them, people in threadbare coats hunched over, smoking cigarettes.

Cigarette paper curling gray.

Smoke scattering hazy.

As chill air smothered the gray city,

a distant horn blared, brushing past his ears like a faint echo.

"...It's really winter, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠huh."

"Time's flown that fast already?"

Jenny slurped her steaming milk, then cupped the mug in both hands, savoring the warmth as she spoke.

"Right. You hate winter. Yeah."

Jin nodded.

He raised his fingertips to the foggy window.

"Hate it."

It probably started in the army.

Winters in Cheorwon are brutal.

For real.

Like, really real.

The kind of bone-chilling cold where you'd rather lose your toes.

A frozen hell where the wind chill hits minus forty degrees.

At that point, even taking a shit turns from ordeal to torture.

Shoulder your rifle, ditch the insulated gloves, peel off the magic mittens, unbuckle the ammo belt (head already spinning), fumble with frostbitten hands to drop your combat pants, then your regular uniform, long johns layer one, layer two, and God please... finally the underwear.

After surviving that once, who wouldn't turn into a winter hater?

Hold up.

What if that winter hater got dumped in Lost City's back alleys? And ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right at the start of winter, no less?

What do you think happens?

Out of twenty-four hours, the hazy moments of mental clarity barely hit an hour. Constant hypothermia—even that hour was spent scavenging barely thawed food scraps.

After choking down the world's most pathetic meal, the agony hit.

The pain at his fingertips and toes felt like they were being carved off with a dull knife. If only they'd just go black and die.

But even then, his Irregular body sluggishly regenerated dead cells...

That's why Jin hated winter.

Just looking at the icy scene outside sent chills spidering down his spine.

"Jin. You okay?"

"Yeah. Uh. Yeah."

Jin muttered as he pulled his hand from the graffiti-scribbled window.

"You're really fine?"

"Yeah, yeah."

As Jin stabbed a meatball with his fork and brought it to his mouth, Jeki nudged Jenny—who was watching him worriedly—with his elbow.

"He said he's fine."

Jeki offered his mug.

"Cocoa. Still hot. Want some?"

"Sure."

No reason to refuse. Jin gave a thumbs-up and took a gulp to wet his whistle.

That's when Jenny glanced at the date on the wall clock and spoke up.

"Oh yeah, isn't it today? Your contacts are opening their shop?"

"Yeah, probably."

"Not gonna check it out?"

"Why bother? They've got customers to handle. Someone like me lurking around would just get in the way."

Jeki looked impressed.

"...Jin. You've grown. You're actually thinking like that now."

This punk?

Jin shot him a sour look. Jeki averted his eyes and hummed innocently.

The guy who used to blurt everything out, now playing it cool.

"Anyway. Not going."

"Then crash at my place tonight. That game you said was fun? Haven't touched it since."

"Oh. Why not?"

Jin clapped his hands at Jenny's suggestion.

"Hurry up and eat, then."

"Take your time. You'll get indigestion."

"Never seen you get indigestion yet..."

This was just a normal Wednesday at Rum Pump Pump.

Until Jin's comm buzzed from his chest pocket.

"What is it?"

"Linker boss?"

"Nah."

Jin tilted his head.

He'd just wrapped a job yesterday.

Some psycho serial killer who kidnapped folks and tore off their limbs for fun. Jin gave it right back to him—mirroring every twisted thrill.

Started with screaming and thrashing. Later, maybe some regret hit; he bawled his eyes out.

Begging for a quick death.

Whatever.

Kalifa knew about his weekly hangout with the Jeki-Jenny siblings.

No reason for her to call right after a job closed.

And sure enough.

The name on the comm wasn't Kalifa.

"Wonder?"

Jin answered, gesturing for quiet as he spoke.

"Yeah. What's up."

Wonder's calm voice came through.

"Need you at the shop. Got a troublemaker. Silvia can't handle alone."

"Ah. Karens... Be there soon."

Jin hung up, giving the siblings an awkward look. But this was routine. They waved him off without a change in expression.

In unison:

"Go for it."

Hands jammed in pockets, Jin stepped out of Rum Pump Pump.

He hopped on his parked Manticore.

Troublemakers come in flavors.

If ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Silvia couldn't handle it, probably some powerhouse with skills inversely proportional to personality.

Vrooom!

The revved Manticore tore toward Junk Plaza.

And there—Good Neighbor!

Jin hurried to the freshly revamped shop at alley's end, loosening his wind-stiffened face with some aaa-eh-oh-ooo stretches.

Man, why so cold? For real.

Weather had turned nippy lately, sure, but this was overkill.

The moment Jin flung open the door, teeth chattering,

Whoooosh.

A blast colder than outside slapped his face.

"...Urk."

Jin flinched, eyes darting around. Pupils widened as they took in the shop blanketed in pristine snow.

Next instant.

"C-C-Cli-client, s-s-sir!"

Passing chattering Silvia—her jaw clacking like castanets—his gaze locked on the woman slowly turning from across the room.

Swish.

Dark blue hair cascading to her waist swayed lightly. Then a frostbitten face turned his way.

Blade-sharp eyes.

Snake-like, if you had to compare.

The kind of look that'd trigger PTSD in some.

Suits me fine.

But that wasn't the point.

The point was her deadpan face shattered the second she spotted Jin.

Like a meteor smashing through solid lake ice.

"...?! W-Why the hell are you here?"

Jin blinked.

Swept the shop once more, then replied.

"Why are you here?"

Katrina Marjie.

Direct lineage of the Marjie family.

Known to the world as the Ice-Snow Harmony.

Of course, she knew Jin too.

She'd represented Marjie at the family rotation.

In other words, a member of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering (nobody calls it that).

To flesh it out:

Quarterfinalist who lost to rival Eanna. Helped measure successor combat power by raising ice walls.

Eh. Close enough.

Anyway, this girl shows up out of nowhere at Good Neighbor.

Finding the place was one thing.

Freezing the freshly opened shop solid? Uncalled for.

Jin dragged Katrina to the staff room first.

En route, quick check: only Wonder and Silvia out front.

The other two probably in the basement.

Watching this, no doubt.

Jin glanced at the CCTV in the ceiling corner, then spoke.

"Long time."

"..."

Katrina couldn't reply.

She furrowed then smoothed her brow repeatedly—clearly thrown by the situation.

Jin was just as baffled.

"As you can see, I'm connected to the owner here. Got a sudden call for backup. That's why I'm here. You?"

Katrina finally spoke, hesitantly.

"...I came here for business."

"You? To a gun shop?"

One of the Seven Families, born nobility.

High pride from the era of Light and Roses unbroken even a millennium after the Empire's fall—no pulling triggers for them.

If regular members shunned it, a direct heir successor dropping by a gun shop?

Jin wore a face like he'd sooner believe they brewed bean paste from shit.

"Your 'business' wouldn't be trashing the place, right?"

"N-No. Not that."

"Then why freeze it?"

"That's..."

Katrina bit her lower lip.

She cast her eyes down slightly, murmuring softly.

"They kept... playing dumb."

"Hm?"

"Playing dumb, they said. I tried talking it out. Ask if you don't believe me."

Jin's eyes flicked to the CCTV naturally.

Not like the merciless one-eyed lens would answer.

"Playing dumb how? Gotta know what, dude."

Katrina sighed at his follow-up.

She continued slowly.

"Looking for someone. Technician named Ruger."

"...!"

Jin nearly flubbed his poker face.

Made sense, though.

Precious few knew Brof was Ruger.

How'd she know?

Even Dolman hadn't pinned Brof's whereabouts yet.

Sure, they were sweating a rival surging to major shareholder, but still—how'd Katrina?

"Ruger? First time hearing that name."

"You might not know. Of course not—took us three years to track him."

Us? Three years?

Us meant Marjie family.

Chased for three years?

...Hold on. Huh?

Jin wasn't slow on the uptake.

The timeline matched perfectly with Brof's disappearance.

A phrase flashed in his mind:

'Got a dangerous offer.'

Memory's scary like that.

Lurking deep underwater usually. But snap a puzzle piece in place, and it all bubbles up.

Just like now for Jin.

Marjie family proposed an artifact to Brof?

Yeah. Wait. Heard this.

Something about vanishing to hunt a dragon, a treasure.

Eternal something. Eternal Frostlands? Eternal Comrade?

No, no. That...

"Eternal Dawn!"

Jin yelled Eureka.

His jumbled thoughts clicked into place.

Nice.

They say forcing past a half-remembered thought kills brain cells (not true). Nailed the save.

As Jin grinned to himself,

Katrina looked stunned.

"How do you know that...?"

Jin internally facepalmed.

Wasn't supposed to know?

He rolled his eyes, scrambling excuses.

"Everyone knows your family lost the heirloom... Ahem. Why ask the gun shop boss? Ruger? Dunno. Real owner's Wonder—that's the trap. Friend?"

Next moment.

"...You know."

Katrina's lips moved slowly.

She cut off Jin's reply with an upraised palm.

"No excuses. Came here certain anyway. Just one more person who knows now."

She stood.

Jin's gaze followed, tilting up.

"Hey. Sit. Talk this out..."

"Ruger."

Katrina addressed the air.

But briefly.

She easily spotted the CCTV.

"I know you're here. If you're watching, hear me out."

Her face fixed on the lens, she continued.

"I know Mother's offer put you in a tough spot. Barging in like this is shameless. But..."

Her voice caught. She paused, then spoke tremblingly.

"Time's running out. I want to save Father. Please. Can you help?"

Next instant.