I Became an Apocalyptic "Physical" Therapist (3)
Weather
"Director Gong, but are we really okay to grab that thing without any gear? Isn't the one who throws the first punch supposed to get cursed? That's how it works, right?"
"It won't happen."
"You're a shaman though. A Goblin Hexer."
"It hasn't reached maturity yet, so we're fine. A Goblin Hexer. A subspecies of the goblin shaman. You saw the curse on that box, didn't you? As it grows, a Goblin Hexer keeps pouring curses into that box. Hey. Ttugi."
"Yes, Hyeong-nim."
"Go grab it and tie it down first. Don't worry about the curse. Therapy starts now."
"Understood, Hyeong-nim."
Kim Hyun-sung, better known as Kkakdugi, never hesitated when Won-goo gave an order. He charged straight in and subdued the goblin shaman. It thrashed and spat viciously, but Hyun-sung didn't so much as blink.
"So it curses the box?"
"It keeps casting curses into it, and on the day it reaches adulthood, it opens the box and takes out the cursed item. That's the source of a Hexer's power."
"And when it uses that power?"
"It becomes something so off-the-charts insane that no ordinary shaman could even compare. What else would it be?"
"If it grows to Grade 5, I suppose that would be true, but..."
"Still don't believe me? Look at Hyun-sung. Perfectly fine, right?"
"I suppose he is."
"How does the Director know all this stuff? It's honestly amazing. Aren't secrets like these supposed to require a specialized Gift?"
A soft voice spoke up. It was Jo Mu-sa, who had been quietly observing the situation.
"It's a Gift."
"Y-yes...? A G-Gift?"
This time the youngest, Suwon, reacted strongly. Everyone more or less knew about Won-goo's Gift, after all.
Nobody in these parts was unaware of it.
It was a Gift famous even among survivors.
An ability that operated a Trailer.
Rumor had it he possessed an extremely useful power that let allies rest for set periods of time.
But the truth was somewhat different. Won-goo's Gift had far more potential than that.
So while plenty of rumors circulated about his Gift, no one knew its true nature. Only Won-goo himself did.
"Not mine. An old comrade's Gift. He was an information broker, and he transferred his memories to me. That's how I know."
"Ah..."
Unlike Suwon, the other crew members already knew this. In reality the reason was something else entirely, but Won-goo needed a suitably plausible cover story, and Memory Transfer fit the bill perfectly.
When the apocalypse began, people awakened to 'Gifts' — talents that could never be changed. Among them, information-related Gifts were rare. And Gifts dealing with monster information were treated as valuable everywhere.
The most prized of all information Gifts were prophecy-related ones.
Won-goo wasn't the owner of such a Gift, yet he possessed something similar — because he was a regressor who had returned from the distant future.
"Hyeong-nim. All done."
"Then let's begin the therapy."
"Yes, Hyeong-nim. Maknae."
"Yes!"
The goblin shaman was extremely loud. It shrieked and wailed in multiple languages like it was having a seizure.
"We sealed its mouth and it's still this noisy. Do you think it might awaken something like a curse? Curses are tied to rage, after all."
Jo Mu-sa asked.
"Come on, Jo Mu-sa. Have I ever fed you bad info? A goblin shaman is a sucker until the box is cracked open. A total sucker. What we should be worrying about isn't that — it's how we sell this thing at a premium. That's it. You get ready to use your ability."
With that, Won-goo raised his Warhammer.
It was time for therapy.
Kwaaaeeek!
A sound that belonged in an orc's throat burst from the Goblin Hexer's mouth.
"Sweet, isn't it? My therapy runs a little strong. Especially since I'm good at finding exactly where it hurts."
Thanks to Jo Mu-sa's ability, the goblin survived even a brutally intensive session. By the end, it was begging for its life in human language.
Everyone assumed the treatment was finished, but Won-goo stepped back and offered a different opinion — exhaling a long drag of cigarette smoke as he did.
"That one's a lost cause."
"Why do you say that, Hyeong-nim?"
"It's not cured. You can tell by the eyes. Ordinary treatment won't do a thing for that thing."
"Then do we need more time?"
"That'd be nice, but we can't wait around forever."
"Then how would you have us proceed?"
"We hand it over to the Trainer."
"Monsters are the Trainer's specialty, true."
"It probably won't cost too much either, so let's go with that."
Everyone nodded.
"Tie it up tight in the vehicle."
"Yes, Hyeong-nim."
"Suwon, Jo Mu-sa. Get the Hexer's box packed away properly."
The crew moved quickly. Won-goo wiped the blood off his Warhammer and let out another long plume of smoke.
"Handle that box carefully. Put it in the cargo hold! And write a memo on the refrigerator. No — write it everywhere. If Midnight touches it by accident, all hell breaks loose. Don't just tell her not to touch it — write out an explanation. An explanation."
"Understood, Hyeong-nim."
"Kkakdugi. Come here a second."
"Yes, Hyeong-nim."
Hyun-sung hurried over. Won-goo asked quietly.
"You can write in Hangul, right?"
Hyun-sung's mouth fell wide open.
"Hyeong-niiim. I finished middle school."
"Why didn't you finish high school, then?"
"I just didn't want to go."
"That's something to be proud of, huh. So you write well, is what you're saying?"
"Of course. I can write English too, Hyeong-nim."
"Then we're good."
Won-goo turned his head toward Mu Beob-sa, who was standing there with an expression that said he had something on his mind.
"What are you planning to do with that thing? You didn't kill it, so you must have a reason. Planning to sell it at the Shelter?"
"That's one option."
"And if not?"
"If not..."
"Hold on!"
Mu Beob-sa's face hardened. The way Won-goo trailed off at the end felt suspicious.
"Say it clearly! This isn't something we can gloss over. It's at least a Grade 4 monster. That's no ordinary danger!"
"I know."
"Then tell me the plan. You've got something in mind, don't you?"
"Hmm... this old man is only ever sharp about the useless things."
"What is it!"
Mu Beob-sa shouted.
"Why are you yelling?"
"Because you won't talk! Whenever the Director acts like this, there's always a scheme behind it. Something besides selling it?"
"We're raising it."
"Raising it?"
"Even as-is it's plenty valuable. People would pay a fair amount. There are survivors with curse-related Gifts, after all."
"And raising it is worth even more than that?"
"That's about the size of it."
"How much more valuable?"
"A lot. A whole lot."
The other crew members were quietly listening to the exchange between Mu Beob-sa and Won-goo. Having lived here together for a while now, they could read the room. They could tell this was a far more serious conversation than usual, so they stayed silent and listened.
Normally Hyun-sung took point on the work, but in practical terms, the core of the operation here was Won-goo, and after him, Mu Beob-sa.
"Double?"
"More than that."
"How much more?"
"For one thing, I don't know what'll come out of that box. Once the curse is complete, the item inside starts at... minimum Gold grade."
"Huh. 'Minimum,' you say?"
"That's right. Minimum Gold grade. Not Gold coins. Gold grade."
"So we keep the goblin with us, make it keep pouring curses into the box—"
"No need to make it do anything. The Hexer already made its Affection Chest. Just by existing, curses keep accumulating in that box. What matters is time."
"So we wait until it's fully complete, then crack it open? Is that the plan?"
"That's the plan."
"But... what if the shaman awakens in the meantime and curses us first? What then?"
The surroundings went silent in an instant. Mu Beob-sa's face flushed red as if it might burst.
"Ha, honestly... calm down. You think I haven't thought of that? That's exactly why I plan to take the thing to the Shelter and have it placed under a restriction order. That's also why we're handing it to the Trainer. Think about it. A minimum Gold-tier item. Even if it's just a Gold-grade drop, it could feed the whole crew for years."
"That's true."
"And if the options roll well and we get something that fits us perfectly?"
"Then it's even better. There'd be so much more we could do with it."
"Now do you understand why I'm weighing this?"
"A minimum Gold item, after all..."
"Everyone heard that, right? Which looks better to you? Taking it in and selling it now — or waiting and cracking the box open later for a huge payout."
"I'll follow whatever you decide, Hyeong-nim."
"I'll go along with whatever gets decided."
Jo Mu-sa's answer.
"M-me too."
Suwon gave the same reply. Won-goo then looked at Mu Beob-sa.
"And the old man?"
"We take the big score. A Gold-grade item. Do you know how rare that kind of jackpot is?"
"Then that's what we decide."
"But how long until it awakens?"
"Goblins usually fully mature in a year. But special castes like shamans and warriors grow a bit slower."
"So a year at fastest, then."
"Likely longer than that. But that's a price worth paying, no? A Gold-grade item earns every bit of that patience."
Won-goo smiled, and Mu Beob-sa smiled along. Then the whole crew laughed too.
The drive to the Shelter didn't take long.
『Shelter Sabbath』
In the apocalypse, Shelters played a critical role. Survivors liked to say that Shelters were the last hope God had created for humanity — but Won-goo didn't put much stock in that talk.
He knew the real reason Shelters existed.
Guards stood at the entrance. Most of them were beastfolk, and they were heavily armed.
Just how heavily? The weapons they carried were potent enough that robbing a single Shelter guard would set you up for ten years.
By current standards, at least.
Well aware of this, Won-goo made a point of never picking fights with Shelter guards unless absolutely necessary.
"Seven people. Seven silver coins due."
The guard said.
"Why seven?"
"Seven people."
"That one's a goblin. A monster."
"It's alive, so there are no exceptions. Pay the coins."
Won-goo's eyes went cold. But the beastfolk guard — who resembled a shorthaired cat — didn't avert his gaze for even a second.
"Hyun-sung!"
"Yes, Hyeong-nim."
"Put that thing down."
"Yes, Hyeong-nim."
Won-goo seized the bound Goblin Hexer by the neck, hoisted it up, and displayed it right in front of the guard.
"This look like one of the family to you?"
"......"
He yanked the knife from his thigh, and stabbed it into the goblin shaman's belly.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Then he simply dumped it on the ground.
"How many now?"
"Six."
"Ttugi. Sweep up the corpse."
"Yes, Hyeong-nim."
Having paid his six silver coins, Won-goo stared dead at the cat-beastfolk guard as he climbed into the driver's seat. The guard didn't look away either.
Then they entered the tunnel leading to the Shelter.
The tunnel ran straight, and it took about fifteen minutes of driving to reach the Shelter. The Trailer picked up speed.
"Is it okay? Jo Mu-sa. You can save it, right? We need that thing alive."
"Then you stab it more gently next time! You went way too deep!"
"If I don't stab deep, would that bastard even go down?"
"It'll be fine, right?"
"I can save it."
"Then we're good."
"All this over something you could've just paid for..."
Mu Beob-sa chimed in.
"You don't know what silver's trading at these days? Silver coins just keep getting more expensive. You have to conserve. The day is coming when whoever holds the most silver wins!"
"Did you learn that through the memory share too?"
Mu Beob-sa grinned.
"I read the flow of the economy."
"Ah... so that's how it is."
While chatting with the crew, they arrived at the Shelter.
Of everything left in this overturned world, the Shelter was the place that retained the most of Earth's original face. Clean buildings. Paved roads. A place whose prices matched its steep entrance fee.
That was why most survivors wanted to stay in the Shelter. But only a precious few could remain here for long.
Unless they qualified for a special case, they had to pay the murderous fee of one silver coin every twenty-four hours.
So most survivors yearned to settle here.
Silver coins bought you entry into the Shelter.
Gold coins bought you new abilities, or upgrades to the ones you had.
Gold was worth more, but far harder to come by.
"Hey! Sapiens."
The first person Won-goo looked up was Sapiens. His gang dabbled in all sorts of business, but their main trade was people.
"'Sapiens,' you say. That's a new one on me."
The man had horror-movie levels of knife scars across his face. His close-cropped head made his already vicious features look even more like a wanted poster come to life.
"Then should I call you Homo instead?"
"Ah... well."
"My people are alive and well, I take it?"
"Have you had a change of heart?"
"I figured this much would knock some sense into them."
"F-fucking hell... you're insane..."
Sapiens forced a laugh, and Won-goo smiled brightly right along with him.
"Watch the mouth when you're talking about your elders."
"That wasn't aimed at you, Hyeong-nim."
"So you're not giving them back? Should I come collect them myself?"
"No need. I figured you'd do exactly that, so I told them to stay in the vehicle."
"Did you touch them?"
"I just sat them down for a chat about what kind of work they'd be doing. They must be terrified out of their minds by now."
"Good work. I'll leave the money where it is."
"You know that's not how it's supposed to go, right?"
"I know. But are we the kind of people who keep things strictly by the book? We look out for each other. That thing I asked you to get — where is it?"
"Acquired and delivered."
"Knew I could count on you."
Won-goo gave a thumbs-up.
"By the way, why did you scare them like that? That's not your style. You treasure your own people like they're made of glass."
"I thought he was a con man. Couldn't get a read on him for over fifteen days."
"So he held out quite a while. Fifteen days in times this lean... he lasted."
"That's about it."
Won-goo kept up the easy banter, but the faces of the underlings behind Sapiens were anything but pleasant. They looked ready to lunge at any moment.
"We're off. See you around."
"Next time, let's meet over a proper job."
"You didn't say we shouldn't meet at all, though?"
Sapiens snorted a laugh.
"If you ever need therapy, call me anytime."
"That won't happen."
"It might. Illness like the kind I treat isn't easy to find around here."
Won-goo said, tapping his own head. Sapiens waved him off dismissively.
The moment Won-goo stepped outside, one of the underlings approached.
"Boss."
"What?"
"Are we really just letting that go? The kids are watching, and..."
Sapiens turned around and swept his gaze over his men.
"Listen up. Even though the world has changed — no, because the world has changed, some things matter more than ever. I owe that man a debt. If we go around ignoring debts like that, who the hell would ever trust us enough to do business? That's right! Exactly!"
When Sapiens bellowed, they all flinched visibly in fear.
"I-I've been meaning to say this for a while, but all of this is..."
"Say what?"
Suwon nodded along.
"All of it is necessary. Just a little more, and a lot of things get easier."
The things Suwon was carrying were tools. But they looked nothing like ordinary ones.
"How's Geum Chul-soo doing?"
"Shaking like a leaf."
Jo Mu-sa answered.
"Then I guess he'll be working hard from now on."
Just then, Won-goo sensed movement behind him. One of Sapiens' underlings. He was glaring at Won-goo with fierce eyes.
"Here to give me a present?"
"That's you, isn't it? I don't know what your relationship with our boss is. But. From now on, you mind your manners. Understood?"
Won-goo smirked.
"Sure thing."
"Remember this. One look at this and you'll want to be even more careful."
With that, the man rolled up his sleeve to show a tattoo. Seventeen dots were inked there.
"See it? Next time, even if it means catching holy hell from the boss, I won't let it slide. Understood?"
And with that, the man spun around sharply and left.
"What was that about?"
Jo Mu-sa, who had been watching, asked.
"Let it go. And don't tell Kkakdugi about this. It'll just make his head spin. That bastard will go off the rails again."
"I won't."
"Remember that."
"My lips are sealed!"
"Keep them that way."
"B-but those d-dots..."
"What do they mean? In Sapiens' organization, they mark how many coins a man has injected."
"Seventeen means... he must be strong."
"Well... probably. Depends on what Gift he's got, though."
The man who'd just been threatened looked entirely unmoved by the whole thing.
Inside the Trailer, Won-goo found Geum Chul-soo trembling uncontrollably. He'd had a rough idea of what Sapiens' organization did, but this time Chul-soo had learned it firsthand.
No wonder his expression was terrible. His sullen face was flashing with killing intent.
And at that murderous expression, Won-goo clapped and broke into song.
"Congratulatiooons! Congratulatiooons! Congratulations to our weather manager Geum Chul-soo on becoming officially one of the family!"
The crew stared blankly at Won-goo singing his celebration song. Geum Chul-soo glared.
"You son of a bitch!"
And with that, Geum Chul-soo launched himself at Won-goo like a diver off a platform.
"Hold him back! Somebody hold him back!"
"Hey! Biting is against the rules!"