The Whistle's Warning
"Ah, one thing to keep in mind. If anyone other than the summoner uses it, something terrible will happen. The same applies even if there are other awakened nearby during the conversation."
...... So it has to be used alone, no exceptions... I wonder if I count as an "other awakened" too?
I stared at the item called Whistle. The flow of mana within it was extraordinarily complex—clearly no ordinary item. What puzzled me most was when they had recorded Yeonhee's energy to create something like this. Crafting an item that only worked for a specific person couldn't have been easy. Yet they had an artisan capable of producing it in a single day.
But do they really expect us to use it? What are they basing that on?
It was an absurd proposal. Still, someone with precognition wouldn't have done this without reason, so I couldn't simply dismiss it.
...Should I just smash it inside the pocket dimension?
Somehow, I had the feeling that nothing done in there would harm Yeonhee.
...Let's just store it for now.
I pointed at the item and signaled to Yeonhee that I would put it away in my pocket dimension, then quickly tucked it inside.
"...What exactly are you people plotting?"
Kang Yeonsu asked the goblin-masked figure in a tone stripped of all levity. She hadn't expected their appearance to be connected to Yeonhee.
"We have never hidden our goals. We are merely carrying out our duties as the Defenders of Humanity."
"You disgusting bastards! You feast on the best while the innocent suffer and die? Filthy scum. One day I'll skin you all and feed you to goblins!"
"Kuhuhu—your spirit is as fierce as the rumors say. I'd love to cross blades with the one who turned Eom Sang-uk into pulp, but time is short, so we'll have to continue this another day."
The moment the old man in the goblin mask finished speaking, his eyes flashed and he dissolved into smoke.
We hadn't been listening to his nonsense for no reason.
"His real body had already vanished by the time he landed. Seems like illusion magic..."
Yeonsu's expression was grim. Illusionists were the natural enemy of physical enhancers like her.
If they'd sent this old man instead of that brute from yesterday, capturing Yeonsu would have been far easier. Had they been occupied with something else yesterday?
The question lingered, but there was no way to confirm it. The sudden appearance and disappearance of the old man left us sighing heavily for a while. Yeonsu, in particular, seemed deeply troubled.
Yeonhee fidgeted before finally speaking up.
"Th-this is all moving way too fast, unnie..."
"Yeah. The board has suddenly become far more complicated."
Yeonsu patted Yeonhee's head a few times before continuing.
"No matter what they say, they're just feeding their own greed. All that talk about a grand mission and protecting humanity? Complete nonsense. They just want a beating."
"You're right. More importantly, what should we do about that item..."
"Ah, keep it safe. It would be better if Ilwol holds onto it. The old man said it should only be used when no one else is around, but there must be a way around that condition. The restriction about nearby awakened probably has a limited range."
"Okay..."
"Just in case—don't go using it out of curiosity when I'm not around, all right? Those types love stabbing people in the back. I've seen it firsthand. They might have planted something you wouldn't even notice, just like yesterday."
"Mm... I won't use it. Ever."
After being firmly warned, Yeonhee glanced around the former factory for a moment before saying her goodbyes to Yeonsu. Before joining the support team, Yeonsu turned back and gave me a quick wink. It was probably meant as a joke, but a chill ran down my spine as I walked away without looking back.
We soon returned to the city center. Not long after, we received a message from Kang Yeonsu confirming that the victims had been safely transported to the treatment center.
"Hehe—thank goodness."
Yeonhee beamed, her entire body radiating joy at the news. With lighter hearts, we headed straight for Helen's shop.
Helen, who couldn't hide her surprise at us completing the request in just half a day, broke down in tears upon hearing that Song Jin-gyeong and Lee Jiu were safe.
Even when she tries to act tough, she's surprisingly fragile.
"They said visiting will be possible in a few days. We just need to wait a little."
"Thank you so much, Yeonhee..."
After calming her emotions, Helen handed Yeonhee an address.
"I never expected you to bring back all three alive. Just how much stronger have you gotten?"
"W-well, we got lucky."
"Heh—lucky, huh? Anyway, this address was left by the client who promised an extra reward for live captures. Since the missing people have returned, it might not be necessary anymore, but just in case. Go check it out. They want to meet at six."
"Understood."
"Check the payment too. All 1.5 billion has been transferred."
"Ah... okay."
We headed straight to the neighborhood listed in the address and waited at a nearby café until the appointed time, confirming the deposited funds.
"Wow... how many zeros is this... one, two, three......"
Yeonhee counted the digits of an amount she had never seen before, and the sight was oddly endearing. She could only show this side of herself because Jin-gyeong and Jiu were safe.
In this rotten world, how long can I keep protecting Yeonhee...?
I felt like I understood, just a little, how parents must feel when they simply want their children to grow up bright and untainted.
After resting sufficiently, we made our way to the address at the agreed time. The three pieces of trash we'd stuffed in the car were now crammed into a large sack and dragged along the ground. Though our appearance was far from normal, no one on the street spared us a glance.
The destination was an ordinary house with nothing remarkable about it. The doorbell looked freshly installed, showing no signs of use.
Ding—
"I've already received word. Come in."
The client's voice came after a long pause. If voices had colors, his would have been gray—cold and lifeless.
When we descended into the basement through the slightly open door, we couldn't help but be shocked.
"This is..."
The space was equipped with perfect soundproofing that could even disrupt my senses.
A torture chamber. There's no way they prepared this in such a short time. Those DOH bastards are ruining countless lives again.
Various tools lined the walls—some so bizarre I couldn't even imagine their purpose.
A man with his back to us, examining the tools, let out a hearty laugh when he noticed our arrival.
"I never thought you'd bring all three back alive! I was overjoyed."
He smiled broadly, as if this was the greatest happiness in the world. Even upon seeing my massive armored form, he showed no surprise—as if it didn't matter whether I was a monster or not.
...I've seen people like him before. That smile belongs to someone who has lost everything.
It wasn't a smile. It was resignation.
"Late last night, I suddenly got a call from someone named Helen. When I saw the data she sent, I felt the blood rush to my head. Heh, I even got dizzy and collapsed for a moment. Good thing I didn't die!"
The man's gaunt, emaciated appearance reminded me of the Glimmerkin who had been merging with mana stones after giving birth. He said his youngest daughter had gone missing a year ago, and that he had been waiting for this day ever since, spreading his arms wide.
......How horrifying.
Though he was filled with nothing but malice, somehow he also seemed pitiable.
"I told her not to enter dungeons, said there was nothing good about them. I raised my youngest with such care, yet she never listened... Heh. I should have stopped her even if it meant breaking her legs. This is all my fault."
He dragged his limping leg with difficulty and stared intently at the faces of the three hunters I had thrown on the floor. His unblinking gaze was so eerie that Yeonhee instinctively shrank back.
"A-are these... definitely the ones?"
"Yes... but, um... we rescued many other missing people, so if by any chance..."
Yeonhee asked cautiously. The man's nostrils flared slightly as the corners of his tightly pressed lips drooped. He waved his hand dismissively.
"I already went to the hospital after hearing the news... It really was a miracle that my daughter was there...!"
Yet the face of the man claiming to have found his daughter was contorted with bulging veins.
"That is... my daughter... my child is no longer truly alive. Kuhuhuk..."
The man let out a dry sob with no tears left to shed, then turned his gaze back to the men.
"If it's not too much trouble, could you put these on them?"
Mana Shackles... How did an ordinary person get their hands on these?
Then again, in a world where contract killings were common, it wasn't surprising. I complied with his request and soon had the three men secured to iron beds in the basement along with the shackles. Unless someone came to rescue them, they would never escape on their own.
"Kekeke—tonight, the families of the missing were supposed to gather... but some who found their children changed their minds about coming. I'm rather glad. Why did I even invite them in the first place? I can bear this alone... They were clearly afraid."
Yeonhee gripped my hand tighter at the sight of the man openly displaying his malice.
"Ah—the money has been transferred without any shortage. Please check. Kekeke—"
With those words, the man waved his hand, essentially showing us the door. In his hands were now nail clippers, nails, a small hammer, and what looked like electrical wires. I had no desire to know what he intended to do with them.
—KUAAAAAAAAAAK!!
—KUHIIGGEUK—!!
Unable to leave immediately, we waited outside for a moment. Only after hearing the horrific screams did we finally start walking.
We gently closed the basement door and were about to step outside when we encountered a middle-aged couple entering the house. They flinched upon seeing me in full armor but didn't stop walking.
"I-is... this the right place?"
Though the subject was missing, I immediately understood what they were confirming.
"It should be... the client with the surname Han..."
Yeonhee only said that much, but the couple nodded with tightly pressed lips and continued on their way.
The effect of my evolved form is really noticeable in places like this. They weren't particularly surprised by me.
Whether they dismissed me as just some eccentric in strange armor, or reacted the same way the support team and the torturer had, their responses were completely different from before.
I turned back, opened the basement door, and guided the middle-aged couple inside. They froze momentarily at the screams that greeted them, but holding each other's hands tightly, they descended once more.
Clang—
After closing the door, we left the area and walked the streets in silence.
What a filthy, unpleasant day... I want to wash up.
Beyond water flowing between my bones, I wanted to bathe in a real human body. If I could, I wanted to wash away the memories along with the grime.