Putting Abilities to Practical Use
Ever since Min-hyuk had become an Awakener, the efficiency of their Gombang Work had easily doubled. As a result, the construction site work progressed so quickly that what they had expected to finish on Friday was wrapped up by Thursday morning. The contractor couldn't help but be astonished. After receiving the call, he arrived at the site a little past one o'clock and inspected everything from the seventh floor down in order.
"It's solid. Perfect!"
Having checked all the way down to the first floor, the contractor spoke with genuine admiration.
"Hahaha... This is the level our team operates at."
"I'd heard the rumors, but this is enough to make one's jaw drop."
They had signed a contract to finish by Friday, but the piled-up materials had been so heavy that even finishing by next Wednesday had seemed doubtful. Yet not only had they saved on labor costs, the work had ended a full day early—Thursday morning. From the contractor's perspective, astonishment was inevitable.
"If there's more work in the future, or if you can introduce us around, we'd really appreciate it."
"What are you talking about? When you finish this fast and this well, of course I'll call you whenever there's a job and introduce you to people I know."
"Aigoo... Thank you so much...!"
They shook hands and closed out the job.
Team Leader Jeong returned to the waiting crew, thanked them for their hard work, and promised that the day's wages would all be deposited into their accounts tomorrow. Even though the work had finished on Thursday, the pay still included Friday's share. That meant the team members would each receive five million won, Min-hyuk six million, and Seong-min six and a half million.
"What did the contractor say?"
Min-hyuk asked, curious.
"He was extremely satisfied. Said if there's more work or if he can introduce us to people he knows, he will."
"Whoa... We're climbing higher and higher, huh~!"
"Thanks to Seong-min and the newly Awakened Min-hyuk, we finished a day early. Looks like we've got ourselves a full three-day weekend."
"Just because the work ended early doesn't mean you can completely slack off. We've got a full schedule next week too."
"Aigoo, hyung-nim... Aren't you being a little too strict?"
"I'm worried that if I let you loose, the screws will come completely undone."
"We're not amateurs, hyung-nim. You think we'd do that?"
"We're even cutting back on drinking and smoking, you know."
"Right, everyone?"
"That's right~!"
"Fine, fine, I get it. Rest however you want, just make sure you show up properly on Monday. Nothing more to say, right~? Dismissed!"
"Pretty cool of you, huh?"
"Wuhahahaha!"
They all exchanged goodbyes and turned to head home.
"What are you going to do when you get back, hyung?"
"Work out and take a shower."
"Wow... Hyung, you're really something."
"You have to keep working out consistently. That's how..."
He left out the part about being able to level up more.
"That's how what?"
"Just that. You heading straight to pick up Noona Areum?"
"That's the plan. We've got a date tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah."
"Noona was really excited about it."
"Noona Areum was?"
"Yep. Hehehe... That's how much she likes you, hyung."
Seong-min nodded at Min-hyuk's words. He knew perfectly well how much Noona Areum thought of him and how deeply she liked him. He still clearly remembered the way she had been so moved she cried when he gave her the couple rings. And the feeling was mutual. To Seong-min, Noona Areum was truly like a gift that had descended from the heavens. The important thing was that those words hadn't come from Seong-min himself. They had come from Yoo Ji-ah. And they had left a deep impression on him.
"I feel like no matter who shows up now, it won't be a problem...!"
"Becoming an Awakener filled you with confidence, huh?"
"Of course~! You saw me during Gombang Work, right? That's the level I'm at. Hehehe...!"
Min-hyuk had always said the same thing: that if he were an Awakener, he could do Gombang Work even better. That if he awakened, he would put the power to extremely practical use. This week, he had proven it thoroughly. Right after Seong-min, he had risen as the next ace of Gombang Work.
"Compared to Monday, how much stronger do you feel?"
"I'm not sure exactly... but by today it feels like I've gained more than half again what I had then?"
"That kind of feeling?"
"Like when I wake up, my energy's gone up a little over ten percent from the day before. I think I'm continuously evolving. Heh..."
"I'm definitely curious."
"Huh?"
Seong-min was curious just how strong Min-hyuk had become as an Awakener. So far he had faced quite a few Awakeners. The strongest among them had been Kim Dong-woong, the guild master of Gangrim Guild. How strong would Min-hyuk be compared to someone like that? Seong-min wanted to know.
"So you're heading straight to Noona Areum, then?"
"That's the plan."
Min-hyuk had parked in the alley by the roadside, so he had to go that way. Seong-min had left his car in the empty lot on the opposite side.
"Call me when you get home."
"Yes. I'll contact you as soon as Noona and I get in."
Just as they were about to part ways—
"Is that the guy?"
A group of people came walking toward them. There were twenty-one of them. Seong-min and Min-hyuk, who had been about to separate, turned to look at the approaching crowd. A man who looked to be in his early twenties stepped forward.
"Are you the Awakener doing Gombang Work at that construction site over there?"
"What's with the casual speech?"
"I'm asking if you're the Awakener who was working at that construction site."
"Don't even think about denying it. I saw it clearly while I was passing by! Using psychic energy to haul cement bags around!"
At those words, Min-hyuk's brow furrowed.
"......"
Seong-min said nothing and simply watched.
"Looking at you working a construction site, it seems like you're not affiliated with anyone yet. Don't you have any pride?"
"What pride?"
"If you're an Awakener, you should act like one. Doing that kind of work—is that right?"
The people behind him nodded. In particular, a woman chewing gum looked at Min-hyuk and sneered.
"What a pathetic sight. An Awakener doing manual labor."
Min-hyuk's brow creased in an instant.
"Whatever work I do, I don't have to listen to that kind of crap from you."
"Hmph, so you've got some pride after all? While doing manual labor?"
"Did you come here looking for a fight?"
From Min-hyuk's perspective, the words were thoroughly unpleasant.
"Miju, stop it. He's still an Awakener—hearing that kind of thing would piss anyone off."
The man who had quieted the girl giving Min-hyuk a dirty look turned back to him.
"You. Quit that kind of work and join our guild. As an Awakener, joining a guild and operating properly would be better for you than working a construction site."
For a moment Min-hyuk stared at him as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Hyung, they're talking to me like that and telling me to join their guild. Does that sound like a proper recruitment pitch to you?"
"In the world of Awakeners, I guess that's considered normal."
"Hehehe... Could be."
The eyes of the man who had just invited Min-hyuk into the guild changed.
"You. Are you laughing at us right now?"
"Weren't you the ones who laughed first, calling me a pathetic sight and all that?"
"Jinsu, the guy's an Awakener rolling around on a construction site. There's no way he's right in the head."
"That's why I said it. Anyone who properly understands they're an Awakener doesn't work construction. If that guy really is an Awakener, he's bottom-tier trash as one."
"A troll, basically."
"Oh~ that works too. Troll... Think we'll actually get to see real trolls someday? Orcs already showed up."
"You already saw one."
"True, there's a troll right in front of us. Kikik..."
At the way they were now openly roasting him, Min-hyuk's expression hardened.
"What? Does it piss you off when we talk like this? But what are you gonna do about it even if you're mad? Even if you are an Awakener..."
Saaaah...
In an instant, blue energy began to ripple around the man's body.
"We're Awakeners too."
"Jinsu's the best~!"
"Straight-up fact-checking him, huh?"
"That bastard looks like he's about to cry. Kik..."
Being an Awakener didn't mean one person could take on a crowd. That was why people formed guilds and gathered in groups. Alone you were weak; in numbers you couldn't be ignored. And that went double for Awakeners. Even if their group numbered only twenty-one, twenty-one Awakeners was no small thing. Until recently, Gangrim Guild—the top guild in Seoul—had only a little over a hundred and fifty members.
"We came looking for you to give you a good opportunity."
"And you call that giving me an opportunity?"
"The people behind me are Awakeners, and they weren't exactly thrilled about accepting someone rolling around on a construction site."
"I don't want to join."
"Then at least give us a clear answer."
"What kind of answer?"
"That you won't keep insulting us by working construction."
"What insult did I give you?"
"As fellow Awakeners, your behavior is an insult to all of us."
"What the hell..."
Min-hyuk stared at them as if they were out of their minds. Then he looked at Seong-min.
"Hyung, these guys don't seem right in the head."