Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Similar People
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Kang Hye-seon’s Swordmaster faction had relocated to Yongsan Station.
Arriving at their camp early in the morning, I received guidance from a certain man.
Stepping inside the station, it looked vastly different from my memories.
There were no traces at all of the battle I’d fought alongside my companions.
Not only the monster corpses, but even the dried bloodstains scattered everywhere had been meticulously cleaned.
All the station’s furnishings, like chairs and such, had been completely removed.
It was far more orderly than before.
‘Still, they can’t hide the smell.’
It was clearly clean, yet an unpleasant stench lingered all the same.
Maybe because so many people were gathered together.
“Don’t you use the surrounding facilities?”
“Pardon? Ah… yes. The defense perimeter would be too wide. Hard to manage.”
The man answered straightforwardly.
Even the one leading the way ahead of me reeked of sweat.
Not fresh sweat from just now, but a deep, long-embedded body odor.
“The Swordmaster is upstairs.”
Floors 1 and 2 served as living quarters, warehouses, combat waiting rooms, and the like.
The third floor held meeting rooms and offices for group operations.
As I climbed to the third floor, I took in their daily life.
‘Refugees.’
That one word summed them up perfectly.
They maintained a broad structure of order, but individuals were in rough shape.
To the point where hygiene was a real concern.
“Right here. Then I’ll…”
Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster had come out to meet me at the stairs.
‘Her hair’s still damp.’
She’d clearly rushed out.
“Long time no see.”
She greeted me.
“Long time. Have you been well?”
“Yes… I’ve been fine.”
A lie.
She didn’t even look like someone who’d been fine in passing.
‘Did she dig out fresh clothes just for this?’
To put on a show for me?
Or simple courtesy for a guest?
Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster had washed her hair and donned a stiff suit.
Even so, her exhaustion shone through.
She looked thinner than before.
“Did I arrive too early?”
“No. Thank you for coming.”
Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster was level 24.
Impressive that she’d leveled up to 24, and odd that an Awakened at that level looked so drained.
“Shall we head in?”
We entered her private office.
We sat facing each other across the table.
“A bit chaotic, huh?”
“Yes.”
“No time to tidy up.”
I glanced around the office once, and Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster spoke calmly.
At least this room was free of the smell.
“Seems like more people now.”
“Yes. Scouting around here and there…”
Her faction had grown larger than before.
Purely by numbers, far more than Samira.
But the makeup was the issue.
Samira now had over 40 percent Awakened.
Mostly twenties, by age group.
Here, obviously far fewer Awakened at a glance.
But plenty of elderly and young.
“How’s the food situation?”
“Not bad. Yours?”
She and I were both leaders of our groups.
The talk naturally drifted that way.
Though neither of us shared specifics.
No prying either.
Knock knock.
Then came a knock.
“Come in.”
A few people entered and laid out food on the table.
Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster had mentioned treating me to a meal.
“Ah, should’ve led with this… got sidetracked, sorry for the late welcome.”
The people left, and I eyed the breakfast spread.
A standard white-rice set meal.
“Thank you for the tough trip.”
“No trouble.”
“Huge relief that you offered help so readily. Dig in.”
As I lifted my spoon, I sensed her emotions.
Expectations swelled.
‘What’s she expecting?’
I started eating.
Conversation halted as I focused quietly on the meal.
Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster’s pace quickened.
We finished almost in sync.
“Ah… I always have a big appetite in the mornings.”
She eyed her empty bowl wistfully.
Then, catching my gaze, offered an excuse.
“How was it? Tough to eat proper these days.”
I eat better than this daily.
“Delicious. Ate my fill.”
“Glad to hear. Ah, dessert too.”
Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster smiled.
Felt like she was forcing nonchalance.
‘Things must be rough.’
During the meal, I’d watched her emotions shift.
Expectations faded, replaced by satisfaction.
She’d been genuinely content with this breakfast.
No missing it now.
Recalling her emotional swings and the ragged state of everyone else, one guess crystallized.
‘Water, probably.’
Water shortages limit washing, and hit food hard too.
Her nature, plus what I’d seen—likely a few pushing themselves for the many.
“Not sure I deserve such treatment. Ah, meaning it was that good.”
Testing the waters.
“You absolutely do. You came to help us. Lives on the line.”
“Wish others saw it that way. Times are brutal…”
Kang Hye-seon’s brows twitched.
We locked eyes wordlessly.
“Whew… Others feel the same as me.”
She finally replied.
A lie.
The hesitation turned my guess to certainty.
She sensed it too.
“Truth is, people are the hardest part.”
“Monsters mostly cleared, right?”
The question might’ve seemed off-topic to her venting.
Her eyes widened.
“Exactly. You get it. After the monster cries faded, lots of folks… um…”
“Stuffed bellies.”
“Well… yes.”
My first impression of Kang Hye-seon was resilience.
I’d pegged her as righteous, earnest, yet calculating.
Today felt different.
Exhaustion plain as day.
“Whew… balance of spoils or whatever… gotta eat the short-shelf-life stuff first.”
“Yes.”
“Keeping people calm is a job in itself.”
And somehow, she’d started venting to me proper.
I’d barely prodded.
“Think whining about stale food is fair?”
“No.”
“Right? Why indulge gripes like that. Some of us enjoy it daily…”
No matter her temperament, the strain of shouldering so many lives in crisis weighed heavy.
How bottled up, to unload on me.
“Water’s the same. Gotta stock drinking water.”
“Right.”
“Ends up fetching daily use from the Han River… no small task. Weather heating up ain’t my fault…”
Kang Hye-seon loosened up, spilling freely.
I just listened.
“And last time, some lunatic…”
“Rough stuff.”
“Ah, pissed me off. But can’t just boot a healthy survivor.”
My read was spot on.
Kang Hye-seon hustled harder than anyone.
No perks for herself.
Ate the same, worked more, slept less.
She and a few others sacrificing.
“Ah, got carried away.”
After the outburst, she clamped down with a regretful look.
Still guarded toward me.
Yet sensing kinship too.
“It’s fine. Lives grind similar everywhere, right?”
“True… You’ve got your headaches too, Yi Hyun-ssi?”
I deflected smoothly.
Positions akin, circumstances worlds apart.
No need to correct the misread.
“So how do you handle complaints?”
“Depends on the gripe.”
Chose words careful.
Honest this time.
“I built a new order.”
“New order?”
“Yes. Past is past. Enforce strictly to the new rules.”
No mention of executions or disabled in Samira.
“Strictly… yes. Strictness essential. Now more than ever.”
She nodded, lost in thought.
“Thanks for breakfast. Ready?”
“Ah… yes. Time to.”
She seemed eager for more chat.
I cut it short.
Here for Gate raid assist—situation grasped plenty.
“Equipment I brought.”
I stood, handed my pack to Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster.
“This… thank you.”
“Protectors adjustable. Lining’s stretchy—should fit fine.”
“Yes. Payment? Got Mana Stones ready…”
She asked, tone laced with worry.
“Just a gift.”
“Pardon? This rare stuff… free?”
“Ah, not quite free.”
Her face hardened.
Then my follow-up flipped her emotions.
“Here to repay your grace today. Payment’s done.”
Gratitude from Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster swelled further.
#
Kang Hye-seon had first wanted Gate-traversable gear.
She’d chatted Jang Ho-seop via comments, asked for Gate raid tips.
I greenlit both.
Free gear, and I’d join the raid outright.
Two reasons.
Repay fixing Jang Ho-seop’s arm.
Gauge absorbing her faction.
‘Not easy.’
Kang Hye-seon cut from different cloth than me.
Her core crew showed fierce loyalty.
Trash disposable—but keys, best intact.
Especially the doc who reattached Jang’s arm.
“Please take good care of her.”
“Yes.”
This woman.
The white-coated lady chased us to the Gate.
We’d traded names en route; she’d clung close, pleading to look after Hye-seon multiple times already.
‘29, specialist… orthopedic at that.’
Career standout, dazzling.
Textbook genius doc.
Skills unclear, but core of medical team for sure.
Ah, the one quizzing me outside the OR before.
“Even if Hye-seon gets stubborn…”
“Sis, enough. Yi Hyun-ssi, let’s go.”
Kang Hye-seon cut her off, tugged me along.
“No worries. We’ll return safe.”
I held firm despite her nudge, wrapped the talk.
“Yes, thank you. Careful out there, Yi Hyun-ssi.”
My firm assurance eased her features.
Want her in Samira.
Means winning over Kang Hye-seon first.
Why?
“Sis, don’t wait—head back.”
“But really okay?”
“Not okay doesn’t change it. You know. Gotta do it.”
They’re blood sisters.
Kang Hye-seon and Kang I-seon.
Swordmaster little sis, doctor big sis.
Worlds apart in looks and temper, bound by blood.
“Sorry my sister was a hassle?”
“All good. Set?”
“Yes.”
“As mentioned—no warning, straight to other world. Perimeter watch first…”
One last precaution rundown, I scanned her top to bottom.
Just my gear on her.
Liner and key protectors—that’s it.
No weapons, no packs. Minimalist kit.
“Final gear check.”
“Yes.”
I personally inspected her setup.
Tightened a few straps, offered my hand.
“Whew…”
Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster took it, drew a deep breath.
Tension palpable.
“Entering, then.”
With that, Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster and I stepped through the Gate.
#
Dark out.
Sunset.
“Yi Hyun-ssi.”
“Hold.”
True to my instructions, Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster vigilantly scanned surroundings first.
Her shadow stretched long.
Not lightening up—darkening down.
No morning air; sunset stained the sky.
‘Forest, evening?’
Target Detection picked up no presences.
Yet I couldn’t step forward easy.
Time was why.
Till now, Earth time synced with Gate beyond.
Morning entry, morning there; afternoon return, afternoon here.
“Safe so far.”
“Yes. Evening here, though?”
Thoughts swirled.
System message too.
Plop.
Sudden droplet on my nose bridge.
Simultaneously.
“Huh? Droplet…”
Kang Hye-seon the Swordmaster looked skyward.
Plop plop pitter-patter.
Rain fell.
Raindrops swiftly thickened.