Chapter 42
Chapter 42
The awkward atmosphere lasted only a moment.
I was grateful that Dad was alive.
"Anyway, how did you survive?"
"Hmm..? Ah.. I finished a job in the morning and was moving to the next location when the car suddenly stopped."
Thank goodness the incident happened after you'd already entered the city center...
"The car that was running fine just stopped... and some familiar-looking zombies appeared right in front of me... I was so flustered back then..."
Dad looked up at the ceiling as if recalling the past, and when he went to drink some water, he saw the empty bottle, took two bottles of mineral water out of his inventory, placed one in front of me, and...
Click
He popped the cap and started drinking.
"Phew... Fortunately, there were plenty of tools in the car that I'd brought for work, and luckily, there was a fishing bag stuffed in the corner."
"So the stubbornness I showed in the past actually helped out, heh heh."
When I laughed and spoke jokingly, Dad laughed too.
"That's right... I was in a tough spot because my 25-year-old son was whining to play games, but it's ironic that the experience helped me survive..."
Dad drank more water to wet his throat.
"Hoo... After that, I acted just like I did in the game. I hid with Stealth and fished in the Taehwa River over there to eat."
"You caught fish and ate them?"
There was a risk of getting an upset stomach if someone without professional knowledge ate raw fish, but Dad, really...
"Haha, but unlike the Ruined Game, every time I caught a fish, my EXP went up a ton. I immediately learned Cooking just like in the game and safely sliced them into sashimi to eat."
"Ah... listening to you, Dad, you sound like just some middle-aged guy who went on a relaxing fishing trip."
"Kehehe... That's right. I ended up here after sharing the fish I caught with people..."
"Did you reunite with Yumi-ssi, who gives off a vibe similar to Mom?"
At my jab, Dad acted as if he'd been shot in the chest.
"Ugh... To think those words would come out of my son's mouth... I really am a terrible father."
Since I had cheated too, I wasn't greatly shocked by Dad's infidelity.
I was just worried about the shock Mom would receive...
"Th-that... and rather than a reunion, it's more like... to fill the void in each other's hearts... I mean..."
"Dad...? Every cheater says that... 'Falling in love isn't a crime!' they say..."
"Th-that's true... Sigh... I have no face to show your mother."
My heart ached at the sight of Dad hanging his head.
If this incident hadn't occurred, we would have been an ordinarily happy family, and neither Dad nor Mom would have had to go through this...
"Still, you have to be honest and ask for forgiveness."
"I suppose so..."
Dad lifted his head as if he had steeled his resolve, not intending to give up on either Yumi-ssi or Mom.
"Anyway, how did you get here from Daegu?"
Only then did he ask about how I came to Ulsan.
You're asking pretty late...
I pointed to Kkamang-i, who was dozing on my head.
"Thanks to this guy. It's a flying pet, so it can fly in the sky."
"What?!"
Dad was startled and stood up from his seat.
"C-could you lend that bird to Dad for a bit?!"
He had become a terrible father.
"Dad... if you're thinking of borrowing Kkamang-i to go back and forth between Ulsan and Daegu, give it up..."
I preemptively struck, just in case.
"Keuheok... Ah... can't you...?"
Dad was disappointed.
"It's not like it's the house next door; if it travels such a long distance back and forth, how tired would this guy be? It's a living creature, you know."
"Th-that's right... I'm sorry, son..."
Dad sat back down in his chair with a regretful face.
Just then,
Burst!
Yumi, having finished her work, returned.
Click-clack! Click-clack!
Yumi-ssi walked over quickly and stood in front of Dad.
"Yu... Yumi-yang?"
"So... what are you going to do..."
Dad was flustered by Yumi's tearful appearance, but thanks to his earlier resolve, he jumped up and took her hand.
"Yumi-yang... I truly love you, but... my son has come to find me like this... and my wife is alive and well."
Yumi began to feel fear at Dad's words.
"Th-that means... you're going to abandon me... and leave...?"
Tears flowed from her eyes, tracing her cheeks, and...
Plop
They fell to the floor.
Dad wiped her tears with his hand.
"Why is a grown woman crying? Stop it!"
"Hic... Really.... Waaaaah!"
Yumi seemed to be preparing for a farewell, eventually burying herself in Dad's arms.
Dad stroked her back warmly and whispered to her.
"So, Yumi-yang, wouldn't you like to come to Daegu with me?"
...Huh?!
Sitting on the sofa watching, I was surprised by those words, and she, held in his arms, also trembled as if startled.
Her emotions shifted from sadness to surprise, and from surprise to anger.
"Hic... Are you telling me to abandon the patients, Chansu-ssi!!"
Dad pulled her in and hugged her again, as if he had anticipated her reaction.
"That's not what I mean. Just like our son came here, we can also go back and forth between Daegu and Ulsan."
"And there must be countless patients... and the weak in Daegu too... So, how about we create a Daegu branch of Baraem Hospital together?"
To me, Dad's idea didn't sound bad.
A hospital with doctors and nurses.
The hospital itself would spread a positive influence in this harsh world just by existing.
Though, one would need the ability to manage that organization and the power to protect it...
"Th-then, does that mean I don't have to break up with you, Chansu-ssi...?"
"Of course. We might not be able to be together all the time like now, but I'll try my best to be with you."
"Hic... Chansu-ssi!"
"Yes, yes... Why are you crying again?"
Yumi began to cry as if she felt relief from the sadness of separation, but she was crying with a completely different smile than before.
Uh... Dad?
The plan is good, but... what are you going to do about Mom...
'Well~ he'll figure it out.'
I quietly left the director's office so the two of them could make up.
"I miss Harang-ssi and Eunmi-nuna too."
Seeing the two of them hugging, I felt particularly lonely.
--
A little while later, while I was tearing into a Mutant's arm inside the empty convenience store on the first floor of the hospital,
"Son, you're here... What are you eating...?"
Crunch!
I tore off the last piece of flesh and stood up, cleaning the area with Clean.
"Ah, these are Mutants, you know the guys stronger than regular zombies? This is the meat they drop when you catch 'em."
"Uh... is it tasty?"
"Yeah, want to try some?"
I took the blood-dripping Mutant arm out of my inventory and handed it to Dad, but
"Ugh... No thanks..."
Dad refused, looking disgusted.
It's delicious, though...
I shrugged my shoulders and put the arm away.
"So, did things get resolved well?"
"Yes, but the biggest problem remains."
"Mom?"
"Keuk... Right, that was left too. I was talking about the transportation issue..."
How could you forget the most important thing, Father?
When I looked at him as if he were pathetic, Dad laughed sheepishly.
"Ahahaha... Son, so where did you get that transport pet? I remember you hatch them from expensive eggs..."
"That's right. You buy Jegiral at an NPC Village and hatch it. So, is there a village nearby?"
I asked Dad, who had spent some time in Ulsan, but
"Hmm... I've been here ever since I met Yumi-yang, except for food supply runs, so I'm not really sure."
Father... are you a gigolo...?
I couldn't understand why smart and pretty women like Mom or Yumi-ssi would fall for Dad.
Perhaps Dad read my thoughts in my eyes, as he laughed sheepishly.
"Ahahaha... I'll go ask Yumi-yang... Want to come with?"
"Yeah, I've got nothing else to do anyway, so I'll tag along."
--
Dad navigated the hospital as if he were used to it, and we were able to find her in the second-floor clinic.
"Yumi-yang, I have something I want to ask."
"What is it?"
She spoke coldly, as if her anger hadn't fully subsided.
"Ahahaha... Do you know where an NPC Village is around here?"
At Dad's question, Yumi-ssi thought for a moment, then picked up the receiver on the table and made a call somewhere.
What!? A phone call works?!
I was flustered that a phone could work in this world.
"Yeah, it's me. Didn't Patient Jin-young say he discovered some strange monsters the other day? Yeah, yeah, right. Is that patient in the hospital right now? Oh, 4th-floor ward? Thanks."
I knew it wasn't polite, but to satisfy my curiosity, I asked her.
"Excuse me, Yumi-ssi...? How are you making a phone call in this world...?"
She seemed to grasp the point of my question.
"Ah~ This is an internal phone. It can only be used inside this building."
An internal phone... I see...
After answering my curiosity, she stood up from her seat.
"A patient on the 4th floor said they saw a village formed by strange creatures with blue skin. Let's go together."
"Thanks, Yumi-yang."
Dad took Yumi-yang's hand as she walked over.
"Hmph!"
Even though she said that, she didn't pull her hand away from Dad.
The two of them... they look good together, but...
Mom... what are you going to do, really...
--
We used the elevator to go up to the 4th floor and walked to where the witness was.
Creak
"Is Patient Jin-young here?"
"Eung? Who's looking for... Oh my, it's the Hospital Director."
Yumi, who had been haughty just a moment ago, became an angel in front of the patient, and the man lying in the bed smiled and told us all the information he knew.
...
"Thank you. Then I'll see you during rounds in a bit."
"Hehehe, I'm glad I could be of help~"
Satisfied with the information we obtained, we left the ward.
--
According to the information we obtained, people who could hardly be seen as having normal skin color had formed a village at the place where the soccer field was located near the Taehwa River in Ulsan.
"Dad, let's go together first. If it's a real NPC Village, I have to buy a pet there right away."
"Sure. Thanks, Yumi-yang."
Dad kissed Yumi-yang on the cheek, who was standing there.
"You really! What are you doing to another woman while your son is watching!"
Yumi pushed Dad away, forcibly holding back the corners of her mouth from rising.
'Right, Father... cheating in front of your son...'
"Ahahaha! Our son understands everything, so don't worry~"
I don't...
I laughed sheepishly and headed for the stairs, and Dad also waved at Yumi-ssi and followed me.
--
Hospital rooftop.
I woke up Kkamang-i, who was dozing.
"Kkamang-i, I'm counting on you."
Kyang...
The guy seemed sleepy, so it returned to its original form with its eyes closed.
I habitually climbed onto its back.
"Ah... son... is this... really..."
Dad felt fear at Kkamang-i's fierce appearance.
"It looks like this, but it's a good guy, so don't worry. Now, take my hand."
I smiled and held out my hand to Dad.
"Th-that's right... I'm counting on you..."
"Now, Kkamang-i? See the river over there? Let's go up along the river to the left."
Kruaaargh!!
Flap!! Flap!!
At my words, the guy flapped its wings strongly and rose into the sky.
"Waaaaah!!"
Dad screamed, gripping my waist tightly at the sensation of flying for the first time.
Ugh, my ears...
--
While flying along the riverside,
"Huh? Is that it..."
I was able to discover a place where shabby houses were lined up on the soccer field.
'Ah... just by looking at it, it's a small village or even less...'
I was slightly disappointed, but since there was a shop in every village, I decided to visit.
"Kkamang-i, see down there? Let's go there."
Kruaaaaargh!!
"Waaaaaaaah!!"
Dad screamed again at the guy's sudden dive.
Thud!!
Huh...? Kkamang-i...?
We landed in the middle of the village.
Back in the Ruined Game days, to enter a village, you had to show your face to the guards, get permission, and then proceed with quests, but
Gulp...
'I just trespassed right into the middle of the village!!!!'
We had burst right into the village... and into the very middle of it, at that.
Rustle! Rustle-rustle!!
'Ah... I'm screwed.'
The blue-skinned NPCs held spears and surrounded Kkamang-i, shouting, then
"Intruder!! Everyone, prepare for bat... Hiiiiiik!!"
Huh?
Scared by Kkamang-i's appearance, they threw away their spears and prostrated themselves on the ground.
"Sp... spare us!! Oh, King of the Goejo!!"
Huh?!
Dad had fainted behind my back, drooling, and Kkamang-i was scratching its body with its beak as if it were itchy somewhere.
I couldn't understand the situation... seeing the NPCs bowing down.