Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 138
Chapter Title: Victims of the Incident ver.p.saebyeok(tp)
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‘?’
Huh, what’s this.
Out of nowhere, I felt like introducing myself.
It was like someone had suddenly handed me a mic.
But no one had asked, so if I started rambling, they’d think I was nuts. I decided to keep it to myself and tamp down the urge.
My name is Lee Saebyeok. English name: Dun.
“…….”
Foreign hunters posted to Korea had trouble with “Saebyeok,” mangling it into Sai-byeok, Sa-buck, S-buck, even watermelon or Seo-bak. I got pissed, so we settled on the straightforward “Dun” that actually got the point across.
“…….”
That’s all on the name. Any more would be boring.
Now, life story time.
I was born somehow, but no parents.
Monsters kept popping up next to me, and I’d run screaming “Argh! Ugh!” Got turned into some lab rat, flailing “Argh! Save me!” And lately, finally free.
Now eighteen. Going to school like normal kids.
My biggest worry lately? Ability awakening. But it’s not worth whining about.
No, there was a more immediate problem.
‘That crazy bitch—is she trying to get punched in the face?’
I stared at Woo Ji-yoon, who looked like the Joker.
To explain: she’s my roommate, another ex-lab-rat turned official hunter.
She’d been researching makeup all last week since school started, borrowed money, bought a ton—and this was the result.
She’d crashed with her face smeared in whatever she’d slathered on, so I hadn’t noticed. Now it looked like modern art.
Did all kids these days go around like that?
I turned to scope out the current trends.
Some kids passing by, whispering and giggling about us, caught my eye.
‘They look normal?’
I glared hard at the overdone Woo Ji-yoon.
A torrent poured from Ji-yoon’s mouth. Boyfriends this, she’s super popular that.
Her eyelashes, thicker than usual, fluttered wildly.
“Hey, you look like a camel.”
“That’s your answer to who I’m eating lunch with? You weren’t listening again!”
“…….”
“Yoo-hyun oppa said listening’s key to good relationships!”
“Ugh.”
Up close now, I could examine Woo Ji-yoon’s face in detail.
She’d covered burn scars with paint-like makeup, but sweat was revealing them.
Scars from a drug accident.
I remembered the overseers cackling about how hideous they were.
Makeup wasn’t my thing, so no comment on taste. But exposing the scars she’d tried to hide didn’t seem intentional.
She’d make a huge fuss if anyone teased her, whining why I didn’t warn her.
“Sae, Saebyeok! G-good!”
“……?”
While I pondered, Lee Kyung-seop came shuffling up from afar.
What was so good about morning? I scowled silently, and his pupils started shaking.
“Th-that was short for good morning, g-good... Yoo-hyun hyung taught me... W-was it lame?”
“Kyung-seop, that’s old and lame.”
I was about to say it, but Woo Ji-yoon beat me to it.
Kyung-seop, fellow ex-lab-rat, was the timid type even among Abys kids.
“Your makeup’s a bit much...”
Hurt, he narrowed his eyes and attacked Ji-yoon’s face buildup.
Ah, so I wasn’t the only one who thought it was weird. I’d figured it was the trend.
Needed more opinions.
“Hey, Byun Woo-jin, weigh in. What’s up with Ji-yoon’s makeup?”
“…….”
I asked Woo-jin, who’d tagged along unnoticed. He just blinked.
“…….”
Woo-jin was the quiet one among Abys kids.
Why’s there always that one super quiet kid in every group? This guy took the cake.
Wasn’t always like that. Blame Yeo Woo-hee, another Abys kid, for his silent shtick.
Overseers cracked up when Woo-hee said “Don’t get cocky, Woo-jin~” Now every time he opened his mouth, it was “Don’t get cocky, Woo-jin.”
It became a meme among the kids, so Woo-jin just shut up.
He squirmed when I spoke to him, glanced at Ji-yoon’s face, and shook his head.
Good. Majority vote: ugly.
If something went down at school over her face, she’d be sobbing in our room tonight.
“Hey, no good. Show me that YouTuber you wanted to copy.”
Ji-yoon sniffled and pulled up her watch history.
“New Semester, Miracle Makeup to Spark a Fling.”
“This face turned into yours? Miracle for sure.”
“No, Saebyeok, you’ve been a total jerk!!”
“C’mere. Time for face reconstruction.”
I grabbed the whining Ji-yoon’s nape and headed to the sinks.
Time was tight, so I fast-forwarded her video 2x from start to finish.
No awakening, but I had one skill I’d bled for: watch a motion once, and I could remember and replicate it.
Had to invent new moves against Awakeners with just physicals, so talent bloomed.
The video lady slathered her face with brushes, switching types.
I memorized sequence, hand angles, pressure—while scrubbing Ji-yoon’s face with sink water, gripping her hair.
“Sae, Saebyeok. Even so, waterboarding in the morning...”
What’s she on about.
Ignoring Kyung-seop, I pulled a massive pouch from Ji-yoon’s bag. Full of every tool from the video.
Wiped her face roughly with my uniform jacket, then applied stuff in video order.
“W-wow... It’s kinda like the video!”
“…….”
Like spot-the-difference.
I moved hands by memory, cross-checking video patterns with her face.
A bit sloppy, but hid her burn-scar complex. Human-shaped now.
Dorm peace tonight secured.
“Ooh...”
“What...? Looks good?”
Ji-yoon checked selfie mode, like she’d doubted me.
Snapping to, other kids heading to school crowded around, gawking at her face.
“Hey, what’s up? Saebyeok, do mine too!”
Moon Se-rim’s chin dug into my head again.
“Fuck off, all of you.”
Morning already noisy. First school day, everyone hyped.
“Me too, me too.”
“Go to Seol Do-yoon. She’s got the hands.”
Way better than before. Makeup a tad off, but fine details were her thing.
No plans to sit and do more, so I stood and headed to school. Kids snapped out, turned too.
“Oh, wait—Seol Do-yoon coming to school?”
“Kyung-seop, your roommate, right? Is she?”
Kyung-seop shared with Seol Do-yoon now.
Ah, Seol Do-yoon...
Explained so much already, too lazy. Just some kid. Oh, right, didn’t cover Moon Se-rim either.
Whatever.
“Uh... H-honestly, no clue. After the curtain rail on the ceiling, she barely talks...”
What a clown.
Short on Do-yoon: total clown.
Pictured their room, curtain smack in the middle.
Screamed privacy, stuck to it.
“Even if she said don’t talk, you could’ve asked if she’s going to school.”
Ji-yoon scolded Kyung-seop, exasperated.
“N-no. Hard to even meet. Leaves early morning, back late night... We see each other in gates, but she’s all ‘focus on kills.’ Lately, not even hearing her come and go.”
“Oh yeah! Do-yoon probably bought a place and moved!”
“Eh, whaaat... Really?”
Woo-hee smirked, mocking Kyung-seop.
“Poor Kyung-seop. Do-yoon’s really ignoring you. After all that time rooming, she’d tell anyone else.”
Woo-hee’s logic: straight to disdain.
Heard she beefed with some normie hunter: “She looked down on me! Normie bitch!! Tested her, and she called Abys a circus—see? I was right! She looked down on us!”
I looked down at Woo-hee. Eye contact—she hooked my arm friendly, rubbing her head.
“Saebyeok, school life’s gonna be awesome. Right?”
I nodded vaguely, staring at the closing school gate.
Uh...
Late.
Running late, so while sprinting, sort Abys kids I’ll school with: me, Woo Ji-yoon, Moon Se-rim, Lee Kyung-seop, Yeo Woo-hee, Byun Woo-jin...(skipped)...Hwang Ki-tae, Oh Min-ji.
And orphanage kids who died: Yang Hye, Yoon Min-kyung, Kim Ah-in...
“…….”
Lee Saebyeok, what’re you doing.
Snap out of it.
§ § §
Hunter Association’s nearest high school.
Buzz about new batch of Association hunters incoming.
“Dude, Association hunters flooding in this time.”
“Those sociopath crew? Hate ‘em.”
Articles painted Association-raised hunters as extra violent and aggressive. Lots of “watch out.”
“But why all same age?”
“Rumor: orphans, birthdates fuzzy, so logged same age.”
“Whoa, tragic. Abys Project guinea pigs too. Leaked pics were nightmare fuel.”
“Gasp, for real?”
“Look.”
One kid showed researched stuff.
Recent shots of execs hauled in cop cars, crude Photoshopped docs labeled “Abys Project.”
Kids read, clucked tongues.
“...Kinda wanna look out for ‘em, but scary...”
“Sociopath material. Hope not in our class.”
“Don’t care, just not grouped with shitty-Awakener kids.”
“Yeah...”
Worries mixed with curiosity flew back and forth.