Chapter 173
Chapter 173
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 173
Chapter Title: Were You Alive?
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"Were you alive?"
His single word left her utterly speechless.
Just moments ago, she'd been agonizing over how to even broach the subject. But with that one phrase, he wiped away all her worries.
"No."
Soo-hyuk shook his head.
"I wasn't exactly living."
"So is this living, then? Or did you die?"
"I did die back then."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Seeing his faint chuckle brought a momentary wave of relief.
But it shattered quickly as she took in his deathly pale face and his body, half-torn to shreds. It snapped her back to reality.
Even being able to exchange these final words was a miracle in itself.
Hwang Gyu-seong's condition was dire enough that he could stop breathing at any second.
"Eh, that's how it went."
Those words carried so much weight. Yet he continued without a hint of pain or strain.
"Don't waste your energy trying to save me for nothing. I have no intention of dragging this out either. It's too precious to squander time on futile efforts, right?"
His words halted Soo-hyuk's hands mid-motion.
He knew it already. There was no saving him.
Even if An Ji-young, the best healer among his comrades, were here instead, she might not be able to save him.
She was right.
It was too wasteful to pour time and effort into the impossible right now.
In the end, Soo-hyuk let go and asked,
"What happened?"
"Got backstabbed twice like an idiot. This time by that bastard's little brother."
"Lee Won-jae?"
Soo-hyuk's eyes flashed. He'd asked with certainty, but perhaps sensing his time was short, Hwang Gyu-seong said something else entirely.
"Anyway... good thing..."
He flashed a radiant smile, unbelievable for someone on the brink of death.
"The promise... to get revenge for you... I thought I broke it..."
He strung each word together with effort.
"But since you're alive... I didn't break it..."
"You idiot, who asked you to keep a dumb promise like that?"
Frustration spilled out before she could stop it.
This wasn't the time for petty emotions. She bowed her head deeply and bit her lip hard.
"No, scratch that. Sorry. Truth is, I'm really grateful. Really..."
"No worries... I get it. If it were me... I'd curse you out first. Pfft—ugh."
His burst of laughter aggravated his wounds, and Hwang Gyu-seong suddenly vomited blood. He'd probably been holding it back.
Perhaps realizing time was truly running out, he stopped laughing and continued.
"Remember...? The 'thing that's bound to happen someday'."
"Why bring that up now?"
"Can't explain... long."
Hwang Gyu-seong sensed he didn't have much time left.
"If you get the chance... meet the Three Demons. Then... you might understand."
"Why them all of a sudden?"
"Just... do it. Cough!"
Blood sprayed onto his face from his cough.
Instead of worrying over his state, Soo-hyuk burned every word into his mind.
"Got it. I understand."
"You promise...? Damn... I'm gonna... die."
Groaning in pain, Hwang Gyu-seong's eyes gradually clouded over.
"One last thing... this is the real important one..."
"Take your time."
"Hyo-min... is with Il-su."
"...!!!"
The shock made her momentarily forget that Hwang Gyu-seong was dying right before her eyes.
Lee Hyo-min. She was one of the four Soo-hyuk had sent flying that day, alongside Hwang Gyu-seong.
Unlike Si-woo and Ye-ryeong, there'd been no trace of her, so she'd assumed she was dead.
"She's alive? Then?"
"She is... alive."
Alive. That word set Soo-hyuk's mind ablaze.
Why had Hwang Gyu-seong vanished for over twenty years? Why had Si-woo and Ye-ryeong refused to reveal the truth of that day?
Those mysteries finally shed their shells.
"That crazy son of a—."
"Still... it's a relief."
Before her rage could fully ignite,
Soo-hyuk's pupils trembled in Hwang Gyu-seong's fading gaze.
"Because... you're back... now."
"...Huh?"
"Now... Hyo-min too..."
The words trailed off unfinished.
The eyes of the dead, light extinguished. Soo-hyuk had seen eyes like these countless times before. His hand moved once more.
"...Hey."
Crackle—
He blasted lightning straight into his chest.
"Don't die."
Sizzle—!
Thud. Hwang Gyu-seong's body jolted violently.
Hoping his heart would beat again, praying for even a fleeting miracle.
"I barely made it back like you said..."
Szzzzzt—!
Soo-hyuk kept channeling lightning into his hands, pounding Hwang Gyu-seong's heart.
"What am I supposed to do if you leave, you bastard—!"
Could his body ever feel this comfortable?
Perfectly temperate warmth. Air soft as down feathers. A colorless landscape, neither blinding nor dark.
Standing blankly in its midst, Hwang Gyu-seong didn't yet realize why he was here.
Then it hit him.
"Oh, I'm dead."
He scratched his thick head, finally grasping his situation.
No one goes through life without pondering what death feels like. Everyone thinks about it because they either want to live or fear dying.
"Huh. It's nothing special."
In that sense, this was disappointingly anticlimactic.
He'd expected something more profound at life's end. But there was nothing waiting.
Step—
Deciding to walk this endless path to its conclusion, he started moving.
It felt like marching in place; the scenery never changed. He wondered if this road even had an end.
How long had he walked?
"Huh?"
Something different appeared for the first time.
Faint silhouettes like people, waving at him.
'Do they know me?'
Their faces weren't clear. The only standout was the tall one in the middle.
He'd need to get closer. They seemed to be calling out to him.
His pace quickened.
The distance shrank, their forms sharpening.
"...Huh?"
Three familiar faces welcoming him.
The giant in the center came into focus.
"Su-hun—."
To the left, the short, chatty one.
"Min-jae—."
To the right, the person he'd loved for so long.
"...Ji-young."
They waved at him.
Su-hun looked delighted, Min-jae teary-eyed, and Ji-young angry.
Whoosh—
He ran. Faster than he ever had, pouring everything into it.
The gap closed rapidly. Just as hoped, they were his friends.
"Guys—!"
Yelling, he barreled into them, embracing all three at once.
For a long while, he could do nothing but suppress the surging emotions within.
It took time before he loosened his arms.
"Guess I really did die. Seeing you all again."
—Or maybe this is all an illusion.
He kept the doubt to himself. Voicing it might shatter this perfect dream if it were true.
Were these truly the dead reborn? Or was his deep knowledge of them crafting an eerily realistic hallucination?
As expected, Ji-young lashed out first.
"You think this is great right now?"
"Aren't you happy to see me?"
"You think we'd be happy you're dead?"
"Su-hun seems thrilled."
Su-hun flinched in the middle, looking guilty.
"It's been so long. Slipped out."
"You're smiling right now?"
"I'm happy, so yeah. Come on, Ji-young, smile. Smile~."
"Yeah, Ji-young. Calm down. Gyu-seong... he tried his best."
A lump rose in his throat at Min-jae's interjection.
He tried his best.
To keep one promise, he'd clashed bloodily with demons. To protect Si-woo and Ye-ryeong from his filth, he'd isolated himself for decades.
It was lonely. Agonizing.
Truth was, he'd wanted to come back.
To this place he could never return to.
"Wh-whoa? He's crying?"
Hwang Gyu-seong sobbed uncontrollably.
Through all that hell, not a single tear. But seeing these three broke his tear ducts wide open.
Swipe—
"...Good job."
Ji-young embraced the sobbing, collapsed Hwang Gyu-seong.
"You did great, Gyu-seong. Thank you."
Tears swelled larger, throat raw as if tearing.
Ji-young didn't stop him. She patted his back gently, as if to say cry more.
Sobbing in her arms for ages, Hwang Gyu-seong thought,
Forget saying it's nothing special.
Of course, Hwang Gyu-seong's heart never beat again.
Soo-hyuk sat there blankly for a while, staring down at his face.
"...You're smiling."
Oblivious to Soo-hyuk's mood. It was the happiest smile Soo-hyuk had ever seen on him.
Thanks to her.
Snapped out of shock, able to rise like this.
"Yeah. Go on ahead."
Hwang Gyu-seong was gone. Passing on all the burdens he'd carried.
Leaving his body here meant it would fall into Blue Zone and Murim hands.
They'd probably snap photos, spread them around. No funeral—just branded a traitor for display.
Sizzle—!
Whoosh—
He snapped his fingers, sparking around the corpse. The sparks ignited, flames leaping onto Hwang Gyu-seong's body.
Gazing at his friend's roaring pyre, Soo-hyuk finished what he'd left unsaid.
"I'll handle Hyo-min."
Knowing his personality, enduring this long was a miracle.
Probably held back for her safety.
"Don't worry. I'm better at holding back than you. No stupid moves."
Deep down, he wanted to storm Blue Zone, grab Kim Il-su by the collar, and demand Hyo-min back.
But he knew better.
Even equals favored the hostage-holder. He couldn't take Blue Zone, let alone Kim Il-su alone.
Even so.
"It probably won't take long, though."
Soo-hyuk promised the burning friend.
Just as he'd toiled decades for their promise. He'd do the same.
People approached slowly from afar.
No more time to linger. Time to end the farewell.
"Sleep well. I'll come again."
Grit—
He bit his lip bloody and turned away.
Then, belatedly, the words his friend had waited longest for.
"Next time, with Si-woo, Ye-ryeong... and Hyo-min. All together."