[What's life anyway, just live as it comes]
[What's life anyway, just live as it comes]
Sion and I don't have kids yet, but if we did, I think they'd have about half of Ruri's personality.
Honestly, that's a low estimate for a child of ours. I'm seriously worried about what kind of personality they'd end up with. Honestly, I don't think our home education would be that great.
"Kueeeh, there's nothing as cool as a huge robot. A man's romance!"
"You're a girl!"
"Gender doesn't matter for coolness. Girls like big things too, anyway."
"Hearing a sex joke from my younger sister just sounds like a call for a beating!"
"Isn't it your disgusting imagination that's painting an innocent younger sister as a pervert?"
"Honestly, you are a pervert."
"That's true."
Haha, what a close pair of siblings. Eat your snacks and fight.
"Who's actually going to take her?"
"Who knows, she'll find her soulmate somewhere."
"Whoever it is, I feel so bad for the future brother-in-law."
Unless there's a big age gap, this is usually how siblings are. Baek-ri is actually nice, so there are probably families that fight even more.
Honestly, where would you find a high school-aged younger sister who calls her brother 'Oppa' every time? They just call them 'You' or 'Hey'. They're probably saved as 'Asshole', 'Bastard', or 'Dickhead' in their phones.
"Sion-unni, how much did you buy this for?"
"Hmm, I'd have to check the purchase history. It was made-to-order so it was a bit pricey, but it's not really anything to worry about."
"It must be nice to have money. I wish I earned a lot of money too."
"To earn a lot of money in this world, you have to hit the jackpot."
"Right? I've had offers from agencies a couple of times. I thought about being an idol for a few years, buying a few buildings, and then quitting, but the agency was really bad, so I refused."
I looked back at Baek-ri at that.
"She's a beauty as long as she keeps her mouth shut."
"So you're saying she's a super-beauty when she opens it!"
"Get lost!"
People who use supernatural powers try to maintain an optimal physical form. Force Users are the same; because they maintain a healthy physical state to exert their power, their metabolism is higher and they are sturdier than normal people. It goes without saying that they have flawless skin, and their bodies naturally have the golden ratio.
Ruri is a high school senior, so I think she's mostly done growing, but her development state doesn't look Asian. She's good-looking, so I'm sure she's gotten a scout offer or two.
"But besides the Hulkbuster, there are so many figures and Nendoroids! I want to buy a big house, put a display case in one corner of the room, and fill it up. How much does it usually cost to buy a house like this?"
"I don't know about buying it, but I know the construction costs since we built it."
"You built it from scratch? No wonder it smells like a new house. Then, are there secret safes or secret bases and stuff?"
"I'll say no comment to that."
"No, I didn't even know that, and now I'm getting a 'no comment'!"
I've lived in this house for a few months, but that's the first time I've heard that. Did we have a safe or something in our house that I didn't even know about?
Baek-ri and Ruri looked around the house, and we had a chat while eating the snacks I brought out. The menu was chocolate omelets and milk. They're both at an age where they're growing, and they're both Force Users, so they eat well. Well, eating is what matters. I was just watching, but it was heartwarming.
"The omelet is delicious, it's even better because it's chocolate flavor."
"If we had a kid, they would have been similar to Ruri."
"Why don't you have one?"
"We're busy, and my job isn't stable."
"Huh? The chicken shop is doing well, though."
"Not that."
The chicken shop is a side job; my main job is one that earns grudges from people. They say there are almost no loose ends, but it's not completely zero, so I don't know what will happen later.
Of course, if they targeted Sion to take her hostage because they held a grudge, they'd be out of their minds, and there are some nice guys who would even stop my enemies if I used my child as a hostage, but... child planning should be done when things are stable.
"Sion-unni, can you even have a baby? Even so, it doesn't seem like it would be possible with the police officer-ajusshi holding handcuffs and arresting the Boss-oppa."
"It would be possible, though."
"You'd have to have a C-section."
Sion can transform into various forms, but it would be impossible while pregnant. And unless it's between her own kind, as long as it's a half-human hybrid, she'd have to carry it for 10 months just the same.
Childbirth is also quite a bad condition for her. She has to be pregnant in a young body that can't even transform, she has to give birth, and since she wouldn't be able to recklessly block pain, she'd have to feel all the pain of childbirth, not knowing what kind of aftereffects there might be.
"I won't have a C-section."
"Hey, do you think you can give birth without doing that?"
"I won't do it."
Sion said firmly.
"As it is our child, I will do my best as a mother to give birth. Even if it kills me, I will never let a blade touch me."
"It's not a bad thing to have a C-section. The stories about people dying while giving birth in the old days were partly because of the low level of medical care, but also because of the burden on the body due to early marriage. Your body is clearly under enough strain. It's going to be a big deal, so let's have a C-section."
"I won't do it."
Sion was sulking with her cheeks puffed out, saying "Ppuu". She sometimes acts stubbornly, and when she's like that, she won't listen to anything I say.
".....Well, it's a story for the distant future, so let's think about it when the time comes."
I decided to put this topic aside for a moment. At least until we seriously think about having a child.
My mouth felt bitter, so I ate a chocolate omelet. The rich chocolate flavor lingered in my mouth, making it a bit better. It's a good combination when drunk with milk. It's half-bread, anyway.
"By the way, Boss-oppa, are you not doing Raccoon Man activities these days?"
"Pfft!"
What I was swallowing almost came back up and spewed out.
I barely managed to cover my mouth and prevent a catastrophe. Cheers to my reflexes.
I glared at Baek-ri next to me.
"Did you spill it?"
"No, she figured it out on her own."
"Isn't it strange not to know when it's something you can find out if you just pay a little attention?"
Come to think of it, Team Leader Jo of the KFU knows my identity, and Ruri knows it too, so maybe she's right.
But Sion erased all information related to electronic devices, so even if they didn't know I was on the news, they shouldn't know I was caught on CCTV. Most people probably don't even know I messed things up in Japan. At that time, all electronic devices were blown away due to the EMP, and Japan even blocked the information.
"But why was it Raccoon Man of all things?"
"Because it was the most decent thing among the things I could use to cover my face."
"What's your real intention?"
"I wanted to shout, 'The evil Enemy Species have been taken care of by this Raccoon Man, so don't worry!'"
".......What do I do? My chemistry with Boss-oppa is too good. If I were single, I would have tried to seduce you once."
"Adultery is a no-go, you bitch!"
Baek-ri hit the back of Ruri's head. Judging by the heavy "Ppeok!" sound, it seems he hit her harder than it looked.
"Ah! You hit me with emotion just now! I got a bump! A bump!"
"Do you get a bump just because you were hit just now?"
"Shut up. Oppa has lived for over 20 years, but you walk around with a bump you can't even use."
"Hey!"
"A woman's value goes up as she ages like wine if she maintains her purity, but if a man maintains his purity, he's like makgeolli with a short shelf life, so the older it gets, the more useless it becomes."
"I guarantee you, I'll bet my bank balance that no one will take you until you're over 30."
"I think I'll be able to scrape together a small jeonse house by emptying Oppa's bank account when I get married."
Haha, what a nice pair of siblings. Siblings should be like this to be pleasant to look at. Unlike the Yeosu siblings somewhere, they aren't 'entrance-merging', but the bickering seems like their own form of affection, which is nice to see.
If they were truly on bad terms, it would be one of two things. Either they fight to the point of violence, not just bickering, or they completely ignore each other like they don't exist.
"For child planning, I'd like to have just one daughter.......but I'm also thinking about a son."
"Why a daughter?"
"I'm scared that if I have a son, he'll resemble me."
If a girl resembles me, the only good thing will probably be her body. When I was reincarnated as a girl, I had quite the body. But my face is plain, and if she inherits my eyes, she'd be a delinquent.
If possible, I'd like her to take after Sion a lot and not resemble me at all. At least if she takes after Sion, she'll be pretty and cute.
A son? Honestly, I haven't even thought about it. It's a bit scary to think there's another one of me. The personality could be fixed with good education, but.......the nature wouldn't go anywhere. In that sense, a daughter is better.
"But Boss-oppa. Was that fire at the department store really an accident?"
"........."
Baek-ri didn't tell her the details, so Ruri didn't know the reality. But for someone who didn't know, she hit the nail on the head quite well.
Her father was at that scene, and it was also the incident where Baek-ri awakened as a Force User. Yet, she asks that specific question.
"An accident is an accident."
Baek-ri looked at me with complex eyes, but I shook my head. This is not something kids should get involved in.
At the center of that fire was a Force User. He didn't seem to be in his right mind, and later he even transformed into something similar to an Enemy Species. He couldn't have chosen that himself, and being in that place wasn't what he wanted either, so an accident is an accident.
That incident is over, and now the scene is busy cleaning up after the fire.
I had also identified the Force User who went on a rampage. His name is Chae Jeong-hyeok, a member of the KFU, but he was already processed as deceased.
I killed him and heard his last words, so I was doing my duty by hiring his wife, Jin Seo-ae, at our chicken shop and taking care of her in my own way.
I had told Sion to investigate further, but.......thanks to Ruri, I just remembered what I had forgotten.
"Hey, Hyung........"
"Forget it. It's not something for kids to worry about."
"I'm an adult who has received my ID card and even went to the military? And there's not much age difference between you and me."
"Then I'll change my words. A weakling shouldn't act up."
"Ugh?!"
If I say don't interfere if you're weaker than me, I'd be the only one acting even if I searched through several dimensions, but it's that safe. Because it smells very strongly of something fishy, people dying is a common occurrence.
I've experienced it a lot, so I know that these guys always move organizationally, and in a cell-like structure that's hard to track, they treat human lives like shit just like me, they have a lot of money and connections, and their technology or martial power is surprisingly amazing if it becomes known to the world.
It's typical, but it's the most annoying type. If just one guy is super strong, you can just beat that guy and he'll listen well.
If there's a more annoying type, it's when there's an executive under the boss, and even the executive-level hasn't seen the boss's face, or something like that. I've dealt with all the executives, but if only the boss is left, it leaves a bad aftertaste.
"At least come back after you've become able to fight as much as Ruri. Seeing you in person, you're stronger than I thought? You'd be able to endure up to five punches I threw casually."
"Only five punches? And that's casually?"
"You can assume that your arms and legs would be broken just by getting caught in the aftermath, let alone one punch."
Baek-ri seems to have talent in his own way, but he has no practical experience and his Force-handling skills are lacking. I don't know about seeing him in 3 years, but right now, if he steps up to do something, he'll be a burden rather than a help.
Then it's better not to help from the beginning.
"Now that I think of it, there's something to take care of. You finished your snacks, right? Go back before the rush hour hits. My car is a two-seater, so I can't give you a ride."
"We can squeeze in and fit three people, and since it's the weekend, it shouldn't be blocked during rush hour, right?"
"Oppa, are you lacking in situational awareness or just thoughtless? He's telling us to leave because they're going to have a steamy and intimate time as a married couple."
"Ah! Was that it?"
"........That is also true."
Ruri said something right. She must have stopped Baek-ri to clear the spot, but it feels a little off for a high school girl to say that.
Ruri secretly stuck to Sion's side and whispered. It seemed like she was speaking quietly, but I could hear it. She probably knows I can hear it, but she's asking anyway.
"Hey, hey, Sion-unni. How is Boss-oppa at night?"
"If your future husband's stamina even resembles a quarter of his, you won't have to worry about marital harmony for the rest of your life."
"Awesome."
Ruri suddenly exclaimed in English and looked at me with wide eyes. But her gaze is a bit low.
Wait, hey, hey, hey, it's not right for a high school girl to look at a married man's crotch. Putting other things aside, I'm embarrassed myself.
Baek-ri must have heard it too, as he asked me with an envious face.
"Hyung, do you have a secret method?"
".........Eat a lot of meat."
However, Ruri dealt a critical hit to Baek-ri.
"Oppa has no use for it anyway."
"Ugh!"
Critical hit!
After the kids left, I asked Sion.
"Sion, what happened with what I asked for last time?"
"I'm investigating here and there, but I haven't caught anything big yet."
"No, you?"
Sion's ability exerts power comparable to omniscience in a world where computers and the internet are widespread. There is no server she cannot hack, and no information she cannot know.
If it were a civilization with a high level, I don't know, but the fact that Sion cannot properly obtain information on Earth right now.......means only one thing.
"They must be more annoying guys than I thought."
It means the opponent is using a much more advanced computer that combines supernatural abilities.
Sion can hack the Pentagon's server and launch nuclear missiles right away, but if it's a computer combined with supernatural abilities, she struggles even with a home computer.
Her race, the Hanon, reached the pinnacle of physical things, but not a single bit of supernatural ability was allowed. It says it all that Baek-ri could deal a fatal wound to Sion if she let her guard down and didn't resist.
It's only been 20 years since the Enemy Species and Gaia Force appeared on Earth. It can be seen as a long time, but it's a short time for technology in one field to develop. Furthermore, since the aftermath of the Great Depression was also overlapping, it would be even shorter.
Assuming everything went well, can you make a high-performance computer that combines supernatural abilities in 20 years? No matter what supernatural ability is combined, it's a Spirit Particle computer using Spirit Particles.
Ah, it can be confusing, but it's Spirit Particles, not Quantum Particles. Quantum is the minimum unit that makes up physical quantity, and Spirit Particle refers to the minimum unit that makes up the soul.
It's an advanced civilization that doesn't make sense even if Earthlings were Xel'naga. If they could use Gaia Force that freely, all diseases or external injuries could be easily treated, so hospitals would have gone bankrupt long ago, and everyone would have become a Force User with a single accessory.
"What are you going to do?"
"Hmm......."
Due to the department store fire accident, I am at a crossroads of choosing whether to get involved in this matter, or ignore it.
I can go back. Strictly speaking, I haven't suffered any damage, and I think I'm fulfilling my responsibility for killing Chae Jeong-hyeok by taking care of his family. If I fight, the people around me will surely be threatened, and he, who is dead, wouldn't think he wants to get revenge even by putting his family in danger.
Basically, I don't interfere with human civilization. I act according to my own will here and there, but in the end, the world is created by society, and I am just an individual. I have no obligation to step up and change it.
It's too heterogeneous to put me as a member of society. Humans exclude people who are different from them anyway, right? Then it's enough for me to fall out.
A massive mastermind organization that seems to be experimenting with humans is a problem that current society needs to deal with.
Thinking about what to do, I decided to leave it alone for now.
"For now, it's on hold. It should be fine to move after watching a bit more."
There's already a Raccoon Man task force or whatever, so it's better to keep a low profile for a while.
I don't care about getting caught, but I'm doing this because I'm afraid my newlywed life will end. Should I just go into the mountains somewhere and live like a natural person.......
"In times like this, I wish I could see the future to make it easier to decide."
"Even if it's a short one, it's impossible."
"That's why I'm just saying it. It's a complaint, so please let it slide."
I can also use Precognition. Combined with my ability and Mind's Eye, I can see up to about 10 seconds into the future.
However, seeing further into the future is not allowed by the Causality permitted to me.
Seeing the future itself is a possibility of changing the future, so a price is required.
Even if I pay that price, I'm not very smart, so I can't see far. I'm just used to using it when fighting, so I use it, but my software (brain) is too crappy to act as a prophet.
Above all, it's impossible because fate doesn't allow it.
In the end, it's impossible unless you are a prophet or seer type who has been granted a large Causality by fate for the great Causality of the future.
Yes, anyway, that bitch is all bad.
I'm talking about you, you, Absolute Being of Fate. It's understandable that you'd be hysterical if you've been an old maid since time immemorial. Does it matter if you're my boss?
Ebebe, you'll probably do something as retaliation for me cursing you like this again. Even so, is it a big deal?
"If they don't come out openly or reach out to us recklessly, I won't step up either."
"I pray that won't happen. How many organizations or countries have been destroyed because of that?"
"Do you remember the number of breads you've eaten so far?"
"It's 136,893."
"Ah, you remember."
Tsk, that joke failed.
Suddenly, my intuition rummaged through my memory and brought it up again.
It's not going far, it's what happened just last night. The incident where I was arrested for being misunderstood as a kidnapper for murdering an elementary school student in the park.
"Do you remember what happened yesterday? Meeting that Lieutenant Lee. I said there was a piece of human scum walking around."
"I remember. Why do you ask?"
"Can you check the CCTV around here for a moment? I'm wondering if it's around here."
It's strangely suspicious.
Moreover, the date of the first incident is around the same time as the department store fire.
It was only that much of a connection, but I thought it was suspicious enough. Besides, it's not anything else, but my intuition tells me so, so I can be sure.
"There's nothing particularly caught on CCTV."
"Really?"
"Yes, the scene where the children were kidnapped is also in a CCTV blind spot, and.......there are no traces of it recorded, as if they just disappeared."
"Hmm."
A suspicious and ominous feeling began to arise.
So, just in case, I decided to prepare.
Of course, not me, but Sion.