Maintaining the Balance
“That’s true.”
Family.
She mulled over the word she had long since forgotten and nodded. It was true. Unlike her, the families of Kang Tae-sung and Kang Yeon-sung were still alive.
“At this rate, this city won’t last much longer.”
“I know.”
Kang In-hye countered that there was nothing they could do about it for now, and Kang Tae-sung offered no further reply.
“Still, I saw online that they’re rebuilding the Gyeongbu Expressway. They’re repairing the local roads too.”
“In times like these?”
The idea of road construction while monsters rampaged seemed absurd, but as he listened further, it appeared they had a plan. Using certain materials during construction would emit an aura that monsters avoided, creating safe zones where they wouldn’t approach.
Yet Kang Tae-sung doubted it would be very effective. He knew better than anyone that even carrying armfuls of the most repulsive incense wouldn’t stop a starving monster.
Still, if they were pushing the project forward, there must be some proven results behind it.
‘Or perhaps…’
It might be a way to evacuate people from the overcrowded city. Offering food rations would likely draw plenty of surplus labor.
“……”
Even so, if roads were restored, the journey to his family would become considerably easier. Kang Tae-sung picked up the tablet Kang Yeon-sung had left on the bed and searched for related information.
Most portals featured the news prominently, as though it were some grand national project, so he gathered a great deal of information without any special search.
‘Magic, of course.’
Kang Tae-sung understood how they intended to build roads under these circumstances. The answer was magic. Instead of relying on people and heavy machinery, they would use magic to harden and carve the ground. There wasn’t enough time to lay asphalt, but the new method was projected to connect a two-lane road from Seoul to Busan within a few months.
Of course, some human labor was still required, and various job postings had appeared. Positions like road patrol and maintenance crews were expected to emerge.
‘So they haven’t given up completely.’
Surplus food and daily necessities that had supposedly been siphoned off to the pockets of the powerful were now being allocated to this construction. He had thought they had abandoned everything outside Seoul, but apparently the situation wasn’t quite that dire.
Roads would be reopened. Cities and provinces would be reconnected. If that assumption held… could national reconstruction still be possible?
‘Not my problem to worry about.’
That was for the higher-ups to concern themselves with. Kang Tae-sung had no reason to involve himself in such matters. Solving the immediate problems right in front of him took priority.
“If I planned to settle here, I would have killed that man called Oh Sang-man.”
At those words, Kang In-hye, who had been standing awkwardly nearby, flinched. Her reaction suggested she might have wanted to make that very request, but Kang Tae-sung continued calmly while fiddling with the tablet.
“Since I can’t maintain that, I can’t act rashly.”
If you had no intention of creating ripples, you shouldn’t throw stones. The current situation was a balance. Whether that balance pointed in a bad direction or was part of a process of collapse, if one intended to break part of it, they had to bear full responsibility for what followed.
Stepping forward for the sake of others was admirable. But what came after? Would killing Oh Sang-man solve everything? Of course not. Another Oh Sang-man could simply take his place. Or perhaps destroying the balance he maintained would spawn countless more like him.
Of course, if one planned to uproot everything entirely, stepping in would be fine. But…
‘Is there any reason to?’
The more he intervened, the more entangled he would become. He had returned to this land to meet his family, not to save strangers and play the hero.
Of course, he had already taken one step.
He had saved the captured child.
But that was all.
“This is as far as I go. This is all I can do.”
Kang Tae-sung spoke aloud. He wanted to ensure Kang In-hye held no further expectations and that no one else would be forced to cling to premature hope.
“Yes.”
Her voice was quite subdued.
Kang In-hye answered and quietly moved away.
“Still, while you’re here…”
But soon she turned back. It might seem pathetic or bothersome, but right now every extra person counted. Especially since Kang Tae-sung was an Awakened, his mere presence was helpful. Swallowing her pride, she started to speak again—only to realize that Kang Tae-sung, who had been sitting there moments ago, was gone.
“……?”
She turned her head and caught a glimpse of his retreating figure heading toward the entrance in the distance. She had no idea where he was going, nor the nerve to chase after him and plead.
Shoulders slumped, she adjusted her grip on the ladle and returned to the pot warming the porridge.
* * *
The chances of Oh Sang-man making a move today were low. He would likely take preliminary measures to isolate the 4th District, so there should be a day or two of leeway. Since there might not be any time after today and tomorrow, Kang Tae-sung slipped out of the city alone.
Crossing the stream was easy. Instead of using the bridges on either side, he crossed the stream itself, so no one noticed. Still, even a glance revealed that while the surface looked fine, the water was clearly polluted. Unidentifiable fish lay dead along the edges, and strange, palm-sized creatures occasionally swam beneath the surface.
Knowing they were aquatic monsters carrying considerable poison, Kang Tae-sung crossed using a stepping-stone path on one side and then walked straight down the road as if he had already decided on a destination.
Or rather, ran.
His gait resembled a light jog, but from a distance it was clear he was moving at considerable speed. After running for some time, Kang Tae-sung felt the presences of creatures drawn by the scraping sound of the crampons on his combat boots against the pavement. Even in broad daylight, they approached from all directions, yet he ignored them.
The monsters didn’t venture too close either. He sensed probing gazes, but no hostility yet.
“There it is.”
The old outskirts, where no people could be seen anymore. Even from afar, the large supermarket and multiplex building stood out clearly. As he drew closer, the stench of monsters grew thicker. It seemed they had marked their territories along both sides of the road.
Ignoring those signs, Kang Tae-sung continued forward and soon reached the vicinity of the supermarket.
“Definitely…”
The rumors that this was a monster den were no exaggeration. The number of visible creatures was substantial, and the intense gazes from unseen places were even more numerous. Yet he remained unfazed by those stares. With a blank expression, he scanned the towering building from bottom to top, then turned toward the vehicle ramp leading down to the underground parking lot.
What he needed most were foodstuffs. After several years, most perishables would have spoiled. But canned goods should still be well within their expiration dates.
Thud!
“……”
If not, he could always hunt the creatures charging at him for meat.
Kieeeek!
The creature that let out a spine-chilling screech died instantly, its chest pierced by the wolf-bone spear he had drawn in an instant. It was a bat the size of a nearly grown pig. The pair of fangs nearly a handspan long inside its gaping maw suggested it was far from a docile monster.
‘Butchering.’
He could have stuffed the whole thing into his pocket, but after a moment’s thought, Kang Tae-sung chose to use automatic butchering to obtain some byproducts. Collecting a chunk of bat meat, a sheet of tough hide, and the fangs, he surveyed the first basement level of the parking lot, which was surprisingly filled with vehicles.
He might be able to obtain fuel if he was lucky, but that wasn’t his priority right now. Turning away, he entered the underground supermarket through the shattered glass doors that now gaped open.
Though it was daytime outside, the underground level was pitch black without any lighting. Only a faint glow emanating from Kang Tae-sung’s eyes illuminated the surroundings slightly.
‘Just as I expected.’
Despite the danger, traces of human presence remained. Signs suggested people had moved quickly, grabbing whatever they could and leaving in a hurry. Several display shelves had toppled, spilling their contents across the floor. The refrigerated section had completely rotted, no longer even emitting a stench—only a faint musty smell from the mold.
Quietly passing through, Kang Tae-sung gathered a few visible items and placed them into the magical pouch at his waist. He took flour past its expiration date, along with cooking oil, sesame oil, and seasonings he spotted. However, because others had already come through, canned foods were hard to find. Even after searching the vast supermarket, he only managed to collect a few cans.
‘It would be better to obtain ingredients by hunting instead.’
After stuffing in all the salt and sugar he could find, Kang Tae-sung decided there was nothing more worth taking and headed for the escalator leading upward. The motionless escalator was no different from ordinary stairs.
Climbing slowly, he reached the first floor and spotted a directory board illuminated by faint light filtering in from the side. It gave him an immediate overview of the building’s layout, which spanned seven floors.
7F: Health Academy
6F: Men’s Wear
5F: Young Casual
4F: Women’s Wear
3F: Fashion Accessories
2F: Electronics
1F: Food Court, Cultural Plaza
B1F: Food Section
‘Basement one is the food section. The first floor is the food court. The second floor…’
The first floor housed entertainment facilities, while the second floor and above appeared to be retail. He continued up the stopped escalator toward the third floor. Though he had no particular interest in fashion, he needed clothes beyond what he was currently wearing.
Whether fashion trends had changed drastically over five years or he was simply outdated, the clothes on display looked strange and uncomfortable. He grabbed a few loose-fitting, durable garments, along with some leftover stock, and stuffed them into his pouch until it was nearly full.
* * *
Thank you.
See you next time…