Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Ark Shandy Rendezvous (7)
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"Can I really control it...?"
Han Cheong-ah hesitated. I nodded to encourage her faltering voice.
"You can definitely control it."
"But I'm putting too much of a burden on you, Cheong-ah..."
Seeing Lee Gyeo-ul acting so unlike her usual self, Yubyeol-ha, who had been watching, spoke up.
"She needs to learn how to protect herself at least. You know as well as anyone, Senior, that coddling her isn't always the best way."
"..."
"I actually think this is a great opportunity for Han Cheong-ah. Of course, I don't know as much about her as the rest of you here. But if she can just control that powerful force called the 'Queen'..."
In emergencies, the chances of Han Cheong-ah achieving the outcome she desires on her own would skyrocket.
For example, protecting the people she cares about, or things like that. Yubyeol-ha met Han Cheong-ah's eyes as she listed off similar ideas.
"It's better to struggle now than to break down in helplessness later."
"Is that so?"
"Advice from someone with more life experience."
"Aren't we the same age?"
"...Anyway, it'll be good if you work hard at it."
Han Cheong-ah nodded, her expression noticeably lighter after hearing Yubyeol-ha's sincere advice.
"Alright. Mimir, Winter Unnie. Please train me harshly!"
Yubyeol-ha's words must have really struck home. She declared it with her usual spirited flair.
"H-Harshly...!?"
Mimir's eyes spun in circles. What on earth was she imagining?
Mimir stared into space, countless flights of fancy clearly unfolding in her mind.
"Haah... Unnie's training is pretty strict, you know. She won't go easy even if you cry."
"Yes. I'm prepared."
In the original story, Han Cheong-ah only awakened toward the very end.
About eight years from now, humanity would suffer an unprecedented death toll of three billion due to the Society's scenario.
The Society used the Queen's power to drag countless Dimensional Beasts from the Rifts onto Earth.
The world began to crumble under the onslaught of powerful Dimensional Beast hordes.
China and India, the most populous nations, vanished without a trace from the map, shattering the global balance.
The American system, which had positioned itself as the world's police, collapsed amid the chaos, and South Korea, a major power, was completely taken over by the Society.
Monsters that devoured people whole swarmed everywhere.
An apocalypse devoid of dreams or hope unfolded for countless people. The First Humanity Reduction Scenario, the Queen's Descent, began just like that.
Under Zero One's leadership, the Society promoted the Ark across the world.
It could house up to sixty million people, was impervious to Dimensional Beasts, and provided equal food, clothing, and shelter to all residents—the one true paradise.
Alongside the Humanity Reduction Scenario, they had been secretly preparing to establish a massive city-state.
The protagonist and his allies headed for the Ark to thwart Zero One's scenario, which was unfolding exactly as planned.
Even to protect the remaining four billion people, they wanted to keep fighting the impossible battle.
When humanity's numbers dwindled to about two billion, the final showdown between the Society and the protagonist's group erupted inside the Ark.
Zero One and his horde of monsters perished, and all allies except the protagonist and heroines met their ends.
In that battle, Zero One revealed the truth about the Ark and the Humanity Reduction Scenario: in about a year, the Sixth Wave would annihilate the world.
Amid the ensuing despair, they refused to give up. Their determination finally grasped a sliver of hope like a ray of light.
They discovered a way to close the Rifts in the data on Zero One's laptop.
The Rifts that spewed Dimensional Beasts didn't form naturally.
Inside each Rift lived a Dimensional Beast with intelligence that Zero One had dubbed a "Demi-God." Its power created the Rifts across the world.
Kill the Demi-God, and the Rift vanishes. Realizing this, the protagonists made a final desperate charge into the Rift for battle, but they were overwhelmingly defeated by the Demi-God's immense power and died.
The Demi-God awakened the Dimensional Beasts. The Sixth Wave began just like that. It was the moment the world ended. Beneath the crashing waves of Dimensional Beasts, the remaining two billion humans screamed in agony.
At that time, a girl stepped forward to become a beacon herself... Han Cheong-ah.
After Zero One's death freed her from brainwashing, Han Cheong-ah had mastered full control over the Queen's power.
She sent the endless hordes of Dimensional Beasts back into the Rifts. Then, as Han Cheong-ah entered the Rift, the story of Red Ark came to a close.
'Why end it on such an unsatisfying note? The protagonist doesn't end up with any heroines, and the finale feels like some knockoff Neon Genesis Evangelion...'
I'd once asked Seo-ah about the ending after playing through all of Red Ark.
'Because that's the kind of story it is. You don't like it much either, huh?'
'I'm a happy ending kind of guy. This kind of conclusion isn't my thing.'
'If you don't like it, why not change it yourself?'
'You designed the visual novel and drew the characters—that's enough work. What more do you want?'
'Hmm, now that you mention it, I'm curious. What would ■■ do to twist the ending?'
Thinking about my current possession of Baek Do-hyun, those words carried quite a bit of weight.
Back then, I'd just thought Seo-ah had some twisted tastes somewhere.
Anyway, if Han Cheong-ah could awaken the power she showed at the end...
"Good. Han Cheong-ah."
I snapped out of my reverie with a clap. The way to motivate people was with rewards. I made Han Cheong-ah a proposal.
"If you show results by the time I return from Korea, I'll drop everything—no matter how busy I am—and draw you first."
"Really?"
"Yeah. When have you ever seen me lie about something like this?"
Han Cheong-ah's determination blazed even brighter in that moment. I chuckled.
"Alright, then. Let's move on to the next item."
"Oh, one thing first."
Lee Gyeo-ul shot her hand up. Her expression said she had something important to say.
"Speak."
"Let's decide cleaning duty first."
"Couldn't that wait until after all the agenda items?"
"This is an important matter too."
Lee Gyeo-ul's comment lightened the mood.
The members chuckled and agreed with her.
"She's right, Senior."
"H-Honestly, I, I think Do-hyun should do it since he's a guy..."
"What kind of logic is that, Cheong-ah...?"
"Ch-Cheong-ah! D-Don't copy my speech pattern!"
Good.
Then let's set aside the heavy talk for a bit.
"How about rock-paper-scissors?"
The meeting continued in a much lighter atmosphere.
Oh, by the way, cleaning duty was assigned fairly to everyone except me, rotating once each.
True Lord's superhuman senses made him invincible even at rock-paper-scissors.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Since I planned to stay in Korea for about two weeks, I packed my travel items into the suitcase I'd ordered by mail.
Starting with light toiletries, then spare white dress shirts and black ties, even sky-blue pajamas with cloud patterns.
Once I stuffed everything in, it bulged like the belly of someone who'd overeaten.
"Do-hyun."
Lee Gyeo-ul's voice came through the open door.
"Noona. What's up?"
"Got a minute?"
I closed the suitcase lid and stood.
This was the first time Lee Gyeo-ul had approached me directly.
I could guess why. Probably about what to do with Han Cheong-ah.
"Sure."
"I need to meet the Hound Dog crew for a bit. If you're free, how about now?"
Hound Dog—Lee Gyeo-ul's veteran hunter subordinates and comrades.
Unlike her, they saw Han Cheong-ah as humanity's disaster.
Though they'd looked like fools in the previous battle, they were excellent hunters with proven track records.
If they reported the Queen's display in Academy City to the Hunter Association, things would get tricky.
We already had our hands full uniting against the Society. I nodded.
"Looks like they haven't reported to the higher-ups yet."
"They're the type to prioritize the job, but they do have loyalty. We've been together for years, after all. Anyway. Looks like you're not busy either. Good."
"I was hoping to meet them myself."
Lee Gyeo-ul and I left the mansion and headed to where they were waiting.
As we walked, we chatted about this and that. This was the first time I'd talked one-on-one with her like this.
"Do-hyun."
"Yes."
"Do I seem a bit off to you too?"
"In what way?"
"Quitting my successful hunter career to become Cheong-ah's protector. Everyone's been badmouthing me or looking down on me."
Lee Gyeo-ul sighed. She wasn't showing it, but she must have been struggling inwardly.
The title of hero is never light. With her top-tier hunter skills absent from the front lines, the gap she left must be enormous.
The other hunters' burdens had grown heavier in proportion to what she'd been handling.
I could understand why others criticized her.
"I think a hero who devotes herself to even one person is amazing."
It's incredibly hard to care devotedly for someone you're not even blood-related to.
Maybe slaying monsters and protecting people is something others could do.
But saving Han Cheong-ah from that hellish lab and becoming her precious family? That might only be possible for Lee Gyeo-ul.
"...Really?"
A warm hand gently stroked my head.
I looked up to see Lee Gyeo-ul smiling as she petted me.
It had been a while since I'd felt this kind of affectionate treatment, and it wasn't bad.
We walked on like that in silence for a while.