Chapter 45: The Calm Before the Storm
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 45: The Calm Before the Storm
The shrill ring of his phone pulled Seo-un from sleep. When he finally managed to answer, his voice came out raspy and unfamiliar—a lingering souvenir of the previous night’s heavy drinking.
"Hello?"
—It’s Mom, Seo-un.
"Ah, yes, Mom."
—I’m calling to let you know your father is being discharged today. Thanks to you, the surgery went well. The doctors said he just needs to come in for outpatient rehab now.
"What time is he getting out?"
—Around lunchtime, I think. We’ll leave after the final rounds.
"Then I’ll head over there. Since Dad’s coming home, we should at least have a nice meal together."
—Would you? That’d be lovely. It’s been a while since we’ve seen your face. Come to the hospital by eleven. I’ll be waiting, son.
"Okay. See you then."
As soon as he hung up, a throbbing headache set in.
His drinking session with Sang-yoon had lasted until dawn. He had consumed so much he couldn't even remember the quantity. He recalled calling a designated driver for Sang-yoon and taking a taxi home himself before passing out, but the hangover was now in full swing.
In martial arts novels, they always expel the alcohol through their fingertips...
Seo-un pressed his throbbing temples and began to circulate his internal power through his qi channels. He could certainly feel something foreign and distinct from his usual energy. However, he had no idea how to actually drive it out. It was only natural, as he had never been taught the specific technique.
Focusing on the internal power moving through his qi channels, Seo-un began to move his will slowly, using his energy to scrub away the traces of alcohol lingering in his body.
It’s working!
The alcohol in his bloodstream actually began to clump together, moving in tandem with his internal qi. After gathering all the alcohol spread throughout his body into one place, he hesitated for a moment.
Now what do I do with this?
He tried pushing the mass toward the tip of his right thumb. His fingertip began to sting and tingle, turning a deep, angry red. As the concentrated alcohol gathered there, the pain in that single finger intensified.
Seo-un quickly grabbed a paring knife from the kitchen sink and made a small nick on his thumb. Instantly, dark blood began to drip, accompanied by the pungent, overwhelming stench of alcohol. After about ten drops had fallen, he felt the last of the toxins leave his system.
"Whew."
Once the hangover cleared, his head felt perfectly fine, as if it had never ached at all. He checked his phone and saw he still had plenty of time. After a brief session of meditation to finish his energy circulation, Seo-un showered and headed out.
*
A man in a hospital gown, leaning on crutches, hurried toward the emergency exit. People cast strange looks at him as he moved with frantic urgency. Running in a hospital corridor was already conspicuous, but a patient with a leg cast doing so was bound to draw even more attention.
"They even have fakers at university hospitals these days," one middle-aged woman muttered.
Ignoring her, the man slipped through the emergency exit door. He pulled out his phone while checking the stairs above and below to ensure he was alone.
"It’s me! I’ve just received word that the target is approaching."
—...
"Yes! I’ll stand by and instruct the lookouts."
—...
"I heard he’s being discharged after the next rounds."
Listening intently to the voice on the other end, the man bowed his head in a respectful gesture before hanging up.
*
"You’re busy, why did you come all this way?"
Hearing his father’s words as he leaned against the hospital bed, Seo-un felt a sudden lump in his throat. His father, who had always seemed like an immovable mountain, now looked so small.
"You should have eaten more of the hospital food. Why did you lose so much weight?"
"You try eating it. It’s so bland I couldn't get it down. I heard private clinics season their food better these days."
Seeing his father grumble made Seo-un’s worries ease slightly.
"Let’s go, Dad. Let’s get something delicious. How about that seafood stew you like?"
"Sounds good. Your mother will be here soon, so let’s wait a bit. She’s probably handling the discharge paperwork."
As they left the hospital, his father’s face brightened, as if the mere touch of the outside air was a tonic. Seo-un supported his father as they walked toward the street where his mother had gone ahead to hail a taxi. Suddenly, his father spoke words Seo-un hadn't expected.
"I’m sorry."
Hearing that, Seo-un’s heart sank, making him feel like a child who had done something wrong.
"I should be the one helping you, but instead, I had to use the tuition money you saved up. I’m ashamed to face you."
It angered Seo-un that his father felt this way over a few million won. But he couldn't take that anger out on him.
"I can always earn more money. Your health is what matters most, Dad. Don't worry about the money. I’ve been making a lot lately. Actually... I might quit school."
His father’s steps faltered. Meeting his father’s gaze calmly, Seo-un continued.
"A lot of people are starting small businesses these days. I’ve been working on an internet shopping mall, and what started as a part-time gig has grown quite a bit. The growth is so surprising that I’m thinking of pursuing it full-time."
Seo-un’s father walked in silence for a moment before speaking with difficulty.
"Seo-un... you aren't doing anything bad, are you?"
"What are you saying? You and Mom raised me better than that. You didn't raise me to be someone who hurts others. If you’re really worried, I’ll make sure to get my diploma eventually."
Relief washed over his father’s stiff expression at those words.
"Do as you wish. It’s your life. As long as you aren't hurting anyone, live freely doing what you want. I lived my life that way, too."
His father’s "free life" had been one of grueling labor solely to support his family. Seo-un nodded.
"I won't disappoint you. I’ll make a lot of money and take good care of you, so just stay healthy."
His father patted his head, looking proud of the son who had grown up so much. Meanwhile, his mother had successfully flagged down a taxi.
After a long-overdue meal at an old seafood stew restaurant near his parents' house, Seo-un insisted on pressing an envelope into his mother’s hand despite her protests.
It was only 500,000 won—the first allowance he had ever given them as an adult. His bank balance was getting dangerously low, but he could always earn more. He only regretted that he couldn't provide more support for them during his father’s upcoming rehabilitation.
After parting ways with his parents, Seo-un wandered the streets aimlessly. He drifted through busy districts, watched the crowds, went window-shopping at a mall, and even caught a movie for the first time in a while. He sat alone in a cafe, enjoying a coffee, and strolled down paths popular with couples.
Even as the sun set and darkness fell, Seo-un didn't stop walking.
Still can't catch them?
—I can't. This filthy sensation, like finishing your business and not being able to wipe, is definitely persisting, but I can't pin down a location. These bastards are experts at tailing.
At Hamit’s words, Seo-un stretched naturally, stopped walking, and looked around. He sat down at a nearby bus stop, looking like an unemployed youth with nothing better to do.
He knew he was being followed thanks to Hamit. The problem was that these guys were leaving absolutely no trail. He had tried everything—weaving through crowded streets and taking complex routes—but he couldn't shake them.
They’re definitely pros.
He was someone who had caught the Central Bureau’s disguises instantly. The fact that he couldn't catch the tail now meant the ones following him weren't typical ability users.
It’s definitely not the Central Bureau. It’s either the private organization from before or someone similar. Why aren't they making a move? Are they avoiding public places?
Lost in thought, Seo-un started walking again. He hailed a passing taxi and set his destination: Incheon Grand Park.
The night had turned pitch black. It was a place with few people at night and plenty of woods—perfect for doing something away from prying eyes.
Are they still on me?
—I still feel disgusted.
It wasn't pleasant relying solely on Hamit’s "mood" to determine if he was being followed, but Hamit’s intuition had never been wrong.
As soon as the taxi dropped him off at the entrance of Incheon Grand Park, Seo-un began to run. He bolted into the dense, deserted woods. For a brief moment, he felt a faint presence waver before vanishing.
—They’re flustered.
It was understandable. After acting nonchalant all day, he had suddenly started running, leaving them unsure of what to do. Even so, the way they quickly suppressed their presence after that brief slip-up proved they were no ordinary thugs.
Still, they wouldn't be able to follow him easily. To pursue someone running into the woods like this, they would have to reveal themselves. And they surely knew that they were no match for him in a direct confrontation.
Drawing on his internal power and running through the forest like a wild animal, Seo-un pulled out his phone.
—Hello?
"It’s me. I’m being followed."
—Where are you?!
"Incheon Grand Park. I can't tell how many there are. I think I might have lost them for now, but I can't be sure. Given they’ve been tailing me for half a day, they must have a plan."
—I’m coming right now! Don't turn off your phone.
The cool roar of a Hayabusa’s exhaust echoed through the receiver. Seo-un tucked the phone safely into his pocket and stopped moving.
—The disgusting feeling is gone.
I’ve lost them for now. It would be best if I could just slip away like this.
—I can't guarantee that since I don't know their numbers.
I know. For now, I’ll try to push through past the lake.
Moving through the woods, Seo-un pulled the Cloak of Stealth from his subspace and threw it over himself. He moved slowly, never failing to stay alert to his surroundings. The best-case scenario was to lose them completely and then turn the tables to tail them instead.
If I look at when the tail started, it was definitely the hospital. They must have been watching my parents.
The thought made him grit his teeth. He had known through Hamit that he was being followed the entire time he was with his parents, and though he hadn't shown it, rage was swirling through his body. They hadn't harmed his parents yet, but the thought that they might at any moment made him realize he needed to settle this once and for all.
Both the community and Gi-chan had said the same thing: that these people didn't touch civilians, even if they were family of an ability user. But after experiencing this, he couldn't just take their word for it.
It was naive to think thugs would actually follow the rules.
He moved for a long time trying to catch their trail, but they were nowhere to be found. He had no way to distinguish between the occasional civilians, like couples, and the ones tailing him.
Gradually, the park emptied of people. The few civilians he had seen disappeared, and the vast park became completely desolate. When he could no longer sense a single human presence near the lake or the bike paths, Seo-un frowned.
As if waiting for this moment, a man appeared under a streetlight near the lake. The man, with impressively piercing eyes, twisted his lips into a smirk and spoke.
"Where are you? Come out~!"
—Master, he showed himself. What now? Are you going out?
Are you crazy? I’m going to watch.
Starting with that man, two more appeared around the lake. One was a man in a gray suit who looked quite young but had a shaved head that gave him an intense, rebellious look. The other was a man in a black sleeveless shirt, boasting massive muscles.
Suddenly, a wave of mana radiated from the man in the gray suit.
—Detection magic. Though it won't be able to sense your cloak, Master.
Fortunately, it didn't seem like he had mastered Carmen’s Eye. When the man in the gray suit shook his head, the man in the black shirt rolled up his sleeves and shouted toward the darkness, his piercing eyes glaring.
"The rule is not to touch civilians, but we might just make an exception. Your parents need to live a long time for you to show them filial piety, don't you think?!"
In an instant, Seo-un’s reason was swallowed by a massive wave of fury.
As soon as he threw the Cloak of Stealth back into his subspace, the three men approached, warily guarding the direction Seo-un was in. Before they could get close, Seo-un stepped out in front of them.
As he emerged from the dark woods into the light of the streetlamp, the smirk on the man with the piercing eyes deepened.
"That’s right. If you’re a human being, you should take good care of your parents."
"That mouth of yours... I’m going to rip it apart."