Chapter 207

〈Chapter 207〉 Part 1, Chapter 10, Section 10

After securing victory against the husband-and-wife duo of Light Blade and Rusalka…

I had to personally drive down to pick up Gaeul after she finished filming and was heading back to Seoul.

“Seriously, that guy Lee Seung-hyung is such a problem.”

“What can you do? That guy’s face just happens to be handsome.”

Seated in the passenger seat, Jo Deokbae wouldn’t stop nitpicking, but with my big heart, I endured his provocations and focused on driving.

“Yeah, everyone acknowledges that Lee Seung-hyung is good-looking.”

Deokbae, now seemingly accustomed to risking his life for laughs, kept giggling, which only annoyed me more, so I deliberately spared him. And objectively speaking, Lee Seung-hyung was indeed handsome.

“I get that he’s good-looking, but why does he keep trying to bring that pretty-boy face to Seoul?”

“Why? Are you going to make him spit blood again if he comes to Seoul?”

“No, I won’t… unless he flirts with Cheon Gaeul. But if he starts bothering me, then it’s game on.”

Ever since before we went to China, I remember that arrogant look he gave me whenever he glanced at this body.

“It’s some scheme to ride public opinion and flirt with Cheongnyeon. Hmph, I’m not falling for it.”

“And yet here you are, personally driving down to pick her up.”

“Gaeul’s stuck at the terminal right now.”

I checked the live stream video on the screen mounted on the navigation system. The footage showing New Seoul’s terminal featured an excited journalist blabbering away.

[The unexpected visit to New Seoul by Beast Tamer Cheongnyeon has sparked various speculations about her purpose, while citizens are debating whether the Hero Association’s special treatment is justified…]

“Damn.”

Spittle flew as curses escaped my lips.

“If we go down by car, chaos will erupt at the toll gate, and if we take the bus, it’s this kind of mess.”

“That’s why you should have just let the Association send a car when they offered.”

“Then that Lee Seung-hyung would come up to Seoul, ugh. Stop it already. Ultimately, the root cause of all these problems is Lee Seung-hyung.”

I rechecked the last message sent by Gaeul.

[Lee Seung-hyung says he has something to say to you. About… what was it? Some giant deity of Cheongnyeon? He wants to discuss that.]

“I thought he had completely forgotten.”

“Maybe he remembered because he loves you too much? Hahaha, looks like you’re falling for it.”

“The Giant Deity of Cheongnyeon needs to shut up right now. Seriously, things are chaotic enough with Beast Tamer abilities as it is.”

I needed to relieve stress by pressing the accelerator.

“People will crawl here if they find out you can enhance other ability users!!”

“So you’re going to kill Lee Seung-hyung over this? Murderous villain?”

“Watch what he does first!”

If he tries to intimidate me half-heartedly, I’ll really kill him and turn him into a monster. Clenching my teeth, I infused mana into the accelerator and stepped on it.

It was still 5:30 PM.

There was about an hour left before sunset.

* * *

<6:27 PM, Waiting Room of the Korean Hero Association Headquarters>

“We’re in trouble.”

“Should I break through the crowd?”

Xiao Lin was ready to plow through the masses gathered outside the association with her legs.

Gaeul had intended to sneak onto a bus after finishing her ad shoot, but Lee Seung-hyung tagging along under the pretense of seeing her off became the source of all problems.

– Oh! Isn’t that Hwakwon Lee Seung-hyung in that awkward disguise?!

– The blue-haired person next to him must be Cheongnyeon! When did they return to New Seoul?

– Breaking news! They’re not coming to New Seoul! They’re trying to leave!

Coincidentally, this information reached the ears of the protesting crowd outside.

Caught off guard, Gaeul’s path to the platform was blocked, forcing her to retreat to the association headquarters from the bus terminal before any accidents happened. As a result, she couldn’t board the bus back to Seoul.

“Excuse me.”

A young woman’s voice called from outside the door. Gaeul quickly transformed into Cheongnyeon and adjusted her tone.

“You may enter.”

“I apologize deeply, Miss Cheongnyeon.”

Baek Hee-a bowed deeply.

“I never expected things to escalate to this extent.”

“Not at all. If anything, it’s due to my stubbornness.”

Cheongnyeon refused to use the association’s vehicle to move, feeling uncomfortable being followed by guards, which was the wish of a certain villain. However, this preference led to the current situation when she tried to board the bus.

And Baek Hee-a intended to use this confusion to her advantage.

“Miss Cheongnyeon, if it’s not too much trouble, given how late it is, perhaps it would be better to head back tomorrow morning or at dawn…”

“…”

The original plan was to simply finish the advertisement shoot and return to Seoul. Cheongnyeon disliked troublesome situations immensely, and the association tried its best to accommodate her schedule to avoid upsetting her.

However, an ‘unavoidable situation’ arose. Gaeul carefully observed Baek Hee-a’s expression, searching for signs.

‘This person doesn’t seem to be the culprit.’

It appeared to be more of an opportunistic maneuver to steer the situation in her favor.

“Um, considering your fatigue from shooting, it would be quite inconvenient to head back to Seoul now. We’ll arrange transportation for you to Seoul from the association tomorrow morning—”

“Executive Officer.”

Gaeul interrupted Baek Hee-a awkwardly.

“I’d like to step outside for some fresh air…”

“Ah, I apologize. However, stepping out right now might—”

“It’s fine. Since I’ve come to New Seoul, I’d like to see the sunset.”

“Is that so? Allow me to guide you. The outdoor terrace on the roof offers a truly magnificent view.”

Without suspicion, Baek Hee-a led Gaeul to the rooftop terrace, which was indeed quiet and empty, just as promised.

“The sun is about to set.”

“Yes, it certainly is. Once night falls, the journey back might become dangerous as well.”

“The flowers are beautiful too.”

“…Yes. This area is part of our welfare program aimed at promoting mental relaxation for heroes. It’s an excellent place to rest when one has a headache.”

Gaeul idly chatted, while Baek Hee-a dutifully responded to every trivial remark, gradually revealing her intentions. Time flowed endlessly as they talked, making Gaeul increasingly anxious, while Baek Hee-a grew more enthusiastic in her chatter.

“Ah.”

“What’s wrong?”

“By any chance, is there a water cooler…?”

“I’ll fetch some beverages. There’s also an outdoor vending machine nearby; please wait a moment.”

Turning around toward the vending machine, Baek Hee-a allowed Gaeul to exhale a sigh of relief.

[Good job.]

“You’re late.”

[I wanted to fly over, but it seems that wasn’t possible. Go ahead without me.]

As the sunset disappeared, Gaeul’s form dispersed. She transformed into a core coated in black with gray genetic patterns, which was then held by a monstrous figure clad in black armor—the Phoenix, who transformed into Cheongnyeon.

“Here are your drinks… huh?”

Baek Hee-a noticed a strange sense of déjà vu upon seeing Cheongnyeon standing slightly further back. Cheongnyeon briefly dipped her hand into her inner pocket and retrieved a cold drink.

“Thank you.”

“Yes, um, er…”

“Taking a bit of fresh air makes me feel much better. Usually, I wake up around this time.”

Cheongnyeon’s bright blue eyes sparkled with vitality. Unconsciously, Baek Hee-a began gently rubbing her left ring finger with her thumb at the sight of Cheongnyeon’s energetic demeanor.

“I apologize. Had you informed us earlier, we could have coordinated accordingly.”

“Not at all. Then I would have had to stay overnight. I have things to do from now on. Also, I need to feed Black Flame Dragon.”

“……Is that so.”

Baek Hea-a felt slightly disheartened hearing Cheongnyeon casually refer to an S-Rank monster as a pet.

While someone was racking their brains on how to approach an S-Rank monster, another person was contemplating what food to give it. This reality made Baek Hee-a feel utterly defeated.

“Director.”

“……Yes?”

Unexpectedly addressed as “Director,” Baek Hee-a was startled.

“Could I ask you for two favors?”

“Of course, please speak. If it’s within my power, I’ll do everything I can to fulfill your requests.”

Seeing Cheongnyeon’s unusually respectful attitude towards asking for something, Baek Hee-a perked up her ears and nodded vigorously. If she had a notebook, she would have meticulously transcribed every word Cheongnyeon said.

“Next time, if I ever go abroad, I’d like to travel on the ship you captain.”

“……You mean the <Baegnaroh>? That’s…”

Cheongnyeon’s request caught Baek Hee-a off guard.

“Are you planning to lead heroes abroad next time?”

“Yes, but I’d like to personally select those who accompany me. Not necessarily limited to heroes.”

“……That’s something we need to discuss.”

“Alright. So you’ll definitely take me aboard?”

“……Yes. Understood.”

Perhaps due to the vitality returning with the setting sun, Cheongnyeon’s energy level seemed to rise steadily, leaving Baek Hee-a flustered. Realizing her predicament, Cheongnyeon smiled brightly before her expression turned serious.

“Now, my second request.”

Erasing the smile she had moments ago, Cheongnyeon’s face hardened slightly with irritation.

“Could you call Lee Seung-hyung here? I have something specific to discuss with him.”

“……Understood. I’ll summon him directly.”

With a hint of disappointment, Baek Hee-a turned and exited the terrace.

“To think you’d come down personally.”

“Changyeom must have worked hard too. You’ve done well.”

As Xiao Lin revealed herself, Phoenix also showed her true colors.

“I think I need to have a private conversation with Hwakwon. Could you prevent any uninvited guests from interrupting?”

“Understood.”

The rooftop door opened, and a silver-haired youth entered hesitantly. Xiao Lin approached, giving Seung-hyung a sharp glare before blocking Baek Hee-a, who attempted to follow.

“A private audience is requested.”

“Huh? Wait a moment?!”

Pushing Baek Hee-a back inside rather forcefully, Xiao Lin nodded slightly to Phoenix before closing the door.

“Hwakwon Lee Seung-hyung.”

Standing by the railing, Phoenix frowned openly as Seung-hyung approached.

“So, why did you want to see me?”

Recognizing the fiery blue eyes instantly, Seung-hyung realized who stood before him.

“…I didn’t expect to meet like this so soon.”

“I have a fiery temper.”

“Fire, huh? Is that so…”

Seung-hyung smirked.

“Pleased to meet you again.”

Seung-hyung’s expression carried multiple meanings.

* * *

What exactly was Seung-hyung going to say?

I speculated wildly, but never imagined he’d recall events from Gwanak.

“……I ensured I used all my strength to erase his memories, yet…”

“I merely recalled them. Memories from that day.”

“How?”

Seung-hyung pounded his chest with his fist and laughed heartily.

“Blazing Phoenix Revival! Seeing that triggered a headache immediately. Then when I woke up the next day, those memories started resurfacing. Related to Cheongnyeon’s Giant Deity.”

“…….”

Should I just run away? I wanted to leave the scene immediately, regardless of my identity being exposed.

“Awakening of the Sun’s Apostle! The Dawn Knight! The giant who defeated Water Monkey—I recognized that as ‘Cheongnyeon’s Giant Deity.'”

“…….”

“The connections became clear when I thought about it. Both Cheongnyeon (Blue Fire) and Changyeom (Azure Flame) represent ‘Blue Flame,’ don’t they? And now that Blue Flame…”

“Lies within your heart.”

I confessed everything straightforwardly.

“Yes, correct. I awakened you. To an S-Rank ability user.”

“……Of course.”

“If you can control an S-Rank monster like Black Flame Dragon, why not awaken someone’s powers?”

I ignited mana to pressure him. Despite sweating profusely, Seung-hyung endured my killing intent.

“May I ask one more question?”

“What is it?”

“Did you rescue Gaeul…Miss Gaeul?”

“……Yes.”

There was no reason to hide it. I debated adding unnecessary remarks but decided to proceed.

“You failed to save Gaeul, but I did. Just before she died.”

“Was that so….”

Seung-hyung smiled wistfully yet refreshingly, then bowed deeply.

“Thank you. For saving Miss Gaeul. For granting me power. And…for exposing my uncle’s misdeeds to the world.”

“Why do you assume it’s related to me regarding Sun Icheol?”

“Well, isn’t it obvious with the Blue Wind Sect? I’m not entirely clueless.”

“Tch.”

True. With a name like that, failing to connect the dots would be weirder. But I had no regrets about the name. ‘Cheongnyeon’ represents another facet of ‘Changyeom.’

“So, did you seek me out just to say that, Mr. S-Rank Hero <Hwakwon> Lee Seung-hyung? Knowing full well I could withdraw your power anytime?”

“Yes. I genuinely wanted to express my gratitude.”

What was this guy? Watching this textbook hero archetype made my irritation rise involuntarily.

“……So this one’s the same too, huh.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s nothing. Now that I’ve heard your thanks, that’s all. I’m heading back to Seoul.”

“One more favor, if you don’t mind…”

“Why would I help you…?”

There were more than I expected.

“Alright, go ahead. Let’s hear it.”

“Could you…”

Seung-hyung cautiously began.

“……could you also elevate me to SS-Rank?”

“‘Also’?”

At my question, Seung-hyung clenched his fists tightly, displaying strong determination.

“SS-Rank Villain <Phoenix>! Wasn’t that enhanced by you?”

“…….”

Why was this guy misunderstanding things like this? My throbbing head prompted me to press it as I interrogated Seung-hyung.

“Why do you think that?”

“Because there was someone else back then, wasn’t there? The Giant Deity of Cheongnyeon. That…person whose hair shone like the sun.”

“That’s correct. There was someone whose hair sparkled. That’s the real Giant Deity of Cheongnyeon.”

“Indeed.”

Seung-hyung nodded. In response, I smiled and nodded as well.

“And that <Phoenix> thing is irrelevant.”

There was no point hiding it. No need to create unnecessary misunderstandings with Seung-hyung,

“The Giant Deity of Cheongnyeon is not <Phoenix>. Understand?”

I couldn’t allow Jo Deukbae to be mistaken for Blazing Phoenix.

Absolutely not.