Chapter 136

〈 Episode 136 〉 Side Story 3: Hot Spring Trip (4)

<3:00 PM, Busan Samgyetang Alley>

“Ho ho, never would’ve thought you’d eat something like this.”

“I don’t discriminate. I just prioritize what I like first.”

Ryu Cheonseong watched in amazement as Phoenix stirred her ssobakji with chopsticks before swirling it around the soup. Not only was her appearance that of a typical Western maiden, but she was far more skilled at twirling rice into her broth than even Ryu Cheonseong himself—so much so that not just Ryu but even the owner, who had just placed down some sliced meat, looked utterly flabbergasted.

Phoenix paid no mind to their stares and lifted her spoon.

“Thanks to you, I didn’t have to eat alone with just a bento.”

“Anyone would’ve said yes if you’d asked them to join you for a meal.”

“Why bother when they’ve already eaten? Lucky for me, you haven’t yet.”

“Hmph, with all the people I meet, how could I ever manage to eat on time…”

Ryu Cheonseong glanced at the owner and lowered his voice. The two exchanged bowls of samgyetang while conversing.

“Still, Director, why the sudden change in tone? Last time, we were speaking casually.”

“It’s about maintaining an image. Blue Wind Sect’s Qinghua is younger than you, after all. If I start spouting casual talk to elders, neither your nor my reputation will be intact, right?”

“Deokbae doesn’t care about hierarchy.”

“That’s because he’s less human than human. Anyway, if there weren’t any eavesdroppers, I’d speak freely too. For now, I guess we’ll keep things formal. It’s not uncomfortable anyway.”

Phoenix wiped her mouth with a tissue. Already, nearly half of her samgyetang had disappeared. Ryu Cheonseong looked down at his own bowl; he realized he’d been eating at a similar pace without even noticing. Clearly, Phoenix had adjusted her eating speed to match his. Swallowing a wrap and washing it down with water, Ryu Cheonseong decided to broach the subject.

“…When someone shows good manners in small matters, it means their roots aren’t rotten. So why do you insist on being a villain?”

“What’s with this random question?”

“Well, I’m guarding Seoul because I have something here worth protecting, so maybe I can excuse myself turning into a villain. But why must you choose the path of evil?”

“Because my soul tells me to? Just kidding. Don’t make that face.”

Phoenix raised her hand to call the owner. Checking the table for refills on side dishes, the owner seemed confused since there was still plenty left. Phoenix tapped the pre-placed soju glass with her finger.

“One bottle, please.”

“……”

The owner alternated glances between Ryu Cheonseong and Phoenix, and Ryu nodded silently while suppressing a sigh. With a skeptical expression, the owner brought out the soju and placed it on the table.

“Thank you.”

Phoenix spun the neck of the soju bottle like a tornado. Though Ryu wanted to argue, he didn’t stop her. He was thirsty for alcohol too.

“Is it alright to drink this early in the day?”

“Just one bottle. If worse comes to worst, I can detox using magic power.”

“Then what’s the point of tasting the alcohol?”

“To enjoy conversations with people. Aren’t you going to drink?”

“Wouldn’t dream of refusing.”

Phoenix tapped the bottom of the bottle against her palm and popped the cap off, filling both their glasses before raising hers toward Ryu Cheonseong.

“Congratulations on your inauguration as mayor.”

“Cheers to taking one step closer to your goals.”

Clang. Their glasses collided, and they washed their throats with alcohol. Phoenix squinted her eyes momentarily before refilling her glass.

“Things are about to get tough for you. Whoever comes after Sun Icheol might not be as friendly toward Seoul.”

“My support base vanished the moment the capital moved. By any chance, do you know who the next president will be? I might need to butter them up in advance.”

“If I knew, I’d be running a fortune-telling shop instead of sitting here chatting with you.”

“Even though predicting the future has become harder, aren’t you close to someone who can create presidents? You know, the mastermind behind the big stars in this country.”

Phoenix wrinkled her nose while chewing on an onion.

“Don’t beat around the bush. You mean Yun Yuhwa, right? That has a different meaning for me, so let’s be clear. Besides, there’s no one listening except the owner here.”

“…You shouldn’t meddle in politics. This is boring.”

“I have no intention of doing so. That’s why I readily accepted when you volunteered to handle Seoul.”

Phoenix set down her utensils and refilled her glass.

“I’m fine staying as a mere observer. Once I start traveling overseas, I won’t have time to worry about domestic affairs anyway. I’ll leave internal matters to capable hands. You should consider talking directly with Yun Yuhwa.”

“Then help me find some good talent. Surely you know some stocks worth investing in.”

“Sorry, but the only stocks I know are ability users. Unless you want to hire A-Rank heroes as 9th-rank civil servants, you’ll have to pick them yourself.”

Ryu Cheonseong trembled slightly as he poured the soju into his mouth.

“If you were born during the Joseon Dynasty, you’d have been a notorious tyrant. Are you really saying it’s okay for me to appoint whomever I wish?”

“Do as you please. If things go awry, you can always tear everything down. Of course, I trust you to do well.”

Phoenix raised her final glass. Ryu Cheonseong shrugged off her teasing threat and clinked glasses with her.

“You’re an expert at this kind of thing, aren’t you? Just ensure Seoul doesn’t fall apart.”

“Of course. And I’ll take care of the bill… It was nice chatting.”

“Already knew that, huh? Take care.”

Phoenix finished their late lunch. Spotting two suspicious figures loitering at the alley entrance, she ghosted away like a spirit, leaving Ryu Cheonseong alone to sip water.

“So, what do you think?”

“It’s different from what’s known. Is that kid the boss? For someone controlling monsters, he seems way too respectful.”

The owner grumbled as he cleared away the empty bowls. Ryu Cheonseong pointed toward the door Phoenix had disappeared through while holding up an empty glass.

“You heard everything, didn’t you?”

“……What exactly am I supposed to understand? I know you two plotted something, but I didn’t catch the details.”

While muttering under his breath, the owner sat opposite Ryu Cheonseong. Somehow, he’d already prepared a new round of snacks and a fresh bottle of soju. Ryu Cheonseong suppressed the buzz of alcohol with his magical power and sighed deeply.

“There’s a saying, ‘repentance.’ Since you’re still open-minded, you must see how the current situation unfolds clearly.”

“Alright, then what does the gentleman who declared he’d stay in Seoul alone want to say to me? What happens if I stake everything on you and lose my livelihood?”

“Secretary Do, or better yet, Chief Secretary.”

Ryu Cheonseong straightened his voice and barely managed to spit out his request.

“Help me-”

Clang Clang!

“Welcome~!”

Both the owner and the chief secretary bolted upright, bowing deeply to the newly arrived couple. Though their hair colors were unusually striking, hinting at potential ability users, the secretary ignored it and retrieved a water bottle from the fridge.

“Oh, we’ve never been here before. Hurry up and place your order.”

“…Stasha, let’s sit down first.”

At the familiar voice, Ryu Cheonseong started to greet enthusiastically but stopped upon catching the glare from the woman beside him.

“I’ll wait here.”

“Excuse me, sir.”

The secretary gestured toward the incoming customers with his chin and held up the empty glass.

“Could you settle the bill and vacate soon?”

“…Just give me another bottle of soju.”

“Soju only?”

“……Or prepare another meal, then.”

Watching the distant couple exchange sweet words, the solitary taste of soju felt strangely bitter.

<Nearby Road>

‘Should I have brought Black Flame Dragon along?’

Though somewhat burdensome, there’s no denying he’s a standout reactor among the officers. We still have roughly two hours left.

‘Shall I go ahead and wait?’

Check-in time is much later, but scouting the surroundings beforehand wouldn’t hurt. I confirmed the location of the hot spring booked by Gaeul and Yuha and headed toward the bus stop.

‘Quiet, isn’t it?’

Thanks to Seok Harang, Busan remains far more peaceful compared to Seoul or New Seoul. Despite Moby Dick’s attack being only days ago and my spat with Guangjian occurring less than a month ago, Busan continues its daily life without significant disturbances.

‘With Seok Harang awakened, there’s no danger of Busan being devastated.’

Guangjian and Princess Snowflower. People flock near these S-Rankers for safety, but they’re essentially ticking bombs. Five years from now, more S-Rankers may emerge, assuming they’re discovered.

‘Turning the entire populace into ability users… No, that’s reckless. Definitely exhausting.’

Seoul’s awakeners are aligned with the Blue Wind Sect, so there’s little concern. However, others are different. What if we awaken them only to have them betray us?

‘And with even a slight misstep, they could turn into monsters.’

Officers can create monsters, but ordinary ability users can naturally become monsters too. Influenced by their organs, those swept away by negative emotions transform into monsters, and villains are especially prone to becoming such.

‘Fortunately, none have appeared yet.’

Unlike spirit-controlled monsters, brainwashed officers following orders can lose control under Terra’s influence, potentially turning into beasts akin to Black Flame Dragon. Even now, Dullahan faces such misunderstandings, and adding rampaging monsters complicates matters significantly.

‘Therefore, I must find them before the fifth year begins.’

If left unchecked for five years, who would pose the greatest obstacle among the remaining five spirits? Among the rest.

‘Penril is irrelevant.’

Penril isn’t worth considering as an adversary. Regardless of elemental advantages, given that he knows nothing but “charge,” even if I were disadvantaged, I’d still easily triumph over him.

‘So chaos is the toughest, right?’

“Basically, it’s incorporeal.”

“…Another excited one. All elements’ counter. Illusion magic isn’t called out for nothing.”

‘…Getting pumped. Let’s hear what you’ve got.’

“From the first boss, Cheon Gaeul, illusion magic bosses possess abnormal abilities. Qing Song Soyeon was fundamentally an illusion-based ability user leaning toward dark attributes, and above all, the fifth boss <Chaos Dragon> is the scariest, right? From what I recall from your memories. How many game overs did it cause?”

‘Half-closed eyes makes them scary.’

“When originally unmotivated beings suddenly gain drive, that’s the scariest moment. Someone who finds even breathing bothersome and exists as an incorporeal entity decides to become an enemy, employing any means necessary. According to original staff members, after me, you’re the second most troublesome opponent, huh? Pfft.”

‘That’s why we’re heading there first to awaken them.’

“To avoid resurrecting some crazy guy and turning him into a monster.”

The strongest martial artist from the first generation of the Round Table before Xiaolin. The reincarnation of the Supreme Overlord, a monstrous ability user uniquely reaching the end of SS-class among humans.

Fortunately, he’s deceased at this point, and Mo Taegyeong collaborates with Chaos Dragon to revive him, sacrificing tens of thousands of lives. In discussions about the strongest human, the eternal rivalry between the previous ghost and Hwakwon always provides excellent fodder.

‘Had it not been for the previous ghost, the world would’ve already been ruled by Seongju.’

I owe him the most gratitude. The reason Seongju sustained injuries battling the Round Table and fell while others collapsed was solely because this lone individual, like a dog, tore into Seongju and inflicted wounds.

We must reach China quickly before Chaos Dragon and Mo Taegyeong resurrect the previous ghost. For some reason, fate urges haste.

‘It’s June 6th today…’

“One week later then. June 13th.”

Why? Why not stick to the original plan of departing immediately after tomorrow’s workshop ends in Busan? I contemplated while waiting for the bus.

Once in China, virtually all contact with Seoul will be severed. Communication via smartwatch will inevitably be intercepted and monitored, and Mo Taegyeong could uncover the identities of myself and the Blue Wind Sect.

Should I secretly cross the border? But then I run into Unjang. Even though Unjang lost to me, if he learns of this and spreads word across China, it would still cause trouble.

Is sneaking in via airplane to Xian while concealing my identity truly the best option? Various ideas swirl in my head, yet inexplicably, I grow increasingly anxious.

‘This workshop was timely.’

Regardless of whatever chaos ensues in New Seoul, I needed time to sort my thoughts.

“To hell with it, let’s take an extra month-”

Slap! I slapped both cheeks, forcibly silencing my mouth.

‘Don’t try acting recklessly again. I’m not falling for it. Stop letting others dictate my decisions.’

“Tch, no fun.”

That’s why I always wish someone were nearby. Continuously, Chang Yeom inside me irritates me endlessly, tempting me to yell, but doing so would only prompt further chatter, so I barely restrain my anger.

‘Chaos Dragon sleeps, and manipulating Xiao Lin should suffice. Entering through a route unnoticed by Mo Taegyeong will work.’

“Now stop thinking of making others speak for you.”

Creak. The bus arrived before me. Rising from the bench, I stepped onto the threshold. Like a ghost sensing others nearby, Chang Yeom promptly shuts up.

‘Let’s think on the way.’

Boarding the bus, I placed my wrist on the card reader. There were quite a few passengers inside, and as I subtly glanced around, I inadvertently gasped.

“But why are you two here?”

At the very back seat of the bus sat the Himeji siblings.