〈 Chapter 18 〉 Part 2, Chapter 1 (4)
<April 4th, 2020, 6 PM, Underground Parking Lot of OO Building.>
Ever since Seoul fell, there was only one way to get to Seoul: on foot.
All means of transportation—vehicles, trains, airplanes—carried the risk of being attacked by monsters, so it was only natural that Seoul’s transit systems had ground to a halt.
Thus, hunters venturing into Seoul either walked or relied on sturdy trucks that could still navigate relatively intact roads. In case of an attack, the truck’s rear was always loaded with special ability users ready to counter any threats.
“Hmm… this is kinda sketchy.”
Deokbae eyed the two-ton truck in front of him uneasily as Phoenix enthusiastically negotiated a deal with the broker.
“Hey! Wasn’t this military issue? Hehe.”
The truck was painted a dull green, though patches of white peeked through where the paint had peeled off. The sunglasses-wearing broker waved his hands dismissively and chuckled.
“Come now, would any Korean citizen steal from the army and sell it?!”
He leaned closer, placing a finger to his lips.
“This was just abandoned on the side of the road. No owner, no problem.”
“Five thousand for lost property? How’s your conscience doing?”
“Haha! If I had a conscience, I wouldn’t be in this business! And besides, wasn’t it *you* who agreed to buy it for five grand? It may look rough, but it runs like a charm. See here.”
The broker tapped the headlights, causing one of them to fall off with a clatter.
“…Do you wanna knock it down further?”
“Nah, it’s fine. We’re just using it temporarily anyway.”
Phoenix transferred the agreed-upon amount via the Black Market interface, and the broker’s smartwatch immediately beeped to confirm the transaction.
“Wow, boss! Not only do you have a cool name, but you’re also such a smooth trader!”
“Yeah, well…”
Phoenix playfully nudged the broker’s shoulder.
“What exactly did we agree on again?”
“Eh? Agree on what? Did we even have an agreement?”
With a sly grin, the broker acted oblivious, prompting Phoenix to nod knowingly and drop her hand.
And just like that, they parted ways as if they’d never met before.
“Should we really let him go like that?”
Deokbae pointed at the rapidly disappearing broker. Phoenix, now atop the two-ton truck, inspected it carefully.
“No worries. If he scammed us, we can track him down through his Black Market nickname and beat him senseless. Keh keh. Besides, might as well clean up the bloodstains before selling it.”
Phoenix wrinkled her nose at the dried stains under the seat and flicked her fingers. A small burst of blue flame enveloped the truck, burning away all traces of grime.
“Looks like it was picked up after a monster attack.”
“Accidents happen, but this isn’t a car meant for regular use.”
“Don’t worry. Based on the remaining blood, the previous owner didn’t die. Alright, hop in.”
Phoenix slid into the driver’s seat and patted the space beside her. Deokbae scratched the back of his neck awkwardly before taking the passenger seat.
“Do you even have a license?”
“I’ve got skills. I’ve driven plenty of trucks before.”
Phoenix effortlessly started the engine and buckled up.
“Are you some kind of ex-military high school girl or something?”
“?? Nope. Nothing like that.”
Phoenix opened the navigation app on her smartphone.
“Just happened to learn how to drive. Back in the day, I delivered packages across Europe—from England to Germany. Must’ve handled hundreds of deliveries!”
“…In a two-ton truck?”
Phoenix hesitated, then smirked and brushed it off.
“If I explained, you wouldn’t understand. Let’s just go. Oh, by the way…”
Magic power coursed through her tightly gripped hands, igniting the paint on the truck with teal flames that left behind intricate patterns.
“If a monster attacks us mid-drive, don’t panic. We’ll be fine. So relax until we reach Gwangmyeong City.”
“…Wait, wasn’t our destination Yeouido? Why not head straight there?”
Phoenix fiddled with the gear stick and frowned.
“There’s no need to take a detour, but going through Guro would cause unnecessary trouble. Around this time…”
Her muttering caught Deokbae’s attention.
“The lighthouse in Guro will light up soon.”
Outside the underground parking lot, the sunset bathed everything in golden hues.
—
<April 4th, 6:20 PM, Top Floor of a Building in Guro.>
The man woke up first searching for water.
“Ugh…”
His body felt heavy from last night’s hangover. Through the broken blinds, he could see the deepening darkness outside.
“Ugh…”
He covered his eyes with his palms, revealing a naturally darkened vision. In this shadowy world, new images formed in response to his magic power.
“Hmm. Ahhh, interesting.”
A bird’s-eye view of the sky above. This aerial perspective illuminated the entire Guro district where the man stood.
“No monsters nearby.”
As daylight faded, his vision became sharper, missing not even a single ant scurrying through Guro’s alleys.
“Hehe, hehe.”
Using this ability, the man became the leader of the vagrants remaining in Guro.
Though limited to Guro and only effective at night, the ability to ensure safety during potential monster attacks was a great blessing and relief for the vagrants.
“<Lighthouse Keeper>.”
The roughly 200 vagrants left in Guro revered him as their savior, grateful to still be alive.
‘Anyone who tried to exploit me is already dead.’
Of course, there were those who sought to use his powers. But the man cleverly turned them into monster fodder, making Guro entirely his domain.
“Hm?”
The man tilted his head at the unusual commotion spreading throughout Guro.
It seemed that all the vagrants who hadn’t submitted to him were packing up and fleeing westward.
Bang bang bang!
An urgent knocking came from the door. The man deactivated his ability and snapped irritably.
“What is it?!”
“Boss!!”
The young man addressing him as “boss” gasped for breath as he continued speaking.
“At Mt. Gwanak! Something big is happening?!”
—
<Ten Minutes Earlier, Near Mt. Gwanak, S University.>
“This doesn’t feel right.”
After gulping down coffee from her tumbler, Cheon Gaeul slammed it down nervously. Her frustration, which began when she left New Seoul, showed no signs of abating as filming approached.
“Gaeul-ah, why are you upset again?”
Her manager looked flustered but managed a trembling smile. Even someone as kind-hearted as him couldn’t help feeling irritated after spending half a day around someone constantly complaining.
Still, Cheon Gaeul had plenty of reasons to complain. Even if the director prioritized realism over everything else, common sense dictated that risking human lives for filming was unacceptable.
“Brother, do you really think this is normal?”
But Cheon Gaeul also had valid points. Regardless of how much the director emphasized realism, was it really necessary to endanger lives?
“The first date scene at S University? Sure. Two people meeting on the campus of Korea’s top university. Their first kiss beneath the gate? Beautiful imagery, right? Hmm.”
Gaeul squeezed the script tightly, twisting it like a rag. The pages, marked with pen strokes, were filled with question marks next to the line “Location: S University.”
“But does that mean we actually have to come to Seoul? This place isn’t habitable anymore. Who knows when a monster might pop out? It’s suicide. Just a kiss scene. We could’ve done it in Busan.”
For all intents and purposes, a monster could burst through the asphalt underground at any moment. Shooting a war movie in an actual warzone wasn’t far off.
“So what if we hit number one in ratings? Realism? If an actor gets killed by a monster, will they edit it nicely and broadcast it? Actress Cheon Gaeul! Age 28! Killed by a monster while filming in Seoul!”
“Which is why Seung-hyeong prepared thoroughly, right? Relax.”
“That’s exactly what bothers me!!”
Cheon Gaeul pounded the seat emphatically.
“Why is an A-rank hero moonlighting as an actor instead of focusing on hero work? Think about it—if they’d cast Shin Jeong-jun, do you think the director would still be alive? Didn’t you know even Japan’s top-tier heroes are fans of Shin Jeong-jun? The Hero Association reversed their decision not to allow this trip because of Seung-hyeong! Heroes should consider the feelings of ordinary citizens too!”
“What can we do? Our biggest sponsor is the Hero Association. And Seung-hyeong’s looks are better than Shin Jeong-jun’s. Plus, his acting is way superior. Most importantly…”
The manager swallowed hard, choosing his words carefully.
“It seems Seung-hyeong has taken an interest in you.”
“Stop shitting on my mouth, brother.”
Cheon Gaeul harshly criticized her manager and pulled out a chocolate from her pouch.
“Heroes are more popular than entertainers these days. Someone who earns the equivalent of a building by defeating just one B-rank monster—why would he like someone like me? Brother, stop watching too many Cinderella stories.”
“You’re not bad, you know? Cheon Gaeul, National Unrequited Love!”
“Twenty-eight years old and still spouting nonsense. Fine. People need to know their place to survive anywhere long-term. As for me, an ordinary citizen without any special abilities—I’ll just keep acting and live my life. Got it?”
Cheon Gaeul sighed deeply and pulled out a compact mirror. After checking her makeup for any smudges on her weary face, she turned on her smartphone and greeted the camera with a bright smile.
“Hello, AraLive viewers! Do you know where I am right now?”
At the bottom of the live chat window showing her face, comments flooded in quickly.
“Seoul, right? Specifically, S University! The best university in our country! Oh, is this a comparison to New Seoul University? Sorry, New Seoul University staff! Please don’t hate me~.”
While delivering her prepared lines casually, a troublesome comment slipped through the wave of laughter.
– Are you dating Seung-hyeong? I saw him looking at you like honey dripped on you.
Normally, she’d laugh it off, but today it grated on her nerves. Apparently, other chat participants felt the same way and quickly defended her, allowing Cheon Gaeul to maintain her smile and wave it off.
“With Seung-hyeong? Oh my. Maybe he’s not so bad after all… just kidding! We’re not dating. Please stop teasing me. I’m still—”
“Ga-eul! Over here!”
From afar, the problematic man waved and ran toward her. Cheon Gaeul mentally cursed and held up her smartphone toward him.
“Speak up, Seung-hyeong. Would you like to say something to our fans?”
The disappointment briefly flashing in Seung-hyeong’s eyes upon seeing the phone disappeared as he grinned widely and greeted the camera.
“Hello, everyone waiting for <Last Love>! I’m actor Lee Seung-hyeong playing ‘Jung-min’!”
As he spoke, he handed the coffee he was carrying to Cheon Gaeul.
“Yes, you asked if Seoul is dangerous? It is. But don’t worry! We’ll shoot just one scene and return to New Seoul immediately. So, no NGs allowed, okay, Gaeul-ssi?”
“Yes, yes.”
NGs were undesirable from her side as well. Whether he knew her intention to nail the kissing scene in one take or not, Seung-hyeong appeared thrilled by the live broadcast.
Slurp.
“Caramel Macchiato? There’s no café nearby, so this must’ve been pre-prepared… and not just any drink, but my favorite? Huh.”
Cheon Gaeul gave him a suspicious glance, which Seung-hyeong noticed and returned with a sly smile.
“Ah, folks, it seems Cheon Gaeul doesn’t trust me. Gaeul-ah, don’t you trust your bro?! …Oh, that sounded untrustworthy, didn’t it? Then believe in A-rank Hero <Flame Bear>! Heroes strive daily to protect the safety of all citizens!”
Seung-hyeong struck a ridiculous pose, winking at Cheon Gaeul when the camera wasn’t focused on him. She blew a raspberry and snatched back her phone.
“Yes, yes. Thank you for working hard for world peace, Flame Bear-sama.”
“Miss Gaeul.”
Seung-hyeong grabbed her wrist seriously while the camera captured his expression.
“Whatever happens, I’ll protect you.”
Ending his sentence with a gentle smile froze the chat window. Cheon Gaeul, feeling heat crawl up her neck, struggled to find words.
Snicker.
Seung-hyeong raised his hand, laughing goofily.
“Aaaah! Too mushy! My limbs! But hey, don’t you think I’m kinda good at this role? Protecting my woman! I should ask for similar parts after we return to New Seoul.”
“Hmph.”
Cheon Gaeul covered her flushed face and adjusted the live stream to focus on Seung-hyeong. Broadcasting her current state live might result in lifelong meme material titled something like ‘Common Girl Gets Confessed To By Seung-hyeong.avi’.
“S-so, Mr. Seung-hyeong. Thank you for the special appearance. The director’s giving hints already. Looks like they think we’ve been practicing the scene thanks to you. Hehe. Well, time to end the AraLive broadcast—”
EEEEEEEEEEENG!!
The ear-piercing siren drowned out everything. Chaos erupted on set as the director, who had just picked up the megaphone, screamed into it.
“Calm down! This is normal in Seoul! Check the alarm locations!”
As the sirens continued blaring, fear spread across the entire set. The first crew member to check the alert went pale and shouted.
“A ‘Dimensional Gate’ warning?!”
Silence fell over the set. This wasn’t just a couple of D-C rank monsters appearing—it signaled a catastrophe where B-rank and higher monsters emerged en masse through dimensional gates that tore open the sky. Panic swept through the crew.
“Where is it?!”
Seung-hyeong’s voice boomed with magical power, momentarily calming everyone.
But that calm shattered with the director’s next words.
“…Mt. Gwanak!”
Above the mountain, a massive dimensional gate had opened.
