Chapter 99

〈 Episode 99 〉 Part 1, Chapter 6 (5)

<10:00 PM, New Seoul's Yu-Sung Family Mansion>

Yun Yuhwa took off his headgear. After putting the other eight mechanical puppets to sleep mode, Yun Yuhwa finally began his real work. Hwakwon closed the lid of the container with worry.

“Are you overworking yourself? These are all important figures from politics and business.”

“No choice. We owe a debt to our esteemed customer.”

“Debt?”

Yun Yuhwa pulled up a screen.

“Our customer hopes for the Blue Wind Sect’s existence to gradually come to light. Want to take a look?”

The playback paused. Then the video was blocked.

“This is how we hide both our customer’s and the Blue Wind Sect’s presence. Even if we can’t erase it 100%, you know.”

“Indeed. Operating under Yu-Sung’s name, huh? That’s why people aren’t reacting much.”

“President Sun Icheol probably doesn’t want the villains to gain more influence either. It’s a win-win. Recently, Hero Lee Seung-hyung has been appearing on TV a lot, right? That’s just to divert attention.”

“Hmph.”

Heo Yoon-hwan took a sip of alcohol. He wasn’t really interested in politics at all. Yun Yuhwa looked surprised as he sipped his coffee.

“Do you not care about that kind of thing, Father?”

“Why would a hero bother with politics? We need to protect people… My core hasn’t changed, even if I’m a monster now. Isn’t that what our contract is about? To be a private armed organization ready to step in whenever people are in danger.”

“That’s right… Though there’s no such crisis at the moment.”

Though secretly, I wish there was one. Yun Yuhwa swallowed the rest of his thought along with his coffee.

As they enjoyed their respective beverages—tea for Yuhwa, alcohol for Heo Yoon-hwan—Yun Yuhwa’s smartwatch buzzed.

[Young Lady. This is Baek Sang-woo.]

“What is it?”

[We’ve secured the entire quantity of supplies you requested. However…]

“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point.”

Baek Sang-woo sighed.

[Strawberries are all out. We loaded some onto a passenger ship coming from Osaka.]

“Strawberries? From Japan? Is that really necessary? Can we do that?”

Heo Yoon-hwan tilted his head in confusion. Yun Yuhwa smiled nonchalantly as he sipped his coffee.

“It’s business. We’re testing various breeds to select the most suitable one for our menu. …I may have greased a few palms at customs.”

[The ship is expected to arrive in Busan around 9 AM.]

“Busan?”

Heo Yoon-hwan brightened up. Yun Yuhwa checked his schedule while sipping his coffee. Fortunately, he had time available.

“Baek Sang-woo, I’ll go down myself. Since cafes are my department, it won’t raise any suspicion.”

[Isn’t that dangerous?]

Yun Yuhwa snorted.

“You forget who’s by my side, don’t you? Let’s go tomorrow morning… No, let’s go now. Make arrangements in Busan. We’ll stay at a hotel.”

[Understood.]

The call ended. Yun Yuhwa put down his cup and stood up. Heo Yoon-hwan used his magic power to dispel all traces of alcohol.

“…Sorry about that. I still want to see Harang…”

“That’s why I prepared this. Your exclusive suit.”

“A suit already?!”

Heo Yoon-hwan brightened up like a child. Yun Yuhwa grinned as he formed an O with his thumb and index finger.

“I bought time with money. Shall we go?”

Soon after, a vehicle departed from New Seoul toward Busan.

* * *

A dream.

That day, when the Dimensional Gate opened in Seoul.

Lee Seung-hyung abandoned the Hero’s code and fled with Cheon Gaeul.

Monsters popping up everywhere, villains causing chaos upon seeing the Dimensional Gate, refugees lurking underground waiting to loot…

Avoiding all these dangers, Lee Seung-hyung managed to evacuate Cheon Gaeul.

Guro. There, amidst the ruins of the old Digital Complex where he collapsed during the Seoul Restoration Operation, Lee Seung-hyung met the Lighthouse Keeper, king of that area.

The Lighthouse Keeper welcomed them warmly, and their kindness contrasted sharply with the villains and refugees. Lee Seung-hyung felt relieved.

But even in dreams, Lee Seung-hyung should have stayed vigilant.

When he returned briefly from chasing away a monster, he found Cheon Gaeul being gang-raped by the Lighthouse Keeper and his men. Enraged, Lee Seung-hyung rushed forward but was killed by a villain who had joined the Lighthouse Keeper after fleeing from Gwanak.

As he watched Cheon Gaeul scream and cry, Lee Seung-hyung’s consciousness faded to black.

* * *

“…A nightmare.”

“What kind of nightmare?”

Lee Seung-hyung woke up with a start. An unfamiliar ceiling, an unfamiliar sofa, an unfamiliar room—but a familiar and beloved voice rang in his ears.

“Am I hearing things…?”

“Snap out of it, Mr. Lee Seung-hyung.”

Cheon Gaeul’s voice sounded. Lee Seung-hyung immediately regained his senses and turned his head. Across from him sat Cheon Gaeul on a metal chair, dressed in gray-white attire.

“Now it’s almost 11 PM. Heroes don’t have curfews? You can just wander around like this?”

“Is… Is this really you, Miss Gaeul?”

Lee Seung-hyung asked with a trembling voice, tears welling up in his eyes. Cheon Gaeul nodded calmly.

“Yes, it’s me. Cheon Gaeul. There’s no way to prove it though.”

“No proof needed. It’s you, Miss Gaeul. Now I can see clearly. Ha ha, ha ha ha…”

In Lee Seung-hyung’s memory, Cheon Gaeul wasn’t a special ability user. She was just an ordinary actress, and he fell for her earnest efforts despite being an ordinary actor himself. Gaeul adjusted her mask on her head.

“Tsk. You won, so why are you the one passed out? Why did you take off your smartwatch?”

“…The Association people don’t like me coming to Seoul. They’re worried I might suffer another nosebleed.”

For some reason, whenever Lee Seung-hyung came to Seoul, his magic power would reverse its flow. People speculated it might be a curse left by the Fire Demon Dragon, and eventually, Lee Seung-hyung became the pillar supporting New Seoul in place of the missing Guangjian.

“Hmph. Quite impressive.”

“You’ve changed a lot, Miss Gaeul. Your personality and appearance…”

“Not just those. My species has changed too.” Though she refrained from saying it outright, she cleared her throat before revealing her true thoughts.

“Cough. I came here specifically to thank you.”

Cheon Gaeul stood up and bowed deeply.

The reason she didn’t abandon or kill the unconscious Lee Seung-hyung, the reason she brought him to this lounge and faced him directly, was because of this gratitude.

“Thank you for presiding over my funeral. And for helping my parents…”

“…Are you really dead?”

“Of course. I no longer have a place in New Seoul. My place is here now.”

Cheon Gaeul pointed at the floor. Lee Seung-hyung clenched his fists.

“Really… You have no intention of returning to New Seoul?”

“Yes. I’m originally from Seoul anyway. Stop dragging this out.”

“……”

Cracks appeared on Lee Seung-hyung’s smiling face. Realizing his innermost feelings were exposed, he flinched. Cheon Gaeul rested her chin on her hands and smiled bitterly.

“You know… I realized I was unrequitedly in love. I understood the feelings Mr. Lee Seung-hyung had for me. How could I be so dense? A man was openly expressing his affection right next to me, and I didn’t notice.”

“…Miss Cheon Gaeul was immersed in acting. It’s fine. That’s why I fell for you.”

“Even now?”

“Yes… Though it seems impossible.”

A hint of melancholy crossed Lee Seung-hyung’s face. Thanks to becoming a special ability user, Cheon Gaeul could faintly sense emotions through each other’s magic powers.

Cheon Gaeul decided to reveal her true feelings without reservation.

“No. I don’t like Mr. Lee Seung-hyung. Look elsewhere. The bus has already left.”

“What if… What if back then I had turned around and come to save you…”

“Why are you making this so complicated? Didn’t you read the last episode’s script? When does first love ever last forever?”

“Tch. My first love isn’t you, Miss Cheon Gaeul.”

“Really?”

“……”

Lee Seung-hyung pouted. Feeling so cruelly rejected by Cheon Gaeul, he couldn’t help but feel spiteful. Why did she need to build such an impenetrable wall? He felt hurt.

However, Lee Seung-hyung decided to suppress his feelings. Cheon Gaeul’s love was moving on a different trajectory from his own.

“…And the script was changed, you know? In the end, the male and female protagonists got married.”

After Cheon Gaeul’s death, the production team hired a new actress from idol background and modified the script accordingly, which ended up being a disaster. Cheon Gaeul was startled.

“The script was changed? Did the writer approve? That lady is pretty tough.”

“The writer quit too. The director hastily recruited a new one. The debut work’s writer of Miss Cheon Gaeul.”

“Wow. No wonder. Even without watching, I knew it’d be a mess. If the story was already bad, the ratings must have halved, right?”

“The ratings dropped to single digits… Miss Cheon Gaeul, that’s going too far. Didn’t you check? It would have come up in a simple search.”

“Why would I watch a drama that fired me from the lead role? It would make me angry.”

Cheon Gaeul sniffed.

“I should have just ended it there when I ‘died.’ Lead actors losing roles mid-production makes for incomplete masterpieces! Then later, after some time passes, they remake it. With nostalgia adjustments, it works better. Mr. Lee Seung-hyung could star again as the protagonist! People watch dramas to see me, not your face, right?”

“Miss Cheon Gaeul suddenly got excited?”

“…Ahem!”

Excited by reminiscing about her acting days, Cheon Gaeul calmed herself down. Just then, a text message arrived on her smartwatch, and upon checking it, she brightened up and stood up.

“Seems like I’m recovering nicely, so I’ll be going now.”

“Wait, um…”

“I’m not giving you my contact info.”

As Lee Seung-hyung stood up and reached out, Cheon Gaeul ignored him and turned her back. Nine tentacles pierced holes in the lounge floor.

“Then goodbye. We probably won’t meet again for the rest of our lives. So…”

Cheon Gaeul put on her mask.

“Find someone new. Someone who likes you. Don’t waste your feelings on someone who doesn’t reciprocate… Ah, damn. I can’t bring myself to say it. Hey! Mr. Lee Seung-hyung!”

Phantom waved a finger and shouted.

“Find someone else besides me! Got it?! Don’t waste your time climbing trees you’ll never reach!!”

She was outright rejected. Quietly closing and reopening his eyes, Lee Seung-hyung accepted Phantom’s bold declaration.

“…Understood. But I doubt I’ll find anyone in Korea.”

“Then consider international marriage. Hmph.”

Phantom’s footing gave way. As she stomped the ground and disappeared into the tunnels beneath, she left behind one final remark before departing from Gwanak.

“Find happiness with someone nice, Hero… Thank you in many ways.”

As Phantom vanished into the earth, Lee Seung-hyung stood motionless for several minutes.

“Haha, hah… In the drama, first love leads to marriage.”

Lee Seung-hyung wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

Soon, heroes rushed in urgently.

“Are you alright?!”

Unsa exclaimed in alarm, and through Unsa’s smartwatch, the Chief Administrator’s scolding voice echoed.

“Hey you bastard! Do you want to give me a heart attack?!”

“…Sorry.”

Hero Hwakwon Lee Seung-hyung, approximately two hours of unauthorized absence, was apprehended in Seoul.

* * *

<11:30 PM, Yeouido Blue Wind Sect Hideout, Seoul>

Gaeul entered the hideout with unsteady steps.

Rather, she wasn’t walking at all. Lacking the strength to walk, she moved horizontally, using her tentacles to touch the ground.

Like a spider’s gait, eight tentacles touched the marble floor, while one tentacle firmly held the hem of her dress to prevent it from slipping.

“Eek?!”

Architect, who was watching TV in the lounge, screamed upon seeing Gaeul. Gaeul turned her head toward Architect while lying down.

“What. Is. Wrong.”

Gaeul was extremely deflated. She looked even more drained than usual, but Architect finished his beer and shouted.

“I thought we were filming a horror movie! Can’t you walk normally?! Even if you’re a monster, are you planning to give up being human?”

“Maybe.”

Her emotionless response prompted Architect to tut and throw a beer can. Gaeul extended a tentacle to catch the flying can.

“What’s wrong? You’re usually the one sharing drinks.”

“Well, I was quite shocked to see you…” Architect scratched his head.

“…but today you seem like you need a drink. You look like you won’t be able to sleep alone. Want another?”

“…One is enough. Thanks.”

Architect turned his eyes to the screen. Just as Gaeul was crawling with her tentacles, she noticed the video playing on the screen and brightened up.

“Eh? Mine?”

The emotional <Last Love> starring Gaeul was playing. Architect sheepishly sipped his beer.

“Well, actually, your parts were quite interesting. Could you watch dramas underground in Dongjak? I’m catching up on six years’ worth right now.”

“Doesn’t it bore you?”

Architect shook the potion in his arms and laughed.

“This stuff is great. Perfect for all-nighters. There’s only one episode left now. But before I go, I have one question.”

Architect pointed at the playlist.

“Deokbae started cursing, calling it trash from the moment you died and another actress took over. You know the original script since you were the lead actress, right? How does it end? Do the main couple end up together?”

“……”

Gaeul hesitated. As a former actress, she wondered if revealing unknown details was okay.

“There was the female protagonist I played…”

Architect swallowed hard in anticipation.

“She gets hit by a truck right before the marriage proposal, suffers memory loss, and is hospitalized. She discovers a disease she didn’t know about and receives a terminal diagnosis, dying within two days. Without telling the male protagonist, she passes away, and he ends up with the secondary female lead. That’s it.”

“…Pardon?”

“Where have you seen first loves succeed? This is a melodrama.”

With her tentacles moving briskly, Gaeul climbed the stairs. Despite Architect’s various slang-filled protests echoing from the lounge, Gaeul cooled her forehead with the cold beer can.

“So… I guess I won’t be appearing on TV again.”

Upon reaching the suite, Gaeul straightened up. Just as she was about to enter her corridor, she met Deokbae coming down the stairs.

“Oh my. Still awake?”

“…You drink too?”

Deokbae pointed at the beer in Gaeul’s hand. Gaeul smiled and popped open the beer can.

“I’m having one drink before bed tonight… What? Why are you taking it? Do you want to die?”

Deokbae snatched the beer can from Gaeul. Shocked, Gaeul sharpened her tentacles. Deokbae made an X with his fingers over the beer and pointed behind him.

“If you drink and go to your room, I’m sure you’ll cause an accident. Just go inside.”

“What? …Hey, are you crazy?! Did you enter my room?!”

Gaeul’s face grew paler. Deokbae drank the entire beer in one shot and ran downstairs. Gaeul gripped the railing and shouted angrily.

“Hey! Are you trying to die?! Sneaking into a woman’s room like that! Did you see everything?!”

“Cheon Gaeul. You’ll definitely thank me for this.”

Downstairs, Deokbae blew a raspberry and disappeared. Gaeul chuckled dryly and sharpened the tips of her tentacles.

“Come on then. Try me.”

Gaeul boldly walked to her room and flung the door open. The last mess she created before setting out to intercept Lee Seung-hyung was—

“…………….”

Completely tidied up. For a moment, memories of her college days surfaced.

Back when she was crazy about wanting to experience love and rented a room near Daehan University, her apartment would always be spotlessly clean at certain intervals. And every time, her mother would follow up with a “Clean up your living space” message.

“……No, wait. Wasn’t it Yu I-shin who cleaned up—”

“Zzz….”

Sleepy breathing could be heard from inside the room. Recognizing the familiar breathing, Gaeul silently glided across the floor with her tentacles.

“…Huff.”

Gaeul held her breath.

On the bed, Phoenix was curled up asleep.