Suddenly, this thought occurred to him.
Wasn’t the current rebel group an organization centered around young people like Wi Seokwoo and Han Yongsu? Not all of Earth’s members would agree with their extreme tendencies. Even if Yeojin had been a member of Earth, he wouldn’t have condoned radical acts like the attack on the NSP Minister.
Radicals and moderates.
After Park Wiyeol’s death, didn’t Earth split into these two branches?
But it was just Yeojin’s speculation. Nothing was certain.
“Caw.”
Kkamang-i, who had been still, looked somewhere in the air and cried out. Following that, the sound of a bike engine rang out from outside. The loud noise stopped and the sound of two or three people murmuring continued. It seemed the rebel bastards had come.
“You hide.”
When he whispered to Kkamang-i perched on his shoulder, the clever creature flew up with a flutter and lightly perched on the factory ceiling. Yeojin also took out the gun from his chest, pressed himself close to the wall next to the door, and hid his body.
“That bastard Wi Seokwoo broke the cameras himself, so why’s he bitching at us?”
“Is his shitty personality a one or two-day thing?”
The sound of two men grumbling could be heard. Wi Seokwoo seemed to have a poor reputation even among his comrades. As one guy was about to open the door, the other one said:
“Hey. Let’s smoke one before we go in.”
“Should we?”
The two guys conspired, stopped, and amicably smoked cigarettes. The smell of cigarette smoke seeped through the cracks in the wall. These bastards. Shouldn’t they check on the prisoner they’ve captured first before smoking cigarettes?
But it was too dangerous to rush out and attack, so he waited while listening to what the kids were saying.
“Hey, but are we really attacking Seoul Quarantine Center?”
He flinched when talk of his workplace came up. Why attack there?
“Weren’t the guys we attacked during transport and rescued recently Seoul Center guys?”
“They were A Wing guys. Seoul Center has quarantine wings A Wing, B Wing, and C Wing, you know? Seo Haeju wrecked A Wing, so they urgently transferred those wing guys first, but there are still some left.”
“So we’re rescuing the guys locked in B Wing and C Wing, then?”
“Yeah. And I guess they’re going to blow up Seoul Center itself. That place is the axis of evil. As soon as you awaken as a Transcendent, you go through Seoul Center.”
What? Aren’t they crazy bastards? He barely held back the curse that was about to burst out. Those bastards are getting bolder and bolder.
“Honestly, I like Doctor Min Yeojin. When I was at Seoul Center, I received a lot of help from that doctor. If the Doctor were still at the Center, I would have been reluctant about this operation, but I actually think it’s fortunate.”
“What are you going to do since that bastard Wi Seokwoo probably fucked up your beloved Doctor?”
“Can’t help it. Still, it’s better than dying. The Doctor will be grateful to us later.”
Right. I’m so fucking grateful. Yeojin ground his teeth.
“But this operation will be like a movie too, fucking awesome.”
“The A Wing Transcendent mid-transport heist operation was fucking awesome. Those SP bastards are all trash. Even though they’re Transcendents like us, the numbers are different, the numbers. That video—even without editing, it was like a movie, right? Isn’t it a live-action film without any CG? If we film all our exploits and release it in theaters, it’ll hit ten million.”
The insane bastards giggled with delight.
“Hey. I heard the NSP’s rebel response team is getting supplied with cutting-edge weapons. Even if the SP bastards are trash, won’t it be a bit disadvantageous if they’re heavily armed with state-of-the-art firearms? And I heard America developed an ability remote control system?”
“Those bastards are developing useless things.”
“Then that means they can control remotely without implanting a control chip in our bodies, right? If that’s really possible, what happens? Even regular soldiers will be wrapped in cutting-edge weapons all over their bodies—won’t we all die?”
“Ah, fuck. I don’t know. We’ll die once whether it’s this way or that way.”
“Once you die, it’s over. You only live once.”
“Then if you want, it’s not too late even now to quit.”
“I don’t know. It’ll work out somehow. If I say I won’t do it, is he the type to let me go quietly? Wi Seokwoo?”
“He won’t let you go quietly. He’ll probably blow your head off and kill you, right? Let’s slowly go in.”
It seemed their cigarette time was over. Yeojin straightened his posture. He had to subdue and knock them out immediately in one go. They were Transcendents, so if he attacked half-heartedly, he’d get hit instead. He took a deep breath and pressed himself against the wall.
“Doctor.”
One guy opened the door with a creak and came in first. Yeojin quickly threw his body at the guy and struck the back of his neck hard. Attacked unexpectedly, the guy couldn’t resist properly even once and collapsed face-down. The other guy who followed cursed and glared. Before the guy could use his ability, Yeojin struck his face with his gun-holding hand.
Not missing the moment while the guy staggered, he quickly raised the edge of his hand and struck the back of his neck. That guy also fell without even making an “ugh” sound.
Yeojin searched one guy’s pocket. Since they seemed to have come on a bike, there should be a key somewhere. While he was bent over looking for the key, one guy seemed to regain consciousness.
“You, you fucker.”
The gun Yeojin was holding in his hand flew away with a whoosh. The guy had used his ability.
“Caaaaaw!”
At that moment, Kkamang-i, who had been hiding on the ceiling, swiftly flew down and attacked the guy. Ugh! The guy, hit before he could even react, let out a short scream and immediately fainted. Yeojin knew well from being hit like that himself. It really hurts when you’re attacked with a body slam like that.
“Good job.”
Still, he praised what was done well, finished finding the bike key, and ran outside. Kkamang-i also flew after Yeojin. He’d once driven a delivery scooter, so he should be able to easily ride a bike too.
“You know where Haeju is, right?”
When he asked while putting on the helmet the rider had taken off, Kkamang-i cawed.
“Guide me.”
Saying that, he started the bike. The loud roaring engine sound echoed in the air.
The bike’s light brightly illuminated the dark road. A path of light appeared in the black world where darkness and desolate cold had descended. He felt dizzy again, nauseous, and crazy from exhaustion, but he gritted his teeth and opened his eyes wide.
He mustn’t collapse. Since he promised Haeju he’d definitely come get him, it was time to keep that promise. Haeju must be hiding somewhere whimpering from his painful wounds, waiting alone—he couldn’t comfortably lie down and pass out.
Haeju—he would protect that kid no matter what. He couldn’t lose him emptily like his younger brother.
The bike carrying Yeojin quickly escaped from the wasteland. Feeling the cold wind brushing his cheeks, Yeojin muttered words that wouldn’t reach:
Haeju, wait. Your doctor is coming. Just hold on a little longer.
***
He thought only meeting Haeju remained, but he hit another obstacle.
“Is this the right place?”
He did come to the place Kkamang-i guided him to, but it was empty. It was some redevelopment site in Seoul. All the original residents had relocated and the buildings were awaiting demolition, so the atmosphere was dreary. He entered a red brick house that Kkamang-i led him to, but Haeju wasn’t visible.
Even though the residents had relocated, the streetlights were on, so the surroundings weren’t that dark.
The living room was full of broken glass shards and fragments of broken furniture. Dirty blankets were crumpled, and water bottles, fruit peels, bread wrappers, and such things were scattered about. Around the blankets, black feathers were piled high.
It was evidence that Haeju and the crows had stayed here.
Among the black feathers, he could see bloodstained tissues and cloth scraps. Discovering that, Yeojin’s heart sank.
“Where did the kid go when his body isn’t even intact?”
A sigh came out naturally. Kkamang-i also seemed puzzled why no one was there, tilting his head and hopping around the empty living room.
“Phew.”
For now, he caught his breath and plopped down on the floor. Feeling parched, he saw an unopened water bottle, picked it up, opened the cap, and gulped it down. He picked up any cloth scrap rolling around, wetted it with water, and wiped his face that must be a mess with nosebleed and sweat.
He wanted to wash his face properly, but there was no way water would run in a demolition village. After drinking water, intense hunger rushed in, so he snatched up the bread Haeju must have left after eating and devoured it. The last thing he’d eaten was the food at the snack shop in front of the school Haeju attended.
I should have eaten all the tteokbokki and kimbap even without appetite. Not knowing that would be my last supper, I left it all—thinking about it again, it was such a waste. After forcing himself to swallow the tasteless, dry bread, he finally came to his senses a bit.
He let out another deep sigh while looking around carefully.
What happened to Haeju?
Did he run away from another threat, or did he just step out for a moment?
A storm of worries rushed in, but his body couldn’t endure anymore. His upper body naturally tilted back smoothly. He should have somehow endured, but once he lay down, he couldn’t overcome the sleep rushing in.
I shouldn’t sleep. I shouldn’t sleep. I need to find Haeju and call Director Im Suhyang to tell her Seoul Center will be attacked. I wasn’t on good terms with the other staff besides Director Im, but still, what’s their crime?
“Caw?”
Kkamang-i, who had been looking around the house here and there, appeared and poked Yeojin’s cheek with his beak.
“Yeah. I’ll get up. Just a momeent. Just rest a little…”
“Caaw, caw, caw.”
The creature poked with his beak, pressed with his claws, and kept bothering him. It hurt. The creature didn’t seem to know how sharp his beak and claws were, or what kind of wounds they inflicted on fragile human skin. He didn’t even have the energy to tell him to stop. Before he knew it, his mouth fell wide open and a “kyaaah” sound flowed out.
Just before his consciousness completely went over, not wanting to freeze to death, he unconsciously fumbled for a blanket. It was a dirty, smelly blanket, but still, it was warm when he covered himself with it.
