Kim Hanseong and Yeojin politely nodded their heads to each other in greeting. Im Junwoo also joined in.
“Come to think of it, we didn’t introduce ourselves properly either. I’m Director Im Junwoo of the Seoul branch.”
“I’m Han Daesik. I don’t have a title, just an action team member.”
Following Im Junwoo, Han Daesik also nodded his head perfunctorily. People’s gazes turned to Seo Haeju. The only one who hadn’t greeted yet was the guy. But Haeju just ate his tea and cake without saying anything.
“Haeju, you should greet them too.”
When he poked the guy’s side, only then did he bluntly spit out a word.
“I’m Seo Haeju.”
The atmosphere among those gathered became chilly. Is he calling that a greeting right now?
“You’re not greeting properly, are you?”
“How should I introduce myself properly? I don’t have an affiliated group like Doctor or other people, I’m just one of the ordinary Transcendents. I’m nothing.”
“You’re not an ordinary Transcendent.”
Seo Yul said with a chuckle.
“You’re the first Transcendent to possess two abilities simultaneously. When you were at the Center, you were Zero grade, weren’t you? If that’s ordinary, then ordinary people would all freeze to death. It’s annoying when someone with tremendous abilities acts humble saying they’re nothing.”
Somehow Seo Yul’s tone had thorns in it. Staring at him intently, Haeju quietly moved his mouth.
“Take all my abilities. I don’t need them. I’m annoyed too, with these kinds of abilities.”
The guy paused and looked down at his hands, then opened his mouth again.
“This kind of power.”
It was a statement that implied a lot. All the Transcendents gathered here would deeply empathize with those words. After a brief silence, Kim Hanseong spoke again.
“That’s enough. How important are greetings anyway, the fact that Mr. Seo Haeju is also a Transcendent being chased by the government like us doesn’t change. First, I’ll briefly explain about Earth to Doctor and Mr. Seo Haeju.”
“I heard a rough explanation from Wi Seokwoo. He was quite a talkative guy.”
At Yeojin’s words, Im Yena laughed loudly.
“Ah, that bastard really talks fucking much!”
“Then you must roughly know about our Earth’s situation. New Peace Town where we lived together disappeared, and all the people living there were dragged away by soldiers and locked up in quarantine centers. Leader Park Wiyeol has been steadily helping us escape outside even while imprisoned in the Center. He also continuously contacted Transcendents outside who were newly awakening and had them form their own network. But the problem is that when New Peace Town collapsed, Earth split into two branches…”
“Hanseong oppa also talks really a lot. Why is your introduction so long?”
When drowsiness was about to come over him because the voice was so gentle and the explanation too long, Im Yena appropriately cut off his words.
“After soldiers attacked New Peace Town, Earth split into exactly two: radicals and moderates.”
Yeojin almost clapped. The summary was brilliant. Im Yena’s words continued.
“The radical faction made up of young bastards centered around that crazy bastard Wi Seokwoo, and the moderate faction centered around Grandpa Kim Hanyoung.”
“That name Kim Hanyoung sounds familiar.”
“He was my grandfather.”
Kim Hanseong immediately answered Yeojin’s question. It was similar to Kim Hanseong, so he’d thought it was a name he’d heard somewhere.
“My grandfather is still hospitalized after receiving a shock from the news of Leader Park Wiyeol’s death. He had an existing illness.”
“Then you must be handling the practical work in place of your grandfather, Mr. Kim Hanseong.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“So Earth split into two factions, radicals and moderates, is that what you’re saying?”
“But we’re trying not to include Wi Seokwoo’s gang in the same ‘Earth’ as us. Those guys have become a terrorist group. The original purpose of ‘Earth’ was ‘You and I, dreaming of a world where we all coexist peacefully.’ But Wi Seokwoo’s gang is operating with the mindset of ‘only us’ eating well and living well, not ‘all of us.’ They’re causing damage by wielding their power to commit destruction and violence.”
Kim Hanseong’s expression became slightly distorted. His tone also became heavily weighted.
“They are the real Rebels.”
“But from the government’s perspective, both radicals and moderates are all Rebels.”
“That’s true.”
Kim Hanseong lifted the corners of his mouth slightly in a bitter smile.
“I only feel sorry that even innocent Doctor got caught up as a Rebel.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. It’s something I brought upon myself. Even if I went back to the past, I would have acted the same way. Even before this happened, I was already a reactionary with hostility toward the government.”
“Doctor, you’re really cool!”
Im Yena clapped and let out an exaggerated exclamation. Thanks to the cheerful Im Yena, the atmosphere among those gathered that could have become endlessly heavy lightened.
“Anyway, you can think of only us who inherited Leader Park Wiyeol’s purpose as ‘Earth.’ Anyway, Wi Seokwoo’s gang hated being included in ‘Earth,’ so they’ll definitely put forward a new name soon.”
Yeojin’s thoughts also matched Kim Hanseong’s assertion. Wi Seokwoo was totally high on something as if he was doing something great. A guy who respected Leader Park Wiyeol but subtly mocked his ideology. A young guy full of energy and big ambitions. That guy would soon create his own name and expand the organization even bigger.
“At first, I wasn’t too worried. It was just a few young kids with no brains and only motivation who split off. But gradually the scale grew bigger, knowingly or unknowingly, and their actions became increasingly radical. I understand that the death of Leader Park Wiyeol became a catalyst, and quite a few hidden Transcendents who were dissatisfied with the government’s policies were absorbed into Wi Seokwoo’s gang. They’re voluntarily merging into Wi Seokwoo’s group.”
“What was bound to burst, burst. I thought the government’s excessive suppression and control would become a problem someday.”
At Yeojin’s words, Kim Hanseong also nodded in agreement.
“But radical resistance calls for blood. People end up dying and getting hurt on both sides.”
“They’re guys who think it’s better to die fighting than to be trapped within the walls of a quarantine center for life and slowly die.”
Seo Yul, who had been quiet, joined the conversation centered on Yeojin and Kim Hanseong.
“Honestly, I’m the same. I was fortunate enough to never be locked up in a Center, but if I had to live my whole life under surveillance within walls, I don’t think I could. I think I would have thought like Wi Seokwoo too. But still, I don’t match with a guy like Wi Seokwoo. That bastard is too radical. Too extreme.”
“Right. That bastard is crazy, really.”
Seeing that they didn’t use honorifics, Seo Yul and Han Daesik seemed to be friends of the same age.
“That bastard doesn’t fit the role of leader. He’s also a pervert bastard who enjoys torturing people.”
Yeojin also agreed with Seo Yul’s words.
“Right. I know because I experienced it myself.”
But he shouldn’t have said that. He heard the sound of porcelain breaking beside him. The coffee cup Haeju was holding had broken. The coffee cup shattered and the contents spilled out completely. There was definitely a wound on his palm from the broken shards too.
“Control your strength. Why are you doing this? Let me see your hand.”
Yeojin panicked and grabbed Haeju’s hand to examine it. The palm soaked with coffee was fortunately fine. Only then did Yeojin let out a deep sigh.
“Be careful.”
“That bastard tortured you, Doctor?”
Haeju’s voice lowered heavily. His eyes were fierce. It even seemed like bright red flames were blazing around the guy.
“Wi Seokwoo, that bastard touched you, Doctor?”
“It’s okay, I’m fine now.”
Only after saying that did he think oops. I should have lied and said nothing like that happened. Haeju’s eyes became even more murderous. As they became murderous, his smooth cheeks twisted and his eyes twitched. His trembling lips twisted and a low, ominous voice flowed out.
“That son of a bitch.”
Yeojin was startled. It was the first time he’d heard Haeju curse. Invisible murderous intent rippled around his body. Though invisible, he could feel it. The surrounding air changed, and there was a feeling like hostility piercing his skin, things like that. It was as if the surrounding air was twisting and distorting.
“Haeju, calm down.”
Yeojin tried to say, but it didn’t seem to reach the guy’s ears.
Caw caw. Whether they felt their master’s agitation, the crows that had scattered also seemed to reappear. He thought he saw one crow sitting in front of the kitchen window, then it soon increased to several. Even though they were inside the house, he could hear the sounds of them fluttering their wings and flying around, landing here and there around the house. The crows gathered in front of the window, glaring with their black eyes and monitoring the people inside the house.
They were ready to break through the window and fly in the moment their master gave the command.
“Seo Haeju.”
Yeojin eventually smacked Haeju’s forearm quite hard. He had no choice since the guy wouldn’t listen to words. Only then did Haeju flinch and look at Yeojin.
“Calm down. Don’t needlessly burn with anger or murderous intent. If you keep doing this, you’ll be scolded.”
“…”
“Save your murderous intent for later when you meet Wi Seokwoo. Calm down now. Restrain yourself.”
Haeju, who had been staring at Yeojin, blinked slowly a few seconds later and answered “Yees.” At the same time, the strange trembling in the air also completely disappeared.
“Wow, amazing. You really command crows!”
Im Yena stood up abruptly with a cheerful voice devoid of tension and approached the kitchen window. Without listening to Kim Hanseong trying to stop her saying “Yena,” when she opened the window, one crow hopped inside.
