Why the hell are they like that? Wi Seokwoo, why does that bastard do such things? What’s the reason? Yeojin had been holding onto an unresolved question, and now it felt like he’d finally found the answer.
Right, Wi Seokwoo was a crazy bastard. Those who follow a crazy bastard are all crazy bastards too. How could ordinary people like us understand the thoughts of crazy bastards?
“Don’t try to understand. We could never understand those things even if we died and came back to life.”
Seo Yul was right. It wasn’t something to try to understand, but simply a problem to deal with.
“If they really plan to raid the Seoul Center, it won’t be an ordinary problem. Do they really have such a plan?”
“Maybe it’s just talk? No matter what, they couldn’t be that reckless.”
Kim Hanseong and Im Junwoo said that, but Seo Yul and Im Yena spoke in unison.
“No. If those things say they’ll do it, they’ll do it.”
“The scariest thing is kids who know nothing, originally.”
And Han Daesik chimed in belatedly.
“I told you they’re crazy bastards.”
Kim Hanseong and Im Junwoo were at a loss for words. Yeojin had nothing to say either. Haeju had no interest in people’s conversations.
“This is completely different from the Minister attack incident or the incident of taking away Seoul Center quarantine subjects during transport. There will be considerable civilian casualties and they’ll be exposed to the outside, won’t they?”
“That’s exactly what those things are aiming for.”
Seo Yul countered Kim Hanseong’s words.
“Being exposed to the outside. Having their news plastered as big as a door everywhere in the media. Having people talk about them wherever they go. They want to make their existence known.”
“Why go that far… I just can’t understand it.”
“I told you not to try to understand. Hanseong hyung, you wouldn’t know because you’ve never been to New Peace Town, but Wi Seokwoo was a bastard who played bully even when he was at New Peace Town. He was a guy who wanted to become king. Even back then, he was creating some kind of gathering and gradually increasing his power. There were quite a few among the young, hot-blooded guys who disliked Leader Park Wiyeol. Even if the soldiers hadn’t invaded, they were guys who would have eventually gone out and created a new organization on their own.”
“King, you say.”
Kim Hanseong let out an empty laugh as if dumbfounded.
“Now that Leader Park Wiyeol has passed away, it’s actually become an opportunity for that bastard. With the Leader’s death, Earth’s center of gravity disappeared. Wi Seokwoo can dig into that gap. Maybe Earth will become even bigger than before.”
“They’re not Earth.”
“But they’re an organization derived from Earth. Hanseong hyung, this is a really serious problem, more than you think. If Wi Seokwoo’s forces grow larger, do you think those things will leave us alone? They’ll try to pull all of us into their forces too. Right now we’re ‘Earth’ and Wi Seokwoo’s gang is a fake knockoff, but it’s only a matter of time before those things swallow up ‘Earth’.”
At Seo Yul’s words, Kim Hanseong narrowed his brow and fell into thought for a moment. Even to Yeojin, who didn’t know the detailed circumstances, it was a reasonable argument.
“I’ll say it again, but Wi Seokwoo is a total lunatic. He’s not the kind of guy who’ll negotiate politely with words and solve problems. Don’t even think about trying to persuade Wi Seokwoo.”
Kim Hanseong flinched as if hit where it hurt. Im Yena, who had been listening to the conversation, opened her mouth while sucking the whipped cream off her fork.
“The point is, we shouldn’t be sitting here peacefully like this, oppa. If we just watch like it’s a fire across the river, won’t we get hit too?”
Haaah. Kim Hanseong let out a deep sigh.
“Then what should we do? What do you think we should do, Seo Yul?”
“A successful young businessman is asking me, a high school graduate?”
Seo Yul chuckled sarcastically.
“Don’t tease me. Is business the same as this problem? Business was actually easier.”
Kim Hanseong said while pressing firmly near his temples. Hearing talk about a successful businessman and whatnot, one question arose. Whose magnificent house is this anyway?
“Is this house your grandfather’s house, Kim Hanseong?”
“No, it’s my property.”
Kim Hanseong answered immediately without hesitating even a second.
“Business went pretty well.”
The tone of his additional comment was very cheerful. It didn’t seem like business had just gone “pretty well.” To own such a grand mansion in this place notorious for expensive land prices. There were expensive foreign cars in the parking lot too.
“My grandfather’s assets were considerable too. My grandfather’s assets were Earth’s financial lifeline. And my assets are quite substantial as well. He did business for a long time so his connections were tremendous. Though I’m not at my grandfather’s level, I won’t be lacking in assets or connections.”
Kim Hanseong looked different now. It was as if a golden aura was overflowing around him. Being born with a golden spoon in his mouth was already a blessing, but to also be capable enough to make his own business hit it big. He seemed to be around the same age as Yeojin, but he was truly amazing.
“Um, excuse me, but how old are you, Kim Hanseong?”
“I’m 38 years old.”
Wow! An exclamation came out naturally. He absolutely didn’t look that age. Even at most, Yeojin had only thought they were two or three years apart. Im Junwoo actually looked older.
“You really have a baby face.”
“When doing business, this kind of face isn’t great. There’s no gravitas to it.”
Saying that, Kim Hanseong laughed plainly. Yeojin seemed to understand what he meant by that. Kim Hanseong had an overall gentle and rounded impression, so he just looked good-natured but lacked weight. Yeojin was curious about what kind of business he did to make so much money, but decided not to ask. That wasn’t important right now.
“Shouldn’t we stop the Seoul Center attack first?”
People’s gazes focused on Yeojin. Yeojin continued speaking.
“It’s partly because it’s where I used to work, but we have to prevent civilian casualties. The Center staff are innocent people, aren’t they? I called the Center and informed them that there would be a terrorist attack, and I also met with Center colleagues and told them about this. The National Security and Peace Maintenance Department that heard the news will take measures on their own, but either way, if two groups clash, bloodshed will occur.”
Everyone was silent. They seemed to be turning things over in their own minds while looking at Yeojin.
“I’m not on the government’s side nor on your Earth’s side. I just opposed the government’s policies and worked for the human rights advancement of Transcendents. But either way, I hate seeing anyone bleed and get hurt. I hate violence.”
Yeojin said that while looking straight at the people watching him. Among the group, Kim Hanseong was the first to speak.
“We should stop it.”
After briefly opening the topic, he took a sip of tea and continued.
“Let’s somehow stop them before they enter the Seoul Center. Bloody struggle? I hate that kind of thing too. I’m a non-violent pacifist.”
Im Yena suddenly clapped and rejoiced.
“Wahaha, exciting! I was about to die of boredom, this is great!”
“Yena. This isn’t a joke.”
Kim Hanseong scolded her, but Im Yena didn’t listen. On top of that, she even jumped up and shouted boldly.
“Let’s attack them right away!”
“Attack where! Calm down, we need to make a plan first, right? And you’re going to attack when you don’t even know where those things are!”
Kim Hanseong stopped her with a stern face.
“What use is a plan! Oppa thinks too much. The Doctor was kidnapped by them. Can’t we just go there? Let’s move right away.”
“Im Yena, calm down.”
“Yena, we can’t just act recklessly. Then how would we be different from Wi Seokwoo’s gang?”
When Seo Yul and Im Junwoo spoke alternately, only then did Im Yena click her tongue with a “Tch” and sit back down. The smallest person in the group had the hottest temper.
“Doctor, do you remember where you were held captive?”
“It was some abandoned factory. Honestly, if you asked me to find it again, I don’t think I could. I escaped in such a hurry.”
“There are tons of abandoned factories.”
Im Yena grumbled from the side.
“This kid will know the location.”
Haeju, who hadn’t said a word until now, opened his mouth. By “this kid,” he meant Kkamang. When people’s gazes focused on it, Kkamang, sitting on the table, tilted its head.
“I sent Kkamang to help the Doctor. Kkamang will remember the location there.”
“Is its name Kkamang?”
“Call it whatever you like, Doctor. But since it’s better to unify it to one name, I’ll call it Kkamang too from now on.”
Kkamang blinked as if it didn’t matter either way. Yeojin had heard a lot about how high crow intelligence was, and he’d actually received a lot of help from Kkamang. How can it be so smart when its head is that small? he wondered.
“Really? That’s amazing. It’s really at the intelligence level of a decent young child.”
“Those things are really smart—when I was young at my grandmother’s house in the countryside, one crow was trying to eat some drying persimmons so I chased it away, right? But it held a grudge and later a bunch of them flew over in a group and pecked all the persimmons and overturned the drying grain. Cunning things.”
“Right, those things even flip open lunch box lids with their feet and steal the food.”
Exclamations mixed with admiration popped up from here and there.
“If properly trained, they’d become tremendous support troops, really.”
Kim Hanseong also let out an exclamation-mixed sound while looking at Kkamang.
