Chapter 6 · 10 min

Chapter 6

The first thing to do

"Hyung-nim, you saw earlier, right? Hyung Guk-yeon. Can't we take that hyung too?"

Seo I-hyeon quietly looked at Jeong Sang-cheol saying that.

He hesitated for a moment whether to say this or not, then thought there was no particular reason not to say it.

"That person, no need to save him. Because he's the one who sold you here."

"Yes?"

Seo I-hyeon gestured with his chin to a room quite far from the room Jeong Sang-cheol had been in.

"He's in the room at the end over there, killing time joking around with the employee."

Jeong Sang-cheol looked alternately at the end room and Seo I-hyeon with wide eyes as if he couldn't believe it.

"If you don't believe it, I'll go alone."

At Seo I-hyeon's words, Jeong Sang-cheol clenched his mouth and shook his head.

"No. Why wouldn't I believe hyung-nim's words. It's just... because this situation is hard to believe. Let's go, quickly."

Seo I-hyeon turned around and moved his steps while saying.

"Be sure to cut that person off."

Jeong Sang-cheol looked at Seo I-hyeon's back with a complicated expression then soon moved his steps.

The two were able to leave the building without any particular restraint.

Seo I-hyeon didn't forget to throw the two employee badges inside the building before going out.

He had no intention of carrying around such unpleasant items.

Coming outside and walking to the subway station, the two didn't say a word.

At this rate, they would just split up and go home separately.

Just as they were about to enter the subway station entrance, Jeong Sang-cheol called Seo I-hyeon.

"Hyung-nim."

Seo I-hyeon stopped his steps, turned around, and looked at Jeong Sang-cheol.

"Could you do a bit of counseling for a moment?"

"Counseling? Well, nothing difficult. Still, this place is a bit, so first let's move."

Wouldn't it be better to get as far as possible from Etherix.

Jeong Sang-cheol also understood Seo I-hyeon's words and nodded.

"Then let's go near hyung-nim's house."

"Whatever."

The two took the subway like that and moved toward Seo I-hyeon's house.

* * *

The Etherix external manpower operation team leader glared at the section chief with eyes full of irritation.

"What? Escape? You're saying that now?"

The section chief answered with a troubled expression.

"That... it seems they knew the method we use in advance."

The team leader's eyebrows shot up.

The section chief held out two employee badges.

"Since there was no CCTV in the room, I couldn't exactly confirm what happened, but I found these near the entrance."

The team leader let out a hollow laugh.

"Heh. So they snatched the employee badges and used the mental attack in reverse? What about the ones who got hit?"

"They still haven't come to their senses. Checking, the attack stage was quite high."

"At that level, they knew everything? This must have been informed by the Myeongjin Pharmaceutical side, right?"

"We have to see it that way, right?"

The team leader messed up his own hair madly with an annoyed expression.

"Haa. It's become a headache. The atmosphere isn't good these days anyway. If father finds out, I'll get some nagging."

The section chief carefully asked.

"Then how shall we proceed? We've secured the address for now."

The team leader waved his hand.

"Enough. If we had contracted first, maybe, but if we touch them now, would Myeongjin stay still?"

When the section chief couldn't answer right away, the team leader asked.

"How exactly is the condition of the kids who haven't come to their senses? Is recovery possible?"

"Yes. We've taken measures for now. According to the support team, other than some confusion in memory, they can return after about a week."

"Huu. Then let's wrap it up around here."

"Yes."

The team leader added while raising one finger.

"And can we plant someone on the Myeongjin side? Not that I'm going to do something right away, but in case an opportunity arises later."

The section chief looked at the team leader with slightly surprised eyes. The personality of absolutely not being able to live after being hit had activated again. Still, he doesn't just charge in without thinking, so it should be fine.

"I'll prepare."

The team leader nodded and gestured as if to go out.

The damage from this incident is severe. From the battery to the time and manpower lost because of the accident.

To fill this again, they'll have to sweat for a while.

* * *

Seo I-hyeon and Jeong Sang-cheol sat down in a corner of a fairly large franchise coffee shop.

The two maintained silence for a while with the drinks they would drink in front of them respectively.

Soon Jeong Sang-cheol opened his mouth in a voice as if dying.

"Hyung-nim, I'm too scared."

Seo I-hyeon nodded. It was certainly scary enough.

In fact, if Jeong Sang-cheol had been a bit more ordinary, there would be nothing to be scared of. Because he wouldn't properly remember what happened in that room earlier.

The problem is because he has talent. Since he remembers everything about earlier, that is, the situation where he wasn't in his right mind, it's natural to be scared.

"Honestly, that day, the day we had an accident while eating samgyeopsal. That day was really scary too."

Honestly, that day was a shock for Seo I-hyeon too.

Because he learned that there is a hidden side to our world that he thought was ordinary.

At that time, he roughly passed over it because of the shock, but thinking about it, Jeong Sang-cheol, unlike Seo I-hyeon, is a truly ordinary person. Yet he witnessed such a thing, so the shock must have been considerable.

It's natural to be scared. The fear of not knowing when such a thing will happen would fill his head.

"Still, I could force myself to endure it? After some time passed, it got better. But after experiencing today's thing, everything I had been enduring until now burst out and I can't stand it."

Jeong Sang-cheol said calmly. But the emotions contained in it were intense.

"I don't know at all what I should do. At this rate, finding work will become too scary."

Seo I-hyeon quietly listened to Jeong Sang-cheol's words. In fact, he doesn't know well what Jeong Sang-cheol's situation is. He can only guess. It must be a situation where he has to earn money diligently.

Probably that's why he was more afraid. Otherwise he would have just thought he could hole up at home and tremble until he got better.

Similar words appealing fear continued after that as well.

Jeong Sang-cheol trembled his hands the whole time he was speaking. Because of the trembling lips whenever he spoke, he sometimes even stuttered.

Seo I-hyeon just quietly listened. If he pours out the internal emotions while speaking like that, eventually it will get a bit better.

When Jeong Sang-cheol showed signs of calming down a bit like that, Seo I-hyeon opened his mouth.

"It's not that there's no method at all."

"Yes?"

Jeong Sang-cheol looked at Seo I-hyeon with surprised eyes. In fact, he had asked for counseling but didn't have big expectations. He just wanted to vent a bit. Because it was too frustrating.

But there's an answer. Jeong Sang-cheol swallowed dryly. A slight expectation settled in his eyes.

"Myeongjin Pharmaceutical, you know?"

"Of course. The clinical side gig there, I introduced it."

"You know that Myeongjin Pharmaceutical is similar to Etherix?"

"Yes?"

Jeong Sang-cheol was shocked.

"T-there are weird people there too?"

"They are people who aren't ordinary. Using power that isn't ordinary."

Jeong Sang-cheol blankly looked at Seo I-hyeon then suddenly came to his senses and asked.

"How did hyung-nim know that?"

Seo I-hyeon chuckled.

"Honestly, didn't you know? Wasn't it strange when taking the medicine?"

Jeong Sang-cheol's expression hardened completely.

"Don't tell me that medicine is a weird medicine?"

Honestly he doesn't know. In Seo I-hyeon's feeling, there was nothing strange. It just stimulated various kinds of mana. But there might be some other efficacy. Because he can't know about actions other than mana.

"The important thing isn't that. Go to Myeongjin Pharmaceutical and ask for help."

Jeong Sang-cheol's expression darkened.

"Why would Myeongjin Pharmaceutical help me? I'm just a side gig worker. Rather..."

Jeong Sang-cheol stopped speaking for a moment and looked at Seo I-hyeon.

"Rather, can't hyung-nim help me?"

"By what means? The opponent is a company. One that uses weird power. So we have to block it with the same company. One that uses similar power."

"But..."

Seo I-hyeon cut off Jeong Sang-cheol's words.

"If my thought is right, they'll help."

Jeong Sang-cheol's expression was stained with confusion and suspicion. It's a natural reaction. He would think why Myeongjin Pharmaceutical would help him when they have nothing to gain.

But Seo I-hyeon was more than half certain. That they would help.

"No need to worry too much. Go to Myeongjin Pharmaceutical right now even. It'll probably resolve more easily than expected."

Jeong Sang-cheol's expression became complicated.

"Then what about hyung-nim?"

Seo I-hyeon smiled slightly. That smile was somewhat cold and a bit scary.

"I'll have to handle it myself."

"Don't do that and come with me. Honestly, going alone is scary..."

Seo I-hyeon shook his head.

"It's better for you to go alone. If I get dragged along too, they might regard me as a burden and things might go wrong."

"But..."

Seo I-hyeon raised his hand and firmly cut off Jeong Sang-cheol's words.

"Enough, stop there. There's no time so hurry. We honestly don't know how those guys will come out."

Jeong Sang-cheol who had hesitated for a while soon nodded.

"Yes. Then I'll do that. Thank you so much for helping like this..."

Seo I-hyeon chuckled.

"What. We just help each other and live."

Didn't Jeong Sang-cheol diligently introduce jobs to Seo I-hyeon too. Well, thanks to that things got tangled, but that doesn't mean the heart goes anywhere.

Favor should be answered with favor.

Seo I-hyeon stood up from his seat.

"Alright, then let's move right away. I also have something to do."

It's a really important matter. And it's scary too. But he has to do it. Since it's come to this, there's no choice.

He has to prepare since he doesn't know how it will turn out.

When Seo I-hyeon stood up, Jeong Sang-cheol followed and stood up with regretful eyes.

Anyway, now it's time to move.

* * *

Returning home, Seo I-hyeon sat on the edge of the bed and let out a deep sigh.

"Haaaa."

Suddenly irritation surged. How did it come to this. Why do I have to do this. Etc., all sorts of negative thoughts stirred his head.

But still, what can he do. He has to do it.

Seo I-hyeon who stood up from his seat took out the item he had placed under the bed.

It was a very large vinyl. The thickness was also quite there so it didn't tear easily and the weight was considerable.

In fact, it wasn't a vinyl that was easy to obtain. Finding one this big wasn't easy either.

If asked why he obtained such a thing, he could only answer just in case.

It's an item he prepared just in case. He had no intention of using it.

Seo I-hyeon unfolded the vinyl. Most of the room was covered by the vinyl. Of course the floor and bed, and even up to about half the wall was covered by the vinyl.

After laying the vinyl, he took off all his clothes. After putting the clothes in the bathroom, he brought other preparations and stood in the middle of the room.

What Seo I-hyeon prepared was a chainsaw. Perhaps because it was new, each small saw blade was extremely sharp.

He firmly fixed it to the fixing stand he had prepared in advance.

Looking at all the preparations, Seo I-hyeon let out a deep sigh.

"Haa. Fuck. I really didn't want to do this. No, should I just not do it? It might be okay."

But even while saying that, the conviction that he had to do it gradually strengthened.

The possibility that nothing happens? Of course there is. No, it will be very high.

But if something happens with a low probability?

Then it's already too late. So he has to prepare in advance. At least to have minimal defense.

It's just that the process is too painful so he hesitates.

"Haa. Yeah. Let's do it. Do it. Fuck."

Seo I-hyeon who had breathed deeply hard brought both hands to his eyes.

The order is important, and this is the first.