Chapter 21 : The Looming Dark Curtain. (3)
Chapter 21: The Looming Dark Curtain. (3)
A day had passed since I visited Ma Seon-woong in the hospital.
There was still no sign of Seo Gwang-pal.
Why?
I scanned the nearby workers and fell into thought.
‘It must be because he isn’t certain.’
Seo Gwang-pal only knew that the Purple Devil was here. He didn’t know that I was the Purple Devil.
The Ilsan Hunter Industrial Complex was huge, spanning from Factory 1 to Factory 9.
Including all the minor employees, it totaled in the thousands.
There was no way Seo Gwang-pal could investigate them all alone.
He would surely bring forces backed by the Dio Guild.
To face him, I needed to reinforce manpower and reorganize my power.
‘The timing…….’
As early as this week. At the latest, next week?
I couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment, but instinctively, I sensed it.
This was the calm before the storm.
“Yong-gi. You’ve got a visitor. Come out for a bit!”
Lost in thought, I saw the workshop manager beckon to me.
The moment I heard “visitor”, I tensed.
‘Already?’
Earlier than expected.
‘I need more time to prepare.’
I removed my safety gloves with a hardened face and walked toward the workshop manager.
“A visitor?”
“It’s those guys.”
Outside the factory, a group dressed in black was waiting for me.
It was Ki Yeong-cheol and his underlings.
‘Good.’
I sighed in relief and headed for the door. Ki Yeong-cheol, seeing me, came forward as the representative.
I greeted him.
“What brings you here? Didn’t you say you’d go to the countryside and farm?”
“I was going to, but. Something came up.”
Ki Yeong-cheol scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
I knew better than anyone what that “something” was.
Because I was the one who made him stay here.
“What brings such esteemed gangsters here? Planning to shake us down again?”
Despite the sarcastic tone, Ki Yeong-cheol quietly shook his head.
“The Chi-do Faction disbanded. We’re not gangsters anymore.”
“Then what are you?”
“I mean……. Yeong-cheol.”
Ki Yeong-cheol’s voice trailed off. He seemed embarrassed somehow.
“What?”
“The Yeong-cheol Guar…….”
“I can’t hear you.”
“I said the Yeong-cheol Guardian Squad! The Yeong-cheol. Guar. Dian. Squad!”
Silence descended.
The workshop manager next to us stifled a laugh and burst out with a “pfft.”
Ki Yeong-cheol’s entire face, ears included, turned fiery red.
“I’ll leave you two to talk.”
The workshop manager snickered and slipped back into the factory.
“The Yeong-cheol Guardian Squad, huh. What’s that?”
“It’s exactly what it sounds like. We’ll protect the people working here.”
Ki Yeong-cheol seemed awkward in his new position, constantly avoiding my eyes.
“They all got jobs in each factory. They’ll start coming in for real starting tomorrow.”
Everything was going exactly as I’d ordered.
‘He’s doing well.’
Ki Yeong-cheol continued.
“We renovated the building Cha Chi-do used before into our dorm. We’ll work out there after shifts and grow the organization. We’re planning to recruit young guys with grit.”
There had been a possibility that Ki Yeong-cheol might not follow my orders. If that happened, I had planned to intervene again as the Purple Devil.
‘A needless worry.’
Still red-faced, Ki Yeong-cheol looked into my eyes.
“So if anyone bullies you, tell me.”
The factory lay outside the reach of the law, practically a lawless zone.
It was perfect prey for gangsters.
Before Cha Chi-do took over, multiple gangs used to fight over this place.
Having fought fiercely for territory, these guys who had held their ground would keep Ilsan Hunter Industrial Complex safe as long as they remained.
“Bullies? You guys were the ones who bullied me the most.”
It was a joke, but Ki Yeong-cheol couldn’t laugh.
“I know. I’m sorry for everything.”
Ki Yeong-cheol bowed his head to me.
A sincere apology.
I grabbed his shoulders and lifted him back up.
“Okay. Good. I’ll count on you from now on. Yeong-cheol Guardian Squad.”
It was a rather childish name, but I didn’t mock him.
A man struggling to become better deserved encouragement.
As I gazed at Ki Yeong-cheol with serious eyes, only then did the leader of the Yeong-cheol Guardian Squad straighten his chest and regain confidence.
“Just leave it to me.”
Then Ki Yeong-cheol tapped my right forearm.
“Ugh.”
I bent forward and let out a groan. He had only tapped me lightly, but the vibration hit my flank.
“Wh-what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Startled, Ki Yeong-cheol hurriedly supported me.
It was because of the wound I’d received the day I settled things with the gang boss.
Cha Chi-do had used his subordinate as a shield to block my attack. And in that opening, he had driven a sashimi knife into my side.
The blade pierced between the armor plates, but thankfully it hadn’t gone in deep.
“It’s nothing. Just got hurt while working.”
“How bad is it? Let me see.”
Ki Yeong-cheol lifted the factory jumper I was wearing.
On my ribs, red blood had seeped through my white T-shirt.
I had wrapped it with bandages, but the wound must have opened again.
“This is serious! How did this happen?”
I brushed his hand away and lowered my jumper.
“It’s just a scratch. Don’t make a fuss.”
“…….”
He looked like he had something to say but hesitated.
Then, as if making up his mind, Ki Yeong-cheol spoke.
“Choi Yong-gi. I’ll keep my word today. I swear it.”
Ki Yeong-cheol promised he would protect my workplace.
An enemy from my past becoming an ally today.
A new life really was a wonderful thing.
“I’m going back to work.”
Feeling reassured, I turned toward the factory.
Then suddenly, I looked up at the sky.
Ominous dark clouds were gathering, looking almost dramatic.
“Good work, everyone! Let’s go home!”
“Yessss! Let’s go home!”
When the workshop manager shouted, Kkalkki raised his hand high.
There was still no sign of the president today.
Lately, the president indulged even more in alcohol and women, living a dissipated life.
‘He’ll collapse soon.’
And.
The day this kingdom would fall into my grasp wasn’t far off.
“Bawss! Cold soju today too?”
Kkalkki wiggled his hand, mimicking drinking soju.
I shook my head.
“No. We have things to do.”
“Mm. Bawss. Why are you grobbing there since earlier?”
I must have been unconsciously holding my injured side.
I slightly lifted my factory jumper and showed him the wound.
“It was lucky it was only this bad. It almost pierced my organs.”
The sight of the bright red bandage made Kkalkki’s face crumple as he grabbed my arm.
“Let’s go to the hospital, Boss!”
“I’m fine.”
“Really?”
“It’s not that bad.”
“Boss. You’ve got a bruise on your eye too!”
Come to think of it, one of my eyes was still throbbing.
It was where I’d been hit while fighting Ki Yeong-cheol.
‘I’m a mess, huh.’
No matter how much it was a hero’s fate to defeat villains—
the more the wounds piled up, the more the fatigue built up, and that couldn’t be helped.
In my past life, I’d worked myself to death, received a cancer diagnosis, and then got bitten by a monster and died.
‘At this rate, I might die before my time, beating up bad guys like this.’
Of course, if I used Super Kid’s <Aura of God>, I wouldn’t have to worry about getting hurt.
My whole body would be wrapped in mana, forming a protective barrier.
It could block most minor attacks.
But I couldn’t use that power every time.
If I did, the balance would soon hit zero.
Wasn’t there a way to fight while minimizing injuries and preserving my body longer?
Strength, defense, speed, and now……
It was time to acquire another ability.
“Wait here! Boss!”
Kkalkki ran off somewhere.
After everyone had gone home.
Only Kkalkki and I remained in the factory.
What Kkalkki brought back was a first-aid kit.
Because there were always cuts and scrapes in the factory, emergency supplies were always stocked.
However.
I rubbed a boiled egg around my eye.
“Wouldn’t it be better to use ointment instead?”
“No! Boss! This works, I swear!”
“Who said that?”
“I saw it in a drama, they all did this?”
Kkalkki, who trusted Korean folk remedies more than Koreans themselves, mumbled with the boiled egg in his mouth.
He unwrapped the bandage around my side. Blood was still seeping from the open wound.
Kkalkki frowned.
“Yup. This won’t do.”
He deftly picked up a needle and thread, then stitched up my wound in an instant.
“Where did you learn to do that?”
“My mom worked as a seamstress in Nepal for over thirty years. I picked it up from her shoulder.”
“You mean ‘over her shoulder.’”
More than that, I was surprised at his vocabulary.
A seamstress.
A woman who did sewing for other households and received payment.
Reading was my hobby, so I understood what he meant.
“Where did you even learn such a difficult word?”
“From The Great King Taejo Wang Geon! Boss, you watched it? It’s super fun! Who was it? Who dared to cough in my presence?”
Kkalkki imitated Gung Ye from the old historical drama.
“All done!”
He changed the bandage and stood up. With the wound properly stitched, it was much easier to move.
“Don’t overdo it, Boss. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
I zipped up my jumper and started walking.
“Shall we go then?”
“Sure! Boss!”
We left the factory and headed to the container.
Kkalkki pulled out his notebook and started firing questions.
“How was P1?”
That was the name of the prototype suit.
“It was kind of heavy and uncomfortable. The joints even came apart sometimes.”
“Hmm. Yeah, can’t be helped when you cram in too many features!”
“Then why not cut back on functions and focus on the suit’s essence instead?”
“Heh. I thought you might say that.”
Kkalkki opened the container door.
Under the light, a new suit appeared.
“Tadaaa!”
I couldn’t help but gape.
The large helmet had been replaced with a simple purple mask. The armor-like suit had been improved into a bulletproof-vest form.
Most of all, the giant P on the chest was gone.
Instead, it was embedded in the center of the forehead.
“How is it, Boss? You like it?”
“Yeah. Except for that P.”
“Aw, that’s what gives it style!”
I had no idea why he was so obsessed with that letter.
“I’ll try it on first.”
I pulled the purple mask over my face. The texture against my skin was rough.
Looking closely, I could see it was patched together with scraps of fabric.
The material must have been expensive, so it looked like he had stitched leftover pieces together.
‘Well, better than wearing a helmet.’
“Wait, is this Bronze Light?”
“Yup! Khan gave me what was left over after he used it!”
A mask made from the scales of a brown dragon. And a bulletproof-vest-style cosplay on top of that.
The suit was definitely an upgrade from before.
“So what now, Boss? That bald hunter’s coming here, right?”
“Yeah. First……”
I summoned the floating window.
[ Awakener’s Balance ]
: ₩1,035,565,998.
Naturally, the more battles I fought, the more the amount decreased.
The over 1.07 billion won I’d had before had dropped significantly.
What would happen if I used up all of it?
Would that mean I had to quit being a hero?
“……”
No point worrying now.
‘Let’s focus on what I have to do right now.’
I boldly switched the screen.
[[ Hero Skill Shop ]]
Speeder Series.
<Infinite Acceleration>
: Within 1km radius, ₩10,000,000.
2) <Regeneration>
: Deducted in proportion to damage.
……
To face Seo Gwang-pal, I had to be fully prepared.
One part of that was acquiring a new ability.
‘I need something beyond just running fast.’
<Regeneration>.
One of Speeder’s signature abilities.
It was locked for now, but—
‘I’ll get it no matter what.’
To gain the next hero skill, I had to fulfill a condition.
Last time, it had been to perform <Judgment of the Superhuman> a thousand times.
This time—
<Regeneration> : <42.195km>
Time limit: 2 hours.
‘Nice and straightforward.’
It must mean I had to run that exact distance.
42.195 kilometers.
‘A marathon.’
Not once, in either my past or current life, had I ever run that far in one go.
At most, I’d jogged two or three kilometers.
Compared to the last mission, where I’d stayed up all night throwing a thousand punches, this was on a whole other level.
‘Can I do it?’
The marathon was one of the most grueling events in the Olympics.
Passing out mid-race or quitting halfway was common. Rarely, it even led to death from heart strain.
And now—
Two hours. That was practically a world record pace.
Still.
‘I have to do it.’
Ding!
When I clicked the mission, the letters turned red. I loosened my body and said,
“Brahma! I’ll be back. You’re off work.”
I called out the name of the Hindu god of creation—Kkalkki’s call name.
“Roger that! Boss!”
Leaving the saluting Kkalkki behind, I began to run.
Raindrops began to fall onto the dry earth.