Chapter 93 : Chapter 93
Chapter 93: Illegal Awakening (5)
Since childhood, Lee Chan-yeong was an Unawakened.
It felt as if a curtain, invisible to other children's eyes, was always cast over him.
The child next door Awakened as soon as he entered elementary school, and a classmate's fist suddenly turned into stone during class.
Every time that happened, Chan-yeong felt empty inside, as if there was a hole in his chest.
His parents were good people.
Even though they were wealthy, they didn't force him to study, nor did they tell him to forcibly inherit their family business.
“Just do what you want to do.”
They were such good parents who only said they hoped their Chan-yeong would live happily.
Chan-yeong was a beloved child, and such Chan-yeong also loved his parents.
But perhaps that was poison.
“I want to become a Hunter!”
When he was six years old.
Chan-yeong said.
Stretching out his fern-like hands.
Laughing cheerfully.
Like the heroes appearing on television.
Those shining beings who defeated monsters in huge dungeons and saved people from dungeon breaks.
From then on, Chan-yeong's dream was to be a Hunter.
He wanted to become a hero.
Like those stars appearing on television, he said he wanted to become like that too.
Of course, he knew they risked their lives in unseen places.
It looked even cooler.
So it seemed he wanted to do it.
“I want to shine too! I want to become a Hunter, save people, and become famous!”
A dream had formed in a corner of the small child's heart.
A child had a dream.
Where in the world are there parents who wouldn't support that?
Chan-yeong's parents cheered him on.
“Let’s wait. Since you are still young, you will definitely Awaken. When you get older.”
1 year.
2 years.
3 years.
Like that, years passed.
He graduated from elementary school and entered middle school.
Friends Awakened one by one.
However, that opportunity still did not return to Chan-yeong.
The Awakened child next door moved away because of school.
Even when the new child who moved into that house Awakened.
Even when the new friend he met in middle school Awakened.
Only Chan-yeong.
Only Chan-yeong still could not Awaken.
And then, that thing everyone goes through at least once.
That is, the stormy period of adolescence came to Chan-yeong as well.
15 years old.
2nd year of middle school.
Something called puberty came to Chan-yeong.
And at that time, Chan-yeong exploded.
“Why only me! Why is it not working only for me! Mom and Dad said I would Awaken when I got older!”
He couldn't control his emotions.
And ended up taking his anger out on his closest family.
“I won't see Mom and Dad ever again!”
Chan-yeong cried.
And his parents cried too.
Like that, Chan-yeong closed his door and didn't come out.
He didn't come out to eat, nor did he show his face.
Naturally, he didn't go to school either.
When about 6 months had passed like that.
“What if he doesn't come out for the rest of his life like that?”
“What if he makes a bad choice….”
The parents' worry only grew, and it reached a point where they could no longer neglect Chan-yeong.
So.
After long deliberation, fearing their child might go wrong…….
The parents ended up visiting that place for Chan-yeong, even while knowing it was illegal.
“This place is…….”
Chan-yeong's father said in a low voice.
“Dad found it with difficulty.”
Chan-yeong's mother continued with a trembling voice.
“Here, you can Awaken.”
Chan-yeong embraced his dad.
“Thank you, Dad! Thank you!”
However, Chan-yeong didn't see.
The expression his father made at that time.
Those small tears.
The surgery was successful.
Chan-yeong was able to obtain a Unique Skill.
Of course, he had to get injections every month, but he could endure that much.
Because he achieved his dream.
Because he became able to run toward his dream.
Eventually.
He even entered the prestigious Taewoon High, which was the dream of every student.
Chan-yeong felt as if he had the whole world.
Although he wasn't 1st place, although he wasn't the best.
He was happy just being able to run toward his dream as an Unawakened.
And it seemed that happiness would last forever.
However.
That day.
That is, the day they toured the Ignis Guild.
“It is a machine that detects Illegal Awakening.”
“It's like putting lava in a balloon.”
“The body will explode and you will die.”
Chan-yeong became afraid.
He became afraid of dying.
And above all….
That he was a criminal.
That his parents were criminals.
He became afraid of that.
If the Illegal Awakening Verification Device became commercialized, not only would he be expelled.
His parents would also go to prison.
Expulsion…… is scary.
But the scariest thing is.
That his parents become criminals and go to prison.
His parents aren't at fault.
Because of his dream.
Because of his stubbornness.
They had no choice but to touch crime.
Because of their ugly child.
Although it had only been a few years.
The 15-year-old middle schooler syndrome had long been cured.
Although not completely, Chan-yeong had grown up now.
More than himself.
Because he understood his parents who sacrificed for him.
Who had no choice but to do so even knowing it was a crime.
Because he was sorry.
Because they were pitiful.
Chan-yeong could no longer endure it.
So…….
He ended up coming again.
To the source of the wrong.
He left the dormitory late at night and barely arrived by retracing his memories.
The Underground Dark Store.
And.
To that shop where Chan-yeong received the Illegal Awakening modification.
“Again…… Please return me to how I was. Please…… Please take away the illegally Awakened Unique Skill…….”
The shop employees who were packing something exchanged glances with each other.
Chan-yeong couldn't read those glances, but he could tell at least that he was being a hindrance to them.
“We're dying because we have no time.”
“Ah, I told that broker bastard to handle it without trouble.”
Irritation flowed out.
Most of them looked sharp.
They had many scars on their bodies, and most looked strong.
One of the employees who was looking at Chan-yeong as if annoyed slowly approached Chan-yeong.
“Okay. I'll give you medicine. Medicine that returns you back.”
Unlike the others, he was a man with a beautiful eye smile.
At that man's voice, the eyes of the other gruff-looking employees grew twice as big.
However, soon.
Looking at the medicine the man took out from somewhere, they smiled lightly.
“Drink this. It's expensive, but since you came all the way here. Mister will give it to you for free just for today.”
Joy rose in Chan-yeong's eyes.
‘Now Mom and Dad will be okay. I just need to drop out. With this… With this, it's over.’
The man with the beautiful eye smile handed the vial to Chan-yeong.
Chan-yeong, receiving it, took the vial with two hands cherishing something precious.
“Drink it immediately. If you drink it, you will be able to return to how you were.”
Chan-yeong, whose burden of the heart finally disappeared, smiled, opened the vial cap, and drank the medicine as it was.
The moment all the liquid in the bottle Chan-yeong held disappeared like that.
A grin spread across their lips.
“By the way… Mister, this is…….”
Thud!
Chan-yeong, whose eyes were half unfocused, collapsed as he was.
His head spins.
Strength drains from his whole body.
Chan-yeong's vision shook and his consciousness blurred.
However, strangely, snickering voices struck his ears.
Very clearly.
“He's really naive.”
“Medicine that turns you back? There's no way something like that exists.”
“Hahahaha.”
Was I tricked.
No, even that thought didn't occur.
Because Chan-yeong was already unable to control his mind as if he had sunk into the deep sea.
“But what do we do with the corpse? He looks like a student; if his parents report it or something.”
“Would the police come all the way to the Dark Store? Besides, it's fine. We're leaving here as of today anyway.”
“Right. Since we have to finish packing quickly, go throw him in the garbage dump and come back.”
Before Chan-yeong's consciousness cut off, the last words were heard clearly.
“Since we've embezzled enough in Goyang City, let's enjoy a vacation on the surface and then do business in another region again.”
***
And again, the safe of the Money Laundering Shop.
“Like that, I drank that medicine and fainted…….”
Chan-yeong's long, long story ended.
The woman of the Money Laundering Shop and the gangster trio spoke.
“It must be fake medicine.”
“It's poison. Poison.”
“And a medicine that kills unconditionally within less than a day if eaten.”
Chilly air covered the shop.
Yoo jin's face hardened coolly.
Among the children watching worriedly, Jin-ho spoke.
“Fortunately, there was an antidote here so you lived. Chan-yeong. The auntie and uncles here saved you.”
At Jin-ho's voice, Chan-yeong greeted them with his eyes with difficulty.
The gangster trio scratched the back of their heads unsuitably, and the woman merely brought the pipe to her mouth expressionlessly.
Then.
Chan-yeong tried to raise his upper body with difficulty.
“We… We have to find them. Those people… If they run away, we won't be able to find them ever again…….”
Chan-yeong lost strength and collapsed again.
Jin-ho and Ye-na came to Chan-yeong's side and supported his body.
“We haven't treated you properly. It's practically just first aid. It's still dangerous. Since there are only illegal drugs here, you have to hurry to a hospital or a place where there is a high-ranking healer.”
The woman holding the pipe said.
That voice was directed at Chan-yeong, but at the same time, it was directed at Yoo jin.
Yoo jin looked at the children.
“You guys take Chan-yeong and leave immediately. I'll contact Lee Si-wang in advance. Take him to the hospital.”
Hearing those words, the children spat out one word each.
“What about you, Teacher?”
“How can we leave alone.”
“No, more than that, how can we leave the guys who made Chan-yeong like this alone.”
“That's right. We have to take revenge.”
However.
“Go. Right now Chan-yeong's life comes first.”
Yoo jin's low voice rang out.
The children who were speaking excitedly all became quiet.
They couldn't spit out any words.
Because Yoo jin's expression was clearly visible.
Silence flowed for a moment.
“Let’s go. If we delay any longer, this guy will go to heaven.”
The class president, Kang Tae-wook, turned his body first.
Jin-ho and Ye-na supported Chan-yeong and raised him up.
“I ask for a guide.”
At Yoo jin's voice, the woman said to the youngest of the gangster trio.
“Guide the children to the exit. Ask where they entered and it would be better to inform them of that way.”
The youngest nodded his head.
“Let’s go.”
After the children bowed to Yoo jin, they followed the gangster and left the shop.
After all the children had left.
Yoo jin let out a deep exhale.
No expression was built on his face.
Yoo jin made a voice without even turning his gaze.
“By the way, did you do everything I told you to do?”
“That is, since you haven't been gone long, not yet…… There was also that child's treatment…….”
“Then do it quickly. Speed up.”
“Yes.”
The gangster the woman called Second glanced around and moved to the record room.
In the midst of that.
Kei, who was staying quiet, glanced around and spoke.
“Then I will also leave here…….”
Kei moving stealthily on tiptoes.
“Hey.”
“Eek!!!!! Yes, yes…….”
His feet stopped.
“Where are you going. Don't complain and follow me.”
“Yes…….”
Kei's escape went down the drain.
Yoo jin's gaze headed toward the woman.
“I'm borrowing this guy.”
“Why me…….”
“Guide the way.”
“Guide the way…?”
Yoo jin's face was visible to the blinking gangster's gaze.
“Yeah. The guys who made Chan-yeong like that…… I need to send them to hell.”
Grin.
A smile was built on Yoo jin's face.
And everyone in that place who saw that smile thought the same thing.
That it wasn't a human's smile.
Probably.
The Illegal Awakening employees….
Wouldn't be able to die peacefully.
***
A while later.
In front of the exit leaving the Dark Store.
“If you go out this way, it will connect to that Doghouse you guys came in through.”
At the youngest gangster's voice, the children bowed their heads.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you, Mister.”
With Kang Tae-wook in the lead, Jin-ho and Ye-na supported Chan-yeong and hurriedly moved to the exit.
“Go safely.”
Perhaps having grown fond of them in that short time, the youngest gangster waved his hand toward the children.
He was watching the backs of the children like that.
“Uh…… By the way. Excluding the patient, wasn't it originally four people?”
The children who entered the youngest gangster's view were clearly.
“What is it…….”
Excluding the patient.
There were only three.