Chapter 117 : Chapter 117
Chapter 117: The Blue Dragon Guild and the Rare Awakened (2)
A single photo placed on the table.
Inside it, one young student's face was visible.
Yoo Jin's eyes headed there faster than ever before.
“What is this, I don't know who this kid is?”
“We know.”
You know?
An unknown anxiety rushed in like a tide.
The child in the photo.
It was a child Yoo Jin didn't know at all.
Neither a student in his class.
Nor a student of Taewoon High.
No, the kid didn't seem like a high school student in the first place.
Because they looked quite young.
However.
It was definitely a stranger.
Strangely.
Anxiety was eating away at Yoo jin's entire body little by little.
To shake off that thought, he opened his mouth before the others.
“If you know who the target is, you just have to protect them.”
“That is not as easy as it sounds.”
Cho Sang-geun, who answered calmly, continued speaking.
“It hasn't been long since we found out this child is the target, and we just received a report that we lost track of the target yesterday.”
One could tell just by looking at the voice and expression that it was a difficult situation.
Just how big this matter was.
Well, anyone would know just by the fact that the Guild Masters of the 3 Great Guilds, and two of them at that, were sitting face to face on a morning like this.
However.
What Yoo Jin was anxious about since a while ago.
And was curious about.
“But why are you showing me this child's picture? As I said earlier, I don't know this child.”
Cho Sang-geun and Kim Cheol-gu exchanged glances for a short moment.
A hesitant attitude.
On top of that, an appearance that showed they wanted to say something too obviously.
Yoo jin's eyes turned into a straight line.
Whether he confirmed his expression, or reached the conclusion that he shouldn't drag it out any longer knowing the Returnee's personality.
Cho Sang-geun, who took a deep breath once, hardened his expression strongly.
“Is there not a student named Yang Yeong-seon in your class, Teacher Yoo jin?”
“There is, why.”
“This child... is that student's younger sibling.”
Yoo jin's expression sank as his gaze moved into the photo.
‘Yang Yeong-seon’
A student in Yoo Jin's class.
His disciple who waved his hand saying he would see him in a month as he was going back to his main house.
“.......”
Tsk!
‘This intuition of mine.......’
The vacation he thought would be just for resting.
From the start.
“Lee Si-wang.”
“Yes.”
“Drive.”
“.......”
It seemed it would be a busier summer vacation than ever before.
***
The car stopped slowly.
Rice paddies were spread out on both sides of the road.
The midday sunlight dyed the rice paddies and then returned.
“Is this Yeong-seon's main house?”
“Address-wise, it is correct.”
Beyond the mountain ridge in the distance, the low buildings of Cheorwon town looked like dots.
“Let's get off first.”
Lee Si-wang, who finished a long drive of 3 hours, stretched as he got out of the car.
From Goyang City to here in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, he ran straight without stopping at a single rest area.
Furthermore, end of July.
Perhaps because it was the time when the vacation season started, it took 3 hours, adding one hour to the distance that would originally take two hours.
Lee Si-wang was stretching for a long time after driving for the first time in a while.
Several small houses were visible next to the road shoulder.
Among them, Yoo jin's gaze headed to a green gate.
Moss was growing on the cement wall, and the rusted green gate held the traces of time as they were.
He moved his steps slowly toward that place.
Instead of the mechanical sounds of the city, the cries of insects and the sound of a chicken crying from afar could be heard.
Leaving those sounds of the countryside behind.
Clang clang.
Yoo jin knocked on the gate.
“Is anyone there?”
As soon as his voice rang out, footsteps were heard from inside.
A moment later, the old iron gate opened with a creak.
An old woman with graying hair came out leaning her bent waist on the door.
Yoo jin bowed his waist and greeted her.
“I am Yoo jin, the homeroom teacher of Year 2 Class A at Taewoon High. By any chance, is this student Yang Yeong-seon's house?”
“It is, but who are you....”
“I am student Yang Yeong-seon's homeroom teacher.”
The old woman, who was sending an anxious gaze despite the friendly voice and low posture, changed her expression in an instant.
“Oh my, you were our Yeong-seon's teacher. How far is it from Seoul to here. Oh my, you worked hard.”
“Not at all, Elder. By any chance, are you Yeong-seon's grandmother?”
“I am Yeong-seon's grandma. I cannot keep a teacher who came from Seoul standing like this, please come in first.”
“Ah, yes. Then I will excuse myself.”
Yoo jin made the warmest expression in the world and held the grandmother's hand tightly as he followed her into the house.
“.......”
Lee Si-wang, who was watching that from behind, could not close his mouth.
He assumed it was so because he had seen it several times, but that didn't mean he got used to it.
A Demon King making a face like an angel.
Seriously.......
Lee Si-wang shut his mouth tight and headed inside the door.
***
Yang Yeong-seon's grandmother.
Lee Sun-gyeong brought out a tray with her small hands.
Barley tea with ice floating was contained there.
“The teacher came from Seoul but this is all I have to offer.”
“No, there is nothing better than this when it is hot. I will drink it well with gratitude.”
“Thank you for the drink.”
The wooden floor installed with a shade inside the gate.
Yoo Jin and Lee Si-wang, who were sitting there, bowed their heads slightly and then put the cold barley tea into their mouths.
It felt like the midday heat was running away for a moment.
Like that, while Yoo Jin and Lee Si-wang were sitting looking at the grandmother, the grandmother who was reading their faces let out a small sigh and opened her mouth.
“I didn't know even the teacher would come... As expected... I guess something really did happen to my kids.......”
At Lee Sun-gyeong's words, Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang's expressions sank.
They had heard roughly from the Ignis Guild Master and the Blue Dragon Guild Master before coming.
“The kids didn't come in even at night, so I contacted the police... but late at night, those called hunters or whatever wearing black clothes came to visit.”
As Lee Sun-gyeong with a small frame bowed her head too, her body looked even smaller.
“They said everything was discussed with the police. That I don't need to contact the police again. Telling me not to worry. That it isn't a big deal so if I rest at home, they will definitely bring them home.”
The time visible between her face.
Numerous wrinkles revealed the emotions shown on her expression even more deeply.
“Even though I look like this, I am an old woman who even worked as a bank teller. It means I am not a fool. Since even a teacher came from Seoul, it would be strange not to know.”
Yoo jin lowered his head with his mouth shut tight.
“Yeong-seon said he was coming yesterday because it is vacation, so our Min-seon went out to the station to meet him. That was around lunchtime or so... A day has already passed completely. Since then, both haven't come in, and the phone doesn't work.......”
Lee Sun-gyeong, who was speaking, closed her eyes tightly as if composing her emotions and let out a deep breath.
And she couldn't continue speaking for a long time.
At that moment, the sound of news flowed out from the television installed on the wooden floor side.
“It is known that there is no movement regarding the Carda organization that entered the country. However, since there is a risk of kidnapping targeting Rare Awakened, the government and the association requested vigilance.......”
The hot temperature and unpleasant humidity of the summer day were devouring the anchor's voice.
“Teacher. Really... Our Yeong-seon and Min-seon... Are they really okay?”
The blazing sun was blocked by the tent, burning only Yoo Jin's feet hot, not his face and body.
Yoo jin's eyes changed in an instant.
“Grandmother, do not worry. Just like those people said yesterday, it is not a big deal. You will be able to see them by tomorrow. I came to say that.”
The grandmother's head was lifted.
The wrinkles cast deeply like tree rings were facing Yoo Jin.
Along with the worries stuck between the wrinkles.
“It is real. I didn't come to meet you, Grandmother, because something happened to Yeong-seon... I came to tell you not to worry since they will return by tomorrow.”
“Is that true.”
“Of course.”
“To say that... from far away Seoul to here....”
“Oh my, what is far, Grandmother. It is soon, soon. And even if it is far, I have to come. Since you would be worrying alone like this.”
Grin.
When Yoo jin showed a smile looking at the grandmother, the wrinkles that were only stuck with anxiety were also smoothing out a little.
“Both Yeong-seon and Min-seon will return by tomorrow. So, I came to tell you not to worry and wait just a little well. So please have your meal too, and don't worry needlessly. Please just wait comfortably for one day.”
“Thank you... Thank you....”
He did not tell any detailed stories.
How much the grandmother knew.
How much she was aware of.
Or if she knew nothing.
He didn't know exactly, and so Yoo Jin also didn't say anything.
Even if he told her anyway, it is a parent's heart to only increase in worry, and a heart for grandchildren is even more than that.
So.
Yoo Jin just made a promise.
Heavier than anything else in the world.
A promise whose priority could not be calculated.
“Grandmother, we will get going then. Please really don't worry and wait. Because the children will definitely come home by tomorrow.”
Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang left the door after saying goodbye.
“Th... There is nothing to give. You came all the way from Seoul. Please take this at least. These are eggs our chicken laid this morning. It is completely different from what they sell. Please take this. And... Please take care of them. Our Yeong-seon and Min-seon.......”
On top of the hands of Yoo Jin who stood alone, a pack containing ten eggs was held.
A parent's intuition.
A thread connected by blood.
The sense of a grandmother raising them alone.
He didn't know what it was, but.
Those last words pierced Yoo jin's heart.
And the eggs held in his hand.
No, affection.
Yoo Jin had no choice but to bow his head and come out.
The door closed.
Yoo Jin and Lee Si-wang walked to where the car was without a word.
And when they arrived at the car.
Yoo Jin could spit out the words he had held back and held back.
“Si-wang-ah. We accepted a bribe. It's like an envelope of money.”
“Yes, I can see well. It is a Two-Plus Nine Grade egg that you can't even see in Ilsan... no, Seoul. And laid by a native chicken at that.”
“.......”
“.......”
Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang's eyes heated up hotter than the hot sun.
“If we accepted this much bribe, it is our duty, right?”
“Of course. With this much, I think you just need to keep exactly that promise the Teacher made with the grandmother.”
Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang picked up one egg each.
And then.
Crack!
Crack!
Cracked the front and back.
And brought it to their mouths.
“Send the kids back home by tomorrow.”
“The guys who kidnapped them are.......”
.
.
.
Terrorists of South America?
World-class kidnapping organization?
Rare Awakened illegal human trafficking organization that is a global problem?
No matter what terrifying and grandiose name they have.......
Slurp!
Raw egg.
No, the bribe passed through Yoo jin and Lee Si-wang's esophagus.
Returnee.
Republic of Korea's A-Rank Awakened undisputed number 1.
The moment the world's cruelest duo was born.
Their fate was already decided.
“All death penalty.”