DB Vol 1 Part 16

If it had been any other time, Geon-young would have brushed it off with a “Is that so?” Because Seung-wook was never wrong. But this time, he got slightly irritated. There was some resentment about wanting to point out such trivial things when he was going through all this trouble because of Won-woo, and it also irked him that Seung-wook acted like he knew everything about Won-woo after dating him for just a month. Hadn’t he had Won-woo as a team member for two years? Geon-young didn’t think he knew less about Won-woo than Seung-wook did, at least.

“No. Won-woo is quite tough. He wouldn’t have just run away unconditionally but would have searched for a way out and tried his hardest. That’s why he walked out on his own two feet.”

Seung-wook’s eyebrows furrowed. He tilted his head disapprovingly.

“There must be another reason he survived the monster farm. Won-woo is someone I definitely know…”

Seung-wook trailed off, turning his eyes to the parking lot entrance. Someone was just coming in. Geon-young also turned his head and immediately frowned when he saw who it was. It was Han Seona.

“Ah, fuck.”

A curse automatically left Geon-young’s mouth. He realized they had been talking close enough to the door for Han Seona to hear, but it was also because he remembered she was involved in today’s incident. If only she hadn’t blabbed about sexual harassment or whatever in her testimony, the problem wouldn’t have grown this big. Moreover, the nerve of her to just stare calmly while knowing who he was.

Of course, Seona, who encountered them, wasn’t calm either. She was about to curse too when she heard the name “Won-woo” as soon as she entered. Geon-young beat her to it, that’s all. Still, she had no intention of caring about whatever they were babbling about. Seona was about to pass by them towards the parking lot, but Geon-young didn’t let her go.

“Hey, B-rank Esper Han Seona.”

Han Seona turned an unpleasant gaze when he deliberately mentioned her rank. Among Espers, the most basic way to put someone down was by rank. Seona was in the upper B-rank, so she hadn’t experienced much of this kind of provocation until she came to the East Center. It meant there were many people here better than her. Same with other conditions. Her background as a civilian and her unusual wavelength made her particularly a subject of ridicule here.

“I heard you’re always unstable in energy because you’re from a civilian background with an unusual wavelength?”

As expected, these two things came right out of Geon-young’s mouth. But the other person was an A-rank Esper with a higher position than her. Perhaps because she had been disrespected so routinely since entering the East Center, it didn’t even feel that bad. She had gotten used to enduring it, thinking, ‘This is the Central Center, after all.’ But today was a bit different. Seona stared back at him sideways.

“No matter how unstable I am, I’m still better than the Espers in Head Team 3.”

“Wow, looking at you now, it seems you have the most inferiority complex about your unusual wavelength rather than your rank or background. Is that why you talked like that during the incident inquiry? Saying our team’s Espers are unstable? You think everyone’s like you, fuck.”

Geon-young sneered to the point of being unpleasant and mocked Seona. One of the reasons he got chewed out by the head of Response Division 2 was that he failed to properly check the unstable energy of his team members. Seona’s testimony was behind that. So Geon-young glared at Seona as if he had been waiting for this. Seona stared back, not backing down.

“That’s right. I thought everyone was like me, but it turns out they’re even worse. You’re supposed to be a team leader, why couldn’t you manage them better?”

“Fuck, watch your mouth. Did you report that bullshit to the higher-ups because you were jealous, thinking everyone’s like you? Were you excited seeing the rampage and quickly threw one of those many suppression piercings? Hoping they’d explode and die, huh?”

Seona’s jaw twitched, but she managed to suppress her anger and retorted briefly.

“If I had known they’d explode so easily, I would have thrown it earlier.”

“Mind your words.”

A firm voice reprimanded Seona. Only then did Seona turn her eyes to Seung-wook. Seung-wook took a step closer to her with an expressionless face. Seona knew who he was without an introduction. After all, he was that famous Esper who always ranked high in the Esper popularity rankings. But that wasn’t why she shut her mouth. Even though Seung-wook hadn’t unleashed his power, Seona instinctively felt breathless from the aura of a high A-rank Esper.

“You shouldn’t talk about another Esper’s rampage like that.”

You don’t see your friend mocking another Esper? Seona gritted her teeth and tried not to avoid his gaze. Seung-wook, not caring about Seona’s reaction, pushed Geon-young’s shoulder.

“You stop too. Let’s go.”

Geon-young glared at Seona while panting and then disappeared following Seung-wook, but Seona couldn’t move easily from that spot for a long time. She felt empty, wondering if this was why she had tried so hard to come to the Central. She had expected that coming to the Central would reduce the disrespect she got for being from a civilian family and that she might more easily meet Guides suitable for her unusual wavelength, but the reality was not like that at all.

Instead, she was more disrespected, and guiding was painful every time as she was forced to work with those whose wavelengths didn’t match. She hadn’t expected to become famous and rich like Seung-wook, but she thought she could at least succeed as an Esper. Like showing her face at the monster hunting competition that drives the whole country crazy in autumn, and maybe even getting a sponsor.

Before Seona came to the Central, she had a dream, though it might have been somewhat unrealistic. Being an envied natural-type Esper, she thought if she could just meet the right Guide, she might be able to showcase abilities that would surprise everyone by exerting at least 50% of her power.

But after spending a year in the reconstruction department carrying rocks to death, she was finally deployed to a monster site, but even this was in a support team. She wondered if the day would ever come when her skills would be fully recognized. No, before that, finding a matching Guide seemed impossible…

Seona looked down at her hand as she thought this far. That incident yesterday afternoon. While everyone was questioning the Esper’s rampage, Seona’s biggest question was about Won-woo. What was that? Did a D-rank Guide really stabilize me?

However, she had experienced enough of how cold reality can be to harbor hope. Seona didn’t entertain the vain expectation that she had found a matching Guide. It’s more realistic to think that she had changed into a peculiar constitution that could self-Guide. Still, just in case, she must ask next time. Seona made a promise to herself as she headed toward her bike. Don’t ever hope for miracles, because they don’t exist.

Sang-cheon didn’t believe in miracles. That’s why he tearfully sold off his cherished machines at low prices and scraped together all the money he could, barely managing to prepare the amount he was supposed to give to the loan shark in a few days. Or at least, that was the plan. If only the loan shark’s side hadn’t suddenly demanded a different contract.

Thwack!

Unable to dodge the incoming fist, Sang-cheon fell and knelt on the floor.

“Urgh…”

His face was already covered in blood and groans involuntarily escaped, but Sang-cheon didn’t give up glaring at the one who hit him. If he couldn’t speak, he had to show his will like this. Because the other kept talking nonsense.

“Mr. Hwang Sang-cheon, why are you refusing when I’m offering to renew the contract? Huh? I’m saying I’ll give you more money.”

“I said… I don’t want to.”

“So why don’t you want to? You’ve been paying back the money so diligently and well that we’re specially offering to lend you more, okay?”

The young man who seemed to be the leader tapped Sang-cheon’s head with his hand. This was why the three gangsters who visited yesterday had barged in again. They were dissatisfied with him faithfully paying back the money.

For them, diligent people were management targets, and unreliable debtors were VIP customers. At first, not knowing this, he had faithfully paid interest for over a year and even repaid the principal. Then, at some point, these guys started showing up and causing trouble on repayment days.

Of course, he had no intention of signing that contract as they demanded, as it would be like voluntarily letting go of the cliff branch he was barely holding onto.

“No. I’m not borrowing any more money.”

As soon as Sang-cheon spat out these words, a palm flew at him. With a slap, Sang-cheon’s face turned sideways. The hit was so hard that his kneeling body swayed.

“Ey, fuck, you got blood on me.”

The gangster who hit Sang-cheon’s face shook his hand in disgust. Then he sneered at Sang-cheon, who had been slapped by a guy in his 20s while kneeling.

“What, hurt your pride? You shouldn’t let your pride be hurt by something like this. Today it ends with me, but next time an Esper from our company will come. Every time that person raises their hand, one of your limbs will fall off. You understand?! So sign the contract change. Then we’ll treat you with respect, bowing and saying ‘Oh, dear customer.’ Come on, stop being stubborn and sign here.”

The gangster signaled to the other two, apparently intending to force Sang-cheon’s signature. The two gangsters grabbed Sang-cheon from both sides as if restraining him and forcibly lifted his hand.

“Let go!”

As soon as Sang-cheon resisted, the gangster raised his hand again.

“Still haven’t come to your senses, you son of a… Huh?”

The gangster who was about to strike Sang-cheon’s face turned his head with his arm raised. Someone was holding his arm. A young man with his hood pulled down low.

“Who are you, let go of… Huh?”

The gangster tried to pull his arm free but ended his sentence with another “Huh?” His arm wouldn’t budge. He quickly scanned the other person with his eyes. Height about 177, 178 cm. Skinny, not looking particularly big. He was shorter but had a thicker build due to muscle and fat, so he shouldn’t be outmatched. But even though his face turned red from exertion, he couldn’t free his arm from the other’s grip.

“Who are you to suddenly… Let go of this!”

He shouted loudly and tried to shake off the man’s hand with all his might, but failed again. Then he suddenly asked with a frightened face.

“A-are you… an Esper?”

His mind couldn’t find any other answer besides Esper. Having bullied and trampled on people enough in this line of work, he now viewed ordinary people as a lower species than himself. So only Espers, another class, should be able to subdue him. As fear showed in the gangster’s eyes, the other two gangsters holding Sang-cheon also became flustered and stepped back. Thanks to this, Sang-cheon was released, and the new guest finally spoke.

“Can you stand up?”

Sang-cheon could barely blink his swollen eyes from being hit, but he forced them open and closed. No, why is Ji Won-woo here?

“How did you get here?”

“I ran.”

What? As Sang-cheon half-opened his mouth, concern filled Won-woo’s eyes.

“But you don’t look okay, mister.”

“No, well…”

He hesitated, about to say he was fine out of courtesy. Well, anyone would see this wasn’t okay. But he was more concerned about Won-woo still holding the gangster’s arm than his own body.

“Can you walk on your own?”

“Ah, yes. But here…”

“Step back. You could get hurt more.”

Before Sang-cheon could ask what he meant, Won-woo twisted the gangster’s arm.

“Argh!”

The gangster whose arm was twisted screamed like a child and tried to break free, but Won-woo pushed him first. The gangster, stumbling as he was pushed, barely regained his balance and asked again.

“You’re an Esper, right? Right? There must be some misunderstanding… Ugh…!”

Won-woo suddenly approached right in front of the gangster, grabbed his hair, and pulled it down. Then he raised his knee and struck the gangster’s lowered face. The gangster, hit squarely in the face, couldn’t even scream. He just staggered backward from Won-woo’s push, then sat down covering his face.

“B-boss!”

The other two gangsters called out to him and tried to approach, but there was an obstacle. Won-woo moved faster than them. While they were confused, Won-woo blocked their way and threw a straight punch at one’s face. The punch, precisely hitting the vital point, was clean, fast, and strong.

While the one who was hit staggered, the other gangster tried to run away, but Won-woo chased him to the door and accurately kicked the back of his knee. As he buckled forward, Won-woo skillfully wrapped his arm around his neck from behind and choked him. With a crack, his neck turned, and he collapsed to the floor completely unconscious.

With a final thud, silence fell. It took less than a minute for the three to fall. Everyone still conscious stared at the god of fighting with blank eyes. Won-woo scanned the surroundings before fixing his gaze on the gang leader. He lowered his hood and smoothed back his disheveled hair.

“Get lost.”

In stark contrast to how he kindly asked Sang-cheon earlier, his voice now flowed without emotion. His expressionless face was cold as if he were a completely different person. The gangster gulped and staggered to his feet. Blood from his nosebleed dripped onto his clothes, spreading red stains. He glanced at Won-woo with frightened eyes and forcibly dragged the unconscious guy along with another.

“Y-you’re an Esper, right?”

Won-woo deliberately just stared at him blankly before saying something else.

“Bring an Esper next time you come.”

“So you are an Esper…”

The gangster muttered, quickly disappearing with his two subordinates, but not forgetting to glare at Sang-cheon like a villain before leaving. Although the place had turned into a battlefield in just 10 minutes since they arrived, it was nothing compared to the turmoil raging inside Sang-cheon. His mind was in complete disarray.