"Huh? Are you saying Ahjussi saved Soo Jinyoung?"
"Yes, that's right. The story goes like this..."
I took on the role of the storyteller and spun a tale for the child. It was a fabricated story, of course, something to pass the time until the others returned.
In this story, I portrayed myself as the overpowered protagonist who saved the 'damsel in distress' from a group of monsters. Naturally, that 'damsel' was Soo Jinyoung.
If she ever heard this story, I was sure she'd stab me a few times before burning my corpse.
The boy looked at me with an expression that made it clear he didn't believe a word I said.
"Did you really save Soo Jinyoung?"
"Of course! Why would I lie? Do you think I'm that kind of senior?!"
A normal person wouldn't lie to a child, but I had been anything but normal lately. I even began questioning if I had always been this way.
The boy scrutinized me with an appraising gaze. He was probably thinking something rude.
"You don't look strong."
Bingo!
A vein throbbed in my forehead. Was everyone being rude these days?
"Appearances can be deceiving. Don't you know?"
"That..."
"Or do you think Soo Jinyoung is too strong to be saved?"
"Of course, she is. You weren't here, so you wouldn't know. Soo Jinyoung-nim is a hero who saved all these people."
The boy eagerly began recounting how Soo Jinyoung had heroically saved Gwanak-gu before we arrived. His story was exaggerated beyond recognition.
"Ahjussi, are you even listening?"
"Of course, I'm listening. Three days ago, Soo Jinyoung showed up in Gwanak-gu and saved a few people. Did I get that right? Correct me if I'm wrong."
The boy balked at my dismissal of his story.
"Uh, it's not that simple."
It wasn't surprising. He was fascinated by Soo Jinyoung, as were the rest of the people around here. A person had appeared, overwhelming the monsters with strength, and naturally, they followed her.
But they didn't know the truth. They weren't saved because of Soo Jinyoung's humanity—no, they survived by sheer luck in being near her.
Okay, that's enough horsing around for a single day.
Let's get down to business.
"Do you mind if I ask a few things? There are some things I need to know."
"I don't mind. Go ahead."
"How's the food situation here?"
"The food in the warehouse ran out a long time ago. The hunting squad brings in food and asks Lee Suhye to cook."
"What about Soo Jinyoung-nim?"
"She prefers to move on her own but helps out when needed. Um, don't tell anyone, but Soo Jinyoung-nim's cooking is horrible. Some people even fainted in joy after tasting her cooking."
The boy whispered conspiratorially, glancing around as though worried someone might overhear.
I couldn't help but smile. Soo Jinyoung was the only Walker with a skill at Lv. 0. Even I don't know how was possible, but I think it was a gag used by the Author.
"What about food distribution?"
"Food distribution is usually managed by Lee Suhye. But when she's not around, it's managed by Gwanakgu group."
"... Gwanakgu group?"
"The hunting squads are split into two groups—the New Wave group and the Gwanakgu group."
"Are you saying the hunting squads aren't united?"
"Yeah. Only the New Wave group is under Lee Suhye's control. The Gwanakgu group acts on their own."
Gwanakgu. The name was familiar from 'Song of Nightmares.' Things were starting to get interesting.
"What kind of people are they?"
"Umm, that's a very difficult question."
I didn't need to ask further. I already knew what was going on. A minor villain had taken over the warehouse.
"Basically, they are tax collectors."
Indeed, that was the right term to describe them.
"They constantly collected coins and harassed the survivors. Even Lee Suhye can't completely repel them without starting a fight between two groups."
"Then why hasn't Soo Jinyoung taken action? I'm sure she will easily be able to reserve the situation if she intervened."
"T-That... We have already tried talking to her about it. But..."
The boy's face darkened. He hesitated before continuing.
"She said we should handle it ourselves."
I sighed. I was expecting to hear something like this.
That sounded just like Soo Jinyoung. She never told anyone to follow her, yet they did because of her overwhelming power. She would never meddle in their problems unless absolutely necessary. Even kindness has limits.
Suddenly, someone called out and approached carelessly.
"Jakga-ssi, you're here."
"... Jongho-ssi."
It was Lee Jongho, with Angelica and Jung Yunhee behind him. They had been gone for quite a while.
"How did the meeting go?"
"Thankfully, we managed to reach a common understanding."
"Well, that's certainly good news."
"So where did you guys go? I have been waiting for a while."
"Oh, I just used this time to check out the situation at the warehouse."
I noticed the checklist in Lee Jongho's hand. He was definitely acting like a soldier.
"What about you, Angelica? Did you find your father?"
"That..."
Her expression darkened as she bit her lip. I regretted asking. Maybe that question was rather insensitive.
"He's not here."
"Don't worry, your father is a strong man. I'm sure he will be alive."
"Thank you. But please, don't give me false hope."
Despite her words, Angelica's expression has softened considerably. It was good not to lose hope.
"What about Jung Yunhee?"
"It's a secret."
"... A secret?"
"Does Ahjussi want to know?"
"Don't call me Ahjussi. I'm not an old man."
"Then would you prefer it if I called you Oppa? Yes, I'll call you Oppa from now on, okay?"
I thought for a moment before realizing the truth. Jung Yunhee didn't have any relatives, and in this world, that could only mean one thing.
"U-Uwaaaack!"
A scream echoed, followed by the sound of something crashing to the floor. It sounded like someone was receiving a beating.
The boy sighed. His reaction made it clear that this kind of thing happened frequently.
"It's happening again."
"What's happening?"
"Someone failed to pay their tax."
"...Tax?"
"I think it's better for you to see the situation directly. C'mon, Mister, I will show you our story."
The boy led us to where the survivors had gathered. A group of men were beating a boy, and the crowd simply watched.
"P-Please... have mercy." The boy pleaded.
"Look at this guy. Looks like the beating is not enough."
"Let's beat him up some more. Next time, he will pay his tax. Take a thousand more kicks."
It was a pathetic sight, but Lee Jongho was the first to speak.
"What's going on? Why are they beating that guy?"
The boy watched the scene indifferently and explained calmly:
"They're the tax collectors. Every once in a while, the Gwanakgu group collects taxes from the survivors. This is what happens to those who can't pay."
I felt uncomfortable. The boy explained it with too much calmness, as if it were no big deal. That wasn't the kind of expression a child should have.
I asked, "How often does this happen?"
"They collect tax once everyday."
"I see. Does Lee Suhye knows about this?"
"Yes. Sometimes she can stop them without causing a fight, but it never really solves anything."
It wasn't too different from what I had imagined. Similar to what was happening in Hongdae. But even the Mainframe group weren't this barbaric in the open.
Lee Jongho was already moving forward, ready to act. He couldn't stand injustice, but I had to stop him this time.
"Jongho-ssi, don't do anything."
"This isn't right. We need to stop them."
"I've told Angelica this before—the situation won't change if you intervene. It'll only make things worse."
"That..."
"I'm not saying you shouldn't do anything. But now isn't the right time. There will be a time to act."
"I... understand."
I released my grip once Lee Jongho calmed down. This was indeed a tricky situation. If we didn't act, the consequences would affect us as well.
At that moment...
"Huh?"
My attention was drawn to something. I moved closer and focused on the teenager being overpowered by the Gwanakgu group.
He appeared to be around Jung Yunhee's age—a slender figure with messy hair. Currently, he was curled into a ball, trying to shield himself from the gangsters' unrelenting assault.
Unable to make out his face clearly, I decided to activate a skill.
[Personal skill, Black Box (Envy) has activated.]
His information was captured by the Mysterious Box.
+
[ « Soul Information » ]
Name: Kim Hyunwoo
Age: 19
Contracted Constellation: None
Main Attributes: Evolutionary (Common), Junk Collector (Common)
Skill Cards:
| Inventive Mind Lv. 2 |
| Sprinting Lv. 1 |
| Small Eater Lv. 6 |
| Patience Lv. 3 |
| High Tolerance Lv. 5 |
Divine Authorities:
| None |
Overall Stats:
| Constitution Lv. 5 |
| Strength Lv. 9 |
| Agility Lv. 11 |
| Magic Power Lv. 15 |
Description: A person with great potential. He has the 'Evolutionary' attribute, though his potential remains untapped. If awakened, his talent could make him the greatest builder in the Seoul.
+
I recalled that this character had also been in the warehouse. It was surprising that Soo Jinyoung hadn't discovered him yet. Perhaps this was my chance to snatch him away right under her nose.
Pow! Pow! Pow!
"Take that! Maybe you'll finally learn your lesson about paying your taxes."
The man continued his sadistic beating, while the boy weakly muttered apologies.
These bastards... They were getting off on this. If this kept up, it would be bad for both of us. I knew I had to step in.
"Hey!"
I called out, stepping forward, but my words went unheeded. Maybe the gangsters didn't hear me, but it seemed more likely they just didn't care.
Among the group was a large man in the center. He was the one dishing out the blows. Well-built with a scar across his neck, and dressed like a gangster.
It was obvious he was the boss of this group. He was a character I knew. If it was my old self, I'd have feared him and avoided confrontation. In fact, everyone here would probably think I was out of my mind for stepping up.
As he prepared to throw another punch, I moved swiftly, catching his hand mid-air and squeezing it with force.
"Hey!"
The man stared at me, bewildered at first, before his expression turned hard, a deep frown forming.
"What do you think you're doing?"
A rough voice. It was filled with a great amount of intensity.
Perhaps this person would have been someone big in the real world, but he was just a monkey in this story.
He seemed like the type that would bully those weaker than himself, and lick the boots of someone strong.
A crowd. What was the best way to deal with people like this?
I tightened my grip on his hand, and a satisfying crack echoed through the air as his bones snapped.