Chapter 44

While driving, the text message I received from Si-ho was as follows:

[Manager, something’s strange. Ha Seo-ho has become two.]

As soon as I received that message, I immediately called Si-ho, and she answered right away as if she had been waiting for my call.

“Si-ho, can you explain in detail?”

Upon hearing my question, Si-ho quickly began to explain.

Si-ho had marked the spatial coordinates of people close to Seo-ho recently, just in case.

Given the recent attack by Giraseong, it was her own defensive measure.

But suddenly, Seo-ho’s coordinates split into two and were felt simultaneously.

“Where are the coordinates?”

[They’re different. One seems to be moving in a car, and the other is stationary.]

Hearing that, my brow furrowed deeply.

Something was wrong.

Despite reviewing and acting with the World Returner Association as much as possible, something had gone awry.

Giraseong had done something.

“Si-ho, can you give me both the stationary and moving coordinates?”

[Yes, I’ll send them via text.]

After receiving the text from Si-ho, I hung up and called Baekseolhyang.

But for some reason, the signal kept cutting out.

Could it be that they’ve already clashed with Giraseong?

A bad premonition crossed my mind.

At that moment, my phone rang again.

Realizing it was Baekseolhyang, I quickly answered.

Boom!

An explosion sounded from the other end of the call.

Amidst the running, shouting, and continuous explosions, Baekseolhyang’s voice came through.

[Ha-chan, switch to speakerphone.]

Click, click.

Hearing the clear sound of her heels, I switched to speakerphone.

[Salonbard, change lanes and get out of there. You’ll get caught up.]

As expected, the World Returner Association and Giraseong had started to clash.

Seeing that, I bit my lip.

[Ha-chan, you’re in danger too, so stay out of it for now. We’ll handle Ha Seo-ho and Giraseong on our end.]

“Baekseolhyang.”

When I called her name, she stopped before hanging up.

She seemed to think for a moment and then spoke.

[……Something seems to have gone wrong.]

Quick-witted as she is, she grasped the situation just from my voice.

[Tell me.]

She calmly addressed me.

Just hearing her voice made me feel somewhat reassured.

“How are the nano-machine coordinates implanted in Seo-ho?”

[Wait a moment.]

Baekseolhyang immediately gave me the coordinates.

And upon seeing them, I had to cover my forehead with my hand.

The nano-machines were at the moving coordinates.

Meaning, the stationary coordinates were unknown even to the World Returner Association.

“Baekseolhyang, according to Si-ho, Seo-ho’s coordinates have split into two.”

[Two?]

Hearing that, Baekseolhyang seemed to ponder on the other end.

Then, as if realizing something, I could feel her biting her lip.

[……Could it be a homunculus? It was impossible to create one in that time frame. How?]

Baekseolhyang’s thoughtful hum suggested she had some idea.

It seemed an unexpected variable had occurred even for the World Returner Association.

“And there are no nano-machines at the other coordinates we’re not currently pursuing.”

[Then.]

“Yes, the probability of Seo-ho being there is higher.”

[Truly, a Giraseong-like move.]

As she clicked her tongue, another explosion sounded.

[Iron… what… dang…!]

The distant voice was unclear, but the urgency of the situation was evident.

The World Returner Association was moving to pursue Giraseong for a full-scale battle.

With several Returners, including Ayu, involved in this matter, it was natural for their forces to be concentrated there.

‘Moreover, the nano-machine side might be the real Seo-ho.’

So, they couldn’t stop pursuing or halt the full-scale battle.

To eradicate Giraseong, they had to defeat them.

‘We need to strike before they realize our mistake.’

Thus, I needed forces that could move immediately.

I tightened my grip on the phone.

[Ha-chan, wait! I understand something’s wrong! I know what you’re trying to do…!]

“Baekseolhyang, are there any Returners left at the Korean branch of the Association?”

[That’s.]

Baekseolhyang couldn’t answer.

Returners were originally a small force.

With that small force fully mobilized to drive Giraseong out of Korea, it was natural that no Returners would be left at the branch.

But there was one person who came to mind.

Someone who had no choice but to listen to me.

“How can I take Yekaterina?”

[Ha-chan, please, it’s reckless! Wait. We’ll pull some forces and move!]

“Baekseolhyang, you told me to trust the World Returner Association and you.”

[……]

I smiled at the non-response.

“Please trust me too.”

Another explosion rang out.

Amidst the explosion, Baekseolhyang remained silent before letting out a long sigh.

[……When you come back, Ha-chan, I’m going to scold you. Even I will be incredibly angry this time.]

“Yes.”

[Don’t come back hurt. If you’re hurt, I won’t be able to scold you.]

With that, a text came through.

The password to the seal placed by the Sealer.

[Keep the Sealer’s lock with you. Just turning the password will stop Yekaterina immediately.]

Even a safety measure was in place.

Truly, the thorough preparation of Baekseolhyang.

[And absolutely do not fight, just rescue Ha Seo-ho and escape. Understood? If it really comes to it, even if it’s just you, Ha-chan, it’s fine.]

“I’ll do my best.”

Heading into enemy territory, I couldn’t be certain.

So, responding vaguely, Baekseolhyang sighed once more.

[Keep your promise.]

With that, the call ended.

“Kang Ha-chan, this is the Korean branch of the World Returner Association.”

At that moment, the elderly gentleman Salonbard, who had been listening to the call and turned the car around, stopped in front of the World Returner Association.

I couldn’t help but admire his sensibility.

This is what experience brings.

“Thank you. You’ve saved me time.”

“Don’t mention it. Just keep your promise to our Association President.”

Seeing his trust in the World Returner Association, I got out of the car.

“Will you be okay?”

“I’m counting on my insurance.”

“Damn it, you idiot, I told you last time that your body can’t handle my possession. It’s not something you can do often.”

“Still better than dying, right?”

Hearing that, Baeksan looked furious but then swept his bangs back and sighed.

“If it looks like you’re going to die, run away immediately. Firepower alone isn’t bad against Returners, but everything else is no match.”

“I know that very well.”

That’s why I’m trying to take Yekaterina.

Hurrying inside the building, the counter staff I had seen before was there.

“This is Yekaterina’s seal lock. Yekaterina is currently being transported from the underground prison.”

“By any chance.”

“Yes, I’ve been contacted by the Association President.”

While I was on the call, she had already made all the arrangements.

How far does her reliability go?

As I took the lock, a ding sound accompanied Yekaterina being wheeled out on a cart.



Seeing her pitifully unconscious figure being wheeled out was somewhat sad, but it wasn’t the time for sympathy.

Click-

As soon as I entered the code Baekseolhyang had given me, Yekaterina’s head snapped up.

She looked around frantically, then met my eyes and turned pale.

“Eek, eek.”

“Yekaterina, no time to explain. We’re going to fight now, so help me.”

When I spoke forcefully, Yekaterina trembled in fear.

Seeing her like that, I glared, and she jumped up, standing at attention.

“Yes, yes!”

With the constant language magic on her, she could now speak and understand Korean freely.

Convenient, isn’t it?

‘Good. This side is done.’

As I was about to leave the World Returner Association with Yekaterina to head to the location Si-ho had given me,

I saw a familiar figure at the door.

“Si-ho?”

“Manager.”

There stood none other than Si-ho.

She, whom I had just parted with, was in casual clothes instead of her school uniform, as if she had come straight from home.

And I knew why Si-ho was here.

“An…”

“It’s about Seo-ho.”

Before I could finish, Si-ho cut me off.

“I can move us before it gets more dangerous.”

And I couldn’t refute that.

Her spatial movement was unparalleled in urgent situations.

“Wasn’t it for Si-ho? Wouldn’t Si-ho feel better if the Manager went alone?”

Si-ho subtly threw a logical argument at me.

“And the Manager, Si-ho is stronger than the Manager.”

Si-ho had seen Baeksan’s possession.

That’s why she had long figured out that Baeksan and I were different people.

In truth, Si-ho was much stronger than me.

“Take her.”

In this situation, thinking Seo-ho might be in danger, I couldn’t argue further, and Baeksan spoke up from the side.

“The kid is stronger than you think.”

Having experienced her, Baeksan spoke with confidence.

Hearing that, I sighed softly and looked up.

Was this how Baekseolhyang felt sending me off?

After this is over, I should treat her to a proper meal as an apology.

“Alright. Let’s go together, Si-ho.”

Finally deciding to take Si-ho with me, she approached with a bright smile.

“Si-ho, can you spatial move us near Seo-ho where there are no people?”

“Yes, I can.”

With Si-ho here, our mobility and stealth increased.

Though worried, I thought it was a good decision and reached out my hand to her.

“Please.”

Seeing my hand, Si-ho hesitated, then lightly grabbed my sleeve.

Her ears turned red, as if holding hands at 19 was embarrassing.

“Yekaterina, you hold on too.”

As I said that to Yekaterina, she flinched, then cautiously grabbed my clothes.

Even that, she trembled in fear, but I didn’t pay much attention.

“Let’s go.”

As Si-ho activated spatial movement, I closed my eyes briefly and opened them to find myself in a building corridor.

Si-ho let go of my sleeve and gestured towards a door, and I followed her.

The sight that greeted me made me reflexively cover Si-ho’s eyes.

A half-naked woman’s back.

And in front of her, Seo-ho, tied to a bed with something around his neck, shirtless and restrained.

It was clearly not a sight for all ages.

“Should I really punish you? Is that your younger sister Si-ho? Would it be okay if something happened to her?”

But the voice that came through made the blood in my head rush.

The voice I had heard countless times in nightmares.

The one name I would shout without hesitation if asked who I wanted to kill in my life.

Gwak Sa-yeon.

That crazy woman was now spouting such nonsense to Seo-ho.

At that moment, I forgot why Gwak Sa-yeon was here.

How Giraseong had already made a deal with her.

“Si-ho, are there people around?”

“No.”

Hearing that answer, my body was already dashing forward.

Recalling the method of imbuing aura that Baeksan had taught me.

Though I was still inexperienced in handling aura properly.

At that moment, I flew through the air with more skill than ever.

Anger is the driving force of all things!

“Yes, yes, listen well. Right, our Seo-ho?”

Hearing Gwak Sa-yeon’s voice, I kicked towards her head like a wrestler I had once seen.

“Bullshit!”

Thud!

This was the sequence of events that had led up to now.

With a crisp sound, Gwak Sa-yeon’s body flew off the bed and rolled on the floor.

Seo-ho, realizing the situation late, looked at me with wide, shocked eyes, and I got up from the bed, freeing my hands.

“Ahhh! Ahhh! It hurts! It hurts, ugh!”

Seeing her writhing and screaming, anger surged within me.

The one who falsely accused me of not participating in a project, leading to my university expulsion, and even cursed me, wasting five years of my life.

“Does it hurt? Good. I was in pain for five years, almost dying. You should suffer for five years too!”

The rising anger was uncontrollable.

So, I just stomped on her relentlessly.

The secret technique Baeksan taught me for revenge.

Hit the same spot again!

“There, you already hit…!”

“I know!”

It felt like a bit of relief from that nightmare-like day.

“Eek, eek, stop, stop, ugh! How can you hit a woman!”

“I hit men too!”

Gwak Sa-yeon screamed, looking at me like I was a madman.

What, never seen gender equality before?

“There, stomp there, it won’t kill but it hurts. Oh, that’s right!”

“Ahhh! Ahhh! Stop, ahhh!”

Meanwhile, Baeksan was giving advice on how to stomp to cause pain.

Great teamwork.

This is true friendship.

Legal revenge, hooray!

Thrilling, always new! Revenge is the best!

After stomping for a while, I felt like a decade’s worth of weight had lifted.

‘This is life.’

I swept my bangs back with my hand.

Ah, that’s Baeksan’s habit.

‘Guess it rubbed off.’

Projecting anger, always being angry like Baeksan, was as good as it gets, so it must have come out unconsciously.