By Zephyria “Gasp. Joo Ho-young?”
As another Sunrise Team member was mentioned, Yohan’s heart fluttered, and he clenched his fist tightly. Joo Ho-young was the youngest member of the Sunrise Team and the sole supporter. In other words, it was a profession he could relate to. Yoon Seung-ryong rubbed his chin.
“But I wonder if Ho-young is still alive? He’s a supporter, so his defense is weak.”
“He’s fast, so he’s probably alive. At least, ten… ten months ago, he was alive. He’s not the type to die easily.”
“Ah, then he must still be alive.”
Yohan felt a sense of unease and a strange disappointment at the casual way the two spoke about a team member’s life or death. However, instead of arguing, he spoke with forced cheerfulness.
“I’m happy to go meet Joo Ho-young. Ah! I can finally stop being the youngest too.”
“…Oh. Right. The youngest… it would be good to escape that.”
Yoon Seung-ryong’s reaction was a beat slower, as if he were suppressing a laugh, but Yohan just tilted his head once and let it go.
“Ho-young is about four years younger than Yohan-ssi, right?”
“Huh? No, we’re two years apart!”
“Ah, right. Ho-young was twenty-one.”
Yoon Seung-ryong nodded as if recalling a distant memory. Having fallen into the Abyss long ago and being quite corrupted, his memory seemed to be slightly distorted. Yohan accepted this as well.
“Anyway, Ho-young’s abilities are quite useful. If necessary, he could carry Yohan and run, or restrain someone if they go berserk. So, it would be good to bring him along.”
So that was why they wanted to bring Joo Ho-young along… Yohan, who had once attacked Lee Hyun-muk due to an illusion, felt a bit embarrassed. Hmm, Lee Hyun-mook rubbed his chin slowly, still contemplating. It was different from when he had decided to bring Yoon Seung-ryong relatively easily. Yoon Seung-ryong, with his arms crossed, pressed him.
“What’s wrong? What’s holding you back?”
“Ho-young is quite fast.”
Yohan nodded unconsciously. Joo Ho-young, the supporter, was already famous for his incredible speed. He was more fragile compared to Dealers or Tankers. At Lee Hyun-mook’s words, Yoon Seung-ryong shrugged it off.
“How fast can he be? Faster than the Team leader?”
“The last time I saw him, I tried to catch him, but I failed.”
“…Huh? Really? …You really failed?”
Only then did a look of bewilderment flash across Yoon Seung-ryong’s face. Yohan finally understood why Lee Hyun-mook was troubled. No matter how strong the two of them were, their attacks were meaningless if the target didn’t cooperate. After a moment’s more thought, Lee Hyun-mook made a decision.
“Alright. Let’s go to the Japan sector.”
After traveling for about another week, they finally managed to escape the dreadful jungle. The jungle had no advantages other than the abundance of giant bananas, incredibly sweet pineapples, papayas, and dragon fruits. Yoon Seung-ryong, who had stuffed his pockets with fruits that could be stored for a few days, said with regret.
“We need to meet Ho-young quickly before these fruits spoil so we can freeze them.”
It was an attitude that treated Joo Ho-young like a refrigerator or a useful trap. However, his words were certainly true; Joo Ho-young’s ice-based abilities were indeed useful for various purposes.
“I can see the city now!”
Yohan exclaimed excitedly. After leaving the jungle, the faint outline of a city appeared in the distance. Having experienced swamps and jungles, he could truly appreciate how convenient modern building areas were and how easy it was to find food. No matter how corrupted, concrete floors and walls were useful.
Besides, after the Rift incident, stocking up on emergency food at home had become standard, hadn’t it? So, they would find plenty of canned goods just by raiding places. Yohan was overjoyed to see the city. Thinking of meeting Joo Ho-young in this city filled him with anticipation… yet, he also felt a sense of unease.
“Um, excuse me, but may I ask something?”
At Yohan’s question, the two turned their heads. Meeting their endlessly generous and friendly gazes, Yohan hesitated and asked.
“You said Joo Ho-young is here, so what happened to the other two team members? …Um, it’s okay if it’s a rude question and you don’t have to answer.”
He was very curious about the survival of the other team members, as more were expected to join. So, even as he asked, he quickly added, just in case. Fortunately, the two didn’t seem angry or offended. They didn’t even seem sad.
“It’s not rude! Yakrin… no, the old man Yakrin is probably doing well somewhere in that direction. As for Chan-ha Hyung…”
As Lee Chan-ha, the vice-leader of the Sunrise Team, was mentioned, Yohan listened more intently.
“He’s dead.”
Lee Hyun-mook stated it plainly, and Yoon Seung-ryong raised an eyebrow. He looked like someone who had just received new information.
“That Hyung is dead?”
“Yes.”
After a strange silence, Yoon Seung-ryong, who had been gazing intently at Lee Hyun-mook, shrugged.
“Ah… I see. He’s dead!”
His cheerful tone held no trace of sadness for the deceased team member. And this was despite Lee Chan-ha being not just any team member, but the vice-leader. It seemed that either serious events had occurred in the Abyss, making them unable to mourn team members’ deaths, or the Corruption was having some negative effect on their emotions.
Although the two seemed unfazed, Yohan regretted asking. He decided to avoid bringing up other team members if possible.
“Speaking of which, I have a question too, Yohan. What is Go Jae-won doing?”
Yohan froze at Yoon Seung-ryong’s question. The other person had a smile on his face as usual, but it didn’t feel like a smile.
Go Jae-won was the only person from the Sunrise Team who hadn’t gone missing in the Abyss. He was several years older than Yoon Seung-ryong. He seemed to get along well with the team members, and in documentaries, Yoon Seung-ryong often called him Jae-won Hyung and seemed to follow him closely. But now, his tone carried a strange animosity.
…Did Go Jae-won betray the team members? Yohan recalled the suspicions that had been raised against Go Jae-won for a while after the Sunrise Team’s disappearance incident. Swallowing dryly, he replied in the most composed tone he could manage.
“I believe he’s… forming a new Sunrise Team and is active.”
“Oh, is that so? A new Sunrise Team. I’m glad he’s doing well. So glad!”
Yoon Seung-ryong grinned chillingly. Yohan, forcing a smile back, regretted asking about team members once again. At the same time, he felt a deep sense of kinship. These two, like himself, were people who had fallen into hell after being betrayed by someone they trusted.
With a somewhat somber mood, they entered the Japan sector after about half a day’s travel. Although it was a city, it felt different because it was in another country. And to Yohan, it looked about twenty to thirty years older than the Ruined City.
“Ah, Japanese.”
Yohan marveled at the unfamiliar foreign language on the sign. Even though he didn’t know the meaning, he could feel such an ominous and unlucky vibe. It was undoubtedly corrupted and mutated into a sinister, bad meaning when seen in Japanese.
“The jungle area was so bad that the writing was barely legible, but here it’s still preserved. It looks like a city left abandoned for about 30 years.”
Yohan said, peering into the food displays behind the glass window of a restaurant. The food models, which must have looked delicious once, and the beckoning cat with its paw raised, had turned gray. It wasn’t just the color that had changed. The shape and feel were alien and threatening. Looking at these things made him feel like he was exploring a city long after human civilization had ended.
Had people fallen into the Abyss here once?
“It would be difficult for ordinary people to survive in a place like this, wouldn’t it, unless they were Awakened?”
“Probably. If it weren’t for the Team leader, I and the other team members would have died long ago.”
Yoon Seung-ryong said with a laugh, then opened the door and went inside. After easily dealing with a monster clinging to the ceiling, he returned with several sauce bottles and canned goods.
After exploring for about two hours, they chose a small building as their shelter. It was strategically located, adjacent to the road and with easy escape routes through the rooftop. While Yoon Seung-ryong went inside to deal with a lurking monster, Yohan and Lee Hyun-mook waited outside. Yohan glanced at Lee Hyun-mook and cautiously opened his mouth.
“Um, in the jungle…”
Taking a deep breath, Yohan continued.
“I’m sorry for… kissing you so carelessly. I honestly thought it was like artificial respiration, I really did it without any ulterior motives…”
“I see.”
Lee Hyun-mook replied in a voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation. As Yohan felt a nameless disappointment, he continued.
“But it’s okay if I had ulterior motives too.”
A blush crept up Yohan’s cheeks. Instead of looking at Lee Hyun-mook, he stared at the building where Yoon Seung-ryong was noisily smashing monsters and muttered.
“…When you say it like that, it sounds really strange.”
“Strange in what way?”
As the infinitely gentle gaze met his, Yohan swallowed dryly. Then, bravely, he blurted it out.
“It sounds like I’m allowed to have ulterior motives towards you, Lee Hyun-mook.”
Immediately, Yohan, shrinking back, quickly tried to salvage the situation.
“But that’s… a bit awkward, right? Since I’m a Purifier, it would be difficult for you, Lee Hyun-mook, to refuse. And for me too! Even if it’s an ulterior motive, it’s more like… fan admiration! I’m not trying to do anything, I was just worried if you were displeased by what happened last time!”
“Yohan-ah.”
“Yes!”
Lee Hyun-mook laughed at Yohan’s voice, which was taut with readiness. As Yohan was mesmerized by his handsome face, he said.
“Fan admiration, huh? That’s a bit disappointing.”
“…What?”