By Zephyria “With contamination levels this extreme, and them only asking for Purifiers… it’s just like….”
Joo Ho-young trailed off, but everyone knew what he was thinking. It was the Flood, who had relentlessly pursued Yohan in the Abyss, trying to eliminate him. As the atmosphere grew heavy, Lee Hyun-mook spoke in a calm voice.
“Since things have come to this, we need to interrogate those who attacked the ceremony. However, there are too many eyes and ears here to handle this.”
Currently, the Corrupted whose parasites had been removed were held within Yoon Seung-ryong’s ‘pocket’. According to Yoon Seung-ryong, he periodically replenished the air, so it was supposedly fine, but it couldn’t be good for living people to be confined for so long, unlike seeds for vegetables or fruits.
But if they handled things at the Sun Guild, the commotion that would arise from extracting and purifying these contaminated people, as well as the aftermath, would be troublesome. Nowadays, everywhere was filled with people wearing body cams or filming with their phones.
With CCTV, whose strict security could even be heard, monitoring every second, how could they explain the sudden appearance of outsiders within the Guild? Nor could they put people who had returned to normal back into the ‘pocket’ to transport them. Furthermore, it would be quite problematic if Lee Chan-ha’s illusion ability were to be discovered, even by chance. This was especially true now that the government’s surveillance had become so stringent, even to the point of using thermal cameras. Lee Hyun-mook continued.
“But fortunately, we now have a suitable place to handle this.”
At these words, Yohan’s deeply worried expression brightened.
“Ah! You mean the Corrupted Treatment and Custody Center!”
“Yes, Yohan. You can purify as many Corrupted as you wish there.”
Perhaps it was a Purifier’s instinct. Ever since returning, Yohan had been restless, wanting to purify every Corrupted person he saw. Because of this, he was already excited at the prospect of purifying as much as he wanted.
“Let’s depart immediately. There’s no good in dragging this out.”
All team members agreed with Lee Hyun-mook’s directive. As he was currently affiliated with the Little Sheep Team, Yohan boldly took leave. In any case, the Little Sheep Team had been formed assuming Yohan’s absence from the start, so his departure wouldn’t cause any major issues with Rift exploration.
And so, the entire Team Sun departed for the Corrupted Treatment and Custody Center.
Corrupted Treatment and Custody Centers, or isolation facilities, are usually built on islands. This is to minimize damage to civilians in the event of a Corrupted person escaping.
The Corrupted Treatment and Custody Centers built by the government or the Sun Guild were no different. Therefore, the morning schedule was entirely taken up by travel by boat. Yohan, concealed by Lee Chan-ha’s illusion, secretly boarded the boat. No one noticed his boarding.
“It feels just like smuggling.”
Yohan, clinging close, whispered with sparkling eyes. It was indeed smuggling, as he had boarded while evading the Special Unit’s surveillance, but Lee Hyun-mook affectionately ruffled his hair, finding his young lover adorable.
Following the Rift incident, frequent attacks occurring indiscriminately on land and sea had reduced global trade. Thanks to this, many ships were available at bargain prices. The Sun Guild purchased one of them and decided to use it as a transport for Severely Corrupted individuals.
With Lee Chan-ha’s help, Yohan, still disguised, watched from the captain’s cabin. Amidst the vigilant gazes of the Special Unit members, large container boxes were successively loaded onto the ship. Occasionally, sounds of thumping, scratching, wailing, and sobbing could be heard from within. Just hearing those sounds made Yohan feel pity and sorrow for the people inside.
“In truth, the government was probably secretly pleased with our Guild’s proposal. Detaining Corrupted individuals is a surprisingly costly affair. So, the detention environment must have been quite poor… They probably would have welcomed and neglected them even if they died off in isolation. I can picture it clearly.”
As Lee Chan-ha, who was watching beside him, explained, Yohan sighed. In times like these, the treatment of Severely Corrupted individuals, who were dangerous and only incurred costs for their detention, was truly abysmal.
When the Sun Guild requested the Severely Corrupted in exchange for Eternal Stones that could cure Corruption, the government had no strong reason to object. However, they also worried about the Sun Guild’s power increasing with recovered Awakened individuals, so most of those handed over today were civilians.
Finally, all the container boxes, filled with hundreds of Corrupted individuals, were loaded. Special Suppression Unit members accompanied them to the island where the Sun Guild’s Corrupted Treatment and Custody Center was located. One of the Special Suppression Unit members, after surveying the facilities sufficient for hundreds of people to eat and sleep, said in a detached voice.
“Even doing all this won’t be of much use. It’s all luxury for people who have gone mad.”
Yohan, hidden under Lee Chan-ha’s illusion, heard this and bristled. However, his teammates, upon hearing it, looked like they understood, nodding in agreement, which made him immediately dejected. He thought of his Hyung for no reason, recalling his appearance holed up in the basement, fixed to the floor with nails, not eating a bite.
“Then, we will begin unloading the container boxes shortly.”
“No, I’ll do it. Well, with gas prices being so high these days, there’s no need to use heavy machinery, is there?”
Seo Yakrin, answering nonchalantly, stepped forward. Her hair began to float as if gravity had no effect. A golden wave flowed from her body, grasping the container boxes loaded on the ship, and she began to unload them one by one, carefully. A Special Suppression Unit member watching her showed a look of admiration. Lee Hyun-mook, standing beside him, asked subtly.
“How is Commander Jeong Si-young these days?”
At this question, the Special Suppression Unit member hesitated, then tapped the recorder clipped to his chest and turned it off. He then replied softly.
“…Not very well. Even the Purifiers haven’t been much help. Commander did push herself too hard. Still, it’s a relief that Awakened Lee Hyun-mook has returned. Even if the Commander can no longer be active… we can cope even if the worst happens.”
His voice was quite bitter. Commander Jeong Si-young seemed to hold great trust within the Special Suppression Unit.
While the two were conversing, all the container boxes were unloaded onto the island. Seo Yakrin used her Psychokinesis to unlock the containers and swung the doors open. A heavy stench wafted out. However, the people here were all accustomed to the stench of Corruption and didn’t mind it much.
The half-dead Corrupted were lifted out by Psychokinesis. All of them were in terrible condition. This made it easy to confine them in their respective cells. Occasionally, there were Corrupted in a more vigorous state, but they were easily subdued by Seo Yakrin.
After confirming that all inmates were completely isolated and filming evidence footage, the Special Suppression Unit departed by helicopter. Joo Ho-young, waving goodbye towards the helicopter, said with a smile.
“I saw them attaching listening devices and small cameras all over the place earlier.”
“Oh? Then shall we get rid of them all at once?”
Lee Hyun-mook knelt and placed his hands on the floor. Crackle! A spark flashed, and a faint current spread across the floor.
The wave of current, not significantly harmful to people but fatal to electronics, enveloped the entire building, instantly disabling the listening devices and small cameras. It was an ability he always envied. After confirming there were no aircraft like helicopters or drones nearby, Lee Chan-ha brought Yohan, who had remained on the boat. Yohan jumped off the boat and ran over, hopping excitedly. He immediately asked.
“So, can I deploy my Purification Field now?”
Lee Hyun-mook, easily catching Yohan who ran straight into him, replied with a smile, but firmly.
“Of course not.”
“Not…? But it seems like the Special Unit has all left…”
Yohan looked up at Lee Hyun-mook, disappointed, and then was idly patted on the head a few times by the surrounding team members. Tearing his gaze away from his lover, who was being doted on endearingly, Lee Hyun-mook looked up at the sky for a moment.
“If you deploy a Purification Field, it will definitely be observed by satellites.”
“Satellites…?”
Yohan, who had never even considered satellite surveillance, blankly looked up at the sky with him. To his eyes, now that he was a High-level Awakener, only the blue sky was visible. Lee Hyun-mook, with a smile, proposed a plan he had in mind.
“However, purifying them one by one would take too long since there are hundreds of Corrupted. So, how about this?”
“How…?”
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
▉Han▉ scratched his arm frantically. It itched. Ever since he became like this, the itching never stopped. No matter how much he scratched and scratched and scratched and scratched again, it itched endlessly. He rubbed his whole body against the walls and floor, muttering.
“Mom is worried. I need to go home. My head hurts. It itches. But. But. But. It’s not. It’s hot. It’s cold. It hurts. It hurts.”
It was already very late for quitting time. But ▉Han▉ knew he couldn’t quit. When he tried to quit, something scary, terrible, and unfortunate happened, he committed a bad deed, and so he was imprisoned. A place where he was always hungry, cold, and hot. Even if he cried out that he missed his mother, no one listened, and only half-rotten food was served. He felt nauseous. He was hungry. He was sad. He was itchy.
“It itches, it itches, it itches.”
Unable to bear the itching, he had scratched the skin of his fellow inmates raw. And then what happened? Everything was hazy, foggy, and a distant past. He only knew it was terribly awful… He was incredibly sleepy, and then… Why was I here again?
“I need to go home. It itches. I need to go home. Oh, Mom is worried.”
As he writhed in agony from the unending itch, scratching his skin raw, a hearty voice was heard from outside.