By Zephyria Yohan, as soon as he finished treating the people on the island, released the energy that had been waiting, as if it had been confined within his body, eager to escape. The formless energy spread far and wide, like a fish meeting water. He understood well why the Awakened compared this to the flow of a river. He was the source, and when the water from this source pooled in someone with a suitable vessel, they became an Awakened.
Not long after that, just the day before yesterday, a Low-grade Purifier appeared. The government, as if they had been waiting, quickly signed a contract, took them, and placed them in the Sunrise Guild.
Yohan became very amused imagining Park Seung-min’s reaction upon encountering a Low-grade Purifier…. He must have been the weakest among the Low-grade, a meager stream less than a brook, to be forced into becoming a Purifier when he should have been a Dealer or a tanker.
After the appearance of the Low-grade Purifier, inquiries to the Sun Guild’s Treatment and Custody Center became less frequent. People’s expectations had shifted from the limited supply of Eternal Stones to the Purifiers who would continue to appear. Since the purpose of the Treatment and Custody Center was to eliminate any grounds for attacking the Sun Guild, and by extension Yang Yohan, no one in Team Sun was particularly bothered.
“Yohan, you seem to be in a good mood today?”
One of the members of Little Sheep approached Yohan. Yohan, whose mood had been on an upward curve ever since he healed all the Severely Corrupted in the Treatment and Custody Center, beamed.
“Really? Maybe it’s because Purifiers are starting to Awaken these days.”
“Ah, right! When you get Corrupted, there’s no hope, but now it feels like life is worth living again.”
As soon as the topic of Purifiers came up, the team members’ faces lit up. With the Rift phenomenon and Corruption seriously threatening humanity’s survival, the news of a Low-grade Purifier’s appearance was a joy to everyone. Especially the Awakened, who had to face monsters directly, welcomed it. No matter how well they earned money, Corruption was their most troublesome problem. Whether they hunted monsters or not, it was a problem.
“I wish our guild would get a Purifier soon.”
“Look at this stain on the back of my hand. It’s from where monster bodily fluid got on me last time, and it won’t disappear.”
“If our guild signs a contract with a Purifier, will the welfare benefits extend to immediate family? I hope they at least offer a discount on costs…”
Yohan wanted to tell the Little Sheep team members that the Sun Guild already had a Purifier, but he held back. In truth, he had wanted to reveal it as soon as he left the Treatment and Custody Center, but his teammates had all dissuaded him.
‘There are still unknown groups targeting Purifiers, Yohan. For now, let’s leave Park Seung-min as the target.’
Yohan understood their reasoning, but his heart grew anxious. It had only intensified after purifying the Severely Corrupted on the island. But soon. It would be soon….
The Little Sheep team chattered about Purifiers for a long time. Thanks to their Rift exploration the day before, they were given ample rest time. According to government guidelines, after a Rift exploration, a rest of at least several days is recommended, even if just due to potential Corruption. Naturally, very few guilds actually adhered to this rest period. There was a severe shortage of Awakened personnel everywhere.
After writing up the exploration report, the Little Sheep team, having nothing else to do, was granted an early dismissal. Everyone excitedly went straight home or met up with friends or lovers. Yohan remained alone in the lounge, killing time, before standing up.
He greeted the security guard in the guild lobby warmly, then put on his earphones and played music. He played the playlist he had saved from the song he heard on the island last time. He was on his way back to the building, humming along to the music.
A faint mist began to creep up around Yohan’s feet. Only then, noticing the mist beneath the floor, did he widen his eyes, but in that instant, a figure shot towards him like an arrow.
“Mmmph, ugh!”
“…Be quiet! Before I kill you!”
He was threatened as his mouth was covered, preventing him from struggling and shouting. The voice was familiar. He was surrounded by several people and dragged to a secluded spot. It was the underground parking lot of a luxury apartment building that had once been inhabited but was now deserted due to its proximity to a Rift zone. Only upon arriving there was Yohan released.
“Wow, this lucky bastard. Thrown into the Abyss and came back?”
Yohan, brushing dust off his clothes with his hands, slowly looked around at the mercenaries who were chuckling. The kindhearted individuals who had said, “Just trust Hyung,” when participating in the Awakening Party were nowhere to be seen; only thug-like gangsters remained. Gazing at them, Yohan casually addressed Kim Hyun-woo, the leader of the Awakening Party mercenary team.
“Mushroom cap?”
“You damn… So you do remember….”
Kim Hyun-woo, whose face contorted, raised an eyebrow. Something was strange. Yohan should have been crawling on the floor, unable to stand properly by now. He looked at his team members and asked,
“Did you use the paralyzing poison? He’s too fine.”
“We definitely used the paralyzing poison! Hyung, you saw it too.”
“What is this guy? They said he was a Low-grade Strength Enhancement Type. Doesn’t he have separate support abilities?”
Kim Hyun-woo, filled with suspicion and on guard, soon became indifferent. He didn’t feel a particularly threatening aura from his opponent.
“Well, whether he has them or not, it doesn’t matter. You’re a dead man here today anyway.”
As he drew his weapon, Kim Hyun-woo paused. His opponent, who should have been begging for his life, was remarkably calm. Yang Yohan placed the bag he was carrying on his shoulder onto the ground and asked,
“You guys don’t feel any guilt, do you?”
“What? Guilt?”
Kim Hyun-woo, who had been listening out of curiosity, burst into laughter. He looked back at his team members, and they too burst into laughter.
“What’s he saying?”
“Guilt, he says. Idiot.”
“Yeah. I figured as much.”
Yohan muttered. Kim Hyun-woo, enraged by the insolent mouth that continued to babble even in this situation, threw a punch first. In truth, he didn’t intend to kill him here. They hadn’t approached simply to destroy evidence. Their plan was to disfigure that handsome face first, then slowly enjoy themselves until he begged for his life, no matter what he had to do.
Thwack! A crisp impact sound was heard. But for some reason, the sound of a choked gasp came from his own mouth.
“Uh, urk, wha-what….”
Kim Hyun-woo stumbled back in bewilderment. The center of his face felt numb. The pain slowly crept into his nose, which had temporarily lost sensation from the unexpected shock. Blood dripped from his nose. Yang Yohan’s face was unharmed. Unbelievably, his opponent had not only dodged the attack but had also struck him.
“You bastard!”
Kim Hyun-woo, his pride wounded in front of his team members, roared and charged again. This time, he mixed in a feint. Pretending to throw a punch, he struck Kim Hyun-woo’s side with his knee. Or, he thought he did. But what followed was the suffocating pain in his solar plexus. A groan escaped his lips involuntarily.
“Haaak…! Wh-hey! What the hell!”
Only after being hit three times in succession did Kim Hyun-woo realize that his opponent was not just a mere Low-grade Dealer. He retreated and shouted,
“Hey, spray the poison!”
A team member quickly sprayed a cloud of poison. The poison cloud, crawling like a living creature, enveloped Yohan’s feet. Then it seeped into his body. But without batting an eye, Yohan began beating Kim Hyun-woo again. His fists struck his face, chest, and stomach. His clumsy punches, as if he had never properly hit anyone before, didn’t even give Kim Hyun-woo time to feel his pride hurt.
‘A… Mid-grade Dealer…?’
Kim Hyun-woo, taking the blows, realized his opponent’s strength was comparable to a Mid-grade Dealer. If he were a Mid-grade Dealer, things would be different. He wouldn’t have recklessly started something like this in the first place. Kim Hyun-woo hastily erected a barrier. Thump!* After hitting the barrier, Yohan frowned and stepped back.
“You bastards, what are you doing! Attack quickly!”
Kim Hyun-woo, shouting in desperation, turned around and froze. He had found it strange that his teammates had been so quiet all along, but they were all standing stiffly, like statues, unable to move. Ice shards were stuck to their feet, anchoring them to the floor, and golden Psychokinesis was sealing their bodies and mouths.
“Hnnngh, mmmph, mmmph…!”
The team members urgently tried to shout something. Kim Hyun-woo, protected by the barrier, swallowed hard. Just by looking at the ice and Psychokinesis, he understood the situation.
“So you’re the ones who bullied our maknae?”
“Se-Seo Yakrin….”
Seo Yakrin descended slowly from the air, her hair flowing as if there were no gravity. Then, she gently patted Yohan’s back as he panted, filled with indignation. Kim Hyun-woo gasped and screamed.
“We, we clearly…! Saw with our own eyes that they were going to Gyeongju for Rift exploration this afternoon!”
They hadn’t acted without thinking either. The Sun Team, which was backing Yang Yohan, a mere Low-grade Strength Enhancement Type Dealer, was scheduled to go on a Rift exploration to a distant location today. They had even witnessed the Sun Team leaving in a van this morning. There were even people monitoring them in real-time.
But how were people who had clearly gone all the way to Gyeongju here?