By Zephyria Jin Mu-hae was basically a busy person. If it was a job that made money, he would save even his sleep and run around.
It was partly because he came from a slum and had no capital, but he had always been like that even after he started earning a sufficient income.
It was all because of his father’s belongings, which were all pawned. A total of 204,000 Deal.
He had been frantically working since his late teens to collect this enormous amount.
[It will light the way you must go.]
The endless will his father left behind was incinerated according to Director Gil’s advice, but for some reason, the will paper with only one sentence written on it still weighed heavily on Mu-hae’s heart.
It’s a strange thing. The father in his memory was an old and quiet man who was always holed up in his room. For some reason, he only heard after his death that he had a first-class criminal record.
Mu-hae didn’t even know exactly what he had done. It’s just that, as a result, Mu-hae couldn’t get the same job as others and remained in the slums.
After running like that for seven years, Jin Mu-hae had collected about 170,000 Deal.
Since the monthly rent in a decent neighborhood was about 500 Deal, it was enough money for others to escape where they lived and start a small shop.
Not much left until the goal. Mu-hae looked for more work and tightened his belt to save money.
Thanks to this, even though he earned an income that didn’t suit the neighborhood he lived in, the monthly living expenses allocated were woefully small.
“I brought you here, but that doesn’t mean I’m taking responsibility for you.”
“La la, la la la.”
“Your body is fine, so pull yourself together and get out of here.”
“Hehehe, la la la.”
A deep line was drawn between Jin Mu-hae’s eyebrows as he packed his bag.
He fed Joo-oh well, but he kept humming and acting up.
Mu-hae took a deep breath and suppressed his annoyance. He was obviously not in his right mind, and it would only be a loss for him to sincerely deal with him.
Besides, he hadn’t yet confirmed whether there was a missing person report with a high reward. It was suspicious, but until then, it was better to cater to that guy’s whims.
Who knows? Maybe a really wealthy family or ‘owner’ will appear and fill up the entire target amount.
If that were the case, he could live with Joo-oh. It’s not an empty promise, Mu-hae was willing to do almost anything for money.
“And, stay quiet while you’re here.”
So he just warned him sternly and rummaged through the folded clothes. Jin Mu-hae was slowly packing his work clothes.
He had to go out for at least two days to fill the hole in his living expenses, so it was better to prepare thoroughly.
Drip.
At that moment, the humming suddenly stopped as if by magic.
Turning his gaze to the chilling sensation, the figure rolling around on the bed had somehow jumped up and was looking at Mu-hae.
“Where are you going?”
“…….”
“Take me with you.”
He’s talking crazy again. Without even knowing why he’s going out. Jin Mu-hae neatly ignored him and put on his special jacket.
Clang. Clang. Hooks and firearms were successively mounted on the back of the old jacket. The solid armor made his uneasy heart a little more comfortable.
“Gray… the top hasn’t been upgraded.”
What is he talking about? Mu-hae didn’t pay attention to Joo-oh’s mumbling and put on his gloves.
He had to leave quickly to get out of the city before sunset.
“What should I wear?”
“You’re wearing it, clothes.”
“Go out like this?”
“……Where are you going out to? Just lie there and sleep.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Joo-oh opened his mouth wide.
He thought he had no sense, but he seemed to have noticed that he was about to leave like a ghost.
For some reason, he seemed to think they were going out together, but that was out of the question. Jin Mu-hae turned around without reacting and slung his bag over his shoulder.
Then, patter patter!
Joo-oh, who had been lying on the bed all along, hurriedly followed.
The clear eyes looking up urgently seemed somehow pitiful and desperate.
“Take me with you. I’ll help you.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“I’ll be quiet.”
“Yes, stay quiet here.”
When he cut off the absurd request with a single stroke, he stomped his feet as if that wouldn’t do.
His white face sparkled in the softly shining sunlight. Eyebrows drooping in embarrassment. Sly eyes. A small, sharp nose that he wanted to poke.
He certainly had a face that was tempting. But it didn’t work for Mu-hae.
Jin Mu-hae unlocked the front door as if he wasn’t worth dealing with. At that moment. Rip!
Something tore behind him.
In Joo-oh’s grasp, who had turned around, was a shoe with its sole torn off.
“……What are you doing?”
“…….”
“Did you just tear my shoe?”
“I won’t be quiet.”
Crazy bastard. This time, Jin Mu-hae opened his mouth wide.
He didn’t know how he had torn off the boots made of solid Beast leather, which were purely focused on practicality, with his strength.
Come to think of it, even when he was deprived of his noodles, the bowl held in his grasp didn’t budge no matter what he did. He looked delicate, but he seemed to be stronger than he thought.
The image of a house that was somehow smashed to pieces began to flicker before Mu-hae’s eyes.
“I rescued you and fed you, and this is how you repay me?”
“I’ll be quiet if I go with you.”
“Do you think I’m going out to play?”
“I know. You’re going to work.”
He knows, but he’s getting in the way like this? Jin Mu-hae snarled, snatching the leather pieces nervously.
“I don’t have the luxury to take care of you.”
“You don’t have to. I can do well on my own.”
“If you’re going to die, go die after bringing back some money.”
“I won’t die. I won’t die.”
But soon he ran out of steam. His pronunciation wasn’t slurred, but the way he spoke was somehow childish.
……He’s not normal after all. He has to take this kind of person outside the city?
It would be a relief if he didn’t suddenly start looking for a missing child there, let alone help with the work.
However, the red eyes looking up at him contained a very firm will.
Jin Mu-hae had seen all kinds of people while surviving at the bottom, and those with these eyes were usually not persuaded.
“Damn it.”
Is the only way to not be disturbed to take him out to the front of the house?
Mu-hae, who realized this as if by instinct, rubbed his forehead and muttered.
“I should have just abandoned him at the hospital.”
Of course, Teacher Jung wouldn’t have stood still, so it was just a wish.
Jin Mu-hae eventually sighed deeply and turned around.
“……Hoo. Second drawer on the left.”
“Huh?”
“Take out the hooded jacket from there and put it on.”
“Ah, okay!”
“There are no shoes that fit you. Tighten and follow me with any of the shoes placed there.”
“Okay.”
“I’m saying it again, we’re not going out to play. If you bother me, I’ll abandon you. Do you understand?”
“Yes!”
As soon as permission was granted, his anxious face soon brightened up. Joo-oh made a pattering sound and went inside the house.
Mu-hae stared blankly at the tattered shoe pieces, then quietly closed and opened his eyes.
He has to be patient. The other person is not in his right mind.
He’ll just have to keep him for a few days, then hand him over to his family or leave him somewhere.
The words he repeated as a temporary measure floated emptily in his head.
Woo-oong-.
The old transport vehicle made an irregular engine sound. It was hard to believe it was a hover vehicle, the ride was so uncomfortable.
The road leading out of the city’s back door was always like this. The only people who regularly went back and forth between the Comfort zone were the city’s management or the poor who commuted to dangerous jobs.
It was cumbersome and difficult to go through strict security authentication every time, so the higher-ups turned a blind eye to the sloppy gate.
After all, proper residential areas are blocked by additional security devices.
“Can I take it off now?”
“No. Keep wearing it. If you take it off, I’ll leave you behind.”
Joo-oh was covering his head deeply with the hood attached to his jacket. His face was almost covered, so you couldn’t identify his appearance unless you looked closely from the front.
He intended to keep him hidden like this for the time being. Mu-hae recalled the smooth face hidden under the hat.
Smoothly drawn eyes. Healthy lips. Perfectly white teeth. Overall, a delicate, smooth, and soft-looking human.
‘No matter how I think about it, it’s a face that’s been taken care of.’
It was too conspicuous an appearance. To be honest, if he sold him somewhere, he felt like he could easily fill the remaining tens of thousands of Deal until his goal.
“I won’t take it off.”
If Jin Mu-hae hadn’t picked him up, he might be wandering around some black market right now. Thinking about it that way, he felt a little sorry for him.
Is it because he’s not in his right mind? It’s amazing how he’s feeling sympathy after only meeting him for a short time.
“When you get off the transport vehicle, follow me closely.”
“Okay.”
“Do as I say, and if I tell you to hide, just stay hidden.”
“I understand.”
Still, is this really the right thing to do? Jin Mu-hae rummaged through the bag he was carrying on his side and sighed deeply.
He brought him along because he felt like a bigger accident would happen if he left him alone. It wasn’t like he was going out to play, but was it okay to take this man to a site where a battle was scheduled?
“I’ll help you.”
Not knowing Mu-hae’s feelings, Joo-oh kept spouting nonsense.
He didn’t even know where he came from, but his eyes were sparkling and full of confidence.
Clunk, shiiiiing-.
About 10 minutes after passing through the large Dome. The transport vehicle carrying only a few people gradually slowed down.
Ding-dong! Along with a hissing notification sound, the scenery outside the window stopped.
Outside Goryeo City. He had arrived at the ‘outside’.
“Buy me a hot dog.”
Joo-oh, who was getting off the transport vehicle, whispered.
Jin Mu-hae raised one eyebrow and turned his body away as if he hadn’t heard.
As much as the Comfort zone relied on Crystal Blue, most cities had temporary stops for miners nearby.
He didn’t know how a person with a fluctuating mind knew that, but he was demanding that he buy the food sold there.
“Hot dog.”
“If you eat too much of that, you’ll die early.”
“It’s okay.”
“My wallet isn’t okay, so follow me quietly.”
Fortunately, this time he didn’t seem as persistent as when he was eating noodles. When Mu-hae strode away, Joo-oh followed him without saying a word.
There was somehow vitality in his steps, as if he was waiting for something more exciting than food right now.
From a distance, no one would have felt that there was anything wrong with him.
Except for the fact that he seemed too excited to be going to work.