By Zephyria Park Seung-min: I didn’t have a good family situation since I was young. My relationship with my parents was always bad, and I’ve never been to cram school.
This was an interview that mixed truth and lies appropriately. His family situation wasn’t great, but it wasn’t extremely poor either. His relationship with his parents was bad, but he wasn’t neglected or abused. He had never been to cram school, but he simply didn’t want to go. However, what was the harm in exaggerating a bit for an interview?
Park Seung-min: In high school, I had a friend whose parents were the CEO of a pharmaceutical company, so their family was wealthy, and I was really envious. No matter how hard I tried, I was always stuck in the same place, like running on a treadmill, but that friend was lucky and excelled at everything. Even if they made a mistake, their parents took care of it. Seeing that friend live comfortably and gain things effortlessly, I often thought it was unfair. I’m truly happy to receive compensation for the difficult years I’ve endured.
This interview was heavily tinged with personal feelings towards Yang Yohan. He had been seething with anger since being completely ignored by the Sun Guild last time. If Yang Yohan hadn’t instigated trouble, he could have been on good terms with the Sun Guild too. He grew even angrier every time he thought that Yang Yohan had essentially stolen his place.
After confirming the interview content was quite good, Park Seung-min checked the comments. His recent hobby was to enjoy people’s online reactions to himself. He never tired of reading the expectations, support, and cheers from people towards himself, the world’s only Purifier. As Park Seung-min was happily checking the interview reactions, his face suddenly contorted. These kinds of comments were often mixed in.
― ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋLegendary saltiness
― This is definitely the Big Yang Guild’s parachute deliberately provoking him lolololol so petty
― Didn’t he also gain things effortlessly? He became a High-level Awakened by luck too.
― Yeah. H. Anything about school violence or scandals?
└ So far, only people claiming to be his classmates are defending him.
└ Did Samyeong Pharmaceutical Company pay for this part-time job? lol
Did I gain things effortlessly? I was almost eaten by a monster; if that’s not effort, what is? Angered, Park Seung-min collected the comments that bothered him and saved them to a USB drive. Then, he irritably pressed the nearby bell. A moment later, he heard hurried knocking from outside.
“Yes, Park Seung-min-nim. What is it?”
The person who rushed over immediately upon being summoned was the personal secretary assigned to him by the guild at Park Seung-min’s request. His face was full of fatigue, and he showed clear signs of nervousness as soon as he saw Park Seung-min. Park Seung-min casually called out to the man several years his senior, “Hey.”
“Go to the cafe and get me a Caramel Macchiato. One shot of espresso, three pumps of syrup—not too sweet—and just enough ice to make it cold. And tell the guild lawyer to sue all of this. And get the car washed.”
The secretary first rushed to the cafe and bought the Caramel Macchiato. When he returned, Park Seung-min complained it was too sweet, so he went back. This time, he complained there was too much ice, so he went one more time. He was only a secretary in name; in reality, he was no different from a servant. Since he was currently one of the most powerful people in Korea, he cursed internally while politely receiving the printed ‘malicious comment’ materials.
‘Most of these comments won’t be grounds for a lawsuit.’
But he had to sue them as he was told. He already felt sick thinking about becoming a scapegoat between the lawyer and Park Seung-min over this matter. Since taking on the role of Park Seung-min’s dedicated secretary, he had been visiting the hospital for stress-induced gastritis. It was telling that he developed gastritis despite being an Awakened, stronger and healing better than civilians.
After nagging the secretary, Park Seung-min idly drank his coffee. Famous figures from politics and business were requesting his services, citing minor contamination. Thanks to them, his bank account grew fatter by the day, bringing a smile to his face. While scrolling through messages, he was replying to those who offered the highest amounts when the secretary returned.
“What? You already finished washing the car?”
The secretary, with foam on his sleeves from washing the car, bowed and said, “I’ll finish washing the car quickly. I just received a visit request from the Rift Management Agency. It’s about the purification of Awakened Jeong Si-young. They asked me to come by 3 PM…”
“Ah, are you kidding me? 3 PM? Then you should have told me earlier. What am I supposed to do now?”
The secretary, who had been kicked in the shin, groaned and begged for forgiveness several times. After giving him a proper reprimand, Park Seung-min quickly changed into the most suitable clothes. After tidying his hair, he set out with the limping secretary and his escorts.
“Hello, Awakened Park Seung-min-nim.”
Every member of the Sunrise Guild he encountered greeted him politely. This was the result of Park Seung-min having thoroughly disciplined the HR team for not making the guild members greet him properly. Park Seung-min accepted their greetings with a smirk. He knew well that the guild members didn’t particularly like him. However, seeing them swallow their pride and act obsequiously, forced to be polite despite their dislike, never failed to amuse him.
‘What can they do if they dislike me? Unlike Go Jae-won, I’m irreplaceable.’
With the emergence of mid-to-low-rank Awakeners not yet a reality, Park Seung-min maximally enjoyed his rights as the sole Purifier. Whenever he spoke, people rushed to fulfill his wishes, making it feel like heaven. He planned to stay in this heaven forever.
This particular Jeong Si-young contamination purification case was important. Jeong Si-young, who had finished the first mop-up operation in Busan, returned two days ago but couldn’t be purified immediately. This was because Jeong Si-young’s mental state had become extremely unstable due to the contamination. She was resting in an isolation room to avoid harming a precious Purifier.
‘…How severe is the contamination?’
As he rode in the official vehicle provided by the Rift Management Agency, Park Seung-min began to worry, his brow furrowed. Most of the Corrupted he had dealt with so far were mildly contaminated. This was because he mainly dealt with powerful individuals who, even if mildly contaminated, were easily frightened and stayed in safe zones.
‘The Rift Management Agency will surely protect me.’
It was Jeong Si-young, no less. High-level Awakeners were the most valuable connections in this day and age, so the risk was worth taking. Park Seung-min checked his reflection in the car mirror again.
‘If I’m lucky, I might even get a High-level Awakener girlfriend out of this opportunity.’
Although he hadn’t been able to get close to Lee Hyun-mook due to Yang Yohan’s meddling, Jeong Si-young was different. Especially since the contamination was severe, it would be easier to gain her favor… With such hopeful thoughts, upon meeting Jeong Si-young, Park Seung-min immediately felt nauseous.
‘Ugh, the smell!’
As soon as the door to the isolation room where Jeong Si-young was staying opened, a strong stench wafted out. Her left arm, tightly wrapped in black latex, was strangely bulging. Her lower face was also covered by a mask. Despite the revolting sight, which was worse than he imagined, he endured it and forced a smile.
“Haha, ah, hello! Awakened Jeong Si-young-nim? I’m, cough, Park Seung-min…!”
“I know. You’re the High-rank Purifier, aren’t you?”
Jeong Si-young, with a blank expression, replied with strangely unclear pronunciation. Her gaze, chillingly indifferent, scanned Park Seung-min from head to toe. Park Seung-min glanced back at the Special Unit members who were escorting him. Would they block an attack if one were to occur?
“You must be suffering greatly! I’ll make you better in no time.”
He tried to act as friendly as possible while suppressing his urge to vomit, but Jeong Si-young didn’t respond much. She just stared blankly at Park Seung-min. Park Seung-min, hesitant to get too close, approached awkwardly and emitted light. As the bright light poured towards Jeong Si-young, a Special Unit member standing behind her flinched.
As Park Seung-min confidently began to use his abilities, his expression gradually stiffened. Jeong Si-young’s contamination was different from the mild cases he had dealt with before. Mild depression, anxiety, or skin spots usually disappeared after a bit of light exposure, but Jeong Si-young’s arm showed no signs of healing.
“Hah, hah…”
Park Seung-min, who had exerted all his strength to purify, faltered. Even after gathering all his purification power, her arm still bulged and moved disgustingly, though it had calmed down a bit. Jeong Si-young, who had regained a faint spark of life, stared intently at Park Seung-min. Her gaze seemed to say, ‘Is this really a High-level Awakener?’ making Park Seung-min blush.
“Well… Thank you, Awakened Park Seung-min.”
As Park Seung-min gasped for breath, exhausted, Jeong Si-young sighed and stood up. Her sigh was clearly one of disappointment.
Jeong Si-young already possessed an Eternal Stone, given by the government to treat contamination. However, she was frequently exposed to contamination by hunting monsters so often that it wouldn’t heal, showing no signs of recovery. She had pushed herself too hard during the recent Busan subjugation, making her contamination even worse. She had expected purification from a High-level Awakener, but it was only slightly better than an Eternal Stone.
Unlike when she was sitting, as soon as Jeong Si-young stood up, Park Seung-min, crushed by the pressure of a High-level Awakener, involuntarily stepped back. Jeong Si-young, catching a glimpse of his frightened face, left the room. She gestured to the Special Unit members.
“To Busan, let’s go immediately. The subju, gation isn’t over yet.”
“But Captain…! Your condition is too poor…”
“I’m fi, ne. I just received purification.”
“No…! Where are you fine! Captain, Captain! Captain! Wait a moment!”
The bickering conversation faded into the distance. Park Seung-min was left alone in the foul-smelling room, completely ignored. The Special Unit member indifferently guided the bewildered Park Seung-min. His eyes also showed clear disappointment.