By Zephyria After finishing the meal and cleaning up, Joo Ho-young cheerfully extended his hand and said.
“Yohan-ssi, hand!”
Yohan obediently placed his hand on Joo Ho-young’s. It was something he had done every day for the past few months, so it was almost a habit now. Soon, Joo Ho-young’s energy flowed into Yohan’s body. Yohan, having accepted as much as possible, felt his own energy surge within him. The sensation he couldn’t adapt to at first was now familiar.
Joo Ho-young, the support of Team Sunrise, his main ability is enhancement buffs. When he casts buffs during combat, the abilities of the Sunrise Team members become much stronger than usual. Such a buff was now being cast on Yohan. It was for the development and amplification of Yohan’s abilities.
Joo Ho-young let go of his hand. Yohan slowly released his energy, now several times stronger than usual. Bright Light Particles scattered in all directions, spreading far and wide. A significant portion was absorbed by the three of them, and the rest flowed out beyond the dwelling. Shortly after, Joo Ho-young, who went outside and instantly checked the range of his ability, beamed.
“The range has increased a bit more today, Hyung. You’re doing great! If you keep this up, you’ll purify an entire city someday!”
Yohan felt a little embarrassed by the look of extreme fondness. Although he was called ‘Hyung,’ Joo Ho-young often treated him like a much younger sibling. Despite calling him ‘Yohan-ssi Hyung,’ his attitude was like that of a much younger brother.
‘Is it because he has a lot of combat experience?’
Yohan could only guess. Regardless, Joo Ho-young, who was in a similar role, often gave Yohan many useful pieces of advice, and his perspective was certainly different from the two Dealers, which was very helpful.
“Ugh, this is good.”
Yoon Seung-ryong melted away like an old man warming his back on a heated floor. This was his usual reaction whenever Yohan scattered his abilities widely with all his might. Not only Yoon Seung-ryong, but Lee Hyun-mook and Joo Ho-young also looked very satisfied at this time. Seeing the three of them made Yohan feel proud.
He opened the window and looked outside, taking in the utterly peaceful scene. Everything within the range of Yohan’s purification ability was clean and tidy, except for the old, crumbling parts. Occasionally, animals that had regained their true forms after being purified would pass by, looking bewildered, making him feel as if he had returned to Earth. It was a stark contrast to the areas outside his purification range, which were merely thick and darkly shaded.
Yohan stretched and closed the window again. Thus, a normal and leisurely day in the Japanese sector was passing.
Yohan rubbed his eyes after waking up from a deep sleep. Why did his sleeping place feel so restless? Was it because he had been plagued by nightmares all night?
Last night, he had suffered from a series of nightmares. His family and friends had all fallen into the Abyss at once, but he hadn’t known, and they had all died from severe Corruption. Or he killed monsters and purified them, only for familiar faces to appear. Or his purification ability suddenly disappeared, causing everyone to turn into Madmen, and he cried.
Feeling inexplicably uneasy, Yohan checked his purification ability as soon as he got up. His purification power had filled his body completely while he slept, and even a small release made it sparkle with bright light. Joo Ho-young, who had been playing games nearby for days without sleep, stole the Light Particles at an invisible speed.
“Yohan-ssi, you don’t seem to have slept well?”
“Yeah… I had nightmares.”
Actually, having nightmares wasn’t that surprising. Perhaps due to the environment of the Abyss, or the influence of Corruption, he often had nightmares here. However, today, he felt strangely off-condition right after waking up. He felt damp, uneasy, and a lingering sense of unease, making him sluggish.
“Maybe you’re hungry? Eat this.”
Yoon Seung-ryong put a piece of salt-baked potato into Yohan’s mouth. After putting something in his stomach, he felt much better. As Yoon Seung-ryong said, it seemed to be due to hunger. However, even after filling his stomach with corn and fruit, his mood didn’t completely improve. Lee Hyun-mook, watching Yohan quietly, asked.
“Want to go for a short walk to clear your head?”
“Yes!”
Yohan jumped up from his seat. Looking at Yoon Seung-ryong, he didn’t seem like he would join, having been indulging in laziness after eating, and Joo Ho-young was engrossed in his game. Thinking about going for a walk alone with Lee Hyun-mook, Yohan’s mood already improved significantly.
Leaving the dwelling, Yohan walked along a well-maintained path. In the early days of settling here, they had broken through the concrete and painstakingly decorated it with soil and gravel, planting flowers and trees on both sides. It was the result of considerable effort and time. With time to spare in the Abyss, they naturally ended up decorating their dwelling.
“Do you have nightmares often?”
Yohan, pretending to be engrossed in a flower with particularly large buds, glanced at the other person. In response to Lee Hyun-mook’s question, he immediately shook his head.
“Not that often. I just seem to have them because I’m here.”
“If you have bad dreams too often, tell me.”
Lee Hyun-mook spoke in an unusually soft and affectionate tone, making Yohan blink. He looked alternately at the ground and the dark red sky, then asked.
“What will you do if I tell you?”
“Anything.”
“Oh, then I’ll really tell you anything. No regrets, right?”
As Yohan teased him, Lee Hyun-mook leaned in, closing the distance. Then, smiling, he moved his handsome lips.
“Yes, anything.”
Feeling inexplicably shy, Yohan subtly averted his gaze and replied.
“Then… tell me to sing until I fall asleep.”
“Not difficult at all.”
“Hmm, or carry me all day, or take care of the garden in my place.”
“As much as you want.”
Yohan was about to say it was just a joke, thinking he might actually do it, but Lee Hyun-mook started to go even further.
“You can hit me when you’re bored, too.”
“Why would I hit you, Lee Hyun-mook-ssi?!”
“Or ask me to lend you my body to use as a pillow.”
“No, no…”
“Or make me give you a massage until you’re satisfied, or perhaps…”
Lee Hyun-mook trailed off subtly. Then, lowering his head so that a dark shadow fell across his face, he whispered into Yohan’s ear.
“Like I said, I can even kiss your feet.”
When the topic of kissing his feet came up again, Yohan jumped and exclaimed.
“Do you have a foot fetish, Lee Hyun-mook-ssi?”
He didn’t answer, just laughed a charming ‘haha’! It clearly sounded like a joke, but in some ways, it felt like the truth, and Yohan’s face turned bright red. He suddenly recalled their last intimate contact. Swallowing dryly, Yohan looked at Lee Hyun-mook’s lips, then quickly turned his head, lest his gaze be caught, and changed the subject.
“By the way, I have a question… Why does Ho-young have three abilities?”
He had been curious about it since he first saw Joo Ho-young, but for some reason, he felt awkward asking him directly. So, he had held onto the question until now. It wasn’t just to change the subject; he was very curious.
“As far as I know, his main ability is enhancement buff, and his secondary ability is ice-based… why is he so fast?”
Joo Ho-young was already known for his speed, but now it was beyond just fast. His speed, which even Lee Hyun-mook found difficult to deal with, was such that other Awakened would believe it was their main ability. In response to Yohan’s question, Lee Hyun-mook paused.
“Hmm… It’s because of Corruption.”
“An ability that appeared because of Corruption?”
“Yes. Even normal animals become stronger or can emit strange toxins when they are corrupted. Or they can cast illusions. Ho-young is the same.”
At that moment, what flashed through Yohan’s mind was his encounter with Yoon Seung-ryong. Was Lee Hyun-mook’s ability, which had created that clean, massive hole in the cave, also due to Corruption?
“Then, will my abilities weaken the more I purify?”
“Probably not, Yohan. Haven’t I told you before…?”
Lee Hyun-mook slowly drew out his words, pausing to choose them.
“You’ve been here too long to return to normal. To the point where you can no longer tell what is normal or what your original body was like. Would it be easier to understand if I said it was an irreversible transformation?”
“Irreversible transformation….”
“Yes. For example, even if Corruption can be reversed, an over-grown body cannot be. Think of those pigs that made delicious samgyeopsal, or vegetables and fruits.”
He was reminded of the root vegetables he had eaten that morning. Like the potatoes that grew like twisted dough, the corn kernels that held poison, and the fruits that required sharp thorns to be removed. Even after purification, some twisted appearances or overgrown mass did not return to their original state. While toxicity, sores, and fierce aggression that seemed to possess self-awareness disappeared with purification, there were parts that clearly did not return to how Yohan knew them.
“But you, Seung-ryong-hyung, and Ho-young all seem perfectly fine.”
Since they looked like perfectly healthy humans, Yohan was simply confused. Lee Hyun-mook just smiled silently, saying nothing more. What kind of irreversible transformation had come upon the three of them? Lost in thought, Yohan brought up another question he had.
“I have one more question. What is your Negative Reinforcement, Lee Hyun-mook-ssi?”
Yoon Seung-ryong’s Negative Reinforcement was gluttony and laziness, and Joo Ho-young’s was an obsession with games or toys. But having spent time with Lee Hyun-mook, Yohan hadn’t noticed his Negative Reinforcement personality at all. Lee Hyun-mook opened his mouth.
“My Negative Reinforcement is….”
Yohan listened intently, curious about Lee Hyun-mook’s Negative Reinforcement, but he closed his mouth. Yohan thought he was going to tease him again, but the other person’s face had stiffened. Looking up at the sky, he frowned and muttered.
“This is strange.”
“Why, why?”
“I have a bad feeling. …Let’s go back to the dwelling immediately.”