It was a place where day and night were indistinguishable. In that place, Park Chang-Joo fought without eating or sleeping. And his body wasn’t in proper condition either.
Dragging his heavy body like soaked cotton, he killed monsters. There were many times he wanted to give up in the endless battle.
Every day was the same, and today was no different. Until he heard that voice.
Uncle Chang-Joo , it’s Yeona. Uncle. Dad said you can get better now.
‘They weren’t from the Association, friends, or guild executives. They were just a fellow raider and his daughter, who he had raided with a few times. They said they would rescue him from this hell. Was it sincere? Could he really trust them?’
Uncle, you’re fighting hard right now, aren’t you? Uncle told me. You and Dad will be by my side, so hang in there a little longer. Just a little longer.
Chang-Joo felt a firm belief in the girl’s voice. So, he had to live. It was a feeling of catching a straw, but he had to endure.
‘Yes. I’ll do that. Just a little longer.’
And so, he moved his body.
And finally, he could open his eyes.
“You… it’s you. You bastard. Damn it.”
Trying to move after such a long time was difficult. Why wouldn’t it be? He had been lying down for six months. Even a normal patient wouldn’t have been able to lift their arms. But Park Chang-Joo wasn’t a normal patient.
【Energy Manipulation】
He manipulated Yeom Se-ra’s neck and simultaneously used his skill.
The intangible force enveloped Yeom Se-ra’s body. She writhed in pain, flailing her legs and arms like a fish caught on a fishing line.
“Cough, wheeze.”
Just for a moment.
Yeom Se-ra could meet Park Chang-Joo ‘s gaze.
Was this what brain death felt like?
She doubted her own eyes. It was because something unimaginable was happening right before her.
‘A… a dead body is standing up. How is this possible…?’
Surprised beyond words, Yeom Se-ra could only tremble her lips like a fish out of water, unable to even utter a plea for mercy.
“Uh, ah… Please… please…”
Of course, even if she begged for her life, it wouldn’t change anything.
Park Chang-Joo ‘s gaze turned icy, as if acknowledging her plea.
‘It won’t be easy to kill her.’
In the human body, there are hundreds of places where a single finger can cause death.
Like flipping a switch, a single gesture could end a life. But she shouldn’t die so easily.
‘Experience hell like I did.’
With that thought, Park Chang-Joo released his grip on Yeom Se-ra’s neck. However, it didn’t mean he released his control over her energy. He simply let go of her neck.
“Ugh… no… Please, spare me…”
Interpreting her plea differently, Yeom Se-ra immediately adopted a submissive tone. It was the only thing she could do.
“I have no intention of doing that, so don’t even bother begging.”
Park Chang-Joo chuckled and gestured. Following his motion, Yeom Se-ra’s body was mercilessly slammed against the wall.
Bang, bang! Thud!
From top to bottom, bottom to top, and sideways. Yeom Se-ra was slammed against the wall relentlessly, like a lifeless doll hanging on a string.
“Aaagh! Crack!”
Even amidst her desperate screams, Park Chang-Joo paid no attention. With an indifferent gaze, he continued to manipulate his skill. Eventually, blood stained the white walls and dusty floor.
“Gah… gack…”
Yeom Se-ra, now a lifeless heap, intermittently twitched on the pool of blood. Despite her condition, Park Chang-Joo ‘s anger showed no signs of subsiding. He approached Yeom Se-ra and struck her head with the pole he held.
“Thud… ugh…”
It happened multiple times. Yeom Se-ra died like that.
At that moment.
There was someone waiting for Yeom Se-ra.
It was her coworker who had agreed to have dinner together.
Despite setting the table and even pouring water, there was no sign of Yeom Se-ra. Eventually, the coworker decided to head to the ward where Yeom Se-ra was admitted.
“Her absence is driving me crazy! Why isn’t she coming… Ugh!, I smell blood.”
As soon as she approached the door, a strong scent of blood hit her.
She let out a startled cry.
The reason was simple.
‘Ugh, this is really killing my appetite before dinner!’
She suppressed her rising irritation and stepped into the ward.
Of course, what she saw was not something that could simply ruin her appetite.
“Seriously, I told her not to be late… Ugh!”
Yeom Se-ra’s head was rolling on the floor.
This was beyond losing one’s appetite.
It was a horrifying sight that one couldn’t bear to witness.
She let out a horrified scream.
‘Park Chang-Joo ‘s patient?’
‘I… I’ll kill her too.’
Even in such a situation, she managed to think. She was definitely quicker in her reactions than Yeom Se-ra. She realized instinctively that she needed to escape from this place. But by then, it was already too late. A small bedside table inside the ward was hurtling toward her head.
Thunk!
She didn’t even manage to take two steps.
With a dull thud, her slender body crumpled to the ground.
“Please… spare… me…”
Her voice, faltering, as she tried to crawl away. But the bedside table struck her head once again, interrupting her feeble attempts. Soon, her voice, which had been faltering, was silenced altogether. And just like that, Yeom Se-ra’s coworker met her end amidst screams of agony.
In an instant, Park Chang-Joo had killed two women. Yet, he felt no remorse. He believed that the woman he had just killed was no different from Yeom Se-ra. Even if she was different? It didn’t matter. He was just a spectator, after all.
So.
“She should be thankful that it ended so easily.”
Park Chang-Joo muttered in a chilling voice.
Then, he opened the closed door.
By opening the door to the hospital room and stepping out, Park Chang-Joo ‘s whereabouts spread like wildfire, as if it had grown wings. It must have been one of the caregivers who saw him and promptly reported it.
Before long, a multitude of people began flocking to the rehabilitation center.
“Could it be a mistake?”
“What! Chief Park himself made contact?”
“I never thought I’d see the day. How on earth did this happen?”
“We need to find out now.”
Not only did police officers and members of the Hunter Association come, but executives from the guild Park Chang-Joo was once affiliated with also visited the rehabilitation center. Although they must have heard about the tragedy, they seemed unconcerned about it.
Oh, the police were an exception.
But due to the opposition from the Association’s representatives, they had no choice but to leave. The place where the awakened Park Chang-Joo needed to go was not the police station but a Hunter hospital.
“We can investigate later. What’s urgent now is not that.”
“Then how should we handle the reported incident…”
“For now, confirm his physical condition, and we’ll conduct a separate investigation. We’ve already submitted a cooperation request, so go in and check.”
“Understood.”
Park Chang-Joo silently watched the people struggling with themselves over him. As predicted, people began to flock around him. Park Chang-Joo was waiting for them.
“They’ve gathered like a pack of wolves.”
At that moment, an Association representative who had organized the situation approached.
“Do you know where you are?”
“Hunter Rehabilitation Center.”
There was a momentary commotion at Park Chang-Joo ‘s response. Despite his action of crushing a caregiver upon waking up, his answer was calm and precise.
“Huh. Surprisingly composed, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know yet.”
After that, the Association representative handed a document to a man. As soon as he received it, the man and his entourage swiftly approached Park Chang-Joo .
“Chang-Joo , do you recognize me?”
“You’re the representative.”
“Hey, you! You’re really alive, alive!”
“…”
“Chang-Joo , do you remember our team members? Look.”
“Yes.”
Despite the friendly attitude of the man, Park Chang-Joo remained indifferent. Sensing this, the man quickly continued speaking.
“We were so worried about you. We visited you every day after you collapsed. Remember?”
“Lies.”
“Huh?”
“You call that visiting? You never even came.”
He talks out of both sides of his mouth. Now, pretending to be deeply concerned. Park Chang-Joo couldn’t help but smirk. Then, he turned his gaze towards the Association representative.
‘That’s the person in charge…’
“Since he’s perfectly fine, let’s stop the tests.”
Park Chang-Joo knew exactly what they wanted. He wasn’t like a hermit. He had only been isolated from the world for six months.
“That’s impossible. You need to go to a specialized Hunter hospital for examination right away.”
“No. There’s somewhere else I need to go first.”
“…?”
“Dok Family Restaurant. Take me there.”
He’s been waiting patiently to go there.
But from the Association’s perspective, it’s incomprehensible.
A restaurant in such an urgent situation?
The man hesitated, then spoke.
“Wouldn’t it be more urgent to confirm your physical condition first? We can go anywhere after that.”
“There are many things I want to know right away. How I ended up like this, whether my mind is intact…”
“Of course.”
“We’ll cooperate, so please take me to Dok Family Restaurant first.”
Park Chang-Joo firmly conveyed his intentions with a fractured voice.
At that moment, Dok Family Restaurant.
The members of the Jong-sik family, including Trigo, gathered in the kitchen of the shop. It was to inaugurate the oven Trigo had completed.
Replacing the commercial table range, Trigo’s handmade oven was placed in the vacant spot. It was a oven made from the breath of the unexpected fire Trigo had brought in.
“Alright, here you just put your leg in and lightly step on it to activate it.”
Trigo demonstrated. He raised his foot onto the pedal beneath the oven. It was like stepping on grass. Thud. With one kick from Trigo, flames swiftly emerged.
“Huh? Uncle Trigo, the color of the flames…”
“Hehe, green, right? Roll it once more and it turns purple, roll it again and it turns orange. You can control the intensity like this.”
It was a tone full of pride.
Controlling fire in cooking is crucial. When making the same dish with the same ingredients, ultimately it’s the fire that determines the taste. Yet, it’s not just about strong firepower.
With that in mind, Trigo created the stove. It had powerful firepower as the base and could delicately control the flames.
“If you want to turn off the fire, just press this device here. That’s all I need to explain… click Ah, try it out for yourself. It’ll be different when you use it yourself.”
His limbs were itching.
“Yes. I’ll prepare dinner right away. I was thinking of making what Trigo wants for dinner tonight. Right, is there any objection, Yeona?”
“Of course not. Tonight, we must go with the menu Uncle Trigo wants. Why even ask!”
“I don’t care. The problem is Trigo doesn’t know any Korean dishes.”
Jong-sik’s words left Yeona and Jong-sik at a loss. Then Trigo, with a confident smile, offered a solution.
“I think everything Jong-sik makes will be delicious. So, please make anything.”
Choosing anything unknowingly is the hardest thing to do.
After a moment’s consideration, Jong-sik finally spoke up.
“Then let’s go with spicy tonight.”
“Oh, Dad, what are you planning?”
“It won’t be fun if I tell you now. Alright, everyone, go out to the hall and wait for a bit. I’ll make it quickly and join you soon.”
“Okay, got it.”
“Hehe, I’ll look forward to it.”
As the three, excluding Jong-sik, were about to leave the kitchen, a faint sound of footsteps spread into the kitchen. Someone had entered the shop.
“Oops, my mistake. I forgot I locked the door. Let me go out and tell them.”
Yeona quickly dashed out alone.
Right after that.
“Dad, come out for a moment!”
With a bright smile on her face, Yeona rushed out and suddenly stuttered as she shouted. It didn’t take even a second to know why. In the eyes of Jong-sik and Jong-pal, who had rushed out in a hurry, a man had entered.
“Jong-sik, hee-!”
Then, seeing Jong-sik, Park Chang-Joo slumped into a chair and burst into tears, deeply distressed.
