Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World

“Hey. This is the first time we’ve had such a large gathering, right?”

 

“Yeah, I heard we got a new leader. They said the ambulance attack was the new leader’s plan.”

 

“Wow. It feels so satisfying to strike back at the heroes.”

 

Two seemingly ordinary office workers were having an unusual conversation as they entered an alleyway.

 

They passed by a construction site for a new officetel and ventured further inside, where several abandoned buildings awaited them. Signs of halted construction were evident with scattered rebar, wood, and paint cans.

 

It was certainly not a place for office workers to be chatting casually on their way home. They entered a building were its main entrance was obscured by a curtain.

 

Following behind them were two other men.

 

“Do you think we won’t get caught?”

 

“Are you nervous?”

 

“Nervous? I’m worried I might beat up all those Freaks once I see their faces inside.”

 

Yoo Jian tried to sweep her hair back, but since she was bald, she just rubbed her scalp instead.

 

“Why did he have to shave his head?”

 

“It makes it feel more real.”

 

Hwashin offered some words of support, though they weren’t particularly comforting, and the two entered the building. Moss covered the walls, and the stairs were damp. As they descended into the humid basement, a metal door came into view.

 

Unlike the old building, the new metal door had a password lock.

 

“What was the code again?”

 

– I left it in the text message. Once you enter the basement, the signal might cut off, so tap your in-ear twice if you need help.

 

The static voice of Ha Cheongwon came through. Hwashin checked the message and inputted the password carefully.

 

The code seemed like someone’s birthday.

 

Beep. The lock released with a sound, and when Hwashin turned the handle, the door creaked open.

 

As soon as the door opened, loud music that hadn’t been audible before blasted into their ears. The chatter of people also became clear.

 

“…Are you a Freak too?”

 

“Yes, that’s why I’m here. Where do you work? I’m at a place in Gangnam…”

 

“Oh, I’m there too.”

 

“Did you see the recent attack? It’s a shame one of the people who died was a kid, but you know the feeling, right? That sense of satisfaction.”

 

“Oh, I know. It’s like hitting back at those heroes who think they’re special. They’re not kids anymore. SH Unit? So childish.”

 

Now, everyone. I’ve mentioned this before, right?

 

Originally, Freak was just a ‘neighborhood gathering of illegal awakened ones.’ Just listening to these crude conversations was enough to prove that they were not yet a systematic organization.

 

In the early days of Freak, there were casual members who joined through the internet, and among them were extremists who actually opposed the heroes. The prisoners who got caught were these extremists.

 

“Jian.”

 

“…What.”

 

“Not yet.”

 

Hwashin, with a smiling expression, picked up a prepared glass of alcohol from the table and placed it in her hand. Unlike Hwashin, Jian wasn’t calm at all.

 

“Do we really have to listen to this crap for an hour?”

 

Thankfully she was wearing a hoodie pulled down, otherwise, she would have already killed several people with just her eyes.

 

“Yeah. So, just bear with it for a bit, okay?”

 

“Sigh.”

 

“I’m going over there for a bit. We’ll gather information separately. How about that?”

 

Hwashin patted Jian’s shoulder, and she nodded in agreement.

 

The interior was spacious, about 50 pyeong. Like a bar, there was a long counter, several high tables where people could stand and drink, and areas with sofas for sitting and drinking.

 

People were gathered around, having conversations and enjoying their drinks. No one expected surveillance from a hero—

 

“But what if a hero sneaks into this gathering? This is the biggest one since that incident.”

 

Oh, they did anticipate it.

 

Hwashin subtly moved towards the place where the conversation took place.

 

When a woman voiced her concern, a man laughed, implying her question was absurd.

 

“Would those guys really move for something like this? The champions of justice are busy dealing with high-risk gates. That’s why the recent ambulance incident wasn’t covered much in the news. That’s the kind of people they are. So, would they really come all the way here?”

 

Really. The more he listened to it.

 

‘Can such a ragtag group really be involved in the apocalypse?’

 

Hwashin rested his chin on the table, looking at them with a bored expression.

 

Watching their conversation, it was hard to believe they were involved in anything catastrophic or had a grand scheme behind them.

 

As Hwasin was staring blankly at them, someone came running up and stopped in front of him.

The man who ran up raised his voice as if he had met an old friend.

 

“You’re Chil, right? Wow, you really escaped from prison!?”

 

Thanks to the pre-mission briefing from Ha Cheongwon, Hwashin knew who he was.

 

“Of course. Who do you think I am? I’m Chil, you know.”

 

He even mimicked Chil’s habit of patting his right chest. Apparently, even criminals had friends. The guy wiped away his tears.

 

– You only had me as a friend. You’re no different from a criminal.

 

Ah, Dragon.

 

The man, wiping his tears, placed his hand on the fake Chil’s shoulder.

 

“You punk. I knew it from the moment you robbed that bank with your ability. But you can’t use your ability in prison, right? How did you get out this time?”

 

“That’s a trade secret. Ask me when you end up in prison. I’ll tell you then.”

 

“Hahaha! This guy’s twisted personality hasn’t changed a bit.”

 

No, I’m not that guy. Do I seem like a jerk too?

 

The members didn’t see him as a jerk too, right? Well, this was all an act anyway.

 

“What are you talking about. By the way, what’s this about a new leader coming? There was nothing like that when I was around.”

 

Ah, right. You and I are early members. Back then, we were just a bunch of neighborhood thugs. Things are about to change, though.”

 

The man folded his arms and looked up at the ceiling as if recalling a divine figure. He took a deep breath through his nose and exhaled. Haa.

 

“He’s truly a god. He suddenly appeared one day and gathered us all. He gradually expanded our operations, and now, bang! He said there are going to be even bigger plans ahead.”

 

“What? Are you close with that guy?”

 

“Tsk, you shouldn’t just refer to him as ‘that guy.’ He’s our leader, and…”

 

The man gulped down the remaining alcohol on the table and waved his hand as he answered.

 

“Phew… How could a low-ranking member like me be close to someone like that? At first, when the scale was small, I had a few occasions to see him, but now I hardly could. This gathering is being held for that very reason. It’s an opportunity for him to show his face to members who don’t know what he looks like, and to announce Freak’s future plans.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Such a scene didn’t appear in <YHH>. However, based on the specific setting, it seemed that Cha Jaeha simply didn’t know about it, which was why it was not covered in the book.

 

In the original hospital gate incident, the heroes’ reputations had hit rock bottom, so maybe Freak didn’t feel the need to step up.

 

‘So Cha Jaeha never had the opportunity to learn about such gatherings. And most of Ha Cheongwon’s foresights were often tied to events related to Unit 1.’

 

“Sigh, I’m nervous. By the way, where’s the guy who escaped with you? I heard he’s bald now.”

 

“He’s drinking over there. Leave him be. He’s got a foul temper right now.”

 

“What? That quiet guy?”

 

Oh, he had a quiet personality? …It seemed you couldn’t judge someone’s personality just from photos. Yoon Bongpal probably didn’t consider individual personalities either. In that case, Mueum might have been better… or not? Hwashin wasn’t sure.

 

Mueum didn’t seem particularly quiet either. If it was about being reserved, Cha Jaeha would suit it perfectly, but thinking about it now, none of the three were truly quiet.

 

“People change in prison.”

 

“Hahaha, true. You seem to have become calmer. It’s like you’ve changed 360 degrees.”

 

360 degrees. Impressed by his stupidity, Hwashin habitually picked up his glass.

 

Time ticked by, and it became apparent that there was nothing more to learn from these clueless low-level members. Their conversations were mostly complaints about the government restricting awakeners and mundane stories about choosing to become illegal awakeners despite having awakened at certain levels because they didn’t want to serve the country.

 

An hour passed.

 

The so-called friend, now drunk, lay sprawled on the floor asleep. Yoo Jian stepped over him and approached Hwashin.

 

“It’s been an hour, but he’s not coming.”

 

“Yeah. But he should be coming out soon, right? Ha Cheongwon’s foresight is rarely wrong.”

 

“True. With S-class foresight, that should be the case.”

 

Clang. Behind the bartender’s area, a door that had been closed creaked open.

 

All eyes turned to one place at once. Hwashin and Jian were no exception. In fact, everyone might have been waiting for this moment.

 

And coming through that door was…

 

A man with long hair and an expressionless face. Yoo Jian whispered quietly.

 

“…That’s not the person Mr. Ha Cheongwon mentioned, right?”

 

Right. This wasn’t the person Ha Cheongwon had mentioned. Behind the man who didn’t meet their expectations, another woman of similar height entered. She also scanned the messy interior with an impassive face, sighing in exasperation.

 

Then.

 

That man entered.

 

A man wearing a white mask, with thin brown hair flowing. The long-haired man was tall, but this one seemed to be about 190cm and his build was not small either. The three-button suit he wore suited him well.

 

The mask he wore had a smiling expression. The man wearing a mask raised both arms slowly.

 

Upon seeing this, all the sober men and women cheered and rushed forward. Swept up in the crowd, Hwashin and Jian found themselves being pushed forward.

Ugh, it’s cramped. Kids, grandpa’s dying here.

 

“Freak! Freak! Freak!”

 

“Our leader!!”

 

“Savior!!”

 

Fanatics. Hwashin, Elric, had seen this before. Humans with absolute faith in a corrupt temple, fanatically shouting the name of the god they believe in.

 

Hwashin didn’t particularly like such scenes.

 

The man seemed to enjoy the cheers as he lightly stepped onto a prepared wooden platform.

Freak! Freak! Freak!

 

The voices constantly shouting ‘Freak’ gradually died down as he slowly lowered his hands. Silence settled over the room. It was the quietest moment since Hwashin had arrived here.

 

“Are you having fun?”

 

A soft voice.

Why do these types always have the same kind of voice?

It was a charming, captivating low tone, and responses came from all around. The replies were mostly expressions of happiness and gratitude.

 

“Good to hear. I’m glad my preparation paid off.”

 

The man scanned the room from left to right.

 

“Some of you may already know me, and some may be seeing me for the first time.”

 

His large hand slowly reached up to his mask. His five outstretched fingers were big enough to cover the entire mask.

 

“For those who don’t know me, let me introduce myself once more.”

 

The white mask came down. His deep green eyes were revealed, and the man gently lowered the corners of his eyes in a smile.

 

It was a face that exactly matched the description from the book.

 

“I am Han Jeyou, the leader of Freak.”

 

“He looks like a total con artist.”

 

Ah, our Jian is so honest.