NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Hyperion's Steward
༺ Hyperion’s Steward ༻
“UFO?”
Sleek, beautiful curves.
At the center of the thick disk glossed with white was a hemispherical body attached.
Headlights with unusual colors flickering.
No matter how one looked at it, what appeared, breaking through the ceiling, was a UFO.
Moreover, the UFO was clearly floating in mid-air.
‘What is going on?’
Youngsik’s pupils trembled finely.
Was this a worldview where this kind of thing could appear?
Even if it was Shelter, there was no Ability to create such an alien-like flying object. ANd that was the same for the Awakened as well.
Youngsik turned his head quickly to look around, but there was nothing special.
‘You’re telling me it just fell from the sky?’
Right then…
[You have been selected as a temporary steward.]
“…What?”
Youngsik’s mouth gaped open at the voice that suddenly rang in his head.
***
A woman with short hair and a cold impression hurried along with a long spear on her back. A man followed beside the woman.
“It seems there was a disturbance in Sector D.”
“Disturbance? Were zombies attacking?”
The woman frowned slightly at the mention of Sector D. Noticing her displeasure, the man quickly added.
“It does not seem like a zombie attack. But… the place where the disturbance happened was….”
“Forget it. I’ll just see it for myself when I get there.”
Sector D referred to the slum residential area outside the shelter. And that place was where her ‘former’ colleague stayed.
‘That stupid fool….’
Yoon Seungah shook her head, thinking of that overly naive and kind idiot.
“I’ve told him to get himself together time and time again.”
While she was clicking her tongue, someone appeared in front of her.
“Oh my, isn’t it Seungah Unni? You seem busy, don’t you?”
“Baek Seulgi….”
Kim Youngsik’s ‘former’ girlfriend. Recently, there were rampant rumors about Baek Seulgi being in that kind of relationship with the shelter’s leader.
The woman in her 20s, neither over nor underdone with makeup, had a face that was innocent yet strangely seductive. Seungah’s brows furrowed at the sight of her off-shoulder knit and jeans.
‘To think she would wear that kind of attire and make up, even in such a world.’
It was a mindset she couldn’t begin to fathom. Water and food were always scarce and several combatants died everyday.
Sure. Fine. Dressing up could be understandable if looking through a very lenient lens.
Yoon Seungah, being an active combat officer, had no interest in dressing up, but some might reminisce about the past or wish to cheer up those who were depressed around them with a bright appearance.
However, what came to Seungah’s mind was just how much drinking water was wasted and how many search team members had to die for someone to walk around like that.
“Heuuuung. I heard there was a problem in Sector D?”
“It’s none of your business, is it?”
Seungah tried to ignore Seulgi and walk past, but Seulgi didn’t seem to want that.
“Why would it not concern me? Isn’t that where Youngsik Oppa is?”
Yoon Seungah shot a look of contempt at Baek Seulgi. Even though she received Seungah’s glare, she merely smirked. Everyone knew she was the woman who had discarded Kim Youngsik after using him to his very bones.
“….”
“Fine. The Vice-Captain of the guards must be busy, right? Why don’t you run there yourself? What if something happened to Oppa, who you’re so protective of, Unni?”
It was a mockery filled with scorn, as if to say, ‘The man you’re interested in is the man I threw away’.
In truth, Seungah’s feelings for Kim Youngsik were more of respect than of romantic interest.
“That’s right. At least he’s more important than someone who just flirts around without contributing anything to the shelter.”
“Hoho. Don’t say such upsetting words. If someone hears, they might think I’m just idling around, you know?”
“Is that not the case? It’s not like you have even killed a single zombie. Ah, you have been working quite hard as the Flower of Shelter, though.”
“…What about it. What would someone as blunt and hardhearted as you know, Unni? I don’t know why you care about such a retard, but anyway, good luck.”
After fully expressing her mockery, Seulgi walked away, leaving behind the smell of perfume.
“Hmph.”
Seungah hurried her steps, wanting to save the time delayed due to meeting Seulgi. She felt a sense of foreboding regarding the disturbance reported in Sector D. If even a minor conflict had occurred, it could unnecessarily escalate into a big problem for him, who was already disliked by the current leader, Yu Byungtae.
‘There’s no way, right?’
Even if it was Outer Sector D, considering the size of the shelter, it was not small at all. So, there was no certainty that it would be related to Youngs….
“Kim Youngsik! Come out this instant and explain what happened!”
“Does demolishing the building signify an attack on our shelter?”
“Could it be that you’ve collaborated with the Slaters for a terror attack?”
When she arrived, the Awakened had already surrounded Youngsik’s residence.
Clench-
What on earth did that idiot do?
The building surrounded by the Awakened looked as if it had been bombed, with the roof and second floor collapsed.
“Kim Youngsik! We already know you hold a grudge against our leader! So come out, you punk!”
“If you refuse to respond, you’ll have nothing to say even if we take stern action, you know?”
In truth, there was no reason for the Awakened to be wary of Youngsik, who had no Abilities. However, it was easy to understand the reason why they were shouting so exaggeratedly, as if acting in a play.
Their intention was to find a pretext to expel him.
Her expression hardened, as she approached the place.
***
“Uh… Mr. Spaceship? What am I supposed to do now?! All those guys were already plotting to kick me out, as is….”
[Please refer to me as Master.]
“W-What is that supposed to…!”
The incredulous Youngsik was struggling to open the door, pulling hard on the doorknob.
Creaaaak-
“Uggggggh!”
The ceiling just had to collapse, twisting the iron door, so it was almost impossible to open it with his own strength.
And were they adding insult to injury? The Awakened who usually gave him disgusted looks were camped outside, clearly up to no good as they taunted him.
“Hey! Kim Youngsik, you haven’t forgotten you’re under probation, have you?”
“This is clearly our shelter’s residential area, you know?”
“Haha. Are you shaking in fear inside right now?”
“Probably.”
“I don’t know why Leader bothers with such a retard like him.”
“Anyway, we need to thoroughly investigate this act of terrorism that occurred during your probation.”
In the end, Youngsik was not able to leave before the Awakened forcefully entered.
“Tie him up!”
“Be gentle. He’s a Non-Awakened.”
“Haha. Typically, even the most useless Ability would awaken, but I heard this fool hasn’t awakened a single one, right?”
“Yeah, looks like his body is still the same as before.”
“Keuk.”
Youngsik couldn’t resist the excessive suppression by the Awakened. Even though he revealed the complete truth, just as the Awakened demanded…
“What is he saying? There’s nothing here.”
“Are you seeing things now? What a complete lunatic.”
“Isn’t he just making fun of us? He’s talking about spaceships and whatnot, you know?”
“….”
Youngsik realized that the spaceship, clearly visible to him, was completely invisible to others.
“You should’ve just gotten drunk and slept quietly.”
“But seriously, how did you demolish this?”
“Did you air-drop a grenade or something? There’s no trace of it at all.”
“Who knows. Who cares. Anyway, we’ve caught the culprit, so let’s just drag him away.”
The aftermath was not too different from his expectations.
“Did you defy Leader’s order of probation?”
“Being treated as an early member only goes so far, you know?”
“How dare you, when you’ve only survived until now thanks to Leader?”
“If you don’t have abilities, you should’ve just lived quietly.”
“Even Miss Seulgi tried to help a fool like you somehow, but I heard she gave up saying you’re beyond redemption. Isn’t that right?”
“Tsk tsk.”
Here, Yu Byungtae, the Ability User who established and operated the shelter, was practically ‘God’ in this place. And Kim Youngsik, whom Yu Byungtae disliked, was no different from an unforgivable sinner.
Of course, the members who knew of Youngsik’s contributions didn’t criticize him. But at the same time, considering Yu Byungtae’s standing, it was also true that it was hard for them to step forward in support of Youngsik. And now that the shelter was running relatively smoothly, Youngsik was deemed unnecessary.
“Expulsion? What do you mean expulsion? Isn’t expelling someone who’s not an Awakened basically sending them to their death?”
“….”
“Seungah, you don’t know anything. Just stay out of it.”
“Why should I? Everyone knows that Youngsik has contributed significantly to this shelter.”
“Still, the fact that he has no Abilities doesn’t change.”
“….”
They avoided eye contact and did not provide a proper answer.
“Seungah. You realize your statement just now was dangerous, right? Leader is still favorable towards you, so he’s letting it slide. So, give it a rest.”
In the end, Seungah alone could not stop Youngsik’s expulsion.
“I’m sorry. It feels like just yesterday you saved me…. Why did you have to….”
Seungah couldn’t bring herself to say ‘You’re such an idiot’ in front of Youngsik. After all, it was because of his very idiocy that her life had been saved.
“It’s okay, Seungah. Don’t get yourself in trouble trying to defend me. Just go back inside.”
Youngsik wore a bitter smile. Although Seungah had awakened, her Ability wasn’t so remarkable as to have much influence within the shelter. She was not adept at political maneuvering either. Standing out like this could only lead to unnecessary trouble. Furthermore, considering how she had her mother to care for within the shelter, it was especially a situation she needed to be cautious about.
At the entrance of the shelter.
Only Youngsik and Seungah stood in front of the barricade made of cars and barbed wire.. A little distance away, an Awakened had his arms crossed, watching them with sharp eyes like a hawk.
“Haha….”
Youngsik gazed at the shelter enveloped by the long, tall walls.
Throughout the apocalypse, he had managed to keep his wits, rallying his companions to operate the shelter and overcoming all sorts of crises to lead everyone. Yet, Seungah was the only one to see him off.
Seungah sighed and handed over a small leather pouch.
“Take this at least. It’ll be better than just going out empty-handed.”
“This is… something I can’t use, even if I have it.”
When Youngsik looked inside the leather pouch, he saw a bunch of mysterious red jewels.
“These are used to enhance the abilities of Awakened, but they can also be used as a kind of currency outside.”
“Seungah, you….”
Initially, Youngsik was going to reject it, but after a moment’s pause, he took it.
“I’ll make good use of it.”
“Alright, make sure to safely co…. No, that’s not it. Take care.”
“…I will.”
Youngsik took one last look at the shelter he had spent the past few years nurturing and then turned away. Seungah, unable to bear this vexing situation, had already gone back inside.
“….”
Youngsik looked up. The flying object was still hovering above his head.
[If you hand over what you are holding obediently, there will be no bloodshed.]
Youngsik was about to lose his fucking mind.
***
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