Chapter 29
Seoul-09.
The closer you get to the center from the edges of the district, the lower the quality becomes.
Including quality of life, even the quality of people.
It changes to the point where it's hard to find someone who hasn't committed a crime.
"Ah geez, why is it suddenly like this?"
"Sigh, I don't know. I'm tired."
Two men were walking through such a dark district.
One was so fat it was worrying if he could breathe, the other so skinny it was concerning if he might stop breathing.
They wiped their cold sweat with arms covered in intimidating tattoos.
"...Why did the boss call us?"
"Yeah. Did we make a mistake?"
"No. You didn't skim off any drugs, did you?"
"Would I do something like that and risk my life? It's not like I don't know the boss's temper. We're not screwed, are we...?"
The two men were terrified.
They feared 'Angel Isaiah', who supplied all the drugs in District 09.
The nickname 'Angel', given for sending countless people to heaven, was quite infamous within the district.
Knock knock-
"...Boss, we're coming in."
-Come in.
With permission granted, the two men entered the room.
Isaiah, with his robust build, was checking completed drugs.
With a gun in his other hand.
"...We heard you called for us, Boss."
"Yeah, Fatty, Weakling. Sit down and wait for now."
"...Yes, Boss."
The so-called Fatty and Weakling.
The two swallowed hard and sat on the leather sofa permeated with the smell of herbs.
After quietly holding their breath for about an hour.
During this time, Isaiah slowly turned his head to look at Fatty and Weakling.
"I forgot. You guys were here."
"...Yes."
Isaiah put his hands on the shoulders of the two sitting and said:
"The reason I called you isn't anything special. I want you to investigate the district more precisely."
"...You want us to investigate?"
Isaiah pointed at the district map spread on the desk with his cigarette and spoke:
"Yeah, especially investigate this area in detail. It seems the homeless bastards have taken drugs and are hallucinating. But since everyone's saying the same thing, I'm thinking it might be true."
Someone shot fireworks into the sky.
It suddenly started raining in the clear sky.
The rooftop of a building was lush with leaves.
"It's too consistent to be a coincidence. The area people are testifying about is always the same. So I'd like you guys to investigate. What do you think?"
"O-of course. We'll definitely do it."
Fatty and Weakling nodded vigorously at Isaiah's question.
The area they were to investigate was the villa where Lee Ha-jun lived.
It was the dragons' nest.
***
My supervisor, Han Ji-soo, was facing the disastrous scene before her eyes in confusion.
"...This can't be happening. Why do the magical beasts keep running away?"
"...Yeah, I wonder."
How did it come to this? I sighed and recalled what had happened so far.
'We came because a dimensional gate appeared. Is this okay?'
I accompanied Han Ji-soo after hearing her call.
It was to give me practical experience after my previous failure.
But this time too, just like before, the magical beasts got scared before fighting and hid far away in a corner.
Whine- Whine-
'...How should I explain this?'
I scratched my head and spoke to Han Ji-soo.
I should pretend not to know for now.
"Um... What should we do? They keep running away when I approach?"
"...Wolf dogs. Those creatures might be naturally wary. Try approaching one more time, Lee Ha-jun."
"Yes, understood."
I approached the wolf dogs without argument.
Whine- Whine-
They immediately ran away into the bushes.
Seeing this, Han Ji-soo shouted loudly:
"...This can't be happening. Lee Ha-jun, quickly chase after them!"
I don't want to run.
However, I reluctantly chased the wolf dogs through the forest.
During this, I ended up cornering one against a wall.
Whine- Whine-
The cornered wolf dog frantically scratched at the wall, trying to escape somehow.
Han Ji-soo witnessed this and was at a loss for words.
"..."
"Ha, haha... This is really strange... Why are they acting like this...?"
"...I need to report this to the association."
Damn it.
It seems it's hard to hide it completely after all.
But there are good points to the magical beasts mistaking me for a dragon.
"Isn't it convenient that the magical beasts don't attack, senior?"
"It is convenient. But why are you speaking informally, Lee Ha-jun?"
"I thought about it, and I think I'm older."
Which comes first, seniority or age?
If I had to choose between the two, I'm closer to the latter.
I'm not used to speaking formally anyway.
"Isn't it fine if I add 'senior'? Senior Han Ji-soo."
"...Sigh, this is why I said I didn't want to be a supervisor. You're getting too familiar."
Glare-
Han Ji-soo glared at me and quickened her pace.
"Do as you like. I don't think we'll be seeing each other for long anyway."
"What do you mean by that, senior?"
"The magical beasts run away when they see you. If that's your ability, I think you'll be promoted quickly. Your ability is too convenient for closing dimensional gates."
That's true.
To close a dimensional gate, you need to find the dimension's core.
The dimension's core has condensed magic power, so many magical beasts guard the area nearby.
But these magical beasts wet themselves and run away just by seeing me.
Even now, a pack of wolf dogs in the distance were drooping their tails while looking at me.
'I guess I'd look like a dimensional gate closing specialist.'
The industry might think of me as a very good gate closer.
'Still, her face is pretty, so it's nice to look at. It would be a shame to get promoted quickly.'
As I walked through the dimension with Han Ji-soo thinking this, we finally reached the dimension's core.
The dimension's core was floating in the air in the shape of a square cube.
Han Ji-soo handed it to me and said:
"You break it. If you wrap magic power around your hand, you can easily break it."
I'm not used to it yet, but I gripped the cube tightly and shattered it.
Crash-!
At the same time, the dimension began to distort. The ground shook and vibrated as if seasick.
"The dimensional gate will close completely in 10 minutes. We need to get out quickly before then. Don't ever forget that."
"What happens if we don't get out before then?"
"You'd become a dimensional wanderer. Once a dimensional gate opens to a dimension, it will keep opening. If you're lucky, you might return to Earth. Though no one has ever returned yet."
It means there's an extremely low chance of returning. Anyway, I learned well how dimensional gates work. After we exited the dimensional gate, we watched until it disappeared.
"Once you close a dimension like this, you just wait for the next call."
"I don't know if I should say this, but doesn't this job seem too easy?"
"...That's because you're not fighting magical beasts. Usually, avoiding combat is common sense. Sometimes it takes days to close a dimensional gate."
I see. I didn't know that. I realized again how overpowered my body had become.
'This won't do. I need to play a lot with them when I get home today.'
I should give them belly rubs and cheek nibbles. Thinking this, I said goodbye to Han Ji-soo and headed home. On the way, I checked the amount deposited.
[Hero Association Deposit 200,000 won]
"Ah, sweet."
I earned 200,000 won in less than two hours. I'd earn more with a higher rank or magical beast trophies. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have more calls. But I quickly stopped that selfish thought of wishing for more incidents to happen.
Thinking these things, I got off the subway. And I headed home, passing through streets filled with an eerie atmosphere.
'What are those?'
During this, I spotted two suspicious-looking guys. One was like a boar wearing fluorescent pants and a tight shirt. The other was like an anchovy wearing luxury goods that looked fake even from the outside.
'Not Fatty and Weakling. What are they?'
They're wearing outdated clothes. Judging by their tattoos, they must be from the central area. I quickened my pace to avoid getting involved with them. However...
"Hey you, come here for a sec."
The Fatty guy called out to me. How annoying. I turned my head and answered him:
"What, you come here."
"Ha, look at this punk? Do you live around here?"
"So what?"
"Then, do you know where this is?"
He showed me a photo on his smartphone.
'That's our villa.'
There's no reason for these guys to be looking for the villa unless they caused some incident. I guess we ended up drawing attention after all. This isn't good. I thought of the dragon kids waiting for me at home.
"...I know. I can guide you if you want."
"What, your tone is rude but you're nice?"
"I hear that a lot. So, are you going to follow?"
Fatty nodded. Skinny was still on guard. I led them behind me towards the villa.
"Why are you looking for this villa? There's nothing special here."
"I think so too. But we're doing it because we were ordered to. They say strange things keep happening..."
There's no way no one has seen. It seems rumors have spread. Still, it's fortunate that the Fatty guy stupidly told me everything. Skinny seemed to have some sense, as he elbowed Fatty, and they shut up.
"It's here. The villa you showed me."
"What, it was right nearby."
"My guidance is over, so I'm leaving. Do what you need to."
"Oh, okay, thanks. Be careful out there."
They waved their tattooed arms to see me off. They were much more foolish than I thought.
'Who on earth ordered such fools to do this job?'
They talk too much. I pretended to leave but hid nearby to watch them. They bickered for a while, then entered the villa. I followed and tailed them.
'Of all places, they went down.'
Click- Click-
I followed their footsteps down to the basement. Fatty and Skinny were knocking on a door in the basement.
"Hey, anyone in there? We'd like to talk for a bit."
"...Doesn't seem like anyone's in."
"Tch, let's go to the next door."
They headed to the door right next to it.
"What's this, does a debtor live here? How many bills are there?"
"Pfft, looks like someone whose life is more ruined than ours?"
...These bastards. Laughing at my front door? Do they know how hard it is to remove even one of those?
"Should I knock?"
"Yeah, hurry up."
Fatty raised his fist to knock on the door. At that moment, I carefully approached them from behind.
'First, Skinny.'
Carefully, so as not to break his neck.
Thwack-!
"Urk-"
"W-what the fuck!"
Then Fatty's neck, a bit harder than before.
Thud-!
With that, Fatty and Skinny fell face-down on the floor. From inside, I could hear the voices of the dragon kids who sensed something:
-What's that sound! I heard something outside!
-This doesn't feel good. Should we open the door?
-No, we'll get scolded by Dad if we open the door! We need to stay quiet and not cause trouble!
Chatter chatter-
The kids seem startled by the noise. It looked like they might open the door and come out. I quietly spoke to the door.
"It's me. Dad."
-What, it's Dad? What's happening outside! I want to see! I want to go out!
"Nothing's happening. Wait a moment. I'll be back soon."
Saying this, I grabbed the clothes of the two unconscious guys and dragged them. The destination: the rooftop.
'How should I deal with these guys?'
To protect my children, I was prepared to do anything.
'To think I'm having thoughts like this.'
It's still not enough, but I feel like I've become a full-fledged dad.