Chapter 125
Jinseong stood up.
He left the incredibly lavish room and entered the dark corridor again, walking and walking through the bunker's passage filled with the smell of mold and filth.
After walking for a while, the sound of Jinseong's footsteps changed from a thudding sound to a splashing sound. The narrow and low passage, where Jinseong had to stoop to walk, was filled with water.
When he turned his head, water was pouring down from an incredibly high ceiling that was presumed to be a ventilation shaft.
Water was pouring into the bunker as if falling from a waterfall.
The poured water filled the floor, trying to submerge the entire bunker, but most of it was discharged through drains in the floor, maintaining a constant water level. And stalactites had formed everywhere the water's influence reached.
Stalactites.
Slippery things with a dull light and a peculiar smell.
And between these stalactites, bats were hanging curled up, and on the walls, bugs with degenerated eyes that should live in caves were wriggling.
Jinseong moved forward, stepping in the water.
The feeling of moss felt with each step.
The spray of the waterfall falling from above.
The sound of water drops falling at regular intervals from the stalactites.
He approached the wall and picked up the wriggling bugs, bringing them to his mouth.
With a crunching sound, the bugs were crushed and poured into his stomach, and he drew patterns on his belly each time a bug passed through his throat.
When he finally realized he was sufficiently prepared, he got up and left the passage. Then he lit Samadhi fire to completely erase the moisture on his body, changed into dry clothes, and went out of the bunker.
Outside the bunker, he saw the lake emitting a light so cold it seemed it would freeze, and a seal in the middle staring at him.
The seal stared at him with curious eyes, as if it had never seen a life form like him before.
Jinseong quietly looked at the seal, then grasped the air and caught a large fish swimming in the lake. Then he threw it towards the seal that was staring at him.
The seal leaped up with a splash and caught the fish.
Only after confirming that the seal had taken the fish in its mouth and gone underwater did Jinseong turn around. Then he used teleportation repeatedly to move to the airport.
When he moved to the airport, he saw numerous people.
White, Asian, Black.
People with different skin colors, wearing clothes embodying different countries' cultures, behaving differently, and with different expressions were busily moving through the airport. All sorts of individualities clashed and blended, making them feel like a colony rather than individuals, and it was a scene where one might be captivated by their individuality even when trying to observe people.
But even among these individualities, there were some who stood out.
Sisters with white hair and an age difference.
Twin sisters with black hair and identical faces.
Two adult women with brown hair.
They were beauties flaunting their presence.
"A-rin's family is a bit unusual, you say?"
"Yeah. Well, you know. Our house's old man, he... got married several times? So there are 4 moms..."
"Ah, so you have 5 parents then?"
"Huh? Uh, yeah."
"Wow. It must be nice to have so many parents~"
"...Huh?"
Lee Arin was explaining her complicated family situation to Anastasiya and was at a loss for how to react to words that she couldn't tell were an insult or praise, too innocent to know how to respond.
"Ahem. Aren't you hungry? Would you like to eat something?"
"...I-I'm fine..."
Next to them were Odilia and Ella, exuding an awkwardness so thick it was suffocating just to be near them.
"You’ve grown up so well despite having a complicated family history, Serin. You truly have a good nature."
"Ah, no... It's not that complicated..."
"Plants need support to grow beautifully. To bloom flowers, they need appropriate sunlight and water, and enough nutrients to not rot the roots. The fact that you've grown up so well is evidence of how blessed you and your environment are."
"Well..."
"Surely your parents must be affectionate, sometimes strict, but clearly loving people. Moreover, just looking at how beautifully they've raised you, one can see how well they've educated their child. Such a healthy, moral, kind, and pretty child. Yes. Even if a family’s history is complicated, aren’t the people what is important? If you have good people and a good home atmosphere, what more is needed?"
"You're... too kind..."
"Not at all. And to even be a contractor on top of that. Serin really is... How should I put this? Ah, blessed with good people. Originally, people are beings who suffer from people and are healed by people. So just by having good people around you, Serin, you're living a sufficiently blessed life."
And in front of them, Agnes was hitting Lee Serin with kind words filled with comfort.
Lee Serin, not knowing what to do with Agnes's clearly well-intentioned words, wanted to escape but couldn't move due to Agnes's hand covering her hand, and kept glancing around looking for someone to save her.
Then Lee Serin suddenly turned her head as if the demon had whispered something.
"O-Oppa."
"It's almost time for the plane."
Jinseong walked gracefully towards them, explained that it was almost time for the plane, and led them away.
Thanks to this, Ella was able to escape from the suffocatingly awkward atmosphere, Anastasiya was able to cling to her sister, escaping from Lee Arin who kept tilting her head in confusion, and Lee Serin was able to enjoy the indifference by sticking close to Odilia, who showed little interest in her.
They traveled by plane like this.
The destination.
Korea.
* * *
There was a big incident.
A big incident of being attacked by a sorcerer performing human sacrifice.
And with such a big incident happening, there was no way the parents of Lee Serin and Lee Arin wouldn't know about it. Especially Lee Yang-hoon, the chairman leading the giant corporation Gwangyang Group.
His influence reached even Russia, and although not fast, he never missed information he needed to know.
It would have been a natural procedure for him to call Lee Serin and Lee Arin and pour out words like are you alright, is there any problem, what happened, did anything happen to Jinseong's body, did something happen to Jinseong's body while saving you because sorcery requires a price, come back right now, etc.
Therefore, Lee Serin and Lee Arin tried to go back to Korea briefly to show that they were fine, and since they were going anyway, they suggested to Ella and Anastasiya who were involved in the incident, and their guardians Agnes and Odilia, to come to Korea together.
It wasn't for a grand reason.
They were just friends, also colleagues who were involved in the incident together, and they wanted them to heal while sightseeing in Korea too.
And this combination of six people wasn't too bad.
There were awkward combinations like at the airport, but it was just awkward, so there wouldn't be a big problem once they got used to it. Rather, travel had the effect of making awkward people become close, so this could also be expressed as the true taste of travel.
But when Jinseong joined, a strange atmosphere was created.
"Hmm~"
Anastasiya, who won the seat next to Jinseong on the plane, stared at Jinseong's face without saying much until they arrived in Korea.
"Ahem, ahem."
In the limousine sent by Lee Yang-hoon, Odilia, sitting next to Jinseong, kept fidgeting while watching Jinseong's reactions. And Ella, sitting opposite Jinseong, kept sending suspicious glances at Odilia's strange behavior, while also unable to look directly at Jinseong's face next to her, moving her eyes around and repeatedly opening and closing her mouth as if trying to say something.
This was a phenomenon that occurred as she thought about speaking to him, remembering Jinseong's kind attitude towards her, but her body kept freezing up, unable to easily speak due to the somehow changed atmosphere from a few days ago.
Yes.
Unlike Jinseong from a few days ago, the current Jinseong had an atmosphere that seemed like he shouldn't be touched.
There was a feeling like ice that would be cold if touched, and also a feeling of hot flames that would burn if approached.
It was like seeing boiling water in burning flames, or like seeing flames twisting their body and swinging around at water drops falling on them.
As if holding fierce beasts trying to devour each other.
Or as if holding something bizarre that changes shape by merging their bodies.
"Hmm~"
That was why Anastasiya stared at Jinseong as if observing him.
"Ahem. Ahem."
Odilia, who was already intimidated by Jinseong, kept watching his reactions.
"Um... Huh? The symbols keep changing... It's not fully stabilized...?"
Lee Serin was quietly listening to the demon's explanation in a corner of the limousine.
And Lee Arin was sleeping with her head on Agnes's lap, and Agnes was looking at her as if she found her cute.