Chapter 80: Ambush (1)


    <strong>TL: SHW</strong>


    Thinking is a luxury.


    ‘Which one of you is No. 3?’


    As soon as he heard the word ‘No. 3’, Kang Tae-woo shook off Lee Seung-yeon’s hand. It didn’t matter if Lee Seung-yeon was startled or not, this time, Kang Tae-woo grabbed Seung-yeon’s wrist in reverse.


    And then he started running.


    He could hear a whistling sound behind him. The whistle would fade briefly, thene closer again.


    “So it’s you?”


    Wondering if the voice was male or female only crossed his mind when looking at the face. Now that the term ‘No. 3’ had been spoken, that didn’t matter anymore.


    “What’s going on!”


    It didn’t matter that Lee Seung-yeon was bewildered.


    They had to run!


    Kang Tae-woo instinctively realized who this person was. No, it would be more urate to say he understood their purpose rather than their identity.


    ‘An Executioner!’


    Within the Ark, everyone had their own role, along with the duties and responsibilities that came with it.


    Kang Tae-woo was Experimental Subject No. 3. Unlike No. 12, who was in a somewhat ambiguous position and knew more about the outside situation, No. 3 had his own methods.


    His mother, who was a researcher, used to bring him medicine every morning and talk about what was going on in the researchb. It wasn’t anything monumental, but surprisingly, many of her words were useful.


    Like the personality of the current director of theb. Or what he liked.


    Other researchers also tended to leak things they shouldn’t have said in front of the well-behaved No. 3. The first few times, they were flustered, realizing toote that No. 3 had been there. Eventually, they stopped being cautious, saying, ‘No. 3 is trustworthy’.


    That’s how he had lived in the researchb. Even though he didn’t know as much as No. 12, he understood how things worked in theb and where the power was currently concentrated.


    And he also asionally came across the masked individuals who roamed theb.


    Observers. Executioners.


    Or even Cleaners.


    These were people who held a higher rank than the researchers, sent to keep watch over them.


    They rarely interacted with the experimental subjects who were kept deep within the research facility.


    But whenever a masked person appeared in theb, tension filled the air. The researchers would silently steal nces, careful to not draw attention. Thest director of theb that Kang Tae-woo remembered had also been busy trying to cater to the Executioner whenever they showed up.


    When an Executioner appeared, someone would disappear.


    Whether it was a researcher or an experimental subject. Sometimes both.


    When Kang Tae-woo graduated from the researchb, one of the masked people came and took him away.


    Among the researchers, this person was known as the Cleaner. The nickname Kang Tae-woo was most familiar with was also ‘Cleaner’. Thinking of the notorious reputation that came with that name, he had trembled in fear, wondering if he was about to be disposed of.


    Fortunately, No. 3 wasn’t disposed of.


    The Executioner put Kang Tae-woo in a car where the outside wasn’t visible. At some point, he had fallen asleep—likely drugged.


    When he woke up after a long sleep, he was lying on a bed. The Director was gazing down at him kindly.


    Only when his real name, Kang Tae-woo, was called did he realize he had graduated, not been disposed of. Whether it was an orphanage or not didn’t really matter. Researchb or orphanage—it was all the same. The only difference was that the people he had to obey had shifted from researchers to the Director.


    He hadn’tpletely escaped the researchb, but at least he thought he wouldn’t have to return to that ce anymore.


    But now.


    That Executioner, now? Why?


    Why me?


    “Hey, what’s going on?!”


    Lee Seung-yeon frowned. Even so, the fact that he was running along with him made Kang Tae-woo tear up in gratitude. His breathing was tight with tension, and his chest felt like it was about to burst. His head throbbed as if his heart were going to explode, but he couldn’t dare to look back.


    “It’s troublesome when unnecessary witnesses get involved.”


    Unlike Kang Tae-woo, who was frantic, their pursuer spoke in a light, almost joyful tone, as if singing a song.


    “Let’s finish this quickly, okay?”


    Swoosh.


    Kang Tae-woo instinctively yanked Lee Seung-yeon toward him and threw his body forward.


    A mass of invisible mana whooshed just above their heads.


    “…You dodged it?”


    If Woo Hwi-jae hadn’t forced him to practice sensing letters written with mana, he would never have dodged it.


    That seemingly meaningless ss actually helped. Even in this situation, Kang Tae-woo vaguely thought of Woo Hwi-jae’s face. Whether it was a circle, a triangle, a number, or a letter—if you didn’t know, at least show the effort to take a guess, the teacher would say, clicking his tongue.


    He thought Woo Hwi-jae was a good person, but…


    He never really thought he was a good teacher.


    Still, how could an outsider understand the great intentions of a teacher? It all had a deeper meaning.


    Kang Tae-woo lightly pushed Lee Seung-yeon. A sharp gust of wind passed between them. A mass of mana. If it touched them, they would die.


    “You dodged this one too?”


    The Executioner tilted his head.


    “Then, how about dodging this?”


    His pale hand moved softly, like a conductor leading an orchestra.


    But the mana waves radiating from him were anything but gentle. Kang Tae-woo yanked the dumbfounded Lee Seung-yeon down. They nearly hit the ground, sticking close to it.


    The Executioner lowered his hand.


    The sound of cicadas suddenly stopped. It wasn’t an alley that was usually devoid of traffic, yet strangely, there was no one around. Not even a passing car.


    An eerie silence.


    In the middle of it, the Executioner lifted his head.


    “What’s going on? How did you dodge that?”


    “…”


    Every hair on Kang Tae-woo’s body stood on end. The Executioner’s eyes locked onto him. If he moved, he would die. If he didn’t move, he would die.


    He had to get up. Get up and run. Escape. He couldn’t stay still. Someone… anyone… help… someone?


    “Can you… see it?”


    The husky voice rose in pitch. As excitement crept into it, the voice, which had sounded more like a girl’s, now resembled a boy’s.


    “You’ve seeded, haven’t you?!”


    A sharp gust of wind blew from the Executioner. It pricked his skin—it was mana. Lee Seung-yeon seemed to sense something was wrong too, as he didn’t take his eyes off the Executioner.


    The Executioner leaned back and burst intoughter.


    “Ah, really! The orphanage database is aplete mess! This is why you can’t trust people. If I had known there was an Awakened at that orphanage, I wouldn’t have cleaned it up so quickly.”


    Kang Tae-woo’s thoughts, which had been racing to find a way to escape, came to a halt.


    What did he just say?


    “I could have just let you grow up nicely, and it would’ve been fine. Now I have to do the job twice, thanks to you.”


    Orphanage. Clean up. Executioner.


    “So-hee… my sister.”


    Did this person… kill So-hee?


    “…Hey.”


    “What the hell are you doing?!”


    Lee Seung-yeon freaked out, grabbing hold of Kang Tae-woo. But Tae-woo, staggering, pushed himself to his feet.


    “Excuse me.”


    “Huh?”


    “You… my So-hee…”


    Did this person kill So-hee?


    “Did you kill my sister?”


    “Who’s your sister?”


    “The orphanage.”


    “You’ll have to be more specific. If you tell me which orphanage, I can tell you if I went there or not.”


    “Noah Orphanage.”


    “Noah, right. Yeah, I was chasing you because you were one of the kids from there. Right? I missed you back then, so I came to find you now.”


    The Executioner beganughing hysterically. If not for the chilling air that buzzed around them, it could have been taken as augh of pure amusement.


    “If you had been there that day, it would’ve been easier for both of us. You wouldn’t have to worry about any of this.”


    This person…


    This person killed So-hee…


    Kang Tae-woo’s vision began to turn red but then stopped.


    He was a child who had realized the reality early.


    The difference in power was obvious. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t beat this person.


    Running was also out of the question. He had just Awakened and was barely beginning basic training, while this person was toying with him as if poking him just for fun.


    As soon as he epted his fate, his surroundings came into focus. Lee Seung-yeon, still crouching, looking bewildered, was beside him.


    He’d promised to buy him dinner. He’d dragged him into this.


    ‘If I had known it woulde to this, I should’ve just told Woo Hwi-jae everything. I should’ve told him what the Director did. I should’ve told him what that orphanage was really like. I should’ve told him what happened to So-hee and me, where and what we had endured.’


    It’s toote now.


    “Ah, seriously… It’s a shame to kill someone who’s seeded. Hey, No. 3. Wannae with me?”


    “…”


    Kang Tae-woo nced at Lee Seung-yeon.


    “If I go with you, will you let him go?”


    “What? Hey! What nonsense are you talking about!”


    “Hm? That’s a bit difficult. It’s troublesome if there’s a witness.”


    “Then, forget it.”


    “Is that so…?”


    The Executioner, who had been tilting his head side to side, lightly tapped the ground with his foot.


    Boom!


    A vibration, one that shouldn’t exist, reverberated. Kang Tae-woo instinctively grabbed the back of Lee Seung-yeon’s neck and pulled him back.


    Crack.


    The sidewalk where they had been standing moments ago split open.


    “Just as I thought. You can see, can’t you?”


    “What?”


    “Can’t see? Then you’re only a half-sess. But still… Ah, that’s right, you said you wouldn’te with me.”


    The Executioner stretched while interlocking his fingers. His red hair swayed, revealing strands bleached white underneath.


    “It’s a pity, but I guess I have no choice.”


    His pale, delicate hand moved again—so smooth it could be mistaken for a woman’s.


    But this time, not just his hand moved, but his entire arm, as if he wasn’t going to leave any space for evasion.


    A disturbing surge of mana gathered in the Executioner’s hand. Anyone with eyes could tell that he was deliberately toying with them, taking his time. His shoulders shook with chuckles, an absurd sight—but Kang Tae-woo, sweating profusely, nervously scanned his surroundings.


    I don’t want to die.


    I don’t want to die.


    Gulp.


    Kang Tae-woo swallowed hard and took a cautious step forward.


    His legs trembled. But knowing there was no way out for himself, he at least wanted to help Lee Seung-yeon, who had been dragged into this mess by sheer chance.


    It would be so unfair if he died here because of me.


    “Hyung. Run.”


    He remembered that Lee Mi-seon from Daseon was Seung-yeon’s aunt. That woman they had seen at the hospital. When Seung-yeon said he wanted to transfer to Pilot High School, she had said she would take care of everything, so he shouldn’t worry about a thing.


    “Go… Get help. Anyone. Got it?”


    “You…”


    “How cute. Do you really think I’ll let him go?”


    “Run no matter what.”


    Even if this didn’t seem like much, it was better than doing nothing.


    Kang Tae-woo clenched his teeth. He must have bitten his lip too hard, because the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.


    “I still have one more stop to make today… I’ve told you quite a bit, haven’t I? Let’s finish this quickly.”


    The Executioner moved. The wave of mana, far beyond just a pulse, surged like a massive tidal wave down the narrow alley.


    Kang Tae-woo stood between Lee Seung-yeon and the Executioner. Mana. Mana.


    ‘Listen well. When your feet are no longer on the ground, protect your head first, no matter what.’


    Forget those tumbling sses.


    ‘Oppa!’


    So-hee’s smiling face.


    ‘You idiot.’


    No. 12’s sneering voice.


    Of all the things to think about in hisst moments, why did that brat’s annoying facee to mind?


    …I hope he’s doing well.


    Kang Tae-woo tightly shut his eyes.


    Shhhhhh…


    A deting sound is heard from somewhere.


    Tap.


    The sound of a foot kicking against asphalt.


    “Huh?”


    The Executioner’s voice sounded confused.


    “You… What are you?”


    And then.


    “Teacher Woo!”


    Woo Hwi-jae’s voice.


    “Seung-yeon!!”


    “Aunt!”


    Even Hunter Lee Mi-seon had arrived.


    Kang Tae-woo opened his eyes.


    ck sweatpants and a white T-shirt.


    The same back he had seen at school earlier that day now stood tall in front of him.


    “…You?”


    The Executioner hesitated for a moment before moving his hand. But before his mana could even gather, Woo Hwi-jae swung his sword and shattered it.


    “You… Can you see?”


    “What?”


    “You can see, right?”


    “Fuck.”


    Woo Hwi-jae lightly scraped the ground with the tip of his sword. The screeching noise irritated their ears, and before anyone could even realize the sound had stopped, Woo Hwi-jae had vanished from sight.


    There wasn’t even time to blink. In that split second, Woo Hwi-jae had reached the Executioner and swung his sword.


    “Fuck, yeah. I can see, you bastard.”


    The Executioner stretched out his pale hand to block the attack.


    Boom!!!


    *****


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