Chapter 128
“Then what? should I harshly curse and cast out the one who came back alive? What’s already happened has already happened. Everyone else is already dead… who is there left to blame? In a world like this, it’s unnecessary to argue over every single death. At the very least, shouldn’t we ease the guilt of the one who survived? If they are to go on living.”
There’s no better word for him than insane.
—
[It’s not entirely wrong. The living must live, after all. Or is that not so?]
—
Just because something isn’t wrong doesn’t mean it is entirely right.
You could celebrate his return or accept him willingly as a form of consolation.
But praising the act where ‘everyone else was annihilated’ carried a completely different meaning.
An act for comfort and an act for celebration had different intentions.
It’s the difference between saying something one way or another.
There was no point in continuing; nothing would get through anyway, so I shut my mouth.
Seeing that I had no intention of speaking further, Do Yoseol simply grinned.
“You’re leaving again? It seems our timing never aligns. Perhaps it is fate that God does not watch over us. Or perhaps our destinies simply stand opposed.”
Talking about God, when he doesn’t even believe in one.
If he truly believed, maybe it’d be different. No, I’d still have something to say, but still.
“By the way.”
Do Yoseol blinked as he looked at me, still smiling.
“Was it you, student Muyeong, who planted unnecessary ideas in Mr. Lee Hyun?”
At that question, I frowned and said nothing.
Lee Hoin reflexively tightened his grip on his weapon and stepped forward to block him.
He looked like he was just sitting and asking casually, but his eyes were half gone.
When I first met him, his eyes weren’t that far gone.
Now that he couldn’t even keep them in check, it was obvious he was under pressure.
He didn’t even have the Bible in his hands.
So it was unlikely he had become a “saint” yet.
Most likely… he was just purely insane.
Do Yoseol smiled as he spoke.
“I have no intention of cursing or getting angry. Everyone forms their own faction eventually, and I have not forgotten that such things are part of survival.”
He spoke like a benevolent adult pretending to understand.
“We are all too busy to get angry over such things. If we begin to criticize actions taken for survival, there would be far too many people and things to criticize.”
It was disgustingly unpleasant.
Do Yoseol stood up from his seat and continued:
“What I’m curious about is this.”
He stepped closer, speaking in a low voice like a conspirator.
“How?”
How.
“How do you handle people so well, student Muyeong? Mr. Lee Hyun isn’t completely naïve, you know. And yet, seeing him so easily seek guidance and learning from someone over ten years younger than himself…”
“……”
Even I was surprised by Lee Hyun’s behavior.
Even Lee Hoin didn’t initially see talking with me as “counseling,” but Lee Hyun immediately recognized it as such and responded accordingly.
Maybe it’d be different in the real world, but here I was just a 20-year-old with no counseling license and no related academic background.
For someone like him to seriously seek that kind of guidance from me… that was surprising.
People don’t usually act like that toward someone younger or someone they don’t think they can learn from.
“Of course, Mr. Lee Hyun had a naïve side. But even so, he wasn’t the type to abandon everything and leave like that. So what exactly did you say? What did you do, student?”
Ah, should I not call you a student?
He muttered to himself, getting tangled in his own thoughts.
“Tell me.”
The reason Lee Hyun sought counseling from me and carried out the mission I gave him without question… was less because I was good at it, and more because he himself had the will to change.
And if I really did have that kind of ability…
“How do you manipulate people’s hearts, how do you persuade people so easily…”
“Doctor.”
When I called him that, Do Yoseol raised an eyebrow and tilted his head.
A very approachable gesture.
“If you were in my position, if you knew something like that, do you think you’d share it with others?”
At that, Do Yoseol widened his eyes… and then burst into laughter.
The sound was small, but his whole body twisted as he laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant sight.
After laughing for a long time, he spoke:
“Ah, no. No. Of course not. If it were me…”
Wiping tears from his eyes, he continued:
“If it were me, I would keep it to myself. You’re right, student… no, Mr. Muyeong. Ha, I’ve learned something from you. Isn’t that so? Now I’m no different from Mr. Lee Hyun.”
“…Hey, Nam Muyeong.”
Lee Hoin tapped me lightly, and I frowned, letting out a breath.
Do Yoseol stepped far to the side and spoke theatrically:
“Go ahead. Please, go on. I don’t know why you dislike this place, but seeing you leave, it must not be such a good place after all. Hmm, I wonder what you value. I’m curious. But even if I ask, you wouldn’t answer, would you? Of course not. Ah, of course not.”
We passed by him as he rambled on uselessly.
Lee Hoin held his blade sharply the entire time, as if ready to cut him down at the slightest movement.
Leaving this place was partly because of him.
‘Not like he’d believe that anyway.’
Do Yoseol smiled and said:
“I have another question. What conditions are there to become your companion, Mr. Muyeong?”
It was a pointless question.
I didn’t answer and kept walking.
“Ah, how cold of you. Next time we meet, I’ll make myself more useful, so please reconsider then. I want the ability you possess.”
“Crazy bastard.”
Lee Hoin muttered.
Whether he heard it or not, Do Yoseol murmured:
“If I prove something, then glory will naturally follow, won’t it? I know that much. Will you become my glory?”
He really was insane.
If someone goes mad like that beyond saving, what are you even supposed to do?
We quickly left with Lee Hoin.
From now on, it was best to avoid Do Yoseol as much as possible.
Quietly turning back, we headed toward the car past the tunnel… when suddenly, I heard another set of footsteps.
Lee Hoin immediately shoved me into a recessed part near the tunnel and looked back.
The tunnel, with all its lights off, made it hard to see even an inch ahead.
The sound of footsteps echoed… then stopped.
Then, as if having made up his mind, they started again.
Step. Step.
Step.
Step.
The person walked up, stopped somewhere nearby, and spoke:
“Hello.”
A calm male voice.
It wasn’t easy to tell who it was from that calm tone.
At least it wasn’t Yugil or Do Yoseol.
—
[If it’s not those two, was there anyone memorable here?]
—
A composed voice.
I lightly nudged Lee Hoin… he shook his head.
I hadn’t interacted with others, so I didn’t know… but if even he didn’t recognize it…
‘Who is it?’
Tension tightened around my throat.
The man stood there for a moment, as if thinking, then exhaled slowly.
Whether he deliberately dragged out his breath or it just sounded loud in the silence, I couldn’t tell.
Then he spoke again.
“My name is Kim Taekjin.”
At those words, my grip tightened instantly.
Kim Taekjin? Why him?
I don’t know what signal my silence gave, but Lee Hoin spoke:
“Who’s that?”
“Ah.”
Kim Taekjin hesitated briefly, as if unsure how to explain.
“I was with Mr. Do Yoseol.”
At that, I heard Lee Hoin properly raise his greatsword.
His hostility peaked.
“I’ve heard a lot about you from Mr. Do Yoseol.”
From Do Yoseol?
What did he say?
Something about Lee Hyun?
Or the mart?
What exactly?
“I’m not here to be hostile. Would you be willing to hear me out for a moment?”
If I trusted that silver tongue, I’d be an idiot.
As I listened to Kim Taekjin, I opened the dictionary.
I wanted to check what his actions were around this point.
But what I saw was something else.
—
[Kim Taekjin (□□□□ Benefactor) of the “Ruined World”]
Importance: 4/5
???: 3/5
<Records>
A character whose actions are only confirmed in certain chapters.
Search the chapters below to track his actions.
[‘???’ has exceeded 3. The skill ‘???’ is unlocked.]
[The skill ‘???’ is sealed because ‘???’ has not been identified. It cannot be used.]
[Chapter 20, Information Merchant ▼]
To unlock the skill ‘???’, you must identify what ‘???’ is. But how can you know what it is? Should you simply wait aimlessly until you obtain it?
Now then, for the uncertain you, here is a choice:
[〉 Obtain information. (Requires 6 low-grade story stone)]
[〉 Do not obtain information.]
—
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