Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World Chapter 87

“Kang San, what on earth did you do in your past life? Were you a war hero or something?”

 

“As expected, is that really it? Maybe I was an extraordinary person in my past life…. I’m destined for greatness.”

 

Slurp. Exhausted from working overnight on articles, Kang San answered while sipping milk.

 

On that day, Kang San—who had returned alongside Yoo Hwashin—had also become a sensation among reporters. His personal information was even leaked despite being a regular civilian, causing him no small amount of stress.  

 

“Well, anyway, our Hwashin Hyungnim is back from the dead. I still can’t believe it.” 

 

“So you’re calling Yoo Hwashin ‘Hyung-nim’ now?” 

 

“….I haven’t gotten permission. I’m just calling him that and seeing what happens.”

 

Hanging over the rooftop railing, Kang San looked down at the citizens who looked as small as dots.

 

At least a fifth of those people must have read the article I wrote. 

 

The ‘Interview on Yoo Hwashin’s Return’ written by Kang San recorded an astronomical number of views. It was a short career as a reporter, but he felt it was a record he would probably never be able to break again.

 

“But is it okay to spread information like this? This means that a person who died in a gate can return alive.”

 

“Well, I filtered and wrote the article so it wouldn’t cause any harm to Hyung. I also got it reviewed by the Association, so it’s fine. By the way, did you know our Hyung’s autograph is super cute?”

 

Kang San shook the back of his phone case. On the back, there was a signature drawn by Hwashin, telling him to take good care of him. Thinking of Hwashin, he muttered.

 

“….I hope Hyung-nim’s health is okay.” 

 

***

 

“I’m fine!”

 

I said I’m really fine, guys. Hwa-hin’s shouts didn’t reach them. At the news of Yoo Hwashin’s return, Jeong Mueum, Yoo Jian, and Lee Suho had rushed over in an instant. 

 

It’s been a while, guys.

 

The moment Jeong Mueum saw Hwashin offering a perfectly normal greeting, he froze on the spot. Yoo Jian simply ran forward and pulled Yoo Hwa-shin into an embrace. 

 

Is it really you? Is it really you?

 

He didn’t know how many times he had heard that question. He spent a whole day explaining the reason he was able to return alive. He simultaneously conducted an interview with Kang San, who had attended the occasion with them. Kang San had said next time was fine, but Hwashin asked him to publish the article as soon as possible.

 

The next day, the exclusive interview about Hwashin returning alive made headlines. People cheered, and a few days later, an official press conference was planned.

 

At the Association’s request for a thorough medical examination, since he was a guy who had died and come back anyway, Hwashin visited the hospital Ha Yujin had attended. He hadn’t expected the kids to follow him, though.

 

“Doctor, please take a proper look at this b*stard. Is he really not a zombie? Is he really alive?”

 

“Jian-ssi, please calm down for a moment. And Mueum-ssi, you shouldn’t keep hitting the patient’s head.” 

 

The doctor smiled awkwardly and looked over the freshly printed chart.

 

“There really isn’t anything unusual.” 

 

“There aren’t?”

 

“Rather than nothing… there’s nothing specifically to report except for the issues Hwashin-ssi originally had. You can consider it almost identical to his previous charts.”  

 

“I told you I was fine.”

 

Yoo Jian looked back and forth between the two with an expression of disbelief, but eventually accepted reality. Regardless, the most important thing was the fact that Hwashin had returned alive. No matter how it happened.

 

As they were leaving the hospital, Lee Suho asked.

 

“Then, can people who die in gates now…. return alive?”

 

At that question, Hwashin abruptly shook his head.

 

“That’s not it. I was just lucky. I never even thought there would be a dungeon that resurrects people in the first place. Such a dungeon won’t appear anymore.”

 

There were no dungeons other than Treasure Castle where people returned to life. If they had cleared that dungeon before he died, there might have been no way back. It meant the Unit 1 kids shouldn’t go around dying inside Gates just because he had been resurrected. 

 

“Honestly, I still can’t believe it.”

 

Yoo Jian grabbed both of Hwashin’s cheeks as he walked. His face scrunched up with lips pouting like a pufferfish. He had clearly returned alive, but…

 

She really thought he was dead.

 

That she would never see him again.

 

“Don’t you ever. Ever do that again. Every time we look away, you’re busy causing an accident? It was the same with Freak, and it’s the same now. This happens because you keep trying to solve everything by yourself.” 

 

Not only was experiencing death a first, but receiving such a grand welcome was also a first in Hwashin’s life.

 

“She’s right, Hyung.”

 

—Did she fall for you? Did she?

 

Riel, be quiet.

 

Hwashin gently removed Yoo Jian’s hands and slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

 

“I get it. I’ll try.” 

 

“….This bastard won’t say he won’t do it even if it kills him. Fine, whatever. Let’s move on.”

 

Yoo Jian turned around briskly.

 

Since he’d finished the hospital visit and reported his return, there was only one thing left to do.

 

Having received a day off, Hwashin immediately returned home and took out the item he had brought. To avoid the Association’s confiscation or surveillance, he had told even Cha Jaeha to keep his mouth shut about the item.

 

“Ppii-.”

 

Ppii, jumping onto the bed, craned its neck as if waiting for the item.

 

The object Hwashin took out was a small hand mirror. It had a round shape with a red jewel embedded in the center. Since it was small enough to fit in his pants pocket, Hwashin was able to steal it without much burden.

 

—Why didn’t you hand that mirror over for appraisal? 

 

At the question thrown into the air, Hwashin closed his eyes and replied.

 

“Then there would be no point in stealing it. All appraised items are registered with the Association. Then others would know too. What kind of ability this item has. That defeats the purpose.”

 

—Little mage! That item is considered rare even among us dragons! I wondered which dimension it was in, and it turns out that giant fellow had stolen it! Bah!!

 

—Old man, please be quiet! You shouldn’t interrupt the kids’ conversation!

 

—….Are the dragons bored lately? Why do they keep interrupting?

 

Everyone is enjoying watching your story.

 

“I thought you said it wasn’t a story.”

 

—When you’ve been around for a long time, you sometimes come to accept it that way. Not me, though.

 

It seemed he could see Riel shrugging.

 

Is that so? Replying briefly, Hwashin opened the hand mirror and reflected his face. The day to use this mirror would be in the not-too-distant future.

 

This hand mirror, nicknamed ‘Truth or Truth,’ was an item that literally separated the truth.

 

***

 

The news about Hwashin spread not only in Korea but all over the world, including the US, Japan, and China. An S-Rank, a precious national asset, had died and then resurrected.

 

New York, USA. A steakhouse located across from an MBA store.

 

“Adam, did you see that news?”

 

A deeply excited Nathan stuffed a mouthful of meat into his mouth.

 

“The one about Hwashin coming back alive?” 

 

“Yeah, exactly! That! Hwashin is truly an amazing hero. No, more than amazing, it’s astonishing. How did he return? We both saw him disappear.”

 

“Things that happen inside a gate are always unbelievable. After all, monsters themselves were unbelievable to begin with.”

 

“You always say the right things. But I’m still curious. I want to see him soon.”

 

“Wait a little longer. The summit is coming up soon, so we’ll have a chance to meet them.”

 

“Yeah, you’re right.”

 

Adam and Nathan, who had been with Hwashin, talked about him the entire time they cut their steaks.

 

“A person dying and coming back to life. That’s absurd.”

 

“Korea might be lying. It’s easier than you think to disguise a dead person as alive.”

 

The entire world was flooded with stories about him.

 

At the same time, Hwashin also learned that a summit of nations possessing a certain number of S-Rank heroes or more would be held.

 

‘I’ll have to attend the summit too.’

 

Sitting in the conference room dressed in his formal uniform for the press conference, Hwashin crossed his legs.

 

‘I feel like there will be more talk about gates or dungeons at the summit.’

 

Red Gates and dungeons remained a risk factor. Since quite powerful dungeons still remained even after this. At the same time, what grated on Hwashin’s nerves even more was the ‘blueprint that Heo Mugong possessed.’

 

At that time, at that point, Heo Mugong shouldn’t have had that blueprint.

 

However, he did have it, and he was able to advance the situation even without Kim Daecheol. If it had gone according to the original work, Heo Mugong would have tried to drag Kim Daecheol in somehow.

 

If that’s the case, it means someone other than Kim Daecheol had obtained the blueprint and brought it to him. A person who grasps the characteristics of the dungeon, infiltrates mid-way, and is capable of interfering with him.

 

There was only one person who came to mind.

 

‘With that guy’s abilities, interfering would be possible. He likes stepping forward, but he’s also a guy who doesn’t like losing.’

 

But it didn’t make sense that the guy knew the location where the Red Gate would appear. The only ones who could know the gate’s location first would be the people from the Association.

 

Knock knock.

 

The sound of knocking was heard, and the door opened.

 

“Yoo Hwashin-ssi, are you ready?” 

 

“Yes.”

 

Hwashin stood up while adjusting his tie. The formal suit suited him particularly well today. It was a relief that the body the Origin left behind, though weak, had a good frame. He didn’t feel like he was being outshined even when standing next to the SH1 Unit. 

 

The Association employee guiding Hwashin to the press conference room blushed and opened the door leading to it.

 

“I’m glad you returned alive.”

 

Hwashin turned around with a bright smile.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Camera flashes went off from all directions. It seemed the flashes in the restroom were just a mild taste. Kang San, sitting in the front row, was crying while smiling brightly. He had a runny nose too, so he wanted to wipe it for him a little. All members of the SH1 unit and the Association President attended the press conference.

 

‘The Association President makes me a bit uncomfortable.’

 

The Association President was also present, but the center seat was Hwashin’s. Since it was an occasion to officially prove his resurrection to the world, it was only natural. Cha Jaeha and the Association President sat on either side of Hwashin, and Jeong Mueum and Yoo Jian filled the seats next to them.

 

The questions at the conference went somewhat as expected. He gently deflected questions about the specific reasons for his resurrection, stating they were confidential matters that could not be disclosed.

 

With the closing remarks from the Association President and Hwashin, the conference was about to conclude.

 

“…The Association is truly happy that our hero, Yoo Hwashin-ssi, has returned to us. Not simply as a national asset, but as an individual who serves as a role model for us all.” 

 

You? Yoo Jian let out a small chuckle.

 

“Writing a new history of awakening by rising from F-rank to S-rank, and returning alive from a gate, he is truly walking the path of a hero. Therefore, I propose to him at this moment.”

 

The Association President’s old raccoon-like eyes turned to Hwashin.

 

“I would like to officially hand over the position of Vice Captain of the SH1 unit to you.”

 

Simultaneously with his surprise announcement, another barrage of flashes erupted.

 

“What do you thin—”

 

Before the Association President’s statement could even finish, Hwashin brought his mouth to the microphone.

 

“I refuse.”

 

“….Huh?”

 

“I said I don’t want it. That position.”