Chapter 40
“Did you do something unnecessary?”
Andrei said, sipping his beer.
“Common sense doesn’t change that easily, Boss.”
At Andrei’s words, Mason smiled bitterly.
“Well… Let’s just call it a first step.”
“If there’s time to take the next step.”
“Ugh…”
A wide variety of people wanted to be helped by Mason in different ways.
Scientists from all walks of life were lining up to schedule interviews with Mason, and in the entertainment industry, they were using every connection they could to call on him.
Naturally, the same was true for those involved with players.
Since the superhuman declaration, Mason had been fully booked every hour.
He had to worry about whether he would have time to even participate in a raid, let alone go out on quests in the field.
“Mr. Mason, you’re going to be late for the rehabilitation medicine seminar.”
And managing Mason’s schedule as his manager was Seo Yeonhee.
“Hmm… Okay. Let’s go.”
Mason walked listlessly, like an ox with a ring through its nose.
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The part of the rehabilitation medicine seminar that caught my interest was, of course, the regenerative ability of smart cells.
Mason provided ample samples of smart cells and explained their principles.
Of course, the smart cells themselves could not be replicated.
It was designed for only one person, Mason. Smart cells were programmed to regenerate with Mason’s flesh and bone.
Unless Robert Park came back to life, there was no way to unlock the smart cells and create a new form.
What the scientists wanted to know was the process by which smart cells reconstructed the body.
Seeing a glimpse of 28th-century medicine in the process of omnipotent cells repairing each organ of the body.
That was the approach of modern rehabilitation medicine practitioners.
‘People of the 21st century are wise enough.’
Often the opposite of an intellectual was a barbarian.
But that too is the prejudice of civilized people.
Just because a barbarian lacks knowledge does not mean that he lacks wisdom.
The same was true of modern scientists.
Even though they did not have the knowledge of the 28th century, they had the wisdom to access that knowledge.
After the seminar, Mason left his tired body to the car seat.
“Where to next?”
“Player equipment manufacturers. They were interested in hearing that Mr. Mason wanted to make a different form of equipment.”
“Okay…”
Mason buried himself deep in the seat.
Lecturing was more tiring than fighting.
Unlike short and intense battles, lectures were long and complicated.
Especially when Mason had to explain parts that he didn’t know well himself, his nerves were even more on edge.
This is because the fragmentary information he provides could advance science, and conversely, if the information he provides was wrong, it could distort the direction of scientific progress.
“Would you like a cup of coffee if you’re tired?”
“Do we have time to go to a cafe?”
“No, we’ll pick it up from a cafe on the way.”
“…”
Mason sighed.
“I’d like something so sweet that my tongue goes numb…”
That’s when it happened.
The cell phone in Mason’s pocket rang.
“Who is it?”
Not many people knew his number. Except for Seo Yeonhee’s number.
It was Sung Kijun.
“Leader.”
“…Did you finally decide to believe it?”
Mason smiled bitterly.
“Yeah, that’s right. Anyway, what’s up?”
“Tuesday?”
Mason looked at Seo Yeonhee.
Seo Yeonhee said, still looking ahead.
“We have a talk show and a photo s*oot scheduled.”
Mason said with a casual expression.
“Yeah, I have time.”
“Why the gear? Did you get a quest or something?”
“Okay, got it.”
As soon as the call ended, Seo Yeonhee frowned.
“You do know that we’re canceling all entertainment-related schedules, right?”
“That’s why I canceled it.”
“Mr. Mason, if you want to spread the word about your goals, you need those kinds of events. That talk show was even pre-arranged with the questions.”
“I know. But… I don’t think it’ll be a problem if we push it back a bit.”
Mason said calmly.
“Except for your reputation, Seo Yeonhee.”
“…”
Mason was the center of attention, and everyone wanted to meet him.
And it was Seo Yeonhee who managed Mason’s schedule.
She was gaining her own benefits by arranging and mediating these meetings. Intangible assets of building relationships with celebrities from all walks of life and making them indebted to her for letting them meet Mason.
And Seo Yeonhee was someone who could use even such intangible assets effectively…
She stopped the car.
‘Does she want to start an argument?’
Just as Mason was about to frown.
Someone held out something through the open window.
It was the sweet scent of coffee, so sweet just by smelling it.
Mason reached out and grabbed the coffee cup.
The car started moving again.
“…I’ll cancel the Tuesday schedule.”
It was sweet.
It was sweet coffee, with so much syrup in it.
“…”
Sweet enough to make my mouth tingle.
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Tuesday morning.
When Mason, clad in his armor, arrived at the Holy Knights headquarters, Sung Kijun, also in armor, was waiting for him.
Mason chuckled as he watched Sung Kijun smoking a cigarette, as always.
“You ignored my advice to quit smoking?”
“Of course, I have no intention of living long.”
Sung Kijun crushed the cigarette b*tt in his pocket ashtray.
“Shall we go?”
“Going is fine, but where are we going?”
“To visit a grave.”
“…Aside from the fact that it’s not Chuseok right now.”
Mason tilted his head.
“Is it someone I know’s grave?”
The Holy Knights life that Mason and Sung Kijun had shared, long if long and short if short. There had been no casualties during that time.
There was no way it could be someone both Sung Kijun and Mason knew.
“No, it’s someone you can’t possibly know. It happened before you came to the Holy Knights.”
“…Then why did you call me?”
“Because our guys are either on quests or in the hospital.”
Mason made a hesitant expression.
‘Did he call me because he thinks I have nothing but time on my hands?’
It wasn’t exactly something to brag about, but being called because someone thought he was idle felt strange.
‘But it’s also awkward to brag about taking time out of my busy schedule to come here…’
Mason scratched his head.
“Well, whatever. We’re already here… Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Sung Kijun got into the car.
It was a player transport vehicle, a modified military vehicle that could easily accommodate someone in armor.
“…It’s cramped.”
Of course, it was a cramped vehicle for Mason, a giant in armor, to ride in.
“Bear with it. Or shrink yourself down a bit.”
“Don’t talk like it’s someone else’s problem…”
Mason grumbled as he squeezed himself into the car.
Sung Kijun started the engine.
“So, where are we going?”
“Uijeongbu.”
It was an area adjacent to Seoul, which had now become a demon realm.
It wasn’t strange to see monsters appear there.
“Leader, wouldn’t you be fine by yourself? Unless a raid boss has appeared?”
“It’s not a raid boss. If a raid boss had appeared outside of Seoul, it would have been an emergency in its own right. It’s just an ordinary monster. It’s just…”
Sung Kijun put a cigarette in his mouth.
Click.
He lit the cigarette.
“It’s just a tricky one for me to deal with.”
“What kind of monster is it?”
“My natural enemy.”
Sung Kijun kept his mouth shut, as if he didn’t want to say any more.
If he didn’t want to talk, he wouldn’t talk, that was Sung Kijun, and Mason wouldn’t force him to talk.
Only cigarette smoke and silence filled the car.
“…”
Sung Kijun fiddled with the car audio.
A cheerful opening song came on. It was a disco house genre.
“What song is this? It’s old, but it’s good?”
“What? You think it’s old? ‘ 잘못된 만남 (‘Wrong Encounter’) is a masterpiece, a masterpiece.”
“No… It’s music from centuries ago for me…”
After thinking for a moment, Mason made a subtle expression.
“What year did this song come out?”
“…1995.”
“Over 25 years, isn’t that old even by this era’s standards…?”
Sung Kijun was silent for a moment before saying.
“…At least call it classic.”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s classic.”
At that moment, Sung Kijun chuckled.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I remember how old guys would get angry if you said trot was outdated.”
“You’re an old guy too.”
“Yeah, that’s right. I’m an old guy now.”
Sung Kijun, with a bitter smile, said as if sighing.
“Now… I’ve become an old guy too…”
Sung Kijun’s driving was skillful. Even more so considering the clunky, modified vehicle. It wasn’t his driving that caused the car to become increasingly bumpy, it was because the road conditions were starting to deteriorate.
And that meant… they were slowly leaving the realm of humans and entering the realm of monsters.
In the distance, I saw a flying monster, and I felt a sharp gaze from time to time between the ruins.
The monsters here were ultimately monsters driven out of Seoul.
Most of them hid at the sound of the car, but some monsters watched them intently.
Even if they were strong monsters unafraid of the sound of a car, it was not easy to attack a moving vehicle.
If there was a problem, it would arise after the car stopped.
“We’re here.”
The place where Sung Kijun stopped the car was a villa complex. No, it was a ruin that was once a villa complex.
“Is this a graveyard?”
“You could say that.”
“I don’t see any mounds or tombstones… Are you sure this is the right place?”
“Yeah, this is it.”
Sung Kijun lit a cigarette.
“The place where firefighter Sung Kijun died.”
“…?”
Mason made a puzzled expression.
The next moment, Mason’s eyes changed sharply.
He turned around and reached out towards the car.
Swoosh!
The two-handed hammer that had been in the trunk of the car flew into Mason’s hand.
“Enemy.”
As soon as Mason spoke, a wave of heat approached.
A giant bipedal beast resembling a gorilla or a monkey. Its body was a raging flame itself.
‘A monkey on fire? No, is it a ball of fire in the shape of a monkey?’
It was a monster that even Mason had never seen before.
Based on level, would it be in the mid to late 40s?
It was a high-level monster to be seen outside of Seoul.
But conversely, that meant it was a creature that ruled this area to some extent.
“Let’s get rid of it quickly.”
Of course, it wasn’t an enemy that Sung Kijun couldn’t handle, let alone Mason.
“Since it’s the boss of this area, if we just k*ll it, there won’t be any more to come.”
Mason, speaking confidently, looked at Sung Kijun.
At that moment, Mason flinched.
It wasn’t because of the fire monkey. It was because of Sung Kijun.
“…”
Sung Kijun was sweating profusely and trembling slightly.
Even though he clenched his teeth to stop trembling, his body trembled so much that his sword and shield shook.
Still, he didn’t back down.
But, despite his iron will, he could only barely stand his ground.
“Leader…?”
The fire monkey did not miss the opportunity.
“Roarrr!”
It lunged towards Mason.
At that moment, Mason gritted his teeth.
“How dare you!”
Whizz!
Mason’s two-handed hammer flew towards the fire monkey’s body.
But at that moment…
