Etranger

“It doesn’t matter what title you call me by. You’re much greater than I imagined, young friend. Your energy is clear and soft. It’s not angular but very smooth. There doesn’t seem to be any stickiness, so in a word, your foundations are solid! You’re probably already at the third-level of Awakening. Where did a monster like you come from? Which clan are you from? Can you tell me?”

Hanyoung took a step forward.

“I didn’t come from a good school. I taught myself. It’s about time for your food to be served, gramps. Are you not hungry? We’ll be leaving now…” San said as he moved one step to the side.

“I need a lot of swords. They need to be strong yet not break,” Hanyoung said as he took another step forward.

“I recommend the Archon bone as a product. By the way, it’s very expensive. Do you have enough money?” San responded as he took a step back. His heels touched the wall behind him. San’s mouth was slightly distorted.

“Money doesn’t matter. The goods have to be confirmed though. Rumor has it that a Dong-Myung Clan member has already taken some products. What do you say? Can I purchase all of it?”

Hanyoung shortened his stride while taking another step forward.

“Then… how much do you plan to spend?”

San leaned comfortably against the wall and folded his arms across his chest.

“I have to look at the goods first. If it’s genuine, I won’t make you regret selling it to me. I’m from the Han-Sung Clan, so you’ll receive proper payment.”

“Today’s business hours are over. How about coming by during the day tomorrow, when it’s bright? Also, we’ve just arrived in the city. This gramps… you’re so urgent and impatient.”

“Yes, I’m in a rush this time. We’ve just arrived in Porato City in a hurry. Originally, we were hoping to meet you beforehand, but after the Marquis of Norian’s territories, your whereabouts suddenly disappeared. Anyway, I hurried over to meet you today. Even if it wasn’t here, we’d probably be meeting each other elsewhere tonight. Rest assured, we would’ve crossed paths this evening.”

“What if we don’t sell to you?” Biyeon asked Hanyoung with her head slightly tilted to the right. The surrounding people’s eyes focused on her.

Hanyoung also looked at Biyeon with unexpected eyes and opened his mouth. His voice was heavy, “You don’t have to worry about that because you have to sell it to me. Such a cute and strong lady.”

“So, what I’m hearing is that ‘We don’t have the freedom to sell. Pass it over at the price set by the hottest and strongest Han-Sung Clan neighborhood hooligans’, is that correct?”

“I don’t like your style of speech or tone, but the meaning is the same. The price shall be negotiated.”

“You’re not a ‘Philosopher’s Sword’, but a ‘Swindler’s Sword’,” Biyeon said as she covered her mouth and chuckled.

“What rude things this woman dares to say!”

Hanjun and Hanya put their hands on their hilts and stepped forward at the same time. Almost at the same time, San reached forward. Biyeon’s fingers were spread out wide in front of her.

“Stop! Foolish children!” Hanyoung shouted out at his two clansmen.

Hanjun and Hanya turned back in a hurry. Hanyoung’s sword sheath was already in-between both pairs.

San was standing and clenching his fists. Biyeon looked at Hanyoung, shaking her head lightly.

Hanyoung was breathing heavily with his hand outstretched. His eyes were calmly sinking in, but there was a tinge of embarrassment in them. He had almost pulled his sword out of its sheath.

‘What… what were they doing for elder to become so cautious?’ Hanjun thought.

Hanyoung stopped moving and looked at San and Biyeon. He then turned to Hanjun.

“Did you judge that you can handle them with your level of skill and martial prowess?”

“I saw a possibility.”

“Huh- young people…” 

“…”

“It’ll take you at least 10 years to contend against them. Spring chickens!”

Hanjun opened his eyes wide. Hanyoung’s eyes were again turning to Biyeon. He was now completely recalling his aura.

“As you said, the ‘Swindler’s Sword’ seems to be right. The ‘Philosopher’s Sword’ is too much for the likes of me…”

“I should have spoken more respectfully. I apologize,” Biyeon replied.

“Anyway, I would like to discuss and negotiate more today. Please take it as a personal request from me. Will you accompany this old man?”

Biyeon looked at San. He nodded.

“Please enjoy your meal. We’ll be back a little later.”

San gently pressed Yekin’s shoulders, pushing him back into his seat. He whispered in Yekin’s ear, “Do you remember what we said earlier?”

“Huh?”

“No matter what happens…” 

“Yes…”

“I think things have started now.” 

“Okay.”

“I hope you don’t have any doubts. I’m not sure if I can even believe in myself, but…”

San smiled at the three siblings and walked out with cheerful steps. He walked out holding Biyeon’s shoulder tightly. The people standing around stepped back and opened a path.

[They came sooner than I thought.] San said in their non-voice channel.

[It looks like Dite did her job right.] Biyeon responded.

[Did you set the price?]

[If it’s the Han-Sung Clan, they’ll probably pay whatever we ask.]

[Are Archon bones so powerful?]

[It’s worth it. We also experienced its performance and usefulness. Moreover, analyzing Dite’s information, the Han-Sung Clan seems to have been collecting Archon parts for quite some time. She said that they pursued Archon material regardless of the price, so it seems they understand its value and performance.]

The two stood in front of the restaurant under a canopy. In front of them, a thick fog covered the street and rain continued to pour down. The two of them stopped talking in their minds for a moment and stared into the darkness. San lit a cigarette. White smoke rose up. Then, he slowly pulled something out of his pocket.

On San’s cynical face, the light of a cell phone’s liquid crystal display was scattered by cigarette smoke. There was a text message on his phone.

From: Sil & Sul 

To: San Kang & Biyeon Kim

Goal: Mutual Understanding & Cooperation

Reward: Choice of power, army, force, etc. 

Punishment: Mind Swap, Eliminating Summoned, Termination

Next Step: Press the call button in Porato City’s Sirid Square

Episode 2. Book 4: Choice – Chapter 3

“Weird.”

“What is?”

“Why do I feel like something was lifted off my chest?”

“You too?”

“Yes… I was always anxious, but now I feel like I woke up from a dream.”

“Yeah… let’s think things are better. Uncertainty makes people go crazy.”

“…”

The black rain poured down endlessly. Even the water flowing down the canopy was quite strong. Turning her head slightly to the side, Biyeon looked up at the black night sky. The wind scattered her hair, and the raindrops from the wind ran down her face.

Biyeon’s tightly closed lips opened and fluttered. The water, whether it was tears or rain, ran down her reddened cheeks.

“Okay, let’s start round two. These assholes… let’s play until the day this world ends,” San muttered.

Like the day in the pit when the first message came… The two stood tall, staring at the black sky and the wet earth.

For a long time… they stood…

As she entered the restaurant again, Biyeon grabbed San’s hand tightly. San laughed. It was a tragic habit of hers after coming into this world. He couldn’t even remember when it started, but it must have been when she was thinking about something, when something didn’t work out, and when she wanted to check something.

[Do you think well when you hold my hand?]

[It just calms my mind.]

[Brat… You’re very peculiar. What’s there to feel in a rough man’s hand…]

After entering the restaurant, Biyeon was staring at the spots that had previously drawn her attention to. San was also looking at the same places. From the little hand that held his rough hand tightly, he felt a little pressure, like a child’s squirming hand.

“It looks like there’s six…”

“I let out some feelers earlier too… What did you feel?”

“The intensity of the electromagnetic waves reflected and bounced off weakly. But the returning wave strength and pattern were unique. It looks like there’s something else mixed with the reflected wave… something very unpleasant.”

“That's probably the kind that absorbs energy and works with that energy to alter it. It’s activated when certain energy is sensed… it’s like a device that sends a signal somewhere else…”

“RFID?” (Main Radio Frequency Identification: A next-generation recognition technology that manages related information wirelessly by embedding an IC chip. It is widely used in access control systems and electronic billing systems).

San shook his head.

“Perhaps the principle is the same. It doesn’t use radio waves like RFIDs on Earth do, but it certainly reacts to the energy of a living body,” Biyeon explained.

“Of course, They’re monitoring devices.”

“Was it meant to find and track us?”

“Well…”

“I think it’s being used to identify people who have Awakened-level energy.”

“Hmm…”

San looked around again and blinked.

“Restaurants are the only place where various outsiders gather, right?”

“Probably?”

“There must have been a reason to discern someone’s energy level in this public place, right?”

“It should be one of two reasons. Finding people and avoiding people.”

“Would the guy who installed it not only know the intimate details of the human body but also have the ability to implement complex technologies into biological bodies?”

“If that’s the case, then… it narrows down the potential candidates. It’s a god that can use electronic waves freely or Sage’s…”

San looked around again. Biyeon was also carefully looking around. In the eyes of the other people in the restaurant, the two people seemed to be naturally walking around the restaurant, possibly trying to find a seat. Since this restaurant was considered historic…

“What do you make of it? Do you think someone placed it recently?” 

“It’s built into the building.”

“Are you saying that it has existed since the construction of the building?” 

“It’s clearly been here for a while. The surrounding structures and layers… it’s naturally built into the various foundational structures.”

Their eyes, boasting microscopic accuracy, were keenly analyzing certain ‘eyes’ embedded in the ceiling and walls. Smiles that had subsided long ago reappeared on their faces. They were unique smiles, much like those from a year ago, filled with cynicism and tension…