Chapter 702: Soulmate (1)
“If we do well, we can get away with it.”
“What do you mean, Unnie?”
“It’s not like we have to fight like this.”
“What?”
‘What the h.e.l.l is she talking about?’
“It’s going to be hard to sort things out, but I think it’s going to work out just fine. I think Oppa has similar thoughts… He’s already told me that he’s a devil, so after acting to drive him out, he can write an agreement and finish it well. Yeon-soo, can I have some coffee? I’m going to have a drink and call right away.”
“Coffee isn’t the problem right now. What did you just say? I can’t believe you’re letting them go nicely. I don’t quite understand…”
“If what the Blue just said isn’t a lie, we might not have to fight. It’ll just be a waste of manpower. Furthermore, the people gathered here are the people who are truly fighting for the continent. They’re high-level human resources that can be cla.s.sified as top adventurers. That means they’re not out of their minds. They’re the right people to take a big step towards a new continent. Isn’t it heartbreaking what these people are sacrificing? If what they really want is continental prosperity, shouldn’t we say that our interests are in sync?”
“I don’t… really understand how it can be concluded like that. Did we see the same thing?”
“Why does it matter? Am I being weird?”
‘What the h.e.l.l are you thinking, Unnie…’
I had begun getting little gooseb.u.mps behind my back.
‘What the h.e.l.l? Really? Are you sure?’
It all felt so confusing that I couldn’t even find it in me to laugh.
‘What is this?’
There was no shaking in her eyes. It wasn’t a laugh, a joke, or a clever spin.
She had seriously accepted that bullsh*t. She seemed to accept their protection and management and agreed to keep humans on the fence.
‘Are you serious?’
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think like, ‘I thought he was a bit of a jerk, but I didn’t know he was really thinking of us that much.’
“Don’t think about it too complicatedly, Yeon-soo. You don’t have to worry about it that much… Think about it like this. What is more helpful to us, and what brings us more benefit? If you think about it like that, you’ll come up with an answer yourself. I’m not such a bad person. I know what they’re saying is idealistic.”
‘Ideology doesn’t matter anyway, though?’
“I know there are a lot of ethical challenges.”
“So this is… Are you saying it’s profitable? No matter how much profit we’ll gain, this is…”
“What?”
“It’s… I don’t think this is right, Unnie.”
“Yeon-soo.”
“Yes?”
“How was it when you were part of the Black Swan?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you feel free?”
“I’m not sure what answer you want.”
If she had no other intention, I could nod that I was free.
Of course, it was undeniable that there was some control because it was an organization that could be cla.s.sified as a military group.
‘In the past, you said it was especially so.’
I once heard that Jihye had been like that before she was launched.
Discipline was strict, and their level of punishment was high. In fact, it became natural for guild members who damaged the guild to be reported missing or disappear.
There were many things that I couldn’t express in words, and the relationship between the two sides of the guild was thoroughly divided.
The mood of the guild changed after the Guild Master was changed to Park Yeon-joo and, to be exact, after Lee Jihye gained the corresponding power.
The system had indeed changed.
The guild changed so fast that the previous guild members couldn’t adapt properly.
Many expressed concern about radical change, but the new system was perfectly established in the guild.
Like a free atmosphere, the efficiency of work had increased, and it had shut up those who said that they wouldn’t be able to keep up with the Red Mercenary and the Blue Guild.
Yes, I was free to conclude.
Life in the Black Swan made me feel like I had become the main character of a fantasy novel. Even the environment was perfect for such a plot.
When she nodded slowly, Lee Jihye slowly opened her mouth.
“How was it? Was it really free?”
“…”
“Was the guild members of the Black Swan really free? Maybe that’s how you felt?”
“What do you… want to say to me?”
“I’m just saying, let’s think about it. It’s an a.s.sumption that this may be the case. If you make the fence bigger, the sheep might be in it. Oh, sorry, Yeon-soo. I’m not saying you’re a sheep. I didn’t do social experiments with the Black Swan, but it’s not like they don’t make any sense. Of course, there must be a difference of opinion. There must be some ethical lines that we can allow… Essentially, what you need is a compromise, right?”
“…”
“The fence will turn out to be ma.s.sive. The men on the fence will be invisible to us, and mankind won’t even know they exist. We’ll only remember the fact that we won the war. Humanity will be free. We’ll enjoy prosperity and feel safe and free. The resources will never dry up with the strong support of the guardians…”
“That’s ridiculous. That’s nonsense. How can you say that in your right mind? I don’t want to think so, but… It’s not like the Black Swan. Even if Unnie’s system is successful in a simple armed group, you can’t do the same on the continent…No matter how much older you are…”
“It’s impossible on my own.”
“Yes. That’s… that’s… that’s…”
“But it’s possible with Lee Kiyoung.”
‘You… madwoman.’
What more words did I need, considering I even cursed in my heart?
“You’re in the fence, too.”
“No, Yeon-soo. I’ll be up in the heat. Higher than the worker pigeons who built the fence. I’m not the one being dragged around.”
‘She’s crazy. She’s crazy. She’s crazy… crazy.’
I didn’t know why I had been following her until now. In an instant, my head began to get complicated.
I had hoped it was a joke. I didn’t know how she could reach that far after hearing only what the blue angel said in fragments, but I couldn’t stand sudden nausea.
My face that had always fought hard to look cute now naturally looked distorted. My head felt dizzy.
It wasn’t set in stone, but it was also amazing to be able to think such crazy thoughts. It felt like we’re looking at humanity in the long term.
She was clearly looking down at humans other than herself. It’s no different from the angels up there.
‘Do you think you’re superior? You think you’re above the majority of humans?’
I was sure that she had been thinking about it.
Although she wasn’t superior at all, she was a human being who could be superior.
I didn’t know why she came up with that idea, but maybe the environment she lived in on Earth made her like that.
I only heard a little bit, but it was an environment where even I would do that, but even so…
‘It’s hard to understand.’
I had a strange sense of anxiety.
That woman…
I…
What was she thinking?
Perhaps they saw it as a long-term project. Did she really care about me?
Were the sweet words mixed with any sincerity? I didn’t even know if they’re seeing me as just another human.
My voice began to tremble. It wasn’t like me, but I had no choice but to open my mouth.
“Un… Unnie…”
“What do I think of you?”
“…”
“Were you a little disturbed?”
Disturbed or not disturbed wasn’t the point.
“Yeon-soo.”
“Yes?”
“I want you to remember this one thing.”
“…”
“The more the people are like us, the more we care about our own people.”
“…”
“Even if they give us just a third of the continent, I can dare choose you over that, Yeon-soo. No matter how important the cause is, can you trade it for someone you love? No matter how good the pigeons offer, they won’t be like you. For example, if Yeon-soo dies, I might give up.”
“What… What?”
“The ideals, dreams, and ambitions that I have.”
“…”
“I will avenge not only against the parties who did that but the world that made it so. You don’t want that, do you?
“Oh… no.”
“It’s for me, but it’s also for protecting the people I care about. Of course, I don’t know if it’s going to be successful, but I don’t want to see people I care about get hurt. If Yeon-soo gets hurt on the battlefield, I really won’t be able to stand it.”
‘I mean, why do you feel that?’
I was scared to ask.
I didn’t know if she was talking as an equal human being. or if she was looking at me like a pet or an organ.
No, was that even true in the first place? Maybe it’s just sweet words. She had always been a good liar.
Slowly looking into her eyes, an unusual seriousness came into view.
I didn’t even know what’s really bad or good. I was that confused.
There was one thing I was sure of. My face was reflected in Lee Jihye’s eyes. I was smiling with great pleasure.
I was smiling as if I had the whole world.
“My arm hurts. What are you doing? Aren’t you going to break me?”
“Oh, yes.”
It could be an irreversible river that I was crossing. I slowly reached out, thinking maybe I’d regret holding hands with her at that moment.
It was then that I felt a crowd near me.
‘What the h.e.l.l.’
“How can…”
What caught my eye was an angel with brown hair. She was breathtaking because of her beautiful appearance that wasn’t like a human being.
‘How… did you get in?’
How did she get inside the headquarters? What were the guards doing? What about the defense system?
Questions were asked one after another, but no answer was given. It was meaningless to think like that.
My actions were faster than my thoughts. I pulled my weapon out right away.
When I looked back a little, Unnie’s expression of confusion was reflected in my vision. I also noticed a voice muttering with a distorted face.
“It’s a breakdown of negotiations. No… I think it’s more of a question of whether we can live here.”
“I’ll save you, Unnie.”
The woman with brown braids slowly reached out with a sad look on her face. I thought I should block her, but my body wasn’t moving correctly.
“You are a dangerous human being. You shouldn’t exist on the continent…”
“It’s an honor for you to judge me like that. What’s your name?”
“My name is Dominions. Please, please forgive me.”
“Unnie! Run! Unnie!”
“There’s no escape here.”
“Hide behind me!”
“It’s all useless, Yeon-soo. I can see it’s already late. No matter how ignorant I am in combat, I know it’s too late now. Did you say your name is Dominions? More than that, you made a mistake. You’ll probably regret it. You’ll regret your current choice. If your purpose is truly continental prosperity, that is.”
“…”
“I told you, didn’t I? The more people like us, the less likely they will die.”
“Unnie?”
“I really wanted to see the control freak go crazy, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to see that before I leave. Oppa is watching, right? It’s embarra.s.sing to say this between us, and it’s hilarious, but I really loved you.”
“…”
“Half-loved you.”
“…”
“No, was it half of half?”
“…”
“See you in h.e.l.l, my soulmate.”
Weeeeeeeeeeee!
A ma.s.sive explosion soon filled up the entire s.p.a.ce.
“Unnie!!!”
Booooooooooooooooom!!!