Chapter 121: The Unchanging Hero (2)
TL/Editor: raei
Schedule: 5/week, Mon-Fri
Illustrations: Here
Join the discord! Here
After a long time, Han Yoo-jung put on her mask upside down.
She stopped at a secluded harbor and looked out at the dark sea.
A cool, slightly fishy sea breeze brushed her hair.
It was still overwhelming, but she began to sort out her feelings one by one.
It was a goodbye.
To Jung-gyeom, and... her sister Yoo-ra.
Suddenly, she wondered.
What would her sister Yoo-ra say, seeing how she had become a villain?
She felt ashamed to face her sister, who had hoped to become a hero.
Reunion was still a far-off thing... but she already felt ashamed.
But she hoped Yoo-ra would understand.
That she had no other choice. That she would have regretted it either way.
She couldn't bring herself to like the heroes who took Yoo-ra's life.
"....Take good care of my sister, Gyeom."
She muttered to the sea.
At that moment, a low moan came from behind.
Tryno had woken up, affected by the brisk sea breeze.
"....What...?"
Tryno opened his eyes and noticed the handcuffs for ability users around his wrists.
-Click, click.
He shook the handcuffs in panic and exerted force, but, of course, the handcuffs didn't budge.
His eyes wandered and then found Han Yoo-jung.
"....Stella?"
"..."
"You were safe? Where have you been all this time?"
Han Yoo-jung calmly looked at Tryno.
"-I wasn't safe, Tryno."
"......? I don't understand, but unlock these handcuffs first. I remember Luna, but I don't know why I'm like this."
"....I won't unlock the handcuffs either."
"......What?"
Han Yoo-jung felt no particular emotion towards Tryno.
They had never been personally involved, after all.
However, she felt an uncomfortable emotion now.
It was not easy to ignore the desperate face of a former comrade, even if they were a villain.
Han Yoo-jung considered this her karma and accepted the situation.
"Solace is coming."
She said, without further explanation.
Tryno, dumbfounded by her words, tried to suddenly get up from his spot.
But the handcuffs on his ankles prevented that.
Tryno wrestled with the handcuffs again and looked up at Han Yoo-jung.
"Stella...! Why are you doing this! This will kill us both!"
"I know."
"....What?"
"....For his sake, this is what I have to do."
"....What are you talking about...!"
Anxiously blinking, Tryno crawled towards Han Yoo-jung. He begged earnestly.
"Stella...I don't want to end like this. We were comrades...! Let me go just this once...!"
Han Yoo-jung burst into a small laugh.
She said,
"Did you forget our first rule?"
"....Rule?"
"It was to not get close to each other. I'll tell you now... I never once thought of you as a comrade."
".........Stel-"
"-Everything was for him from the start."
Then, a sudden flash of light burst from behind.
For a moment, it seemed as if it had become day.
Han Yoo-jung calmly looked back.
Tryno, crawling on the ground, did the same.
"..."
"..."
Solace looked down at Han Yoo-jung from the air, her eyes shining, her intimidating presence undeniable even without the smile she usually showed to the citizens.
Indeed, Solace was a hero too terrifying to have as an enemy.
"......Did you call me?"
Solace asked Han Yoo-jung.
Overwhelmed by a sudden surge of fear, Han Yoo-jung couldn't say a word.
She just slowly nodded.
She knew.
She had to overcome this fear for Jung-gyeom to be safe.
She was going to say things that Solace wouldn't like, she couldn't afford to be scared.
Solace's glowing pupils scanned the surroundings, exerting an indescribable pressure.
After a while, Solace asked,
"....Where is Dice?"
"...."
Dice.
At that name, Tryno also froze.
He cautiously surveyed his surroundings, realizing the gravity of the situation.
Han Yoo-jung answered,
"Let's talk first."
"Bring Dice. Then we'll talk."
"No? Let's have a conversation first. After that, I'll give you what you want."
Han Yoo-jung was trying not to lose ground in this power struggle.
Like with 'Cant' who had taken her sister Yoo-ra's life, raising her voice wasn't easy.
Yet, for Jung-gyeom's sake, she mustered courage. For his happiness.
Solace stared at Han Yoo-jung for a while, then slowly landed on the ground.
Han Yoo-jung pointed to Tryno.
"...Here, this is Tryno. I'm also the last person of the Villain Alliance you've been looking for."
"Stel-"
"-Stop it, Tryno. It's all over. Stop begging so pathetically."
Han Yoo-jung rebuked Tryno, who was begging until the end.
She didn't want to argue with him anymore.
Even this felt burdensome.
Continuously hearing such words was nothing but annoying.
Solace asked with an unchanged expression,
"Where is Dice?"
"..."
Han Yoo-jung could glimpse, for a moment, Solace's blind love.
Before the regression, and now.
Solace was one of the closest people to Jung-gyeom.
She envied that.
Being able to love Jung-gyeom without any guilt.
Solace might be feeling like hell today, but tomorrow, she would meet Jung-gyeom again.
Their relationship would become close once more.
There was no doubt about it.
"I'll tell you where Dice is. But before that, the Hero Association needs to keep its promise."
"..."
"You agreed to erase Luna's records, right? Delete them and prove it to me."
"....Dice's surrender comes first."
"The Hero Association has been sitting idly until now. Since I've brought Tryno, it's only fair you show some sincerity. How can I be sure you won't go back on your word and leave Luna's records as they are after I surrender?"
Solace remained silent again.
It was impossible to guess what she was thinking.
Despite this, Han Yoo-jung didn't look away or step back.
The mask was a great help in hiding her fear-stricken face.
When Solace didn't respond for a while, Han Yoo-jung provocatively said,
"....Don't you want Dice's location?"
"....Ha."
Solace let out a short scoff and, pressing the in-ear communicator, said,
"...Yes. Tryno and another one confirmed. Please erase Luna's records."
Han Yoo-jung secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
With this, Jung-gyeom wouldn't have to return as Dice when he woke up.
"...No. I will definitely capture Dice. Be ready. Yes."
She waited for Solace's conversation to end, sensing Solace's hatred for Dice in between.
After a few minutes, Solace, who was fiddling with the communicator, said to Han Yoo-jung,
"...It's been deleted. Now, Dice-"
"-Wait."
Han Yoo-jung interrupted Solace and turned on her phone.
She opened the official site to check the villain rankings.
Dice was ranked first.
Tryno was second.
Luna, who would have been third, was gone.
Soon, articles about it started pouring in.
That was enough confirmation.
After checking, Han Yoo-jung turned off her phone and looked at Solace.
Now was the real deal.
Solace was about to hear some infuriating news.
Han Yoo-jung quickly said,
"Dice is dead."
Solace's expression hardened, and her eyes widened.
"....His last wish was for Luna's records to be erased. Other villains joined forces to take him down."
Han Yoo-jung was well aware of the flaws in her lie.
Her very existence was one such inconsistency.
She didn't know how Solace would take her own surrender.
Furthermore, the idea that Dice was killed by other villains was something Solace, who knew firsthand how strong he was, would hardly believe.
Dice had single-handedly defeated Tryno, Liquid, and Stingshot.
It was unlikely any villain could take him down.
But it didn't matter if Solace didn't believe her.
She knew what Solace's goal was, and she could provide a resolution for it.
".....Are you messing with me right now?"
Solace asked with wide eyes.
Han Yoo-jung, feeling her blood run cold, met her gaze.
"No. I'm serious. Dice is dead."
"Show me the body then, before spouting that nonsense...!"
"...He fell into the sea. You won't find the body."
-Boom!
Solace kicked the ground and closed the distance instantly.
Before Han Yoo-jung could react, she was grabbed by the collar.
She saw Solace's enraged face up close.
She was afraid her agitation would show.
"Stop spewing nonsense. Bring Dice. Now."
Han Yoo-jung glanced at Tryno next to her.
-Thud!
As Han Yoo-jung's gaze shifted, Solace kicked Tryno, who was crawling on the ground.
Bound by handcuffs and defenseless, Tryno was knocked out by Solace's kick.
"What are you looking at? Answer me before you end up like him. Where is Dice?"
But this, too, was orchestrated by Han Yoo-jung.
Tryno couldn't be allowed to hear this conversation.
Whispering, Han Yoo-jung said to Solace,
"............You're looking for Jung-gyeom, aren't you?"
"................."
Solace's eyelids fluttered.
A fleeting longing and sorrow filled her eyes, a desperate sadness as if she was about to burst into tears.
".....You....that name...."
"Jung-gyeom is safe."
"............."
"Go to his room tomorrow. He will be back completely. Both his body and mind will be as before."
Although she was certain about his body being the same as before... as for his mind, in truth, Han Yoo-jung couldn't be sure.
Honestly, she hoped he would feel a bit of pain for her.
It was selfish, but she hoped he would miss her.
Solace's intensity gradually faded.
After Jung-gyeom's name was mentioned, the once ferocious hero seemed to vanish.
Han Yoo-jung seized the opportunity.
"It's a no-lose situation, right? Even if you catch Dice, you can't be sure Jung-gyeom will come back. But I can assure you, you'll see Jung-gyeom again from tomorrow. If my words are lies, then feel free to torture or kill me later... do as you please."
".....Oppa's coming back?"
So she calls him oppa.
Han Yoo-jung swallowed her thoughts.
She nodded, affirming Solace's words.
Solace stared at Han Yoo-jung for a long while, pondering, then finally averted her gaze.
Pressing the in-ear microphone, she reported to the Hero Association.
"....I'm going back. And I'm taking Tryno and the last member of the Villain Alliance with me."
Han Yoo-jung secretly let out a long sigh.
It's over.
It's finally over.
As long as Jung-gyeom doesn't think of surrendering himself again tomorrow, everything will be tied up.
She hoped his lingering attachments would hold him back.
It would be painful, but she hoped he'd come to terms with reality.
".....Ah."
It was only then that Han Yoo-jung realized her hands were trembling.
The thought of going to prison was frightening her now.
She felt like she could collapse.
The heavy reality of spending the rest of her life locked up in prison was finally setting in.
She was afraid of many things.
She would have to live among the already imprisoned violent villains.
She would never be free again.
She wouldn't be able to visit beautiful places in the world, enjoy delicious food, or find the happiness she wanted.
.........And she'd never see Jung-gyeom's face again.
What would Jung-gyeom say if she said she didn't want to go to prison anymore?
What should she do if she admits she still has attachments to the world?
Solace continued her communication on the side.
"....We'll continue to track Dice. For now. No, I won't give up, so just know that."
As she said this, she slowly took out handcuffs from her pocket.
Solace gripped Han Yoo-jung's wrist.
After hanging up, Solace said to Han Yoo-jung,
"...I hope your words aren't lies."
"..........."
Solace lifted the handcuffs slightly.
Han Yoo-jung closed her eyes tightly, whispering to herself,
......Gyeom.
-Whoosh!
A sudden gust of wind blew.
Han Yoo-jung waited for the cold touch of the handcuffs on her wrists, but nothing happened.
".....?"
When Han Yoo-jung timidly opened her eyes, she saw a small dice.
The number showing was 3.
"Haah....Haah..."
At the same time, the rough breathing of a man could be heard.
As Han Yoo-jung lifted her head at that familiar sound, black mist was dispersing.
And in the center, Jung-gyeom, wearing a mask, stood.
He had somehow taken the handcuffs that should have been in Solace's hand.
Solace, unfazed, said,
"...You couldn't have died."
Han Yoo-jung murmured in astonishment.
Her trembling hands stopped.
Selfishly, her fear vanished.
"....How....?"
Jung-gyeom quietly looked at Han Yoo-jung, then turned his gaze to Solace.
".......Let her go."
The voice of Dice, altered to sound mechanical.
"....Nonsense."
Solace retorted.
Hatred began to smolder again in her eyes.
Dice couldn't meet those eyes directly.
He averted her gaze and frowned.
After a long moment of contemplation with his eyes closed, he finally opened them and said,
".....Bom."
Solace's grip loosened.
She let go of Han Yoo-jung's wrist.
".................What?"
Jung-gyeom continued,
"....Let her go."
R𝑒ad lat𝒆st chapt𝒆rs at f(r)eew𝒆bnov𝒆l.com Only