“Of course, I should only trust and follow my older brother.
Aren’t you the only one who has taken care of me?”
“Haha, that’s right. Isn’t it great to be obedient and
grateful like this? It’s different from that arrogant kid who doesn’t
appreciate the favor he received.”
“We should teach that kind of person a lesson so that he can
never crawl back up again.”
It was a cheap conversation that sounded like third-rate
gangsters talking in a back alley.
Jin-woo realized that they were talking about him and barely
held back his laughter while clenching his fist.
He couldn’t believe that this was the outcome of not handing
over the energy stone. Furthermore, why was his senior standing by Gilbert
during the short interval?
On top of the stress he had already accumulated from fighting
against a large spider, swarms of bees, and money problems, he now had to deal
with the malice of these insignificant punks.
“Of course. It’s better to make sure he can never crawl back
up again.”
“Brother, what do you mean...?”
“It’s like this.”
“Isn’t that a point card? How do you have two or more of
those...?”
“I picked it up on the field. I got lucky.”
Gilbert shook the cards, laughing maliciously.
“Sometimes there are guys who just disappear after leaving
only their point cards behind. They’re going to be reported missing anyway, so
why not let someone else use them?”
“Indeed, that’s true! But didn’t you also say that it acts as
an identification card? It would be difficult to use it recklessly.”
“Tsk, who do you think you’re talking to? Are you saying I
don’t know that much?”
“I’m sorry! I was just...”
“Fine, do you want to know? I’ll explain it to you once.”
“Yes, sir!”
Gilbert cleared his throat noisily and began to explain in a
measured tone.
“In each city, there are gangsters who manage the factory
districts. They operate point exchange offices, which you can use. The
commission is ridiculously expensive, but they’ll exchange your cards without
any questions, no matter how many you bring.”
“I see! So we can also handle things we don’t want to carry
around?”
“Hahaha! Anyway, you understand things quickly. Those places
are good for handling things that could become troublesome later on. Like this
one that I got as a ‘gift’.”
“A jackknife...is it? It looks nice at first glance.”
They laughed and giggled among themselves for a while. They
had no idea that someone was eavesdropping on them from the rooftop.
I had a bad feeling from the beginning, but it turned out
to be worse than I thought. The senior decided to stick with that kind of
person...
The gloomy voice boasted about things they had “luckily” and
“accidentally” obtained.
No matter how nicely they wrapped it up as a “gift,” it was
clear that it was obtained through harming others.
“I’m going to take care of that little bastard today too.
Honestly, there’s not much to gain, but the kid is just too annoying. You can
use this time as practice. If you do well, I’ll give you a fair share.”
“Please tell me what to do!”
“Well, first...”
***
Thunk. Thud!
After the two people went back into the train.
“...You bastards.”
Jin-woo vented his suppressed anger and sat up straight.
Sparks flew around him, but he didn’t even notice as he
ranted on.
He was feeling both angry and incredulous upon realizing that
the person he met for the first time yesterday harbored clear malice towards
him, and that the cause of this malice was so trivial. Moreover, he was baffled
by the fact that a senior who had no reason to actively participate in this was
involved.
“He seemed to have regained his senses enough to speak,” he
thought, but if he was willing to do this despite that, then that must be the
person’s true nature.
Furthermore, even if the other person himself didn’t realize
it, didn’t it seem like he was trying to kill Lee Jin-woo twice?
“Heh,” Lee Jin-woo sighed, roughly washing his face with both
hands in frustration.
Since waking up in this strange world, the chaotic situations
that came his way had swept away him. Although it was burdensome, thanks to
Cliff’s kindness, he was able to relax somewhat. He might have even secretly
thrilled at awakening to his unbelievable power.
My mind seems to clear up a bit thanks to those bastards.
Being cautious of humans was more important than being wary
of creatures like large spiders or bees that charge at you, as the latter were
more predictable in their actions. Humans, on the other hand, could be
deceitful, smiling at you one moment and then stabbing you in the back when you
least expect it.
This was the truth of life that he, a helpless orphan with
nowhere to turn, had personally experienced through all kinds of hardships.
Due to experiencing many unrealistic events, he had become
complacent, but it was no longer a situation where he could afford to be.
Who should I ask for help? Cliff?
He doubted the other would believe him just because he told
him what he had heard. He wasn’t sure how long Cliff and Gilbert had known each
other, but the two were still colleagues at the moment.
It was more likely that Cliff would side with Gilbert rather
than someone he had only met two days ago.
But telling a security agent probably won’t do any good.
Although he hadn’t fully grasped all the societal systems,
common sense, and ethics of this world yet, there were certain things that
could be easily deduced from a few clues.
And the biggest thing Jin-woo felt was that this society
didn’t seem to respect the rights of 1.5-generation individuals.
Discrimination based on the method of reincarnation, and not
treating them as proper human beings until they gain citizenship.
Reporting that his life was in danger might not even be given
a second thought.
Or they might just kick everyone out of the train for causing
a disturbance.
Under these circumstances, he had to solve his own problems
himself.
And if someone was targeting his life, the conclusion that
Jin-woo came to was that he had to completely uproot them.
The problem is how to handle it...
It’s 2 against 1.
Of course, the senior guy wasn’t much of a worry, as he was
always weak even in his past life. Plus, Gilbert was injured.
However, it wasn’t going to be easy to deal with, as Gilbert
seemed tough enough to withstand anything and had been living as a Roamer for
quite some time.
Pshh!
“...”
Jin-woo’s ability wasn’t to create electricity out of
nothing, but rather the power to manipulate and amplify existing electricity in
the surroundings.
And due to the nature of electricity, it was easier to
maintain and control the current if there was a medium with high conductivity.
Using an electric fly swatter was the most effective, and a
blade wasn’t bad either.
But now, both were returned to Cliff.
I need to get even a simple weapon when I got the chance.
The problem was that there were two people trying to kill him
right now.
How much power could he exert without a medium?
If only he had something like rain, he could even summon
lightning, but he didn’t have the skill to make it rain.
Tang!
Lee Jin-woo slammed the floor in frustration.
“...”
It didn’t take him long to realize that the floor was made of
metal.
***
“The train is departing!”
After the conductor’s announcement, the train jolted and
quickly left the makeshift station.
As Lee Jin-woo sighed while watching the scenery outside the
window whiz by, his companion Cliff asked him worriedly, “What’s wrong? You don’t
seem to be eating much dinner.”
“No... I’m just tired from work during the day,” Lee Jin-woo
replied vaguely.
“Haha, you seemed fine earlier, but now it looks like you’re
finally relaxing. Don’t worry, nothing will happen until we arrive at the next stop.
Rest easy.”
“Thank you,” Lee Jin-woo said, though he was really troubled
by what was about to happen.
As expected, Gilbert didn’t show up at the drinking party,
using his injury as an excuse, and his senior was the same.
No one cared about this, except for Lee Jin-woo, who was
concerned about their next actions.
“...”
Before long, darkness fell outside the window, and within the
train, only the sound of snoring could be heard intermittently.
Perhaps it was because they had all drunk too much, so they had
fallen into a deep sleep not long after.
In what seemed to be a peaceful space, Lee Jin-woo waited,
senses on edge, for Gilbert to make a move.
Thump, thump...
How much time had passed like that?
Lee Jin-woo felt the approaching presence of someone, who was
looking at him openly.
A security officer, who had just patrolled the area they were
in, left.
The other was probably waiting for this moment.
“Hey, can we talk for a moment?”
“I have nothing to talk to you about.”
“Ha! This guy’s really gone off the rails now.”
For Lee Jin-woo, who had lost any reason to respect Gilbert,
it was a natural attitude, but Gilbert’s blood pressure quickly rose and his
face turned red. He looked around and lowered his voice.
“Stop being cocky and follow me while I’m still saying nice
things... if you don’t want to die, that is.”
“......”
Gilbert spoke with a sneer and pressed a jackknife against
Lee Jin-woo’s neck.
...Should I just leave it alone?
Although a strong impulse to fight back arose, if you were to
pick a fight here and cause a disturbance, you might get away with it for now,
but ultimately, you would be attacked again.
Jin-woo stood up determinedly because he thought it would be
better to openly follow someone who was behaving in a noticeable way.
Gilbert, who thought he was nervous, followed confidently
behind Lee Jin-woo and pushed him out of the train car.
If they went out like this, the senior who was waiting
outside would join forces and throw Lee Jin-woo out of the running train.
It’s a sloppy plan, but if I panic, I could end up in a
bad situation...
Then the answer was to surprise the other person in turn.
He won’t be able to stab me because of the watching eyes
inside the train.
Lee Jin-woo, who had made up his mind, pushed Gilbert boldly
and ran out first.
Thunk!
“What is that...!”
As soon as he opened the door, the senior who had been
waiting was startled and stumbled over his words.
“Uh, what?!”
Jin-woo quickly climbed onto the train, passing by a
dumbfounded senior who was asking a foolish question in reaction to the
unforeseen turn of events.
“Why are you just standing there?! Grab him!”
Despite being unable to use one of his arms, Gilbert chased
after Jin-woo at an incredible speed while shouting in a subdued voice.
“Ugh, you’re so annoying to the bitter end... But why are you
just sitting there after barely escaping? Ah, you’ve realized it too? That
you’re a mouse trapped in a cage. Why, are you going to kneel down and beg
now?”
“Really...”
“Really what? Did I say something wrong? Or are you finally
asking for forgiveness?”
“You talk too much.”
“What?”
Gilbert was taken aback by Jin-woo’s attitude, who didn’t
seem to be intimidated at all. He looked into Jin-woo’s eyes, hoping to find a
hint of fear or doubt, but the guy in front of him remained unflinching.
Although he knows how to defend himself against bees, he
is still a novice in this area and has much to learn.
In the end, Gilbert concluded that Jin-woo was just making
one last show of bravado and raised the corners of his mouth.
“You arrogant brat. I never liked that look in your eyes from
the beginning.”
“Does that give you a reason to kill someone?”
“What else won’t work out? Life is a long journey, and if
it’s going downhill, it’s better to be grateful for someone who kindly cuts it
off here.”
“What?”
“Losers like you don’t have any special talents or
abilities... You’ll just live like a cockroach, unable to receive human
treatment like a 1.5 generation.”
“Are you not also part of the 1.5 generation?”
“I’m different! I know how to live life comfortably. If you
had been respectful to me from the beginning, you would have seen my virtues...
like that guy over there.”
Thunk!
Although he already had sensed it, Jin-woo looked back behind
him.
There, a senior who had climbed onto the roof through the
opposite entrance stood with a stern face.
“Don’t be too upset. Do you know? If you die this time, you
might be born in a better world than this,” Gilbert said.
“Have you killed people with that kind of thinking until
now?”
“Ugh, how do you even know that... Anyway, I can’t let you
live.”
“...”
Jin-woo looked at Gilbert, who was laughing and speaking,
with cold, sunken eyes.
