MNP Ch12

“You traitor bastard! You, you…!”

“You.”

I didn’t expect you to come…

As he finished the stuttering words, the face of the man held by Eden contorted hideously. Tremendous pressure gripped the man’s temple. Fingers lightly dug into the skull. The sound of bones distorting and a scream burst out as if choreographed. There were already four corpses strewn about the room. Eden, who had thrown the fifth corpse to the floor, shook off his hands caked with blood. Then he reached into the vests the corpses were wearing as if coordinated. He was able to find what he wanted from the third corpse. Eden found a neatly folded stiff paper and held it up alongside the note obtained from the previous plains.

[Hoshinwan 32.13.29]

It was the same content. Eden, who crumpled up the note, took out a small badge from his chest and carelessly tossed it onto the corpse. The badge with the emblem of ‘Mode’ engraved in intaglio rolled onto the corpse’s chest.

Eden wiped the blood from his hands in the bathroom, glancing at the iron door Seokha had crawled out of. He was more skilled than he looked, so he must have escaped successfully. Aside from constantly looking for a chance to run away, he was more satisfactory than expected. It was a troublesome but precious opportunity that had fallen like a gift. There were things he needed to experiment with.

The gauze Seokha had diligently applied was stained red with blood splatters on his face. When he removed the gauze, the long scratch from last night had vanished, revealing smooth cheeks. Eden took out a small knife from his chest pocket and made a long cut on his cheek. Even with the deep wound from which blood dripped, his expression didn’t change. After roughly wiping the blood, Eden rummaged through the cupboard and tore off some gauze he kept for emergencies, fixing it in a similar position.

Leaving the bathroom, Eden slung one of the remaining bags over his shoulder and grabbed the grocery bags he had bought. He opened the window with a little force, and the joint snapped off. The building was slowly becoming noisy due to the intruder who had broken in during the early hours. Eden threw himself out the window. It was time to catch his companion.

***

“So you’re going to the desert? You’re fearless.”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Something to brag about.”

Seokha grinned, and the bearded man sitting across from him laughed heartily. The bearded man had finished his plate long ago but didn’t leave, continuing his conversation with Seokha. Seokha ate the food, which wasn’t as good as yesterday’s but still had a unique flavor, and listened to the bearded man’s self-praise, pretending to be interested.

Opening the bag to see what kind of gun was inside was just simple curiosity. When Seokha saw the bundles of money in the small pocket inside the bag, he couldn’t close his gaping mouth after clumsily counting the bills. It was enough money to buy dozens of the bracelet Eden had bought him yesterday. With this much, he could probably get to the desert, right? The concept of money was always foreign to the Alma Tribe, who exchanged blood and goods. Seokha walked to find a restaurant with lighter steps. He had eaten so much yesterday, but he was starting to get hungry again.

However, what Seokha overlooked was that he didn’t know the price of the bracelet was enough to live comfortably for a month in any village.

Confirming that there was Blue Land food on the standing sign, Seokha entered the restaurant in front of him. As soon as he ordered, customers flocked in, and he unexpectedly ended up sharing a table with the beard. The greetings that started with a few words quickly turned into a noisy conversation. Unlike his older appearance, the bearded man was Seokha’s age.

The bearded man was proud of his job delivering fabrics to villages near the desert. Every time he passed through violent hunter-infested areas and approached villages inhabited by the Alma Tribe, where the land and air were dangerously polluted, his heart pounded with anxiety and excitement. It felt like he was on the periphery of a hero’s story, even if he was just a supporting character. So, when a handsome friend of his age who happened to join him at the table showed interest in the desert, he excitedly told his story.

“If you really want to go, I can give you a ride on the way.”

“…Really?”

“Well, it’s kind of boring on the way. It’ll take quite a while because of work, but if you’re okay with that.”

Seokha would gladly kiss the past version of himself who chose this restaurant.

“I’m a hard worker. I don’t mind anything.”

“I don’t need a slave. But it could be dangerous. The rumors around that area aren’t good these days.”

The bearded man lowered his upper body, looked around, and whispered. Seokha put down his spoon and fork and listened intently. The bearded man’s face lost its smile, and Seokha’s expression also hardened.

“These days? Why?”

“Ah, well. There’s talk that the Alma Tribe are preparing for war.”

“The Alma…? War?”

Seokha frowned and racked his brain. Weapons that barely functioned, food that could barely be eaten on trade days. The Alma Tribe weren’t a race that could wage war. Even if all the desert Alma Tribe villages were gathered, it wouldn’t make sense… Seokha was sure it was a false rumor.

“From what I know, the Alma Tribe aren’t easy to deal with. Is it because they live on barren land? Well, you won’t meet them if you just go near the area. Just listen to me.”

“I see. You’re reliable.”

Seokha, who grew up in barren land and had a temper that wasn’t easy to deal with, let out a weak laugh.

When Seokha paid for the bearded man’s meal as well, the bearded man completely regarded Seokha as a friend. He must be a son from a wealthy family who was tired of a mundane and uneventful life and wanted to dabble in dangerous things, and there was no reason not to help him. He was already having a hard time with work because of the unsettling rumors, so if he became close with him, he might have a place to rely on.

Leaving the restaurant, the two headed to his car. The man happened to be visiting the village for a short time and was planning to leave right away. Seokha felt like he was being instantly rewarded for the difficult days with Eden. Because the back seat was full of fabric, Seokha hugged the bag and climbed into the narrow passenger seat.

“Are you going to ride with the bag? It must be very precious.”

“Not really…. I just feel more secure holding it.”

The heavy bag was so big that it blocked Seokha’s view. Wasn’t it uncomfortable? The bearded man saw Seokha holding the bag preciously and started the car without saying anything. As they were leaving the village, a familiar truck narrowly missed his car. The beard swerved abruptly because of the truck speeding through the alley without slowing down.

“What kind of driving is that?”

“…I know.”

Seokha immediately lowered his head. He slammed his forehead hard against the metal inside the bag when he ducked his head quickly, but he couldn’t lift his head. After the truck passed, Seokha checked behind him in the side mirror. Confirming the fruit piled high in the truck bed and Eden’s now-only bag, Seokha cheered inwardly. Goodbye. You nuisance.

The bearded man said he had to stop by the market for a moment to buy something. After parking the car near the market he had wandered around yesterday, the man quickly disappeared into the crowd, telling Seokha to look around. Seokha hesitated about getting out, then decided to buy a few Blue Land fruits and stuffed the bag on the floor. He thought the money left over from the restaurant would be enough. He pushed through the crowd to find a fruit store and entered the store right in front of him.

“Sell it as cheaply as possible. You know how precious it is, right?”

“Do I?”

He had felt it when paying at the restaurant, but Blue Land food was more than twice as expensive as the food the bearded man had eaten. But Seokha, who was unfamiliar with the denominations of the bills, readily chose the fruits recommended by the store owner and paid. The store owner’s face brightened as he sold the Blue Land fruits that weren’t selling well because of the high price. Money was a good thing. It was the moment Seokha was melting into capitalism.

As Seokha came out with a bag full of the things the owner had packed, the bearded man was walking from the opposite side. The man, who was carrying car fuel, waved his hand when he saw Seokha.

“What did you buy?”

“A few fruits.”

When Seokha opened the bag and showed it to the bearded man, the man’s mouth dropped open.

“Blue Land? Wow, you must have a lot of money?”

Was it that expensive? Seokha carefully closed the bag. At this rate, it wouldn’t take long to squander Eden’s money. The man and Seokha took some time to look around and walked to where the car was parked. It didn’t seem possible to ride with the fruit as well, so Seokha put it in the back seat and got into the passenger seat again, hugging the bag.

“Now we’ll drive straight and arrive in Gohon around evening. There’s a delivery shop there.”

“Okay. Tell me if you’re tired. I can drive.”

“I’ve got a good assistant.”

The man smiled contentedly and started the car. Eden’s route and the man’s route were the exact opposite, so once they left this village, he would never meet Eden again. Maybe it was God’s mercy that he had suffered for a while to give him this bag as a gift. Seokha felt like the vast desert was already unfolding before his eyes.

The car, which had turned through the alley and left the village, entered the plains at the entrance. People became scarce, and only the sound of the engine could be heard. The bearded man opened his mouth, thinking of building more rapport.

“Do your parents know you’re going to the desert?”

“My parents?”

Seokha hesitated for a moment. Should he say he had them? The person Seokha considered a parent was Teacher, at best. Or maybe it was everyone in the village. His mother was sacrificed to a hunter while on a trade mission, and his weak father took to his bed and died a few months later. Seokha was a child who survived thanks to the kindness of the villagers. If it hadn’t been for the spear that shattered the head of the hunter who grabbed Seokha’s neck that day and was stuck in the sand pit, Seokha would have been barely alive today, sucking blood.

“…Yeah. They probably know roughly.”

There was no need to tell the truth. There were countless children who grew up without parents in the village.

“Ugh. You left without telling them, didn’t you? Don’t cause them trouble and turn back after taking one step.”

“Now that I’m going to the desert, I have to see it properly.”

“Geez. You won’t even be able to get in. Do you have a gas mask?”

“Of course.”

Seokha tapped the bag. He had prepared thoroughly. The bearded man laughed as if he was dumbfounded. He probably couldn’t imagine that Seokha had a gas mask built into his body. Seokha, who was acting like a passionate young traveler, had a confident expression.

As they shared trivial stories and drove through the deserted plains, the bearded man frowned.

“Ah, not again.”

“Why?”

The bearded man checked the side mirror a few times and shook his head.

“It’s been following me since earlier. That truck.”

“…Truck?”

Seokha reflexively turned around. Because the back seat was full of fabric, a very familiar truck caught Seokha’s eye as he leaned out the window. The truck, speeding furiously, seemed like it would overtake the car the beard and Seokha were in at any moment.

There’s no way it would come this way… Seokha suddenly felt the weight of the bag on his lap become infinitely heavy. Was it because of this bag? His fingers tapped on the bag. Seokha wondered if Eden would quietly accept it and leave if he threw this bag away. He didn’t think so.

“Let’s go faster. Can’t you go any faster?”

“Uh…? No? This is the maximum.”

The bearded man said in a flustered voice. Right. This small car didn’t seem like it could go any faster than this. Seokha, who had become anxious, couldn’t even look back at the truck that was right behind him. The guns in the bag were difficult to use right away because Eden had disassembled them all. Seokha, who was about to use his own gun that he had carefully packed, didn’t hesitate to put his hand in his pocket when the truck showed signs of coming around to the back seat.

“Wh-what? What is that!”

The bearded man, who suddenly turned to look at Seokha, was horrified by the gun in Seokha’s hand. Seokha wasn’t confident that he could deal with Eden with the six bullets left in the revolver. If Eden was a Nute, this revolver would be no different from a toy gun, so he was planning to aim for the wheels like before.

At that moment, in the bearded man’s mind, Seokha was demoted from a place to rely on to a pit that would lead him to hell if he stepped on it. A crazy person who would pull out a gun for reckless driving. As he crossed the continent, there were bound to be people who drove like the truck was doing now. The beard, who lived a peripheral life, was committed to living a smooth life while avoiding seeds that could lead to conflict.

“Hey, hey. I’m just kidding. Leave it alone.”

“I don’t think so.”

As Seokha leaned out the window, the bearded man hurriedly grabbed the steering wheel with one hand and pulled on Seokha’s shirt with the other.

“Are you crazy! What are you doing!”

“Let go.”

The bearded man began to regret like crazy the past that had put Seokha in the car. He didn’t know if Seokha could kill a few people and live normally, but he couldn’t.

“Let go of what! What are you trying to do! Aaaah!”

A bang was heard, and the man’s car spun around. The man, who was holding the steering wheel tightly and crouching down, realized with a dizzy mind that the truck had rammed into the back seat. Seokha was also rolling around in the narrow passenger seat.

“What day is it today…?” The bearded man muttered, immediately getting out of the car. He intended to see the face of the crazy bastard who had hit his car. A man got out of the truck, which had been turned off with a decisive click.

“Who the hell…! How could you just hit a car like that…?”

The bearded man couldn’t finish his sentence. The man who calmly got out of the truck and walked towards the car was not of ordinary build. The top of the bearded man’s head barely reached the other man’s shoulder. Intimidated, the bearded man shut his mouth tightly. The man strode towards the passenger seat.

At that moment, Seokha was busy picking up the gun that had flown to the driver’s seat. His arm couldn’t reach because of the bag on his lap. As he was bending down, the passenger door opened.

“Wait a minute. Let me just pick this up.”

“Pick up what?”

“My gun…”

Seokha’s voice shrank at the familiar voice. His lap felt lighter. Eden slung the bag he had lifted onto his shoulder and casually rested his arm on the car.

“Take your time.”

Seokha blinked silently, then slowly picked up the gun and placed his hands neatly on his lap. When Seokha awkwardly looked up at Eden, he kindly bent down.

“How… what a coincidence to see you here…”

“Indeed. It must be fate.”

“Ah. Fate…”

“We. Seems like we have a lot to talk about.”

Eden turned his body so that Seokha could get out. The gap was so narrow that Seokha hunched his shoulders as he got out, practically being embraced by Eden’s chest. He quickly escaped the gap and met the eyes of the bearded man, who was staring blankly at them. Eden opened the passenger door of the truck. Seokha quickly climbed in. Judging by the bearded man’s condition, their companionship seemed to end here. Eden closed the door after confirming that Seokha was sitting quietly.

The bearded man watched the man walking towards him and helplessly dropped his tightly clenched hands. He didn’t know what the relationship between Seokha and him was, but judging by how docile Seokha became as soon as he was caught, he knew he was dealing with a crazy bastard. The man, now just a step away, opened the bag that Seokha had run away with.

“Eek…”

He wondered what was so precious inside that he was holding it so tightly, but the bag was full of guns. They were disassembled, but anyone could tell they were weapons. Seokha was neither a rich kid nor a traveler. Carrying guns around like that without even a case, he must be out of his mind. The bearded man wanted to run away while the man was rummaging through the bag, but his cowardly feet were stuck to the ground.

“Is this enough?”

Contrary to the expectation that he would point a gun at him, the man took out a wad of cash and held it out.

“For what…?”

“For the car repair. I’m not good at driving.”

The bearded man, who dazedly received the money the man offered, had long been overloaded by the overwhelming situation. As soon as the man handed over the money, he turned around and headed for the truck. The bearded man, counting the wad of cash with trembling hands, covered his gaping mouth. The bearded man quickly got into his car with the crushed rear and set his destination to a nearby town. The next plan was to abandon the old, small car and buy a new one.