Chapter 38
A Strange World (2)
It was worse than a nightmare.
Being chased by a man running as fast as a car.
And this wasn't a dream.
Because of that, Myeong-ho kept glancing back and forth between the windshield and the rearview mirror.
"T-This is impossible... A person is faster than a car?"
The SUV was already traveling at 83 km/h.
For Myeong-ho, this was already beyond the fastest speed he'd ever driven.
It was his first time behind the wheel since passing his driving test six years ago.
"...Ugh!"
In the passenger seat, his younger brother Woonho shouted with panic in his eyes.
He was urging him to drive even faster.
Rumble!
Meanwhile, the unidentified monster in the rearview mirror had closed the distance even further.
"...Shit."
At last, Myeong-ho reached his psychological limit.
Without thinking, he slammed the accelerator all the way down.
VROOOOOM!
The unleashed engine roared as the SUV surged forward.
The speedometer needle leaped several marks at once.
Soon...
The vehicle reached 100 km/h.
"Huff...!"
"M-Myeong-ho!"
A sharp cry came from the back seat.
It was Myeong-ae, the brothers' mother.
At that very moment...
Something pitch-black flew toward them from behind.
SHRIIIIIING!!
Hearing the terrifying sound of something slicing through the air, Myeong-ho instinctively turned toward the driver's side window.
A gigantic black blade flashed past, smashing the side mirror as it went.
"W-What the hell?!"
The instant he realized the sword was several meters long—
—and that it had embedded itself into the road directly ahead—
he stomped on the brakes.
SCREEEEECH!
The SUV skidded violently with an ear-piercing screech.
It came to a stop just short of the enormous black sword protruding from the asphalt.
Still gripping the steering wheel tightly, Myeong-ho stared at the unbelievable weapon.
A moment later...
A strangely dressed man walked over and casually pulled the gigantic sword from the ground.
"W-What is that...?"
"Is that... a Mutant?"
Beside him, Woonho instinctively drew the axe hanging from his waist.
It was only natural.
None of them had ever seen a human who looked like that.
Several mysterious weapon handles were strapped across his back.
A black cloak covered his upper body.
Golden gloves and bracelets reflected the sunlight brilliantly.
A jade-green snake coiled around his left arm.
And somehow...
Even his bare feet looked frightening.
Because of his bizarre appearance, none of the three people inside the SUV noticed the whistle hanging around his neck.
Meanwhile, Yeongwoo looked at the SUV in confusion.
"What's going on?"
"They're much calmer than I expected."
The three people simply remained seated, staring at him.
As far as Yeongwoo knew, there were only two kinds of people capable of driving a car in times like these.
Someone incredibly powerful...
Or someone protected by such a person.
So the fact that they hadn't attacked him after stopping the vehicle was completely unexpected.
Shhhk.
He shrank the Black Sword back to its normal size and cautiously approached the driver's door.
At that moment...
The driver's door swung open.
Myeong-ho stepped out with both hands raised.
"W-Wait!"
"I surrender!"
Although Myeong-ho was unarmed, Yeongwoo couldn't relax.
There were still two silhouettes inside the SUV.
"...Who's in there?"
Pointing toward the vehicle, Yeongwoo asked.
Myeong-ho flinched before replying politely.
"Ah..."
"My mother... and my younger brother."
"I'll ask them to come out slowly."
He gestured toward the inside of the car.
The passenger door and rear door opened one after another.
Two more people stepped out.
The moment Yeongwoo saw them...
He realized they really were family.
Their faces bore a clear resemblance.
The two young men appeared to be around his own age.
The woman, who looked to be in her mid-fifties, had a warm and gentle appearance.
"W-What... do you need from us?"
Only then did Yeongwoo realize...
He hadn't actually had any reason to stop them.
He had simply assumed the people in the car would attack first.
Instead...
The people standing before him were...
Yeongwoo looked from the middle-aged woman to her two sons.
Then he spoke words he never imagined would come out of his own mouth.
"I'm sorry if I frightened you."
"I just..."
He struggled to continue.
After all...
He hadn't actually had any particular reason to stop them at swordpoint.
And now that they appeared to be decent people, things had become even more awkward.
"..."
Seeing him unable to finish his sentence, the woman studied him carefully before asking gently,
"Are your legs all right?"
"...What?"
Only after hearing the question did Yeongwoo notice that both of his legs were trembling slightly.
He had exhausted nearly all the strength in his lower body from chasing the SUV.
His current stats still weren't high enough to comfortably outrun a speeding vehicle.
"What a pointless waste of energy..."
"I've still got a long way to the next city."
With an embarrassed expression, he glanced down the road stretching northward.
The woman spoke again.
"So..."
"There really was some misunderstanding, wasn't there?"
"My sons wouldn't go around doing anything bad."
Her eyes sharpened ever so slightly.
It was as if she were saying:
So please don't do anything bad to us, either.
"...Yes."
"I suppose I misunderstood."
Yeongwoo awkwardly sheathed the Black Sword.
Only then did the woman finally let out the long breath she'd been holding.
She had been terrified the entire time.
Given the state of the world...
The man before them looked fully capable of slaughtering both her sons without effort.
"So... it really was just a misunderstanding."
Click.
Very carefully, Myeong-ho reached for the driver's door.
It was a silent request for permission.
May we leave now?
"...Ah."
Yeongwoo finally realized he was still standing in the middle of the road.
He awkwardly stepped aside.
The moment he did...
Woonho, who had looked ready to draw his weapon at any second, hurriedly opened the rear door.
"Mom."
"Hurry up and get in."
"Let's get out of here."
Before that lunatic changes his mind.
That was what he meant.
Yet...
The middle-aged woman didn't get back into the SUV.
Instead, she looked directly at Yeongwoo.
After a brief silence, she said something that stunned everyone present.
"Um..."
"If we're heading the same way..."
"Would you like us to give you a ride?"
"Mom?!"
Woonho immediately objected.
Even Myeong-ho subtly shook his head, trying to stop her.
Yeongwoo himself couldn't understand her proposal either.
Even if his legs looked tired...
He was still a dangerous stranger who had just threatened them.
"If it were me..."
"I'd have driven away as fast as possible."
Seeing his puzzled expression, the woman turned to her sons.
"If helping someone is possible..."
"Shouldn't we do it?"
"He said it was just a misunderstanding."
"And..."
"We never know when we might meet again."
What she truly meant was simple.
If this terrifying man traveled with them...
He would become an enormous source of protection.
Woonho opened his mouth to argue.
He had wanted to insist that he and his brother were enough.
But...
After what had just happened...
He couldn't honestly say that anymore.
Although famous for picking fights, even he knew there were opponents he absolutely shouldn't challenge.
And the man before him was one of them.
Eventually, Woonho lowered his head.
The woman turned back to Yeongwoo.
"Would traveling together be all right?"
"We're going as far asSangju."
"If you'd like, we can drop you off along the way."
It was excessive kindness.
Still...
There was no disadvantage for Yeongwoo.
"Spending one day traveling comfortably wouldn't be so bad."
Following this highway would take them through Mungyeong.
After passing the city, they'd arrive inSangju.
Yeongwoo planned to visit both places anyway.
Their routes matched perfectly.
So he nodded.
"All right."
"I have business in both Mungyeong andSangju."
At those words, both brothers stiffened.
But neither objected again.
Now that the man himself had agreed, protesting would accomplish nothing.
He said he has business in Mungyeong too...
We'll find a chance to leave him behind there.
Thinking of a backup plan, Myeong-ho climbed into the driver's seat.
Woonho continued glaring suspiciously at the unwelcome passenger.
Meanwhile, Myeong-ae smiled warmly as she invited Yeongwoo into the back seat.
Thus...
An extremely awkward journey began.
Vroooom...
As the SUV started down the highway once more, Myeong-ae introduced everyone.
"My name is Choi Myeong-ae."
"These are my sons."
"Jung Myeong-ho."
"And Jung Woonho."
Apparently expecting her sons to remain unfriendly, she introduced them herself.
Then she looked at Yeongwoo.
"Your turn."
"Ah... yes."
"My name is Jung Yeongwoo."
The instant she heard his surname, Myeong-ae's eyes widened.
"Oh my!"
"We're both Jungs!"
"I guess fate really does work in mysterious ways."
At his mother's excitement, Woonho frowned in the passenger seat.
Yeongwoo didn't notice.
Myeong-ae had already asked another question.
"Which Jung clan are you from?"
"You never know."
"We might even share the same ancestral hometown."
She was clearly trying to find some connection between them.
Unfortunately...
Things didn't go as she'd hoped.
"I'm not sure."
"I grew up in an orphanage."
"They gave me this name, so I'm probably not really a Jung."
"I see..."
For the first time, Myeong-ae found herself speechless.
Yeongwoo changed the subject.
"By the way..."
"What brings you toSangju?"
"Ah..."
For some reason, she hesitated.
Both Myeong-ho and Woonho exchanged uncomfortable glances.
"My husband is there."
"Your husband?"
"So he's away for work?"
"...Something like that."
"His company is over there."
From the way she answered...
Yeongwoo immediately sensed that her husband wasn't simply away because of work.
"Separated?"
"Or maybe already divorced?"
If that were true...
Her sudden caution made perfect sense.
Subjects like divorce, separation, and being an orphan were awkwardly connected.
"Anyway..."
Trying to dispel the awkward atmosphere, Myeong-ae smiled.
"You said you also have business in Mungyeong and Sangju."
"Do you know someone there?"
"Well..."
Just as Yeongwoo searched for a believable excuse—
Flash!
A new system message appeared before everyone's eyes.
Current Region: Mungyeong
Best Swordsman: Jang Chunyong16
Generation: 1st
Successful Defenses: 96
"Oh."
"We're already in Mungyeong."
Myeong-ho muttered while looking out the windshield.
Yeongwoo silently memorized the name Jang Chunyong16.
Then he answered Myeong-ae with a calm smile.
"Yes."
"There's someone I need to meet here."