Chapter 98: A Precarious Existence

The kind villagers cared for Sa-yoon with warmth and affection. However, whenever the topic of Sa-yoon’s abilities arose, their expressions would harden, and their lips would seal shut. Consequently, Sa-yoon remained unaware of the precise nature or even the grade of his own powers.

He had once, out of sheer curiosity, attempted to concentrate intensely on his abilities. Watching swirling white lines dance across his darkened vision, he merely assumed it was some form of exploration or perception, dismissing it as nothing significant.

It was neither telekinesis nor the power to breathe fire, so he considered it rather ordinary.

“Did Brother Tae-han go out again today?”

“He’ll be gone for a few days this time. Don’t wait up for him; go inside and sleep first.”

Kang Tae-han was the one who had cared for Sa-yoon ever since he lost his memories. No, it was Rain. Sa-yoon had been told he had no family. With no blood relatives to call his own, Kang Tae-han had nursed Sa-yoon back to health all this time.

‘This is all my fault. Because I wasn’t prepared…’

Recalling his brother’s mournful mumble, it seemed Sa-yoon’s injury was somehow connected to Kang Tae-han. Unable to bear the sight of his brother blaming himself, Sa-yoon had never pressed him for details about how he got hurt.

Returning home, Sa-yoon slumped onto the sofa, the old springs groaning in protest.

The village where Sa-yoon lived was an unusual place. It was said to be a refuge for those rejected by the outside world, for people with nowhere else to go. Primarily, it harbored Irregulars, their families, or those cast out for opposing the Alliance. Though people from various nations resided there, they communicated and coexisted without difficulty, thanks to the telepathic abilities of Elder Rain.

By receiving an implant of some of Rain’s cells, they could utilize a portion of their abilities. The cells implanted in Sa-yoon’s abdomen were Rain’s healing cells.

Left alone for the first time in a while, Sa-yoon surveyed the empty living room. It had been a long time since Kang Tae-han had left him by himself.

‘Nothing dangerous will happen, will it?’

What the villagers called ‘the outside’ was a place that always demanded caution. They described it as a hellish realm where Rain, and Irregulars like Sa-yoon, who lived peacefully in the village, were murdered without reason.

Kang Tae-han and his action squad struggled valiantly to keep the outside world at bay and conceal the village’s location.

Sa-yoon, who had been lounging on the sofa, got up when his stomach rumbled. With Kang Tae-han absent, he would have to fend for himself for dinner.

Opening the refrigerator, he found pre-prepared sandwiches and a salad. As he habitually warmed a sandwich, Sa-yoon sat blankly at the table. Eating alone felt awkward. He decided he needed something to watch during his meal.

His village had restricted signal access. Neither cell phones nor computers could be used freely. The only thing they could really watch was TV, but Kang Tae-han disliked Sa-yoon watching it alone, always wanting to watch it with him. Believing there was a reason for his behavior, Sa-yoon usually humored him.

‘Still, eating alone without anything to watch feels incredibly dull.’

Sa-yoon placed the perfectly warmed sandwich on a tray and walked past the dining table into the living room. He found the remote Kang Tae-han had cleverly hidden in a corner and pressed a button.

The TV crackled a few times before the screen finally displayed an image. Sa-yoon took a bite of his sandwich and settled onto the sofa. The last channel Kang Tae-han had watched was a news channel, where an announcer with an impassive face spoke with clear articulation.

–The Esper Alliance has expanded its supply shipments through the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, some voices express concern over the prolonged conflict…

On the screen, black clouds of gunpowder explosions and deafening blasts served as a backdrop. Sa-yoon frowned, knowing that innocent Rain were the ones sacrificing their lives to such shockwaves. He reached for the remote to change the channel, only to drop it on the floor.

“Oh, how bothersome.”

As he bent down to pick up the remote, the news footage shifted.

–In this latest clash, the Alliance has announced the discovery of a new Rain hideout, declaring it to be of an unprecedented scale.

On the screen, a man emerged from crimson flames. He had a bloodless, pallid face in an atmosphere where the air itself seemed to burn.

–Vice Commander Han Do-hoon, who has been most active in the subjugation of Rain, was also mobilized for this mission. The Alliance has stated he will lead the charge in eradicating Rain.

The man possessed a cold demeanor. His expressionless face and sunken eyes held no trace of vitality. He was undeniably a formidable and powerful individual, yet there was something precarious about him. The moment Sa-yoon saw him, his stomach churned.

Sa-yoon placed the sandwich plate he was holding onto the table. A suffocating pain welled up in his chest.

‘Is this a side effect of the treatment?’

The single bite of sandwich he had swallowed felt as if it were lodged in his esophagus, making his chest feel tight. Gasping for air, he clutched at his chest. Even forcing himself to drink water brought no relief from the constriction.

Ultimately, Sa-yoon rushed to the bathroom, where he emptied his already hollow stomach.

“I thought you were overdoing it yesterday.”

The foreman clicked his tongue, then waved Sa-yoon away, signaling that he shouldn’t even think about helping with work today. Although Sa-yoon would normally insist he was fine, he quietly sat down in a chair.

“Seol-won. What’s wrong with your face? Did you eat?”

“I ate a little… but I’m not digesting it well.”

Sa-yoon forced a smile, but his lips trembled slightly. Having barely eaten, he had also spent a restless night. He remembered crying in his sleep, searching for something, but couldn’t recall what it was. After being drenched in cold sweat and forced to take a shower, his condition was at rock bottom.

“Why don’t you go see Elder White for a change? Your condition seems particularly serious today.”

“Perhaps… I should.”

‘Elders’ referred to the exceptionally old adult Rain living in the village. Rain had long lifespans. Those over a hundred years old spoke less and moved slower, like enlightened hermits. They spent more time buried in nature, living like inanimate objects, than they did awake. People referred to such Rain as Elders.

Elder White, who had just been mentioned, was the name given to the particular Rain who had treated Sa-yoon.

“Yes. You were told to come for regular check-ups, weren’t you? It seems work won’t get done today, so go on now.”

With a nod, Sa-yoon headed towards the forest inside the village, propelled by a gentle push on his back.

Rain manifested in various forms. While most, like Kang Tae-han, were humanoid, there were also Rain that took the shape of animals or plants. Among them, some possessed uniquely unusual forms.

True to their name, Elder White was a Rain who had transformed into a white deer. The large, entirely white deer exuded an aura akin to a divine spirit from legend.

[It has been a long time.]

Sa-yoon bowed his head in silent greeting and approached the Elder.

[Your body has become unstable once more.]

“It feels that way especially today. Yesterday, I even felt an inexplicable pain in my chest.”

The Elder’s large antlers slowly moved to touch Sa-yoon’s chest. A pulsating sensation spread throughout his entire body.

[Your body requires stability. It was an injury that would have killed anyone else, so you must be especially careful with shock and stress.]

It was always the same advice. Having heard it more than ten times, Sa-yoon merely nodded. He suspected this constant warning made everyone around him even more overprotective.

“How long will it take to heal completely? Two years have already passed, and I’m still recovering. It seems I must have always had a rather frail body.”

[Less than half of your current flesh is truly yours. Once you make all the implanted cells your own, you will be able to live as you wish.]

Elder White gently chastised Sa-yoon’s complaint, speaking in a low tone. They had implanted Rain’s cells into the dying Sa-yoon as a desperate gamble. It was said that an ordinary person would have died from shock or been consumed by Rain, losing their sanity.

Sa-yoon’s survival, maintaining his reason, was a near-miraculous probability. To wish for perfect health on top of that was deemed greedy.

With the continuous nagging, Sa-yoon nodded mechanically.

“I was just complaining. They won’t even let me exercise because I shouldn’t experience shock, so what can I do? I just have to wait, endlessly.”

[You are wise.]

Sa-yoon sighed at the unwelcome praise. He had come for a regular check-up, but it felt like he had just received another lengthy lecture.

“The pain from yesterday will probably resolve itself with time, right? If there are no other changes, I’ll be going now.”

[Be careful. And don’t try to use your abilities for no reason.]

“Yes, yes. It doesn’t seem like a very useful ability anyway, so I’ll just live as if I don’t have it.”

Sa-yoon said his goodbyes and stood up. As he turned away from Elder White, who was once again settling down to sleep, he noticed a commotion coming from the direction of the village.

A vehicle, typically used for trips outside, was speeding through the center of the village, heading towards him.

“Huh?”

“Seol-won! Wake Elder White! Quickly!”

At the distant shout, Sa-yoon urgently shook Elder White, who had already laid his head down. In that short span, he even grabbed the Elder’s antlers to rouse the sleeping figure.

Moments later, a blood-soaked member of the action squad was carried out on a stretcher from the approaching vehicle. The injured person was a young Irregular whom Sa-yoon had greeted several times in the village.

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