Chapter 54: A Broadcast for Allies

The soldiers aimed their guns to apprehend us, but with a single, dismissive wave of Han-jun’s hand, they tumbled backward, a cacophony of metal and shouts.

Though they attempted to regain their footing and aim their weapons, their guns felt inexplicably glued to the ground, refusing to lift. Even firearms proved utterly useless before Han-jun.

Witnessing this display, Oh Jun-hyeon gasped, realizing we were Awakened. The flustered soldiers immediately turned their gazes to him.

“Ev-everyone, cease fire! No, just cease!”

Even attempting to fire was out of the question.

A startled Oh Jun-hyeon babbled incoherently, utterly flustered.

Quickly discerning the situation, he abruptly changed his demeanor, clasping his hands together and bowing with profound courtesy. He had clearly concluded that we were no ordinary Awakened. With this newfound obsequiousness, he offered us the car the soldiers had arrived in.

As some of the soldiers who had stormed the bathhouse were injured, I subtly healed them before we climbed into the vehicle. At this sight, both the previously wounded soldier and Oh Jun-hyeon, who bore witness, stumbled backward as if on the verge of fainting.

When Han-jun wields his power, they tense up, fearing an attack, but before my abilities, they beam with delight, making an almost burdensome fuss.

Just as Oh Jun-hyeon suddenly began expressing his favor and attempted to sit beside me, Han-jun deftly wedged himself between us.

And so, we were now engaged in a rather awkward conversation.

Han-jun, who was notoriously reserved and rarely spoke, sat squarely in the middle, while Oh Jun-hyeon and I craned our necks to converse in an uncomfortable, almost contorted posture.

“My apologies for not recognizing you sooner!”

“There’s no need for that. You can speak to me as you did before. You seem older than me, after all.”

At my gentle dissuasion, his rigid posture relaxed slightly.

“…Mr. Do-hoon, you’re an Awakened, aren’t you? And a rare, precious one at that… with healing abilities?”

“Is that really so precious?”

“Oh, yes, it absolutely is! Good heavens, what an incredible stroke of luck!”

“Didn’t you also say you were an Awakened, Mr. Oh Jun-hyeon?”

“Me? Well, I’m just an insignificant Awakened. You could barely even call me one.”

Oh Jun-hyeon was indeed an Awakened, but his power was exceedingly meager, capable of little more than bending a metal chopstick. Because of this, he had failed to catch Jo Jun-cheol’s eye and was assigned to a lower-ranking position.

This, however, was fortunate for him. To catch Jo Jun-cheol’s eye meant having to sign that ominous black contract.

Though his psychic abilities were weak, Oh Jun-hyeon himself was not.

“Even so, that’s impressive. It means you take down monsters with your bare hands.”

Oh Jun-hyeon was able to move through the monster-infested city with such ease not because of his psychic power, but simply due to his innate physical prowess. With his burly physique, he was capable of pummeling monsters into submission.

“I only deal with the small ones. If I see a large one, I run for my life and scream for help.”

Oh Jun-hyeon scratched his head, offering a simple, good-natured smile. Then, he subtly glanced at Han-jun, who sat silently beside him, and cautiously spoke. He seemed concerned that Han-jun was being excluded from the conversation.

‘He doesn’t have to worry. Our Jun is just not very social. He’s not a bad kid.’

“Mr. Han-jun… is he also an Awakened?”

Since Jun showed no intention of answering, I replied on his behalf.

“Yes, Jun also uses a bit of power, like telekinesis. It’s not strong, just a little.”

“Ah, I see.”

Oh Jun-hyeon nodded, his expression slightly tense as he eyed Han-jun, perhaps recalling the power that had immobilized the soldiers earlier.

Perhaps it was thanks to the regular management of the area, having driven out civilians. Aside from the rotting monster corpses on the road, the city was surprisingly quiet.

Driving down the wide-open road, we soon spotted the broadcasting station, which had been converted into a shelter.

The broadcasting station, now a shelter, was enclosed by a roughly cobbled steel wall, topped with sharp barbed wire. The spacious parking lot in front of the building was densely packed with pointed spike traps. It seemed they had set up defenses everywhere to prevent anyone from crossing the parking lot, even if they managed to breach the wall.

While this might be effective against smaller monsters, it seemed useless against larger ones.

Guards in combat uniforms stood vigilant throughout the parking lot and entrance, scanning their surroundings.

“Salute!”

As our car entered, every guard we encountered snapped to attention, saluting sharply.

Immediately upon entering the broadcasting station, Oh Jun-hyeon introduced us to the shelter managers.

With most Awakened having fled, each Awakened individual was a precious commodity. Thus, simply possessing abilities earned us a warm welcome.

My abilities, in particular, were highly valued. While there were doctors, they couldn’t perform miracles, so my power to instantly heal injuries and illnesses was greatly esteemed.

One person among them stared at me with exceptionally gleaming eyes, a hint of unsettling desire, as if they would never let me go.

‘Do they think I’m some kind of food? Why are they swallowing their saliva?’

“Please, please, later, could you just…”

They must have been in pain. Indeed, in these times, it was harder to find someone who wasn’t injured or ill.

“Yes, I understand… but your hand.”

They had gripped my hand, ostensibly for a handshake, and refused to let go, making me break out in a cold sweat.

Oh Jun-hyeon explained the internal situation of the broadcasting station as he guided us to the upper floors.

“This is the top floor. You shouldn’t have any inconveniences during your stay.”

In stark contrast to the chaotic surroundings, the interior of the broadcasting station was impeccably maintained.

The hall, once an outdoor performance venue behind the station, was now teeming with citizens living in makeshift tents, while key personnel resided within the main broadcasting building.

Many had gained entry to the building by donating large sums of money, but that was the extent of their privilege. There were no further special treatments. Celebrities, famous figures, and tycoons, once powerful, had now lost all their fame and authority, becoming indistinguishable from ordinary people.

“Then, Mr. Han-jun, this room is for you…”

Oh Jun-hyeon seemed to intend to give us separate rooms, but Han-jun would clearly not be pleased with that.

Having endured much in the past, I shrieked like someone who had been electrocuted. ‘I can’t let Han-jun spout nonsense again!’

“No! There can’t be many rooms, so we’ll share!”

“What? Oh, no, that would be uncomfortable. There’s only one bed…”

“No! It’s fine!”

Oh Jun-hyeon looked at me strangely, bewildered, but I didn’t care. This was to prevent even more humiliating incidents.

If I didn’t step forward first, Han-jun would surely say things like,

‘Brother can’t sleep alone,’ or ‘We have to sleep together…’ He would undoubtedly push me into a pit of shame with his unfiltered remarks.

‘We’ll have to stay here for quite a while, and that would be problematic.’

At my almost furious reaction, Oh Jun-hyeon, flustered, simply nodded.

“Th-then, if you need anything else, please call.”

“Yes, and please let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.”

“There’s so much Mr. Do-hoon could help with…”

‘It seems there are many injured people.’

“We’ll take our time with that. I’m a bit delicate.”

Oh Jun-hyeon scrutinized my robust physique from head to toe, then nodded with a wry expression.

“…Ah, yes.”

After Oh Jun-hyeon departed, I surveyed the room, which had been converted from a broadcasting station conference room. It seemed they had removed all other belongings, leaving only a single bed. There was no furniture to be found, just one solitary single bed, looking rather desolate.

This was supposedly a high-ranking room, yet it paled in comparison to the National Assembly building, where every room was perfectly equipped. In a shelter with many people and scarce resources, one shouldn’t expect anything grand.

And as soon as we were alone, Han-jun clung to me like a ghost.

“Brother, what are you going to do?”

“Ugh. Wh-what do you mean?”

He hugged me from behind, one arm wrapped around my waist, the other hand resting on my chest. It was a natural movement, as if a puzzle piece had found its place. ‘I thought that was my chest, but was it yours?’

“Your hand on my chest…”

“What are we going to do now that we’re in the shelter?”

“Ah… disobey Jo Jun-cheol’s orders, meet other remaining Awakened… and this is a broadcasting station, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s also the only place transmitting FM radio in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions.”

“So?”

“And they say local broadcasting stations are receiving and relaying the radio broadcasts from here.”

Han-jun frowned, his expression asking what could possibly be important about that. ‘This blockhead!’

“We can use the radio broadcast to gather Awakened who are on our side!”

I pounded my chest in frustration and turned to Han-jun. Only then did he utter a lackluster “Ah.” I had been secretly impressed with my brilliant plan, but Han-jun’s indifferent reaction completely deflated me.

Utilizing the advantage of the broadcasting station, we could rally Awakened who had not yet become Jo Jun-cheol’s subordinates. If luck was on our side, the message might even reach regional stations, informing Awakened across various provinces just how vile Jo Jun-cheol truly was.

Of course, whether Awakened in the provinces would make their way to Seoul was uncertain, but merely spreading awareness of the situation would hold significant meaning. While there was a high probability Jo Jun-cheol would discover our intentions, it was a golden opportunity to broadcast our purpose far and wide.

“How do you expect to face Jo Jun-cheol alone?”

Jo Jun-cheol had dozens of Awakened under his command. And not just ordinary subordinates, but those whose weaknesses he firmly grasped, allowing him to issue any command he wished.

At my words, Han-jun’s eyebrows arched sharply.

“Why, do you think I can’t?”

I had inadvertently poked the competitive nature of this aggressive man. Han-jun began to burn with rivalry.

“Is that bastard greater than me?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“I can do better.”

He argued his abilities were superior, much like a jealous lover.

“Of course, if it were a one-on-one fight, you’d win. But he… he has many subordinates.”

My heart ached, and unable to explain Jo Jun-cheol’s abilities, I vaguely glossed over it.

My greatest concern was myself. Having signed that damned contract, I would be utterly useless when Han-jun and Jo Jun-cheol fought.

I might even become a hindrance, so hiding was my best option. Since this simple, reckless Han-jun would likely fall for Jo Jun-cheol’s cunning without me, I judged it best to find other allies besides myself.

Unaware of my true feelings, Han-jun gritted his teeth, as if displeased that I held Jo Jun-cheol in such high regard.

“I can win even without them.”

‘Look at him, look. Getting all proud over nothing.’

How could I leave him to fight alone when he was so naive about the ways of the world? Ignoring the huffing Han-jun, I decided I needed to go to the radio recording studio, casually giving him a thumbs-up.

‘Here, a compliment!’

“Right. You’re the best. Super awesome!”

“…Your expression is annoying, though?”

“Han-jun is the best! World’s best! Universe’s best! No one can defeat you!”