Chapter 13: Late Night Stalker
The wicked imperial soldiers had dared to point their weapons at their master. To them, the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin spoke solemnly.
-Foolish insects, perish in flames!
As per his words, the world erupted into flames, engulfing the defiant imperial soldiers. I watched the spectacle with tears of joy.
“Aah, even the 100,000-strong unrivaled devils were reduced to ashes by the wrath of Yu Il-Shin.”
Battle of the Great, Merciful, and Radiant God Yu Il-Shin Chapter 2, Part 3 — Penned by Heavenly King Anty
Flash! Rumble!
A lightning flashed across the clear blue sky. It wasn’t a natural phenomenon, but an artificial one, caused by a woman in black helmet. She was Thunder Emperor, a B-rank Hunter. Because of her heroic deeds, she was as popular as a S-rank Hunter.
Recently, she had single-handedly defeated the Spiky Rhinoceros—one of the strongest A-rank monsters. It was an inconceivable achievement for someone of her caliber. Nevertheless, the attack she had just unleashed wasn’t even half as powerful as the one she did back then.
“Haa, it sucks.” She sighed heavily, her breath could dig a hole straight to the center of the Earth.
Was it really pure coincidence?
Thunder Emperor clenched her fist tightly. She refused to give up—not like this. Not after she had just seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, if only she could muster the same power as before. Then maybe, her long-sought-after revenge wouldn't be so far off.
“Thank you so much, Ms. Sung Mi-Ri! Thank you for saving me and my niece! I will definitely repay this favor! T-thank you so much for saving us!”
She recalled the man whom she had saved from the Spiky Rhinoceros.
But how? How did he know her real name?
In the following days, her older sister kept her under tight supervision. But she should finally be able to do some background check on the man.
“His name was Yu Il-Shin, I think?” Thunder Emperor snickered.
After seeing him cry, I feel like his name didn’t suit him at all. But he did seem cute...
…Hm? What’s that?
Ordinary people wouldn’t have seen it. But her vision, which had surpassed the average human’s limitations, saw something clearly. Black smoke was billowing from a residential area about twenty kilometers away.
***
Engulfed in flames, ants were burning and sizzling everywhere. My quick thinking had saved me from the deadly swarm at the last minute. Still, that wasn’t the end of my crisis.
Flicker!
Fire was spreading all around. I had to escape from the small studio apartment before it was too late. But I was still immobilized after being poisoned by the ants.
Ding! Ding!
Clink clink!
Notifications and Godcoins kept pouring endlessly from my phone. I couldn’t afford to pay attention to them. I was about to die—either from the fire, or from excessive smoke inhalation.
“Cough! P-please save me…” I tried yelling for help, but the ants’ poison seemed to have affected my vocal cords.
Am I really going to die in this way?
Ding!
Just then, my phone rang.
[The high-ranking malevolent god, Silently Crawling Nightmare, has sent Yu Il-Shin a present.]
[Favors or gifts from high-ranking malevolent gods may cause a shift in your alignment.]
[Would you like to accept the gift? (Yes/No)]
A message announcing that a gift had arrived popped up in my head. Silently Crawling Nightmare? The ominous name only made me uncomfortable. On top of that, there was that second line. Apparently, it could also affect my alignment.
Yes!
Regardless, without much hesitation, I made my choice. In order to survive, I had to grab onto the lifeline, even if it was clearly rotten.
Ding!
[You have received a gift from Silently Crawling Nightmare.]
[Silently Crawling Nightmare gave you a portion of her power.]
[Receiving a portion of a high-ranking god’s power is an extremely rare occurrence. It proves that they hold you in high esteem.]
[Yu Il-Shin’s innate power will be enhanced with the portion of power given by Silently Crawling Nightmare.]
Tzzz!
Dark energy surrounded me, pulsating on my index finger.
Flash!
Then, black light burst from my finger! I grew excited, but then the light disappeared without a trace. Nothing else happened. How anticlimactic. I gritted my teeth while staring at my finger.
The message clearly stated that my innate power had been enhanced by the gift of Silently Crawling Nightmare. What if God-Maker wasn’t created by my G-rank abilities? If it was something along the lines of supernatural, then a miracle should happen right about now.
I directed my finger at the burning walls.
“Crushing Forefinger of God!”
But nothing happened.
“Fuck miracles.” I dropped my finger.
Flicker! Kwaaaah!
Soon, I found myself being surrounded by black smoke and flames. I was helpless.
Is this really the end?
Bam bam bam!
“Hello! Are you alright?”
Just as I was about to give up on my life, the wall broke down, revealing a girl in black helmet.
[Sung Mi-Ri]
[A female human. Around for 19 years.]
[Special note: Electrifying.]
“Electri…”
Then, I lost consciousness.
***
Back then, if I wanted to see mummies, I’d have to head to the museum or Egypt. Now, all I had to do was look into the mirror.
Well, now things have become more convenient.
I tried to think more optimistically while lying down in the hospital bed.
“Is this really uncle?” The five-year-old Seong-Yeon asked with suspicion. She poked at my body, which was covered in bandages.
My dear niece, your uncle is in pain.
Still, I was glad to see that the incident with the Spiky Rhinoceros didn’t seem to traumatize her. I had always known that my niece was strong.
“Yes.”
“What’s the password?” she asked, still suspicious.
Damn, she’s so sneaky.
“Mommy is a big fat auntie.”
Seong-Yeon finally laughed. “Hehe, it is uncle!”
Slap! Punch!
We both got smacked.
“Ack!”
“Kya!”
Both of us lowered our heads, yelping in pain. Said “big fat auntie” had hit both the patient and child.
“You two are asking for a lesson!” She snorted like a rhinoceros.
That auntie, who wore thick makeup, was my older sister and Seong-Yeon’s mother—Ms. Yu Shin-Ja.
“Geez, did you forget that I’m a patient?”
“Did you forget who cleaned your mess?! Who told you to set the house on fire, huh?!”
“It’s called a disaster for a reason.”
I knew starting the fire was extreme. But had I not done so, I would’ve been eaten alive by the ants.
“It’s in the past now. Now that you’re admitted in the hospital, take care of yourself. Get well soon. Leave the rest to me. You only have above-average looks going for you. Well done. Sigh.” Ms. Yu did a facepalm and sighed.
As expected, having an influential sister was great. Left on my own, I wouldn’t know what to do. I mimed a sincere bow to my older sister.
“Your kindness is beyond words. I’m forever grateful to you, my slender and beautiful noonim.”
“I’m forever grateful to you.” Seong-Yeon followed suit.
How adorable, right?
“Aigoo, you’re not my younger sibling but my nemesis.”
“Nemesis.” Seong-Yeon pointed her finger at me, imitating her mother.
My dear niece, you don’t have to follow that, too. That’s dirty.
Knock knock!
Someone then rapped on the door.
Hmm? I shouldn’t have anyone else visiting me at this hour. Who is it? Could it be the Great Mr. Editor? Did he hear of my news and came to pay me a visit?
”Yes, come in please.”
But there was no reply.
Seong-Yoon ran to the door and opened it. She stuck her head out.
“Who dis?”
Ugh! My heart throbbed at the sight. Just how did such a kind and cute daughter come from my fierce older sister?! The world was a huge ball of mystery.
Seong-Yeon looked outside for a while before turning around. “Uncle, no one’s outside.” Instead, she struggled, hobbling back in with a large flower basket.
“Where did you get that?”
“Near the door.”
Faint rose scent filled the hospital room. It must be expensive. I couldn’t think of anyone who would have sent this to me.
Hoping for Mr. Yu Il-Shin’s fast recovery.
The note that came with the basket didn’t include the sender’s name.
“Seong-Yeon, can you give me that?”
I reached out, wondering if there was more to the note.
“No! This is mine!” My niece hid the flower basket behind her.
Sure, it’s all yours.
I might not know who sent it, but they might contact me in some way later. But honestly? It was probably the publishing company. Hmph, those people. They could’ve sent me food instead. Anyway, love you guys.
“By the way, Noona. Did you bring what I asked?”
“Yeah.” She frowned as she showed me the huge shopping bag and put it beside me. ”What are you going to do with all this? Are you trying to set up CESCO?”
Smirking, I took over the shopping bag full of pest control supplies, feeling well-equipped. With these, there was no need to be afraid of those ants!
“Oh, I have something in mind. Huehuehue. Come at me, you fucking ants.”
“Mommy! Uncle is being weird!”
Crossing her arms, my older sister clicked her tongue.
“Seong-Yeon, your uncle has always been weird.”
***
It was nightfall.
“Snore, snore.” Yu I’ll-Shin snored softly on the hospital bed, covered in bandages.
Someone was watching him from afar. It was a girl in a training suit, with her long hair tied into a ponytail. She was Sung Mi-Ri, also known as the B-rank Hunter, Thunder Emperor. Hiding on the rooftop of the building across from the hospital, she watched Yu Il-Shin with her supernatural vision.
It wasn’t her first time encountering this strange man. She met him on the day she was about to retake her exam in the Hunter Association. Then, on the same day, she saved him from the Spiky Rhinoceros. That was the first time she had gone past her B-rank limitations.
The second time was just three days ago, when she happened to notice a fire outbreak. There, at the scene, she stumbled upon him. He was suffocating from inhaling too much smoke. Once again, Thunder Emperor had saved his life.
On the way to the emergency room with him, she noticed something.
I’m moving twice as fast than usual.
Thunder Emperor realized that she was moving in record time. Coincidences wouldn’t happen twice in a row. Was the man some sort of a catalyst that allowed her to surpass her limitations? She knew how far-fetched it sounded. She must be grasping at straws.
During the three days when he was admitted to the hospital, she did not discover anything else special about him. The man didn’t seem to have any friends. So far, only his older sister and niece visited him.
She was getting impatient. She wanted to talk to him in person. But in the end, because of an emergency, she could only leave a flower basket at his door.
I’m rapidly turning into a stalker.
In fact, she had snuck out just to see him.
Feeling ashamed of her own actions, Thunder Emperor was about to leave. If she stayed around, she might get caught by her older sister. Just then, the man let out a strange cry and fell off the bed.
Isn’t he supposed to be asleep?
Then, he began acting strangely.
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