“The world has changed a lot.”

Woojin mumbled as he watched the passing scenery through the bus window. The bus fare had increased by 300 won, but the most noticeable change that caught his eye was the lack of cars on the road.

In the background, the tv mounted on the bus’ ceiling droned on about the identities of subway stations and exits that had been successfully conquered.

‘If the attack on the dungeon is successful, our safety will be assured for a couple of days, perhaps even a couple of months. If the attack fails, the monsters will attack.’

The news had begun to bridge the gap between the Seoul he’d known and the Seoul he had returned to. Soon, it turned to international news, and spoke about the monsters that had burst out from the subway stations of Tokyo, and the subsequent mobilization of the army.

The areas around subway stations have been abandoned, it seems.

If a dungeon capture attempt failed, then monsters could leave the dungeon at any time. It was like living next to a bomb, so no one wanted to live next to subway stations.

People had joked that it would be safer to live next to a nuclear plant than a subway station.

Of course, Seoul’s population had drastically decreased, which had helped the city’s congestion problem. As a matter of fact, Woojin’s bus drove like it had wings.

But when the bus dropped him off at his stop, what greeted him was nearly the most horrifying thing he’d seen yet on Earth.

“The h-house….” The apartment, Woojin’s home, was gone.

“…….”

He was so shocked that he was having a hard time speaking. 

They had always talked about rebuilding the apartment, but who would’ve thought that it would no longer exist after five years? What had originally been a five storey apartment was now a slick, imposing building.

A single glance was enough to tell him that this was no longer an apartment. The structure that resembled a finger arrogantly jutting into the sky was definitely an office building. As Woojin stared dazedly at the building, a patrolling security guard, forever on the lookout for suspicious strangers, approached him.

“What are you doing?”

Woojin’s temper flared at the brusque tone of the security guard. At the same time, killing him because he was unpleasant would only damn his soul for the heck of it, so that was out of the question. After all, this wasn’t Alphen.

This was Earth.

Woojin forced down his anger and pinched his temple. After a quick breath, his anger abated enough for a question.

“What happened to the people who used to live here?”

The security guard was nonplussed, “Huh?”

Woojin’s eyes narrowed, “The people who used to live in the apartment before this building was built!”

“No, I’m asking why you’re asking me….” The security guard’s glare withered, and he quickly glanced away from Woojin. How could someone’s gaze become so scary? “I..I don’t know. This place was in ruins before this building was built.

“In ruins?” At the sight of the veins that started to bulge on Woojin’s forehead, the security guard broke out in a cold sweat.

Countless people had died during the Dungeon Shock five years ago. In fact, anyone in the subway system at the time had died instantly.

If a dungeon couldn’t be cleared within a month of its appearance, the dungeon would Break. Monsters would slip out of the dungeon’s confines and rampage freely. Every time it happened, it resulted in massive casualties among the populace.

At the time, Seoul had been too slow in dealing with the dungeons. They’d even gone so far as to fire missiles into monster infested areas in an attempt to clear them out.

“When... when the monsters broke out, they turned Jichun into ruins. Why are you making a fuss about it now?”

Woojin tamped firmly down on his anger at the guard’s words.

Calm down. Be calm.

This wasn’t the time to lash out. His family was still alive. It was only by holding firmly to that belief that he was able to keep from raging.

It would be ridiculous if he lost control because of a hypothetical. Truly, an intellectual mage like him should be capable of more self control.

It’s only been five years. There are plenty of ways to find them.

It’s only been five years, not the twenty that he’d originally assumed. Just five. If he could find the local district office, he could find their last known address. At the very least, the family register would tell him whether they were alive.

‘Ah, I don’t know my social security number.’

He was assigned his SSN during his second year of high school, but he had no idea what it was any more. He would have to visit his alma mater to find it again. 

In any case, he knew he’d find it in his student record. If he got lucky, he’d also find his parents’ cell numbers, which he’d also forgotten.

As a rough plan formed in his head, he felt calm settle around him.

Yes, his family was safe. He just hadn’t found them yet. But it was already past 6 p.m., so the school was closed. He was stuck. 

Well, it wasn’t hard to figure out next steps.

He’d have to find a place to sleep, and….

Growl.

That settled it. Woojin fingered the 5800 won he had left in his pocket and glanced around. A restaurant in the building across the street caught his eye.

Following the aroma of food, Woojin crossed the road.

 ***

“Ha. What kind of rice soup costs 6000 won?!”

Woojin grumbled as he slurped his cup ramen’s soup inside a nearby convenience store. Just because he’d lacked a measly 200 won, Woojin had been chased out of the Rice Soup Restaurant like a beggar.

Of course, it wasn’t really the 200 won that’d settled things for the restaurant owners, but rather the strips of cloth that barely passed as Woojin’s clothes.

“Che. The darn grandma probably wouldn’t give me rice soup even if I were freezing to death.”

Woojin decided to remember that cold-hearted owner of Rice Soup Restaurant in his heart as he chewed on his onigiri. His funds were too lacking for even a meal. But it had been a long time since he’d had an onigiri and cup ramen. It was every bit as delicious as he’d imagined it to be.

“Ah, where do I sleep tonight? Do I really have to go to the police station?”

He hadn’t done anything wrong, so why did he need to go to the police station? Well, he had done a couple of bad things…. Several dozen bad things. He’d also killed… the actual number escaped him, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that it had all happened on Alphen.

The Kang Woojin of Earth was a normal… well, not normal since he’d disappeared in high school, but…. missing child who’d found his way back home after five long years.

“Ah, I guess they would ask me all sorts of questions if I go to the police station.”

Questions like, where he’d been, or what he’d been doing, or why he hadn’t reached out. His head started to hurt as he thought about the stories he would have to cook up just to leave the police station.

Going to the police station was best left as a last resort. Anyway, he still had options to explore.

He sighed aloud, “Whew.”

Nevertheless, even though the population was at a historic low and land prices had collapsed entirely, it was a fact that Woojin still didn’t have a place to sleep.

He had been so overjoyed at the sight of a working convenience after twenty years, he’d loaded himself up with snacks and drinks. Sadly, he only had 300 won left, and it wasn’t enough to enter a sauna or even rent a room in a computer café.

And now, since the subway stations that were usually the homes of the homeless were now off limits, it seems he had no choice but to greet the next morning from the streets. At that moment, the convenience store door slid open, and Woojin reflexively turned to look.

Ring.

Woojin’s face lit up.

This was fate. Fate had definitely intervened on his behalf.

Do Jaemin, the junior he’d rescued in the afternoon, was standing in front of a selection of onigiri. As Woojin’s grin widened, Jaemin picked out his onigiri and started to make his way to the counter.

Woojin downed the rest of his soup and headed for the exit. Jaemin paid for his items and started to briskly walk out of the convenience store.

Woojin intercepted him just outside the doors, “Hey, student.”

“Yes?” Jaemin turned and was greeted by a pale face that had a grin from ear to ear.

Woojin chortled, “Hahaha. Here I was, just about to call you, and yet we meet again.”

Jaemin squeaked, “W-why? Why would you…” He unwittingly stumbled back a step.

Woojin continued, “Are your parents home?”

Jaemin’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you want to know?”

Woojin shrugged and put on his most trustworthy smile. “I have a lot of things to talk to them about, including today’s incident.”

“My parents passed away.” Jaemin’s voice had turned flat. 

“Huh? That’s goo… No, that is unfortunate. Are you living by yourself?” Woojin went on, unfazed. 

Jaemin nodded, now openly wary.

Woojin smiled, “You can lead the way.”

Jaemin paused, “What?”

Woojin’s smile grew more shameless, “Let me stay at your place for one night.”

Wariness gave way to gobsmacked surprise. The strange uncle wearing a straw mat, who was frighteningly good at fighting, was trying to invade his home.

“Ah, it isn’t for free.” Woojin reached out to stuff something into Jaemin’s hand.

300 won.

Wasn’t this the money he’d extorted from Jaemin to begin with? Jaemin glanced between money to Woojin’s face, but if anything, Woojin’s grin only grew more incandescent.

“Haha. I’ll pay you back anything I’m short on. Huh? Why is there a fly here?”

Woojin slyly started shadow boxing. Except, he was now an Awakened, so his casual jab whistled through the air like a haymaker.

Jaemin could only cry inside as he walked back to his house like a man to the gallows.