The Returner

Chapter 117: Your heart might stop beating, you see (2)

“I said, hurry up with the installation!!” (Seo Ah-Young)

Seo Ah-Young’s sharp voice whipped the NDF agents to move faster.

‘You d*mn witch.’

There was no way anyone’s expressions would be good after being on the receiving end of Seo Ah-Young’s shouting. However, no one possessed enough courage to express dissatisfaction in front of her, either.

There had been situations similar to the current one in the past, and the number of fools who got roasted alive by her was too high to count.

Why did ‘God’ give her peerless strength and a totally bat-sh*t insane temper at the same time? If one wanted the proof of there being no gods in this world, then she’d be it.

Regardless of what other people were thinking of her, Seo Ah-Young’s heart remained urgent.

“D*mn it.”

Her smartphone was showing the current location of the Dragon, and it was gradually getting closer and closer.

Just how many satellites were being utilised to track its movements?

Even with all those satellites working at full capacity, it was still impossible to correctly predict the flight path of the monster. Which meant that the area they had to cover was just too big.

It was also physically not possible to blockade the coastline spanning from Uljin all the way up to Samcheok, but Seo Ah-Young had no choice but to do so.

“Ah-wuuoooo....”

Seo Ah-Young took a quick glance to her side, and spotted Jeong Hae-Min grabbing and massaging her head as she lay on the ground like a puddle of water.

“You worked hard.” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Honorifics! Where’s my honorifics! I’m older than you! How many times must I tell you!? Listen to your unni properly, will you?!” (Jeong Hae-Min)

“If you still have energy left over, do you mind if you teleport a few more people around?” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Awwwoooo.... I’m dying here....” (Jeong Hae-Min)

Seo Ah-Young smirked after seeing Jeong Hae-Min rolling around on the ground. She knew that this woman’s reaction was not an exaggeration in the slightest, though. Perhaps better than anyone here.

The only reason the seemingly-impossible distribution of personnel had been completed in the first place was all due to Jeong Hae-Min, after all.

Seo Ah-Young could only be grateful for the idol pushing her ability to the absolute brink to make it happen.

“I’ll buy you some tasty meat dish later.” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Really?” (Jeong Hae-Min)

Seo Ah-Young ended up laughing after seeing Jeong Hae-Min’s reaction. She looked like she’d have wagged her tail like a puppy if she had one.

“Why is an idol so hung up on meat, anyway?” (Seo Ah-Young)

“You try being in this profession, okay? See if you can even find time to eat proper meals or not.” (Jeong Hae-Min)

“Oh, is that so? Well, in that case, I guess you mustn’t eat meat, then.” (Seo Ah-Young)

“....You think so?” (Jeong Hae-Min)

Jeong Hae-Min became depressed in an instant.

What an adorable unni she was.

If she thought about it in detail, then including Gah-Yun and Mister Choi Jung-Hoon, everyone surrounding Seo Ah-Young was all good looking men and women, not to mention having pleasant personalities as well.

She was the one with the worst temper and personality out of that lot, actually.

Also..........

Grit.

That d*mn abominable b*stard.

That b*stard who appeared out of nowhere to pour bucket loads of pepper powder, no, raw capsaicin into her life!

What was the stupid grim reaper doing?! Seriously now!

“That Yi Ji-Hyuk..... Argh!” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Ng?”

....What was up with this idol’s reaction?

Why was Jeong Hae-Min wagging her tail again? Was it because Yi Ji-Hyuk’s name got mentioned?

What would his reaction be like, after finding out that he was now considered to be on the same level as meat dishes?

“You like that a lot, huh?” (Seo Ah-Young)

“W, what did you say?! I like who?! What nonsense is this? Why would I?! Aren’t you a strange one?! Who do you think I am, to spout such random c**p at me?!” (Jeong Hae-Min)

“.....Meat, unni. I was talking about meat.” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Eh? Meat? Uh, yeah, I, I like meat....” (Jeong Hae-Min)

Jeong Hae-Min’s face reddened considerably, and she looked oh-so adorable as a result. Seo Ah-Young chuckled softly to herself, before turning her head around to look at someone else.

Their playtime was over.

“Are we finished with the preparations?” (Seo Ah-Young)

“We’ve finished distributing the personnel according to your instructions, ma’am.” (Kim Jae-Beom)

Kim Jae-Beom nodded his head at Seo Ah-Young’s question.

The only thing remaining now was to carefully close the defensive line after figuring out the flight path of the monster.

However.....

Seo Ah-Young recalled the sight of the Zombie Dragon as it began soaring into the sky.

‘Can we really stop that thing?’ (Seo Ah-Young)

She recalled that overwhelming, commanding presence of the creature. Would she be able to confront that giant rotting lump of fear capable of freezing one’s heart with one glance?

Was she mistaken when she thought that the creatures emerging from the Gates nowadays had exceeded what the humans were capable of dealing with?

What a cruel twist of fate this was, but only one person could be relied upon in a situation like this one.

If she were to get technical, then without that man’s presence, the nation of Korea would’ve disappeared a long time ago, or at least, barely hanging on while other countries took it for a ride.

From the nation’s perspective, and also from her own personal perspective, that man was indeed their saviour, but....

Why didn’t she feel grateful to him?

Why would she only get p*ssed off when thinking about him?

In any case, there was no one to believe in but Yi Ji-Hyuk.

Seo Ah-Young pulled out her phone and quickly scrolled through her contacts before making a call.

The ringtone could be heard next, and then....

– “Uwaaaahhhh?!?!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

‘Argh, what the hell? Why is he shouting out as soon as answering the d*mn phone?!’ (Seo Ah-Young)

“Mister Choi Jung-Hoon?” (Seo Ah-Young)

– “Captain?! Uwaahh!! You crazy b*stard?! I told you to stop!! Caaaaptain, help!!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

“Just what is going on there?” (Seo Ah-Young)

– “That, that crazy b*stard.... Ah! Ahhh! No, no, I didn’t say crazy b*stard just now. Yes.” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Seo Ah-Young slowly facepalmed.

Even under current situation, that man wouldn’t let anything go by. Not even once!

“Just brief me on the current situation, will you?!” (Seo Ah-Young)

– “Briefing? What briefing?! Why would you even need one when a crazy b*stard is doing crazy b*stard things? He’s just insane, that’s all!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Click.

Seo Ah-Young didn’t hesitate and ended the call right there. Even if she didn’t, nothing useful would’ve emerged from the ensuing conversation anyways.

“....Was that Ji-Hyuk?” (Jeong Hae-Min)

....And why was this unni acting like this now?

“Everyone having pleasant personalities, my foot.” (Seo Ah-Young)

Nope, everyone around her was hopeless, that was what.

“Mister Jae-Beom.” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Yes, ma’am!”

“We move according to our initial plans. Do not forget to shift personnel around to match the flight path.” (Seo Ah-Young)

“Yes, ma’am. Understood.” (Kim Jae-Beom)

Seo Ah-Young shifted her anxious gaze towards the ocean.

“...Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk.”

Whatever the case may have been, there was no one to believe in other than Yi Ji-Hyuk – although, he was precisely the sort of person no sane person should believe in at all.

*

“No, waaaaaaaaaiiiiit!!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Choi Jung-Hoon cried out while holding on for dear life on the back of the black hawk.

“Why are you doing this? Why?!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Yi Ji-Hyuk nonchalantly dug his ear canal and answered back.

“Oh, what should we do, then?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Who told him to come along, anyway?

Yi Ji-Hyuk directed the hawk and they slipped past riiiight below the maw of the Zombie Dragon, missing by only a whisker.

Snap!! Kwahng!!

And from the spot they flew past a millisecond ago, the sound of the Zombie Dragon snapping shut its jaws could he heard. If they were tardy by even a heartbeat, then they would be sitting not-so-prettily inside the Dragon’s gut by now.

“Hmm, it’s definitely slow.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Meanwhile, tears were constantly streaming down Choi Jung-Hoon’s face.

“Nooo!! Why are you doing this?! Whhhhy?!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Well, Yi Ji-Hyuk didn’t have any good reason, actually.

“Buying time, trying to poke around to find a weakness.... I’m doing this and that, I guess.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Then, do this and that alooooone!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

*SFX for claws closing in rapidly*

Just as the hawk flew under the Zombie Dragon’s gut, claws even bigger than an adult’s body rapidly flew towards them.

“Heot!”

Yi Ji-Hyuk directed the hawk and the claws missed the group by a whisker!

“Aigooo!! I’m gonna die!!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Yi Ji-Hyuk could only click his tongue in annoyance while listening to Choi Jung-Hoon’s desperate pleas.

“So why did someone who can’t help out even bother to tag along in the first place?!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Should I send him away now?

Argh, never mind. If I did that, then an event of him not coming back forever might occur. (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)

Yi Ji-Hyuk controlled the hawk and rose up higher, his thoughts complicated and uncertain.

“Ha-ah. What am I supposed to do here?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

From its head to tail, it must have been at least 100 metres in length. It may not have been an Ancient grade, but it had to be a Wyrm-grade at the least. The pure, raw physical strength emanating from its gigantic body was probably enough to blow a mountain away into pieces.

He tried to poke it here and there with ‘this’ and ‘that’, but the result was – well, although it was half rotten, a Dragon was still a Dragon, through and through. A regular attack didn’t even manage to scratch its scales.

Of course, there was this thing about Dragons possessing innately high resistance towards magic, so attack spells didn’t work so well in the first place, too.

‘It’s only a measly undead, yet it’s this strong?’ (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

He got to realise how nonsensically troublesome the lifeforms called Dragons could be once more. Of course, he knew that fact already. Still....

Yi Ji-Hyuk shifted his gaze over to his side and stared at Affeldrichae.

“....What’s the matter?” (Affeldrichae)

“No, well. Mm.... I was wondering, like, such a rotting carcass of a Dragon is busy messing around, yet what is our dear ol’ Lord-nim doing at the moment? Stuff like that.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“If we were back in Berafe, then a single breath from me would’ve blown away such an insignificant mob creature.” (TL: Not ‘Breath’, but breathing.)

“But, wouldn’t it be you who will get blown away now?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Because I’ve lost weight and slimmed down?” (Affeldrichae)

What would a dang lizard know about losing weight and slimming down?

I’ve got a ton to retort you with, but what would change by arguing with you now? Since I’m the grown up here, I should act like one.

More importantly.... (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)

“This isn’t the time for jokes.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

If he failed to stop that thing here, then Seoul would really be half-destroyed very soon. If it was simply flying past the city, then fine, but if it decided to build a cosy little nest there, then the city called Seoul would be wiped off the map for good.

Of course, even it passing by would probably mean the city getting half destroyed anyways.

Yi Ji-Hyuk let off a long groan while looking down at the Zombie Dragon below him, as the dumb creature still moved its head around, searching for him.

“Is the case where when I use it, it’s a dumb little f*cker, but when someone else uses it, it’s a big fraud, is that it?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Whether it was a Zombie Dragon, or a Bone Dragon, they used to be a bit of a common sight seen in Yi Ji-Hyuk’s army once upon a time. However, they were both similarly useless pieces of garbage even back then.

In a world like Berafe where ‘divine’ magic ruled, the boss-level undead monsters were nothing more than some side attractions for Priests who had attained levels around that of a Pope.

Yi Ji-Hyuk shed tears of blood after seeing his undead army get decimated by the spell “Turn Undead” flying in from left, right and centre. And since that day, he swore that he’d never get involved with undeads ever again.

In order to live properly and prosperously in Berafe, one had to stay off stocks, gambling, and undeads.

What?

You asking if there are stock markets in Berafe?

....How should I know that? There probably is. Who cares.

Besides all that!

What am I supposed to do with this d*mn thing? (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)

Yi Ji-Hyuk stared at the Zombie Dragon and rested his chin on his arms.

Because of the monster’s reaction time was slow, they were able to avoid getting hit by it until now, but the difference in power levels was just too great. He might be able to dodge its attacks, but in turn, he had no method to attack it.

And he couldn’t think of anything his group could do that might damage the monster, either.

Even if he opened a Gate to the different dimension, when that big body rampaged around, then never mind the demonic entities, everything would be destroyed in seconds.

“What should I do.... What should I do....” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk?” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

“Yeah?”

“Maybe we can do something to those wings?” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

“Hah?”

Yi Ji-Hyuk spat out a lengthy groan after taking one look at the tattered Dragon wings flapping in the air.

One should’ve been able to figure it out by now after seeing all those holes in the wings as they flapped around, shouldn’t he?

“It’s not flying because of its wings.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Pardon?” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

“It’s magic. It’s flying through mag....” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk suddenly clapped his hands in the middle of his speech.

“Ah! That’s right!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

This dude, he can be of some use every now and then, no?

In any case, as long as I stop it from flying, we’d be able to buy ourselves some time, right? (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)

Yi Ji-Hyuk’s hands quickly moved around the air.

“Dispel!”

Right away, Yi Ji-Hyuk’s hands glowed brightly, then the body of the Zombie Dragon also began glowing brightly for a moment or two.

Rooooar?!

And then, the giant body of the Zombie Dragon began plunging straight into the ocean below.

“There you go!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

A real Dragon would’ve done something in order to counter ‘Dispel’ before it started flying, but the undead creature lost its ability to think properly after it got zombie-fied, so it forgot to do that.

Kaboom!!

Accompanied by a massive noise of explosion, the Zombie Dragon crashed straight into the ocean below.

At the same time, a massive pillar of water exploded upwards.

“That’s it!! Yes!” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Choi Jung-Hoon cried out in excitement without even realising it.

Unfortunately for him, Yi Ji-Hyuk’s expression remained unimpressed.

“Why are you celebrating?” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

“Eh?”

Obviously, that wouldn’t have damaged it in the slightest. Even if it was a zombie, it was still a Dragon, after all. Sure enough, the Dragon’s head peeked out from beneath the surface of the ocean and began shooting out that icy cold Breath.

*SFX for the Dragon’s Breath freezing the ocean*

As soon as the ice-cold Breath touched the surface of the ocean, the saltwater froze up in an instant.

“It’s good thing that it’s a dumb monster, but....” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

...Well, that can prove to be the worst thing in the world sometimes.

Just like now. (Yi Ji-Hyuk’s inner monologue)

He had been pouring out attacks and tried to attract its attention, but despite all that, it was still resolutely carrying on with a singular purpose. The Zombie Dragon climbed onto the frozen ocean and began jogging on it. Well, that was just....

‘Hmm....’

....If he couldn’t stop it now, then Seoul would be history!

“This won’t do.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

In Seoul, both his mom, Park Seon-Duk, and his little sister, Yi Ye-Won, were there. They might have left the city already after the evacuation order had been issued, but there was always that off chance, wasn’t there?

“For now, I should really try to slow it down.” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk’s right hand began emitting a dark light, before a huge black Gate appeared beneath the hawk.

“Come out!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

ROOAAARRR!!

Along with loud and spirited roars, familiar-looking creatures descended from the black Gate.

“Dae-mang?” (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Monsters with the Seal of Obedience poured out from the Gate and grabbed hold of the Zombie Dragon, trying to drag it down.

However, even though the Hydra and Dae-mang were biting down and tugging at it, the gigantic Dragon wasn’t slowed down in the least and it continued to march towards Korea.

And eventually, the Dragon’s half-rotting eyes clapped on the sight of the Korean ability users waiting for its arrival on the coastline.

Shuuuuuu.....

The biting, pale chill began gathering on the Dragon’s maws once more, and....

Yi Ji-Hyuk’s eyes began spewing out the proverbial flames.

“Geeeeeet the hell out of the way!!” (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

The Dragon’s icy Breath flew straight towards the KSF agents.

< 117. Your heart might stop beating, you see -2 > Fin.