Chapter 95 – Cataclysm (1)
“Are you ready?”
An attendant in a suit opened the door to the waiting room and asked.
Kim Joo-seong, who was sitting in the waiting room, nodded his head. A wonderful figure caught my eye in the mirror. Kim Joo-seong was not used to his neat appearance in his suit. Originally, it was because Kim Ju-seong was always drenched in sweat.
In the corner of the room beyond the mirror, there were garlands flying at him. Wreaths with clichéd phrases such as [Hanseo-dong’s pride, Kim Joo-seong]. Some were sent from the district office, and some were bouquets made by his grandmother’s friends who saved a penny.
Even looking at that bouquet, Kim Joo-seong couldn’t realize that he was succeeding.
“Because there is an event rehearsal at 11 o’clock. Please wait until then.”
“Yes. All right.”
Kim Joo-sung nodded her head. The staff went out as quickly as they came in. Kim Joo-seong did not like his attitude a little. Shouldn’t we say goodbye and leave? He’s a hero in his own right, so is it acceptable for a mediocre agent to behave like that?
Kim Joo-seong decided to put up with it this time. He was not yet in a position to act arrogantly. He straightened his tie and looked at his watch. The clock showed 10:30. It was time for him to go on stage in a little while.
He smiled and called. He was in order to call the ‘brother’ of the Diamond Club who had put him up to this position. Today is the day I receive the commendation, but strangely, I haven’t been able to contact you.
[Cannot answer the call, so it connects to voice mail.]
“Ah, where is this hyung so he doesn’t call me?”
Kim Joo-seong got annoyed and put his cell phone back in. He must have been busy, but he felt a bit disappointed that his face wasn’t even reflected on the day he succeeded.
“Are you inside?”
A knock was heard. An old voice was heard from beyond the door. Kim Joo-seong straightened his posture without knowing it and stood up. It was because the old people who entered the waiting room were all powerful people.
“Yes. Please come in.”
When the door opened, an old man with a long beard appeared. Kim Joo-sung recognized him and bowed his head in amazement. He was Jang Ji-wan, an S-rank hunter of the Diamond Club. Jang Ji-wan saw that Kim Joo-sung was stiff with his back bent at 90 degrees, and spoke in a soft tone.
“Get up. If the hero is bowing his head like that, he writes it.”
“Ah yes.”
Kim Joo-sung nodded his head with a bewildered face. Jang Ji-wan patted Kim Joo-sung on the shoulder and looked around him once. The waiting room with a simple look like a D-class hunter caught his eye. Jang Ji-wan said while sweeping Kim Joo-sung’s back.
“Okay. I came nearby for a while and stopped by. Are you coming to our guild soon?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Okay. Working hard Now that I’ve seen your face, I won’t go away.”
“Yes. Take a look.”
Kim Joo-seong did not get up until Jang Ji-wan left, with his head bent on the floor. Hearing the door close, he raised his head and exhaled. Like an S-class Hunter, I felt the pressure just by being next to him.
But at the same time, another sense of pride welled up in his heart.
A hero that even S-class hunters come to directly.
Kim Joo-sung nodded, pondering the image of Jang Ji-wan coming to him. A smile remained on his lips.
*******
Tensioned numbers and tons of paper. After rehearsing for the event, Juseong Kim felt dizzy at the sight of the papers spread out in front of him. The Diamond Club, which Kim Joo-sung volunteered to manage, seemed to have already received ‘sponsorship’ for Kim Joo-sung’s difficult family.
“Yes. First of all, our Mr. Juseong said that he had lived a difficult life from before, so a membership sponsorship came in to take his grandmother to the Silver Town in particular. The house was also sponsored by a construction company to remodel the old house. You can sign here.”
“Ah yes.”
Kim Joo-sung nodded his head. Before he could understand, papers continued to fly in. Unbeknownst to him, Kim Joo-seong’s family history and righteous heart were already being processed and exaggerated by knights with good hands and spreading through articles. Thanks to that, support was pouring in from so many places that Kim Joo-seong couldn’t even grasp them all.
Kim Joo-seong frantically signed a piece of paper and kept looking at his watch. Because he shouldn’t be late for this event. The rep laughed and said.
“Because I can sign everything in time. Read it slowly and sign it.”
“Yes. All right.”
Kim Joo-seong nodded his head and continued his autograph. Said the rep from the Diamond Club, pulling out another brochure while he signed.
“And Mr. Jusung. This time, there is a simple meeting with S-class hunter Lee Hyeon-woo at the venue.”
“Ah, did you come out of [City of Heaven and Demon]?”
“Yes. Taking pictures with him, he is my role model. I really respect you. You can give me some lip service like this.”
“Ah yes. All right.”
Kim Joo-seong actually liked Hyun-woo Lee quite a bit. He wanted to be a great star like him, and wanted to talk with him on an equal footing. Although he is now just a rookie who admires Lee Hyun-woo, he also wants to become a star who surpasses him one day.
In fact, when he personally thought, he wondered if he was a better person now. At most, Lee Hyeon-woo only slaughtered the monsters inside the gate, but didn’t Kim Joo-seong himself save more lives than that?
As Kim Joo-seong thought so, he felt a stiff force go into his neck.
And he muttered to himself.
I am a hero
I am a hero who saved people and will become a star in the future.
“Mr. Kim Joo-sung. Please wait for the event to begin.”
“Yes.”
Kim Joo-sung nodded his head and moved on to the stage. Quite a number of spectators had already gathered to watch the award ceremony. Seeing that he was accompanied by a cell phone camera and a big smile, it seemed that he had a different purpose.
In fact, Kim Joo-seong knew who the purpose of those many people was. Lee Hyun-woo, wearing a suit, was sitting on a seat a little away from Kim Joo-sung, smiling. Every time Lee Hyun-woo turned his head, the people he met screamed and waved at him. Kim Joo-seong seemed to be enjoying the cheers.
And another Hunter was sitting on the seat where Lee Hyun-woo was sitting. It was Choi Soon-hong of the Black Dragon Ark. Kim Joo-sung couldn’t understand why such a degenerate old man was sitting in a seat like this. According to the story I heard, there was a saying that I came as an invited guest because I was the eldest among the hunters from Gapyeong, and I thought that I had a really thick face to be here for just that reason.
Choi Soon-hong and Lee Hyun-woo were talking to each other in low voices. When Lee Hyun-woo smiled and said a few words, Choi Sun-hong frowned and glared at him as if to kill him, then turned his head away. It didn’t seem good between the two.
Kim Joo-seong checked again to see if there was anything wrong with his attire. The clothes were neat.
He then surveyed the audience.
Among the people who came to see the ceremony were Kim Jin-pyo and other academy friends. Quite a number of people came and we were able to see everyone’s faces, but ‘Howling’ Min-young Oh was nowhere to be seen.
She seemed to be unable to go out because the allergic rash had not subsided yet. Kim Joo-seong clicked his tongue in regret. Other academy teachers were nowhere to be seen. Kim Joo-seong thought they were narrow-minded people. I heard that teachers, including Lee Jung-ah, were given light disciplinary measures because of the incident that happened that day, but they couldn’t congratulate their students on their success because of that one.
Kim Joo-sung thought that if he had been a teacher, he would never have done that.
When I looked closely, I couldn’t see Jung Soo-hyeon and Ichie either. Kim Joo-sung laughed at their narrow-mindedness and fixed their ties once again. Until yesterday it was the era of the Ada bomber, but now people will realize who really needs to pay attention.
Not Jung Soo-hyun, who fooled people with a fake nickname, but a hero who saved people. Kim Joo-sung He really deserved attention.
The mayor’s greetings were over. Kim Joo-seong said the longer this event was, the better. It was so nice to see the mayor slowly stretching his words, and reporters rushing in and getting ready to set off the flashlight. The moderator said.
“Then next, save the hunters of the academy this time…”
At the modifier “Hero,” Kim Joo-seok fluttered with his shoulder dance. Then he stood up proudly and went to the podium. People were paying attention to themselves. A flash was going off. Kim Joo-sung looked around the audience to enjoy this moment.
The flashlight was twinkling like a street lamp in the night view when delivering newspapers. Kim Joo-sung smiled. He heard a voice calling to him from beyond the light.
“Gi, ki, ki, Kim Joo-seo eoeoeoong!”
The orchestra that was playing the song stopped. The presenter turned around with a puzzled face. Reporters and spectators all stared at him with a firm expression. Kim Joo-sung’s face hardened.
A fat man in a black hood was standing in the middle of the road.
Kim Joo-sung knew who he was. The hooded man burned hostility through his glasses. He was sweating profusely and his legs were shaking, but he was burning more fiercely than anyone else.
“Ki, Ki, Kim Joo-sung, you bastard!”
Security guards were on the move. Kim Joo-seong turned his head to manage his expression. I couldn’t figure out why Kim Chun-bae was here. Didn’t he take care of it at the Diamond Club? Why is that bastard here? What are you there for?
“Kim Joo-sung! This fucking baby! I have come to avenge you!”
Chunbae Kim shouted. Security guards were running. Kim Joo-seong could not understand what he meant by revenge. How is he who just summons a fucking character? A voice filled with rage rang out.
“Ignoring me! Pay the price for betraying me!”
And Kim Chun-bae raised his hand.
“Uh?”
The ground started to rumble. Choi Soon-hong of the Black Dragon Ark stood up from his seat with a puzzled face. The reporters were all buzzing. Hyunwoo Lee was sitting in a relaxed posture. Kim Joo-sung was unable to balance and staggered.
The ground was cracking behind Kim Chunbae’s back. The middle of the road swelled and smoke rose.
Bang!
Asphalt exploded with a roar. A huge monster appeared behind Kim Chun-bae. Chunbae Kim laughed and shouted.
“Die! Fuck you!”
