Chương 126: S.05 Time to Fly 09(05)

Scene 06_04. It was no vehicle to be out in the early dawn. The wide connecting road linking the deserted redevelopment complex seemed to be mid-construction. The broad, unpaved road lay churned up in disarray. Over a water-and-sewer worksite laid with a cloth cover, a ready-mix concrete truck ill-suited to the deep night carefully kept reversing in time with someone's hand signals. With the 'under construction' sign cleared away, behind the one relaying hand signals to the vehicle lay a narrow, deep pit.

The ready-mix truck came to a stop. With a clamorous noise, the large drum turned. The one who'd given the hand signals moved off toward a van parked a little ways away. As if preparations were done, after a brief exchange of words, two people carried a large sack out from inside. It seemed to be a load heavy enough to rock the van, the way the two strained and groaned hauling it out. Walking a good while, they rolled the load brusquely into the sunken pit.

Leaving behind the noise of the ready-mix truck, which kept churning a mix of stone, cement powder, and water inside, the two who'd dumped the load headed back toward the van. As if the whole churning process of the rolling drum was now done, cement began to pour out. Into the deep pit, sludgy cement spilled down in clumps. The cement falling in dull clumps came down as if stamping over the sack.

The sack writhed, struggling to deflect the blows, but the tightly bound sack couldn't tear even slightly and, just like that, piled weight layer upon layer as if trampled under the heavy cement. The large drum gave a splintering crack and began to falter strangely. The steel sound turned in an instant into a tearing screech, and then the great cylindrical drum let out the sound of bursting whole.

As if the motor trying to turn and a force willed to a halt had collided, the drum could turn no further and stopped with a bursting sound. The ready-mix driver hurried down to check the back. After looking around below the pit and glaring resentfully at the smoking drum, the ready-mix driver sank weakly to her knees, her eyes going dim. From black wire, a 요령소리(Yoryeong-sori_The Chime of the Ritual Handbell) rang out again and spread fast.

The black wire, fanned out even finer, dug through the cement already heaped about halfway. Just as Ji-young was about to climb down into the pit too, a dull pain struck the back of Ji-young's head. Ji-young staggered and pitched forward. The two who'd been watching from the van swung blunt weapons and beat Ji-young. As if determined not to miss the opening of a staggering Ji-young, another drove a knife in their hand deep into Ji-young's belly.

Ji-young, whom they'd taken far too lightly, fixed her eyes in an instant and took on a steel-blue murderous intent. Gripping the hand of the one who'd stabbed her belly, she turned her body back and drew the knife out smoothly, then swung her foot in a wide arc to crack it against the head of the one who'd struck the back of her head with a blunt weapon.

Right after, Ji-young, who'd never let go of the knife-gripping hand to the last, wrenched the assailant's hand and shattered the joints, then snatched the falling knife and drove it into the small of their back. The wound left on Ji-young's belly had vanished without a trace. Only a faint pain lingered, but Ji-young paid it no mind. Without ever recalling the black wire that stretched out from her bracelet, she dug through all the cement. The sack belatedly came into view.

After sliding down the wall of the pit, Ji-young tore the sack open and checked on Hee-jin, trapped inside. Confirming Hee-jin's breath, ragged though it was, Ji-young finally let out a sigh as if in relief. Undoing the two wrists bound behind her back with a 금줄(Geumjul_Ritual Taboo Rope to suppress power), Ji-young held Hee-jin close and stretched out her wire to haul them up from the pit. Only once they were up together did Ji-young drop down onto the ground.

Glancing at Hee-jin, who rustled about as if barely recovering her drug-fogged consciousness, Ji-young, still slumped down loosely, straightened her back and let out a sigh. Twitching the corner of her mouth, Ji-young burst into a laugh as if to herself. Ji-young: Ah, SSibural. This is seriously rough. Really, the ways I end up saving someone who's out to kill me, every damn one. At Ji-young's lament and muttering, Hee-jin, struggling to raise her fallen body, barely held a laugh too. Hee-jin: I-I'm sorry.

The Oldest.... To help Hee-jin's rising body, Ji-young carefully took hold of Hee-jin's two arms as if cradling them, then laid Hee-jin down flat. She took off the 두루마기(Durumagi_Traditional outer coat) she wore and draped it over Hee-jin's body. Ji-young: I came rushing for you so you'd have a little more time to spend with people without regret before you go — so be good to them, more than ever. To the people around you. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Hee-jin laughed weakly and nodded. Ji-young: Haa.... So this is why So-hui couldn't see it. Scene 06_05. The terror left in Yeon-jin was too deep and sharp to let the early dawn pass by unheeded. As Yeon-jin, rolling her bloodshot eyes mechanically to look outside, gazed out with those terror-stricken eyes and doubted what she ought to believe, her pocket shook clamorously. Moving her trembling hand, Yeon-jin drew out the buzzing phone with a fear-stricken motion and, hand still trembling, brought it to her ear.

From here on, without end. All that remains for you now is to live in dread. At the courteous cold sneer that reached her, Yeon-jin's eyelids began to tremble. I have lived, and you — you shall forget. Remembering nothing. Only when that day comes will you feel that something has gone terribly wrong. As the strength left Yeon-jin's hand, the phone she'd held to her ear dropped limply to the floor. Small, full lips lingered moistly at Yeon-jin's ear and parted faintly.

At the tips of the hair glimpsed near those lips still clung damp cement powder. The voice that had been coming from beyond Yeon-jin's phone now reached her ear directly. This matter — all of it — forget, and live on. Even the Weeping of Immolation within you. Soon, when the Weeping of Immolation breaks loose and leaves its mark, the memory buried deep shall return to you of its own accord. Scene 07. As if in relief, So-hui nodded as she took the call.

She was still in an unfamiliar 철릭(Cheollik_Traditional coat-dress), but she'd at least gotten to where she could put on her ornaments by herself. At So-hui's relief, Si-yeon let out a small sigh too. Si-yeon, having not yet fixed the 곰방대(Gom-bang-dae_Slender Pipe Ornament) and butterfly ornament into her hair, stood at the threshold with only an apple bun set in place, just listening to So-hui's call. It was a morning where the sun had begun to climb high.

Ending her call with Ji-young and setting the phone down, So-hui turned to look at Si-yeon standing at the threshold. So-hui: She found her. Thank goodness. Sounds like she's on her way back now. Si-yeon: Yeah, that's a damn relief. As if a weight had lifted, So-hui straightened her back again. Only then did the ornaments in Si-yeon's hands and the apple bun shaped from Si-yeon's long hair catch her eye. So-hui twitched the corner of her mouth. It was a look she could only make now that the weight had lifted.

Still seated, So-hui silently stretched out her hand. Si-yeon ambled over and plopped down in front of So-hui with her back turned. Taking the ornaments from Si-yeon's hands, So-hui began tucking them into Si-yeon's apple bun. On Si-yeon's two Slender Pipe Ornaments hung two butterfly jades on one and a single butterfly jade on the other. So-hui's were ornaments with two pairs of butterfly jades hanging from the two Slender Pipe Ornaments.

Si-yeon: I mean, no matter how I try to do it looking in the mirror, my hair keeps coming loose and it pisses me off. At Si-yeon's prattle, So-hui fixed her ornaments in place and patted Si-yeon's back. So-hui: Honestly, my mom and sis kept teaching me. Though I still kept forgetting how to put the clothes on. Si-yeon pursed her lips and nodded. So-hui: You'll get used to it soon enough once you keep at it.

As So-hui and Si-yeon checked their ornaments in the vanity mirror in the living room, a small cough sounded from outside. Yeon-su: The Seer. It's the Secret Agent. So-hui: Hey! Just come in!! It's only us, what's the deal!! At So-hui's scolding, a deep sigh sounded from outside. Yeon-su flung the door open and came in, carrying grumbling steps into the entryway.

Scuffing her heels as she left her 수화자(Suhwaja_Korean Traditional Battle boots) at the entrance, she moved her white 버선(Beoseon_Korean Traditional socks)-clad feet as if grumbling and strode the rest of the way in. Yeon-su: Agh! SSibal, I really don't want to go. Si-yeon: This one's throwing a Jiral first thing in the morning again. Without even being offered a seat, Yeon-su flopped flat onto the living room floor. Lying there, Yeon-su turned her head as if picking a fuss and snapped at So-hui.

Yeon-su: Would it kill him to just notify me by phone? Why's that fucking bastard throwing a Jiral, picking me out specifically to meet?! So-hui: Well, it's because the blood that sealed Yeon-hui sis away is yours and his, that's why. What else. Yeon-su: Agh! That's true and all!! It's just — it's fucking shit that I've gotta sell out So-hui sis too on top of it!! Si-yeon: When did you ever sell anyone off?

"On top of it," on top of what. Yeon-su: No! How can you be so laid-back, sis? When I'm saying I'm selling off So-hui sis?? Si-yeon: No, how am I being laid-back. And besides — are you actually selling her off? She's just bait to use for getting her out anyway, so it's not that I'm not worried, but I just take it as it is — no, SSibal, hold on, hey, when was I ever laid-back, this crazy bitch, you really wanna drop dead?!

At Si-yeon's steadily mounting jabs, the sprawled-out Yeon-su flailed her limbs and threw a tantrum like a child. Each time her skinny arms and legs flapped, the loose-bodied Traditional coat-dress fluttered. So-hui and Si-yeon scrunched up their faces. So-hui: Hey!! You're kicking up dust!! Only then did Yeon-su settle her limbs and, lying still, ask: Yeon-su: So, what, what am I supposed to do? Scene 08_01. Yu-seok was brimming with a sneer, as if smirking to himself.

Yeon-jin, seated right beside Yu-seok, smiled and stole glances at him. It was an afternoon past noon. Gazing blankly down at his own hand, Yu-seok muttered to himself. Yu-seok: Ha, Song Hee-jin. She's quietly a real piece of work. At Yu-seok's harmless jab, Yeon-jin, as if she couldn't grasp the reason, shifted in her seat and linked her arm through Yu-seok's. Yeon-jin: What's so funny that you talk to yourself and laugh alone every day, babe? Let me laugh along too?

Yu-seok, not bothering to shake off her arm, glanced at Yeon-jin and nodded. Yu-seok: Because Song Hee-jin looks like she'll show me something fun. Yeon-jin: Well, the Strategist's always been one to show fun things. Just as much as she's a fearsome one. Yu-seok sneered a little wider as he looked at Yeon-jin. Yu-seok: Right. Come to think of it, you're the one I really ought to look forward to.