****
Last night, after the incident where a girl escaped from the medical center, the nurses made firm preparations. That girl had already been living as an inpatient for a year, and because of that, her family's nerves had become even more frayed and sharp.
Those family members were so piercing and hysterical that on the days they came for a visit, it was reminiscent of soldiers with fixed bayonets charging toward a trench.
And now, as expected, a desperate hand-to-hand battle had begun.
“No, just how exactly are you managing this hospital that a child manages to run away!”
“Are you people really going to be like this!”
Since early morning, a riot had been breaking out at the hospital. This morning, the parents had come in and were causing a scene, having somehow found out that a foreigner had rescued Yoon Mi-hye when she was collapsed on the street last night.
Yoon Mi-hye’s father, Yoon Se-chang, was pushing the nurses back roughly as if he were about to assault them.
“Is my daughter an idiot? Is she some bar girl? Do it right. If you’ve gorged yourselves on money until you're ready to die, then do your jobs right, you pieces of shit!”
“Kyaaaaakh!”
A nurse shrieked and retreated backward. Yoon Mi-hye was watching such a chaotic mess as still as a doll, with emotionless eyes. At that moment, her eyebrows twitched slightly. This was because the foreign man who had rescued this girl last night opened the hospital room door and stepped inside.
“Oh dear. It seems I’ve come at a bad time.”
It was a blonde man wearing a pure white suit and sunglasses. Because of his fluent Korean, one might have wondered for a moment if he was a Korean who had dyed his hair, but his robust Western physique, facial features, and blue eyes dismissed such thoughts.
The head nurse, who had arrived with him, immediately set out to resolve the situation upon seeing the rampaging Yoon Se-chang.
“What is this riot! The patient needs stability! If you are going to cause such a disturbance, please leave!”
“What did you say!”
However, Yoon Se-chang immediately moved into intimidation. He didn't seem like an uneducated man, but seeing him scream like that, he possessed more momentum than a construction site foreman overturning a manual labor site.
It could also mean that he was just that filled with venom. After all, his only daughter had become a wreck, yet the perpetrators were all minors and had not received any proper punishment. It would be stranger if he were sane.
“Now, now, please calm down. Your daughter is watching.”
Row Gibson intervened like that and placed the bouquet of flowers he had brought on the table. However, if an excited human could be stopped just because someone told them to stop, it would be fine to reduce the size of police station holding cells by half.
“And who the hell are you!”
Even though there was a fair distance between them, a stench of alcohol wafted strongly every time Yoon Se-chang opened his mouth.
“Are you people going to take responsibility if my daughter dies? Huh? Are you going to take responsibility! Do you think I’m paying expensive hospitalization fees for this?”
He began to act unreasonably. It wasn't as if his daughter was asleep; she clearly had her eyes open, yet the family was causing a riot right in front of her.
In this state, even a sickness that could be cured would not get better. Well, though he was being rude, it wasn't to the point of exceeding one's understanding—and it also meant that Row Gibson’s patience was quite excellent. At least, considering that he possessed wealth and power… it was also a bad thing to meddle in someone else’s family affairs for no reason, but Row was a vampire anyway.
Was he not in a position where he couldn't exactly receive a Christmas present from Santa even if he refrained from doing bad things now?
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Row said that while exerting mental suppression. Suppressing the spirits of people was something that not only vampires but also humans could use.
To the Jinma Phantom, who had mastered all sorts of dark arts, it was something so simple it couldn't even be called magic or sorcery, but the effect differed vastly depending on who used it.
The people all froze like frogs before a snake. Then, Yoon Mi-hye, who had been shut away blankly until just a moment ago, showed interest for the first time. A person exhibiting symptoms of autism had shown a reaction to the outside world.
“I was sorry about yesterday. To think I put you back into a place like this after you struggled so hard to escape the hospital. So…”
Row reached out his hand.
“Will you go with me? No, this is a kidnapping, so you don’t have a choice.”
She took his hand. At that, Row smiled and placed the bouquet of flowers into her arms.
<><><>
A pale light illuminated the basement. The basement, surrounded by cold concrete, was filled with all kinds of weapons. There were various types of bladed weapons, handguns, submachine guns, assault rifles, and sniper rifles, of course, and even a Caliber .50 fixed on a tripod; it was already comparable to a military weapons warehouse.
“Why have you returned? Much earlier than scheduled?”
Kim Seong-hui stood at the entrance of the warehouse and looked down at Silvester. Then, Silvester replied while inserting a magazine into an Ingram.
“It is because I like Dostoevsky (Humans wash away the sins of the world by shedding tears - Dostoevsky).”
Even Kim Seong-hui could not understand why he was so obsessed with the tears of a vampire. If Silvester himself could shed tears, wouldn't that be enough? However, Silvester seemed to have a different thought than her.
“By the way, what happened to that guy?”
“That guy? Ah… do you mean that kid?”
Kim Seong-hui looked at Silvester as if it were a bit unexpected. To think that the Jinma Hunter Silvester was concerned about a greenhorn hunter. Of course, if it were a human, it would be natural to care about the kid they had dragged into the abyss, but Silvester’s psyche was far removed from that of a normal human.
“He seemed unable to get Psychedelic Moon, so I gave him a bit of something that hadn't been mixed with cocaine. When was that? Just a few days ago. It hasn't been long.”
“Is that so? Then he must be alright for now?”
“I wouldn't be so sure about that. Why? Does it bother you? Silvy?”
Kim Seong-hui’s voice rose coquettishly. It carried the intent of mockery, but it was still a beautiful voice. However, Silvester raised his body without a word. After placing the PSG-1 and the Ingram into their cases, he looked straight at Kim Seong-hui.
“I told you to stop calling me Silvy, didn't I?”
The ventilation duct of the basement emitted a low noise.
<><><>
The sorting floor of a delivery company is a place that is always short on hands. People often call it a 3D industry (Dirty, Dangerous, Difficult), and there are few jobs that fit those words as well as this. Therefore, it was easy to find a job even during a recession.
“Uh, are you the newcomer?”
A man wearing an acrylic name tag that read ‘Supervisor Lee Dong-su’ approached. The title of ‘Supervisor’ (Gyejang) originally means the head of a certain section (Gye), but the fact that he was wearing blue made it seem as if he would never escape being a cargo loader.
‘I really can’t understand the youngsters these days.’
Supervisor Lee Dong-su thought that as he looked at the new part-timers. One guy had all his hair standing up and dyed blonde, and the other guy had green bleach in his hair. Looking at how both of them appeared, they seemed like they would have caused their parents quite a lot of grief, but the one with the green bleach was more likable.
Since he didn't have holes pierced in his body.
“Yes. I look forward to working with you. Hahaha.”
However, the blonde youth smiled brightly and offered a handshake. The rings hanging from his face rattled so much that a person watching might feel the pain. In comparison, the youth with the green bleach looked as dark as a person who was about to die.
“What should I do?”
“It’s very simple. When items come out from that conveyor belt, you load them into this truck.”
Supervisor Lee Dong-su said so. Cargo began to pour out through the place where the belt and rollers were interlocked.
A simple briefing befitting a simple job… but the two youths could not hide their horror upon seeing the first item that came out. Seeing a 29-inch television elegantly packed in a box rolling over the rollers, the word ‘Fuck’ was already on the tips of their tongues.
“Damn it…”
But at that moment, the youth with the green bleach turned his work cap backward and approached the television. Then, he immediately took the TV coming on the rollers and carried it on his back before running toward the truck.
‘Oh? I was inwardly worried because he looked dark, but he’s incredibly good at working?’
Supervisor Lee Dong-su was surprised and thought that as he watched the youth’s movements. However, the work was only just beginning.
<><><>
When they loaded the boxes that poured out without rest into a truck, the next truck would come and put its rear end against the dock. Then they would stack them neatly inside the truck again, but no matter how they looked at it, there seemed to be no way to avoid an overloading ticket.
“Damn. A lot of stuff is really coming out.”
“Maybe it’s because internet shopping has developed?”
The blonde youth picked up the words of the green-bleached youth.
“Hey, you’re strong. You don’t look like a laborer, what kind of exercise do you do?”
“A bit of judo.”
The youth retorted casually like that. However, the blonde youth nodded his head as if he understood. It was a time to wait for the next truck after sending off a full one, so the conveyor belt had stopped, and there was a moment of leisure to smoke a cigarette.
“Want one?”
“No. I don’t smoke.”
“Ah, sorry. I saw what you wrote on your resume. You saw it too, right? That we’re the same age? Let’s drop the formalities (mal no-ja). We’re going to be working together from now on, so wouldn't it be better to be comfortable?”
One might think that speaking like that while dropping formalities first isn't a good attitude, but strangely, he couldn't hate this guy. Even if his attitude was insolent, it was as if there was no burden, like dealing with an old friend?
Hoooooo.
The cigarette smoke he blew out stretched through the autumn sunlight.
“I’m Seong Si-gyeong. What do you think? It’s a killer name, right?”
“Is that really your name?”
“It says Kim Seong-ju on my resident registration… but a guy dreaming of being a celebrity is bound to have at least one stage name.”
“…”
The taciturn youth thought that if he intended to be a celebrity in South Korea, he should have avoided piercing his nose, but for some reason, the rebuttal itself felt like an act of idiocy, so he couldn't bring himself to speak.
Although it was autumn, sweat was flowing on their bodies that had heated up during the labor. However, without a chance to cool that sweat, they saw the next truck entering.
“God damn it. They won’t even let me finish one cigarette. To think the daily wage is 30,000 won for this, it’s a scam.”
The self-proclaimed Seong Si-gyeong grumbled like that while flicking the embers of the cigarette with his fingers. The youth agreed with that.
“By the way, what’s your name?”
“You should know if you’ve already seen what I wrote on my resume?”
“But that’s not what an introduction is. Then from now on, I’ll call you Dog Poop. Is that okay?”
“Of course it’s not okay, you crazy bastard. My name is Han Se-gun.”
He turned his work cap around and returned to the workplace.
<><><>
Row Gibson threw his body toward his beloved horse, the Dodge Viper, and nimbly stepped inside. Then, he seated Yoon Mi-hye, who was in her hospital gown, in the passenger seat.
“Now, now. The seatbelt… no, I’ll fasten it for you.”
He checked on Yoon Mi-hye, who showed no reaction, and fastened her seatbelt. Then, instead of sunglasses, he put on the goggles he enjoyed wearing while driving. Well, though he was getting into the mood like that, the downtown of Seoul was currently in a state of complete paralysis.
As 9:00 AM, the limit for general corporate commute times, approached, the rush hour was also reaching its peak. To think he would start a snail’s pace as soon as he exited the hospital parking lot and entered the city center… if the Viper GTS were a living creature, it would have shed the tears that even a vampire could not shed.
“Hmm. If that’s the case, then… well, fine.”
To effectively utilize the rush hour, Row Gibson used his cell phone to sign a contract with a security company and called a service provider.
“Mmm, first of all, the size seems to be between 24 and 26, and the height is about 162? What? I’m wrong? Ah, fine. Then prepare everything. Yes. Women’s clothes! Are you asking if I’m going to dress Wilhelm in them? My, my. Your sense of humor has improved quite a bit. I think you could be a stand-up comedian even if I fired you.”
Well, if Wilhelm didn't resist, it might be good to try dressing him up… an impure thought like that crossed his mind, but he erased it.
“Ah, do you like music… even if I say that, it won't suit my taste. Mmm.”
Because of a feeling that something was becoming entangled, he stopped speaking. On the opposite side of the Han River, beyond a tremendous distance that a normal human could never possibly see, there was a black Corvette.
“Damn it.”
Amidst the crowd of cars crawling through the city as slowly as snails, a red Viper and a black Corvette passed each other with the river between them.
It was a range where one could sufficiently kill a person if they had a sniper rifle, but the rifle Silvester enjoyed using was a Barrett. The 12.7x99mm NATO round is excessively powerful for a sniper rifle.
And above all, this place was filled with people everywhere; would he be able to use a gun in front of humans? Even though Korea is one of the countries with the strictest gun control?
‘He was the type of guy who would do it regardless.’
He lowered the window and opened the car cover. Silver bullets certainly deal a great blow to vampires, but to a Jinma, they hold little meaning except for the vital spots that can deal a fatal wound in one blow: the heart and the brain.
Silvester, who was a Jinma Hunter, would certainly aim for the brain and the heart. He couldn't just abandon his beloved horse to his gunfire, could he?
At that moment, he saw it.
The priest unfolding his coat in the seat of the Corvette Coupe. That priest took out a large rifle, 120 centimeters long, a PSG-1, and aimed it this way. On a road filled with cars crawling along at a snail's pace, he lay down in the passenger seat, his body covered by his coat, hugging the gun, with his legs toward the window.
To fire a gun toward one's feet while one's back was against the floor—if he could hit a person across the Han River from that posture, he would not be human. Above all, the telescopic sniper lens that accompanies the PSG-1 was not even attached. However, Silvester was not called a Jinma Hunter for nothing.
He… would fire.
“You bastard!”
Row shielded Yoon Mi-hye with his body and extended both arms. Along with a sharp sound of piercing air, his body jolted. Whether Yoon Mi-hye knew of such a thing or not, she looked forward without any change in expression.
Vehicles and crowds of people passed through her eyes. Many people, many vehicles, but not a single one of them possessed any reality. Since when had it become like this?
<><><>
“Ah, seriously, move! Did you rent the whole road!”
Along with a loud honk, a foul-tempered voice urged him on. Silvester put down the PSG-1, not the Barrett he usually used, and slowly raised his body. A shell casing fell to the floor, but it would not have been discovered from the car next to him, the car behind him, or the car in front of him.
No matter how much he cast a spell to prevent the gunshot from being heard, there was a thrill in firing a gun in front of all these people. Furthermore, to hit the target accurately…
“Was it excellent as a greeting?”
He muttered that and drove the car forward. He let out a sigh as he looked at the car in front, which had moved forward a distance that wasn't even significant. To think they honked like that just to follow this distance? However, as the other cars showed signs of cutting in, he had no choice but to step on the accelerator.
Just like Row Gibson’s Viper, Silvester’s Corvette Coupe would also shed tears at its own hideous appearance crawling along the road like a snail.