****
Han Se-gun arrived at Arjuna while completely drenched by the rain.
He was worried that he might be too late and that Silvester would be angry, or that perhaps he had already gone somewhere else. However, seeing Silvester’s Corvette Coupe standing at the entrance, it did not seem like he had gone anywhere else. Han Se-gun parked his RX-125 in front and stepped into the entrance of Arjuna.
“Welcome. Ah, is it Se-gun-ah?”
The owner of Arjuna, Kim Seong-hui, greeted him with her usual sophisticated appearance. Se-gun, who was soaked through by the rain, stepped onto the mat at the entrance and looked around the interior.
“Where is Silvester?”
“He’s nearby for a moment...”
As if to prove that speaking of the devil brings him, as soon as she finished speaking, the back door opened and Silvester, also drenched in rain, walked in. His hair was tied back in a ponytail, and he was wearing a shirt with a drawing of Snoopy riding a skateboard.
“Have you only just arrived?”
He looked at Se-gun, raised an eyebrow once, and then took off his clothes.
“!”
Should it be called pure white skin? Silvester’s body was composed of lithe muscles with not a single bit of unnecessary fat, but because it had not received light for a long time, it was so pale that it did not look healthy.
However, what was even more surprising than that were the figures winding around his skin like snakes. If one were to peel off Silvester’s skin right now and spread it out... it would surely form a kind of magic circle.
Se-gun stared at that circle and was lost for words. Crosses dyed in the color of blood and magic incantations written in Latin filled the entirety of Silvester’s torso.
Unlike the complexion of his face, his pale torso and the red magic circles crawling over it like snakes were startlingly sensual. Se-gun stared at him as if his soul had been stolen.
However, Silvester paid no mind to Se-gun’s gaze, picked up his shirt, and wrung the water out of it.
“Why did you call for me?”
“Did you obtain some information?”
“Surely you aren’t planning to move already?”
“No. To you, it might only be thought of as 'now,' but for a patient who suffered from autism, it is 'from now on.'”
Silvester made a sharp observation. A person who has fallen into autism sinks into themselves. But when a human who has suffered something enough to cause autism through rape enters into that shell of their own self, with what thoughts do they spend their daily lives? It was obvious.
They repeatedly look back on the cursed things that happened to them as if on a loop, ruminating on remorse and hatred.
The lower the sexual repression in a society, the higher the probability of healing, but in the Republic of Korea, such a thing was out of the question. To take responsibility for such a woman—the Jinma Phantom was thinking of it too lightly.
“Human Han... is stronger than that of a vampire. How can a fellow whose bones have melted while enjoying wealth and power, no matter how long he has lived, think he can save a human?”
“...If that is the case, what do you intend to do with her? What is your view as a member of the clergy?”
Se-gun suddenly asked that. Silvester raised his head. Piercing through the rain, the light of the blue-gray mercury lamps made Silvester’s pale skin appear even whiter.
The red crosses drawn upon that blue-white skin stood out most prominently within the dimly lit Arjuna. He formed one hand into the shape of a pistol and brought it to his temple.
“Bang!”
<><><>
The streets were filled with ginkgo trees that had turned yellow. Uijeongbu City, adjacent to Bukhan Mountain, was crowded with vehicles entering Seoul.
Se-gun rode his RX-125 and slipped through those narrow gaps between the vehicles. According to what Kim Seong-hui of Arjuna had told him, another vampire dealer was operating in Uijeongbu. Since Old Man Ju still refused to trade with Se-gun... he had no choice but to seek out the one said to be in Uijeongbu.
However, the fact that they issued business cards was suspicious enough, but if that business card read ‘Yoga and Qi Healing,’ the level of suspicion was indescribable.
“Damn it.”
But for Se-gun, this was the only thing he could trust. Even if he worked a part-time job and received a small daily wage of 30,000 won, it was of no help at all in acquiring equipment and creating living conditions. At the very least, he had to get out of the gosiwon first.
Soon, an old building revealed itself. On the sign that read ‘Qi Healing, Spiritual Healing, and Yoga,’ a large Star of Solomon was drawn. The moment he saw that, Se-gun felt to his bones how sophisticated an occult shop Arjuna truly was.
Compared to this place, Arjuna was nothing to be ashamed of.
The inside of the building was so dilapidated that it seemed as if it had never been repaired once since its construction, and in the hallway, he could see fluorescent light fixtures connected by chains—a style no longer used. It seemed like a building built at least thirty years ago... it was reminiscent of the now-closed Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong.
Of course, Se-gun had never been to the Kowloon Walled City, but inside, old newspapers and trash were scattered about to an extent that brought to mind a street piled with fallen leaves.
“Hmm...”
Se-gun parked his motorcycle and looked around. Inside what must have been the original entrance to the commercial space, decayed scooters and bicycles that had turned into scrap metal were piled up along with rags, and old wooden doors that had grown moldy were attached, perhaps because the rain blew all the way inside every time it fell.
One might come here to get treated only to catch a disease... what kind of treatment could possibly be done here? Se-gun thought that and knocked on the door.
“Is anyone there?”
However, from inside, instead of an answer, the noise of a sports broadcast was heard. Was it hockey? Se-gun thought that and cautiously opened the door. There, a burly black man was sitting and watching television.
“Excuse me...”
“Sheeeee.”
He made a gesture for Se-gun to be quiet and turned his head back to the broadcast. The old TV, looking like something out of a movie, was emitting a blue light. It didn't seem like it was originally made to be black and white, but the colors had faded, turning it blue.
Seeing the black man engrossed in the television while bathed in that light, one could even feel a certain religious fervor.
So, instead of speaking to him, Se-gun looked around the surroundings.
Various trophies and photos were attached to the walls. And, of course, there were various machines, including a VT meter. In the photos and trophies, this black man, wearing a military uniform and wearing quite a grand expression, was currently zoning out in front of the television. Just then, the game on the TV finally ended.
“Oh... God! Coo~!”
An enthusiasm that made it impossible to understand what he was saying. Having finished that, he turned off the TV and pressed the eject button on the old video deck underneath it. As the video stopped, the tape popped out from the top.
‘He was watching it on video!’
Se-gun looked at the black man in disbelief. If a customer had arrived, he could at least have stopped the video... but vampire dealers were usually wealthy to a degree that was incomparable to poor vampire hunters.
Even if they looked down on a customer a little, they wouldn't go hungry. For such wealth, it was a remarkably old video player. To think the tape comes out from the top...
The black man, having recovered the tape, only then looked back at Se-gun.
“Oh. I’m Bill Murray. Welcome to the Murray Healing School.”
“...I came to donate blood.”
Se-gun spoke like that and took out the vampire blood. Then, seeing that, Bill Murray shrugged his shoulders.
“Preservatives, not good. Hard to give the full price if you don't use a refrigerator or a cooler.”
“I believe it didn't matter to Old Man Ju.”
“That’s not true. I give an even better price.”
The black man who identified himself as Bill Murray spoke like that, took the blood pack Se-gun offered, and put it inside the machine. He didn't know if the freshness had dropped since it had been left for quite a while, but the VT value came out to about 34.
“How much is it?”
“I’ll give you 4 million. Considering the freshness, this is very much a stretch. But I like first-time customers. Credit. Good.”
“...”
At that moment, the one who came to Se-gun’s mind was Yong-jin.
Se-gun had shot Yong-jin, whose vampirization was progressing after being bitten by a vampire, and had poured vampire blood over him in his suffering, leaving not even a corpse behind... but was that worth 4 million won?
Of course, it was a ridiculous thing for a person who had killed someone to be stingy about money, but being desperate for cash now, it felt like a huge waste.
“I’ll go with that.”
Haggling with a dealer was not something worthy of much praise. Se-gun agreed to Bill Murray’s deal. At that, he immediately prepared a bundle of banknotes worth 4 million won.
“Count it.”
“Mmm. It’s correct.”
“Ah. Buy some equipment before you go. I have plenty of Psychedelic and Cocaine too.”
“...”
Even if he had brought vampire blood, how could he trust a first-time trader so easily? However, he happened to be in need of drugs. Pure Psychedelic Moon has an analgesic and hallucinogenic effect, but it lacks aggression to obtain a good effect in combat.
However, when blended with cocaine, not only does it supplement the lack of aggression, but because of the unique mixture, it also displays even superior abilities.
“I do need it, but I’ll buy it later.”
Se-gun spoke like that and left the place. Then, the black man spoke while inserting another video tape.
“I give a better price if you don't use preservatives. Don't forget.”
<><><>
“Again?”
The silver-haired priest shouldered his large case and glared at the hotel lobby. There, a bright red Viper was passing through, lined up with black sedans. The bodyguards in the black sedans were keeping in line with the Viper to protect it.
In this state, there was no way at all to catch them. He couldn't block them with a car in front of the hotel and pick a fight, and... sniping was also dangerous.
“...”
The priest and the Viper passed each other. The priest didn't even spare a glance at the Viper, just looked forward and walked on while holding his case.
“Hehe. This way, no matter if it's Silvester, there won't be anything he can do. Oh, by the way. Where shall we go?”
Row Gibson asked the girl in the passenger seat while casting a glance at the priest outside the window. Then, she raised her head. It seemed she had definitely cast off her autism now. However, the atmosphere was still dark.
“You’re a rich man, aren't you?”
“Mmm... to an undeniable degree.”
Row replied like that while checking the priest’s status through the rearview mirror. Then, the girl let out a deep sigh.
“Then there’s nothing you can’t do. But why are you taking an interest in me?”
“Why am I taking an interest... mmm, that is a difficult question to answer. Well, shall we call it sentiment?”
The word ‘destiny’ (in-yeon) might hold a greater meaning in the East, but the sentiment of a Westerner involves a strong sense of responsibility for a life once saved. However, because saying it was a life he had saved might hurt her pride... Row shut his mouth.
“Are you really going to grant everything I wish for?”
“Everything... is a bit much. I will try my best, though.”
He had no choice but to answer like that. He knew vaguely what she was wanting. In fact, what she wanted was also to his taste.
Because it also went against his justice that someone who committed a vicious crime like instigating rape would not be punished simply because they were a minor. However, he could not let her do it herself.
Yet, revenge is something that holds meaning only when one does it personally. If revenge is carried out by the hand of another, the only thing the person will feel is a sense of futility. The pleasure of revenge is one of the sacred things that the person must taste directly. At least, that was what Phantom thought.
“I want to go to where they are.”
“...”
It was the worst.
Row let out a sigh of distress. Why did she give such a 'worst' answer? However, if she chose revenge, Row would affirm it. No matter what results it brought about, that was his own principle.
<><><>
“In the beginning, the Lord made Adam from the earth and made Eva from Adam’s bone; death is a sacred ritual of returning to the beginning. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes...”
Se-gun sang the requiem poem while standing on the wall at the top of the hill, looking down. Below a slope that continued for about 11 meters, detached houses were lined up. High-rise apartments were here and there, so the view was not great, but the scenery viewed from here, which was strictly at the foot of a mountain, was not so bad.
“It’s dangerous.”
Jin Yu-mi stopped Se-gun while smiling brightly as if something was pleasant. Se-gun looked at her and let out a sigh. In truth, if possible, he did not want to meet her. He felt as if he wouldn't be able to hold out if he stayed with a woman who was broken like this.
However, as Silvester had said... in order to draw the king of vampires out from that fortress, it was necessary to monitor this woman. Because this woman and the gang of her so-called friends were the targets of hatred for the woman whom that king of vampires had taken in.
‘But... really... until when?’
For Se-gun, dealing with this woman was extremely painful. Their positions were different from each other, but... every time he saw her, it was painful because he saw a projection of himself.
Furthermore, she was not in a sound state, was she? Her body was not whole either, and those called her friends didn't seem to truly care for her. They were just using her because she had a house.
In the end, it meant there was no one to whom she could truly open her heart. But why was she trusting Se-gun? Was it really because he resembled Kurt Cobain?
‘I don't think I resemble him much?’
Se-gun thought that and walked along the top of the railing. A strong wind blew up from below the slope, but it was not a wind strong enough to shake his balance. Se-gun walked along while balancing with both arms.
At that moment, a bright red Viper was seen entering the alleyway. The road was quite narrow, with only enough space for one car to pass, and because of illegal parking everywhere, it was difficult for a car to come up, though a motorcycle might manage. Was that why? The car stood still, stopped at the entrance of the alley.
“...”
Regarding the king of vampires, one of the Jinma, the fellow called Phantom, Se-gun also knew a little. What he had heard from Silvester was everything, but just hearing that he drove a bright red Viper was enough to know everything he needed to know.
‘He’s here.’
Se-gun cautiously felt his chest. He felt the sensation of the Tokarev he was harboring in his jacket. However, it was impossible that he could catch a Jinma with such a cheap gun.
If he was not careful, he might die. Even while breaking into a cold sweat, Se-gun tried his best to feign composure. He just continued to walk on top of the railing with his arms spread out like a stranger.
“Huh?”
But at that moment, the Viper suddenly backed out. While he was waiting in tension, it just retreated? However, at that moment, even to Se-gun’s not-so-great eyes, he saw a yellowish-brown lens gleaming. Binoculars. Did he come just to look?
“What’s wrong? Se-gun?”
“No... nothing. By the way, is your body okay?”
“Mmm. The medicine Se-gun gave me. It was so good.”
“...”
Psychedelic Moon was not a medicine that could be called 'good' even as a joke. Of course, it was a far better medicine than thinner or butane gas, but...
“Yeah. I’m glad to hear that.”
But for Se-gun, he could only speak like this. Unless he was prepared to put a hole in her head like Silvester...