The Poison Demon and The Happy World (2)
I arrived at a place that was both my home and not my home. When I opened the door to my room and entered, I heard my mother's voice.
"Is there anything you want to eat?"
At my mother's question, I fumbled through my memories for quite a while. For a moment, meat noodle soup came to mind, then a similar food called ramyeon occurred to me.
"......Ramyeon?"
"Ramyeon? What kind of child who just got discharged from the hospital wants ramyeon?"
Dejected. Honestly, I'd like to talk about sweet pastries, but it didn't seem like the right situation for that. What else is there? Think, Kim Tae-yang's memories!
"Ah! Chicken?"
"Not yet. It's bad for your body. I'll make you some porridge."
Mother. The answer was already decided, wasn't it?
I heard the sound of the gas stove being turned on in the kitchen. Tidididik. The old gas burner that seemed ready to break down at any moment only lit after several attempts.
An old, cramped house. Even from end to end, it didn't seem very big. Was it a 13-pyeong villa? My parents used one room, and I used one also. The living room was so narrow it felt like a storage room.
"I guess she's my younger sister."
I looked at the photo frame on top of the living room display cabinet. Pretty. Well, everyone in this family has good looks.
'202X. Congratulations on our daughter's university entrance.'
I saw the words my mother had written below the frame. Hmm. So my younger sister is a college student. She's at a great age. I would have been too.
"Huh?"
Thinking about it carefully, I had no memories of college life. Wasn't I at an age where I would have returned from the military and be in my third or fourth year by now? Maybe the memory synchronization is delayed. As I pondered, I had no memories of my school days. Sporadically, memories of middle and high school came to mind, though.
I looked around my room. Middle school textbooks, high school textbooks. I didn't see any college major textbooks. Then that means I'm a high school graduate. Wait a minute. I'm 26 years old, but I still have school textbooks.
"Mother, I did graduate from school, right?"
"You graduated. From middle school."
Huh?
"What about high school?"
Then my mother put down the ladle and quietly came over to hold my hand.
"Are you sure you don't need to go back to the hospital? It seems a bit serious......"
"Pardon?"
"The doctor said it seems you lost some memories because the shock was too great."
"I'm a middle school graduate?"
Mother took off her apron.
"Let's go! I'll somehow manage the hospital fees."
"N-no. I'm fine. I remember now."
"Tae-yang!"
"Ah, ah! The porridge is overflowing!"
I returned to my room. The words I heard earlier naturally came to mind.
'Are you going through some kind of trouble?'
The police officer's words, the self-inflicted wounds on my wrists, me who tried to die by jumping from a bridge. And the relatively short education.
I opened the high school textbooks stuck on the bookshelf. Second-year textbooks were the end. Even the notes in those stopped around the middle. Looking at the parts with blood stains and torn sections, I could clearly feel what they commonly call dark history here.
Moreover. The scars and burn marks all over my body that I discovered while washing when I was hospitalized.
I roughly understood. Oh my, Kim Tae-yang. You were a victim of school violence.
Tiring!
【Main Mission (3): Achieve 100% memory synchronization with Kim Tae-yang】
-Upon success: Kim Tae-yang's peaceful passing
-Upon failure: Kim Tae-yang will ■■ ■■■■■
A notification message rang at just the right time. Upon failure, Kim Tae-yang will what? It was obscured and couldn't be seen. Anyway, it's a bad outcome.
"......Peaceful passing."
Then you're still wandering through purgatory. A sudden chill.
......Are you possessing me?
Pabak!
I quickly looked at the mirror. When I gathered my internal energy and concentrated, I seemed to see something whitish behind me.
"This might be my imagination, but are you really here because you have lingering regrets? Do you also want revenge?"
Though the context is different, when it comes to revenge, I can't be left out. A smile slowly formed on Kim Tae-yang's face—no, my face—reflected in the mirror.
"......!"
Oh my, what a shock! When I rubbed my eyes and looked again, there was nothing.
Kim Tae-yang. What is this.......
"Ha, fine!"
I'll help you. Because you are me, and I am you.
Now then, what I need to do has become clear. Climbing the tower and finding memories. The tower is far, but my life as Kim Tae-yang is close. First, the source of the missing memories. I need to find the perpetrator.
Grab.
I turned on my cellphone which was placed on the desk. First, I'll check SNSTalk.
But.
"There's a password on it?"
I tried to log in with my fingerprint, but it didn't work.
"I guess he locked it in case Mother might see it."
What's the password? I tried pressing combinations of the resident registration number and birthday I had memorized at the police station, but none of them worked. I'll exclude this for now.
I pressed each phone app one by one, looking for other SNS. This time it was Starstagram.
"This one works."
When I put my finger on it, it logged in.
But.
"A private account?"
There wasn't a single person who added me as a friend.
In contrast.
"Why are all the accounts he follows so depressing?"
This Kim Tae-yang guy's following list was quite serious. National subversion, revenge, even animal abuse. Moreover, when I checked the comments he wrote, they were full of curses and complaints.
"This bastard really...... He's hopeless."
A guy who was terribly twisted. A guy who cursed the entire world.
Ah....... That bastard is me now, isn't it?
I held my forehead. I felt somewhat pitiful, and it also felt like looking at my twisted self from a past life.
I also checked the sites and cafes he mainly visited. Bulletin boards full of all kinds of internet memes and jokes. When I scrolled down to see what Kim Tae-yang had viewed the day before he died. All the posts were marked as 'read'.
"An internet addict."
So that's why all kinds of dad jokes and memes keep popping into my head.
Sighing deeply, I checked the text messages, and as expected, they were all cleared out.
This is the last one. Phone contacts. Four registered phone numbers. Father, Mother, younger sister.
And.......
"Hae-jin?"
......Who is this? If it's not family, this seems like a really important person, but I have no idea. Hae-jin, Hae-jin....... It somehow sounds like a woman's name. Did this loser Kim Tae-yang have a girlfriend?
Tiring!
【Sub Mission: Find 'Hae-jin'】
-Upon success: Great help in the Main Mission (3) Kim Tae-yang memory synchronization.
As expected, this is a hint. Easy, isn't it? Straight ahead.
I immediately pressed the call button.
But.
'The number you have dialed does not exist.'
A message came out saying it's a non-existent number. But why is it still saved?
"The porridge is ready! Come eat."
"Yes."
While eating porridge, I asked my mother.
"Mother, do you know someone named Hae-jin?"
"Hae-jin? I'm not sure. Why?"
......She doesn't know.
"It's nothing."
After finishing the meal.
"I'm going to go out for a bit."
"Why? Just stay home."
"I want to get some fresh air."
"You're doing something you never did before?"
"I'll just go for a bit."
"Aren't you going to wear a mask and hat?"
"It's okay."
I left with my mother's surprised eyes behind me. Winter had arrived and cold wind rushed in, but it was refreshing. This is a habit from my past life. When I have something to think about, I walk.
Our neighborhood is on the outskirts of the city. It's a poor neighborhood where you can see factory chimneys here and there on the hillside.
"First, I'll have to postpone finding the perpetrator until I find a clue."
Of course, there's also the method of asking my parents, but I didn't really want to open up painful wounds. There's also a high possibility they don't know the details.
"The terminally ill Poison Demon hides his filial piety."
I muttered the phrase that came to mind while looking around here and there.
"Hmm."
Everything was fascinating. How should I put it, the feeling was strange. I definitely had memories in my head, but seeing things directly felt quite different. People, buildings, cars were all fascinating. Even the blowing wind.
Above all, these messages floating before my eyes were unparalleled.
【Current Happiness Points: 1,000/999,999,999】
"Is this what they call a status window?"
A phrase I seemed to have read somewhere came to mind.
By the way.
"How do I use these happiness points?"
【Methods to unlock skills:
①Training,
②Completing missions,
③Collecting happiness points,
④Other】
It seems like a way to regain my lost, no, sealed martial arts, but I don't know how to do it. Having become the Poison Demon with tremendous abilities, I had mastered most of the famous martial arts of the martial world. The kind enemies who taught me one by one.
'I...... I've told you everything. Please...... Spare me. Please!'
Huh? Strange memories are coming up. They were definitely kind enemies, though.
"Happiness points....... I don't know. I don't know how to use them or how to collect them either."
I'd understand if a mission appeared. And happiness points—how am I supposed to become happy? My past life was literally a life stained with blood and slaughter. The moments I was somewhat happy were.
'Sp-spare me! Ahhhhh!'
When I tore my enemies to shreds.
However. Kim Tae-yang's memories, combined with instinctive intuition, gave me this thought. In this place, South Korea, if you kill recklessly, the police will be dispatched immediately.
"There's no such thing as a Gangho Imperial Palace Non-Aggression Treaty here."
Too bad.
"Do happiness points increase when I become happy?"
Conversely.
"Do happiness points decrease if I kill someone?"
I'd like to experiment.
"Whew."
I let out a long sigh while thinking about things that didn't have easy answers. The one furthest from happiness. How could I, who was a revenge ghost, make the world happy?
"This is driving me crazy, really."
I headed to a quiet park. A secluded playground with pull-up bars and swings. There was nothing special except for lots of cigarette butts thrown on the ground.
"Hey, student!"
As I entered the park, a janitor who was cleaning called out to me.
"Yes?"
"What are you doing here? Don't come!"
"Why?"
"It's dangerous here. It's the hideout of kids with bad character."
Hideout? Ah, a base.
"It's okay."
"Hehe. Even though I'm telling you not to. You know."
The man added in a meaningful voice.
"......Delinquents!"
Delinquents? Ah, thugs. Trash-like bastards exist both in the martial world and here. That fact gave me comfort.
"Delinquents come here, you see. Those kids have no respect for anyone! More than one or two people have been victimized while hanging around here."
"I'll just stay for a bit and then leave. Thank you."
"Hehe. There's not even CCTV here. I don't know anything."
The janitor picked up cigarette butts, emptied the trash can, and quickly disappeared.
Hmm. So that's why there's no one here. To throw cigarette butts anywhere, despite there being a trash can.
"Badly behaved ones."
I looked around and confirmed that no one was there.
Now then.
......An important experimental phase.
Even though they're not unlocked. Can I perform the martial arts I remember? Since my internal energy has accumulated quite a bit after Heavenly Poison Blood Divine Art reached Lv2.
I performed simple martial arts. Lightly starting with footwork. Big Dipper Eighteen Steps.
Pababaabat!
"Mmm. It works, but something doesn't feel right."
I didn't feel that refreshing sensation of extending freely like before.
Should I try leg techniques? Heavenly Kick!
Pababaabak!
"No! This isn't it."
Originally, when I performed Heavenly Kick, it felt like the entire mountain would shake! I didn't expect that level. But at least a tree in front of me should break immediately—that would be normal! But now, only my footprint is deeply dug in, and there's no sign of it breaking at all.
"It's like some neighborhood uncle's dance moves."
As expected, without an opponent, it doesn't come out properly. In my past life, the martial world was overflowing with villains, so I could freely train while beating up those bastards. Isn't there anyone passing by saying, 'Please hit me?' Or isn't there anywhere I can watch a fight?
Sigh.
"It seems unlocking is necessary after all."
Oh my. My whole body. Suddenly, using my body, all my muscles screamed in pain. My body is in a skinny state with no muscles. My face is delicate, but I don't look strong at all.
"I need training."
Well-built muscles and bones are the foundation of martial arts. Even if internal energy covers a mountain, it's useless if muscles and bones don't support it.
"Let's start with the Muscle-Tendon Change Classic. Human body enhancement first."
I grabbed the pull-up bar and hung from it. Without using any internal energy, the current me struggled with even a few pull-ups.
"This damn weak body!"
I massaged my arms and hung again. Nothing is better than repetition. Like that, twice, three times, four times.......
As it continued repeatedly.
Tiring!
【You are devoted to training. Bonus points are added to muscle growth speed.】
A message appeared. Excellent. As expected, there's a reason why '①Train' is attached to the unlocking conditions. It was clear that if you work hard, you definitely get more results than others.
Seeing visible results, I accelerated my training.
While I was sweating like that.
"Mister, do you have a light?"
Dudung.
The delinquents appeared.
I wiped my sweat and looked at the one who approached me. Three in total. Two males and one female. All of them dressed sloppily. Dangling necklaces and bracelets. Chewing gum, holding a cigarette in their hands.
Wow, this looks like something that would appear in a movie. It's like they're advertising 'I'm a delinquent'.
"Nice to meet you. Friends."
"Huh?"
I greeted the one who was asking me for a light with a smile. For convenience, let's call him Delinquent A.
Thump- thump.
My heart beats rapidly. Of course, I'm not afraid. The heart beating now belongs to Kim Tae-yang, the school violence victim.
......Are you scared, Kim Tae-yang?
I let go of the pull-up bar and smiled broadly.
"Why do you keep grinning? Fuck. It's annoying."
"Hey, what's this?"
Then another male delinquent approached. A guy with a bigger build and more vicious-looking face than Delinquent A. Let's call this one Delinquent B.
Delinquent A said to B.
"I was trying to borrow a light, but this mister keeps fucking smiling at me."
"Move aside."
B pushed A away and stood in front of me. Delinquent B must be the leader.
Then the underlying Delinquent A shouted.
"Mister. He's the top guy at our school."
"Top guy?"
I fumbled through my memories for a moment.
"Ah, you mean the strongest?"
Top guy—that seems like a really old term. Do people still use that term these days?
"Strongest? Ha! This man is into Murim Tower. No wonder he has no sense of reality."
"I still don't have the sense. I'm working hard on it."
"Mister...... Are you crazy?"
No. I have innocent madness, but I'm not insane.
"Ha, do you have a light?"
"No."
"Then fuck. Do you have money?"
"I don't."
Then Delinquent B looked around to confirm no one was there. He scrunched up his face and shoved his face toward mine.
"What will you do if it comes out when we search you?"
"It's mine."
"Totally fucking crazy! Get your head straight. There's no CCTV here either."
"I know."
"This is ridiculous, really."
Delinquent B glanced at Delinquent A once and smirked.
Then.
Swiiik!
He suddenly threw a punch at me.
I dodged lightly. I'm not a Poison Demon who would get hit by such a bungbung punch.
"Oh!"
The guy had seen something somewhere and raised his fists in a boxing stance, launching consecutive punches at me.
Kkadak kkadak.
I dodged them all by just moving my neck.
"Eh, fuck!"
This time, a kick. Stop it. Clumsy leg techniques are only easy to counter.
Grab!
I snatched the guy's ankle with Seizing Hand. I walked steadily toward Delinquent A like that.
"Hey! Let go of this?!"
Kong kong kong.
Delinquent B hopped on one foot and almost bumped into A.
"I'll let you go."
I pushed lightly, and B ended up tumbling with A.
Delinquent B jumped up. Even in the midst of this, he was checking the girl's reaction, so it seems he was completely smitten.
"You son of a bi-."
Smack!
I slapped B's cheek.
Thud.
With just one blow delivered without force, the guy collapsed to his knees, bleeding from his nose.
"Huh?"
"Kyaaa!"
Delinquent A and the girl screamed in surprise.
Was that too much? They're still young. But I thought I was impressive for holding back until now. In my past life, I would have torn their limbs off. Honestly, I want to hit them a few more times, but I'm afraid they might die.
"Hey, come here."
I beckoned A over. The guy hesitated.
Swook.
I raised the beckoning hand just like that. A quickly approached.
"Delinquent A."
"Yes? My name is-."
Smack!
"Supporting characters don't need names."
"......"
The guy went quiet while holding his cheek.
"There, don't slowly back away. You come here, too."
The girl who was trying to secretly run away got caught by me. A skirt so short I was worried her underwear might show. Isn't she cold in this winter?
'Short Skirt' said to me.
"Is this okay?"
"What is?"
"We're minors! Can an adult hit us?"
Snicker.
"You said there's no CCTV here."
"......Ah."
"Do you want to get hit too?"
"What?!"
A frightened expression.
"Attention!"
At my command, Delinquent A and the girl stood at attention. With both hands politely clasped together.
Looking good.
"......"
Including Delinquent B, who came to his senses, the three of them quietly watched for my reaction.
I didn't say anything. I called them out instinctively, but since I wasn't going to tear them to death or beat them to death. I actually had nothing to do.
I want to ask something.
......I have nothing to say.
Swook.
Flinch!
The guys showed frightened eyes at just my gaze.
Huh? If you keep getting scared like that, my happiness points will.......
【Current Happiness Points: 1,000/999,999,999】
......No problem?
On the contrary.
Tiring!
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +100 happiness】
【Current Happiness Points: 1,100/999,999,999】
Rather, the happiness points went up. By '100'!
Ah! Tormenting these delinquents increases the points! As expected, Kim Tae-yang! The painful memories of school violence remain so deep that tormenting delinquents makes him feel good.
Then?
......Kim Tae-yang, this bastard, you're really attached to me!
I was delighted at this unprecedented discovery, and my eyes flickered.
"Hiiiiik!"
The delinquents were terrified.
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +50 happiness】
Good! Hehe. Except that earning points is too slow. But this Poison Demon has a plan.
"You three, face each other!"
"What?"
"Stand in a triangular formation, I said."
The delinquents hesitantly stood facing each other.
I commanded them.
"From now on, you'll take turns slapping each other's cheeks."
"What?!"
"If you don't, I'll hit you."
Swook.
When I raised my hand, the guys frantically stood in their positions.
"Start!"
Delinquent B glanced around.
Smack!
He hit A. Then A also hit the girl's cheek, and finally Short Skirt hit B.
Smaaaack!
Ooh. The girl's hand is the most stinging.
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +50 happiness】
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +50 happiness】
【Kim Tae-yang is delighted. +30 happiness】
......Kim Tae-yang. Are you happy? Because I'm tormenting the delinquents for you? This crazy bastard.
"Hehehehe."
I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. Kim Tae-yang, this bastard. Somehow, I feel affinity with him.
"H-how long do we have to do this?"
Delinquent B asked with a tearful face, and I gripped the pull-up bar with both hands and answered.
"Until it reaches 1,000 points."