Chapter 6
About a day had passed since her imprisonment. Whether Aran Maxiquire on the other side of the globe had resolved to smuggle himself into the country or not, morning came.
Waking up sharply, Oh Ji-yoon raised her stiff body.
“It’ll sting a little.”
The staff member tapped the needle lightly. A few drops of anesthetic dripped from the sharp needle.
The needle stabbed her neck unexpectedly.
“Ouch.”
Oh Ji-yoon pretended to be in pain nonchalantly.
An employee who had invaded as soon as morning broke was in the middle of administering an anesthetic. It would have been nice if she could at least stretch; her neck was extremely stiff.
“It’s a relief Director Cha Ho-bong is someone who breaks under violence, isn’t it?”
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ mumbles: ‘You beat him up until he said he’d imprison you. His face doubled in size…’]
“Thanks to that, I’m getting injected with anesthetic.”
Thanks to beating up the Director, her threat level had risen. It was a relief. To be honest, restraints alone felt a bit uneasy.
“Now I’m curious what kind of trick he’ll use.”
Director Cha Ho-bong was no easy person. Oh Ji-yoon blinked as she recalled Director Cha Ho-bong’s past moves.
He was originally a member of the National Assembly. She remembered it making headlines when he became the first A-rank Awakened to be elected.
What was peculiar was that he turned into a pro-ranker faction after being pushed out during the presidential candidate primaries. Since politics mostly revolves around ordinary people, whether he held a grudge or something……
‘Still, his time rolling around in politics didn’t go anywhere, so he plays dirty tricks.’
And always in a direction that fattened only his own pockets.
Oh Ji-yoon muttered:
“Originally, he’s not the type of person to easily throw away a card like me, you know?”
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ asks blankly: ‘What do you mean?’]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ passes it off: ‘So… um. Ji-yoon, you explain.’]
“Meaning he likes to squeeze every bit of profit out.”
Although the Quest Failure Penalty this side possessed was a bit of a double-edged sword, she wasn’t a card to be easily discarded either. Look, the picture looks pretty good.
A World Rank 1 who conscientiously confessed their Quest Failure Penalty. On top of that, someone who became the world’s first to attempt rescuing survivors from an SS-rank Fracture.
Even if there is a risk, she is worth employing depending on the flow of public opinion. There was a reason why he had proposed a negotiation when she requested a private meeting.
Yet he backed off a step instead.
Oh Ji-yoon narrowed her eyes.
“I’m not so sure.”
No matter how much she thought about it, it didn’t seem like he would back down just like this. No, that must be it. The only reason Director Cha Ho-bong backed off quietly was because Oh Ji-yoon had nothing to lose.
Moving a person who has nothing to be taken hostage and nothing they desire is difficult. Therefore, there was a high possibility he would drag this into a long-term battle.
‘No way, absolutely not.’
‘Scenario Preview’ had to be controlled with utmost vigilance. For Oh Ji-yoon, a swift decision was needed.
For example, a method like aiming for a opening created by ‘pretending’ to give something up.
“How long will it take?”
“About 10 minutes.”
The employee pretended not to hear her ‘muttering.’
She spun her brain, calculating the probability of the employee relaying her ‘muttering’ and the resulting outcome.
Not enough. Just because an ignorant fool locked in prison spun her brain wouldn’t deal any real damage.
“You just need to remain still like this.”
“Excuse me, how do I send a letter? There’s something I need to receive from Representative Noah Roshan ‘as we originally traded.’”
“Director Cha Ho-bong will not allow it. Ranker Oh Ji-yoon is under the Director’s sole jurisdiction.”
The employee answered while pushing in the anesthetic. The Director of the Ranker Support Headquarters possessed the authority to detain Awakened individuals. That was precisely what Oh Ji-yoon had been subjected to.
Oh Ji-yoon continued speaking, implicitly trying not to attack the employee:
“Director Cha Ho-bong would probably be interested too. He’d be curious about what I’d bring up with Representative-nim, and what my true intentions are.”
“……I will try mentioning it to him.”
Representative Noah Roshan wouldn’t come because of this—Oh Ji-yoon took a moment of silence for her representative whose head must have been cracked from the traffic accident she caused—but the letter itself had a high probability of being permitted.
That was because he would be curious ‘why’ Oh Ji-yoon was attempting to contact him. She knew people like Director Cha Ho-bong well. They didn’t believe the fact that Oh Ji-yoon’s goal was to be killed through legal procedures and have that established as a precedent.
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ says blankly: ‘I don’t like it here. Let’s ask Noah to come rescue us.’]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ pesters you: ‘Yeah! Hey. Tell him to come. Let’s ask him to save us.’]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ feels gloomy that there is a shortage of handsome men here.]
‘To a person who got sent flying by a car…… Constellation-nim, really.’
Oh Ji-yoon grumbled internally.
If anyone heard them, they’d think he made a promise to get her out. To others, it would look like she was wretchedly leeching off him.
“I tried… mentioning it to Director Cha Ho-bong, but there’s no need anymore. You’re lucky, Ranker Oh Ji-yoon.”
“Mm?”
It was just as Oh Ji-yoon was brainstorming the most meaningful letter possible in her head. The door clattered open, and an employee wearing a walkie-talkie walked back in.
“Representative Noah Roshan has requested a visit.”
“…Oh.”
Even for Oh Ji-yoon, who generally remained unfazed, she couldn’t help but be surprised this time.
Her mouth fell open.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ smacks its lips: ‘What did I say? Didn’t I say he’d come?’]
‘He didn’t come to sue me, right?’
Then the plan would go awry.
Oh Ji-yoon narrowed her brow severely.
Ominous.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ screams: ‘Ji-yoon! Stop glaring so much! Turn off that suspicious glare!’]
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ flusters in a panic: ‘D-Did I do something wrong?’]
“…No.”
It was ominous.
The temperature of this visitation room, the humidity, and everything else about it.
Oh Ji-yoon tried to smooth out her crumpled face. It looked like a ferocious red panda trying to transform into a benevolent raccoon.
It had no effect.
[Your Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ gets flustered before you: ‘Ah. No. That’s not it.’]
[Excuses itself that it was just startled because it was sleepy!]
“Is that so?”
As if asking if that were really true, Oh Ji-yoon raised an eyebrow. But that was only temporary. She narrowed her brow again, glaring into space.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ scratches its belly: ‘Why are you being like that?’]
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ tells the squirrel to relax.]
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ chooses a squirrel as today’s avatar.]
“I’m just disappointed I missed the chance. I don’t have any friends to write letters to other than Representative-nim.”
A squirrel with adorable paw pads lingered endearingly around her shoulder. A cozy warmth could be felt.
Oh Ji-yoon let out a sigh.
“I should have sent a letter first somehow.”
If it weren’t for the crisis of being sent to a mental hospital, she wouldn’t have caused a traffic accident.
Seriously, why is Representative Noah Roshan a morning person? Oh Ji-yoon felt a poignant sense of sorrow.
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ strokes its chin: ‘…This actually makes sense.’]
“Right?”
Assuming she would get sued and writing a letter filled with deep implications afterward would have doubled the effect, so it was extremely disappointing.
If a lawsuit came flying in response to a dangerous and thrilling letter, wouldn’t anyone find it intriguing?
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ scolds you: ‘Do you happen to lack a human heart? Please try having a human heart.’]
“I am already biologically human.”
Even while knowing that wasn’t what it meant, she picked at the flaw. Fortunately, the venomous conversation didn’t continue any further.
The guard had been knocking on the door before anyone noticed.
“Ranker Oh Ji-yoon, it’s visitation time.”
[The Constellation, ‘Impartial Gauge,’ opens its eyes wide: ‘Should we tell him to come in?… Ah. He came in.’]
[The Constellation, ‘Promiscuous Gambler,’ mutters: ‘Finally, a handsome man has arrived…’]
“Visitation time is 30 minutes. Originally, it is standard for a guard to attend, but the Director……”
The guard’s voice scattered as if echoing from far away. Oh Ji-yoon’s entire attention was focused on the man beyond the door.
Whether he had turned off his perception-disruption relic, his unreservedly revealed face shone brilliantly. Standing stock-still and staring at Oh Ji-yoon, he approached slowly.
His slightly gaunt face matched his suit to a chilling degree. His eyelashes grew wet from the morning humidity. And then they twitched.
“Why did you come here?”
“I didn’t come to sue you. I’m not angry either. The time to put you in a mental hospital… unfortunately, has passed. Do you have any other questions?”
“‘Then why on earth did you come?’ is my question.”
At the same time Oh Ji-yoon answered meekly, Noah Roshan contorted his face. It was as if he had predicted Oh Ji-yoon’s answer. Her eyes went round.
Because he looked a bit exhausted. Perhaps he felt disillusioned. Disliking the sight of himself walking to this place in the end, rushing over as soon as morning broke, and relaxing only after exchanging obvious, predictable Q&As. Or perhaps he felt depressed by the fact that the first question he chose was this.
“Are you hurt?”
“Pardon?”
“Your cheek. There’s a scratch.”
He twisted his lips. It was a very small scratch. But from the moment he noticed it, like a tamed beast, he forgot all other questions.
He abruptly bent down at the waist. Sentences that failed to become sound scattered behind his throat, and a slanted shadow fell heavily.
“Is it Director Cha Ho-bong?”
“No. Director Cha Ho-bong was beaten up by me and carried away on a stretcher.”
Oh Ji-yoon grimaced.
“Representative-nim, seriously, please calm down. I told you I’m fine.”
Oh Ji-yoon grumbled while shaking her head.
Noah Roshan was merely looking off into the distant mountains with a slightly tired face. His pale, veinless skin was shaded like marble.
Oh Ji-yoon knew that this was Representative Noah Roshan’s ‘default state.’
She asked:
“So why did you come?”
“Why do you think I came?”
“I don’t know. To silence me?”
“……Originally, I was going to take you back, but you caused trouble in the meantime.”
At Oh Ji-yoon’s ‘silence me’ remark, he contorted his face again. Ah, so that’s not it. Oh Ji-yoon understood quickly.
Counting the words he wanted to say in his mouth—asking if she had any intention to defer her death—he pulled out and attached a signal jammer.
Recognizing it, Oh Ji-yoon’s eyes sparkled.
“Wow. There was something I wanted to say; can I say it now?”
Because Noah Roshan, who had postponed the words he wanted to say as usual, nodded his head, she opened her mouth.
“Representative-nim, I want to die.”
