Escape from the Iljinhoe Project 22

# Chapter 22

I didn’t know what to say, so I kept my mouth firmly shut. And then I could properly realize it. Come to think of it, from the trio’s perspective, I’d disappeared for three days after fighting with Kim Pyeonghwa, which must have been absolutely terrifying. For the school gangs in this world, the Apex is the top priority, and the Apex is practically a god, but suddenly their Apex went missing. And after fighting with another school gang’s Apex who’s worse than an enemy. Though I didn’t actually fight.

…This is also cringey as hell, but anyway, they couldn’t contact me so they must have been really anxious. Even if they’re gang members concerned with rankings, they’re still just kids. Even adults would have worried, let alone these guys.

But I had my own circumstances too.

I collapsed in the rain, was sick in bed for two days, and only regained consciousness today, now getting an IV drip at the hospital. With this crazy flu. Sigh… The problem was with this body that gets unnecessarily sick so easily. I suddenly wondered how I’d managed to be an Apex at all. Right. I am an Apex. Supposedly an Apex.

“Jung Ion.”

“Oh, Apex.”

“Is Hanseo okay?”

“You’re asking about that right now…!”

“I asked if Park Hanseo is okay.”

“Hah… he’s fine. That guy is naturally tough, so apart from the arm cast, he’s completely fine. Thankfully.”

“Good, that’s fortunate. That’s all I needed.”

“What do you mean ‘that’s all’? You…”

Tsk. I’ll be generous just this once. I took a deep breath.

“Are you looking down on the Devil Apex?”

“…!”

“According to you guys, I’m ranked second, right? The Thousand-Year Prince who’s on par with Kim Pyeonghwa?”

AAAAAAARGH!

Feeling like I was rapidly turning into a squid, I had to thrash around wildly on the hospital bed. I actually said it! I spouted nonsense with my own mouth! Aargh! Fuck. Fuck. FUCK! I shouldn’t have said anything. Waaah… I shouldn’t have been nice… I’m not in a position to care about others! The massive aftermath was driving me crazy.

“Fuck. So I’m fine, okay?!”

Unable to overcome the unprecedented cringe, I lashed out at him. Ah, damn. I really want to die. Haah… The reality hit me hard, for real. With my head hung low while on the phone, I could hear Jung Ion’s irritating chuckle.

“…Yeah. I believed in you.”

Fuck off!

This bastard who was crying with worry until just now is saying he believed in me~? I bet my IV drip that you had zero trust in me. Fuck!

Completely unaware of my trembling rage, Jung Ion finally speaks as if relieved.

“Apex Gu Haejin. We’ve decided to hold an emergency Devil general assembly today. I request your permission, as only the Apex has the authority.”

Devil general assembly?

That crazy assembly from the first day? Why are they doing that again? They said it’s only held two or three times a year! It hasn’t even been a month yet, what are they scheming now?

“There’s a very important announcement. Please.”

What would I know about that? Do it or don’t. But I won’t be participating!

“Do whatever you want.”

“…Thank you. For giving permission.”

Somehow Jung Ion’s voice became serious for a moment.

“4 PM at Shinju High School’s field. I’m going to take the initiative and reveal all the things you’ve been desperately hiding from all the national Devil gang members. I’ve decided it can’t be kept secret anymore. I think they need to know too.”

“Huh?”

What did you say? Another nonsense?

“I apologize for acting on my own, Apex.”

Click.

Huh? The call just ended.

Dozens of question marks appeared and disappeared in my head. Wanted: someone who can tell me what Jung Ion was blabbering about by himself. What exactly are these things that I supposedly desperately hid, which I know nothing about? Is Jung Ion showing his genius at perfectly understanding the narrator’s psychology like in a Korean language exam?

“Ah, whatever.”

I gave up thinking about it.

I put my phone away and lay back down on the bed. The IV was now half empty. Damn, still 30 minutes left. Thinking I might sleep a bit, I slowly closed my eyes.

…

…

Blink, blink.

I opened my eyes once, then closed them.

AAAACK. Dammit. What exactly can’t be kept secret anymore?!

I couldn’t stand how unsettling it was. 4 PM at Shinju High School’s field. I checked the time.

Current time: PM 3:51.

“Fuck. Making me nervous and acting crazy, those damn bastards!”

For some reason, I felt extremely anxious and uneasy.

I immediately called the nurse. I had to rush to Shinju High School right away.

“Miss! Do I really need to finish this IV drip?”

“It’ll be done in 30 minutes, where are you trying to go?”

“I think I need to go to school.”

“At this time?”

Yes.

At my firm answer, the nurse seemed to hesitate for some reason. Ah, I’m in a hurry. But I was scared to just rip out the IV like in dramas. Ah, what should I do? After a moment’s thought, I got off the bed and just put on my shoes.

“Then I’ll take this whole thing with me and come back!”

“What? You can’t…!”

“I’ll come back really soon. I’ll leave all my stuff here. Okay? Sorry. I love you, Miss!”

“…Gu Haejin!”

I didn’t even properly listen to the nurse and ran out of the hospital with the IV stand in my hand. In my rush to leave, I didn’t notice that the nurse standing there with just her hand outstretched had blushing cheeks.

PM 4:00

Whooooosh~

A strong sandy wind blew across Shinju High School’s field. Though dust swirled in the air, the numerous figures in various colored uniforms stood unmoved, ignoring the dust.

The school gang general assembly, held only two or three times a year and only by the Apex’s authority, was exceptionally convened through the authority of the executives under the title of emergency assembly. This morning, with just one notice, over 2,000 Devil gang members from across the country urgently traveled to Shinju High School in Seoul’s Gangnam.

Due to Gu Haejin’s disappearance for three days, various rumors—such as being defeated by the Focus Apex or being kidnapped—had caused extreme anxiety within the Devil gang. Even this brief absence demonstrated the significant impact of the Apex’s existence. Haejin was Devil’s king. That’s why the atmosphere of this emergency assembly, uniquely called by the executives’ authority, was unusual.

The Devil gang members, filling the field in straight lines, stood solemnly at attention. And on the Shinju High School podium, ten Devil executives including the three highest Devil executives maintained silence as they looked at the crowd.

Devil Number Two, Jung Ion.

Devil Staff Member, Park Hanseo.

Devil Action Leader, Shin Amin.

The eternal Thousand-Year Prince of Devil. The top executives who assist Apex Gu Haejin.

Among them, Number Two Jung Ion stood on the platform and grabbed the microphone.

Gulp.

The national Devil gang members steeled themselves to not be shocked by whatever would come from his mouth.

“What I’m about to say will impact Devil so greatly…”

“……”

“It’s bad news.”

……!

At the words “bad news” from the always positive Number Two Ion sunbae, everyone froze. In an atmosphere colder and icier than the Siberian plains, Ion wore the most somber expression of all.

He now had to reveal to everyone the fact he had agonized over for a long time. For Devil’s sake.

And for his sake as well.

“Apex Gu Haejin.”

As Ion’s words continued, Hanseo and Amin could only close their eyes.

The reality everyone had turned away from.

The fact that only he had suffered with.

The lonely truth that had to be hidden.

Ion’s lips trembled.

Until then, the Devil gang members hadn’t realized. The unbearably painful sharp glass fragments that would soon rush in like an ebb tide.

“Our king, the Devil Apex… is going to die soon.”

Author: Hyacinthus B

Hyacinthus