85.
“……”
“……”
What a strange client. That’s what Won thought. If he were a normal tourist visiting a tourist attraction, he should have been looking around happily with light, fluttering footsteps, like the newlywed couple who left yesterday…
After exchanging greetings at the airport and being handed documents outlining the places to visit, this client, for some reason, was looking down with such a serious expression that it wouldn’t be strange if the sky fell right now.
Since the one who seemed to be the boss of the group was maintaining such a stance, the other attendants in suits also maintained a stiff atmosphere, as if standing at attention. Even the sound of taking a deep breath seemed disturbing.
Because of this, Won also had to straighten his back as his seat felt uncomfortable. Although he wanted to take a peek around since it was his first time riding in a German multi-passenger van, he felt self-conscious due to the heavily subdued atmosphere.
If there was any consolation, it might be that most of the places this client expressed interest in visiting were places Won knew inside and out.
“……”
Won glanced at the man who only knew how to sit still like a well-crafted plaster statue and once again examined in detail the contents of the documents he had been given.
Indeed, indeed, this was definitely a strange client.
Neither Tumbes’ beautiful beaches, nor the facilities where various activities could be enjoyed, nor the observation tour of the spectacular dense mangrove growth were this client’s destinations.
Most of this strange client’s destinations were outside the city, that is… the shabby dwellings of foreigners where Won resided.
Places with an uneasy atmosphere due to illegal guiding substitutes and various stolen goods… places that seemed to have no connection whatsoever to this exceptionally tall and unusually wealthy-looking man.
The local driver in charge seemed unfamiliar with the geography of this area outside the city. He took a wrong turn.
“Ah.”
“……”
“……”
Won opened his mouth to point it out, saying, “Ah.” Immediately, all eyes in the silent car flew to him and pierced him sharply. It felt like he was not only suffocating but also being strangled. How much money was this client planning to pay to act so strangely? As someone who received payment on the spot without signing any contracts, Won couldn’t help but wonder about such issues.
“What is it?”
Similar in age to Won, or perhaps a few years older. Listening to the weighty voice of this strange client whose mere words automatically set the atmosphere, Won barely managed to squeeze out a word through his constricted throat.
“The road… I think we’ve taken a wrong turn. Just a moment. I’ll speak to the driver.”
“If it’s such an issue, please speak up without being self-conscious. I detest wasting time.”
Wow. Did he know that he was the one making Won feel self-conscious? Won was both surprised and felt a bit wronged.
He moved to the empty passenger seat. The driver, who didn’t understand Korean at all, also seemed to be suffocating and raised his eyebrows once toward Won in a gesture of sympathy. Won was about to burst into a small laugh while telling the driver where to go in fluent Spanish, but seeing the impassive expression of the strange client reflected in the rearview mirror, he bit his lip tightly. It didn’t seem right to laugh.
“We’ve arrived. The car can’t go in from here. We’ll have to get out and walk.”
“Yes. Please lead the way.”
Won walked confidently without hesitation through the winding, complex paths lined with seemingly sturdy tents, shabby temporary buildings, and the like, without a single proper building. A group in elegant suits with shiny leather shoes followed behind Won in a line. The client’s primary destination was a fence dealing in precious metals.
As a group of East Asians rarely seen in this area walked together, exuding an atmosphere that was somehow unapproachable, even the unpleasant gangs who often picked fights with Won avoided eye contact first.
Even though he didn’t have to worry about where to sleep tonight thanks to the kind volunteer organization staff member, Won, who wasn’t very large in build, was often the target of someone’s frustration in these harsh streets. Although he had made some close colleagues, weren’t blind fists always closer than the law? Moreover, this place was truly a lawless zone that didn’t legally belong to any country.
The one who is strong and has a loud voice is unconditionally the boss. That’s why Won so desperately wanted to move to downtown Tumbes.
It was when they were just around the corner from their destination. The strongest and loudest guy in this village, if such a place could be called a village, suddenly appeared and blocked their path.
He raised his voice, squawking about how they couldn’t just bring people in without reporting to him. Won intended to deal with such a thug as he always had.
By revealing that the client guaranteed high pay and offering to give half of the profit, the situation would obviously calm down. Since the thug had picked a fight aiming for that from the beginning, what more was there to see?
Having been forced into being a guide for about two years now, Won, who had become somewhat seasoned, decided to first calm the clients who were frowning. He tried to show a friendly smile under his mask, but of course, it wasn’t visible.
“Who is this person?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. I can resolve this quickly, so please wait a moment.”
It was while Won was trying to reassure the client. The loud-voiced thug, unable to immediately achieve what he wanted, stomped his foot heavily as if in protest. The dirt ground split open. It was a way of announcing that he wasn’t just a slightly stronger ordinary person, but a physical enhancement type C-class Esper who shouldn’t be taken lightly.
After the dungeons disappeared, the lifestyles of those with abilities became truly diverse. Needless to say, S-class, A-class, or even B-class individuals could live comfortably with the money they had earned. If they wanted to continue working, various private companies or government agencies were desperate to recruit them.
But from C-class down, the treatment became somewhat ambiguous. Globally, the trend was for ability management centers to become even smaller, and not just anyone who awakened would be employed by the state anymore. The demand from various companies and organizations had also significantly decreased.
While Guides could live just like ordinary people apart from some regrets, C-class and below Espers who couldn’t find suitable jobs were treated like ticking time bombs about to explode. As the government agencies that had the duty of management and supervision also began to withdraw and reduce their scale one by one, there was nowhere for them to belong.
Such individuals became vagrants one by one and flowed lower and lower to places like this where state power’s surveillance or intervention was further diminished. As there were endless refugees who had lost their homes due to dungeons, the low places where they flowed and pooled also simultaneously increased countless times.
“Sigh… Now even this trash is blocking my way.”
…Hmm. I must have misheard?
It was quite intimidating, but it seemed like a rather vulgar tone leaked from the handsome client’s elegant lips, which had been dripping with grace and refinement since their first meeting at the airport.
Common sense dictated that one should be more cautious when learning that a threatening person is an Esper, but this client instead expressed dissatisfaction by openly frowning, his previously stiff expression changing. Is it because he’s rich? He must have a lot of guts.
“Shit, what did that bastard just say? Won. Translate. What did that damn bastard say about me?”
“…Calm down. Just calm down and listen to me first.”
Those with nasty personalities, perhaps because they often did things deserving of curses, had an uncanny ability to quickly recognize insulting words or looks directed at them. Won couldn’t lose this valuable client here before even receiving payment. He hurriedly blocked the client’s path and tried to somehow defuse the hostile atmosphere by cowering before the loud-voiced thug.
That was clearly his intention, but…
“At best a C-class? No, you don’t even seem like you could be a D-class, yet you’re putting on airs in front of whom?”
It was still an elegant voice. From behind Won’s head, an arm suddenly emerged and grabbed the collar of the C-class Esper who had been reigning as the king of this street for several years now.
“No, Mr. Choi Jae-won. You can’t, can’t, can’t do this here…!!”
Before Won could properly dissuade him.
“Khuheok, heuik, aaaak!!”
The Esper whose collar was grabbed screamed pathetically, even though no strength seemed to be applied to the client’s thin hand. It was a desperate scream as if he was about to die right then and there.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
