The Regressed SSS-Rank Supporter Who Turned Dark - Chapter 78

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 78
Shortly after descending from the helicopter.
“Brother! Let’s go grab some grilled pork belly and soju!”
“Sure, why not~?”
Kim Doo-hyun and Oh Tae-kwon made a show of drinking soju.
“Aren’t you coming, brother?”
“Next time.”
“Come on, don’t be like that. Let’s go together.”
“You two enjoy it this time. I’m exhausted.”
Eun-sung smiled.
“Then we’ll definitely go together next time. Haha.”
“It’s a shame, but if you’re tired, there’s nothing we can do. Well then, we’ll head out first.”
Kim Doo-hyun and Oh Tae-kwon headed toward a nearby grilled pork belly restaurant.
“I’m leaving.”
Choi Yu-ra also seemed disinterested and climbed into the Lamborghini.
VROOOOOOM―!
The Lamborghini roared and disappeared.
Her destination was the spa facility within the Community Facility.
“Eek!”
The receptionist gasped upon seeing Eun-sung.
Though he had changed clothes, his appearance was utterly deplorable.
Drenched in blood with only his face hastily wiped down with wet tissues, he was a sight that would cause alarm to anyone who saw him.
He would be turned away from an ordinary public bathhouse, let alone the spa facility of one of South Korea’s most prestigious apartments.
“I’m truly sorry. I don’t want my family to see me like this… I know it’s an imposition, but is there any way you could help?”
Eun-sung wore a desperate expression.
“I’ll just shower and leave immediately.”
Eun-sung turned his back to the CCTV and smoothly produced a gold ingot.
“…!”
The receptionist’s eyes widened in shock.
Swiftly.
She quietly pushed the gold ingot back.
“There’s no need to show such consideration.”
“…Pardon?”
“You’ve been through a lot.”
“Ah… thank you.”
“As it happens, no one’s inside right now. I’ll keep the facilities closed for about an hour under the pretense of maintenance. Please use them freely.”
Eun-sung smiled and bowed respectfully to her before heading to the shower to wash away the blood.
SPLASH!
Beneath Eun-sung’s feet.
The bloodstained water flowed down into the sewage system.
A faint metallic scent lingered unpleasantly in the air.
After showering, I immersed myself in steaming hot water, then plunged into the cold bath to cool down, before sweating it out in the hinoki sauna.
Only after a final dip in the cold bath did I finally leave the spa facility.
I didn’t forget to bow respectfully to the front desk attendant who had been so helpful.
“I’m back… huh?”
Opening the entrance door, I found my entire family gathered watching television.
“Son!”
“You’re home.”
“Eun-sung’s here?”
My Mother, Father, and Sister welcomed me.
“Welcome back.”
Ra Si-hyun, who had been sitting among my family, greeted me as well.
What?
Why hasn’t she left yet?
“Your Mother said I could stay here for a while.”
“Who cares what anyone says? Do as you like.”
Ra Si-hyun offered her explanation, and I responded curtly.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes, I ate before coming in.”
“Go shower right now.”
Father approached me and whispered.
“You smell like blood.”
“…!”
“We’ll talk about this later.”
“Ahaha… haha…”
An awkward laugh escaped my lips.
* * *
The next day.
The incident I had caused shook South Korea under the name of the [Golden Sun Gate].
It was a major incident.
The Golden Sun Gate was a criminal organization composed of Hunters and organized crime members who had committed not only various violent crimes but also human trafficking.
Moreover, with opposition and ruling party members of Congress, corporate tycoons, and high-ranking officials from all sectors of society arrested as perpetrators, there was no way this could be quietly swept under the rug.
The situation had become so grave that even the President, who rarely took a stance on ordinary gate incidents, stepped forward to deliver a national address.
“My esteemed citizens. I stand before you today with a heavy heart. This bizarre incident that occurred in Bucheon….”
The President instructed the Defense Strategy Department Minister to hold those involved in this incident strictly accountable and to punish them severely.
“…As President, I take responsibility and promise to undertake the reconstruction and recovery of the long-neglected Bucheon region. Furthermore, I declare that I will do my utmost to normalize the deteriorated public safety.”
Of course, whether the President’s promises would be kept remained to be seen, but at the very least, the abandoned city was receiving attention once more, which held its own significance.
In front of the television.
“How can there be so many terrible people like that?”
“That’s right. They should all be executed.”
Mother Park Yeon-gyeong’s words prompted Sister Cha Eun-ha to chime in indignantly.
“Not even surprising.”
Ra Si-hyun shook her head wearily, as if tired of the subject.
“What do you mean by that, Si-hyun?”
“That neighborhood has always been like that.”
Ra Si-hyun answered Park Yeon-gyeong’s question.
“How would our pretty young lady know such a thing?”
“I grew up in Incheon.”
“Ah….”
“It used to be livable enough, but it became like this after the Incheon Alliance formed. There were frequent rumors at school about people disappearing. No one really paid attention, though….”
“I, I see.”
Park Yeon-gyeong shuddered at the mere thought of it.
“Were you okay, Sister?”
“Yes, I was fine.”
“Phew.”
Cha Eun-ha let out a relieved breath.
“Since you’re pretty, you must have faced all sorts of troubles, but I’m so glad you didn’t encounter anything dangerous.”
“Th, thank you.”
Ra Si-hyun’s face flushed.
She wasn’t accustomed to receiving genuine praise from anyone.
In the world she came from, compliments were typically veiled mockery or malicious jealousy….
“Sigh.”
Eun-sung’s father, Cha Geun-woo, watched the television with a hardened expression before downing his whiskey in one gulp.
It was clear he was restraining the inferno raging within him out of consideration for his family.
As a special forces officer who had devoted his entire life to serving the nation and its people, he could not help but be enraged by the outrageous atrocities committed by the Nine-Tail Crew.
“Everyone’s here.”
Eun-sung emerged into the living room at that moment, toweling his wet hair dry as he spoke.
“Son.”
“Yes?”
“Come talk with me for a moment.”
“Now? Understood.”
Eun-sung answered promptly upon seeing his father’s expression.
After moving to the garden.
“You did well.”
“Sir?”
“I received a call from the Minister.”
“Ah.”
“He praised me for having such an outstanding son.”
“Ugh.”
Eun-sung’s expression twisted.
That’s…
not a compliment—it’s sarcasm.
“Don’t worry. I naturally didn’t mention the details.”
“Aha, haha…”
“I’m accepting that you played even a small role in this incident.”
Pride and satisfaction bloomed across Cha Geun-woo’s face.
“Yes, well. Right. I did play a small part, at least.”
“Well done. I’m proud of you, my son.”
Cha Geun-woo patted Eun-sung on the back affectionately.
“Still, don’t worry your mother too much. She looks strong on the outside, but she has a tender heart.”
“Yes.”
“Why don’t you rest for a few days and spend some time with us?”
“Of course I should.”
Eun-sung smiled brightly as he spoke.
That was what I had planned anyway.
From Jebu Island to Bucheon.
I’d seen far too much blood these past few days.
My short-term plan was to rest for a few days, regroup, and then tackle the Bucheon Station Gate.
“Are you busy today? It’s the weekend—if you’re free, why don’t we all have dinner together?”
“Sounds good.”
I enjoyed the time I spent with my family.
* * *
That afternoon.
After a light lunch, my family went out together.
Our first destination was the Shinsegae Department Store located at Express Bus Terminal Station.
“Sister, come shop for clothes with me.”
“Um… sure.”
Eun-ha and Ra Si-hyun, both in their second and third years of high school respectively, got along remarkably well, perhaps because they were close in age.
But you…
Why aren’t you going home?
I was dumbfounded watching Ra Si-hyun blend so naturally with my family.
The person I had killed with my own hands was now becoming close with my sister and shopping together.
“Dear, let’s look at some bedding.”
“Let’s do that.”
Park Yeon-gyeong and Cha Geun-woo linked arms and headed toward the household goods section.
“…What is this?”
A bewildered murmur escaped my lips as I stood alone.
A rolling stone had dislodged the stone already in place—because Eun-ha had chosen Ra Si-hyun, I was left by myself.
Usually Mother and my sister would go one way, and I would go with Father.
‘Well, this isn’t so bad either.’
Eun-sung chuckled softly and headed toward the café.
There was nothing worth buying at the department store anyway.
Unless it was the various illegal equipment sold at Yongpal Trading Company.
Because it was the weekend, the department store was crowded.
Sitting alone in the café with my coffee, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
‘One place is hell, and the other is heaven.’
I recalled Bucheon.
Drug addicts swarmed the streets, crime never ceased, and even basic infrastructure had collapsed.
In contrast, this place was pristine.
People were smiling everywhere.
Young couples selecting children’s clothes, lovers walking with shopping bags in hand, luxury brands—
‘…How can things be so different when we’re only tens of kilometers apart?’
I took a sip of coffee.
A bitter taste lingered on my tongue.
I didn’t bother distinguishing whether the coffee was bitter or my heart was heavy.
I chose to ignore it.
I knew such thoughts offered little help in surviving this era.
What was certain was that what I desired was this peaceful, ordinary life.
In a world where shopping at a department store had become an unimaginable luxury for most people, perhaps I was asking for too much.
Crunch—I clenched my fist without realizing it.
I had to protect it.
No matter what.
Even if it meant I had to live as a monster….
Buzz.
A call came from Cha Eun-ha.
– Come to the second floor.
“Why?”
– Help me carry some bags.
“You want me to carry bags?”
– I told you to buy whatever you wanted. I bought so much, and there’s too many bags….
Click.
I hung up the phone unilaterally and growled.
“Seriously. My sister dares to use her older brother as a pack mule.”
I reluctantly got up from my seat.
* * *
The second floor was lined with boutiques from all sorts of luxury brands.
One might question why luxury goods existed in a world like this, but precisely because the world was this way, people’s desire for luxury was amplified even further.
It wasn’t an era where anyone could afford luxury items like before….
And the trend among luxury fashion houses was none other than ‘transfer goods’.
Ceramics, clothing, and accessories brought back from inside Gates were being sold at premium prices.
Monster hides, fangs, bones, and other materials were popular as primary crafting components.
A certain fashion house’s chief designer, who drew inspiration from the Gate phenomenon, gained renown as a trendsetter leading global fashion trends.
“Humanity deserves to disappear… Wait, what is that?”
Something captured Eun-sung’s attention.
A large bronze incense burner.
And embedded within that burner was an orb the size of a tennis ball.
“That’s…”
Confusion flickered across Eun-sung’s face.
An orange orb embedded in the bronze incense burner.
It was…
‘The Dragon Lord’s Wish Orb???’
It resembled the item needed when making a wish to the Dragon Lord.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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