The Regressed SSS-Rank Supporter Who Turned Dark - Chapter 9

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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 9
The government constructed a Refugee Camp at the foot of a nearby hillside.
The camp was built in just two days.
Construction, if you could call it that, meant pitching tents, running electricity from temporary supply lines, connecting extension cords, and tossing out cots and blankets along with various relief supplies—voilà! Refugee Camp complete.
My family, who had been staying at a motel, was hastily relocated to the newly constructed Refugee Camp.
“Colonel Cha, this way, please.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Thanks to my Father being the commander of the Regional Defense Force, my family was assigned to the best tent in the camp.
It was a prime location—close to the sink, shower facilities, and the supply distribution center, yet at a comfortable distance from the latrines.
Still, it was just one tent among countless others in the Refugee Camp.
“Huh?”
As I was unpacking our belongings in the tent, I spotted Doo-hyun passing by, laden with electrical wires and bundles of steel pipes.
“Hyung!”
Doo-hyun recognized me and broke into a cheerful smile.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to do some part-time work.”
“Part-time work?”
“I lost my job, so I need to do something to survive. Sigh. I was even a full-time employee before.”
“Do you have insurance?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t be here.”
“Fair point.”
The insurance we were referring to was [Disaster Insurance].
In simple terms, it was a product that covered property damage caused by dimensional rifts or Monster Waves.
The problem was that the premiums were extraordinarily expensive.
Since disasters in this era weren’t natural calamities like floods or earthquakes, but rather monster invasions and military bombardments, high premiums were inevitable.
And few people could afford such expensive premiums.
How could ordinary people manage monthly insurance costs ranging from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of won?
So what was the government doing about it?
With dimensional rifts occurring dozens or hundreds of times a year, the government couldn’t possibly compensate for each one—it would be financially ruinous.
The government’s role in this era was merely to construct facilities for people who had become refugees overnight, like my family, and distribute relief supplies.
South Korea managed to keep society functioning because of its deep pool of Hunter talent, but in developing nations, governments often collapsed entirely, leaving people without even this basic support.
“What about you, hyung?”
“Same situation. How could ordinary people like us afford insurance premiums? Still, since my Father is in the military, I should eventually get some official housing. It’ll just take time.”
“That’s fortunate. I don’t have anything like that. Sigh.”
Doo-hyun let out a heavy sigh.
“I was living in a one-room apartment nearby, but the building collapsed in the bombardment. I won’t even get my deposit back.”
“….”
Ugh.
I felt tears welling up.
“What about you, hyung?”
“I’ll manage somehow. Things have a way of working out.”
“I really envy you, hyung. Sigh… I want to awaken too.”
“Still, I’ll probably be here for a few more days, so let’s greet each other when we pass by.”
“Yes, hyung. Take care.”
Du-hyeon bowed respectfully and headed toward where additional tents were being erected.
That kid works hard.
Du-hyeon isn’t the only one working diligently.
A significant number of the laborers constructing the Refugee Camp are residents from our Apartment Complex.
Having lost both home and livelihood in an instant, they’re doing manual labor just to scrape together a day’s wages.
‘Maybe I should lend a hand.’
With nothing else to do anyway, I rolled up my sleeves and headed to the Battlefield.
* * *
“Hngh.”
I set down two large water barrels filled with drinking water in front of our tent.
“Oh my~ you must be exhausted from carrying something so heavy~?”
My Mother, who had been preparing dinner, offered me a gentle smile.
“Ah, this is nothing to complain about. It’s barely any effort at all.”
“You’re so dependable, my son.”
Just days ago, I had lost my home and become a refugee, yet there was not a trace of worry or anxiety in my Mother’s expression.
That was likely because my Mother is an exceptionally strong person.
My Mother was once an athlete and coach, specializing in badminton.
During her competitive years, she was an Olympic gold medalist, beautiful, with an excellent physique—her popularity was truly extraordinary.
Even now, if I search for my Mother online, I can find photos from her youth, and seeing them even now, I’m struck by how remarkably beautiful she is.
But my belief that my Mother is a strong person doesn’t stem from her athletic career.
My Mother raised my Sister and me almost entirely on her own.
My Father, an officer in the Navy Special Forces, was frequently away on deployment.
Moreover, ever since humanity began suffering monster invasions, my Father has been conducting operations several times a month, making it impossible for him to prioritize family.
How many people in this world could shoulder the burden of raising children alone, sending their husband off to war repeatedly, and yet greet their children with a smile every single day without a word of complaint?
Even when my Father passed away, my Mother gritted her teeth and overcame her grief.
That strength of my Mother shines brilliantly even in these dark circumstances.
Just as I respect my Father, I deeply respect my Mother as well.
“I’m going to take a walk.”
“All right.”
I left the tent and wandered along the hillside.
Life in the Refugee Camp is generally tedious.
At least those with jobs and studies like my Father and Sister can commute, but now my Mother, who is a housewife, and I, unemployed and awaiting enlistment, spend our days in a daze.
Yet this boring life has been quite helpful to me.
Only about ten days have passed since I returned to the past, and I needed time to think and clear my head.
Just ten days ago, I killed with my own hands those I once trusted as comrades.
Before that, I spent three years consumed by revenge with bloodshot eyes, so strictly speaking, I’m not in my right mind even now.
And the me of this era and the me who spent ten years as a Hunter, experiencing every conceivable battle and aerial combat—we would be entirely different people.
So I plan to spend some time cooling my head in the Refugee Camp and seeking psychological stability.
I should also think about my future for a bit.
“Huh? Brother!”
After walking for about an hour, I suppose.
On the way back, that bastard Doo-hyun called out to me.
Seeing him on a motorcycle with a delivery box attached, it looked like he’d switched careers to become a delivery rider.
This guy really does have a tumultuous life.
In just a few days, his job changed three times—from apartment security guard to day laborer to delivery rider.
“So you’re a rider today?”
“Yeah, well, that’s how it is.”
Doo-hyun flashed a grin.
“What about you?”
“Me? I’m unemployed.”
“Aren’t you going to register as an Awakened?”
“I’m thinking about it. Trying to figure out what to do.”
“Come on, wouldn’t it be better to register anyway?”
“Yeah, it probably would be. I need to settle the military situation eventually anyway.”
“Oh right, you said you hadn’t done your service yet.”
“I was originally preparing to enlist as a commissioned officer through the officer candidate program, but that doesn’t seem like it’ll work out.”
“Officer candidate program?”
“Yeah. I don’t plan on serving in the military for long….”
“Wait.”
Doo-hyun suddenly narrowed his eyes and stared at me suspiciously.
“Didn’t you say you were 34?”
Damn.
“What officer candidate program at 34?”
“Uh. Well.”
“Now that I think about it, something’s off. Setting aside that you’re handsome, but that’s not a 34-year-old face.”
“Thanks for your hard work.”
“Where are you going? You need to explain yourself!”
“Sorry! Let’s talk later!”
“Hey, wait!”
“Drive safe!”
“You’re not 34! Now that I think about it, this pisses me off! You shot at me!”
“Huh?”
“Stop right there, you bastard!”
Vroom!
Doo-hyun chased after me on his delivery motorcycle.
If this keeps up, he’s going to catch me.
“Yes! I got a call!”
“A call?”
“You just wait and see!”
Doo-hyun spun his motorcycle around and disappeared somewhere.
“….”
No matter how desperate things got, did he really want to pick up a delivery order right now?
The guy had an almost absurd talent for survival instincts.
‘Awakened registration. I should do it, right? There’s no real need to hide my identity anymore.’
As I was thinking such thoughts, I was nearly at our family’s tent.
Bang! Bang bang bang!
Gunfire suddenly erupted.
“…!”
I reflexively drew my pistol and surveyed my surroundings.
The gunshots came from the tent right next to our family’s.
“O-oppa!”
Sister, who had just returned, stared at me with a terrified expression.
“Take Mother and get to safety.”
“Okay!”
I left Mother in Sister’s care and carefully approached the adjacent tent.
I wasn’t wearing a plate carrier, so it was somewhat risky, but being awakened made it less of a concern.
As long as it wasn’t a headshot, I could survive a bullet or two.
Maintaining a tactical shooting stance, I smoothly lifted the tent flap and entered.
“Ah.”
I sighed and lowered my gun.
Inside the tent sat a familiar middle-aged man in a daze, while a middle-aged woman and a child—apparently his wife and son—lay collapsed with their heads shattered.
I remembered.
That man ran a chicken shop in the shopping district of our apartment complex.
“Hehe! It’s over, it’s all over now. Hehe! Damn….”
He was sobbing.
“This shitty world… Hehe! Monsters and all that bullshit… once you’re dead, that’s it, right? Hehe! Heuuugh! Hehehehe!”
I couldn’t tell if it was laughter or crying.
The only certainty was that this middle-aged man, tears streaming down his face and grinning deliriously, had completely broken.
He slowly pushed the gun barrel into his own mouth.
“Huh.”
I exhaled deeply and left the tent.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out from behind me.
* * *
In the Refugee Camp, suicide was not an uncommon occurrence.
Think about it.
What atmosphere would a place filled with people who lost their homes, businesses, and families overnight have?
Refugee Camps are typically overflowing with sorrow and despair.
Especially the newly established ones.
While some families like ours persevere and overcome adversity, the reality is that far more people cannot.
‘I need to register as an Awakener and move out.’
I could manage, but I couldn’t leave Sister and Mother languishing in the Refugee Camp any longer.
There was no telling when the next suicide or shooting rampage might occur.
“It’ll take some time for official housing to come through. There aren’t any vacant quarters available right now….”
Father seemed worried about this too, and he carefully opened his mouth mid-meal.
“Father.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’ll handle the housing myself.”
“You will?”
“I’m going to register as an Awakener. I need to settle the military service issue anyway.”
Registering as an Awakener exempts you from mandatory military service.
Furthermore, the state provides housing, vehicles, and generous living expenses.
Of course, nothing in this world is truly free.
I’d inevitably be conscripted for various troublesome duties.
But for our family to escape refugee status immediately, registering as an Awakener was my only option.
“Don’t do that.”
“Pardon?”
Wait, what did I just hear?
“If you’re doing this because of housing, don’t. Just enlist and serve your military duty normally, then come back.”
Father’s words deviated sharply from my expectations.

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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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