Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 559

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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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It was Lee Chul-min who broke the silence.

“…Are you out of your mind?”

Once he started speaking, the words came more easily.
His voice grew louder with each passing moment.

“This bastard’s lost it! Where the hell do you get off spouting nonsense like that without any sense of what should and shouldn’t be said? Huh?”

Lee Chul-min approached Kale.
It looked as though he might grab him by the collar at any moment.

“Enough!”

At that moment, Park Jin-tae’s commanding voice filled the room.

“Stop it, Lee Chul-min.”
“Commander!”
“Be quiet!”

Lee Chul-min’s anger deflated instantly at Park Jin-tae’s rare, cutting tone.
Park Jin-tae’s gaze turned toward Kim Rok-soo.

“…Explain yourself properly.”

I turned my attention from Park Jin-tae to look at Grandmother Kim and the siblings.

“…Hey.”
“Brother…what is—”

The siblings stared at me with bewildered expressions, clearly at a loss for words.
In contrast, Grandmother Kim remained the most composed person in the room.

She smiled gently at me. But I could see that her smile was forced, unlike her usual demeanor.
She was hiding the confusion that filled her heart.
For the sake of Kim Rok-soo, who had spoken first.
She forced a smile and opened her mouth.

“Kim Rok-soo. You understand the weight of your words, don’t you?”

And so Kale had no choice but to answer.

“Yes. I understand.”

His gaze turned back toward Park Jin-tae.

“You need only interpret my words exactly as I’ve stated them.”

Tomorrow at noon, 12 o’clock.
A solar eclipse will occur simultaneously across the entire world without warning.

That alone indicated this was no ordinary eclipse.

And one minute later.
When the sun illuminates the world once more.
Every Central Shelter on Earth vanishes.

Park Jin-tae recounted each detail methodically before voicing the final point.

“…And finally, monsters surge forward like a tsunami, attacking the Central Shelters.”

In that moment, Kim Rok-soo’s voice reached everyone’s ears.

“The monsters don’t attack indiscriminately all at once. They launch their assaults according to rank.”
“…Rank?”
“Yes. Rank. A classification based on the monsters’ strength and abilities.”

Park Jin-tae’s face contorted.

“…Monster ranks, you say—”

At this point in time, such a ranking system had not yet been established.
Kale was aware of this fact as well.

But later, investigations were conducted regarding this Central Shelter loss incident and the monsters that descended upon them.
Though based on memory alone, when people’s recollections were compiled, quite a wealth of useful information could be organized.

One of those factors was the classification level of the monsters attacking us.

“The initial assault consists of Grade 3 and below monsters. Next come Grade 2. Finally, Grade 1 classified monsters will attack. Of course, Grade 1 is the strongest.”

So in the future, people would speculate about this pattern, wondering if perhaps these monster attacks weren’t merely practice runs for humans who would eventually face unclassified monsters.
Though calling it practice was generous—the reality was pure hell.

Park Jin-tae stared at Kim Rok-soo with an indescribable expression.

‘I sensed something had changed.’

After taking that hit earlier, Kim Rok-soo was different from his usual self.
Because I felt that difference, I decided to have this conversation with him.
But this was far too difficult to accept.

Park Jin-tae’s mouth opened.

“…Are you in your right mind?”

I could only ask this.
And an answer came.

“Do you doubt my abilities? Would you like me to say more?”

At that response, Park Jin-tae’s mouth clamped shut.

‘You’re a multi-ability user?’

The whispered voice of Kim Rok-soo echoed in my ears.
It was too monumental a secret to get angry over the casual tone.

Park Jin-tae’s eyes turned toward Kale Heniatus.
He pointed to himself.

“Tell me one more secret.”

Reveal one more of my secrets.
At that gesture, Kale Heniatus let out a soft chuckle and approached Park Jin-tae.
Watching this, Park Jin-tae tightened his grip on the armrest of the sofa.

‘He’ll definitely reveal the hidden ability I’ve been concealing.’

Park Jin-tae felt tension wash over him.
In that moment, Kim Rok-soo whispered.

“When danger comes to this place, you’ll stand at the very front, prepared to die for it.”

Park Jin-tae’s pupils trembled even more violently than before.

“And you’ll evacuate the elderly and infirm first, saying they’re a hindrance to combat. After them will come those like me—those without abilities.”

His voice was calm, as if stating facts.
And it was something Kim Rok-soo had already experienced once.

“Last of all. The very last moment when no one remains. Only then will you flee.”

Kale stepped back from his ear and looked at Park Jin-tae.
Their gazes collided, and Kale’s lips parted.

“That’s the kind of person you are.”

Park Jin-tae’s lips slowly opened.

“Ha, haha—”

His laughter filled the room.
He laughed so hard that tears gathered at the corners of his elongated eyes.

“…Hah.”

And at the end, he caught his breath for a moment.
Then, with a faint smile lingering on his face, he exhaled as if sighing.

“It seems I’ve been caught hiding an even bigger secret.”

In that moment, Kim Rok-soo’s voice reached him.

“I will save you as well.”

Park Jin-tae’s eyes widened. He stared at Kim Rok-soo with an intensity that seemed to pierce through him before opening his mouth.

“What is your plan?”
“Commander!”

Lee Chul-min, who had been silent until now, raised his voice as if he could no longer contain himself, but Park Jin-tae didn’t spare him a glance.
His gaze remained fixed solely on Kale’s lips.
As if responding to that attention, Kale’s mouth opened.

“We need to assemble an Attack Team. And we must conduct a defensive battle. The center of that defensive battle—”

Kale’s words trailed off.

“Commander, if you believe only that bastard’s—”
“Silence!”

Crack!
The sharp friction of a hand striking the wooden armrest cut through the air with a piercing sound.
Lee Chul-min’s startled eyes shifted.

Grandmother Kim.
She was the one who had just commanded Lee Chul-min to be quiet.

“Rok-soo. Continue with what you were saying.”
“Yes.”

Park Jin-tae also signaled his agreement with Grandmother Kim’s intent through his silence.
Kale continued speaking.

“The center of the defensive battle must be Jang Man-su. That person is essential.”

Everyone in the room froze at the sudden appearance of this name.
It was a name no one had anticipated.

“His abilities are specialized for defense.”

At Kale’s continued words, Park Jin-tae unconsciously murmured to himself.

“…Jang Man-su awakened his abilities?”
“Yes. We can confirm tomorrow.”

The remarkably composed voice carried the weight of truth.
Kale’s next words were directed at Park Jin-tae.

“And you, Park Jin-tae, will lead the Attack Team.”

Park Jin-tae swallowed hard and opened his mouth.

“But wouldn’t it be better to relocate to other Temporary Shelters rather than remain here defending the Central Shelter?”

If monsters were to swarm starting tomorrow, it would be far wiser to move everyone to the Temporary Shelters and evade their assault.

“Of course, we’d need to visit several Temporary Shelters to distribute all personnel.”

The Central Shelter was larger than the others. With so many gathered here, we would need to divide into groups and spread across other Shelters.

Moreover, we would have to keep moving between different Temporary Shelters.
Since they were ordinary Shelters that could vanish at any moment.
They were hardly safe havens.

Kale shook his head.

“That would not be a sound approach.”
“…Why not?”
“Unfortunately, the Temporary Shelters will also come under attack from monsters. Certainly fewer in number than the Central Shelter, but considering the personnel stationed there, it would still be a substantial force.”

A sigh escaped.
Someone had exhaled in resignation.
But as Kale continued, the room fell into deeper silence.

Kale spoke plainly of what had actually transpired.

“Furthermore, the Temporary Shelters will gradually lose their function in chronological order after the Central Shelter disappears.”

Even Lee Chul-min did not challenge Kale this time.

“…So what you’re saying is that in the end, the Shelter itself will disappear?”
“Yes.”

Lee Chul-min’s voice trembled at Kale’s resolute answer.

“…That’s hell.”

A voice imagining hell could only tremble.

“The world where all Shelters have vanished will last only three hours.”

Park Jin-tae’s gaze turned toward Kim Rok-soo.
Kale continued speaking as all eyes fell upon him.

“A day after the Central Shelter disappears, a new form of Central Shelter will emerge.”
“Then we just need to go there!”

At Lee Jin-ju’s words, spoken without thinking, Kale nodded.

“If we can survive one night.”

Park Jin-tae wiped his face with both hands.

He no longer questioned whether Kale’s words were lies or truth.
These were people who had already experienced the unbelievable—the Great Cataclysm.

One must always prepare for the worst.
And if that worst was hell itself, one had to prepare even more.
Park Jin-tae’s lips parted.

“…If it’s a Grade 1 monster, should it have the strength of something like that three-horned beast?”

This was still an era where monsters hadn’t been given official names and were referred to roughly by their characteristics.
Kale nodded.

“That creature is one of the Grade 1 monsters.”
“They come rushing in like a tsunami?”
“After the Grade 3 and Grade 2 ones pass through.”

Lee Chul-min opened his mouth without realizing it.

“If, if even just four of those things come rushing in, our Attack Team can’t hold the line! We’ll collapse! But you’re saying they’re coming like a tsunami? Does that even make sense?”
“Of course there are fewer of them than Grade 2 or 3 monsters.”
“Well, that’s obvious! Creatures that strong naturally have smaller populations! But still, there have to be more than ten, right? If they all gather from the surrounding area!”
“There will be more.”

Fear flickered in Lee Chul-min’s eyes.
Then, Park Jin-tae’s resolute voice cut through.

“We can’t hold the line.”

He continued.

“It’s impossible. For everyone to survive.”
“No.”

Kale was unwavering.

“We will hold it.”
“…Why are you so certain?”

Unlike Park Jin-tae’s voice, which was filled with hesitation, Kim Rok-soo’s voice carried not a trace of doubt.

“We can move to the new Central Shelter without losing a single person.”
“…How?”

How could you possibly think such a thing?
Park Jin-tae’s eyes posed the question.

A thin smile spread across his face.
Kim Rok-soo’s lips curved upward.
The lean young man with his sharp, piercing gaze broke into a brilliant smile.

That Crimson-Eyed Being had made a grave mistake.

Kale opened his mouth.

“Data.”

Park Jin-tae couldn’t help but echo the question back.

“…Data?”

Kale, who had manifested abilities as Kim Rok-soo, could not use them ‘now’, in the present.
But that didn’t mean the memories he had accumulated simply vanished.

His strength came not from the present and future, but from what he had built up in the past.

Manifesting abilities was important, but even without that, there was reason enough to fight this battle at the Central Shelter.

Kale possessed a strength born from experience.

“I have all the data on the monsters.”

The Kale now inhabiting Kim Rok-soo’s body spoke—the man who had lived as Kim Rok-soo until thirty-six, and whose life had continued into Kale’s existence.

“Their weaknesses, behavioral patterns, attack forms and destructive power. Moreover, even the order in which the monsters will attack.”

His voice grew increasingly resolute.

“It’s all in my head.”

Records accumulated while facing despair.
They had always become hope.

“With this data, we can win.”

Data.
It was the foundation upon which humanity could rebuild society on this Earth, the strength that allowed them to rise again through battles with monsters and finally stand as equals rather than the weak facing formidable foes.

“Trust my data. Then we all survive.”

Everyone gazed at Kim Rok-soo with expressions too complex to articulate.
Then.

“I’ve always believed in you.”

One person approached Kim Rok-soo and grasped his hand.

“…Grandmother.”
“You’re a good child. And you have a strong will. If I don’t trust someone like you, who would I trust?”

Park Jin-tae’s voice reached my ears.

“Lee Chul-min.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Switch to emergency protocol immediately.”

Park Jin-tae rose from the sofa.
His gaze turned toward the window.

By now, the sunset was painting the sky outside.
He passed by Kale and headed for the door.

“We don’t have time, so let’s trust Kim Rok-soo’s premonition for now. Lee Chul-min!”
“Yes!”
“Gather all the combat-capable users!”

Lee Chul-min’s voice rang out with sharp determination.

“Yes, understood—”

That was the moment.

BOOOOOM!
A tremendous explosion echoed through the air.
The dilapidated building trembled slightly beneath us.

“Ahhhhh!”

Lee Sung-won cried out in shock, stumbling backward.

“O-outside!”
“What? The monsters are already here?!”

Lee Chul-min, equally startled, responded to those words.

‘What’s happening?’

I don’t have any memory of this.
Kale also startled at the sudden thunderous boom and turned his gaze toward the window.

It was the first time.
Such a deafening roar since arriving here.

The sunset glow beyond the window came into view.

“…What, what the hell!”

Kale’s face contorted.
He rushed frantically toward the door.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you!”

Park Jin-tae was startled by his actions, but Kale shoved him aside, threw open the door, and bolted outside.
At that moment, Lee Jin-ju’s murmur reached his ears from behind.

“…The Black Dragon?”

Kale’s face contorted even further.

Why was it here!
Why was it here now of all times!

The black dragon soaring into the sky was the source of that thunderous boom.
And it was a gleaming black dragon at that.

“This bastard, why, why!”

Kale had no time for deliberation.
He descended the staircase rapidly and headed outside the building.

“Hey, hey! Kim Rok-soo!”

Jang Man-su’s voice, waiting on the First Floor, reached his ears, but Kale had no time to turn around.
Park Jin-tae and Lee Sung-won’s voices also came from behind, but he could not turn back either.

Kale stepped outside the building.

The glimmering Black Dragon that had pierced the sky was now fading, dissolving into nothingness.
But Kale ran toward the direction from which the dragon had appeared.

Since there were no monsters near the Central Shelter, Kale ran without hesitation.
From far behind, Park Jin-tae’s voice reached him.

“Hey! If you go much further, you’ll be outside the Boundary Line!”

He was right.
Just as Park Jin-tae said, if I went any further, I would cross the Boundary Line—a space where monsters could emerge at any moment and attack Kim Rok-soo without warning.

But Kale could not stop.
His mouth opened.

“Hey!”

A figure approached from the distance.

“…You—”

Kale’s pace slowed.
He could not believe what he saw before his eyes.

But the distance between him and the approaching figure continued to narrow.
As Kale slowed, the other person advanced even faster.

And finally, they came to a stop before Kale.
Kale’s mouth opened.

“…You… Why are you—?”

The other person’s mouth opened.

“You look the same age as when I last saw you. What time is it now?”

Kale forced his reluctant mouth open again.

“Choi Han.”

Choi Han stood before him.
A gleaming Black Dragon.
It was Choi Han’s skill.

“…How did you…?”
“I intruded.”
“What?”

Choi Han gazed calmly at Kim Rok-soo’s gaunt and unremarkable form before speaking.

“Currently, Kale is trapped unconscious within a black sphere.”

His voice was measured.

“I went to the Endable Kingdom, but I could not approach its vicinity. It is completely inaccessible.”

What in the world was he talking about?
Kale’s mind grew turbulent.

‘I’m trapped inside a black sphere right now?’

His gaze fixed upon Choi Han.
Though his attire was utterly out of place in this world, his appearance suited this Korea perfectly—and he was looking at me, Kim Rok-soo.

“So I intruded into your mind, into this trial.”

Kale was startled that Choi Han knew about the ‘trial.’

“How could you possibly intrude—”
“I made a deal with the God of Death.”
“…What?”

Choi Han offered a serene smile.

“I made a deal with the God of Death and was able to intrude into this trial.”

And he added:

“Because I needed to help you, Kale.”

Kale’s face contorted horribly.
Choi Han spoke calmly as he observed that expression.

“Isn’t it better to face things together rather than alone?”

Kale suppressed the surge of emotion welling up inside him and opened his mouth.

“…What did you stake? What did you wager in this deal?”

What had he wagered to make this bargain?
Kale asked, and Choi Han answered without hesitation.

“They said I would live longer than Raon. I didn’t like that. I didn’t want to be left alone. So I matched my lifespan to his.”
“…You gave part of your lifespan to the God of Death?”
“Yes. Only the years I would have spent alone.”

Kale could only utter one thing.

“You crazy bastard!”
“I wanted this, and I don’t want to be left alone. I’m tired of experiencing solitude.”
“Are you insane?”

In that moment, a gentle smile graced Choi Han’s lips.

“Unfortunately, I’m already far from normal.”

Footsteps echoed from behind Kale.

“Who is it?”
“Brother, who is this person?”

As the voices of Park Jin-tae and Lee Sung-won, who had caught up, reached them, Choi Han spoke with a radiant smile.

“Someone who came to earn his keep.”

Upon hearing those words, Kale had to bite his lip against the overwhelming surge of emotion.
His mouth barely opened.

“I’m sorry.”

It was the greatest expression he could offer to Choi Han in this moment, the most he could give of himself.

“And thank you. Truly, thank you.”

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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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