abcnovels
Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Chapter 18
4. Schrödinger’s Cat
“Uh….”
My head is killing me.
I frowned and opened my eyes, and my blurry vision started to become clear. A bright light pierced my eyes.
“You’re up?”
“…Jang Tae-san?”
When I turned my head reflexively towards the voice, I saw an unexpected figure sitting down. When I subconsciously called out his name, Jang Tae-san frowned as if he was displeased.
“Hey, how dare you call my name carelessly?”
“Why…”
“Why do you say?”
I was sitting on my knees. Besides, my hands were tied behind my back. I could feel the cold metal on my wrists, it seemed like my hands were handcuffed.
Why did Jang Tae-san bring me, or rather, Han Yi-jin so forcefully?
I was thinking with a dizzy head and suddenly came to my senses. I was caught sneaking into the dungeon.
“Why didn’t you stop and cut me some slack?”
“…”
“You act as you please, hmm?”
I bit my lips at Jang Tae-san’s voice, which was so subdued. I then looked away and quickly scanned the surroundings. If Jang Tae-san finds out, even Eden, the watchdog, won’t be safe.
“Ugh…”
“…”
As expected, Eden was also sprawled under restraint. A faintly glowing chain tied his hands, and unlike me, his handsome face was battered as if someone had beaten him.
No, what did you do to his face? I angrily shouted inside.
“Where did you go secretly?”
“…”
“Eden won’t open his mouth even if he dies. Where did you go? Hmm?”
“…”
Those words made my heart heavy. Eden tried to keep his promise with me until the end. He was abused and forcibly tamed by Jang Tae-san since he was young. But someone like me only thinks of using Eden. I thought this might happen.
“You won’t tell me?”
“…”
Jang Tae-san’s voice was still gentle. But it rather gave me goosebumps.
I knew very well that he only looked sweet on the outside. Han Yi-jin, who had a strong self-esteem, was just trying not to be discouraged by it. Han Yi-jin’s body was shaking like crazy as proof.
“I’m disappointed that you’re doing this again.”
“…Again?”
I thought to myself after listening to what Jang Tae-san said. As expected, Han Yi-jin had already tried to escape from the Loki Guild. Did he fail and get caught again? And keep him under surveillance?
But why? I think Han Yi Jin can escape if he wants to. He has hidden auxiliary skills, and he’s not very smart, so if he can plan it carefully…
“He’s stubborn anyway.”
Jang Tae-san, who was slightly grumbling, looked at someone. Then the man standing beside him like a statue moved his body.
Puck!
“Kug!”
“…!”
The man’s foot stepped on Eden’s back which was lying on the ground. As I stared in surprise, the kick that hit Eden grew stronger. The room was filled with hitting sounds and Eden groaning in pain.
Puck! Puck!
As I moved my body unconsciously, I heard the rattling sound of the chains tied to my hands. With my hands tied, I instinctively boosted my ability to stop the man. But I don’t feel any strength.
“…!”
I realized that the chain that bound my hands was no ordinary chain. It seemed to be a seal item capable of blocking abilities. That’s why Eden was beaten helplessly.
“…Stop.”
I didn’t want to see Eden get hit again, so I said that with twitching lips. But the man continued to beat Eden, ignoring my small voice as if he couldn’t hear it.
“Kugh…!”
When Eden, whose face was hit by the man’s leg, vomited blood, and I couldn’t take it anymore and shouted,
“Stop it!”
Then, Jang Tae-san waved his hand and spoke in a relaxed tone.
“Stop.”
Son of a bitch.
I cursed Jang Tae-san inwardly, because I couldn’t bear to see Eden bleeding and turned to Jang Tae-san. I opened my mouth when I saw Jang Tae-san looking at me as if he was questioning me.
“…I went to the dungeon.”
“Dungeon?”
I nodded at Jang Tae-san, who suddenly opened his eyes wide.
“Yes, I wanted to level up. And I went out for a bit to refresh myself, but I didn’t know you would overreact like this.”
Even though my body was shaking with fear, I said it quite smoothly. It was probably thanks to Han Yi-jin’s passive skill. I hope Jang Tae-san believes that I have no other motive.
“Hmm.”
“…”
Jang Tae-san, who heard me, tapped the end of the armrest of the chair with his finger as if he was in distress. My answer left him no doubt. Feeling nervous, I gulped.
“Why do you keep doing things you’ve never done before?”
Jang Tae-san, who was muttering to himself, turned his head. Then he gestured to the man guarding the door.
“Bring it.”
“…?”
Immediately, I opened my eyes wide when I saw something the man brought in.
No, why is that here?
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the hideous machine. The man who brought it down put the machine in front of Jang Tae San. No wonder it disappeared from my room, and it seems that Jang Tae-san took it.
“You secretly buy these things and try to raise your rank, and then you try to sneak out and level up as you please.”
“…”
“Why do you keep doing stupid things, huh?”
I bit my lip while listening to Jang Tae-san’s sarcastic voice. This doesn’t feel right.
“It’s hard for me to let this slide any longer.”
“…”
“Shouldn’t you be thinking about your little brother, hm?”
That remark lifted my head.
“My brother…?”
I looked straight at Jang Tae-san at his unexpected words. For some reason, I heard ringing in my ears. Jang Tae-san looked at my confused face with satisfaction.
“You were the first to beg me to save your dying brother, hmm? Yi Jin-ah.”
“…”
“You didn’t forget, did you?”
I stared blankly at Jang Tae-san, who was smiling.
Younger brother. Han Yi Jin’s younger brother.
Now I feel like the puzzle that has been stuck in my mind is being put together.
Tablet PCs, which were piled up in his room without being used. Han Yi Jin didn’t seem interested in electronic devices.
Even if he didn’t trust the cell phone provided by the guild and didn’t use it, he could have gotten a burner cell phone, but he didn’t.
Nevertheless, after the trend passed, he continued to buy and collect new versions of the tablet. It was quite amicable to think that he had gathered it to give it to his little brother one day but was taken captive by the guildmaster.
“…My brother, my brother…”
“Hm?”
“I want to know if my brother is okay?”
I barely gulped and continued talking with my dry throat.
Jang Tae-san then smiled and picked up the tablet PC on the table.
“Yeah, well. He’s fine.”
“…”
The video he was playing was playing before my eyes. I looked at the screen. On the screen of a small tablet PC, a small boy sat quietly on a hospital bed.
He looks a lot younger than I thought. How old is he, 10? 12? He looks like an elementary school student, but he can look younger than his age because of his small figure.
Does he look like Han Yi Jin? I don’t know. I can’t see it well with this small tablet PC screen. And also because of Han Yi-jin crying and tears covering my eyes.
He’s in the hospital. Why is his hair cut? Is it leukemia? Or does he have a disease in his brain? I realized it after looking at the scene blankly.
Han Yi-jin did not try to escape hastily. He tried to find the hospital where his brother was treated. The name of the general hospital in his notebook should be the list of hospitals where his brother might be admitted, which Han Yi-jin had tracked down.
Why did he do that? I don’t think his brother has recovered yet. Is it because it’s hard for him to do bad things again? And he can’t leave his brother? So he did something stupid and then got recaptured?
“…”
What happened to his brother after Han Yi Jin died in the original story? Since Han Yi-jin died, his younger brother would lose his value…
Thinking about this gave me an excruciating headache. I gritted my teeth and lowered my head.
“Ugh.”
Jang Tae-san said in a smiling voice to me who sat helplessly and groaned.
“So stop doing stupid things and do as usual, hmm?”
“…”
“Don’t you want to see your brother? If you do your job well, I will let you meet him.”
Jang Tae-san looked at me, who was silent, and waved his hand. Then the men approached and lifted me like a piece of luggage. I was dragged back to the room by them.
“…”
I stared at the ceiling blankly.
Family. What is family?
I’m sick of it and want them to disappear. They were useless idiots in my life.
But it was different for Han Yi-jin. I think he only has his brother in his family, of course he wants to protect him.
“Sigh…”
Why did someone like me possess Han Yi-jin’s body? Shouldn’t it be possessed by a motivated person who knows the importance of family?
I felt helpless and just stared at the ceiling stupidly.
Beep beep beep.
“…?”
At that moment, Han Yi-jin’s cell phone, which he carried around like an accessory, rang. When I looked, it was a restricted number calling.
What is…
I was suspicious and didn’t answer the phone. However, I was reluctant to answer the phone because it kept ringing loudly.
“Hello.”
“Ah, Mr. Han Yijin?”
“By the way…”
Maybe because I wasn’t in a good mood, and an uneven answer came out. However, the other party didn’t care at all and continued to speak in a friendly voice.
“Sir, I contacted you because another good item is available…”
“I’m not buying.”
“Pardon? No, wait…!”
I pressed the end button while listening to his confused voice. What? Was it a spam call? I got annoyed and threw my phone away.
Beep beep beep.
Beep beep beep.
But the spam caller doesn’t give up and keeps calling. No, they usually don’t call again after I hang up like this. He’s very persistent.
I was annoyed so I held my phone again to turn it off. However, as soon as I unlocked my phone, I had no choice but to stop my finger at the message I saw.
[You’re not Han Yi Jin, right?]
T/N: Hi guys, I apologize for the delay, and also I’m looking for volunteer experienced proofreader. If anyone interested please comment below. And TLAOWM also available to purchase advance chapters via coins now. The link is here. So regular update will be one chapter per week every Friday (not fixed schedule, depends on future). Thank you for reading and waiting. ???