Chapter 73

Chapter 73: The Real First Encounter with the Yoo-beom Siblings

While Lee Baek-ho was suffering from anxiety, the soy sauce egg rice was completed.

"Alright, it's done."

Nam Ki-seok used a rice paddle to serve the rice onto each plate.

"Chewy rice infused with soy sauce and sesame oil. The key is finely chopped scallions stir-fried together. The scallion scent permeates subtly."

Nam Ki-seok's eloquence was in full swing.

"The softness of the scrambled eggs stir-fried together. The chewy and bouncy texture of the rice. The combination of those things as you chew is superb. And finally… a sprinkle of pepper on top!"

With flamboyant movements, he put rice on each plate and sprinkled pepper.

"If you put a slice of cheese on top that goes well with any dish…! There, it's done."

The cheese placed on top of the soy sauce egg rice melted slowly from the heat of the rice.

"Th-That is Nam Ki-seok Uncle's soy sauce egg rice…!"

Kim Nari swallowed her saliva.

He gets fired up when the audience reacts well. Nam Ki-seok smiled and scooped egg soup from the pot next to him.

"The harmony with the hot egg soup is also essential. I confidently present it! Please, try it."

Cheon Dowoon stared at the rice and soup placed in front of him.

He picked up a spoon with a reverent expression. He scooped up a spoonful so that the slightly melted cheese was included.

As soon as he took a bite, a savory aroma spread in his mouth. As predicted, the chewy rice grains were bouncy as he chewed.

The salty and savory taste infused in the rice. The scent of pepper. The subtle scallion scent lingering after swallowing.

"This is… soy sauce egg rice."

Cheon Dowoon recited the name of the dish with an admiring face.

The siblings also closed their eyes and savored the taste.

"The curry and ramen we ate before were amazing, but this is a different taste. Excellent."

"I think this is better than the curry we ate before. It's my taste."

The siblings exchanged opinions.

Next to them, Kim Nari was holding her rice bowl and eating as if inhaling it.

"Nam Ki-seok Uncle is the number one chef!"

As praise poured out from everywhere, Nam Ki-seok's face became proud.

It was a dish he had started making on a whim, but now he was enjoying it quite a bit.

"I'm glad everyone is enjoying it. Should I give some to our Chimera kids?"

Nam Ki-seok scooped rice into thirty-odd plates and placed them on the floor.

The Chimera, recognizing him as the person giving them food, began to eat, shaking their bodies with joy.

"Hooah, I'm full now. I can't eat anymore."

Kim Nari, who had emptied two bowls in the meantime, said, patting her stomach.

Everyone in the group was smiling with satisfied faces.

"I guess we'll have to eat dessert next time."

"Dessert?"

When the siblings asked, Cheon Dowoon looked at the bag he had placed nearby.

"I picked some grapes. But it doesn't seem like everyone is in a state to eat dessert. I'll have to eat those in the evening."

"Ah, then I'll wash them. I'll put them out during evening snack time."

Nam Ki-seok poured the grapes into a large basket. He took them to the valley, rinsed them in water, and emitted fire from his hands to slightly cook the surface and remove the poison.

It was a satisfying meal for everyone except one person.

Lee Baek-ho, who couldn't properly taste the food because he was nervous, carefully raised his hand.

"Um, excuse me. What is the entrance test I'm supposed to take? What do I have to do?"

Cheon Dowoon looked at Lee Baek-ho without saying a word.

Entrance test. There was no such thing. But there was no need to refuse when he volunteered to be a worker.

He was planning to stockpile firewood in preparation for winter, so there was a lot to do.

"Go and chop some wood."

"C-Chop wood?"

"Yes. Wood that burns well would be good. Guu knows which wood is good. Just follow Guu's instructions."

At Cheon Dowoon's words, Guu, who had been lying down in a sprawling position, stood up.

-You want me to go chop wood with that tenderfoot?

"That's right. I'm asking you for a favor. You know a lot about wood."

-That's fine. But that guy can't understand me. I don't know if he'll chop well according to my instructions.

Guu looked at Lee Baek-ho with an unreliable face.

Lee Baek-ho was sweating as the monster, making pigeon-like noises, looked at him as if evaluating him.

"That plant monster from before, too. Can Cheon Dowoon understand the monsters' words?"

"Not all of them. Only some."

When he gave an appropriate response, Lee Baek-ho's face became amazed.

"So, chopping wood is the entrance test? How much do I have to chop?"

"The more, the better. Kim Nari. Go with him. This guy is a C-class Hunter, so it's dangerous for him to go alone."

"Okay. I'll protect that uncle."

Kim Nari jumped up and said. Lee Baek-ho's face became uneasy at the thought of going with a child.

'It's hard enough to protect myself. Can I take care of a child?'

Judging from the atmosphere, that child must be a stronger Awakened than he thought.

But she was still a 7 or 8-year-old child. If they encountered a monster, she would be terrified and unable to move properly.

Lee Baek-ho, having thought that far, had an enlightened look on his face.

'Th-That's right! The task of chopping wood is just a formality. The real test is protecting that child!'

There must be someone secretly following them to check how well he protects the child.

Lee Baek-ho's imagination soared into the sky.

-If Kim Nari goes, I'll go too. I want to go for a walk with her.

The fox jumped up and leaped into Kim Nari's arms.

Lee Baek-ho was no longer surprised that the animal was talking.

He had seen so many strange sights that he didn't have the energy to be surprised.

'Let's stay calm. The test has already begun.'

Cheon Dowoon, the man with the bird head, the woman with the bone helmet. Their sharp eyes are scoring his actions.

Lee Baek-ho was energized all by himself.

-Then follow me.

Guu took the lead. Lee Baek-ho heard it as pigeon noises, but he followed behind, guessing from its gestures.

"Guu. When you're done chopping wood, bring him back home."

-I will.

With those words, Guu disappeared into the bushes with Lee Baek-ho.

'The firewood will be here soon. Then now… do I need a place to store it?'

If he just piled it up in the yard, it would all melt away when it snowed, so it would be meaningless.

"I need to dig a dugout in the yard."

"A dugout?"

"Yeah. I need to make a basement. It can be used as a storage room in the summer. And it can be used as a warehouse to store firewood in the winter. It would be good to make one."

Let's make stairs too. If he made it in a '–' shape and went in, the firewood would be safe even when it snowed.

'If it rains, water will collect inside. I need to build a barrier at the entrance to prevent water from entering.'

Let's harden the soil and make a round roof at the entrance.

The image of the dugout was gradually taking shape in his head.

Cheon Dowoon shook off his seat and stood up. He was thinking of starting work right away while he remembered.

"Nam Ki-seok, you clean up here and come."

"I understand. Don't worry. I can put my hands in the water stably now."

Nam Ki-seok said confidently. He still got bitten by fish a lot, but he was quite confident in using Mana.

"The promotion test is not far away. I really have a good feeling this time. I'm confident."

"Okay. That's good."

Since he was growing so fast, he would be able to get him to do the laundry soon. Cheon Dowoon smiled with a satisfied face.

* * *

When Cheon Dowoon arrived home, he brought a large rock from the forest.

"What's that?"

"I might need a shovel to dig the ground. I'm going to make a shovel first."

What Cheon Dowoon brought was Black Blue Stone, which was famous for its hardness.

Cheon Dowoon put it down in the yard and divided it into three equal parts.

As the stones were placed in front of each of them, the siblings sat in the yard and began to carve the stones.

When only the sound of carving stones was quietly ringing, Yoo-beom opened his mouth.

"Come to think of it, while wandering around the slums. I remembered something I had forgotten."

"Really? What is it?"

"I saw a kid about 7 years old stealing bread?"

He discovered such a child while flying in the sky.

The child was stealing a piece of bread sold on the street and running through the alley.

"I used to do that when I was young. The older brothers in the neighborhood made me steal it. They took all the bread, so I was like a shuttle."

Yoo-beom said, recalling vague memories.

"Those guys took my sister hostage and used me."

Even though it was just boys around the age of 10 threatening him to listen to them.

It was only that, but it was a lot of pressure for Yoo-beom, who was 7 years old.

"But there was a kid who saved me and my sister from that gang. His name was quite unique. What was it?"

"Cheon Won-man. Brother said that in the slums earlier."

"That's right. Cheon Won-man. That was his name."

Cheon Dowoon's hand, which was carving a stone, stopped.

Cheon Won-man. The name before the name change he had used until he was 8 years old popped out of their mouths.

"The kid who saved you was named… Cheon Won-man?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

Cheon Dowoon didn't remember anything about the siblings.

Cheon Dowoon asked with an interesting face that they had not met for the first time at the research center.

* * *

Yoo-beom 7 years old. Yoo Ji-ah 5 years old.

The two did not remember how they became orphans.

Whether they were abandoned, their parents died, or they got lost and couldn't return.

Whatever it was, when they came to their senses, they were already living on the streets.

That day, Yoo-beom was running with three pieces of bread in his arms.

Behind him, the bakery owner was waving a flour rolling pin and cursing.

The place he arrived at after running through the alley was where 13-year-old boys were.

Behind them, 5-year-old Yoo Ji-ah was fidgeting with the back of her neck grabbed.

[I brought it. Let my sister go.]

[That won't work. Work for another ten days.]

[You said that last time!]

[Ah, what are you going to do about it? You're so small and you're talking so much!]

The boy raised his hand.

7 years old and 13 years old. Even though it doesn't seem like much, there is a big age difference in physique.

Yoo-beom reflexively closed his eyes tightly. He thought he would be hit as usual, but there was no approaching pain.

Instead, he heard the sound of someone falling.

[It's, it's a crazy guy! Damn it, a crazy guy appeared!]

[Run!]

[What about the boss?]

[Leave him alone! He got hit in the head and passed out! Who cares!]

The children who were gathered scattered. Yoo-beom was surprised and raised his head.

In front of him stood a boy who looked to be about his age. He was holding a brick in his hand.

[Uh, what… what is this….]

The boy who was trying to hit Yoo-beom was lying on the floor.

Cheon Dowoon smiled as he looked at the fallen boy. When he made eye contact with Yoo-beom, he pointed at the boy with his hand.

[He's the brother I've been looking for. He teased me and ran away the day before yesterday.]

Teasing, who? Who would tease someone who hits people in the head with a stone? If he was sane, he couldn't tease him.

[What… what did he tease you with?]

[My name. My name is Cheon Won-man. Isn't it funny?]

Yoo-beom shook his head. He thought he would hit his head with a brick if he said it was funny.

[Not funny?]

[Uh. I think it's a good name.]

[Really?]

I don't have to hit that one. Yoo-beom heard such muttering. It was a small voice, but he clearly heard it.

I was going to hit him after all. He swallowed hard and looked at Cheon Dowoon.

Cheon Dowoon squatted in front of the fallen boy. What he took out of his pocket was a magic pen.

He used it to write letters on the boy's forehead.

【Idiot】

It was childish. It was when Cheon Dowoon was 8 years old.

He hesitated for a moment and drew a goat beard under his nose. He also drew a large hairy mole on his cheek.

[That's permanent magic….]

Yoo-beom paused after seeing the word 'permanent' written on the magic pen.

He thought it would be a lot of trouble to erase it. But he decided to pretend he didn't know.

Cheon Dowoon, having finished his work, began to grab the fallen boy's feet and drag him away.

[Uh, where are you going?]

[Home. I have to go to the orphanage. I'm going to put him on display in the yard there. I saw it in historical dramas. Beheading the enemy general and putting him on display….]

Cheon Dowoon stopped talking for a moment.

[No, I didn't behead him, so it's not a display. Do I have to behead him?]

[N-No! You don't have to behead him! It's enough to just leave him in the yard as is!]

Yoo-beom shouted desperately because he seemed to be seriously considering it.

Could it be that I saved that person today? Yoo-beom thought as he looked at the boy being dragged away unconscious.

[But you said you were going to the orphanage? Do they still accept people there? Can we go in too?]

Yoo-beom said, holding his sister's hand. Cheon Dowoon looked at the two of them and pointed to the right.

[Do you see that transmission tower over there? Go straight in that direction.]

[Is there an orphanage there?]

[No. If you go that way, you can get out of District 13. It'll take about 4 days to walk.]

Yoo-beom looked at the transmission tower at Cheon Dowoon's words.

[The orphanage I'm in right now is full. Especially in winter, there's no food, so 4 or 5 people die. It's almost winter now. If a new person comes in at this time, the older brothers will take their food and starve to death.]

Yoo-beom was disappointed at Cheon Dowoon's words.

[So go in the direction of that transmission tower. Then you can get out of District 13. District 12 probably isn't much different from here. If you go to District 11, you'll be able to live a decent life.]

Yoo-beom's face became puzzled as he listened to Cheon Dowoon's words.

[If it's better to live there, why don't you go?]

[I have to wait for my mom.]

[Ah….]

[I'm waiting for my dad too. If I leave here, my parents won't be able to meet me when they come to find me.]

Yoo-beom only saw Cheon Dowoon's back.

Because of this, he thought that he missed his parents. It was a thought he had because he didn't see Cheon Dowoon smiling.

[I'm curious who gave me this name. That's why I'm waiting. There was a note that they would come to pick me up.]

[I, I see.]

[It's been 8 years already. They're not coming. Who gave me this name? Mom? Or Dad?]

Yoo-beom couldn't answer. He strangely got goosebumps at the words that he was waiting for his parents.

That boy might hit his parents in the head with a brick if he meets them.

He didn't think he would, but he had a feeling he would.

[Anyway. Go in the direction of that transmission tower you see. Rumor has it that it's much better than here.]

It was only a slight improvement.

But for those who were desperate, the difference was great.

Cheon Dowoon left those words and left the alley. He seemed impressed by the groaning of the boy being dragged away.

[To think his name is Cheon Won-man. It's unique.]

After that, the siblings walked and walked. When Yoo Ji-ah's shoes wore out and she limped, Yoo-beom sat down and showed his back.

[Get on my back.]

Yoo Ji-ah ran to her brother's back.

Yoo-beom's feet weren't in good condition either. But he was older than 5-year-old Yoo Ji-ah. Adults have to protect children.

Yoo-beom stood up firmly with his sister on his back.

[Ji-ah. You're sleeping. We'll be there soon.]

[Can I eat bread when we get there?]

[Of course.]

[Can I eat a lot?]

[Of course.]

[Really? I wish we could get there soon.]

Yoo Ji-ah kicked her feet while on Yoo-beom's back.

It was a harsh city to live in. But it wasn't like every day was depressing.

There were small but funny things. One of them was talking with his sister about which bread was the best.

Yoo-beom smiled as he recalled his childhood.

"That's what happened. I was saved by a strange kid who went around hitting people in the head with stones. His eyes were a bit… crazy. But I'm still grateful to him. He told me about it, so I was able to settle in District 11."

"...Is that so?"

Cheon Dowoon's face became subtle.

District 13. The act of hitting people in the head with stones. The hobby of writing idiot on their foreheads.

He remembered that the director had changed his name after he started displaying unconscious children in the orphanage yard.

That was around the end of his 8th year.

"That thing you're talking about. That strange kid."

That seems to be me. Should I say this?

Cheon Dowoon laughed at the unexpected connection from his childhood.