Urban Vagabond: Reload

Police tape had been wrapped around the area surrounding an old abandoned house.

[At 6:35 a.m. this morning. On Jeju Island, the body of Tamra Alliance alliance leader Lee Cheonhong was discovered at an abandoned house in the woods. Police and the Martial Alliance joint task force have arrived on site and are currently investigating the detailed circumstances.]

Reporters packed in front of it, snapping photos without pause, while police and Martial Alliance investigators moved back and forth with hardened expressions.

The field reporter continued the live coverage.

[According to the first caller’s testimony, Mr. Lee Cheonhong is presumed to have made an extreme choice using a toxic substance. With dozens of bodies discovered inside ○○ Cave overnight and the Tamra Alliance now confirmed to be connected, some are speculating that the Tamra Alliance alliance leader may have carried out experiments with Demonic Void Art, much like former Sun and Moon Gate sect leader Jang Jinmyeong—]

“He didn’t ‘make an extreme choice.’ He got done in. Isn’t this the most obvious tail-cutting ever?”

Watching the TV in the hospital while peeling a Jeju tangerine, Kim Bokja snorted.

PYAAK!

Apricot climbed onto the bedside tray table and pecked at the Jeju tangerine pieces on the plate—poke, poke, poke—eating them one by one.

Shin Kangheon tried to grab a piece for himself, and his finger got tagged by Apricot’s beak.

He glared at it.

“Hey! Let me eat too!”

PYAAK-PYAAK-PYAAK!

Still bickering the same as ever, Shin Kangheon and Apricot each got a Jeju tangerine piece stuffed into their mouths by Kim Bokja.

“Keep it down. You want to do this even with a patient right here?”

“Hey, I’m a patient too—”

Shin Kangheon was grumbling in protest when he saw Kim Muhyuk lying on the bed and shut his mouth.

Kim Muhyuk’s sleeping face was pale, his cheeks so gaunt it was painful to look at. His lips were split, and it was hard to find any part of his body—aside from his face—that wasn’t wrapped in bandages.

After they arrived at the hospital, sent Gu Hyeonwoo into surgery, and contacted his manager, Kim Muhyuk collapsed like a fuse had blown and lost consciousness.

“...That bastard seriously scared the hell out of me. He just dropped like that—I thought my heart was going to fall out.”

Shin Kangheon glared at Kim Muhyuk like he was pissed off, and Kim Bokja nodded like she agreed. Her gaze wasn’t kind either.

“Seriously, Kim Muhyuk. He always pushes himself alone and does insane shit.”

Thankfully, the doctor who examined Kim Muhyuk said there were no fatal wounds and no infection.

He’d simply burned through his stamina and vitality too hard and crashed.

—To think he was standing up and acting fine until just a moment ago....... It doesn’t seem like he realizes how badly he abused his body. He must rest absolutely for a while!

Remembering the doctor’s stern warning as he left, the two of them stared at Kim Muhyuk like they wanted to eat him alive.

“Should we just tie him to the bed so he can’t move even after he wakes up?”

“Let’s hide that sword too. If he sees it, he’ll definitely get itchy and try to swing it around.”

PYAAK!

Next to Kim Muhyuk’s bed, Phantom Dream—wrapped in thick cloth—leaned at a slant.

They glared at Phantom Dream like it was the root cause of everything, then sighed.

The real reason they were angry was with themselves.

“...This bastard. The most dangerous thing—he always tries to do it alone. That’s what pisses me off the most.”

“And I hate how he acts like he’s the only adult. Who the hell made him our guardian?”

While Kim Muhyuk fought inside the cave, the two of them had also fought a life-or-death battle outside against Tamra Alliance fighters.

But compared to what Kim Muhyuk went through, what they’d experienced almost felt like nothing.

Because when they took off Kim Muhyuk’s clothes after he collapsed in the hospital and checked his condition, the wounds they saw—the marks of crossing that line between life and death—shocked them hard.

If I were stronger, I would’ve gone in to help before AZURE SKY SWORD GATE’s support arrived....

You bastard. You didn’t say it would be that dangerous!

They felt guilty that they hadn’t been at their friend’s side during the most dangerous fight.

And they were furious at themselves for not being strong enough to give Kim Muhyuk the kind of trust he could rely on.

Damn it. When we get back, it’s super-special training.

I need to find more spells I can actually use the moment a fight breaks out—and master them.

Neither of them was good at expressing it out loud, but in the looks they exchanged, they could feel the same 마음.

“You’re dead, Kim Muhyuk.”

“Just watch. I’m not letting you come back in this state ever again.”

As the two vows—heated with quiet anger—hung in the air, one of Kim Muhyuk’s fingers twitched.

But neither of them noticed, because the TV was playing something important.

[Inside ○○ Cave, bodies continue to be discovered. This incident—now being labeled the “Tamra Alliance massacre”—is sending shockwaves, with the testimonies of a small number of survivors indicating a link to an illegal underground arena in Jeju Island’s underworld. The illegal underground arena, which has been operated covertly beneath the surface—]

The news kept running back-to-back coverage from early morning, hammering the fallout.

No matter how much this was “martial-world business,” with over a hundred dead, it was a major incident. It would stay loud for a while.

[Meanwhile, Elysium Casino, which has been identified as being connected to the incident, is strongly denying any involvement. However, relevant authorities have declared a firm intent to use this opportunity to eradicate illegal underground arenas.]

“Yeah right. Like underground arenas are going to disappear. They’ll just get made somewhere else.”

“Then what happens to the ten billion won prize? If Elysium says it wasn’t them—”

Shin Kangheon muttered, sounding like he couldn’t believe they might go through all this and not get a single cent.

And then an answer came from somewhere they didn’t expect.

“...We take it.”

Both of them snapped their heads around.

Kim Muhyuk had his eyes half open, looking at them.

“You think we signed a contract for fun? It says who the debtor is. There’s no reason we can’t collect.”

“You— you crazy bastard!”

“Kim Muhyuk! You wake up and the first thing you say is money?”

Kim Muhyuk grinned at the two of them, who looked dumbfounded.

In truth, his consciousness had been back for a while, but the 분위기 was awkward, so he’d been reading the room.

“How long was I out? It doesn’t feel like it was that long.”

“Uh—hey? Don’t even think about moving. I’ll put you back to sleep with a spell.”

“Let’s just tie him up right now and call the nurse!”

“...Don’t make such a fuss. It’s embarrassing. But is this a private room?”

“AZURE SKY SWORD GATE assigned it to you. They said not to worry about the medical bills either.”

“Must be nice having rich friends....”

Once Kim Muhyuk woke up, the three of them started getting loud again like they always did.

Only then did Shin Kangheon finally relax—he peeled a whole Jeju tangerine, shoved it into his mouth, and chewed—and then his eyes went wide at the TV.

“Oh—AZURE SKY SWORD GATE grandpa is on!”

The screen switched indoors, showing Na Ilcheon doing an interview with the anchor, his expression solemn.

[Since our founder established AZURE SKY SWORD GATE, our sect has devoted itself to protecting citizens from anomalies and criminals who practice Demonic Void Art, and to preventing incidents before they occur.]

[Are you saying you knew in advance that this massacre would happen?]

[Regrettably, that is not the case. However, an anonymous citizen provided a tip to AZURE SKY SWORD GATE. After receiving a report of the severity of the situation, we departed for Jeju Island immediately. If we had arrived sooner, we could have reduced the damage....... That is something I find deeply regrettable.]

Na Ilcheon’s face—answering interviews openly after a long time—held the pride of an orthodox martial artist.

“Grandpa sect leader looks really happy, huh?”

“When you’ve been getting cursed out nonstop and then people start calling you a heroic swordsman, anyone would feel good.”

Kim Muhyuk let out a small laugh while watching Na Ilcheon on the TV.

He’d handed all the credit over to Na Ilcheon and AZURE SKY SWORD GATE.

With AZURE SKY SWORD GATE’s influence, they could smooth over the small problems easily. Because of that, Kim Muhyuk didn’t need to go testify to the police or the Martial Alliance himself.

Getting Phantom Dream is enough for me.

Kim Muhyuk still stayed wary of excessive media attention and scrutiny.

And since he’d been able to repay the debt to AZURE SKY SWORD GATE—who had flown in on a private jet before dawn to help—it was killing two birds with one stone.

“Everything got wrapped up nic—”

Kim Muhyuk was murmuring with a satisfied smile when he looked toward the hallway outside the room and his face hardened.

“...This is bad.”

It was a look of urgency he hadn’t even made while fighting Tamra Alliance fighters.

He was seriously considering closing his eyes again—when—

“Muhyuk—!”

From outside the room, a familiar voice came with a—

BANG-CLATTER!

—and the door burst open as Kim Chanho and Park Jiyeon rushed in.

Kim Muhyuk raised a hand awkwardly and smiled at his parents.

“Ha-ha.... You’re here?”

“Y-you—you—!”

The moment Kim Chanho saw his son lying in bed wrapped in bandages, his words choked off, tears welling in his eyes.

“Do you know how shocked I was when I got a call saying you were hurt and hospitalized all of a sudden? You didn’t answer your phone—”

Park Jiyeon let out a long sigh, walked up, and checked her son’s body here and there.

Kim Muhyuk scratched his cheek, avoiding their eyes.

“...Since Mom and Dad came to Jeju Island, should we just turn this into a family trip while we’re at it?”

“Do you hear yourself, you ungrateful brat?!”

“That’s why I’m saying I’ll start being a good son from now on— mmph!”

“Good job, Bokja. It’s better to just shut his mouth.”

Kim Muhyuk had to sit through a long, long lecture from his parents.

Only after the doctor came and told them he’d be fine if he rested properly did the two finally relax—and then they said,

“Teacher will be on the next flight. I asked him to give you a proper scolding, so brace yourself.”

“I’m not a kid or anyth—”

“Kim Muhyuk. If you’re not a kid to Mom and Dad, then what are you?”

When Park Jiyeon grabbed his cheeks and pulled them outward, Kim Bokja and Shin Kangheon started snickering like it served him right.

And in the middle of it, Kim Muhyuk suddenly noticed that Shin Kangheon’s profile looked strangely lonely.

Shin Kangheon’s uncle would’ve been contacted too.

Whether Shin Junhyun still hadn’t arrived yet—or whether he wouldn’t come at all—Kim Muhyuk couldn’t know.

But Kim Muhyuk hoped his friend’s uncle would come here.

Because if Kim Muhyuk had become happier in this life, he wanted his friends to become happier too—unlike before.

Then Shin Kangheon grinned and teased Kim Chanho and Park Jiyeon.

“Sir, ma’am! We worked our asses off, so when we get back to Seoul, please make us a ton of good food!”

“You punk. You see me and the first thing you say is ‘make me good food’?”

Kim Chanho—who’d grown close to Shin Kangheon over the past few months—put him in a playful headlock like he would with a son.

And Shin Kangheon’s face lit up with that usual mischievous grin again.

Kim Muhyuk seized the opening and tried one more time.

“Mom, Dad. Since we’re already on Jeju Island, let’s travel together with Bokja and Kangheon and then go back, okay?”

After their son kept insisting, the two finally nodded as if they couldn’t win.

“Geez. Fine. All right. We have to stay a few days until you’re discharged anyway.”

“Then tomorrow, we should eat something good and go buy some pretty little decorations to put in the café. Bokja, want to come?”

“I’d love to! There are so many places I’ve never been!”

“Kangheon, you come fishing with me. Ever fished before?”

“Oh—fishing, I’ve totally wanted to try it! I’m going to catch something huuuuge!”

Watching a full travel plan get assembled—without him—Kim Muhyuk stared at his parents with a baffled expression.

“Then what about me?”

“You’re obviously staying right here.”

“Until the doctor says you can leave, don’t you dare move.”

“This is a family trip and you’re going to enjoy it without the son...?”

At Kim Muhyuk’s deeply wronged expression, all four of them burst into laughter at the same time.

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

It wasn’t what anyone planned from the start, but in the end, the whole family ended up together on Jeju Island.

And as Kim Muhyuk decided he would cover up every bad memory he’d had of Jeju Island in his previous life—starting now—using only good memories, a warm smile formed at the corner of his lips.