The news continued to blather on about today’s events. It was filled not with the essence of the incident, but with stories designed solely to grab attention.

  Provocative footage, and so-called current affairs commentators chattering pretentiously as if they held all the truths of the universe, accompanied by anchors chiming in as if broadcasting a show. They continued their narrative without a shred of caution regarding the misfortunes of others—misfortunes that might one day become their own fate. It was as if they possessed an absolute belief that they themselves would never be exposed to such danger.

  Only those on the scene or living nearby would know how many people were swept away by the actions of a Tool user, regardless of their own carefulness.

  Those prattling on air knew nothing of reality. Yet, seeing them speak as if the victims themselves were at fault was more than enough to arouse contempt in Min-ah. They were cowards, and they were obsessed with money. Those talking heads wouldn't know—they wouldn't understand the true terror brought by the fact that someone rampaging with a Tool could appear anytime, anywhere. If they knew, they wouldn't speak such words; if they actually faced that situation, their bluster would vanish, and their true selves would be revealed.

  Of course, Min-ah knew well enough that those "true selves" would be more cowardly than anyone else, filled with nothing but self-preservation. The arrogance and ignorance dripping between their words eventually left Min-ah feeling utterly exhausted.

  And yet, Min-ah did not change the channel. It was for one reason alone.

  The sight of Jihyeon captured on broadcast. Though he wore his usual hood, sunglasses, and mask, he subdued his opponent as magnificently as ever. Watching Jihyeon’s image repeat across the large screen, Min-ah let out a sigh.

  It was due to an emotion even she couldn't quite identify. Of course, Min-ah liked Jihyeon. Even though Jihyeon was pushing her away, Min-ah knew better than anyone that her feelings were love. But regardless of those feelings, seeing Jihyeon continue to fight like that simply made her heart ache.

  She didn't yet know if it was out of fear for a loved one heading into danger, or simply pity for his fate. But either way, for Min-ah, Jihyeon was a man she couldn't help but worry about.

  As she watched the broadcast with a slightly sorrowful face, the topic of the panelists eventually shifted to Jihyeon. They began criticizing him as usual. It was the shallowest means to make money. No matter how hard he tried, there were limits to what Jihyeon could do alone.

  Yet, those talking from a place of safety did not realize the magnitude of their rudeness. Those who had no idea what would happen if Jihyeon were to stop working spoke far too easily. They were accumulating sins in real-time. This display was enough to make Min-ah’s patience run completely dry.

  "Sigh..."

  Min-ah finally turned off the TV and went into her room. She felt as though she would go mad if she paid any more attention to stories she couldn't stand to hear. Instead, she collapsed onto her bed. She stared blankly at the ceiling.

  Likely, this kind of nonsense would continue to flow through the airwaves in the future. But she couldn't afford to care about every single instance. Nor did she want to visit places like the fan cafe in this mood. While the many events there sometimes made her happy, going there now would only make her heart more troubled.

  Instead, Min-ah sat up. She peeked outside from an angle that wouldn't be visible from the street. There, she saw the figures of people she had no desire to see. Though they kept their distance, their appearances were already familiar.

  The police were providing protection in their own way, but it wasn't particularly helpful. While she could clearly see their patrols had increased—partly due to Jihyeon’s words—that alone was not enough. Of course, since the protection began, Jihyeon had pointed out her stalkers several times, but the police displayed nothing but pure incompetence.

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  It had even reached a point where Jihyeon stepped in personally. But their persistence was horrifyingly stubborn. She felt that unless some substantial harm occurred, there might be no way to stop their relentless tenacity.

  However, there was nothing she could do right now. She had to accept that even though several had been caught, the Cult would not give up its interest in her. Min-ah let out a resigned sigh and lay back down on the bed. Hoping that one day she might be able to rest in peace, she tossed and turned before eventually falling asleep.

  Jihyeon cautiously entered the hospital room where Lee Young lay sleeping. Since it was night, it would have been awkward if anyone saw him, but the Tool that could neutralize CCTVs was useful at times like this.

  "Phew..."

  Jihyeon sighed as he looked at Lee Young, who had not yet regained consciousness. With current medical technology, she might never recover. Perhaps it was natural, as no one knew how to break the curse inherent in the Tools—unless someone found a way.

  However, Jihyeon had discovered that a clue was not entirely absent. It was thanks to the knowledge he gained through removing the Booster. Through that experience, Jihyeon was able to learn anew about the influence of the Tools.

  Though he couldn't put it into words, Jihyeon believed that through the intuition he had acquired, he could restore Lee Young’s consciousness. Of course, no one knew what the result would be if something went wrong. But it was worth a try. Realistically, there was the issue of money, but more importantly, he couldn't just leave her like this forever.

  Ten or twenty years. Or perhaps even longer. Watching over her for that long was impossible for an ordinary person. Even Jihyeon did not possess infinite patience.

  Someone might curse him as selfish. But Jihyeon didn't care. If leaving things as they were wouldn't solve the problem, he had to leave everything to the heavens. Moreover, treating Lee Young would help in removing the "poison" of the Tools and in creating equipment that ordinary people could use safely.

  Experience makes Jihyeon grow and fills in the gaps.

  So, Jihyeon gently took Lee Young’s hand and focused his mind. Soon, he fell into a trance and began to sweat profusely. It wasn't just Jihyeon. Lee Young’s entire body was also drenched in sweat. It indicated that Jihyeon's attempt was a significant burden on her as well.

  However, her breathing grew rough for a moment before returning to normal. It meant that everything was proceeding smoothly. After a considerable amount of time, Jihyeon finally opened his eyes. At the same time, he slumped down as if exhausted. Gasping for air, Jihyeon looked so tired that he might have lain down immediately if he could. Doing things by intuition was...

  Still, there were results. Though Lee Young had not yet regained consciousness, Jihyeon could tell for certain.

  "Then, get some rest."

  Jihyeon said as he walked out. And a few hours later, Lee Young opened her eyes.

  If one were to imagine the room of high-ranking members of a pseudo-cult, they would likely think of a space filled with luxury. However, Ha-eun's room was far from that. His room was devoid of any decoration, to the point of bringing to mind the rooms of strict monks.

  In that space containing only the most basic necessities, Ha-eun was quietly offering a prayer. When he finished, Ha-eun’s eyes were shining more intensely than ever. It was filled with a passion akin to a priest who had received a divine oracle. Perhaps it was because what he had wished for was nearing completion.

  Ha-eun thought the time was gradually approaching. He felt the moment drawing near to kill that unforgivable enemy—the one who used Min-ah as bait and lingered nearby, obstructing them.

  However, victory was not guaranteed. The actual fight would have to be seen. A cold assessment would put it at about 50/50. Just as he had grown stronger, that fellow had also grown stronger. The fighting prowess he had shown recently was enough to make even Ha-eun admire him.

  Of course, to Ha-eun, the intruder was merely a prey that was becoming slightly more difficult to handle. No matter how strong the opponent was, he even possessed an unfounded confidence that he could defeat them.

  The expectation does not fade. The plan is nearly in its final stage. That fellow will likely be hunted without being able to offer any proper resistance. Some might call it cowardly, but glory is often grasped through such schemes.

  Sufficient data had already been prepared. It was a time when the determination to win was more important than the possibility of losing.

  Yet, Ha-eun knew. Even if he won, it would never be an easy victory. The end of the hunt would be filled with wounds, and even his life might be at risk. Nevertheless, considering how many times the opponent had brought him shame, this was rather merciful.

  The glory of victory would surely be his. With that thought, Ha-eun took out his phone. It was to double-check the tasks for tomorrow before sleeping. Then, as if acting on a whim, he looked through his past memories again.

  Before completely devoting himself here, Ha-eun had abandoned his family. And he knew well that he could never return to his past relationships. That was only natural. For one who follows the Great Teachings, such a sacrifice was bearable.

  Still, Ha-eun felt a certain heaviness in his heart. It might have been because he felt anew that there are ties that cannot be severed, no matter how much one wishes to cut them. But that changed nothing. He would simply do what he had to do.

  With that thought, Ha-eun turned off his phone and went to sleep.