The Genius Decided To Live An Ordinary Life [EN]: Chapter 303

The Past

If expressed in color, it would probably be black.

Hong Ki-joon’s headache was the very essence of deep darkness.

It seemed he had already secured enough clues to escape the pain, but he wondered if there might be more. The more countermeasures, the better.

“I think I thought about people. Among them, one person in particular. I strongly recalled just one person. Believing that I could return to that time.”

So, it was desire after all. That rascal, he should have tried harder when he had the chance. Hong Ki-joon grumbled inwardly.

“I was determined to run to that person if I returned. Although my life was boring, I also remembered the times I laughed. Like the day I went on a picnic with my mom and dad on a farm vehicle, or when Janggun [a common Korean dog name] first came home as a puppy, and….”

Jinhyuk couldn’t continue.

The little drunkard who made Jinhyuk laugh with her cute drunken antics was no longer in this world.

It was the price of his conflict and contemplation.

Since the shadow said it was 300 years in your time, I guess it was. It felt like he had spent an eternity huddled in the darkness.

Then one day.

The darkness receded, and the voice of Dugu Elil was heard.

—【You, the suitable one who fulfilled the contract, as promised, I will grant any wish.】

— “I want to see my mom and dad. Even if it’s just for a day, or even just once.”

Jinhyuk, who had no body, sobbed.

He missed his parents so much, and he was sad and sorry that he could never see the little drunkard again.

—【I will create and gift you a grander and more splendid world. I will even create beings that look exactly like the humans you desire. That place will be peaceful, beautiful, and eternal. You will live there forever, wielding the power of a king.】

— “Not that! Not cloned people, but the real ones! I want to see them in reality!”

—【Hmm… I didn’t expect you to make such a wish.】

— “Is it because time has already passed? Are you going to say that the past cannot be reversed? I know that much. But that’s all I want. If you can’t grant it, then just erase me. I want to rest.”

—【It is a finite world. Do you still want to return?】

— “The reason life is beautiful is because it has an end. Screw eternal life! If I live alone for thousands of years, is that even human? That’s just a monster….”

—【Very well.】

— “What…?”

—【I have turned back time to when your mother and father existed. I am now telling you that I have restored the world for you.】

— “Really? Is that even possible?”

—【I am a serious being. That place is the world you lived in, it will be reality, and it will exist as you knew it. I keep my promises.】

— “No way….”

—【Do not commit the arrogance of measuring my power with the concepts of a mere human.】

Dugu Elil’s voice was emotionless, and it sounded like a threatening growl.

— “What about this guy?”

—【That one has harmed my messenger too much. He will be punished soon.】

— “This guy also has a great sense of loss, and he only lived for revenge to avoid being consumed by darkness. He killed to live, to not die. If it weren’t for my help, this guy would have died. He’s a pitiful fellow, so punishing him is-.”

—【Even if I favor you, do not go too far with your blasphemy. It is not your place to interfere.】

Favor, my ass! He’s only showing up now after abandoning me.

—【In any case, everything is that one’s destiny, and the key was how well he would grow. Your contribution is significant.】

Jinhyuk couldn’t defend him any further.

Because of the excitement of being able to see his parents.

And because he was afraid that guy might change his mind.

— “Can we meet again?”

He couldn’t hear the answer.

Jinhyuk’s soul was enveloped in light and easily escaped the darkness.

—【You, Er-Aflah, you have suffered much. I will send you back. If you do well, you might be able to save three lives from death. May you have a happy life…】

Thus, Jinhyuk resolved all his questions.

Except for one.

Hong Ki-joon, who had been nodding while listening to Jinhyuk’s explanation, wiped his eyes.

Even though he had witnessed everything, hearing the explanation with his own emotions made him empathize.

“But there’s something I can’t remember no matter what. It’s driving me crazy.”

“What is it?”

Hong Ki-joon sniffled once.

Jinhyuk stared intently at Hong Ki-joon.

With an expression that said, ‘You’re involved in this too.’

“Why did I have to go through all that hardship even in a strange world? Dugu won’t tell me. No matter how hard I exercise or how deeply I sleep, I can’t remember….”

Jinhyuk looked quite upset.

“You know, don’t you? That’s why you said you owed me.”

While Hong Ki-joon was searching for an answer, Jinhyuk mumbled like a drunk.

“It’s my business, so I should know too.”

Jinhyuk’s hand plucked at the innocent grass.

“You never told me why you’re being so nice to me. It’s not because of a past connection, or because I’m your dad’s son, is it?”

Pop-.

The fragile grass cried out.

“Why I had to do such a thing.”

Snap-.

The root was pulled out.

“The result is important, but the reason is important to people.”

Two small black bugs scattered in panic from where the root was pulled out.

“You know, Chairman.”

After all, aren’t they just a child and an adult?

One of a child’s greatest weapons is sulking. Jinhyuk had learned that skill by watching Yujin and Jungwon.

“Hmm-.”

Hong Ki-joon stretched out his legs and placed his hands on his knees.

Ughhh-. So refreshing.

It was a way of speaking that didn’t scold but made the listener feel guilty.

How could he ignore it?

‘Oh boy, how should I say this.’

He looked around.

He examined Jinhyuk’s shadow and even glanced at the particularly dark tree shade with uneasy eyes.

“Is that also a confidentiality agreement?”

“There was no such agreement. But since that person didn’t say anything, I’m also hesitant.”

“That person? Ah, him. His name is weird too, what’s with Dugu Elil?”

Even though he knew it meant a small god, the second god, he grumbled for no reason. As if for Hong Ki-joon to hear.

“That’s not a name. It’s like a title that’s used publicly.”

“What’s his name then?”

“He didn’t tell me either.”

“What a funny guy. Is his name too old-fashioned?”

“Do you really want to know? Why you went into the darkness?”

Jinhyuk nodded silently. Still plucking at the grass.

“Alright. I’ll tell you. Why I said I owed you.”

Hong Ki-joon’s time quickly moved to the day when Hong Ki-joon and Jinhyuk got into the same car after finishing the regular meeting of high-ranking executives.

“Our little-.”

CRASH-!

SCREECH-!

With a loud noise, the car body shook, and their bodies were thrown forward abruptly.

Jinhyuk instinctively reached out his arm to prevent the old chairman from being impacted.

“Oh my, oh my-, what a shock.”

Chairman Hong Ki-joon, holding his neck with one hand and his waist with the other, complained of pain.

“Chairman, are you alright?”

“Yes, yes, I am. Thanks to Team Leader Son.”

“If it weren’t for Deputy Manager Kim, we would have had an accident.”

“That’s right. Deputy Manager Kim? What kind of accident happened up ahead?”

Kim Cheol-min, who was gripping the steering wheel tightly, leaned forward and stared at the empty space where raindrops were falling.

“Ah, ah-, it happened so quickly… It looked like something fell, or maybe not? Was it just a collision…? It also looked like lightning flashed….”

Even after preventing the accident with his quick reflexes, Kim Cheol-min was flustered and spoke incoherently.

Jinhyuk, who had been talking with Chairman Hong Ki-joon, also hadn’t seen what had happened in front.

As Jinhyuk lowered his upper body and looked ahead, he saw an overturned SUV and a sedan lying on its side.

“Deputy Manager Kim, please report this to 119 [Korean emergency number] and the police.”

“Ah, yes, yes. That’s right, report it….”

If someone was trapped inside the overturned vehicle, rescue was the priority.

Jinhyuk approached the accident vehicles, unconcerned about the falling raindrops.

Thump-, Thump-.

The driver of the overturned SUV was pounding on the window, struggling.

Jinhyuk pulled the door, but it wouldn’t open because the pillar was pressing against it.

“I’ll have to break the glass. Do you agree? Please turn your face away.”

After confirming that the driver nodded, he struck the corner of the window hard with his elbow.

CRACK-! CRACK-!

With two strong impacts, the glass shattered, and the driver crawled out.

“Oh my, thank you.”

“It’s fortunate that you’re safe despite the accident that overturned the car. Nighttime collisions on rainy roads are frequent-.”

“It wasn’t a collision. Come here, come here-. I was just driving fine when I suddenly floated up and flipped over. Something flashed and fell….”

The SUV driver grabbed Jinhyuk, who was about to go check on the sedan driver.

Where he was led, Jinhyuk’s eyes widened.

A crater.

The pit, hidden by the SUV, revealed itself.

And.

‘Lava?’

There was no other way to describe the fluid that was boiling.

In addition, smoke and a pungent sulfur smell rose.

“Woah, damn-. What a shock, damn it-. Is there an anti-tank mine or something?”

The sedan driver, who had managed to escape the vehicle, cursed while holding his neck.

“Are you okay? Because of the speed we were going, we should have floated up and gone forward, but we just floated straight up and fell. Right?”

“Ah, yes-. What’s going on? It looked like something fell from the sky.”

“Right? Something flashed, but it was too fast….”

While the drivers were sharing their opinions, Jinhyuk examined the accident vehicles.

Since oil leaks were confirmed from the vehicles, it seemed best to leave the scene.

What was the point of figuring out the cause in the current situation when they could lose their lives in an instant if they delayed?

“Let’s move to the side of the road first. It’s dangerous here.”

As he was moving the drivers to the side of the road, Hong Ki-joon approached, dragging his old body.

“Team Leader Son, it’s raining, let’s go to the car. We should leave the rest to 119.”

“Ah, yes-.”

It was when he turned to go to the car where Kim Cheol-min was waiting.

A strange voice grabbed Jinhyuk’s ankle.

【I’ve finally found you.】

Along with it, a strange unpleasant sensation stung Jinhyuk’s cheek.

‘Time… stopped?’

In the middle of a road crowded with cars, the engine noise, the sound of rain, and the sound of the wind were not heard.

The drivers holding their necks, the people watching the accident scene, and even Deputy Manager Kim were frozen with their phones to their ears.

Silence and stillness in the midst of chaos, it was truly a stillness befitting destruction.

“Ughhh-.”

Chairman Hong Ki-joon’s legs gave way, and he collapsed.

Because the bizarre thing was not just the voice.

If darkness were personified, it would look like that.

A silhouette, darker than darkness and enormous, surged heavily like an ocean in the air. It was a darkness that sucked in all the surrounding light and stole life.

“Who are you?”

Jinhyuk, who stood in front of Chairman Hong Ki-joon, who had tightly closed his eyes, asked.

His voice was resolute without a hint of trembling, and his upright legs were firm without wavering.

【You’re quite something.】

The silhouette, leaving behind an unknown remark, turned its gaze to Hong Ki-joon, who was trembling behind Jinhyuk.

【The old man is lucky. To see me is like using up all his luck in his life.】

Jinhyuk quickly racked his brain to grasp the situation.

While time had stopped, only he and Hong Ki-joon could move normally. But it didn’t seem like it had any business with Hong Ki-joon. Perhaps it was because he was physically close to Jinhyuk at the moment time stopped that he was able to move.

“I asked who you are.”

【It’s unnecessary curiosity.】

“You’re being presumptuous. I’ll decide if it’s valuable or not.”

【You are insignificant. With my light breath, you will become dust.】

“That’s a pathetic threat. I’m not afraid of death. It doesn’t seem like you came to save me anyway?”

Having said that, Jinhyuk gestured with his chin towards the air beyond the silhouette.

Fire rain.

It could be called a meteor shower.

From the size of fireflies to the size of houses, countless spheres of fire were embroidering the sky.

【Perhaps I could save you.】

“That sounds like you’re saying it’s not your doing.”

If there was a meteor shower heading towards Earth, wouldn’t the media have been making a fuss about it for years? And the idea that a meteor the size of a firefly could overturn a car and create a pit the size of a bus didn’t make sense. Moreover, lava was boiling in the middle of the pit, it was unimaginable.

Jinhyuk, who had the deepest trust in science among all fields of study, pointed to the silhouette in front of him as the culprit of all the strange phenomena.

However, the silhouette was not easy to deal with, and it did not get caught up in Jinhyuk’s logic.

【It depends on your attitude.】

Hong Ki-joon, who had raised his head, wondering what this meant, sat down again.

There weren’t many attitudes an old man could take when he witnessed a disaster approaching the whole world.

Especially if he had a wife and children.

“Oh my-, honey-, Sujeong-.”

If that fire rain fell, no one inside would survive.

High-rise buildings and apartments would burst, burn, and eventually melt down.

“It seems like you came here for me. Is that right?”

【It will be easy to talk. I have something to entrust to you.】

“Explain first.”

It was then.