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[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 16: New Face (7)
A scream ripped through the air behind Baek Ho’s car.
In front of the wide-open trunk, on the cold asphalt, the wife was on top of her husband, sinking her teeth into his neck.
< I’ll live on— forever in your memory~♬
Frank sprinted over and grabbed the wife’s head and jaw, restraining her.
Her eyes were bloodshot, black veins bulging across her face.
A ferocious bloodlust toward living flesh.
Frank was about to snap the neck of the wife—now fully a Mad Eater—but Baek Ho stopped him.
“Enough!”
Frank’s massive, heavy arms froze in mid-motion like a machine forced into shutdown.
—Screeeeech!
With a shriek, dark mana leaked from the wife’s eyes, nose, and mouth.
The vessel had shattered, and the corrupted mana was spilling out.
“Ghhhk…”
Blood gushed from the husband’s neck like a waterfall as he collapsed to the ground.
Baek Ho rushed over and tried to wrap the wound with dark mana.
Sizzle—
But the wound only tore open wider.
“Goddamn it!”
You idiot!
Baek Ho immediately pulled the dark mana back.
He reached out and physically pressed against the husband’s gaping wound.
All those years spent among necromancers and undead had made him forget—Made him delude himself into thinking he could heal any wound.
“Ghhk…”
The husband, choking on his own blood, grabbed Baek Ho’s arm tightly.
“S-Save… my wife…”
Of all places… She had bitten straight through the artery.
If a priest from the Hunter Era miraculously came back, maybe there would be hope.
But at this point, no one could save them.
Instead—A necromancer had another option.
“…Just say the word. If you want, I can turn her into an undead.”
At Baek Ho’s words, the husband’s eyes slowly shifted.
He looked at his wife, now a Mad Eater, and then at her body, a shell with a soul already lost.
He looked at the body of a soul already dead.
He understood.
A Mad Eater was nothing but a walking corpse.
Even if the body remained intact, the soul could never be brought back.
And in that moment, he realized—he was truly alone in this world.
< I’m sorry for leaving behind only cold memories~♬
The husband struggled to mouth his last words.
“Ki…ll…”
…me. I don’t want to live anymore.
“You made the right choice.”
Baek Ho raised his revolver and aimed it squarely at the husband’s forehead.
Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Before the echo of the shot even faded from the construction site, he fired again.
He shredded the husband’s brain into scraps—so thoroughly that even if the legendary Seven Necromancers of old returned, they wouldn’t be able to revive him.
Baek Ho turned the revolver’s barrel.
He aimed it at the wife, still shrieking like a beast.
This time, he hesitated.
The finger on the trigger trembled uncontrollably, and his previously calm eyes shook violently.
Was there truly no way? No way to bring a Mad Eater back—
“There isn’t.”
Frank twisted the wife’s neck with a brutal snap.
A sickening crunch rang out as her cervical spine shattered, and her body slumped lifelessly to the ground.
< Close your eyes— and run away~♬
The cursed song continued to play from the passing car.
Just as Baek Ho, gritting his teeth, thought about smashing that damn car to pieces—the engine roared and the vehicle sped away.
Frank gently laid the dead wife next to her husband.
He took off his own coat and carefully covered the two bodies.
“......”
The revolver Baek Ho held slipped downward, its barrel sagging toward the ground.
He stared blankly at the couple lying there, side by side.
And in a hollow, drained voice, he muttered—
“…I’m sorry.”
There was always a boulder of guilt sitting in Baek Ho’s chest.
He didn’t know when it started.
But he knew exactly where it came from.
His bloodline.
One of the Seven Great Necromancer Clans.
The ruling family of the megacorporation, ‘Yama’.
The Baek Family.
“…I’m truly sorry.”
Baek Ho despised his bloodline.
The bloodline that turned ordinary people into undead.
That turned awakened beings into Reapers.
That created the cursed Immortal Reaper Project.
He hated being the grandson of ‘that man’.
“......”
Even now, Baek Ho wanted to ask him—
Is this the world you wanted?
Is this what you really wished for?
＊ ＊ ＊
The room was surrounded by a reddish neon glow.
Sophia sat comfortably on a plush sofa, popping a piece of fruit into her mouth.
The aperture of her cybernetic eye moved, displaying a holographic window in front of her.
'Joining forces with the White Skull Syndicate... It seems like Masamune is in a hurry.'
Masamune Yagami, the largest shareholder of the 7th mega-corporation Izanagi and head of the necromancer family Yagami.
He was revered as the "Sword that Brings Despair," a commander hailed as a hero by the people, but those who knew his true nature saw him differently.
A snake carrying despair on its back.
A person who valued his own interests more than the greater good of humanity.
Even from the information Sophia had gathered, it was clear.
A man who was hailed as a hero had allied with a gang.
A man who believed necromancers were above humans had made an alliance with the undead.
'The reason he sent Wataru to the city…'
He intended to create an undead army through the White Skull Syndicate.
And he was planning to do so while implanting bombs in their heads.
Sophia had been wondering why Masamune had sent a high-level necromancer to the city, especially when manpower was already scarce.
It seemed very much like something Masamune would do.
Sophia pressed the area below her ear.
She dialed her commander for a report.
It didn't take long before the connection was established.
After a brief greeting, she went straight to the point.
“Masamune has allied with the White Skull Syndicate and created new undead weapons.”
–Details.
Sophia began her report.
She explained how the White Skull Syndicate had abducted normal humans and turned them into unstable undead.
She described the process of embedding a specific trigger, a signal that could forcibly transform someone into a Mad Eater at will.
“For example, if they hear a certain alarm or music, they’re forced to become Mad Eaters. Oh, do you know someone named Fearless Beowulf?”
–Wasn’t he the berserker from the Hunter Era?
“Yes, he was the first Mad Eater and a Primal Reaper.”
–Right, I’ve seen the photo with your father. But why is this relevant?
“This project is called 'Prototype Beowulf.'”
–A test... berserker?
“Masamune seems to want to turn undead into berserkers who are fearless of death.”
–What a uniquely crazy bastard. But why go to such extremes…
“I think Masamune plans to use this as leverage to secure a position in the election for Supreme Commander. The elder necromancers would likely appreciate such a move, don’t you think? If he actually uses them in battle and gets results, it’ll be even more impressive.”
–I acknowledge it.
"Should we start making preparations too?"
–No. We'll focus on our own mission. I don't have time to waste dealing with a lunatic like him.
"Then... should I return?"
–No. Keep shadowing Wataru.
"Understood."
Sophia was about to end the call when she heard Commander Baek clear his throat.
–Ahem... Baek Ho.
"Your son is the same as ever. He looks strong on the outside, but he's soft and too kind-hearted underneath. Not exactly fitting for a commander."
Sophia had already heard about what happened with Baek Ho.
He had rescued the target and delivered them safely to the client, even offering additional help of his own accord.
Yet despite that, Baek Ho had been tracked by the White Skull Syndicate and had to watch the target transform into a Mad Eater right before his eyes.
Given the situation, Sophia immediately moved to clean up, to keep Baek Ho from becoming too entangled with the White Skull Syndicate.
–I see.
"Please send my regards to the Special Operations Unit. Especially remind them—if they slack off on basic fitness training just because I'm not there... No, forget it. Put me directly through to them later. I have a lot to say."
–Kzzzt... The, uh... connection's breaking up...
"Are you enjoying this, sir?"
–I just want you to know—we're always waiting for you. Carry on.
"Yes, sir."
After ending the call, Sophia stood up from her seat.
She smoothed down her clothes, mentally stacking up all the scolding she couldn't deliver yet.
Then, clicking her sharp heels against the floor, she strode toward the door.
Splash— Splash—
Her footsteps left red prints behind.
Around her were the wrecked remains of White Skull Syndicate members, torn apart like scrap metal.
At the center of the room, the local branch leader—who had been negotiating with Wataru—lay severed cleanly in two.
And with that—Sophia had finished wiping out every trace of the White Skull Syndicate connected to Baek Ho.
＊ ＊ ＊
Baek Ho left the scene in the hands of the UHPD.
Even after seeing the bodies of the couple, the officers didn’t ask for an explanation.
No one questioned what had happened or why.
After all, nobles of UnderHeaven—the necromancers—were tacitly granted immunity.
“Where did the Necromancer go?”
Mujin asked Frank.
Since Baek Ho and Frank hadn’t exchanged a word, Mujin had quietly stepped back earlier, but now Baek Ho was nowhere to be seen.
“No idea. I didn’t ask.”
Frank replied with his usual vacant expression.
Mujin leaned against the side of the car, casually glancing around.
Taking advantage of Baek Ho’s absence, he threw a question at Frank he’d been curious about.
“So... why’s the Necromancer working as a fixer? Is it some kind of heir training?”
“You’re an idiot. If it were heir training, he’d be aiming to become Commander—not some fixer.”
“Oh, right... Ahem. Then what’s the reason?”
“He doesn’t want to be Commander.”
“......”
Mujin couldn’t understand.
The man destined to lead the Baek Family didn’t want to become Commander?
It was so absurd he didn’t even expect a real explanation.
Instead, he just silently suspected something was wrong with Frank’s brain.
“When are you scheduled for a memory reset? If you wait too long, you’re screwed.”
“Frank’s not doing it.”
“...What are you talking about?”
“Memories are precious. I want to remember my mother’s face. I want to keep my memories with my friends.”
“......”
“If the memories are gone, then it’s no longer Frank. Frank will live and die as Frank.”
Mujin frowned.
“What kind of crazy talk... If you turn into a Mad Eater, you’ll attack even your own handler, you know that, right?”
“I know.”
Frank picked his nose and glanced lazily at Mujin.
“You asked earlier, right? Why we swap faces?”
“Yeah. But what’s that got to do with anything?”
“The reason Frank’s getting a new face—it’s because he’s afraid he’ll become a Mad Eater.”
“What’s the connection?”
“This face needs to be different.”
Frank grinned wide and continued.
“So that if Frank goes rabid, Baek Ho can pull the trigger without hesitation.”
He formed his fingers into the shape of a gun and pointed it at his own head.
With his mouth, he made the sound—Bang.
“That’s why Frank’s getting New Face surgery.”
“Son of a...”
Mujin stared at him, mouth agape, shaking his head.
Changing your whole face just so someone wouldn’t hesitate to shoot you?
It was a reason Mujin never would have guessed.
What the hell kind of history do these two have...?
One lives side-by-side with someone who might bite him at any moment.
The other worries someone might hesitate to kill him.
Mujin couldn’t understand it, no matter how many times he turned it over in his head.
And he could only come to one conclusion…
“At that point, isn’t it better to just wipe your memories?”
“No. Frank will die as Frank.”
Frank’s gaze grew serious.
It was the most serious Mujin had ever seen him.
“Well... Yeah. Doesn’t seem like it’s my place to butt in anyway.”
He hated complicated relationships.
Wasn’t that why he’d become a money-chaser in the first place?
Mujin scratched at the scar on his forehead.
Just then, he caught a sharp, acrid scent on the wind.
It was the smell of burning Black Cigarettes—the same stench that had clung to today’s endless misery.
Is the Necromancer nearby?
At that moment, a notification popped up on Mujin’s SmartCore.
{At the administrator’s request, your Familiar Contract has been terminated.}
Right after that, a text came in from Baek Ho.
–[Request complete. You're free to go.]
Mujin lifted his back off the car.
He felt a twinge of regret parting ways with the Baek Family so soon, but he didn’t cling.
He might hate complicated ties, but he firmly believed in the power of fate.
"I'll be off now. I hope we meet again someday."
"Got it."
Frank bumped his fist toward him, and Mujin lightly tapped it back.
As he walked around to the front of the car, Mujin sent Baek Ho a holographic business card.
⋮
[One call and I'll come running~ Pay me and I'll go anywhere~ I’ll serve you with comfort~]
[Premium, High-Quality Fixer Services]
[★Limousine★ – Save Contact]
⋮
He gave a polite bow toward the nearby wall—the direction the scent of cigarette was coming from.
'Stay safe until we meet again...'
{The other party declined.}
"......"
What a rude bastard.
Since their contract bond was gone, he let out a satisfying string of curses.
And then—
–[You.]
Baek Ho's sudden text made Mujin instinctively take a step back.
Did he hear me?
–[How much was Sophia paying you?]
"Phew..."
Mujin let out the breath he'd been holding and quickly typed a reply.
[Why do you ask~?]
–[I recharged your Vessel, didn't I?]
[What's your point~?]
–[This bastard pretending he doesn't know. Pay what you owe, bitch.]
Baek Ho's holographic business card flew over to Mujin’s display.
⋮
[I do everything except murder.]
[Fixer D – Save Contact]
⋮
Suppressing the urge to reject it, Mujin saved the contact.
And thought bitterly to himself.
'The rich ones are always worse.'
–[Transfer it by tonight.]
[Yessir~^^]
Mujin trudged along, slipping his headphones over his neck.
As the piano started playing, an old hymn from the Hunter Era—now banned by the government—flowed into his ears.
< Amazing grace~ how sweet the sound~ that saved a wretch like me~♬ I once was lost~ but now am found~ was blind but now I see~♬
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[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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