Free Web Novel“What? The government... why? For what reason?”
Yohan simply could not understand. In this day and age, Awakeners were valuable assets. Just looking at how Korea had become a relatively safe nation thanks to the two high-tier Awakeners in the past made that clear. On top of that, the contribution the Sunrise Team had made to society was enormous—so how could they have done something like that? He could not comprehend it at all.
“They probably weren’t aiming for the disappearance of the entire Sunrise Team. It was an attack targeted at me, and unfortunately, everyone else was dragged into it....”
Lee Chanha’s voice was calm as he explained, yet within his eyes flickered an irrepressible hatred, a thirst for vengeance. He paused, shut his eyes for a moment, then opened them again as he continued.
“One day before I disappeared into the Abyss, Go Jaewon called me out, saying a rescue request had come in from a rift.”
At that time, Lee Hyunmook and the other members had each been away—some clearing rifts, others on different errands. Without a trace of suspicion, Chanha went to the rift Jaewon had mentioned. His defensive ability was best suited for protecting and rescuing others.
But when he arrived, the people he was supposed to rescue were nowhere to be found. Instead, the moment he reached the place, he was suddenly ambushed by unknown Awakeners. He fought back, but by the time he regained his senses, he had already fallen into the Abyss.
While he was unconscious, the rest was explained by Joo Hoyoung.
“I had finished early and returned, only to hear that Chanha-hyung had already headed out. I went to help—but when I found him, he attacked me without recognizing me. The way he moved, the way he spoke—it was as if he were trapped in hallucinations. I couldn’t subdue him alone, so I just ran around calling for help.”
It had been a situation where Lee Chanha could easily have been mistaken for a dangerously contaminated Awakened, subject to forced isolation or even immediate execution. Hoyoung later added that it seemed likely someone had wanted exactly that outcome. If not for him arriving early, Chanha would surely have been killed.
When the others, except for Go Jaewon, rushed over in response to the call, they found Hoyoung already gravely injured. As they desperately tried to protect Hoyoung and subdue Chanha, the Abyss suddenly opened. Trying to save the two of them, the entire Sunrise Team was dragged into it and vanished.
“But when I came back, our Jaewon-hyung had the gall to lie. He claimed that, unlike other teams, we had fallen into the Abyss because of internal conflict. Then, after becoming representative, he all but sold our guild to the Rift Management Agency. Last year he even received a model Awakener commendation.”
Yoon Seungryong chuckled as though he were telling a hilarious story. Every angle pointed clearly to Go Jaewon as the traitor, leaving Yohan speechless. Lee Chanha gave a cold laugh.
“He must have wanted to remove me and take the vice-captain’s seat. And some higher-up surely wanted to cut down a team that had become too successful.”
Everyone was consumed by hatred toward Go Jaewon, but Chanha’s was the deepest of all. That was no doubt due to guilt—that his teammates had suffered hellish torment because of him. Even though it was all the traitor’s fault.
“Then, if it had come out that I could cure contamination, by now....”
Yohan trailed off, the thought turning dark. Lee Hyunmook nodded in agreement.
“They would have done whatever it took to keep you. Even if they tried to lock you up by force, we could break you out—but living peacefully in Korea afterward would be nearly impossible. That includes your family, Yohan.”
Yohan swallowed hard. He loved Korea, and his family living there was precious to him. Hyunmook continued. ƒrēewebnovel.com
“And the contaminated Awakeners the government has in custody? They’re perfect hostages. That’s why we need to secure them too.”
“Also good material for a public campaign. I can already see the headlines: ‘Exorcist Yang Yohan Turns His Back on the Contaminated!’ Then they’ll argue that no private guild should monopolize an exorcist for the sake of national interest. They’ll dig up every scrap of dirt about you and your family. If public opinion forces you into the government’s isolation facility, what do you think will happen? Our Yohan will cry his eyes out every day. Of course, we won’t just let that happen, but there’s no need to walk into such misery.”
With that, Yoon Seungryong tore open a snack and stuffed it into his mouth. Yohan gulped again, his voice full of disappointment.
“Then for the time being, I won’t be able to awaken any other exorcists.”
“Right. But it really will only be for the time being.”
Since it was Lee Hyunmook himself saying it, Yohan reluctantly accepted it. He could not help but think of Jung Siyoung and the Special Suppression Division members who suffered from contamination, but he held back. Then, in a coaxing tone, Chanha spoke to the downcast Yohan.
“And Yohan, you need to take revenge as well.”
“Re... venge.”
Only then did Yohan recall his own circumstances, murmuring blankly. Revenge... Just as the Sunrise Team had been dragged into the Abyss by the betrayal of Go Jaewon, Yohan too had been thrown into the Abyss by his friend Park Seungmin and the mercenaries. During their long time together in the Abyss, everyone had learned of Yohan’s past.
“I looked into that Park Seungmin fellow. Want to know how he’s living?”
It was unclear how Chanha had managed to investigate while trapped in isolation, but that wasn’t important. When Yohan nodded, Chanha explained.
“He told your family you vanished while recklessly chasing after supplies in a rift, only to be taken by monsters. On top of that, he conned money out of mercenaries by pretending he was paying them to help with the search—tens of millions. Absolutely shameless.”
“What... did you say?”
Yohan doubted his own ears. Then came the surge of burning rage. Not only had Seungmin sacrificed him to escape the Abyss, he had lied to his family and extorted money? That wasn’t something a human being could do.
“Chanha.”
Hyunmook frowned slightly, his tone chastising at Chanha’s devilish whisper. Chanha only shrugged.
“He needed to know sooner or later.”
At Hyunmook’s scolding gaze, Chanha lowered his eyes. After a moment of silence, Yohan spoke his true feelings.
“You’re right. I wanted revenge all along. Ever since I fell into the Abyss, not once have I forgotten.”
The hardships he had endured were nothing compared to the others, but even for Yohan, that one year in the Abyss was crushing. The environment itself was torment enough, but what had hurt most was the fear that he might never return home again. In that place without day or night, every time before he closed his eyes he thought about it again and again.
Was the Abyss expanding so fast back then that they really needed to sacrifice him? fгeewebnovёl.com
No matter how he thought about it, they could have all escaped together. And the moment Seungmin shoved him in, the ecstatic malice in his eyes... Yohan could never forgive that.
If he could go back, he would still throw himself into the Abyss to save these people—even without Seungmin’s shove. Yet separate from that resolve, the traitor’s vile and malicious gaze was still driven into Yohan’s heart like a wedge.
Having known Park Seungmin for so long, Yohan had occasionally seen glimpses of selfishness he could not hide. But since Seungmin had always treated him so well, they had remained friends. Only now did he realize that all of it had been a deception.
“All right. Then, shall we raise a toast to everyone’s revenge?”
Seo Yakrin laughed heartily as he popped open a beer bottle. Each of them poured their favorite drink into a cup and looked toward their leader, Lee Hyunmook. Hyunmook smiled faintly, then spoke firmly.
“To successful revenge.”
“To successful revenge!”
Clink! Cups rang together, the drinks inside sloshing brightly. Yohan downed cola without restraint, lost in thought. How should he take revenge on Park Seungmin? Naturally, the mercenaries were targets [N O V E L I G H T] as well. But for now, those thoughts could wait. Sharing delicious food with everyone after finally returning to Korea was too joyful.
“It feels like a happy dream....”
Joo Hoyoung suddenly murmured in an excited tone. He was fiddling with a gaming console they had brought back from the Abyss, a device that looked far too well-kept for where it had come from. Yohan purified the slightly smudged console until it was clean and smiled.
“Isn’t it lucky it’s not a dream?”
At Yohan’s words, Hoyoung lifted his gaze from the console. For the first time since escaping, his eyes reddened as he nodded.
“Yes. I’m so glad it’s not a dream.”
