Free Web Novel“This area’s barely still within the boundaries of Korea.”
At Lee Hyunmook’s words, Yohan let out a belated sigh of realization.
“Now that I think about it... every part of the world that got eaten up must be inside the Abyss now.”
After the rupture crisis, the Earth had been steadily gnawed away by rifts and the Abyss, making it harder and harder for people to find livable land. Rifts typically opened in densely populated urban zones, but sometimes they appeared over massive livestock farms or migratory bird habitats. It was as if the phenomenon preferred areas where creatures gathered in groups, and real estate prices in cities had dropped compared to before.
“If you go that way, there’s a Russian city zone. And this way, I think it used to be Italy. For now, we’re headed to find a place to stay for the next few days.”
“Hope we find somewhere soon. Even though Mr. Hyunmook’s been carrying me the whole time, I’m still weirdly tired.”
Yohan yawned mid-sentence and scratched his head sheepishly. For some reason, he felt like his eyes kept trying to close on their own—like the moment he lay down, he’d fall into a deep sleep.
“Using abilities always makes you tired.”
“Then are you tired too, Mr. Hyunmook? You fought that monster so hard earlier.”
“...Not really. Maybe because I purified myself? Doesn’t feel that exhausting.”
After chatting like that for another couple hours of walking, they finally found a place to stay. It looked like a modern house, with a building nearby that might’ve once been used for livestock.
“Looks like it used to be a pig farm. There's still a faint smell of animals.”
Sniffing the air, Yohan looked a little surprised. Ever since his Awakening, his senses had definitely gotten sharper. After checking the house carefully, Hyunmook determined it was safe and opened the door. Even though dust was piled thickly on the floor, just stepping inside with his shoes on made Yohan feel oddly guilty.
Inside, the house looked like it had been abandoned for at least ten years. Nothing was intact. Something thick and sticky had once leaked from the fridge and now lay dried and crusted—he couldn’t even bring himself to open it. Yohan flinched when he spotted a framed photo on the wall.
“These pictures look really messed up...”
The faces of the people in the photo had distorted into shapes closer to demons or ghosts than human beings. Hyunmook, busy inspecting the rooms, didn’t even glance over as he answered.
“Inorganic stuff’s affected by contamination too. Not as much as organic, but still.”
That finally reminded Yohan of how strange all the writing had looked while they were exploring the ruined city. The damage to the letters had been so bizarrely grotesque that he’d thought it was just in his head—but clearly it wasn’t. Feeling uneasy, Yohan carefully removed the photo and placed it face-down.
“Oh, a mirror.”
Having had bad experiences before, the first thing Yohan checked was the bathroom. He found a mirror, hazy and streaked with grime. He picked up a decaying towel nearby and scrubbed it until it squeaked. Then he tilted his head.
“My hair... is fluffy?”
Until now, he hadn’t had the chance to wash his hair even once, so it had always been greasy and clumped together when he touched it. But somehow, now it felt fluffy—like it had just been washed and blow-dried. Puzzled, Yohan kept running his fingers through it and looked down at his clothes.
“My clothes are clean too...”
Could it be that purification didn’t just heal contamination—it also got rid of dirt and grime? If that’s true... this is incredible! Overjoyed, especially after how gross he’d been feeling from not bathing, Yohan skipped out of the bathroom.
“Mr. Hyunmook! Look at my hair!”
Excited, he ran over to Hyunmook, who was flipping a bedsheet inside out to lay the clean side down. He leaned his head toward him. Hyunmook stared at the top of Yohan’s head for a moment, then gently patted it. Startled, Yohan quickly pulled back.
“N-no, that’s not what I meant...”
“It wasn’t?”
Ever since his Awakening, Yohan had seen Hyunmook wear faint, amused expressions more often, and maybe that’s why his heart kept fluttering strangely. Coughing awkwardly, he shared his new discovery.
“I think the purification cleaned my hair too. Doesn’t it look like I just washed it? It’s all fluffy and not greasy... Even my clothes are clean... I hadn’t been able to wash at all because we don’t have any water to spare! Do you know how disgusting I felt?!”
He was so excited, the words came out all jumbled. Hyunmook nodded along patiently and then gently pulled Yohan onto the bed. When he told him to take his shoes off, Yohan obediently took off his sneakers and climbed up, only to realize something.
Wait... am I being treated like a kid? freewebnovёl.ƈom
Once he lay down, Yohan finally realized just how sleepy and exhausted he really was. No wonder—he hadn’t gotten a proper night’s sleep in two days thanks to Madman Hyunmook. He’d cried and run, gotten chased by that flood creature, broken his arm, Awakened, used his powers...
“Let’s sleep for now.”
Hyunmook spoke softly and covered his eyes with his palm. That alone was enough. Yohan blinked a few times and then, like a lie, dropped into unconsciousness.
* * *
After falling into the Abyss, this was the first time Yohan had truly slept—deeply and sweetly, like honey. When he stretched with a groan, the puffy jacket he’d used as a blanket rustled. For once, he allowed himself to bask in the rare feeling of comfort and sluggishness before getting up.
After using the en-suite bathroom, he noticed how strangely quiet it was. Remembering how Hyunmook would often revert to madness after sleeping, Yohan cautiously opened the door and peeked out.
Hyunmook stood near the living room window, staring outside. The crimson-black sky was as ominously twisted as ever.
“Mr. Hyunmook...?”
Worried he’d gone mad again, Yohan called out carefully. Hyunmook turned around.
“Sleep well?”
The normal response made Yohan’s face light up. Hyunmook being in his right mind filled him with spontaneous joy.
“I slept like a rock! What about you, Mr. Hyunmook?”
As soon as he asked, something felt off. Come to think of it, he’d never once seen Hyunmook sleep. Frowning suspiciously, Yohan asked,
“You did sleep, right?”
“A little, maybe?”
Even if he was a high-tier Awakened, could he really function without sleep? While Yohan was still worrying, Hyunmook nodded toward the front door.
“If you’re well-rested, how about we go look for breakfast?”
Understanding instantly, Yohan swallowed hard and nodded resolutely. What Hyunmook meant was: let’s hunt a monster, purify it, and eat it. They didn’t want to waste their precious, already dwindling stash of preserved rations. Hastily throwing on his outerwear, Yohan trailed behind him.
“While we’re at it, we’ll scout the area a bit too.”
“Got it! I’ll follow you closely!”
Yohan responded cheerfully. Today, Hyunmook’s back looked especially dependable. He even thought, I could probably handle it if he goes mad again. His steps felt light.
The area around the pig farm had few buildings, unlike the ruined city. Most of it was overgrown roads, fields, and an ominous black forest. From deep within the trees, shapeless creatures occasionally poked their heads out to watch them before vanishing without a sound. Yohan stuck even closer behind Hyunmook.
“Wait.” ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Hyunmook raised a hand to stop and strode forward. He lifted one foot and stomped it down with a loud thud. Keeeaaagh! A horrific screech followed as something burst from the ground. A monster, resembling a giant naked mole, lunged at them with huge tusks—but Hyunmook floored it with a single punch. Yohan stood frozen.
Even now, Yohan’s heart pounded every time he saw a monster. Like a horror movie jump scare, they always burst out of hiding—terrible for his nerves. Hyunmook kicked the giant creature a few times and tilted his head.
“Is this a pig or a mole?”
“Let me try purifying it!”
Yohan, who’d always been carried around like luggage, was finally excited to be helpful. He crouched down and poked the monster carefully with a finger, then grimaced. A sticky fluid oozed out. He wiped it on his clothes, glared at the corpse, and extended his hand.
The last time he used his power had been such a desperate moment that he hadn’t understood anything about how it worked. This would be his first real attempt. Holding his breath, Yohan concentrated and summoned the energy inside him.
Something cool and clear, like spring water, gathered and trickled from his fingertips at his will. A glowing cluster of light rippled forward and touched the monster. Yohan’s eyes widened. Wherever the light spread, the pus and boils disappeared from the skin.
“Whoa... wow!”
So I really am an Awakened! His cheeks flushed with excitement, but the joy didn’t last. Like a glitched program, the energy faltered and then abruptly cut off. He tried again, sweating, but it didn’t work. After several failed attempts, he looked up at Hyunmook with a pout.
“...Have you ever eaten mole before?”
Because only the shoulder had been purified, they couldn’t tell if it was a mole that had grown massive from contamination or a mutant pig adapted to underground life. Smiling, Hyunmook patted Yohan on the shoulder.
“For a first try, you did great.”
“Really...?”
“And you’re probably not fully recovered yet. Plus, you used your power on me—of all people. You must’ve poured everything into it.”
With that, Hyunmook pulled out a knife and sliced off the purified meat. Dodging the gush of fresh blood, Yohan tilted his head. The way Hyunmook said that... it almost sounded like he was more contaminated than any monster.
Hyunmook dissected the meat with practiced ease, trimming off any tainted parts without hesitation. Even so, they managed to get nearly four geun of meat. When they returned to the house and grilled it, the smell alone made their mouths water. Cooked to a golden brown and bitten into—it was unmistakably pork. Already elated from Awakening, Yohan felt even more overwhelmed with joy.
“Sniff... it’s so delicious.”
“...You cry a lot normally, but you even cry when something tastes good?”
Yohan hadn’t expected to get choked up [N O V E L I G H T] while eating pork belly. He just giggled, sniffled once, then carefully set a piece of grilled meat on Hyunmook’s plate. And so, with salty tears and pork shoulder roast, they spent a happy day—deciding to venture a little farther the next day.
