am-books Chapter 33
Chapter 33
1.
Sudden fame often brings more discomfort than joy.
Crowds flocking wherever you go, or people saying things you don’t want to hear—these were exactly what Woo Ji-woo was facing now.@@@@
“Wow! A real-life Inmyeon Jiju!”
“A male Inmyeon Jiju!”
“Spider-Man, do you also like Inmyeon Jiju?”
His codename was "Spider-Man."
Internationally, he was called the real-life Spider-Man.
He was even ranked second on a famous overseas TV show as an Awakener whose name alone sounded powerful, akin to a Spider-Man ripped straight out of a comic book.
But in South Korea, he was simply called the male Inmyeon Jiju.
“Sigh. Makes me want to quit the vigilante squad.”
“Come on, people only call you that because they like you.”
“Yeah, I thought so too... until I looked up what Inmyeon Jiju actually was.”
“Is it really that ugly?”
“It’s hideous. Feels like I’m cursed just looking at it.”
“Well, I’m still jealous. You’re jackpot-level famous now. Isn’t that a good thing?”
Awakeners affiliated with the Awakener Association were different from those belonging to guilds.
Unlike guild-affiliated Awakeners, they had no office staff to handle their contribution points.
Instead, they were freelancers who had to regularly form small groups and carry out patrols to earn contribution points—colloquially called the "vigilante squad."
“If you land even one ad campaign, your social contribution points will skyrocket. With your fame, a CF deal isn’t far off.”
“Sure, that’d be nice... but Inmyeon Jiju? No thanks.”
“Why? How bad can it be?”
Unable to contain his curiosity, one of Woo Ji-woo’s fellow Awakeners pulled out a screen phone and searched it.
“All wrinkled and ugly, huh?”
“You psycho.”
“What?”
“Are you a pedophile? What part of this looks wrinkled to you?”
“What the...? They made it look pretty!”
The grotesque original image of Inmyeon Jiju—so ugly it could make anyone feel like they’d stumbled upon a cursed internet meme—had been inexplicably transformed into a cutesy, delicate-looking anime girl.
Such is the power of the internet and collective "creativity" to distort truth effortlessly.
“Ugh, disgusting pedo.”
“No, seriously! It’s all a misunderstanding! The original is completely different!”
Only after Woo Ji-woo personally searched for the repulsive original image and shoved it in his colleague’s face did he manage to clear up the misunderstanding.
“Ah, we’ve got a call. Looks like something’s happening in the park.”
“Go alone. I’ve already clocked out.”
“You heartless jerk.”
His colleague removed his badge and headed to a public restroom, shedding his costume for civilian clothes to head home.
This was how vigilante Awakeners avoided getting dragged into overtime by overzealous citizens.
“Oh, is that a celebrity?”
On a park bench, two women were surrounded by a massive crowd of hundreds.
It was a precarious situation—one misstep in the chaos, and someone could easily be trampled.
“This is the Awakener Association. All civilians must step back at least 5 meters from the bench immediately, or you will be fined up to 3 million won.”
“Oh, come on, this is ridiculous!”
“You, in the orange T-shirt with wavy hair who just swore. I’m running a background check. Miss Yeo Seung-ah? I’ve issued you a fine; check your screen phone for details.”
“Wha—? Wait! People say things they don’t mean when they’re upset! Why are you being so strict?”
“If you swear suddenly, fines can come suddenly too. You want to add obstruction of public duty to your charges? Keep it up.”
By selecting one individual as an example and issuing a fine in real time, manners—long absent from the unruly crowd—quickly returned.
Despite their grumbles, people unwilling to face fines reluctantly dispersed, allowing Woo Ji-woo to approach the two women stranded on the bench.
“This is the Awakener Association. You must have been startled. Let me escort you to a safer place. Please follow me.”
In a world where police authority had crumbled, it wasn’t common, but not unheard of, for Awakeners to step in for public order. Woo Ji-woo considered himself lucky.
‘Wow, they’re stunning.’
He now understood why such a crowd had gathered.
Both women were breathtakingly beautiful, even without a trace of makeup. One of them, wearing a bamboo hat, had her lower face partially obscured, yet still exuded an extraordinary aura of beauty.
“Thank you, mister. I didn’t expect my sister’s sudden popularity to attract such a crowd.”
“I’m not a mister! I’m only twenty-five, a young and vibrant...”
Woo Ji-woo was mid-protest when—
“It’s Spider-Man!”
“A real-life male Inmyeon Jiju?”
“Oh, it’s him.”
“Who the hell is ruining things? Oh, it’s that guy?”
“Tsk.”
“A mere C-rank showing off like this?”
“Ugh, so embarrassing.”
“Why doesn’t he stay in a gate and leave us alone?”
“Both male and female versions of Inmyeon Jiju are revolting.”
“Look at him kicking us out just to enjoy himself. So gross.”
“Disgusting. I’m reporting him to the Association Hotline.”
What the hell?
A group that had separated from the dispersed crowd began following him, loudly insulting him within earshot.
In today’s society, where most people were burdened with debt and resentment, envy toward successful Awakeners wasn’t uncommon. This wasn’t the first time he’d been subjected to such insults.
“You’re into stuff like that, huh? Should I get you a doll or something next time?”
[There’s no need for that.]
At the end of her gaming session, Hae Eung-eung had felt as though the world was ending. But recently, spending time with Ju Ah-young had given her a sense of peace.
One bond wasn’t everything.
Though she mourned the connections she had lost, she still had others just as meaningful.
‘And I wasn’t the only one who liked Inmyeon Jiju.’
Spider-Man Woo Ji-woo had passionately listed all the reasons why he loved Inmyeon Jiju.
His fervor, though baffling to her, made her ponder if, in another worldline, another player’s game, Inmyeon Jiju might find happiness.
‘Could they get married there?’
If someone like Spider-Man—someone who genuinely loved Inmyeon Jiju despite her hideous exterior—existed, maybe he could show her the joys of being loved as a woman.
“I’ll head out now. Get home safe, sis.”
[Don’t worry about me.]
Hae Eung-eung watched Ju Ah-young board the train and only turned to leave after confirming her departure.
Once alone, a cold and sticky wave of emotions crept up, the familiar darkness and solitude threatening to engulf her.
But not today.
The possibility of Inmyeon Jiju finding happiness, brought about by her encounter with Woo Ji-woo, gave her solace.
And then, from a nearby alley, a group of men exuding killing intent revealed themselves.
“Well, if it isn’t Hae Eung-eung.”
Feigning a chance meeting, it was Steven, an instructor at the Awakener Academy.
Although she had only been a guest lecturer once, Hae Eung-eung had heard from Ju Ah-young that Steven’s position was precarious.
“It must be fate meeting like this. How about a little chat?”
He gestured toward an alley far from the bustling street, where rookies too inexperienced to hide their malice lurked.
A clumsy setup that barely warranted a smirk.
Yet Hae Eung-eung followed Steven without a word.
‘People like this are like mosquitoes. If you don’t deal with them directly, they’ll just keep buzzing around.’
It was just another mundane day reminiscent of her time in the martial arts world.
Only today, the scent of blood seemed destined to be a bit stronger.
3.
Though his shift had ended long ago, Woo Ji-woo hadn’t realized how much time had passed while hanging out with two extraordinary beauties.
Now, in the pitch-dark dusk before dawn, he suddenly recalled something.
[The streets have been chaotic lately. Whenever I meet her, I make sure to escort Ah-young to the station.]
A kind Awakener sister who always saw her younger sibling off.
Which meant this wasn’t the route to Hae Eung-eung’s house, but Ju Ah-young’s.
No matter how strong someone is, walking home alone is a different feeling than being escorted.
‘She might not like me being too forward, and she didn’t seem like the most sociable type... but with someone that quirky, who knows?’
Fueled by his decision to give it a shot, Woo Ji-woo eagerly pursued Hae Eung-eung to offer his protection.
Then, he spotted her ahead, accompanied by a tall, blond Western man with blue eyes and a muscular build.
At that moment, two thoughts popped into Woo Ji-woo’s head:
Cultural heritage theft.
National treasure smuggling.
‘No way, you bastard! I liked her first!’
Determined, Woo Ji-woo darted into the alley they’d entered.