Chun Jiwoo was surprised by the unexpected guest. This middle-aged man with an unruly beard had a special identity.
‘Capricorn Saint.’
Chun Jiwoo raised her guard.
‘Did they find out that I’m investigating the Devil’s Tower?’
Yes, Chun Jiwoo was currently investigating if Lee Gun was still alive or not. Hailey and Kevin were also investigating Lee Gun’s death, but Jiwoo was doing it for an entirely different reason.
- Lee Gun-nim might still be alive, dear.
- What? Gun might be alive?
Hugo was Lee Gun’s best friend. This was why Hugo possessed a lot of random holy items made by Lee Gun. The Archer Saint was using most of them for marketing(?) purposes.
- Look at this, kids! If I activate this, it’ll blow up a mountain! Lee Gun made all of this!
- Kyaa, kyaa! Lee Gun-nim is amazing! Amazing!
- Right? Gun is the best!
- Wow! You have a lot of Lee Gun-nim’s holy items.
Currently, the Zodiac Saints had taken all of Lee Gun’s holy items, so his items couldn’t be researched. They also didn’t approve of the research…
However, Chun Jiwoo had more access to Lee Gun’s holy items than anyone. She had always been a talented scientist, so she had a massive interest in Lee Gun’s holy items. The reason was obvious.
‘My god! The holy items from the Capricorn temple can’t hold a candle to Lee Gun-nim’s holy items!’
The holy items from the Capricorn temple were shoddy compared to Lee Gun’s holy items. They were inferior in all facets, including durability and power.
This was why awakened beings knew something was off.
‘What’s going on? Did the Capricorn temple really make holy items for Lee Gun-nim?’
Was this why awakened beings were trying to acquire Lee Gun’s items through the black market?
‘Lee Gun was that powerful with those items. What would happen if an awakened being used them? Wouldn’t they be that much stronger?’.
That was roughly the line of thinking in their minds. Of course, Chun Jiwoo knew the truth.
- Ha ha. Gun isn’t an awakened being who only derived his power from his weapons. The weapons were a tool that allowed him to kill monsters faster. Do you know how many monsters he killed with his bare hands?
In the end, it didn’t matter.
- Dear. I was researching Lee Gun-nim’s holy items, and I think I might be able to create special support items with them!
The survival rate for the disciples in the early days of temples was dismally low.
While they had the Capricorn temple’s weapons and the defensive abilities of the Taurus temple, the weapons weren’t durable and the skills were limited. So Chun Jiwoo started designing a variety of support items using Lee Gun’s holy items as the foundation.
She did it for humanity, and she wanted the safety of the disciples of the Sagittarius temple, which were small in number.
In doing this, Chun Jiwoo realized something.
‘Lee Gun-nim’s holy items are still alive.’
These were holy items with a sense of self. So their still working meant that they were still receiving Lee Gun’s magical energy.
Of course, they were operational, but merely breathing.
So she asked Hugo,
- Dear. You said Lee Gun-nim didn’t receive power from a Zodiac, right?
- That’s right. Gun was self-sufficient. He could refill his magical energy by eating and sleeping…
His words confirmed something for Chun Jiwoo.
‘Lee Gun-nim might still be alive.’
Hugo hadn’t noticed it, but those items were alive and breathing. It was as if they were waiting for their owner.
Therefore, Chun Jiwoo was creating a plan to search the Devil’s Tower.
“I heard you’re making something very interesting.”
‘Why did the Capricorn Saint, who was in charge of the manufacturing temple, have to show up?’
Chun Jiwoo furrowed her brows. It seemed Sergeyevich had realized that she had come up with a way to create support items.
“It’s illegal for anyone outside the Capricorn temple to create holy items. I’m sure you know this.”
“They aren’t holy items. They are merely support items.”
“Anything made without the approval of the Capricorn temple is illegal.”
Hearing his laughter, Chun Jiwoo looked at him in contempt. It was obvious what he wanted her to do. “Are you saying I should scrap my items?”
“I’m not that heartless. You can transfer the blueprints on how to make them to the Capricorn temple, or you can join the Capricorn temple. I don’t care what you choose, but I’m willing to compensate you enough for the move.”
“Hmmph.”
Chun Jiwoo was dumbfounded, but Sergeyevich was inwardly gnashing his teeth. Of course, he had also been surprised by her blindingly beautiful appearance.
‘Damn it! Why did a woman like her show up after Lee Gun?’
In truth, his subordinates had previously informed him that Chun Jiwoo was making support items by using Lee Gun’s items as a foundation.
At the time, he had merely snorted. What could a normal human do?
However, he was shocked when he saw part of the blueprint that his Constructs were able to steal.
‘T-This woman is better than me at designing items!’
He felt threatened.
‘Damn it! If these items are released into the world, it’ll undercut the power of the Capricorn temple in one fell swoop…!’
It would lead to the rise of the Sagittarius temple! The lay of the land around the world would completely change.
‘Above all else, I heard this woman is investigating the Devil’s Tower.’
She had probably realized something when she researched Lee Gun’s holy items. Lee Gun’s items were superior to Sergeyevich’s items.
Due to all this, Sergeyevich had become distrustful of her despite knowing that Lee Gun was dead.
‘She’s Hugo’s wife. I bet she heard all kinds of stories from him.’
Anyway, she was a troublesome opponent. This was why Sergeyevich acted nonchalantly as he looked at Chun Jiwoo. “It isn’t a bad deal, right? I bet you can’t spend money to your heart’s content since you live with a poor husband.”
When Sergeyevich made a gesture with his hand, his subordinate brought out presents. They were designer bags.
Chun Jiwoo let out a cold laugh. “I have no intent on speaking to those who killed Lee Gun-nim.”
“I-I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“My husband was tormented for a long time by the fact that he had to come out of the tower in the middle of the raid. Despite the city being attacked, he believes the problem started because he left behind someone who was sick.”
“He’s not wrong. What about it?”
“What if this was found in the city?” Chun Jiwoo took out a corroded piece of metal.
Sergeyevich froze. “…!?!”
When they were raiding the Devil’s Tower, he had placed this pheromone holy item in the city to attract the monsters to the city!
‘I got rid of it without a trace, so why is that here…!!’
Chun Jiwoo let out a bright smile. “Of course, I found it using Lee Gun-nim’s holy item.”
“…!!”
That damn Lee Gun! Sergeyevich ground his teeth; Lee Gun was getting in his way even from his grave.
Still, the Capricorn Saint wasn’t one to retreat from such accusations. “I have no idea what that is…”
“Please do not deny it. It won’t make a difference since I found DNA on this. I already handed the info over to the media and the police.”
“?!!”
“While it isn’t proof that you killed Lee-Gun-nim, it’s proof that you attacked a city.”
A violent expression appeared on Sergeyevich’s face as he looked at Chun Jiwoo. The frightening energy of his Zodiac also emanated from him. “You’re going too far. Do you want to become a cold star like Lee Gun?”
Chun Jiwoo let out a bright smile. “Nuclear fusion powers the star. It doesn’t cool.”
This woman was really going to be like this???
“Anyway, this was a fun conversation.” Chun Jiwoo unlocked her phone. It contained the recording of their recent conversation.
“Are you sure you have the time to dawdle around here? Don’t you have to chase after the material I sent to the media? Wouldn’t that be the prudent thing to do?”
“…!”
“I hope you get my drift.” Chun Jiwoo dumped the designer bags into the trash can and handed the trash can over to Sergeyevich. “Do you mind emptying the trash on your way out?”
Sergeyevich grated his teeth.
* * *
“Sis! Sis! Look at this!” Chun Sungjae ran toward his older sister with a bright smile. “It’s Lee Gun-nim’s chewy candy! Chewy caady!”
It had been a week since Sungjae had received a sweet, so he was all smiles.
“I got it because I did something good! Lee Gun-nim’s chewy candy!! Aren't chu jealous!”
Currently, Chun Sungjae was five years old, and Chun Yooha was nine. The siblings were foes who kept stealing Lee Gun’s items from each other.
Therefore, Sungjae was happy as he shook the enormous chewy candy, which was bigger than his head, in front of his sister. “I’m going to eat it all by myself! Noona is jealous, right? You are jealous!”
However, his older sister reacted differently from usual. She looked at her younger brother as if he was pathetic. “Hmmph. An adult doesn’t eat something like that. It’s beneath me.”
“?!”
When her younger brother’s eyes widened in surprise, Yooha proudly raised something. It was milk with Lee Gun’s chocolate-flavored powder. “An adult drinks this.”
It was a popular item made in collaboration with the thirteen heroes. Moreover, the stick with Lee Gun’s face printed on it was quite rare.
Since not many of these items were being produced, adults had purchased all of them when they saw the Lee Gun stick.
Seeing the chocolate powder mixed inside the sippy cup, Sungjae cried as he charged forward. “I want to drink that too! Jaewon hyung! Give it to me! Lee Gun-nim!”
“No, Young Master! You’ll get cavities!!”
“Wehhhhh!”
Lee Jaewon patted Sungjae’s back. “I’ll give you something better on your birthday. Just wait a bit.”
Chun Sungjae became dejected. “I don’t need it. I want to see Mom for my birthday”
Lee Jaewon was compassionate as he looked at Chun Sungjae. For the past one to two years, Chun Jiwoo was very busy searching for Lee Gun and developing the support items.
‘Hugo-nim is busy doing mercenary work and cutting down rumors about Lee Gun-nim.’
This was why Lee Jaewon was the one who had been taking care of a young Sungjae for the most part.
However, at times, even he had to make himself scarce, and when Yooha went to school, Sungjae would have to stay alone by himself.
Yet Sungjae never threw a tantrum since he knew his parents were busy.
“I want to go see mom.”
It might have been the reason they had worked to make that wish come true.
Shwahhhh.
It was Chun Sungjae’s birthday, and it was raining. They were on the road near the airport.
“Mom, Mom! Look at this! Jaewon hyung gave it to me! It’s Lee Gun-nim’s chocolate milk mix!”
It would be for only two days, but Chun Sungjae was overjoyed about being able to meet his mother, who had returned from the US.
Lee Jaewon was driving the two of them. He was also happy as it had been a while since he had seen Sungjae laugh like this.
“Are you sure you will leave in two days? Since you’re here, it would be great if you stayed long enough to meet Zodiac Saint-nim….”
“It’ll be fine. I’m here for a short visit. It wouldn’t be right to call for someone busy.”
“I guess you’re right. Zodiac Saint-nim is conducting an important mission in Australia—”
Suddenly, an expression appeared on Lee Jaewon’s face. He looked at Chun Jiwoo. “Did you perhaps meet another Zodiac Saint before coming here?”
Chun Jiwoo was surprised. “What? Ah. It was the Capricorn Saint. I met him a couple of days before I got on the plane…”
“The Capricorn Saint?” Lee Jaewon immediately became guarded. He wasn’t sure, but the Capricorn Saint had placed some kind of skill on Chun Jiwoo.
She seemed to have read his expression. “It’s fine. I have this talisman on me.”
The item around Chun Jiwoo’s neck was Lee Gun’s holy item.
“Zodiac Saint-nim gave it to you, right? However, only Lee Gun-nim can use it.”
“I believe it’ll work out somehow if I have faith in him.”
“Faith? Haha.”
Anyway, they briefly stopped by a fast-food restaurant when Sungjae said he was hungry.
“Hey, what the hell? Did this person really die because of us?”
“N-No way!”
Chun Jiwoo and Chun Sungjae witnessed the sons of the Libra Saint at the corner of the parking lot.
“Damn it! Hurry up and get rid of that woman and the kid! Use the item that Mother said she used to get rid of Lee Gun!”
They summoned a toad. It was the toad that would be called the Blood Fog in the future.
At the same time, Chun Jiwoo realized who had been responsible for Lee Gun’s death. The problem was what came next.
“Mom!”
The toad targeted Chun Jiwoo.
[Kee-ehhhhhhk!]
The reason was the item that the Capricorn Saint had planted on Chun Jiwoo. It was an item that looked like a small bug.
It was the same pheromone holy item that had made Hugo come out of the tower, a holy item that attracted monsters.
Sergeyevich had planted it to kill Chun Jiwoo. He wanted to steal her research material for himself.
Kwahng!!!
In the end, the outdoor parking lot turned into a scene of carnage.
Lee Jaewon rushed toward them.
“Madam!!”
The general of the Sagittarius temple ground his teeth when he saw the monster chase after only Chun Jiwoo.
Quick on the uptake, Chun Jiwoo tried to move away from them. “Mr. Jaewon! Take Sungjae!”
“Mom!”
After taking Sungjae, Lee Jaewon placed the Sagittarius temple’s protection necklace over Sungjae’s neck, then sat Sungjae inside the car. “Young Master, it doesn’t matter what happens. You must not exit this place.”
“…!”
“It’ll be fine. Your father will soon be here to rescue us. Please believe in your father.”
“…!!”
Afterward, Lee Jaewon was eaten by the monster as he tried to protect Chun Jiwoo.
Sungjae witnessed it. As he was panicked at the time, he wasn’t able to recall this later.
Flash!
As the monster ate Chun Jiwoo and Lee Jaewon, Lee Gun’s necklace-type holy item around Chun Jiwoo’s neck started to shine. It was as if the item was protecting the souls of the two.
This was why the two of them would be able to reunite with the others ten years later.
