It appeared to me that this was not the primary effort to search out John. I’m certain he’s been attempting to comply with John’s path all alongside, and I’ve been fortunate that the apostle’s intelligence hasn’t given away my whereabouts to date.

“Have you ever heard anything about him?”

“They stated he was killed in a bus accident.”

My hand tightened on the telephone.

I’d heard that there had been two our bodies in previous bus crashes that have been by no means recognized due to the fireplace. Coincidentally, I had disappeared at daybreak, there was just one bus going into city, and the primary one had crashed, so perhaps the unidentified physique was me.

I stare on the chessboard, unable to make eye contact, and check out to think about a response.

“I’m sorry to say this, however are you certain… Is he lifeless?”

Simeon answered with out hesitation.

”He’s not lifeless.”

“How have you learnt that?”

I swallowed exhausting and regarded up, defeat in my eyes.

“As a result of I didn’t see the physique with my very own eyes.”

Simeon was smiling with satisfaction.

From that second on, I didn’t know the way I used to be shifting my chess items. Even when it was a strangling grip, I used to be too distracted to note. I moved, moved, moved, moved, like I used to be being chased by one thing. By the point I realised, all my choices have been blocked.

“Checkmate.”

A stern voice introduced the tip of the sport.

Earlier than I knew it, his two bishops surrounded my king like a siege. Although my thoughts was elsewhere, this was the primary time I had ever misplaced a sport so rapidly. However much more surprising than the swiftness of his defeat have been his final phrases.

I hadn’t realised that he believed I wasn’t lifeless as a result of he hadn’t seen the physique. You possibly can by no means be at peace even in case you depart behind the shell of your previous. In case you let your guard down, he’ll catch you off guard. Similar to that chess sport.

“…You’re good. Along with your abilities, you would have overwhelmed anybody.”

“Thanks. As you stated, there’s no opponent I haven’t overwhelmed but.”

Simeon muttered, scanning the chessboard as if in evaluate.

“However I can’t appear to beat Shin Hajae-ssi, irrespective of what number of occasions I attempt.”

“You simply gained.”

“Not that.”

His darkish eyes pointed to my left breast.

”It’s about this facet.”

This fashion? …You imply the center? Come to think about it, Simeon stated one thing related after I first awoke.

‘I’ve tried it fairly a number of occasions whilst you have been sleeping, and I couldn’t beat it.’

He couldn’t beat me. So I knew I wasn’t going to die. Profitable and dropping, life and dying. Two seemingly distant and shut phrases intertwined by some connection. They will solely imply one factor.

“Does this have something to do along with your powers?”

I requested, pondering I used to be being perceptive, however Simeon simply stared at me with an odd expression that was neither constructive nor unfavourable.

What is that this silence? Did I ask one thing I shouldn’t have? Glancing at him, Simeon stated with a chilly smile.

“Don’t you recognize what I’m able to?”

”That…….”

“You stated you looked for me, so that ought to have come up instantly.”

“I imply….”

“A minimum of it’s extra extensively identified than the data that I’ve two dots in a row on my index finger.”

Ouch, the be aware I wrote in my pocket book… I see you’ve learn it, and I’ve nothing to say, other than embarrassment. I’d been evaluating Simeon’s habits and look to Heo-sang and hadn’t paid consideration to primary info like what he was able to.

Embarrassed, he coughed and stated,

“If you wish to hold it a secret, you don’t have to inform me.”

“It’s probably not a secret, however for some purpose I really feel like I shouldn’t simply let you know.”

“What the….”

In fact, I’m holding my curse a secret too, however it’s a life-or-death secret. Simeon, then again, doesn’t hassle to inform me that the flexibility is extensively identified sufficient to return up in a search.

My face contorts on the incomprehensible behaviour. I stare at him, however he nonchalantly ignores my gaze and stands up.

“You already know, Shin Haje-ssi. They are saying all relationships begin with curiosity.”

Inserting his proper hand on the desk, Simeon leaned over and prolonged his left hand towards me, the straight fingertips nonetheless bearing the scars of a thorn prick. Together with his index finger, he flicked the pure white king in entrance of me.

“So hold questioning.”

His voice was creepily low.

“Like I do with you.”

The subsequent day, I had a customer from the morning. I believed the knock on the door can be a easy sign to go away the meal as common. However the bodyguard on the door was empty-handed. He checked out me, who had simply woken up and was wanting shabby, and stated nonchalantly.

“Please comply with me.”

“What? The place….”

“You’ll know if you get there.”

I gave a cursory wash of my face and adopted him.

As I walked down the prison-like hall, I used to be frightened about my conceitedness. I don’t suppose he’s going to play chess once more, and has he determined to query me? Within the worst case, I could even be tortured. Nervousness immediately crammed my physique with chilly sweat.

(TL/N: 감옥 같은 복도를 걷는 내내 오만 걱정이 다 들었다, if somebody know what it means, you possibly can remark under. Please assist me )

In the meantime, we reached the room on the finish of the hall. The bodyguard opened the door shortly after a brief knock.

“Mr. Simeon. I’m right here.”

I comply with him in, and a heavy stress settles over me.

The darkish room is lit solely by a single blue lamp. In its dreary glow, a person kneels in opposition to the wall. His palms are tied behind his again and his imaginative and prescient is totally blocked by a black blindfold. His face is half-hidden, however the concern in his pursed lips is palpable.

It have to be him. He glanced away, and a black eye flashed within the darkness. Positive sufficient, Simeon was sitting in a chair together with his two guards. He smiled at me, a quiet smile that was so chilling it was exhausting to suppress.

“This fashion.”

The bodyguard led me over to the kneeling man, his shoulders hunched in concern on the sound of footsteps. The bodyguard then eliminated the attention patch, revealing a youthful face. As quickly as he noticed me, the gaunt, haggard man spoke up.

“That’s proper, child!”

“…sure?”

”He made me do it.”

His bloodshot eyes fluttered open, and Simeon’s phrases flashed by way of his thoughts.

‘We’ve lastly caught the person who’s been bothering our folks. He’s unconscious now, however when he wakes up, he’ll blow the whistle on every little thing.’

So that is the man, and that’s why he’s being held within the chamber, however why is he immediately lashing out at me, attempting to border me for one thing I’ve by no means seen earlier than?

I glared at him to close up, however he didn’t hear and accused me of being the instigator.

“I, I used to be simply doing what I used to be instructed.”

I couldn’t take this bullshit anymore, so I stepped ahead.

“Excuse me, what are you speaking about?”

After I tried to method him, the bodyguard instantly reached out his arm to restrain me. Simeon, who had been watching from the again, spoke up.

“Is it true?”

“It might probably’t be! It’s my first time assembly him at present.”

Simeon whirled round to disclose a peaceful face. He had a skinny smile on his face, however I couldn’t inform what he was pondering. The way in which he’d referred to as me right here within the first place, I’m guessing he needed to see if the person was proper…. If he believes him and never me, it’s a misplaced trigger.

“No approach… You don’t consider a phrase he says, do you?”

There was a heavy silence. One other bodyguard tried to dam my path, however Simeon raised his hand to cease them again, permitting me to look down at him for the primary time. Nevertheless, it was nonetheless Simeon who had the higher hand within the relationship.

He regarded up at me wordlessly for a second, then smiled languidly.

“I consider you.”

“Sure?”

“I consider what Shin Hahae-ssi says.”

Simeon muttered and closed his eyes. Then he started to flick his hand at nothing. It was like that point below the Mapo Bridge, when he was coping with Salamander. Someway, I had a premonition that I shouldn’t intervene, so I stepped again and watched him in silence.

I believed he was enjoying chess once more, however the motion of his fingers was distinctly totally different. He turned his wrist, inspecting one thing, and shortly held it between his thumb and center finger, shifting solely his index finger.

That’s a dice. His fingers have been like notes enjoying on a sheet of music. Then his hand got here to a screeching halt. The dice was already accomplished. The bodyguard went straight to the person. The person shuddered as tough palms put the attention patch again on.

“Now, wait. What are you attempting to do!”

The bodyguard was unperturbed by the close to scream. He compelled the fear-stricken man to his ft and introduced him in entrance of Simeon. Sensing one thing ominous, the person turned pale and pursed his lips eagerly.

”I didn’t. He threatened me? He requested me to go behind your again…!”

The determined voice crammed the blue room, however Simeon remained calm, his eyes nonetheless closed. In reality, the extra the person trembled in concern, the extra the smile on his face deepened.

“I’ll solely say it as soon as.”

His voice was a low whisper, like a serpent tempting the person to eat of the tree of information of fine and evil.

“If I transfer this finger, you die.”

“Wh, what?”

“So inform me the reality, inform me every little thing you recognize, and I promise to not kill you.”

Confronted with the horror of dying, the person turned to stone. Simeon, then again, was leisurely stroking the intangible dice. His contact was tinged with wistfulness, and he was immediately reminded of a childhood Heo-sang.