Chapter 55: Encounter 4
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The beginning of the 3-day trip went smoothly. Jinsu was a veteran driver in his 50s, and he drove well. He drove them to Mt. Sul-Ak, where everyone had an early lunch and started climbing the mountain.
They followed the Daechung route, and Junhyuk worried about whether they could make it to the top on time. It took eight hours to complete the Daechung route for ordinary people, and hiking was usually tough on the body. He was worried about whether the people with metal models could make it there.
The filming crew joined them, and Junhyuk watched the people with metal legs hiking calmly. However, the people with metal arms were different.
The metal model was made out of a special alloy, but it still used iron, which made it very heavy, and the group members hadn't trained hard after their accidents. Mainly, Sukho, who was a painter and spent most of the time in his studio, and Joseph, who was a gamer, had low physical fitness levels. After they got their metal models, they began exercising and did not have problems in everyday life, but they had to be tired from the hike since it had to do with physical fitness.
Junhyuk decided to take their backpacks. He was about to take Sukho's and Joseph's backpacks when Manwoo, who used to be a soccer player, offered to take one of them.
They made it to the peak of the Daechung route, pushing and pulling to help each other. At the top of the peak, Junhyuk breathed in deeply.
He felt like he could touch the sky, and the wide mountain range also made him feel fulfilled. He could tell why people liked hike.
Junhyuk gave a chocolate bar to the camera operator and said:
"You are really fit. That camera must be heavy, and you hiked all the way here."
"You are something else, Mr. Junhyuk Lee. You had two backpacks on your back, and your respiratory rate didn't even increase!"
The camera operator was tired and gasping. Junhyuk's constitution was above the human limit, and every morning, he climbed the neighborhood mountain multiple times at full speed.
It made sense that he was in shape.
"Ha-ha. I exercise regularly."
Junhyuk checked on Sukho and Joseph and looked at Manwoo.
"You are in good shape."
Manwoo tapped his legs.
"I have better legs than when I was in my prime. This should be easy."
Junhyuk smiled and picked up the backpacks.
"Shall we go down? Dinner is at the lodge."
"OK."
Everyone got up with renewed energy, but Sukho and Joseph moaned and groaned, and Junhyuk tapped them on their backs.
"Tonight, we will bathe at a five-colored hot spring."
Sukho and Joseph got up, and soon, the group moved down the mountain. Junhyuk took a picture of himself at the top and went down.
After the hike, everyone was very tired.
They got BBQ meat for dinner, thick pork necks and bellies, and they also ordered beer. After that hike, everyone had their fill.
After dinner, they went to the hot spring that was filled by five different types of water. They were not yet known to the world, so they bathed away from other people at another, smaller space.
It was for the shoot, but the hot spring was in an open-air space. They took off their clothes and got in the water.
The metal models were completely waterproof, and everyone enjoyed the hot spring.
Manwoo was shocked by Junhyuk's body.
"You got a nice build!"
Junhyuk agreed without hesitation. At that point, he did have a nice build, but Manwoo's body was something else as well. After he gave up soccer, he had to have exercised regularly.
"Manwoo, you have a nice build!"
"I am a soccer player. All I know is how to work on my body."
Sukho was listening to them talk and asked Junhyuk about the pendant on his necklace.
"Aren't those a ruby, a sapphire and a topaz?"
Junhyuk couldn't let the others touch his pendant, so he picked it up and said.
"It's a family heirloom. I inherited it, so I am not sure."
Sukho was really astounded.
"How can you draw inside the gems?"
They were runestones, so the runes were written inside each stone. No one could read the runes, but it still took a special technique to write inside the gems.
"Well, I only wear it."
He talked his way out of it, and people were no longer interested. Junhyuk watched them enjoying their baths. Everyone there had been involved in an accident related to abnormal narcolepsy patients, and they hadn't given up on their lives.
After Chulsu lost his arm, he started visiting famous chefs to taste their dishes, and Joseph played games with one hand.
Sukho visited many exhibitions to keep up his sensibility as a painter. All of them did not remain in despair but were eager to live their lives.
The bath in the hot springs was over, and so was the filming session, and the first night came to an end.
The advertisement was about capturing the metal model's effectiveness. So, the next day, they went to the beach, and to show it live, they went into the water even though it was a chilly day.
Junhyuk did not want to go into the water, but then he experience the strength of the metal arm. Chulsu and Sukho did not look strong, but by using their metal arms, they tossed Junhyuk in the water.
The metal arm had 1.5 times the strength of an ordinary arm. Junhyuk could've thrown them in water instead, but he didn't want to showcase his own strength.
He walked out of the water, changed clothes and took another selfie with his phone.
They visited a local herb park next and, in the evening, they all played three-on-three kickball. Junhyuk and Manwoo were on different teams.
Manwoo, as a soccer player, was really something else with his feet. He attacked, and Junhyuk defended, but there soon was a hole in Junhyuk's defense. Sukho and Chulsu did not play well since they had no interests in athletics.
They played for a long time, and Junhyuk's team lost. Manwoo offered to shake his hand.
"You have a nice build and good athletic skills. You are really something else. Did you play before?"
Junhyuk had never had time for kickball, so he smiled.
"No, but I jog every morning."
"Ha-ha-ha. Do you want to play real soccer with me sometime?"
He had only watched soccer, and now Manwoo could play again.
"If I get a chance."
They ate their dinner, made a campfire and played a few more games. He went to his room, and that's when he got a message. It was from Eunseo, who had arrived there that evening, and he went to her room.
She was sitting alone in a huge room.
"Have a seat."
"OK."
A woman was alone in her room, so he was extra careful. Junhyuk took a seat, and Eunseo smiled.
"I've seen part of the film, and it looks good."
"That's nice."
"So, we will make more than just a commercial and make a special program instead."
Junhyuk was surprised, and Eunseo continued calmly:
"If they edit all of the footage, they will have about three hours worth of film."
It made sense. They had filmed for two straight days.
"But it's for a corporate ad. How do you make it into a special program?"
"It will be more effective that way. We have already contacted some public TV stations. They will make a sample tape, and we will let them know, but it will happen."
Eunseo was very positive there would be a special program on TV.
"I understand."
Junhyuk was surprised, and Eunseo consoled him.
"It won't be a simple ad, and you will get paid for your participation in the special program."
He would earn more money, so he smiled.
"I didn't do anything."
"You really fit into the ad's concept, and you are helping us."
Junhyuk realized Eunseo was looking after him. If not, they would not have given him that kind of opportunity.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For looking after me."
Eunseo fixed her glasses and spoke calmly:
"You are mistaken. It's my job to develop the careers of the people under my supervision."
Junhyuk scratched his head.
"Then, what happens tomorrow?"
"After breakfast, I will go back to Seoul."
"But tomorrow is Friday."
"I will pay your salary and the extra for your work, so don't worry."
W.A.N.C.S. had turned Fridays into holidays. The heads of states had agreed, so Fridays were holidays in Korea, and on the other side of the Earth, Thursdays were holidays.
Some countries had Thursdays and Fridays as holidays, and Junhyuk was jealous of the people in those countries.
Eunseo wanted Junhyuk to work the next day and paid him for it, but it was still Friday! Eunseo looked at him.
"As you already know, Mr. Jinsu Kim is over fifty, so he won't experience abnormal narcolepsy. There could be accidents involving other drivers. We already know the event takes place between 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. We will drive outside of that time interval."
She took a while explaining everything. No one knew why abnormal narcolepsy happened, but now people could avoid it. They would avoid accidents on the road and work on Friday.
Eunseo looked at Junhyuk and smiled.
"Till the last shoot, do you best. You may leave."
"Then, sweet dreams."
Junhyuk bowed to her and left. Eunseo checked the footage on her tablet. She was especially interested in the bathing scene.
---
The three days of filming were over, and the camping RV arrived at ST Capsule's building around 3:00 p.m. Junhyuk said goodbye to everyone and headed home.
He was holding some stuff because of the demand to get presents. He had gotten mushrooms and honey.
He was curious about how Sarang would react to her presents. If she refused them, then he would take the mushrooms and honey to his parents. He had something else for her.
Junhyuk got home and was opening the door when he got a message.
[Big brother, where are you?]
Junhyuk replied curtly:
[Home.]
[You came back?]
[Yes.]
The messages came in real time.
[I will head there after I'm done here.]
Junhyuk laughed and replied:
[I am tired and will be sleeping. Ring the bell.]
[OK.]
Junhyuk took a shower and turned on the TV. The mummies incident was getting bigger.
"Huh?! Twelve victims already?"
The victims were criminals, but the number was too high. It had all happened in a week, and there were twelve mummies. The culprit was a real serial killer.
They had found the culprit's DNA at a crime scene, but what good was that? They were not close to catching the killer. They had to have a suspect to compare the DNA with, but they didn't have any suspects yet.
"He is a troublesome guy."
Junhyuk had no intention to go out, search for and catch the guy himself. He couldn't even take care of himself, but if he encountered the killer, he would catch him.
"Is he really a vampire?"
Junhyuk told her he would be sleeping, but he was only talking to himself. He summoned his longswords and practiced. He had practiced with his wrists, but now he had time to practice with real swords.
Artlan recognized Junhyuk's swordsmanship as a power, so he had to continue practicing and, maybe, he would activate another power.
To survive, he had to become stronger.
He didn't notice the time pass and kept swinging his swords when, suddenly, his cell phone rang. There was no one at the door, but Sarang was calling him.
"Where are you?"
"Big brother!"
She sounded serious, and Junhyuk's eyes narrowed.
"What's going on?"
"Somebody is following me."
Junhyuk sent his swords back and put on his jacket and his shoes.
"Where are you?"
"I got off the subway, and someone has been following me since the station."
"Take the big road. Very few people could keep up with you when you run. Don't worry and run. I'm going. Don't hang up."
"OK," She said, and he heard her running.
Junhyuk went out and ran like mad. Sarang couldn't be in real danger. If necessary, she would use her energy bolt, but they might arrest her for killing the person, and she couldn't reveal how she had gotten her energy bolt.
Junhyuk ran like a madman and saw Sarang. He also saw someone following her. The person had his hands in his pocket and was also running, and Junhyuk felt something was wrong.
Junhyuk ran fast, went up to her and ran past her. Sarang stopped running and stood behind him, gathering her breath.
It was Friday, and there was no one outside. It was a big road, and there was no one walking.
Junhyuk saw the man who was following her. He looked ordinary, but then he saw the man's eyes.
They were frenzied and full of madness.
That man must be insane.