Choi Yoon did not make the mistake of looking back at his son-in-law. He clearly felt the stares of not only the surrounding police but also the village neighbors piercing him.

“If you look here.”

Choi Yoon opened the monster notebook and lightly pointed to one side. Insert.

“The reporting deadline….. has passed by over three months. So I’m here to report before it’s too late and pay the fine. I’m accompanying to stamp it. Is that answer enough?”

“By what authority?”

The question came not from the police officer Choi Yoon was facing directly, but from the superior standing next to him. He asked sharply.

“There’s a separate guarantor, and it’s not even certain if they’ll come now.”

“I also have the authority. I’m conducting filming in Soseulli. Of course that includes Han Seo Jung. I’ve deposited the filming fees and legally employed Han Seo Jung.”

In fact, this exception rule was not created for such purposes. It’s to transport and thoroughly search suspected dangerous monsters without being bound by any conflicting situations.

“It means I’m qualified to vouch for Han Seo Jung’s recent situation.”

“We’ll only deal with the officially registered guarantor. That’s the law.”

This antagonist actor who always takes on the thankless roles has bold features, and the uniform suits him very well. He stares at Choi Yoon and says stiffly.

“You leave, and leave the mixed-blood behind.”

It’s the expected reaction. Choi Yoon doesn’t waver.

“If you say leave him, I’ll leave him. Do as you please. But if you do that, I’ll go right out of here and report to the center. That there’s a suspected downgraded monster, but the military is preventing me from coming out with him, delaying the report. It’ll be troublesome for you.”

Next line. The director’s previous instruction was, with no change in expression, calmly but gradually increasing force.

“Shall I just do that? I’ll post on social media too. For the public good. Since just posting would be boring, I plan to add various details about what I experienced here. This doesn’t violate any laws, right?”

“It won’t be good for you either.”

No, that won’t happen. Because it’s not in the script.

“You’ll suffer damages too. I intend to at least mention your name. Shouldn’t people doing national work know? That the police are catching innocent citizens while trying to catch disguised ones.”

Sometimes it’s harder not to put emotion into it. But Choi Yoon manages skillfully.

“This is so productive. Isn’t it? There’s value in expending mental energy on this hot street. Since I’m human too, this situation doesn’t feel good right now.”

Patience was scraping the bottom.

“Usually, no one keeps me standing on a street like this. And.”

This isn’t in the script, but it seems I should point it out.

“When did we become close enough for informal speech?”

The police officer’s closed mouth tensed. He showed almost no emotion, but Choi Yoon noticed that he found this situation quite awkward.

It was mutually fortunate. He was just as anxious inside.

Though he stood there seemingly nonchalant, he kept feeling short of breath worrying that something might go wrong with Han Seo Jung.

He had lost a lot of blood. It could have turned out much worse.

“That accident back then was just like now.”

Breaking the silence, the police officer said quietly.

“He was a minor, and it was actually an urgent situation. So the hospital accepted him. And that’s when the trouble started.”

Choi Yoon knows too. It was an incident that left scars on the whole nation. But that monster was that monster, and Han Seo Jung is Han Seo Jung.

“You should know best. You helped pass that law.”

“That’s right. I should throw my past self in the washing machine. My mistakes are scattered everywhere.”

Choi Yoon felt several people approaching his side. At first he tensed, thinking it was police trying to restrain him.

But glancing slightly, he saw it was the neighbors of Soseulli gathering around Choi Yoon.

Choi Yoon felt a sense of déjà vu.

When he first encountered them at Kim Tae Rin’s restaurant, they had stood huddled together like this too.

But then it was to be wary of Choi Yoon, and now it was to protect him.

It felt strange. Choi Yoon continued speaking.

“That was a mistake, supporting that law.”

The police officer might really hold out like this.

The officer spat out.

“Besides, there’s no proof you’re not in cahoots.”

Choi Yoon couldn’t believe his ears. Jang Yong Sik seemed just as dumbfounded.

“What did you just say….. In cahoots… What?”

“If that mixed-blood tried to hide a disguised one.”

Jang Yong Sik’s mouth fell open.

“What nonsense…”

“It’s entirely possible. The disguised one was lurking around there several times. And this time they were even going to leave the house empty?”

An expression of mockery appeared on the officer’s face that had been emotionless until now.

“Why don’t you just build a house for the disguised one while you’re at it.”

Choi Yoon felt further dialogue was meaningless.

Now there was only one thing left. The only option was to push through pretending to be crazy.

Even the police would have trouble stopping a vehicle that smashes through the barrier and charges forward.

Choi Yoon stuffed the monster notebook into his back pocket.

In his mind, he quickly traced the route of laying Han Seo Jung on the stretcher into the truck’s back seat, and himself taking the wheel.

“Thanks to you, we’ve been delayed. If the patient takes a turn for the worse on the way to the hospital, remember it’s all because you kept me here.”

“I hope you’re aware this is obstruction of official duties first of all.”

“Since it’s come to this, let’s go further.”

Choi Yoon turned around. He strode purposefully toward the truck. The neighbors moved close together, as if enveloping Choi Yoon. Their steps gradually quickened and Choi Yoon practically barged onto the truck.

At the same time, the neighbors joined forces to lift Han Seo Jung from the stretcher and carefully push him into the back seat.

Choi Yoon consciously tried not to look toward Han Seo Jung. Just the faint, barely audible breathing made his chest feel like it would burst.

He gripped the steering wheel. Only then did he realize his palms were drenched in sweat. He started the engine.

The police officer, realizing the seriousness of the situation, blocked the front of the truck.

“What are you doing?”

Choi Yoon paid no heed. He started driving. The police officers started to back away but then stood firm again.

Choi Yoon didn’t slow down. He changed direction as is. He intended to drive over the bushes beside the road blocked by the lowered barrier.

Realizing Choi Yoon’s intention, the police tried to close in, but the neighbors firmly blocked them, and in an instant shouts and scuffles broke out.

Hearing Jang Yong Sik’s voice shouting as if spitting blood – how could they call themselves human, if Han Seo Jung were human he’d have reached the hospital long ago, what good was that damn law – Choi Yoon struggled with all his might to move even a little further forward.

That’s when it happened. Just as he was about to pick up speed, the car shuddered violently.

The engine wouldn’t start. There was no time to try again. Choi Yoon abandoned the car and got out.

Grasping the situation, Jang Yong Sik shouted at the top of his lungs.

“The car’s dead! That damn piece of junk! Get Seo Jung out! Move him to another car! This way! This way!”

Several men rushed over to lift Han Seo Jung out of the car.

Choi Yoon hurriedly moved in the direction Jang Yong Sik was pointing. But before he could take a few steps, he was blocked by the damn police. His eyes met those of the superior staring intently from a distance.

By this point he really wanted to knock the other person out.

“Get out of the way. While I’m still asking nicely.”

“Calm down. Even if you go to the hospital, they won’t admit a mixed-blood whose identity isn’t confirmed.”

Choi Yoon couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed the police officer by the collar.

“Can’t you see the kid’s hurt? A child is dying right now because of you. Who fired the gun in the first place!”

“Let go of this, the guarantor’s coming so just wait a little longer…!”

“They’re not coming! That damn guarantor isn’t coming!”

That’s when it happened.

Someone grabbed Choi Yoon’s arm. The desperate weight of that clinging grip made his heart feel like it stopped.

Choi Yoon looked up.

Before he could confirm the person’s face, he first noticed the soft shampoo scent. One he had become familiar with while living together.

“I…”

Kim Tae Rin clutched Choi Yoon’s arm, gasping for breath roughly. She continued, squeezing out the words.

“I, our Seo Jung…”

Kim Tae Rin’s knuckles were painfully white as she gripped Choi Yoon’s arm.

“…I’m Han Seo Jung’s guarantor.”

Why did she come?

As Kim Tae Rin barely finished speaking and took out her wallet, Choi Yoon blankly followed her round forehead and the fine hair sticking to her slender nape.

Why on earth did you come back? Shouldn’t you be running away for your life by now?

Their eyes met. Still black and dense, but with a moisture he had never seen before.

Why on earth…

Kim Tae Rin spoke urgently.

“Choi Yoon, let me, let me go too. I’ll go too. To the hospital, the surgery consent form, I’ll sign, I’ll sign it.”

Kim Tae Rin opened her wallet, gasping as if about to pass out. Her hand trembled as she took out her ID. Then she took out a card-type guarantee as well, and thrust it into the hand of the nearest police officer as if passing it off.

She was in such a hurry that she dropped her wallet. But Kim Tae Rin didn’t even seem to have the presence of mind to pick up the fallen wallet, let alone take back the ID and guarantee card she had handed over.

She turned around unsteadily and ran toward Han Seo Jung like a madwoman.

Choi Yoon asked the police officer who was fumblingly comparing the received ID with the system on the tablet.

“That’s good enough, right? Verified?”

“Oh, yes. She is the registered person, but…”

As the officer trailed off, seeming to look to his superior, Choi Yoon snatched the ID and guarantee card from his hand in turn.

He turned and ran.

Jang Yong Sik hurriedly opened the driver’s seat door, and Choi Yoon got right in. Han Seo Jung was in the back seat, and Kim Tae Rin climbed into the passenger seat. Choi Yoon started the car before Kim Tae Rin could even pull her door closed.

There was no time to wait for the barrier to be raised. He turned the wheel roughly. The truck mercilessly crushed the roadside bushes as it passed the barrier.

He floored the accelerator.

Ride comfort had long been thrown out the window. The truck sped at full speed, riding the unpaved road like a roller coaster.

The presence of death could be felt on the skin moment by moment from close by.

Though Han Seo Jung’s bleeding had been hastily stopped, Choi Yoon sensed a strangely pungent smell of blood. Very clearly, like when his father was dying.

The familiar village scenery quickly passed by, and soon they crossed the boundary allowed by the emergency order. Now the car entered the main road. The road was smooth and the noise decreased.

But strange sounds kept ringing in his ears.

Gurgling sounds, of life barely hanging on. Of blood filling the lungs instead of air.

Choi Yoon glanced at the rearview mirror. Han Seo Jung in the back seat was just quiet, his head deeply bowed.

He focused on the road ahead again.

But the sounds kept getting louder. Sounds from 20 years ago.