“Hm?”

“What’s wrong, hyung?”

As Seo-jun paused mid-motion while sitting down, Yeon-jun asked.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Are you sure? You’re okay, right?”

Yeon-jun assumed Seo-jun was experiencing PTSD. He thought the momentary hesitation was because of that.

But in reality, it was something else entirely.

Did I sense it wrong…?

Seo-jun had felt their presence for an instant.

It was far away and fleeting—so brief that even Park Yeon likely wouldn’t have noticed it.

Hmm. I must have imagined it.

A similar thing had happened not long ago.

Jang Sera, the matriarch of the Ohkyung Group, who had long suffered from a chronic illness, had collapsed from a stroke after being deeply shocked by the disappearance of her third son, Chae Sang-hyun.

As a result, dozens of heal-type awakened had gathered at Ohkyung Hospital, where she was admitted, and cast healing magic.

At the time, pure energy had concentrated in one place without anyone realizing it, and Seo-jun had momentarily mistaken it for their presence.

It must be the same today.

Well… they exist in an entirely different dimension.

Seo-jun had thought he severed the ties of the past upon returning to Earth, but it seemed there was still a long way to go.

With a smirk, he pushed away the uneasy feeling and turned to Go Kyung-soo.

“I didn’t have much time, so I couldn’t prepare much.”

Go Kyung-soo stared blankly at the fried egg.

Hye-jin had mentioned it once before.

That Seo-woo’s uncle made the best fried eggs in the world.

Back then, Kyung-soo wasn’t as impressed by the cooking skills as he was by the generosity of Seo-woo’s uncle, who had made such an expensive fried egg for his daughter.

Even if they were his nephew’s friends, they were still strangers to him.

Yet he had given them pork belly and fried eggs… It was an enormous kindness.

Especially to Kyung-soo, who had been living in a world where goodwill had all but vanished since the upheaval.

“Thank you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Hye-jin told me you often made her these fried eggs.”

“Ah… She likes to eat them with ketchup.”

“I’ve been a burden to you.”

“Not at all. More importantly, let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“Yes!”

Kyung-soo scooped up a big spoonful of rice first. The glossy sheen of the grains made it look like it had been cooked with fresh rice.

Delicious.

It really did seem to be made from fresh rice. The texture was perfectly fluffy, and even the rice alone had a subtle sweetness.

Did he say this was Gyeongjong cabbage?

Next, he picked up the Gyeongjong cabbage kimchi.

It was the first time he’d seen it.

At a glance, it looked like young radish greens, but upon closer inspection, it had a different feel.

After staring at it for a while, Kyung-soo chuckled.

What did the appearance matter?

Ultimately, taste was what was important.

It probably won’t taste that good.

Only a select few knew that Gyeongjong cabbage grew like weeds in open dungeons.

Even those who knew rarely cultivated it due to the stigma of it being dungeon-grown.

Of course, Kyung-soo was among those who didn’t know this.

So he had judged it purely based on its unimpressive appearance.

But the moment he took a bite of the kimchi, his thoughts changed.

“...!”

It was delicious.

So unique that it defied description.

Astounded, Kyung-soo then turned his attention to the Arutus fried egg. He tore off a small piece and put it in his mouth.

“Wow…”

This time, the words slipped out involuntarily.

How could something taste this good?

Was this really just a fried egg?

Was it some kind of egg I didn’t know about?

He had heard that awakened individuals were developing alternative food sources using their abilities—was this one of them?

The unfamiliar flavor sent his mind racing with all sorts of possibilities.

But in the end, all he could do was keep eating.

He couldn’t stop picking up his chopsticks.

A bite of rice, a bite of Arutus fried egg, chewing thoroughly, then a bite of Gyeongjong cabbage kimchi.

“Hah!”

It was so absurdly good it was almost comical.

Fried eggs and kimchi were already a well-paired combination, but this was something beyond that.

Instead of just counteracting the greasiness of the egg, the kimchi’s sharp tang actually enhanced the richness.

Before he knew it, his bowl was empty, and Kyung-soo hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“...I’m sorry, but could I have another bowl?”

Since the upheaval, the first thing police officers did upon arriving at work was check their firearms.

Go Kyung-soo was no exception.

Of course, the firearm check wasn’t the final step. It also had to be inspected.

The inspection required fingerprint verification, so it couldn’t be taken lightly.

After completing the process and greeting his colleagues, Kyung-soo sat down at his desk.

That was really good.

Recalling the meal from yesterday, he couldn’t help but smile. He hadn’t had such a satisfying meal since the upheaval.

“Slurp.”

Just thinking about it made his mouth water.

As he smacked his lips, Lieutenant Park, his partner for patrol duty, approached while sipping coffee.

“Kyung-soo, did you see the news?”

“The news?”

“Japan is in chaos right now.”

“Why? Did it sink or something?”

“Sink, in a way. An SSS-rank awakened has gone missing.”

Kyung-soo’s eyes widened.

“An SSS-rank awakened went missing? Who?”

“You know that guy, Ichiro? He vanished without a trace.”

“That must be causing an uproar.”

“More than an uproar. One of their secret weapons just disappeared into thin air. Sure, when a person goes missing, we should be concerned first and foremost… but honestly, isn’t it just karma?”

“He was a ruthless criminal.”

South Korea’s special law for awakened individuals didn’t apply to everyone equally. Officially, it was meant for all awakened, but in reality, that wasn’t the case.

Japan’s special laws were no different.

Especially for someone like Ichiro, Japan’s first SSS-rank awakened, who had even been given the title of ‘guardian’ by the Emperor.

Under government protection, he had committed countless atrocities that were too horrific to even speak of.

There was even an incident where he committed mass murder under the pretense of honing his skills.

The two continued their conversation over coffee before heading out on patrol.

“Ah! I really don’t want to go!”

“I hope today is as quiet as the day before yesterday.”

“Right? It was weirdly peaceful then, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. If only every day could be that peaceful.”

“By the way, that bar, ‘One Drink’—where exactly is it located?”

“Are you in the mood for a drink?”

“Ugh, I really need to quit drinking… But it's your fault. You said the food there is amazing, so I have to check it out, don’t I?”

“Hahaha. Aren’t you going to get scolded by your wife again?”

“I’m prepared for that. But if you were just joking about the food… you know what that means, right?”

“Haha. Of course. Since we’re on the topic, I’ll text you the address right now.”

Just as he took out his phone to send Officer Park the address—

Chh-chh-chk—!

- Patrol Unit 3, we’ve received a theft report near Daerim Apartment, Hanyeong Mart. Dispatch immediately. The address is…

A report came in over the radio.

Officer Park let out a helpless laugh.

“I guess I jinxed it. Looks like today’s going to be busy too.”

“And it had to be a theft report, huh.”

“Hope it’s not a setup.”

“Let’s hope not.”

A setup report referred to a false report made to lure the police into a situation, only to ambush them from a favorable position. It was one of the most feared types of calls for police officers, often disguised as assault or theft reports.

Before long, they arrived at the scene.

Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be an ambush.

A middle-aged man was standing at a distance, angrily waving his hand.

Just in case, they parked the car at a distance, leaving the doors wide open so they could take cover in an emergency.

“Excuse me, sir, are you the one who made the report—”

“Yes, I did. Now take this homeless bastard away.”

Beside the middle-aged man, a ragged-looking older man was kneeling on the ground.

“Sir, you can stand up.”

“Stand up? Stand up?! If a man commits a crime, he should apologize! It’s a good thing I caught him stealing bread on the CCTV, otherwise… Ugh.”

“Sir, please calm down first.”

“Do I look like I can calm down?!”

“If you continue like this, we’ll have no choice but to restrain you.”

At Officer Park’s stern expression, the middle-aged man hesitated.

One major change in law enforcement after the upheaval was the increased authority of the police.

Whether victim or perpetrator, anyone who disobeyed police orders could be subdued, even with batons or tasers if necessary.

Perhaps recalling a past experience of being tasered, the middle-aged man’s aggression slightly subsided.

“Ahem! Anyway, arrest that bastard. Damn thief!”

“Alright, let’s settle down. First, I need you to fill out some basic information.”

As Officer Park led the complainant away, Kyung-soo helped the suspect to his feet.

“Sir, is what he said true?”

“...Yes.”

“How much did you steal?”

The older man unbuttoned his checkered shirt. Three red bean buns fell to the ground.

Kyung-soo was momentarily taken aback.

It was true that after the upheaval, food prices had skyrocketed. But red bean buns were still around 3,000 won each.

So in total, the man had stolen less than 10,000 won worth of bread.

It was still theft, but...

“Haa…”

“...Am I going to prison now?”

“Is this all you stole?”

“Yes. I’m going to prison, right?”

The older man let out a bitter smile.

“Maybe it’s for the best. At least in prison, I won’t have to starve.”

Just as the police’s authority had changed, so had society’s legal system. The emphasis had shifted to severe punishment.

And the conditions inside prisons had changed as well.

What used to be a five-star hotel was now an unlivable hell.

Six-person cells now held twenty, while twelve-person cells held forty. Meals were provided only twice a day, and even those were barely edible.

‘And yet, he thinks going to prison is the better option…’

Kyung-soo let out a sigh.

Just then—

Growl—!

The man’s stomach let out a loud rumble.

He clenched his fists, not out of embarrassment, but to endure the pain of hunger.

“Sir, when was the last time you had a meal?”

“…”

“It’s okay. Please tell me.”

“Three days ago…”

“What did you eat then?”

“A cup ramen and a triangle kimbap.”

“That’s it? Nothing else?”

“Yes.”

Another sigh escaped him.

Kyung-soo didn’t know the man’s full story, but he was like a modern-day Jean Valjean.

But there was nothing he could do.

Like he said, society had changed.

Whether he stole one bread, ten, or a hundred, theft was still theft.

They had received a report, responded to the scene, and the suspect had confessed.

That meant they had to take him to the station for processing.

In the end, Kyung-soo forced himself to say the words.

“As of this moment, you are under arrest for theft. You have the right to remain silent…”

After reciting the Miranda rights, he placed handcuffs on the man’s wrists.

“You bastard! You’re lucky you got caught by someone like me. Try that anywhere else, and you’d get shot, you hear?!”

The middle-aged man sneered from a distance.

When Kyung-soo glanced at the suspect, his eyes were red and teary.

Letting out another sigh, Kyung-soo helped him into the patrol car.

The ride back to the station was silent, unlike when they were on patrol.

Growl—!

The man’s stomach rumbled again.

Officer Park, having already heard the situation, only showed a sympathetic expression.

After a while, Kyung-soo slowly pulled over to the side of the road.

“It’s about lunchtime. How about we eat before heading in?”

Officer Park glanced at the clock.

Despite what Kyung-soo said, the hour hand was only pointing at 10.

“Sure, why not.”

“Sir.”

“Yes?”

“What would you like to eat?”

“I… I get to eat too?”

“You need to eat before we proceed with questioning. Tell me, is there anything in particular you’d like?”

“A-anything is fine.”

“We’re fine with anything too, so feel free to choose.”

After some hesitation, the man lowered his head and muttered.

“K-Korean food. I… I want kimchi jjigae…”

Nodding, Kyung-soo pressed the accelerator.

Before long, they arrived at ‘One Drink.’