Convict Unit: Black Parade

Incheon Port.

The prison ship’s landing pad was undergoing maintenance, so the transport couldn’t return to Paradise Lost immediately. Instead, the team made a temporary stop at the port.

“Well then, how about we take care of one little thing while we’re here?” Commander Hae-eun Seo declared cheerfully.

Jae-hee had no idea what this “little thing” was, but he soon recognized the all-too-familiar scene.

Splash, splash. Two black coffins dropped into the water.

They belonged to Tat Rat and the Barber, who had been killed on the mission.

Bang! Bang!

As the coffins sank beneath the waves, Hae-eun perfunctorily fired two blanks into the air.

Letting out a drawn-out yawn, the commander shoved the pistol back into her pocket and waved a dismissive hand. “Alright, alright, funeral’s over. Dismissed, dismissed! You all worked hard.”

“…”

Watching the two coffins bubble and sink, Jae-hee mumbled with a sour expression, “That’s awful. What a half-assed funeral…”

“Be glad they give you one at all.” Ghost was dozing in the seat next to him, her baseball cap pulled completely over her face.

Jae-hee was at a loss for words, letting out a small groan.

She had a point.

“Hmm, looks like we’ve got some time to kill.” After checking her wristwatch, Hae-eun’s gaze suddenly landed on Jae-hee. “You must be hungry after the mission, Boy. Shall we get a bite to eat?”

“Huh?!”

Jae-hee jumped in alarm, but Hae-eun Seo offered her signature benevolent smile.

“Didn’t we take down a Lord on this mission? And I hear your contribution was the greatest.”

“Oh, uh, no, I mean, it was a team effort… though I guess I did land a pretty cool final blow? Heheh.”

“You’ll get your bonus paid out separately, but aside from that, I’ll buy you a meal. What do you like?”

“I’ll eat anything!”

“Hmm~ anything?”

Listening to their exchange, Ghost slapped her forehead under her cap.

When someone offers to buy you food, you’re supposed to name something expensive right away. Saying you’ll eat anything… It was painfully obvious what that scrooge Hae-eun would buy them now.

“Well, since we’re in Incheon, and we won’t be back for a while after we ship out, how about we eat something the city is famous for?”

An ecstatic Jae-hee clasped his hands together, his eyes sparkling. “What’s famous in Incheon?”

“Well, being by the sea, the sashimi is good, the crabs are delicious, and the seafood in general is decent. But there’s one dish I always eat when I come to Incheon.”

“What is it?!”

As if she’d been waiting for the question, Hae-eun Seo replied, “Why, Jajangmyeon, of course.”

Jae-hee’s eyes went wide. “Jajangmyeon!”

“Right in front of Incheon Port here, there’s a Chinatown where Taiwanese people used to settle. They say that’s where Korean-style Jajangmyeon got its start. You could call it a local Incheon dish steeped in history and tradition.”

“Ooooh…!”

“So, let’s get Jajangmyeon!”

Hae-eun Seo flipped open her phone and, as if she already had a favorite spot, dialed a Chinese restaurant without hesitation.

“The Commander’s buying!” she declared.

“Hooray!”

Jae-hee shed tears of joy and shouted “Hooray!” three times, but the rest of the convicts just shook their heads, looking utterly fed up. They all knew that scrooge of a commander had only picked a Chinese place to save money.

“Making such a big deal out of Jajangmyeon, honestly…” Ghost grumbled.

Jae-hee, however, was genuinely bouncing with joy. Even before he’d been locked up, Jajangmyeon was a luxury he rarely got to eat.

Vroom~!

Not long after the call, several motorcycles carrying stacks of metal delivery cases pulled into the port.

“Jajangmyeon delivery?”

A thrilled Jae-hee jumped up and down, waving both arms. “Over here, over here!”

A space was cleared in a corner of the port, and soon the ground was covered with bowls of Jajangmyeon, sweet and sour pork, and pan-fried dumplings, complete with wooden chopsticks.

“Come on, it’s my treat, so everyone eat up! Don’t be shy!” Hae-eun announced with burdensome cheer as she walked around.

“Thank you for the food!” Jae-hee swallowed hard and peeled the plastic wrap off his bowl.

The glistening white noodles, drenched in a rich black sauce, shone beautifully. Entranced, he began mixing his bowl with vigor.

The other convict, Commander Seo’s aides, and even the transport pilots began to eat together… though they sat in their own groups.

Having skillfully snagged two double portions for himself, Status Window flashed his glasses. “Boy-kun. Did you know this desu?”

“Huh? Know what?”

“In the world of thirty years ago, people used phone apps to order from Chinese restaurants desu.”

“What? Seriously? Was that even possible?”

“Internet usage was huge back then desu… And, don’t be shocked now, okay desu? They charged a delivery fee for every order desu.”

“Whaaat? A delivery fee? Then how could anyone afford to order delivery?”

“On top of that, they used disposable bowls desu. They didn’t even collect them afterward.”

“No way!” Unable to comprehend it, Jae-hee tilted his head. “What kind of inconvenient era was that?”

“I do admire the world of thirty years ago, but some things about it were definitely strange desu.”

Listening from the side, Ghost grumbled, “Things were a hell of a lot more convenient back then…”

“Sorry?”

“Nothing. I didn’t say anything.”

Shaking her head, Ghost demonstrated a perfect noodle-slurp with her usual impeccable chopstick etiquette.

Status Window devoured his two double portions, burying his face in one bowl then the other.

Silken Bodhisattva and Little Lamb fed each other a single strand of noodle at a time, giggling merrily.

Grease Gal, wearing a construction helmet, spoon-fed pan-fried dumplings to Hangman, who was still bound in his vertical restraint.

Taking in the scene, Jae-hee shoveled a huge mouthful of the chewy noodles into his mouth.

Slurp. The combination of the sweet sauce with the savory meat and vegetables was so delicious it almost brought him to tears.

Jae-hee wolfed down the Jajangmyeon. He ate one bowl, then another. He diligently devoured the greasy dumplings, the slightly soggy sweet and sour pork, the tangy yellow pickled radish, and the raw onions dipped in black bean paste.

“Wow, that was amazing!”

Jae-hee patted his full stomach after the meal, grinning like an idiot. The corners of his mouth were smeared black with sauce.

“Ahh~ regional specialties are the best.”

Daejeon had its bread (which he never got to eat), and Incheon had its Jajangmyeon… He never knew every region had a famous dish like this.

“Wonder what we’ll get to eat at the next mission site~”

Ghost stared at him intently, making Jae-hee blink confusedly.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.

“…Nothing. Just… thinking how nice it must be to be so carefree.”

Jae-hee patted his belly. “Hehe. Of course. I have a stomach of steel, so I’m always carefr—gack?!”

He lurched, a sudden wave of discomfort twisting through him.

“Ugh, my stomach… feels weird…”

Witnessing this spectacle, Ghost couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving chuckle.

In the end, Jae-hee had a simple case of indigestion. It was the price he paid for his sudden gluttony.

“Oh dear. Boy has an upset stomach?”

Elegantly sipping scorched rice soup under a tent while the others ate their noodles, Hae-eun made a sound of pity. “Let’s head back quickly. As it happens, we have a very talented doctor on board.”

Panting and clutching his swollen belly in misery, Jae-hee brightened at her words. “A doctor, ma’am?”

“Yep. The ‘Doctor’ is back.”

Jae-hee’s eyes went round.

Suddenly, he remembered Model Student’s advice from his first mission.

“After this mission, go see the Doctor in prison. You’ll get to find out what your exact ability is.”

The person with the callsign “Doctor” was the physician from the Rooftop Clinic, who not only provided medical care but could also analyze an Awakened’s powers—and who had been absent last time.

“You mean the Doctor I’ve only heard about…?!”

Wiping her lips with a handkerchief, Hae-eun stood and nodded with a gentle smile. “Yes. She’ll examine you thoroughly. Very… thoroughly, indeed.”

Meanwhile…

Strapped to a bed inside the transport, ignored and not having eaten a single bite, Razor could only listen blankly to the conversation outside.

“Examine me first, you fucks…” he hissed weakly.

But no one was listening.

***

With a succession of heavy thuds, the transport landed on the Rooftop of the prison ship, Paradise Lost.

The hatch opened.

After Commander eun Seo and the waiting Vice-Captain exchanged greetings, the explosive Guillotine collars were removed from the prisoners’ necks. In their place, Null Cuffs colored according to their inmate grade were fastened to their wrists.

Gold for VVIPs, silver for VIPs, gray for general, and black for the prisoners of Deck 0.

Next, the critical patient, Razor, was wheeled out on a gurney. It seemed he needed surgery.

He was followed by the five members of the Strike Force, then Status Window, leaving Jae-hee last in line to enter the quarantine station.

Standing at the very back of the line, Jae-hee muttered with an aggrieved expression, “Why am I last…?”

“Boy-kun, didn’t they say you’re getting an ability verification test today desu?” Status Window replied. “That takes a while desu. So they put you at the back so you wouldn’t make everyone else wait desu.”

“Gack…”

And so, while all the other prisoners went through the procedure and headed inside, Jae-hee had to wait, clutching his upset stomach and groaning.

After finally entering the quarantine station, he showered, was disinfected, had his belongings inspected, and was checked for any infections.

Only after the series of procedures was finished could Jae-hee exit the station and stand in the Rooftop corridor.

To the left and right of the spacious hallway hung signs that read BANK, WORKSHOP, and CLINIC.

He had business at the other places, but his churning stomach ached, so Jae-hee cautiously headed toward the Clinic.

“Excuse meee~”

Stepping inside, he found the interior crammed with all sorts of junk.

Mountains of unidentifiable medical equipment and chaotically scribbled-on charts were piled high. The air was thick with the sharp smell of chemicals, the faint scent of blood, and something else… a disturbingly sweet aroma.

As Jae-hee stared around, dumbfounded, a door clicked open at the back of the clinic.

He looked over to see a strange figure emerging from the restroom, drying their hands.

Yes, a strange figure. Under a cascade of brown, curly hair, the person wore lab goggles and a mask, their identity completely obscured.

“A patient?” An androgynous voice floated from behind the figure’s mask. “The surgery on the last inmate just finished. Wait a moment.”

“Uh, okay…”

Jae-hee was flustered but tried his best not to show it as he continued to observe the person.

Judging by the slender frame, they seemed to be… a woman.

The white doctor’s coat she wore was cleanly laundered, but faint stains of what might have been blood or chemicals remained.

The Null Cuff on her wrist was gold.

A VVIP inmate.

“What are you staring at?” she asked impassively, tilting her masked face to the side.

Snapping back to his senses, Jae-hee quickly stood at attention. “Eh, nothing… I’m sorry! It’s just…”

“I’m the chief physician for the inmates here. Callsign ‘Doctor.’”

Looking Jae-hee up and down, the Doctor continued in a flat voice, “So you’re the rumored newbie?”

“Huh? Rumors?”

“The one about a kid who bounces around like Bambi. Callsign ‘Boy.’”

“Ah! I think that’s me.” He didn’t know about the first part, but the callsign was definitely his. Jae-hee nodded.

“Hmm, more like a quokka than Bambi, though…” the Doctor muttered under her breath, then introduced herself properly.

“From monitoring prisoner quarantine data to performing emergency surgery, I handle it all. As long as you don’t die here, we’ll be seeing each other often.”

Jae-hee bowed politely with a happy grin. “Hello, Doctor! I’ve heard so much abou—”

“Strip.”

“I’m sorry?”

The abrupt command made his thoughts freeze.

Paying no mind to the petrified Jae-hee, the Doctor turned away, pulled a latex glove from a table drawer, and slipped it onto one hand. Snap!

“I heard about you. Unranked Awakened, Boy.”

“W-what did you hear…?”

“That your ability is quite interesting.”

His face turning pale, Jae-hee took a stumbling step backward.

Clank!

But the clinic door was now firmly shut.

“From this moment, I’m going to get to know you… in detail.”

She pulled another latex glove onto her other hand. Snnnap!

The Doctor flexed her fingers with a faint rustle and whispered menacingly, “Everything you’re wearing. Off. Now.”