Hero’s Child C13

Chapter 13

Whenever Uichan had personal matters to discuss, he called for Mother or one of the other brothers to come to the office. Of course, that was only possible late at night—after everyone else had gone home. And whenever he did call them, it was always for the same reason.

It was about “Aengak.”
The one he was still searching for.
The one he needed to find—for revenge.

Once Uichan set the teapot down on the table and sat across from her, Mother Ship lowered her teacup and got straight to the point.

“I did some digging for you, since you asked, and I found one place that might have something. But are you sure about this? If Hyde finds out, he’s going to scold you.”

“You know him. Hyde never stops me from going after Aengak.”

Tonight, Uichan had met with Mother Ship to receive new intel about Aengak.

“Well, that’s true,” she sighed. “He was the one who said we shouldn’t interfere in each other’s business, after all.”

As she spoke, she absently patted the backside of Podo, who had crawled up into her lap like a cat.

“Still, with the heroes searching for you like they are, isn’t it risky to go alone? Should I come with you?”

“It’s fine. I’m not going as Under Doom anyway. I’m just going to take a quick look.”

“Alright, little one,” she murmured. “Just take a look and come back. If you get caught, we’ll come rescue you, but the others will never let you hear the end of it. Those heroes have been crazy for more than a day or two, but still…”

Grumbling, Mother Ship took a big gulp of the cold water Uichan had been drinking, as if to cool her nerves. Uichan, meanwhile, picked up the crawling Podo and asked,

“Is the information about Aengak solid?”

Mother let out a long, heavy sigh before nodding. Recently, her network had finally picked up traces of Aengak. For Uichan, who had been hunting him for years, it was a lead too precious to ignore. He couldn’t let it slip away.

“You know how it is,” she said. “I’ve got hundreds of my ‘little ones’ planted all over the city. When you think about how many of them have their ears open, the amount of information pouring in is insane. Lately, though… I’ve been having trouble sleeping. That never happens. Feels like something bad’s coming. So, Uichan, you be careful too.”

Most people called Mother Ship a “puppet master.” But that was only what those who didn’t truly know her could say. In truth, she was a fox spirit born from a carved wooden fox figurine.

Perhaps because she’d been born from carved wood, all the familiars she commanded were also wooden dolls. After killing a villain, she would purify their soul and implant it into one of her wooden familiars, turning them into her informants.

Their forms varied—dogs, cats, butterflies, birds, insects, even human shapes. Within In the Hell, she was the one with the widest web of eyes and ears, her information network in the mortal world second to none.

“Aengak lost something,” she continued. “Something important. Word is, a hero stole it from him. Whatever it was, it must’ve mattered, because now he’s tearing the city apart trying to find it. Rumor has it he’s going after an item stored at the Central Bureau next.”

“If heroes are involved, it’s too dangerous. Please don’t dig too deep, Mother.”

“Don’t worry. I’m being careful. But apparently, a villain group double-crossed Aengak recently. They say he showed up near Gongdeok Station, and La Épée’s already there, trying to catch him.”

“If La Épée’s involved, then the Association will be watching too… Still, I’ll go and grab one of the bastards to question. Thank you, Mother.”

“Are you really going alone, when La Épée’s out there?”

Uichan only gave a sheepish smile in response. Seeing that determined glint in his eyes, Mother Ship sighed, frustration and worry mingling in her voice.

“Ah, I knew you’d say that. You never listen once you’ve decided. Fine, but I’ll send one of my little ones near Gongdeok Station to guide you. Follow its lead, alright? I don’t want you running straight into La Épée.”

“I will, Mother.”

Aengak.

That name was carved into his soul like a curse.
He was the monster who had annihilated Seolhyang Village, taking away Uichan’s entire family in a single night.

Since the day he’d been orphaned at sixteen, Uichan hadn’t gone a single day without thinking of him.

It was why he’d thrown himself into the filthy, ruthless world of heroes—rolling through the mud, clawing for every scrap of information that might lead him closer to his prey.

“Uichan,” Mother said softly, “don’t forget—we’re always on your side. Be careful.”

“Yes. Podo, go back to your mom now. I’ve got to get going.”

“Kiuk!”

Standing up, Uichan pulled out a bracelet from his pocket and slipped it onto his wrist. It was a “Trace Diffuser”, a support device crafted by the sole Support Hero at Nonhier.

Much like his thick-rimmed glasses, the moment he put it on, his face and voice became unidentifiable to others. Whenever he worked unofficially, he always wore it—making sure to erase every trace of himself.

Once everything was ready, he lifted his gaze. Pale moonlight streamed through the window. By his guess, it was around eight in the evening.

It had been a while since he’d gone on a mission, and already his shoulders felt heavy. How long do I have to keep doing this? he wondered. Ever since learning he was pregnant, that thought had haunted him every night.

Just a little longer.
Before the babies grow, before his belly starts to show. He needed to find Aengak’s trail and expose his true identity to the world.

Then, the renowned heroes would wipe him out—and with him, every villain organization tied to him, dragged into the light like a chain of rotten roots.

What a clean, poetic ending that would be.

Uichan had only one goal:
To make sure no tragedy like Seolhyang Village ever happened again.
To bring Aengak to justice.
To see him die with his own eyes.

And after that—to live quietly with his children in peace.

That was why this mission mattered so much.

Grabbing his cap, Uichan gave Mother Ship a final nod and opened the door. The scent of the night air hit him—sharp and cold.

Heavy footsteps echoed. The sound of his resolve, beginning again like a gunshot.

Swish—

The wind roared past his ears. Uichan moved swiftly through the dark, heading toward Gongdeok Station, where the villain had been sighted.

Whenever he operated as Under Doom, he dressed to disappear—dark colors, no glasses, mask over his face, hood pulled low.

“That should be the place.”

Beyond the high-rises, the city lights blazed harsh and cold. The area around the station swarmed with heroes on patrol, while several streets had been sealed off amid La Épée’s pursuit.

Then—an explosion split the air.
Up above, fire and ice clashed in a burst of light. Uichan recognized it instantly.

That was La Épée’s power.

“Holy crap, it’s La Épée!”
“La Épée! Look here—quick, take a photo!”
“It’s dangerous, step back!”

As the crowd of heroes moved to control the panicked civilians, Uichan slipped past the barricade with ease. The closed-off streets were eerily quiet, almost funereal.

Armed heroes raced toward the commotion, following directly behind La Épée. The entire force was concentrated in one direction.

Then I’ll move the opposite way.

A small sparrow fluttered down beside him, its eyes glowing blue—it was one of Mother Ship’s wooden familiars. The tiny creature pecked insistently in the opposite direction of the pursuit.

“Thanks. That way, huh?”

Chirp!

When he’d still been Under Doom, Uichan had crossed paths with La Épée a few times. Never directly—they weren’t on the same level—but he’d seen enough to know the kind of power the man wielded.

Modern heroes were not like the ones of old.

Back when the nation had trembled, the first-generation heroes had been true saviors—men and women who fought chaos and violence with nothing but conviction and courage, sacrificing themselves for peace.

But now? Were heroes still symbols of pure good?
Did their justice carry the same weight as those of the past?

That answer had long been buried—in the ruins of Seolhyang Village.

Clack.

Uichan finally stopped under a bridge, just as the sound of shattering glass echoed nearby.

A man with a baseball bat was rampaging through the street, laughing maniacally as he smashed every storefront window.

“Ha! Like hell I’m leaving this expensive crap behind! Everyone else is brain-dead!”

He stuffed his pockets with gold trinkets, prying open safes one by one. Watching him, Uichan picked up a metal pipe from the ground and swung.

The man didn’t even have time to scream before he crumpled. When he came to, he was sprawled face-down in a narrow alley plastered with flyers and stickers.

“Kh—what the hell…”

“Oh, you’re awake.”

Blinking, the villain scrambled up and patted his pockets. Empty. His once-bulging pockets were flat and limp. He spun around, eyes wild.

“You—you bastard! You took it, didn’t you?!”

His eyes were bloodshot with fury. Grabbing for a weapon, anything, he lifted his head—and froze.

Because what he saw standing there was something inhuman.

To him, Uichan’s face was nothing but static and fog, an unidentifiable blur. There was only one person in the world who looked like that.

“Your face—wait, no way… Under Doom!”

Before his scream could leave the alley, Uichan grabbed his hair and slammed his head against the concrete.

Under Doom’s reputation wasn’t high—but those who knew him, knew he was ruthless. He might have been a villain, but toward villains, he was merciless.

And toward heroes who betrayed their own kind—
he was even worse.