Global Awakening: Only I Can Respawn

"How is he alive?" Yeji asked.

YuWon didn't have an answer. They all had seen Hoon die with their eyes, yet Hoon was sending community messages to Yeji.

Someone could pretend to be Hoon. But I don't think that's the case here.

Establishing a private chat within the community took upwards of two thousand gold or more. Only a few would have such kind of money to spend just to send a text.

But Hoon was a paladin. It was possible he got some god from his patron god and used it.

"Hoon isn't used to losing," YuWon mumbled. "Since he lost you, it isn't farfetched he would play such tricks… assuming he is alive."

Everyone fell silent. It didn't matter how much they butt their heads together, all theories they came up with depended on one scenario… whether Hoon was alive.

"Alright, I'll deal with it later," YuWon yawned.

As much as he was worried about Yeji, other things required his attention.

But Yeji looked aggrieved. In her eyes, YuWon didn't care about her because he hadn't forgiven her. She immediately concluded that YuWon was unhappy with how she treated her father. The punishment wasn't enough. That must have been the reason for his dismissal.

As everyone left the meeting, Yeji immediately walked out. When Seok saw his daughter, he immediately began apologizing to her. He didn't know how Yeji knew about what he did or why she was taking YuWon's side. But he knew his Yeji wouldn't mistreat him for long.

At least that's what he thought when Yeji entered his makeshift prison. The goblins saw her and immediately huddled in a corner. After the treatment she had given them, fear was a natural reaction when they saw her.

Yeji ignored them, heading towards her father. Seok thought she was there to save him, but the next moment, his painful scream echoed everywhere.

"Because of you… brother doesn't care about me anymore," she snarled. "If he hears your screams, he will forgive me, right?"

"Yeji… I'm your father—ARGH!"

Yeji picked up a goblin's dagger and dragged it across Seok's face, ignoring his desperate cries. But she didn't stop there.

To her, his body was a blank canvas, and she was determined to craft a masterpiece—one that would scream her sincerity to YuWon. If she could present such a creation to her brother, he would surely forgive her.

The mere thought of YuWon forgiving her and pulling her into an embrace sent Yeji's mind spiraling. Her cheeks burned as she became lost in her wild thoughts.

Distracted by the thoughts of YuWon exploring her body, Yeji plunged the dagger deeper than she had intended.

Seok's scream brought Yeji out of her wild thoughts and she realized she had poked one of her father's eyes with the dagger.

She showed no remorse. With a casual flick of her wrist, she stopped the bleeding, though she did not restore the unintended damage.

A ruined eye looked good on Seok's face, or so she thought.

"You can't die… no no no. If you die, then how will I ask for YuWon's forgiveness?"

Yeji whispered with a twisted smile on her lips. Seok stared at her, wide-eyed and trembling. He was certain that his daughter had descended into madness. No one with a right mind would do what she was doing to her father.

***

"She has lost it," Lilith said, hugging YuWon from behind.

YuWon didn't reply, intently watching Yeji create her masterpiece for him. He didn't think his words had such a profound effect on her, but oddly enough, the sight before him made him happy.

Seok had probably done worse things to his father. Now, karma bit the bastard in the ass and his daughter was busy torturing him.

"You're too close," YuWon mumbled.

"Don't be like that…" Lilith pouted.

YuWon looked over his shoulder, and Gina was deep in sleep, only a blanket covering her otherwise naked body. With Lilith's help, he satisfied her completely, but there was one problem.

The damned succubus had gotten aroused.

He hadn't imagined someone like Lilith would find him appealing. Yet the sensation of her bare chest pressed against his back made him question that assumption.

As she clung to him tightly, her hand freely roamed over his exposed skin. He had ignored her advances earlier, as his thoughts were consumed by worry for Yeji, but now that concern had lifted.

And with no more distractions, he saw no reason to hold back.

He pinched Lilith's butt, snapping her out of her trance. Gina had already drained him, more or less. He didn't want to even try to satisfy a horny succubus. Not when he had more concerning matters to deal with.

"Ouch!" Lilith exclaimed, caressing her cheeks.

"Good, now that you're not thinking about getting into my pants, let's get some work done."

Lilith huffed and puffed, but took YuWon to Joon. YuWon needed help to find Hoon. Most of the people he knew were people Hoon knew or lacked the skills required, so he needed someone talented enough to handle the job and not known to Hoon.

But letting Joon move freely was out of the question. He was too dangerous, and YuWon couldn't afford to take chances. The usual method of control, the slave brand, wouldn't work on him. The bastard's ability to inhabit multiple bodies made sure of that.

Fortunately, the answer was closer than he expected.

The special store has everything I need.

***

"Why are you doing this to me!? I'm on your side!" Joon yelled at the top of his lungs.

"You want to be freed, right?" YuWon asked. "I'm here to fulfill your wish."

Joon frowned. He could spot a cold-hearted bastard from a mile away, and YuWon was at the top of the list. Now there he was, suddenly claiming he'd let him go. As if Joon would fall for that.

Honestly, the thought of freedom lingered in his mind, but Joon hesitated. He couldn't shake the fear that if he dared to agree, the kid would rip his head off and grant him freedom—eternal rest in the afterlife.

Normally, Joon wouldn't have been concerned about trivial things like death. But this time, all seven of his bodies were firmly under YuWon's control. Switching to a new one wouldn't make a difference. He would still be under YuWon's control.

Lost in thought, Joon barely noticed when YuWon grabbed a stack of papers and smacked him on the head with it.

"Here." YuWon tossed the papers onto the table. "If you want to leave, just sign this."

Joon rubbed his head, grabbing at the papers.

"What's this?"

"Think of it as an IOU."

"Does that even matter in a place like this?" Joon frowned.

"Are you signing or not?"

Joon stared at the papers, wondering what YuWon had planned for him. YuWon had always been a cunning man, a master at getting what he wanted. And now he was letting Joon go… in exchange for an IOU?

Was this some elaborate trick? Or had YuWon actually lost his mind?

Joon genuinely wondered if YuWon had hit his head somewhere.

As a gangster, Joon had never concerned himself with the intricacies of legal jargon. He only cared that as long as he signed the contract, he would be a free man.

The first thing I'll do when I'm out is kill you!

Joon cursed YuWon in his thoughts but maintained a smile on his face. But there was something he wanted to ask YuWon before sealing the deal.

"Can I take… all of my bodies with me?"

Joon held his breath wondering how will YuWon hit him. A hit, a smirk, a laugh—he expected anything but the calm nod YuWon offered.

"Yes. You can."

Joon didn't waste another second before signing the ten-page document. Once he was done, he handed the papers over to YuWon, bowed, and was about to leave when YuWon's voice boomed.

"Sit your ass down."

Joon turned and was about to smile when his body moved without his input and sat down across from YuWon. Confused, Joon looked at YuWon with a bewildered gaze, but YuWon and Lilith shared a knowing smile.

"What is the meaning of this—!"

"Quiet."

Before he could protest further, his body obeyed the command without hesitation, leaving Joon even more unsettled.

The YuWon brought out another stack of papers, placing them in front of Joon.

"Sign away."

With a casual flick of his hand, YuWon compelled Joon's body to obey. Against his will, Joon's hand moved, scrawling his signature across one contract after another. The gangster could only stare at YuWon with rage as he finished signing the final document.

YuWon picked up the stack, flipped through it with a disinterested glance, and then tucked the documents into his [Phantom Bag].

Joon's lips twitched. The urge to curse YuWon was getting unbearable, but even his thoughts no longer felt like his own.

Each contract he had signed had slowly turned him into nothing more than a puppet in YuWon's hands.

Joon realized too late that the papers he had signed weren't ordinary documents. They were something YuWon had likely gotten from a shop, and by signing them, Joon had unknowingly surrendered control over his emotions, thoughts, and actions to YuWon.

"Good, now that you've earned your freedom," YuWon smirked. "I would like you to do something for me."

YuWon threw a photo of Hoon before him.

"Take your bodies and bring this man to me."