The F-Class Healer Omega is a Villain [BL]
Chapter 69: I can’t swim

Chapter 69: I can’t swim

Falling face-first into the sea, the icy shock of the water seized Cheon Areum’s lungs before he could even gasp. The moment his body hit the surface, it plunged deeper, clothes dragging like anchors, and bubbles rushed past his ears in a dull sound.

He opened his eyes, salt stinging them to blink repeatedly, and flailed his limbs—desperately trying to replicate the swimming techniques he’d memorized through lectures and videos. He knew the theory, had watched enough tutorials to teach it himself. But his frail body had never been strong enough to actually try, and it showed. No matter how much he kicked, no matter how perfectly his arms cut through the water, he wasn’t rising—he either sank deeper or remained stubbornly suspended in place.

Cheon Areum instantly stopped struggling, abandoning the futile attempt to swim. If his limbs wouldn’t take him up, then he’d just use his abilities. Letting his body sink deeper into the cold, murky water, he closed his eyes and focused.

The sea around him wasn’t charged with much negativity—it was calm, far too pure to respond easily. But that wasn’t a problem. He could be the source of the negative energy. Cheon Areum released his own negative energy, letting it bleed into the surrounding water like squid ink spreading in water. The temperature seemed to drop further as the water darkened around him, the gentle current reacted to him.

Cheon Areum manipulated the shifting currents, forcing them to carry him upward. The further he rose, the more control he regained. Just before his consciousness faltered, his head broke the surface of the water, and the first gasp of air tore through his chest.

Cheon Areum gripped the splintered edge of the wooden dock as he pulled himself up with effort, water cascading off his drenched clothes and hair, pooling beneath him as he dragged his body out of the sea.

"Kegh—! Hkk—! Guhh...!"

Collapsing onto the dock, he hunched over, coughing violently as his lungs fought to expel the water. Each ragged breath was followed by another harsh cough until a small stream of seawater finally escaped from his mouth, splattering onto the worn wood. The salty air stung his throat and eyes, but it was better than drowning. His soaked clothes clung tightly to his skin, the cold wind biting through the fabric.

He had skipped to the gate to run from the cold wind of the rainy weather only to be drenched in even colder seawater and experience the shivering wind blow at him again. Cheon Areum weakly looked up to find his human blanket, but the whole beach was empty besides him—no one else was there.

Ah... not this again.

The last time this had happened, he was in an illusion, unable to use his abilities or activate his system. But just now he had used his abilities to manipulate the seawater, so it couldn’t be another illusion. There must’ve been a situation that made them leave the beach and go into the town, and as for who pushed him, he wasn’t certain if it was Lee Nari or the middle-aged man.

Hugging himself, Cheon Areum got back on his feet, walking with a hunched back. The wet clothes only made it worse. The thought of abandoning his clothes crossed his mind, but it was quickly discarded. He would suffer from the cold even if he were to go naked, so it was better to at least keep his dignity and stay clothed.

Between the rows of vibrant, pastel-colored buildings stood a narrow alleyway. The wind, which had tugged at his clothes earlier, barely whispered here, blocked by the walls on either side. As Cheon Areum walked through the narrow path, the sound of laughter and overlapping voices drifted toward him—faint but growing clearer with each step.

When he finally emerged from the other end of the alley, it opened up into a sunlit town square. Children darted around an old and crumbling stone fountain at the center, their laughter echoing through the plaza. The fountain was chipped, its cracks cradling moss and time, yet water still flowed—sluggish but steady. The townsfolk moved about, chatting in small groups or tending to their errands. He scanned the lively square with his eyes. The people of the town were also present, so where did Lee Nari and Yoon Seoyul go without him?

Surely it didn’t take that long for him to come out of the sea that they decided to just ditch him. Yoon Seoyul wouldn’t have left him so easily... but it was also possible that they were also thrown into some other situation, like he was thrown into the sea.

Could it be fate trying to bring Lee Nari and Yoon Seoyul together by eliminating him from the equation and forcing them to be together?

Taking a seat on the bench by the fountain, Cheon Areum stared at the kids running around in front of him wordlessly. All the people—elders or children—contained the same amount of negative energy. The monsters he would have to kill.

Just as Cheon Areum was about to resume walking, ready to search for any sign of Yoon Seoyul and Lee Nari, an elderly woman appeared at the edge of the square, catching his eye. She moved slowly but with surprising strength, balancing a large woven picnic basket against her hip. The moment the children spotted her, they squealed with delight and rushed toward her in a chorus of eager footsteps.

The woman didn’t speak—she merely set the basket down with a soft grunt, opening its lid with care. A rich, metallic scent drifted into the air as she began pulling out what appeared to be freshly cut pieces of raw red meat. Cheon Areum narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowing. The children, still giggling and excited, reached out with their hands to accept the meat, clutching it in their small fists as if it were candy.

Is that beef? Raw beef?

The words of the middle aged man crossed his mind again and among the joyous squeals and excited chatter, a boy—barely older than five—reached into the woven basket and pulled out something distinct, as if to confirm that suspicion. A severed human hand, pale and limp, the wrist stump still glistening wet with fresh blood. It dangled from the child’s grip like a macabre toy.