Chapter 62 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Demon and the Driver's License (2)
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Kim Chanwon had taken the day off for once, washed his car, and dropped by the Heavenly Demon's place for a visit.
And right there in front of the parking lot as he was leaving, he heard thunderbolt news out of nowhere.
"Lend that car to me for a bit."
"Huh?"
The Heavenly Demon, eyes locked on Kim Chanwon's car gleaming in the sunlight, bared his fangs in a grin.
"Looks decent."
As a member of the Wind Spirit Clan, Kim Chanwon could always summon a refreshing breeze. No matter the weather or location, he could keep his skin nice and dry.
But right now, thick beads of sweat were dripping from his forehead.
"You never cared about cars, Heavenly Demon."
Staring at the Heavenly Demon, Kim Chanwon subtly tried to block his own parked car from view.
But his skinny frame couldn't even cover half the hood.
"I need a vehicle right now."
"Wha? Why all of a sudden?"
"According to the shopkeeper, I need to learn how to drive this thing called a car for the store to run smoothly."
Kim Chanwon mulled over the Heavenly Demon's words, then shook his head with a laugh.
"Haha, Heavenly Demon. Thing is, you need a license to drive one."
"I know."
The Heavenly Demon rummaged in his butt bag and pulled out a thin piece of paper.
"Here, look. I passed that written exam a few days ago."
The Heavenly Demon shoved the written test pass certificate in Kim Chanwon's face and continued.
"But there's also this practical exam. You have to prove you can actually drive the carriage."
Even as he spoke, the Heavenly Demon's gaze stayed fixed on Kim Chanwon's car, the 'Gazelle.'
"So... you wanna practice with my car?"
"That's right."
"Th-then why not borrow Manager Jang's car?"
"That fat caterpillar-looking thing? No thanks."
Kim Chanwon's face paled.
He was a battle-hardened car enthusiast. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he'd poured most of the money he'd made from tile work into cars.
Especially his classic car, the Gazelle—one of only one in the country. Sure, it was over 60 years old, so the exterior was worn, but it had a voluptuous body full of volume you couldn't find in modern cars.
And despite the shabby looks, the parts were devilishly expensive, and maintenance costs were no joke... No way could he hand it over to a beginner driver.
"Uh... can't we look for another car?"
Kim Chanwon pleaded, but the Heavenly Demon shook his head.
"This one it is."
His vision went dark.
The Heavenly Demon didn't know the car's value. And even if he did, he wouldn't care a single hair.
Imagining the Gazelle smashed to pieces, Kim Chanwon said in a trembling voice.
"Ah, reckon it's impossible."
"Why's that?"
"Well, you see..."
Because it was his baby. Because it wasn't for beginners. Because he couldn't trust the Heavenly Demon's driving skills.
He swallowed countless reasons and hung his head.
"Don't really need to practice with mine, do ya?"
"In this world, who else is there to lend me a carriage besides the shopkeeper and you, Kim?"
The Heavenly Demon's follow-up words brought a mix of shame and pride surging through Kim Chanwon.
'What am I even thinkin'!'
Gazing at the Heavenly Demon with Nameless on his shoulder, Kim Chanwon's eyes grew misty.
'The only people this guy from another world can trust and rely on are Manager Jang and me!'
"Alright, use it, Heavenly Demon. Or wanna practice together?"
"No need. I've got Nameless."
"Nah, nah, gotta learn from someone experienced."
Kim Chanwon grinned wide and grabbed the Heavenly Demon's shoulder.
"I'll teach ya good, so just trust me!"
* * *
A classic car, the Gazelle, rolled into a quiet empty lot, engine rumbling.
"Let's practice here."
Kim Chanwon killed the ignition, and right beside him sat the Heavenly Demon and Nameless side by side.
As a classic, the Gazelle didn't have a separate passenger seat—it was a bench-style.
"You passed the written, Heavenly Demon, so left are the skills test and road driving. Let's start with skills."
"Skills test?"
As the Heavenly Demon muttered, Nameless spoke up.
[It's a test to gauge the maneuvers and driving skills needed to operate a car. Includes hill start course, S-curve, curve course, turnabout course, parallel parking, etc. Out of 100 points, you need 80 or above to pass.]
"Complicated."
Kim Chanwon grinned at the Heavenly Demon's mutter.
"Kinda tough, yeah. Gotta be strict since bad driving can hurt others bad."
Then he began explaining the controls in detail, one by one.
"Heavenly Demon. Listen up from now. First, how to start the engine..."
Kim Chanwon spent about 10 minutes earnestly explaining the controls.
"Heavenly Demon. You're smart as hell, ain'tcha?"
And soon after, he was amazed.
"How ya get it all after one go?"
The Heavenly Demon had great memory and quick comprehension. Plus superhuman motor skills—he gripped the wheel and handled the car like a pro right away.
"Isn't it obvious?"
The Heavenly Demon crossed his arms solemnly.
"I'm the Heavenly Demon. Easier than learning the Three Star Sword Technique."
Screech. Whoosh.
At the wheel, the Heavenly Demon was already pulling off high-level stunts like drifts and reverse turns with the side brake.
"In-incredible, Heavenly Demon!"
Kim Chanwon couldn't hold back his admiration.
"But how's a guy this talented so clumsy at interior work?"
In Kim Chanwon's eyes, the Heavenly Demon came off as a bit slow and unskilled.
He worked hard, but interiors were iffy, and he said weird stuff often.
"Interior work is cautious and delicate."
"Huh?"
"Plus it's rigid, sticking to set ways. Doesn't suit me—I prefer free techniques and dominance."
"Then cars?"
"It's a machine, right? Deviating from the preset frame ain't hard."
'That makes sense?'
Thinking back, the Heavenly Demon always sought odd methods.
He never followed instructions—just tried his own way, causing all that trouble.
"But don't worry. I won't just stick to rote maneuvers."
The Heavenly Demon smiled faintly, unlike him. Kim Chanwon felt an ominous chill at the sight.
"Now, let's do some real action."
"Real action?"
"Spinning in this narrow spot ain't it. Gotta hit the road."
"R-road driving?"
Kim Chanwon jumped.
[No. Heavenly Demon.]
Nameless, who'd been quiet, jumped too.
[The written pass only allows practicing basic controls off-road like this. Roads are off-limits.]
"What do you take me for?"
[What?]
Blood Flame Radiance flashed in the Heavenly Demon's fang-bared eyes.
"I'm the Heavenly Demon."
"Ah, no, Heavenly Demon, that's not..."
Before Nameless could respond, the Heavenly Demon turned the key.
Rumble.
With a low exhaust note, the engine fired up. He spun the wheel and floored it.
Screeching, they shot out of the lot onto the outer road at high speed.
[Heavenly Demon. This is illegal.]
Nameless shouted but regretted it instantly.
"Don't force your laws on me. I don't give a damn about them."
It was what the Heavenly Demon had told Shin Chaeyoung at Hongtak House recently, when she called him an unregistered Awakener.
The Heavenly Demon wasn't bound by this world's laws. Nor could he be chained by them.
[Heavenly Demon. Then, like I said before, the puppy...]
Out of options, Nameless tried the puppy analogy again to restrain him.
"Oppa? What's that car?"
But a young woman's voice came from the car stopped beside them at a light.
Turning, a young couple in a flashy sports car giggled at the Gazelle.
"Yeah. That junk still runs?"
"Look, there's even an old geezer next to him."
The snickering guy spotted the muscular arm on the driver's seat and smirked.
"Obviously an Awakener, but broke as hell. Time for a new ride."
Vroom.
Light changed, and the sports car blasted forward with a roar.
Watching it vanish, crimson flames blazed in the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
[Heavenly Demon.]
Nameless cautiously spoke, eyeing the murderous glare.
[Cheap provocation not worth your time. Ignore it.]
"Hmph."
As the Blood Flame Radiance subsided at Nameless's words.
"...Heavenly Demon. Floor it."
[What?]
Kim Chanwon, beside him, gritted his teeth.
"Those snot-nosed punks called our Gazelle (Gazelle's nickname) junk?"
He reached and flipped a safety cover on the center fascia, revealing a red button.
Tiny letters above read [heaven and hell].
"Heavenly Demon. Show 'em."
"Gladly."
The Heavenly Demon floored it as Kim Chanwon hit the red button.
The Gazelle rocketed forward with such g-forces it pinned them back.
[NOS (Nitrous Oxide System, aka booster) installed?]
At Nameless's shocked cry, Kim Chanwon snorted.
"Old car's got low output, y'know."
Lightning-fast, the Gazelle caught the sports car.
"Huh? That rustbucket?"
The guy at the wheel scoffed at the Gazelle.
"Fine. I'll show ya."
He mashed the pedal; flames shot from the exhaust.
Roaring, they left the outer road for narrow mountain pass.
"Hahaha! Junk can't keep up."
On the steep upslope, the gap widened again.
No matter how hard the Heavenly Demon stomped, the taillights receded.
"Too much, huh."
Even with booster, it couldn't match a modern sports car's power.
As Kim Chanwon trembled in rage and regret at the fading car.
"Too early to quit, Kim."
The Heavenly Demon's eyes gleamed at the wheel. The endless upslope ended; downhill began.
"This steep drop—we'll catch 'em!"
Rooooar!
RPM spiked; exhaust bellowed.
Old but with a racing engine for high revs.
"What, oppa? It's back?"
His girlfriend's words made him check the mirror. The rusty Gazelle hugged his tail, poised to pass.
"Thinks he can beat my skills?"
Downhill racing was about driver skill over specs.
Pride stung, he tried shaking it, but the old car clung like a ghost.
Rooooar! Fwoooosh!
Aggressive racing, weaving the center line to block.
Wee-oo wee-oo!
Sudden sirens behind.
A cop car parked at a downhill safe zone spotted the racers and pursued.
[Heavenly Demon. Police.]
"Shut it."
The Heavenly Demon's possessed driving shone on the downhill as his eyes flashed.
"Now!"
A tight, short-radius curve series forced the sports car to brake.
Too late—it clipped the median.
Boom!
Seizing the moment, the Gazelle slid through with a roar.
"Hahaha! He'll crash too!"
Even braking, too late. Watching the wobbling Gazelle veer toward the median, the guy cackled.
Rooooar!
But with a bellow, the Gazelle recovered center of gravity and blasted out of the corner.
"...Inertia drift?"
Mouth agape, he stared at the vanishing old car.
* * *
"Success!"
Kim Chanwon cheered.
"Incredible, Heavenly Demon!"
Even Kim Chanwon, who'd raced public roads in his youth, couldn't match the Heavenly Demon's demonic skills.
"No big deal."
The Heavenly Demon shrugged it off.
When a contest arose, he always won. Another world, another field—no challenger could beat the solitary gambler, Heavenly Demon.
Wee-oo wee-oo!
But the distant sirens still wailed.
Cops deemed the drifting Gazelle more dangerous than the sports car and chased it instead.
"Why so noisy."
"Floor it, Heavenly Demon. It's the cops."
"So what."
"Get caught, we're screwed. Run."
Even the greatest under heaven was from the Demonic path. Tangling with authorities meant hassle—universal truth.
At "run," instinct kicked in; Heavenly Demon mashed the pedal.
Psssh.
But a hiss came, white smoke billowing from the hood.
The speeding Gazelle slowed.
"What now."
"Damn. Engine blowout."
Kim Chanwon sighed at the Heavenly Demon's words.
"Over-revved past limits. Engine's toast."
Cops would catch them soon.
Then Nameless eyed the Heavenly Demon.
[Heavenly Demon. You're unlicensed and registered as a foreigner.]
Eyes wide, Nameless spoke gravely.
[Escape now.]
"Hmm."
Pulling over, the Heavenly Demon patted Kim Chanwon's shoulder.
"Then, Kim. Cover for me."
"Huh?"
"Don't spill under torture. We're strangers."
"Hea-Heavenly Demon...!"
Before words formed, the Heavenly Demon scooped Nameless and vanished into the woods. Kim Chanwon stared blankly at empty air, eyes widening.
* * *
-Reckless driving knows no age. Last night around 9 PM, a 60-year-old man was caught red-handed racing wildly on Boksu Mountain Pass...
The TV switched from anchor to footage of the Gazelle, smoking white and stopped.
"Mmm."
Jang Chaewon, watching the news, clicked off the TV with the remote.
The Heavenly Demon sat ramrod straight before her.
"So you're saying you did that incident?"
"Some greenhorn punk provoked clumsily. I just showed the skill gap briefly."
"But why's Kim the one questioned by cops?"
"I can't get caught by officials."
"Sigh."
Pinching her forehead in frustration, Jang Chaewon said.
"Lucky it ended in a fine. Kim could've gone to jail."
Standing, she shook her head.
"License talk's off. From now on, ride with me."
The Heavenly Demon watched her head to the inner room.
"Car. Automobile..."
His narrowed eyes sparkled.
Unable to forget the thrill of that drift. A new goal dawned on the Heavenly Demon.
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