章 5: First time using my clone(1)

"Yes, master," the clone replied, voice echoing Lee's own with eerie precision.

Just then, Lee's eyes widened as a sudden realization struck him. Something had crashed when he summoned his clone. "Oh no!" He shot up and spun around, his gaze locking onto his monitor lying face-down on the floor.

Rushing over, he gently picked it up, turning it over with a wince. His shoulders sagged in relief. Only a minor scratch. He set it back in its rightful place, smoothing his hand over the surface as if apologizing.

"Whew," he exhaled, before glancing back at the clone with a teasing smile. "Hey, I'm the only one who gets hungry, right? You're just a clone, no need to worry about feeding you, huh?"

The idea of providing for a second mouth made his wallet ache. He barely scraped by as it was. 'I can hardly afford a decent meal for myself,' Lee thought, biting his lip as he waited anxiously for an answer.

As if on cue, the clone's stomach grumbled loudly.

Lee's face fell. 'Aigoo! My clone gets hungry too?' He shook his head, rubbing his temples. 'Well, no problem. Once I land a job using this ability, feeding him should be manageable.'

Deciding to put the clone to use immediately, he handed over the leftover snacks he'd prepared for the Awakening exam earlier, then sat back at his desk and opened up his browser. A quick search led him to a website called Awakened Wiki, where metahumans could apply for various jobs based on their abilities.

Without wasting time, Lee clicked on the Bodyguard Section. His eyes darted to the top listings. The most dangerous gigs were rated five-star. He clicked on one out of curiosity and gasped at the daily rate: 28 million won.

He quickly backed out. The money was tempting, sure, but he wasn't that desperate to put his life on the line.

After scrolling for a while, he found something more reasonable—a one-star rated job that paid 1.4 million won a day. It wasn't as lucrative as the top-tier jobs, but still a far cry from what he ever dreamed of earning. And with two bodies working, he'd be raking in 2.8 million won daily.

Heart racing, Lee grabbed his phone and dialed the contact listed.

Ding... ding…

"Hello, good evening. I'm Lee Seung, and I'd like to apply as a bodyguard for—"

"Oh, thank you for choosing us!" A woman's voice cut him off, a bit too eager. "If you're available, please come to Woosung Construction Industry tomorrow to start."

Lee blinked. "I—uh, sure. I don't mind."

"Great! See you tomorrow then."

Before he could respond, the call ended. He stared at his phone, unease creeping in. There was something off about how desperate she sounded.

Pushing the thought aside, he turned to his clone. "You'll start working out tomorrow morning. Three hours straight. Take my watch with you and come back when time's up."

---

The next morning dawned clear, sunlight filtering through the trees as the neighborhood buzzed with life. The usual joggers were out, stretching and chatting before starting their routine. Two middle-aged men, Mr. Ma and his friend, were setting up for a race.

"Good morning, Mr. Ma! Let's make it a proper race today. I won't lose this time."

Mr. Ma grinned. "You're on. Just remember I have to be at work by nine, so don't go too hard."

Across the park, a woman in workout gear exchanged pleasantries with another neighbor, both setting up for their own routines.

Just then, a blur of blue streaked past them. The joggers turned in mild surprise as they watched a young man in a blue sweater dash by, his pace relentless and unyielding. He wasn't a familiar face, and the way he pushed himself was beyond the usual morning exercise crowd.

The group shook their heads, dismissing it as another overzealous fitness buff. But as time passed and they continued their own workouts, they couldn't help but glance over at the figure still at it—now doing push-ups in the middle of the road.

"What's he trying to prove?" Mr. Ma muttered under his breath.

His friend chuckled. "Whatever it is, he can't manage more than fifteen at that speed. He'll burn out soon."

But as the minutes ticked by, the man in blue showed no signs of stopping. "He's at sixteen… twenty-five… thirty-five!" Mr. Ma counted, his interest piqued.

By the time the young man hit forty, both joggers had abandoned their routine to watch in awe.

Back at home, Lee stirred from sleep, yawning as he stretched. After a quick sip of water and brushing his teeth, he noticed something off—his clone was nowhere in sight.

"Oh, right, I told him to work out," he remembered.

Hours later, a knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. When he opened it, his clone stood there, drenched in sweat and panting like he'd run a marathon.

"I'm back, master."

"Good job. Go clean up and meet me here in two minutes," Lee ordered, a hint of pride creeping into his voice.

As the clone hurried off, Lee sat down on the stairs, contemplating how he could track his progress. He needed a way to check if the clone's workout had any impact on his stats.

As if responding to his thoughts, the familiar blue screen materialized before him, shimmering with a soft glow.

"Does this thing read my mind?" Lee muttered, half-impressed, half-creeped out.

With a thought, he willed the screen to show his stats. The interface shifted, displaying his attributes. They were slightly rearranged compared to before, but what stood out was the noticeable increase in strength—up by 0.5, all thanks to his clone's morning workout.

A slow grin spread across Lee's face. "So, his pain doesn't transfer to me, but his strength does. Interesting."

The possibilities raced through his mind. If he could make his clone work out daily, his growth would be exponential.

Soon after, his clone returned, now dressed and ready. Lee observed him thoughtfully. "We can't walk around looking identical like this. People will get suspicious." He rummaged through his things and handed the clone a face mask and cap. "Put these on. Let's not risk anyone figuring out the truth."

They stepped out together, blending into the early morning bustle. A quick taxi ride brought them to the towering gates of Woosung Construction Industry. Lee's heart thudded in his chest as he stared up at the building. This was it—the start of his metahuman journey.

Nerves tingling, he turned to his clone. "You scared?"

"No," the clone replied, calm as ever.

"Of course you're not. You don't share my nerves either," Lee sighed. "Alright, let's do this."

Inside, they were directed to the reception desk. Lee stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Good morning, I'm, uh, Lee Seung, and—"

"Good morning, Mr. Lee." The woman behind the desk cut him off with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "No need to introduce yourself. I recognize the voice from yesterday."

Lee's unease returned tenfold. Her overly eager tone and forced smile set off alarm bells. Still, he nodded and took a seat as she instructed, waiting for the CEO.

As he sat there, doubts gnawed at him. 'Am I really cut out for guarding a CEO? This job might be way riskier than I signed up for...'