Chapter 24. Found You (2)
Hyeon-yul generated darkness from his body, pried the Poison King's hand off, and slammed him against the wall.
“…Puhat.”
It should have hurt, but the Poison King laughed instead.
Whatever pleased him so much, the gaze directed at Hyeon-yul held only satisfaction.
“…The Black Eagle won't be able to give you what you want.
That place, unlike what you think, isn't a place of justice.”
“Are you mentioning justice right now?”
A sneer towards the Poison King reflexively popped out.
It seemed he still had some life left in him.
He intended to cut off a few fingers but stopped, not knowing his blood itself would be poisonous.
Even in this state, forget interrogation, other people would likely be holding funerals one after another.
‘What should I do about this……’
Hyeon-yul fell into thought.
“…By now, word that some crazy subordinate of Shin Dae-ho killed Shin Dae-ho must have reached everyone else's ears.”
The Poison King spoke, his face flushed red.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“……Everyone is looking for you.
You, who killed Shin Dae-ho.”
What was he supposed to do about it?
Hyeon-yul lifted the Poison King higher.
“Everyone will find out! That you are the hope… to bring down the Empire…!”
That strength.
That decisiveness.
Above all, the lack of emotion.
All of this was perfect.
Hyeon-yul didn’t reply to the Poison King’s words and slammed him against the wall again.
Craaaash!
It was bullshit.
He had absolutely no interest in the Empire.
His only interests were getting off work and the small joys enjoyed back home.
He planned to watch a movie he had carefully chosen over several weeks today, with popcorn.
“Do we… look like villains to you?”
The Poison King steadied his trembling eyes and looked at Hyeon-yul.
“Of course.”
“…Wrong. The villains are……”
The Poison King trailed off and slumped down lifelessly.
Hyeon-yul threw him onto the floor and violently stomped on his leg.
Craaack.
The sound of something breaking was heard.
‘Should I break the other one too?’
Hyeon-yul looked at the remaining leg, then decided against it.
Why else would shock-induced death exist?
He searched the Poison King’s pockets.
He grasped the cell phone.
With just this one item, there was so much information that could be extracted.
‘I’ll give this to Team Leader Ye Ju-hyeon separately.’
Vvvvvt.
Was it a coincidence?
A call came from someone.
Customer - 018.
<I’m here, are you ready?>
It was a woman’s voice.
Familiar.
“Ah, apologies, but the Poison King has stepped out for a moment.
Where are you now?”
<5 minutes away.
But who is our baby?
A voice I haven’t heard before, but sounds awfully familiar?>
“I will come find you directly.”
<Our Poison King’s sense has improved.
Doing things he normally wouldn’t.>
The woman laughed alone, pleased about something.
“Then I will see you shortly.”
<Alright. I’ll treat our baby nicely when he comes.>
Hyeon-yul waited for the other side to hang up first.
‘…Is this someone I’ve seen?’
He didn’t know when it was, but he thought the day might come when he’d have to be thankful for Shin Dae-ho’s habit of often introducing him to people.
Hyeon-yul took out his own cell phone.
“Mr. Team Leader.”
<Uh, what happened?>
“Something big has happened.”
<…Something big happened?
Something big? Are you hurt? Does it hurt a lot?>
“No. The Poison King’s blood also contains poison.”
<Uh…?>
“I discovered this during the suppression process and didn’t inflict further wounds, but in this situation, it’s impossible for others to move him.
I will move him myself.”
<Are you okay, Mr. Hyeon-yul? Are you completely fine? Are you really okay? Not even a little dizzy or any such symptoms?>
“None. Poison doesn’t work on me.”
<…That’s a relief. No injuries anywhere?>
He didn't know why she asked so many things.
Did she think he looked weak?
Hyeon-yul’s brow furrowed slightly.
Perhaps, befitting the reputation of the Black Eagle, her standards were high.
“None.”
He had enveloped his body in power just in case, which seemed like the right move.
Wouldn't it have been different if the Poison King hadn't used magic or psychic powers?
‘It was easy because it was poison.’
The Poison King, deprived of his weapon called poison, was nothing more than an ordinary person with slightly better endurance and strength to him.
“Mr. Team Leader. There’s one more thing I’d like to report.”
<Seems like you discovered something?>
“That’s correct. First, the children have already been moved to a safe place.
They were all just asleep from drugs, their condition was fine.”
<I heard that from Mr. Ji-hwan. We sent people over there.>
“I just spoke with the villain who came to receive the children.”
<What?>
“If the Poison King saved them under the name ‘Customer’, they might be quite a high-ranking villain.
I will make contact immediately.”
Hyeon-yul spoke naturally.
It wasn't much different from when he worked under Shin Dae-ho.
He made contact naturally, played along, and killed them.
On days when there was no target to kill, he would handle backlogged internal tasks.
It was a life where he hadn't rested even for a single day.
<Mr. Hyeon-yul.>
“Yes, Mr. Team Leader.”
<First, this is an urgent situation, right?>
“That’s correct.”
Hae-ryeon’s sigh could be faintly heard.
<Only up to making contact. Nothing more. I’ll be there soon too.>
“Yes. I’ll see you later.”
Hyeon-yul spoke politely, then waited for Hae-ryeon to hang up.
Putting away his phone, he glanced at the Poison King once.
‘Should have killed him.’
After kicking the man, Hyeon-yul covered his own eyes.
Moving his eyes through the shadow, he focused on the various cars coming towards this building.
Among the many cars, he paid attention to the most expensive one, unlike the others.
Villains cared more than expected about how they appeared to others.
As if signifying that, the Poison King was also currently in a suit.
‘That’s the car.’
Just in case, Hyeon-yul left only one hand to grip the Poison King’s neck and disappeared.
As Hyeon-yul appeared in front of the target car, the horn blared intensely.
Honk honk!
It was as if shouting he was crazy.
Hyeon-yul held out his dagger.
Darkness rising from the shadow wrapped around the dagger, becoming a long sword.
He swung his hand down from above towards the oncoming car.
A thick black trajectory rose, splitting the car in half.
Shwiiiiik.
The car, split into two halves, spread apart and moved, and someone jumped out from inside.
“Quite a rough welcoming committee, huh?”
Someone floated in mid-air.
One could think of a psychic or a magician.
Seeing the red-haired woman, Hyeon-yul recalled who that person was.
‘A magician.’
Also called the ‘Gravity Magician’ or the ‘Crimson Witch’.
But that was just externally; Shin Dae-ho called her ‘Asan’.
He couldn't tell if this was her real name or a nickname.
‘A witch…?’
Hyeon-yul looked at her, the corners of his mouth lifting.
There was an incident recently where a villain spread poison.
It was also an incident designed to look like the Poison King's doing.
‘…So, that was the witch’s doing.’
Hyeon-yul was certain.
Because he had seen Asan’s subordinate there.
“Do you know what bird I hate the most?”
Asan smiled brightly.
Hyeon-yul noted the long nails extending from her fingers.
They were very flashy, studded with numerous small jewels.
Something was emerging from there now.
“It’s the Black Eagle.”
The corners of Asan’s mouth lifted.
Following the roughly surging undulation, the power of gravity descended upon the ground where Hyeon-yul stood.
The ground collapsed and shattered.
But Hyeon-yul wasn't there.
Right next to Asan.
Her head snapped around immediately.
The smile on her face as she looked at Hyeon-yul showed nothing but arrogance.
‘She thinks I don’t have ranged attacks.’
To twist Asan’s certainty, Hyeon-yul leaped at once and grabbed her neck.
Without hesitation, he slammed her towards the ground.
But before hitting the ground, Hyeon-yul released his hand due to a force extending from below the earth.
Wouldn't his arm have broken if he hadn't let go?
Asan floated in mid-air, seemingly having used the power of gravity in reverse.
Hair fluttering, Asan laughed loudly.
“You’re fun. Really fun.”
“I’m honored.”
“So it was you.”
As soon as she heard Hyeon-yul’s voice, Asan recalled the earlier call.
What could it mean that a Black Eagle answered?
‘The Poison King has fallen!’
Only then did Asan look at Hyeon-yul.
One hand was missing.
Why would it be missing?
‘Got hit by the poison.’
It was obvious, seeing his face covered by the helmet.
This was a final desperate act.
“Is the Poison King dead? Is that it?”
Asan asked cheerfully.
The Poison King bastard was annoying, but his power was real.
He had expanded his influence haphazardly, and it couldn't be suppressed.
Because with that damn poison alone, he possessed the power to annihilate all her cute subordinates.
“Are you pleased?”
“Of course, I’m pleased.
Ah, what the heck. I’ll let you go today.”
Asan retreated further back.
Because he would die anyway.
This Eagle probably wouldn’t know what he had done until he died.
‘Eh, this is also for fun.’
Asan’s smile didn’t fade.
“You just committed something tremendous, you know.
I’m retreating while praising you for doing well, so you can be happy.”
Was she the only one unable to expand her influence because of the Poison King?
The situations of other villains were obvious too.
Since he got rid of the Poison King, what should be done?
‘I should take it.’
Asan felt like she would be dyed in ecstasy.
Shin Dae-ho is dead, and the Poison King is dead too.
This was an opportunity.
In the first place, was there even a pie to share in this narrow field?
It was right for one person to take it all.
“Is that so?”
Hyeon-yul replied nonchalantly.
Sometimes, it seemed quite ridiculous.
If they wanted to destroy the Empire so badly, they should join forces, yet she rejoiced because the Poison King died?
Because of that, those guys would likely die without ever touching even a hair of the Empire.
“Why did you need test subjects using children?”
“You saw that too? Surprised?”
“Answer.”
“Why else, isn’t it obvious?
Questions like this are so boring I feel like I’ll yawn.”
Strong power.
Power to destroy the Empire.
And fun.
Weren't there various other reasons?
“It seems you have quite the workforce for creating test subjects.”
Hyeon-yul’s voice grew heavy.
“Want to come see how many there are, Eagle?”
Asan extended her hand, the corners of her mouth lifting.
The darkly applied lipstick showed the sneer even more deeply.
“You’d make quite a good test subject……”
Before Asan could finish her sentence, Hyeon-yul’s hand disappeared.
He quietly appeared behind Asan and stabbed her.
As intense pain surged from her back, Asan’s head snapped around.
He didn't know when, but the dagger was embedded quite deeply.
“…Ha. Ha!”
The moment Asan’s head turned forward, she met the helmet.
It was too close.
The dagger’s edge pressed fiercely, but Asan smiled.
Craaaaash!
Hyeon-yul’s body collapsed under the strong force pulling downwards.
Feeling the sharp sensation scraping his skin, Hyeon-yul retreated backward.
Part of the dagger had shattered into powder.
“Quite skilled, huh?”
“This is company property.”
Hyeon-yul showed displeasure.
“Was it? Should I buy you one? I can buy you snacks too.”
Just as a clear sneer touched Asan’s lips, Hyeon-yul’s hand appeared in front of her.
Asan’s finger moved downwards.
Kuuung!
The power of gravity activated, and Hyeon-yul’s arm dropped down, following the heavy force.
“Tone down the killing intent a bit. It’s obvious.”
“Are you flustered?”
Hyeon-yul stepped back, moving his arm behind his back as if hiding it.
“Me?”
“You’re sweating.”
Hyeon-yul let out a laugh.
Knowing it was a provocation, Asan’s head grew hot.
If he had been a step slower, his neck would have been pierced.
It was true he was abnormally fast.
‘Still, I’m stronger.’
Just as Asan’s eyes narrowed, Hyeon-yul moved.
Despite clearly being bent, his arm suddenly extended.
Like a snake.
Asan retreated, unleashing an even greater gravity than before.
Kuuuuung!
The intent to crush was embedded, but Hyeon-yul disappeared.
There was no sound.
It was quiet.
He felt a chill lingering around his neck.
Before Hyeon-yul’s dagger could reach Asan’s neck, she caught it with magic.
Grab.
‘Caught him.’
She thrust her fist towards Hyeon-yul.
Enough gravity to crush his face accompanied it.
Whooosh!
Along with the rough wind, black smoke remained in that spot.
“……?”
“I will take the dagger.”
The voice came from behind.
Hyeon-yul calmly pulled the sword from Asan’s back.
As pain surged, Asan’s face crumpled deeply.
“…This bastard!”
“I told you it was company property.”
Hyeon-yul said nonchalantly.
Since she didn't use poison like the Poison King, he considered taking a few more fingers.
‘No.’
Hyeon-yul changed his mind.
He couldn't kill her.
Hae-ryeon had only permitted making contact.
He couldn't violate that further, and for now, he also wanted Asan alive.
He retreated.
“……Hahahaha!”
Asan laughed loudly.
She was tricked.
Beautifully tricked.
Following her laughter, everything around—cars, streetlights, roads—collapsed under the force of gravity.
That force reached Hyeon-yul too, but he retreated far away and avoided it.
Seeing his bent arm throbbing, taking it head-on would have been truly dangerous.
‘So this is a big shot.’
It was different.
“If you survive, I will definitely find you.”
Asan retreated backward in mid-air, glaring fiercely at Hyeon-yul.
“Yes. If I survive, I will see you again.”
Hyeon-yul bowed his head slightly.
Personally, he definitely needed to hear the information related to test subjects.
Killing her afterward was the right thing to do.
‘Ah.’
Click.
Hyeon-yul took a photo of Asan’s afterimage, then continued taking pictures of the damage situation.
For reporting purposes.
‘This is done.’
Hyeon-yul approached Asan’s subordinate, who was crawling away.
How urgent must it have been to forget to kill this guy?
Hyeon-yul briefly smiled, then kicked the man’s abdomen.
“……Keoheok.”
Seeing the man clutch his stomach and tremble violently, Hyeon-yul looked down.
If he saw his own state just now, that mouth would likely spill quite a bit.
“You guys, where did you come from?”
Tremble tremble tremble.
As if there was an earthquake, the man trembled.
Hyeon-yul grabbed the man’s hair and forced his head to turn towards the butchered corpses of his comrades.
“Just speak without trembling. I need to get off work too, so I can’t give you much time.”
“……?”
Hyeon-yul turned his eyes at the quiet situation.
While putting the Poison King into the specially treated protective gear, one person suddenly died.
“I didn’t do anything.”
Hyeon-yul, watching from afar, raised both hands.
Worried about being misunderstood again, he spoke first.
“I know, you can put your hands down.”
Hae-ryeon approached and examined the dead manager.
Removing the protective gear revealed skin stained a deep purple.
“The protective gear wasn’t checked properly.”
At Hae-ryeon’s words, the remaining manager hurriedly checked his gear.
She narrowed her eyes.
One of the poison-filtering meshes had stopped working.
It was made of multiple meshes for safety, but to die just because one failed.
To think the Poison King’s poison was this strong.
“Are you okay, Mr. Team Leader?”
Hyeon-yul asked towards the unprotected Hae-ryeon.
“I have strong poison resistance too.
I also took an antidote just in case.”
How could an alchemist be affected by poison?
Hae-ryeon looked at the remaining manager.
He was trembling.
“This won’t do.”
Hae-ryeon looked at Hyeon-yul.
At the strange gaze, Hyeon-yul sighed first.
“The two of us will have to move the Poison King.
It seems difficult to trust the protective gear.”
There might be more casualties.
“I will contact the tech team separately, please handle the funeral arrangements for this person.”
Hae-ryeon gave instructions to the manager.
She needed to relay that the protective gear needed re-evaluation.
“…Yes, thank you.”
The managers lifted their colleague and hurriedly disappeared from the spot.
“Mr. Hyeon-yul, I’ll drive.
You went through too much today, right?”
Hae-ryeon finally smiled brightly.
They caught the Poison King.
That Poison King.
She herself was so happy, it was hard to hold back her laughter.
“I will drive.”
“No. It’s fine. Get in the car first and rest a bit.”
“……”
Hyeon-yul’s face turned serious.
Rest.
‘Did I do something wrong…?’
“Aah, are you worried I can’t move the Poison King alone?”
Hae-ryeon glanced at the Poison King, then lifted him demonstratively.
“Mr. Hyeon-yul. I’m still the team leader.
Having eaten this and that, should I say I’m always in a doped state?
I can lift you too from here, Mr. Hyeon-yul? Shall I?”
Hyeon-yul immediately shook his head left and right, then asked.
“…What did you eat?”
“Something I made……”
Hae-ryeon started to say the word ‘potion’ but stopped.
She didn't know how others might hear it, but it probably wouldn't sound positive to Hyeon-yul.
“Something delicious.”
Hae-ryeon grinned.
As Hyeon-yul’s eyes narrowed at the evasive answer, Hae-ryeon urged him.
“Come on, let’s go.”
They loaded the Poison King and got into the car.
Hae-ryeon tried to quickly get into the driver's seat, but Hyeon-yul was already there.
“I will drive.”
“What if I don’t want you to?”
When Hae-ryeon tentatively tested him, Hyeon-yul’s eyes wandered as if experiencing an error.
It felt like something might burst with a 'pop' any second.
She meant to tease him, but instead, Hae-ryeon was flustered.
“Alright, alright. It was a joke.
Let’s see how well you drive, Mr. Hyeon-yul.”
“You don’t need to worry, I have an accident-free record.”
Hearing the words laced with subtle pride, Hae-ryeon turned her head and let out a ‘Pfft’ laugh.
Worried Hyeon-yul might misunderstand again, she suppressed her laughter, got into the passenger seat, and fastened her seatbelt.
“But Mr. Hyeon-yul.”
“Yes.”
“Am I strange? Why do villains get drawn to me so easily? Was it similar in the past too?”
“It was similar.”
Hyeon-yul didn’t think it particularly special.
Villains always swarmed, and he always killed his way up.
“You must have suffered… so much, Mr. Hyeon-yul.”
The corners of Hae-ryeon’s eyes drooped slightly.
“That was fine. What’s agonizing is not even being able to go home due to overtime piling up.”
Hyeon-yul ground his teeth just thinking about it now.
He gripped the steering wheel tightly without meaning to.
“Just drop the Poison King off at the Nest, then head home.”
“Understood.”
At the word ‘home’, Hyeon-yul’s face brightened.
As if nothing had happened, it seemed he might break into a bright smile any moment.
“Ah, Mr. Ji-hwan already left work.”
“……Ah. He should leave work. The job is done, isn't it?”
For a very brief moment, Hyeon-yul looked behind him.
That Poison King bastard, should have killed him.
‘…The killing intent is palpable.’
Hae-ryeon pretended not to notice and turned her head.
If it had been directed at her, it would have stung quite a bit.
“Mr. Team Leader.”
“Yes?”
“…The festival, will it proceed as planned?”
“We caught the Poison King, so it should proceed as scheduled.”
Hae-ryeon wanted to ask more, but held back firmly.
‘What? He liked festivals?’
She thought she absolutely had to give him paid leave that day.
They caught the Poison King, what could be difficult about that?
She smiled for no reason.
The entrance light turned on, and Hyeon-yul entered his home.
‘Visit the doctor tomorrow.’
His arm was twisted by gravity.
It didn’t hurt, but he couldn’t be sure.
Hyeon-yul collapsed onto the bed as if falling and examined the book he bought on the way.
「How to Enjoy the Festival」
—I want to see the fireworks at the festival!
Se-rin’s bright voice lingered in his ears.
A promise was a promise.
‘…What’s fun about watching with me.’
She was a very strange child.
‘Report about Asan tomorrow.’
He forgot, being preoccupied with getting off work.
Hyeon-yul opened the book.
Because it was after work now.
Rustle.
He turned the page.