Chapter 31: Street Casting (1)
Hyeon-yul didn’t move rashly.
It was a power he had never seen before, and at the same time, it felt ominous.
‘What kind of power is that?’
Should I call it magic?
The man who had moved beyond the portal pulled the portal wide open from both sides as if closing a door, then stopped.
Only the lower half of his face was visible.
Suddenly, he smiled faintly.
“What was that? Turns out there was a rat?”
At the man’s words, Hyeon-yul couldn’t suppress a reflexive smile.
‘He noticed me?’
How long had it been since he had such an interesting moment?
His very existence had blurred like a shadow due to all sorts of experiments.
“Ah, it was just about to be completed, and now it’s become such a mess. What a shame. I put a lot of effort into it.”
With a sigh, the man shook his head.
“Are you the owner of this place?”
“Can’t you tell just by looking?”
Villain A.
That was that guy.
“Minions wouldn’t possess this kind of power. It would be nice if they did, though. It would help in destroying the Empire.”
The man spoke and then laughed loudly.
Hyeon-yul wasn’t particularly surprised, knowing the deep resentment villains held against the Empire.
“Did you come here to destroy this place?”
“Yes. Just to make you feel a little bitter.”
“Oh dear, you came in vain. Even if you destroy this place, I won’t bat an eye. I have a lot of money. I can make more of these anytime.”
The man laughed.
His eyes were practically brimming with self-confidence.
“It’s fine. Situations tend to collapse like dominoes. You might think it’s just one time, but the ripples caused by that one time will be quite deep.”
Hyeon-yul assessed the angle.
That power.
A person whose senses were developed enough to notice his movements.
Who on earth could it be?
“It’d be better not to.”
The man said.
“Is that so?”
Hyeon-yul took a deep breath and took one step forward.
What kind of conversation was needed between him and that guy?
All that was needed was the guy's death.
However, Hyeon-yul didn’t take the next step.
He met countless eyes that appeared in the empty air with a strange sound.
Their sizes and shapes varied, and strange patterns were drawn on each numerous eye centered around the portal.
He realized that each held a different power.
“I warned you. That it would be better not to.”
At the man’s words, Hyeon-yul laughed.
What should he call this?
Should he call it a barrier?
‘So what if it is.’
What Hyeon-yul wanted was the guy's neck.
Now that he recognized what kind of power it was, all that remained was to break through it.
He became darkness and moved forward, and just as he was about to plunge his dagger into the guy's neck, a door suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Was it an illusion?
That thought lingered only for a moment; Hyeon-yul wrapped darkness around his dagger.
Without hesitation, he struck down.
Kuuuung!
The sensation of that door splitting in two was vivid.
‘It’s not an illusion.’
The guy was beyond it.
Hyeon-yul smiled.
Taking a step forward, he reached out his hand.
Drrrrrrrrr.
Following the sharp sound that seemed to cut through the air, the darkness wrapped around Hyeon-yul’s arm spread out like thorny wings.
Kwaaaaaang.
Whatever power lay behind it, the long-extended darkness pierced through the power beyond the door the guy had created.
The sounds of shattering and breaking followed in succession.
Dozens of eyes closed at once.
Hyeon-yul looked ahead.
He had certainly been close to the guy, but his position had become quite distant.
‘Interesting.’
Hyeon-yul didn’t care whether he was caught in an illusion, or magic, or whatever it was.
Wasn't this a world where all sorts of powers gathered?
He became darkness again and pierced through that distance.
With about three steps of distance remaining, Hyeon-yul felt an intangible power.
Whatever it was, the darkness spread in all directions lunged like countless snakes and bit into that power.
Crash.
He heard something shattering.
The guy was there amidst the fragments scattered like pieces of a broken mirror.
“…Wow, you’re ridiculously strong. You broke this?”
Pure admiration flowed from the guy's mouth.
He was genuinely surprised.
“Honestly, I want to see more of you, but I don’t have time. Let’s meet next time.”
The guy waved leisurely and narrowed the portal.
Just before it narrowed and disappeared in an instant, Hyeon-yul closed the distance and managed to thrust his dagger into the tiny gap.
But it didn't reach.
He couldn’t feel any sensation.
“Yes. Let’s meet next time.”
He felt his blood boil for the first time in a long while.
No matter what anyone said, that neck was his.
Hoo.
Hyeon-yul let out a long breath and took off his helmet.
A vivid light, as if ready to burst into flames at any moment, shimmered in Hyeon-yul’s eyes.
‘…That voice is familiar.’
Had he met him before?
Even if he had, he couldn't remember.
His memories had all been wiped away by the drugs poured into him during all sorts of experiments.
‘Who is it?’
***
“…One person died.”
As soon as Hae-ryeon heard Team 1 Leader Ha Dong-woo's statement, she almost spat out the coffee she was holding in her mouth.
‘Died? What is this about, starting the morning meeting like this?’
“Who died?”
Ju-hyeon asked, her thumb restlessly fiddling with her phone.
“You missed the subject, Team Leader Dong-woo.”
Her head was aching from digging up various pieces of information lately.
She had wondered what could be different about the Poison King's phone, but it was different.
It had security magic cast on it.
What on earth was hidden inside that required such tight security?
Ju-hyeon’s eyes narrowed.
“The mole we apprehended, the Black… Eagle, I mean.”
Dong-woo stuttered as he continued.
“I wondered why you seemed intimidated from the start of the meeting, were you hiding something this big?”
Ju-hyeon put down her phone.
The sound seemed louder than expected.
It was Dong-woo who had been assigned to monitor the moles.
Had they not given him the list of moles? They had even temporarily detained the moles.
“You know we’re having a headache because of the moles right now, don’t you? Surely you didn't know that even the Team 5 leader was a mole?”
Ju-hyeon rested her chin on the back of her hand and smiled.
The star pattern engraved on her face rose along with it.
“Why would you hide such an important matter?”
“I-I didn’t hide it.”
“Dong-woo. You better choose your words carefully.”
Do-jin looked at Dong-woo.
The reason Dong-woo was put in charge of surveillance this time was simple.
He possessed powers related to the mind.
With that power, he could prevent them from escaping.
Along with Do-jin’s warning, the gazes of the other team leaders poured onto him.
“Now, let’s not pressure him too much. Team Leader Dong-woo wouldn’t have hidden it without a reason.”
Hae-ryeon smiled and naturally mediated.
They had compared the mole information Hyeon-yul found with the information they themselves had gathered and apprehended them all.
Nevertheless, their gazes towards each other were sharp.
An additional mole.
As long as that possibility existed, this anxiety would continue.
“Did something happen?”
Hae-ryeon asked slowly.
“While monitoring the moles, I was searching inside the Nest thinking there might be additional moles. It seems… this happened while I was away.”
“What about the CCTV?”
As Hae-ryeon’s question followed, Dong-woo broke out in a cold sweat.
“When I checked, it was dead. Our people were unconscious too. Among the several moles we apprehended, only one died. …This couldn’t have happened unless it was planned, could it?”
He knew he could be suspected in some way under these circumstances.
“You could have just told me.”
Ju-hyeon narrowed her eyes.
He couldn’t possibly not know that she could interfere with and control electronic devices.
“I know. I know, but… To be honest, it was because of the anxiety that there might be additional moles. I am truly sorry.”
Dong-woo stood up and bowed his head.
“Team Leader Dong-woo, you brought the CCTV footage, right?”
When Ju-hyeon held out her hand, Dong-woo quickly handed it over.
“Let’s not suspect each other until it’s confirmed. Pointing knives at each other without reason is what the enemies want, isn’t it?”
Ju-hyeon, CCTV in hand, looked at the other team leaders.
Everyone agreed with her words in their own way.
In times like these, they needed to stick together.
“Team Leader Hae-ryeon.”
The Team 4 leader spoke up.
“Yes.”
“Please convey my thanks to the newbie.”
“……”
Hae-ryeon was startled.
Although he was neutral, he hadn't viewed Hyeon-yul favorably.
“He has made a great contribution. If we hadn’t known this fact, the Black Eagle would have fallen with its feathers plucked.”
The most frightening thing wasn’t the external enemy, but when an ally from within became the enemy.
That was also the moment when any organization could collapse significantly.
“I will.”
Hae-ryeon smiled pleasantly.
Regardless of the current situation, Hyeon-yul’s contribution was significant.
Knock, knock, knock!
Urgent knocking sounded.
“Something terrible has happened!”
The Manager entered.
“What is it?”
Do-jin asked.
“The secret base… has vanished.”
“Vanished?”
Hae-ryeon found the words hard to understand.
“The entire base… has disappeared.”
At those words, Hae-ryeon felt her heart pound anxiously for some reason.
Coincidentally, they had just been about to discuss how to eliminate the secret base today.
The timing was good.
Knock, knock, knock.
At the sound of knocking again, Hae-ryeon narrowed her eyes.
‘…What now?’
Everyone else reacted the same way as Hae-ryeon.
The person who entered was a Team 7 Black Eagle member from Ju-hyeon's team.
“The requested new weapon was not found inside the Nest.”
“…What?”
Ju-hyeon reacted.
As a result of interrogating Kim Nam-hoon, it was revealed that a new weapon had been planted inside, and a search operation had begun.
Unable to entrust it to the Manager, the Black Eagle had unilaterally searched with several teams.
But now it was gone.
‘Was the interrogation wrong? Does Kim Nam-hoon misunderstand something?’
Hae-ryeon watched Ju-hyeon’s expression filled with confusion and fiddled with the corner of her mouth.
‘The secret base disappeared, and the new weapon Kim Nam-hoon revealed also disappeared just in time?’
There was no such coincidence.
‘What on earth is happening?’
***
Hyeon-yul sat bolt upright for his back health and knitted.
Lately, he was knitting hats for newborns.
He thought it wasn't bad to do some light volunteering while he was at it.
It wasn't like he was doing it as a so-called indulgence.
He had somehow started knitting, and had merely heard about such things during the learning process.
He didn't have space to keep them at home anyway.
He had made numerous items like hats, vests, socks, scarves, gloves, etc., and sent them to the orphanage.
His skills weren't bad, as he had even received a letter saying that children fought over the items he made.
‘What should I do with that?’
Hyeon-yul took the new weapon out of the shadow.
He had brought it just in case, but he couldn't examine it here.
If it exploded accidentally, everyone in the vicinity would die.
‘…Ah, I dropped a stitch.’
A stitch had slipped off.
This often happened when he got lost in thought while knitting.
Hyeon-yul briefly put it down and looked around the house.
—Still, it’s a relief you’re willing to move. I was thinking of applying for housing cost support.
Hae-ryeon’s words suddenly came to mind.
To think he could move house.
‘…I really had a lot of stuff at home.’
It was a realization that struck him anew.
As soon as he saw the debt piled up because of his illness, he thought he would never be able to escape this place.
‘No. I can escape.’
If he crossed the minimum line he had set for himself, he could probably pay it off within a few years.
‘Still, I don’t want to become a monster.’
He was already a monster, but he didn't want his heart to become a true monster as well.
His true self probably wouldn't want that.
What kind of person was his original self?
What kind of person did his original self wish to be?
‘…Here we go again.’
When these stray thoughts increased, something hot surged up to his throat.
Hyeon-yul got up from his seat and rummaged through his medicine packet.
When thoughts multiplied, auditory hallucinations began, and when auditory hallucinations began, the pain engraved on his body awakened.
All of this was an aftereffect.
After swallowing the medicine with water, he let out a short breath.
‘…I want to raise a turtle.’
Maybe it would be okay in the new house.
Turtles were said to be long-living animals.
‘Do they live for about, 20, 30 years?’
Getting shots, taking medicine, doing as Jeong-min said, maybe he could live that long.
He had already lived 14 years longer.
‘I’ve lived a long time.’
Jiiiiing.
His phone vibrated.
Hyeon-yul walked over and picked up his phone.
「Movie booked.」
It was an alarm he had set beforehand in case he forgot while spacing out and knitting.
‘It’s time to go see the movie.’
Hyeon-yul smiled.
To think a moment of such enjoyment would come to a life that had known only overtime work.
He was happy.
***
“……”
Shin-woo froze, holding popcorn and a soda.
“Hello.”
Hyeon-yul greeted him casually.
“……?”
Shin-woo remained stopped.
He hadn't realized because of the cap pulled low, but it was Hyeon-yul.
To think he would meet Hyeon-yul here.
But perhaps he was the only one flustered, as Hyeon-yul’s expression didn’t change.
“Well then, enjoy the movie.”
Hyeon-yul bowed his head lightly and headed towards the concession stand.
“Wait a minute.”
Shin-woo quickly called out to Hyeon-yul.
“Yes.”
Hyeon-yul looked at Shin-woo.
“You like watching movies alone too?”
Only then did Shin-woo smile brightly.
“Yes, I like it.”
“This is also a commemoration, I’ll buy you popcorn.”
“You don’t have to do that. I have money too. And……”
Hyeon-yul trailed off, hesitating.
He still hadn't repaid him for the various things he bought last time.
“…Never mind.”
“Hey, don’t refuse. What’s the big deal about a hyung buying his dongsaeng some popcorn?”
Shin-woo was smiling with a kind face, but it didn't look that way to Hyeon-yul.
He was like a leech.
‘If I refuse, he’ll keep mentioning it, right? Should I have pretended not to know him?’
Hyeon-yul regretted it and reluctantly nodded.
“Buy anything. Anything.”
Shin-woo pointed at the kiosk.
Hyeon-yul stood in front of the kiosk and pressed the buttons for popcorn (R) and a drink.
“Is that all you’re buying?”
At Shin-woo’s words, he changed the popcorn (R) to popcorn (L).
“Hyeon-yul, hyung’s wallet is thick.”
Hearing that again, Hyeon-yul seriously pondered.
This should be enough, what more could he want?
“This is enough.”
“Hyeon-yul.”
Was this a new kind of harassment?
If not, was he trying to boast about how much money he had?
Hyeon-yul added cheese balls and buttered squid, then looked at Shin-woo.
Only then did he wear a satisfied expression.
“You can press more.”
“This is enough. Really enough.”
Hyeon-yul just wanted to watch the movie, that was all.
“Alright.”
Shin-woo paid and grinned at Hyeon-yul.
“Eat well, and enjoy the movie.”
He had been enjoying himself in the middle, but any more and Hyeon-yul looked like he was about to glare at him.
“Yes.”
After hearing the reply, Shin-woo moved.
He checked the movie time and was about to move but briefly scanned the surroundings.
He heard sounds of joyful laughter and people chatting with each other.
There seemed to be exceptionally more people today.
Who would know if a villain was mixed in among them?
Suddenly, he remembered the person brutally murdered during a mission.
Thump. Thump.
His heart pounded anxiously.
If biochemical substances were released here, all those smiles would disappear.
If someone started firing a gun, wouldn't it all become a sea of blood?
‘…Please.’
Shin-woo moved his feet heavily.
‘Please, let there be no villains here.’
Shin-woo prayed as he walked towards the movie theater.
The thought of those guys, who only schemed to kill people, leisurely coming to watch a movie made his stomach churn.
***
“…Excuse me. Coming through.”
Shin-woo held his coke and soda slightly high and walked sideways like a crab.
‘Number 9. Number 9.’
He checked the number and sat down.
Shin-woo sipped his soda and stared blankly at the commercials.
Perhaps because he couldn't save someone during the mission, all sorts of thoughts were coming to him.
‘I should mention this at the next counseling session.’
“Excuse me.”
Hearing the familiar voice, he looked up and saw Hyeon-yul.
“…Cough, cough!”
Only then did Hyeon-yul look at Shin-woo and freeze.
Not only was it the same movie, but they were in adjacent seats.
“Is this… here?”
“Looks like it.”
Shin-woo coughed, dimmed the light on his phone, and showed his ticket.
Number 9.
As soon as Hyeon-yul saw the number, he sighed and sat down next to him.
Seeing his dislike, Shin-woo chuckled quietly.
‘…Ah, I don’t know why Hyeon-yul seems so familiar.’
Come to think of it, it had been like that from the beginning.
Shin-woo faced forward and smiled silently.
“Have some.”
When Hyeon-yul spoke with a frown, Shin-woo shook his head.
“You eat it all.”
He bought it for him, so how could he take it back and eat it?
The lights dimmed, and the movie began.