Chapter 67: Additional Pay (2)
“…Is that possible?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? We have power, information networks, manpower… well, maybe not manpower, but anyway, we have the foundation to pursue if we want to.”
Ah.
Only then did I realize something I had forgotten.
They were Black Eagles.
Black Eagles overtly backed by the Taisen Empire.
Pursuing it truly didn't seem impossible.
However, one thing bothered me.
‘……Can I trust them?’
I sharpened my guard on that point.
It was hard to believe.
Weren't they people who would turn away anytime if they knew my true nature?
“Besides, I agree with your opinion, Hyeon-yul. That drug……. It was truly, dreadful.”
“Did you see it?”
At my question, Na-yoon let out a long sigh and nodded.
“Is that why you made me get in the car?”
“…That’s right. I didn’t want you to see it.”
“I’m fine. I’ve seen a lot.”
“Hyeon-yul, you say you’re fine, but I think that’s something you can’t just say is fine. Not just me, anyone would think so.”
They conducted drug experiments in the basement.
It was truly, dreadful.
There was nothing else I could say.
The stairs were already a sea of blood, filled with rotting corpses that hadn't even been properly disposed of.
Among those rotting corpses were people injected with drugs, breathing like corpses.
Having seen that, how could I bring Hyeon-yul?
I knew he would definitely say he was fine, but still, I couldn’t take him.
A very slight frown formed between Hyeon-yul’s brows.
I didn’t know at first, but now I knew that expression appeared when he couldn’t understand something.
“I’m saying this because I’m worried about you, Hyeon-yul. I don’t want you to suffer.”
Na-yoon spoke more bluntly, but Hyeon-yul’s expression didn’t change.
“Teacher Jeong-min would have said the same thing as me.”
Only when Jeong-min was mentioned did Hyeon-yul finally nod.
‘Is Teacher Jeong-min like a god to Hyeon-yul?’
Na-yoon smiled.
“You can show me next time. I’m really fine. I don’t want to be excluded from missions like this.”
‘…It’s not mission exclusion, though.’
Na-yoon couldn't bring herself to say the words lingering in her mouth.
The moment she said something, she felt like she would get angry.
Knowing it wasn't anger towards Hyeon-yul, she held it back.
“Wait, I’ll contact the Team Leader and come back.”
“Understood.”
Hearing his answer, Na-yoon turned away.
Hyeon-yul was an Experiment Subject.
He was a victim of that dreadful situation she had seen, that all Black Eagles had seen.
Anger surged towards the villain who had turned a perfectly fine person into that, and at the same time, her eyes stung.
Was this personal guilt?
Or was it a sense of obligation for failing to save him as a Black Eagle?
Whatever it was, Na-yoon took a deep breath, realizing she accepted Hyeon-yul as a team member.
‘I’ll protect Hyeon-yul.’
Whether Hyeon-yul intended it or not, he had protected them.
If so, it was only natural that they should protect Hyeon-yul.
‘Everyone must be thinking the same way.’
Na-yoon trusted her team members.
Kwaang!
Someone slammed their fist down.
Even if the current situation was bad, it was really bad.
“Didn’t they say the Poison King was caught?”
“……Yes. I definitely heard so.”
“Then why is the Poison King’s faction still alive and kicking? Shit, do you know how many of our businesses have been wiped out?”
The Poison King, who occupied the area near the capital region, had disappeared.
I felt a thrill when I heard this.
Was it just us?
No.
All villains, big or small, who had formed factions must have felt the same.
One had to go in quickly to grab whatever spoils there were.
I rushed in, only to not only get beaten up quickly but also witness our influence being snatched away; I couldn’t possibly endure this without getting angry.
The man stood up from his seat, approached his subordinate, and slapped him across the face.
“Speak, you bastard!”
The moment he flicked his finger, the tie the subordinate was wearing tightened around his neck.
“……S-Sor, keoheok, sorry.”
“If that bastard Poison King was caught by those damn Eagles, then who is leading that faction?!”
The man raised his voice.
It was full of things I couldn't understand.
Who would dare lead the Poison King's faction?
I had no idea how much guts that bastard had.
“…D-Don’t know.”
“What did you say?”
“They… keoheok, call themselves… Rabbit Mask.”
“What? Rabbit what?”
The man narrowed his eyes, released the force choking his subordinate, and looked at him.
One of the man’s eyes was covered with an eyepatch.
“…Cough, cough.”
“Speak.”
The man grabbed his subordinate's hair.
“R-Rabbit Mask!”
“Rabbit Mask?”
Puhahahahaht.
The man burst out laughing.
“This is driving me crazy, really.”
“Hahaha… ha.”
The subordinate also burst out laughing along with him, and the other subordinates standing like dolls in the room laughed as well.
“……Hey.”
Just then, a chilling voice rang out.
Gulp.
The subordinate swallowed dryly and looked at the man.
The moment he faced that coldly smiling face, something pierced his ears.
Unable to even make a sound, the subordinate collapsed, blood streaming from both sides of his head.
“Find out properly who took the Poison King’s place.”
After giving the order, the man returned to his seat.
Some of the subordinates dragged the corpse away as if accustomed to it.
Because if they didn’t find out properly, they would be the ones to die.
The bloodstain elongated.
“…How did the mission end in just one day? Do you know how surprised I was when I heard the news yesterday?”
Jeong-min looked at Hyeon-yul, who was lying down, with fascination.
I had been praying the whole time because they said it would be 5 days, but when he appeared like a surprise gift like this, my laughter wouldn't stop.
“It was just a coincidence.”
“Feels good, right?”
“It’s good.”
“If it’s that good, how did you endure it when you were over there?”
“At that time, I thought I had to endure it. If I didn’t endure, I would have no choice but to die, wouldn't I?”
I had no money for treatment immediately.
That place was the only one that paid enough to cover it.
“That’s right.”
Jeong-min was speechless for a moment, then naturally changed the subject.
“I think about this every day lately, it would have been great if the Black Eagle’s job posting had come out earlier. I’m so comfortable now after leaving that wretched hospital, so how good must it be for you too?”
Jeong-min looked like he could break into a shoulder dance any second.
“I checked several times to see if I had missed it, but it turned out I hadn’t seen it.”
“Not that you worried about whether you could go or not?”
“I didn’t worry much about joining the Black Eagle. What I did contemplate rather deeply was the part about meeting the conditions. Thanks to Shin Dae-ho, the conditions were met very easily.”
I recalled the look in Shin Dae-ho’s eyes when he met his end.
After being surprised, he seemed to smile faintly.
Why did he smile?
“You’re doing well now, right?”
Jeong-min pushed up his glasses and narrowed his eyes.
I'm doing well.
It's bearable.
I decided not to be fooled anymore by Hyeon-yul’s words like these.
“Yes.”
“Really? You lied last time too.”
―I haven’t done anything that betrays the teachings you taught me, Teacher.
The words that always followed I’m okay were those.
“Last time, and this time too, I haven’t done anything that betrays the teachings you taught me, Teacher.”
It didn’t deviate from my expectations.
Hyeon-yul mentioned those words again.
“Not that.”
“I am doing well.”
“Not that, Hyeon-yul.”
At Jeong-min’s continued words, Hyeon-yul gently closed and then opened his eyes.
Jeong-min was wary, wondering if the same words would pop out again.
“It’s strange.”
“…Strange?”
“Yes. It’s strange. Yesterday, too, they excluded me from the mission, telling me to get in the car because it was cold, but I didn’t feel that bad about it. However, the part about potentially being excluded anytime wasn’t good. As you know, Teacher, the cold is nothing to me….”
Hyeon-yul stopped before he could finish his words.
Jeong-min was smiling.
“Why are you smiling? Are my words funny? What part is funny?”
Hyeon-yul sat up and asked.
Had the results of my efforts appeared?
“……Hyeon-yul. Honestly, let’s have some conscience. Your speaking skills, frankly, aren't that good, are they?”
“…That, I am working on.”
Hyeon-yul lay back down, his face contorting.
“I know, I know you’re trying hard.”
“What was funny?”
“Just thought, ‘Ah, he’s doing well.’”
Jeong-min chuckled.
I had seen the team members with my own eyes and seen how they treated Hyeon-yul, but hearing it directly from Hyeon-yul finally put my mind at ease.
“I kept saying it with that meaning. Did I say something strange?”
“No. You spoke well. It’s just that you’re so good at lying that I suspected you.”
“……I only did it a little.”
Hyeon-yul thought about it this way and that, then simply turned his head away.
There was nothing more I could say.
Puhat.
Jeong-min burst out laughing.
“…What. Hyeon-yul, you came out too?”
Shin-woo was startled the moment Hyeon-yul entered the room.
Hyeon-yul, who seemed like he would never come, had come.
“Yes. I need to earn money.”
Hyeon-yul replied calmly and sat down.
“That’s true. When else would we get a double pay event?”
Shin-woo nodded as if he understood.
Would anyone dislike money?
“And let me tell you discreetly, work is a bit simpler around this time.”
Shin-woo lowered his voice.
Hae-ryeon hadn't arrived yet, but this was something that needed to be said carefully.
“Everyone will probably come, right?”
As the door burst open, Shin-woo immediately pulled his body towards the chair and pressed his lips shut.
He might get scolded if Hae-ryeon found out.
“Baek Shin-woo. I can hear your voice all the way outside.”
Na-yoon came in holding a paper bag containing coffee and dessert.
“Stop talking nonsense, what’s that?”
Shin-woo said indifferently and shifted his gaze towards the paper bag.
“I met the Team Leader on the way, she said to eat while we wait.”
Hyeon-yul, who had stood up reflexively, received the items while Na-yoon was speaking.
Having inadvertently handed everything over, she looked at Hyeon-yul with an expression that seemed to ask what he was doing.
Hyeon-yul expertly placed the coffee and dessert.
After neatly arranging them, he returned to his seat.
‘……Fast.’
Shin-woo and Na-yoon thought simultaneously.
How should we say this.
Let’s not say anything.
Na-yoon and Shin-woo exchanged glances, then Shin-woo calmly asked.
“What kind of mission do you think will come down?”
“It seemed like a support mission. That’s why she gave us this. Like, eat while waiting, and if a support mission comes in, rush out quickly.”
Na-yoon was answering when she looked at Hyeon-yul and asked directly.
“Is there anything you’re curious about? …Ah, you went last time, right? The magic bomb disposal support.”
“Yes. I went.”
“Magic bombs, aren't those difficult?”
“You need to know how to read magic formulas. Then, you meet the conditions to disarm them.”
Hyeon-yul stopped talking and looked towards the door.
“That’s where it gets difficult, isn't it.”
Ji-hwan quickly ran over and sat down.
Seeing the food, he asked happily.
“Did the Team Leader buy this?”
“That’s right. She said to eat while waiting. Ji-hwan, how difficult is that?”
Na-yoon answered while showing her curiosity.
I didn’t usually think about it, but I became curious because there was someone on the team who could dispose of bombs.
“There are very few magicians who can disarm magic bombs, right? You can see it as being connected to that reason.”
“……No wonder.”
Na-yoon nodded as if she finally understood something.
“What’s wrong? Did you hear something on the way?”
Shin-woo, who was drinking coffee, subtly asked upon seeing Na-yoon’s expression.
“I did. Guess what, the Bomb Disposal Team apparently wants our Hyeon-yul that much. They said they’re going to make a proposal to the Team Leader soon?”
“……Ha.”
A sigh was heard.
It wasn’t Hae-ryeon.
At the completely different voice, everyone in Team 3 looked towards the door.
It was Team 2 Leader Yang Do-jin.
Yang Do-jin looked at Hyeon-yul.
“I didn’t know another competitor would emerge.”
“Team Leader Do-jin. You still haven’t given up on Hyeon-yul?”
As Na-yoon asked with narrowed eyes, Yang Do-jin cleared his throat.
He subtly showed the ‘knitting’ yarn and spoke.
When Hyeon-yul reacted, Yang Do-jin put the knitting yarn away and confidently opened his mouth.
“I came to request support.”
“For Hyeon-yul?”
Na-yoon stared more intently, and Yang Do-jin approached.
“We have a mission, and I thought you were perfect for it. Will you go?”
“Is this something our Team Leader also permitted?”
Shin-woo asked warily.
It was quite rare for a Team Leader to come and request like this.
Did it really have to be this way?
From their perspective, Yang Do-jin looked like a mean Team Leader trying to snatch their precious newbie.
“Of course.”
“Just a moment, Team Leader.”
Ji-hwan spoke urgently.
When Yang Do-jin looked at him, Ji-hwan pointed at the dessert.
“Hyung, can we just eat dessert and then go? You do missions better with a full stomach.”
“…That much is fine.”
When Yang Do-jin looked at Hyeon-yul, Hyeon-yul had a surprised look in his eyes.
I didn't really need to eat dessert.
‘……Why, do I have to eat it?’
Rather, I felt doubtful.
But no answer came.
Everyone seemed to want it.
I picked up the fork heavily.
Eating first was important.
‘Let’s eat.’
“I apologize if it was sudden.”
Yang Do-jin continued speaking while showing the knitting yarn.
“It’s alright.”
“I heard you’re knowledgeable about drugs.”
“I don’t know about knowledgeable. I know a few things.”
“I know you identified several companies suspected of being villain organizations. I heard you estimated based on their logos or emblems, is that true?”
“It is true.”
Hyeon-yul looked at the knitting yarn.
As his gaze kept focusing on it, Yang Do-jin continued speaking, somewhat smugly.
“While investigating based on that, we found drugs. Roughly, the mission started about an hour ago, and there might be additional drugs, but we don’t know the location.”
“Is it tracking?”
“Something like that.”
“Understood.”
Hyeon-yul replied simply.
Tracking was one of the things I used to do.
Yang Do-jin stopped at the Eagle riding spot and shook the yarn.
“I tried it once to win favor, and it was quite fun.”
Yang Do-jin subtly held out a clumsily made piece.
Anyone could see he had just started.
To think he actually made it.
“…This is the first time I’ve seen someone go this far.”
Many people tried to win my favor.
But this was the first time someone tried to do something I genuinely liked together.
It was surprising.
“I am sincere. Of course, even if you don’t come to our team, I hope you’ll think of wanting to continue getting along well.”
“Why is that?”
“Did you forget I said I liked you from the beginning?”
“I didn’t know you were sincere.”
“I’m sincere about everything. Ah, I have to say this too.”
As soon as Yang Do-jin finished speaking, he bowed his head.
“Thank you, for protecting my kids.”
Was he talking about the incident where the Poison King spread poison?
Hyeon-yul looked at Yang Do-jin.
A very slight frown formed between my brows.
The people in Black Eagle didn't let me think simple thoughts.
They made me think more about something.
“……The proposal from a little while ago, I will think about it.”
Hyeon-yul replied belatedly with a faint smile.
I thought it might be a pretty good offer among the scouting proposals I had received.
Hyeon-yul walked towards where the Eagle was waiting, covered his mouth with one hand, and extended the other.
The Eagle flew over and snatched Hyeon-yul’s arm.