Chapter 72: Something Always Happens on My Day Off (1)
Hyeon-yul opened his eyes.
‘……Yesterday was terrible.’
He understood why he had scheduled today as a day off.
He hadn't done anything, but one by one, they had lost their minds.
‘How did the team leader endure that process?’
Only he and Hae-ryeon had been sober.
Like him, she hadn't touched alcohol.
He was told this was his first welcoming party here, but Hae-ryeon wasn't.
―I can’t get drunk too. But please let it slide today. Everyone was really, really happy that you came, Mr. Hyeon-yul.
It seemed she hadn’t drunk, but her smile was more relaxed than usual, so much so that it was strange enough to make him wonder if she had been drinking.
‘Happy, huh…….’
Hyeon-yul thought for a moment, then wiggled his fingers.
The darkness brought his cell phone.
As soon as he checked what messages had arrived, Hyeon-yul closed his cell phone.
He had thought he would wake up late in the afternoon because he had become a drunkard yesterday, but the messenger already had over 500 messages.
Hyeon-yul squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them.
The thought that he had been tricked again lingered.
‘After that mess yesterday, how is this possible?’
―Brotherrr. Brother. I’ll do really well. I really will.
Once drunk, Ji-hwan would cry whenever he saw him.
He used more than half a roll of toilet paper by himself.
―Want some of this? This is delicious, there’s more. I can buy you more. You see Noona’s card? Noona’s capable. Plenty. Order everything! Just order everything!
Na-yoon kept trying to feed him something, holding out her card.
It was hard to refuse, so he kept eating.
It was the first time in his life he had eaten so much of something.
―…Where was I? Hyeon-yul. You really should be my younger brother. I’ll go get the papers stamped right away. Ji-hwan, let’s go too! Na-yoon, you……. Never mind.
Shin-woo kept trying to make him his biological younger brother.
He didn't even know if that was possible in the first place.
Even when he worked on the villains’ side, he had gone to many company dinners and served drinks countless times.
This kind of thing hadn't happened even when he was on the villains’ side.
Since he had worked since he was a minor, he had been involved for about 12 or 13 years.
That time and yesterday were very different.
Being terrible in a different sense wasn't different.
‘But, it was truly strange.’
Hyeon-yul showed a sense of wonder, then quickly stopped thinking.
He looked at his hand.
It was trembling.
‘Is the medicine not right?’
Little by little, he was changing his medication.
He wasn't surprised, as this was something that continued until he found the right medicine.
Last time, after changing the medicine, hadn't he vomited blood?
Compared to such side effects, hand tremors were fine.
He was searching for the experiment site and, based on the information obtained there, also looking for the one who made him like this, but it was quite ironic that he was also looking for medicine that suited him.
Hyeon-yul sent a message to Jeong-min and then got up.
[My hands are trembling.]
The 1 next to the message disappeared immediately.
[Jeong-min Teacher: Wha?]
[Jeong-min Teacher: Wait a minute.]
Jiiing.
A call came.
“Yes, Teacher.”
<How much are they trembling? Is there pain? You didn’t vomit blood, did you?>
Jeong-min’s words were incredibly fast.
“They’re trembling a little."
"It’s not to the point where I can’t hold a dagger.”
<What kind of analogy is that……. Understood."
"For now, I’ll make a new batch.>
“Understood.”
<I definitely got the ingredients right, this is strange.>
“It’s alright."
"It’s not your fault, Teacher; my body is just particular."
"My body isn’t collapsing either.”
<That would be a disaster! It absolutely, absolutely must not happen!>
“Yes."
"I know.”
<I’m not okay."
"Absolutely not okay!>
Hyeon-yul slightly moved the cell phone away from his ear and yawned.
‘He’s got good lungs too.’
Hyeon-yul waited until Jeong-min’s voice calmed down.
<…See you later."
"Let’s examine your body again when you come.>
“Understood."
"I’ll see you later.”
Hyeon-yul waited until Jeong-min hung up, then got up.
He immediately swallowed his medicine and looked at the sunlight indifferently.
‘…It’s my day off, but I should get moving, right?’
Yesterday, because of the bomb attached to the highway, he was assigned to support the Bomb Disposal Team.
There, he discovered villains different from the ones who had planted the bomb.
He knew they weren't from the bomb-planting villains' side by the smell of gunpowder on their bodies.
He wanted to hand over matters discovered during missions to Black Eagle as much as possible, but even if he explained how he found them, others wouldn't easily believe him, and it was also difficult to explain how he had found out the location.
―I don’t want to hear about you from someone else, Mr. Hyeon-yul."
"Then it’ll be too late."
"What I can do will be greatly reduced."
"Even if you cause trouble or make a mistake, let me know first.
Suddenly, he remembered what Hae-ryeon had said to him.
‘This isn’t causing trouble."
"It’s not a mistake either.’
He had even captured villains without killing them so that Black Eagle could investigate.
Wasn't it just that he was checking things out in advance?
Hyeon-yul thought about various things, then eventually nodded.
“…Hey."
"You guys know that?”
Someone spoke up, passing around coffee cups.
Colleagues who had been working at their respective desks leisurely got up and took the coffee cups.
“What?"
"If you tell some dad joke, I’m going to rip that mouth of yours apart.”
The colleague, as if speaking genuinely, brandished a knife.
“Hey, not that, but haven’t things been unusual with Poison King’s side lately?”
“So what?”
“Yeah, so what?”
The other colleagues also spoke indifferently.
Their business was their business, and it wasn't theirs.
“There’s a rumor that their owner changed.”
When the man who had brought up the topic said this, his colleagues showed more interest than before.
“Who is it?”
“Yeah, who is it?"
"What kind of crazy bastard showed up?”
“I don’t know that.”
As the answer flowed out, jeers spread.
“Hey, get your facts straight before you talk."
"This place is already a bit unstable as it is.”
“Why?"
"Thinking of moving?”
“If I can move, I should."
"There aren’t many places to go after setting foot in this line of work, are there?"
"Still, I should go to a good place.”
“…Ha."
"Why is life so tough?"
"It’s funny that I’m worried about my kids’ academy fees when I don’t know when I’ll die.”
As if sympathizing with those words, the other colleagues laughed meaninglessly.
“Whether we kill the Empire or not, the immediate concern is making a living.”
“But hey."
"Do you guys really think we can beat the Empire?”
A sudden silence fell at the words someone uttered while holding a coffee cup.
The atmosphere became unusually heavy.
Though it was a carelessly thrown remark, everyone stared at the man.
The expression of not wanting to work turned into a murderous glint in their eyes.
“…Hey."
"Why are you guys suddenly like this?"
"Honestly, aren’t you curious?"
"Isn’t that right…….”
Before the man could finish speaking, a scream erupted.
A knife was lodged in his stomach.
He looked at the colleague next to him, trembling, and then collapsed.
His breathing quickened.
He flailed, trying to get up, then slammed his backside on the floor again along with the items on the desk.
Crash.
“Looks like the Eagle bastard sent him, he’s been hiding well until now.”
“That’s right."
"Disgusting.”
They weren't looking at a colleague.
Enemy.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The man felt a chill and hit the floor.
Just as a round light seemed to spread, the colleagues gathered around collapsed from an unknown force.
The floor was covered in long gashes.
“……You crazy bastards.”
The man, gasping for breath, looked at them.
What he had asked was whether they could win against the Empire.
How could he become a Black Eagle over just that one remark?
“It’s true we all waded into this mud pit together, but just for that, you stab me…?”
It was a shock.
He had felt them changing one by one every time he attended training, but he hadn't known it would be this bad.
Honestly, what was the Empire, and what did it matter?
Life was tough, or whatever reasons they gave, they were trash, and weren't they living acknowledging that?
But he didn't know why they were suddenly bringing up the eradication of the Empire, which was ridiculous.
When had they started to feel that way?
“It’s been 6 years since I started working with you, you fucking bastards!"
"Did you forget I bought diapers for your kids, you sons of bitches!”
“You filthy Eagle."
"You deceived us?”
“When did he infiltrate?”
They had no intention of listening to him.
They were just going to kill him.
“You said your kid wouldn’t set foot in this line of work!"
"Why the hell…….”
The man’s eyes, as he continued speaking, widened.
Someone had appeared.
Covered in black smoke.
“You know it’s useless, don’t you.”
As if out for a walk, he calmly grabbed a colleague’s head and slit his throat.
He was so fast that even watching, he couldn't come to his senses.
“Those bastards, including you, are just cogs in the machine."
"Still don’t get it?”
Hyeon-yul threw the head he was holding as if it were an object and looked at the man behind him.
“If you think you’re sane, you’d better put that thought aside."
"You’re just less convulsive than them."
"Sane people don’t step into this line of work.”
Just as he seemed to approach the man, faint black smoke flickered around his body.
He appeared at the very back of the villains who were about to attack Hyeon-yul.
“What the villains want is the Empire."
"They’ll do anything for it."
"Isn’t it about time you noticed that?”
Hyeon-yul kindly informed him and pierced the throat of the villain in front of him.
The tremor of the flinching man was transmitted to his fingertips.
Hyeon-yul looked at the others.
One mouth to speak was enough anyway.
Hyeon-yul kicked the villain whose throat he had pierced.
A fist the size of a human torso came crashing down in that direction.
The pushed villain’s head was crushed, but they didn’t care even though their colleague was dying.
How could that be sane?
Hyeon-yul dodged the incoming fist sideways and cut off his arm.
“Aaaaargh!”
As a loud scream erupted, Hyeon-yul tried to stab him in the neck, but his fingertips trembled.
He immediately switched hands and smoothly stabbed him in the throat.
After confirming he had fallen to the floor, Hyeon-yul walked towards the man.
It was a slow walk, but it was different.
“Surely, you didn’t think they were your colleagues?"
"You were betrayed, weren’t you.”
Seeing the man’s anger, Hyeon-yul couldn't understand.
“It’s fine."
"You don’t have to say anything.”
Hyeon-yul thought he had asked something unnecessary and then posed a new question.
“You knew that a group of villains planted a bomb on the highway yesterday, didn’t you."
"Your group tried to add another bomb to that one."
"Why?”
That’s what he was curious about.
What were they trying to do?
He knew they usually behaved like that, but the fact that they didn't run away even when Black Eagle arrived bothered him.
If it wasn't a big deal, then that was that.
“……Were you an Eagle bastard?”
The man asked, bleeding.
Only Black Eagle would know that.
“Yes.”
“…Haha."
"An Eagle bastard, doing something like that?”
“You do it too."
"Why can’t I?”
“Aren’t you guys fucking stupid?"
"All you can do is… ugh, just say surrender.”
The man’s lips curled up.
“That’s not what I want to hear from someone betrayed by his colleagues.”
“Those who claim to choose good, look at them…….”
“You do it too, so why can’t I?"
"The law?"
"I’m abiding by it."
"Black Eagle can kill you."
"My way might not be right, but even if it’s dirty and despicable, if the direction is right, isn’t it good?"
"Honestly, seeing you try to lean on that good, it’s disgusting.”
“So how far are you going to go?"
"Are you going to kill my family?”
“I won’t kill them."
"I won’t go that far.”
“……Yeah, you couldn’t, could you."
"Because you’re Black Eagle.”
The man squeezed his eyes shut.
Contrary to his words, he was relieved.
“If you know how shitty it is to come to work on your day off, speak and then die.”
“Why do you think I’ll talk?”
“I didn’t think that.”
Hyeon-yul readjusted his grip on the dagger and approached.
“I just wanted to reduce troublesome actions at once."
"Even if I have to take a detour, I can find out."
"That’s my intention.”
The man looked at Hyeon-yul.
His face and expression were not visible under the helmet.
But one thing was important.
That guy was Black Eagle.
A foolish Black Eagle could only choose one thing.
Arrest.
“…Our boss, he despises drugs.”
The man leaked information for that.
It was a way to live even a little longer.
“Is that possible?”
“Yeah."
"Really."
"The boss’ child was dragged away as an experiment subject and died."
"…So, wherever drugs are used, he interferes, erases it, or summons Black Eagle.”
“Then, what kind of place was that where the bomb was used on the highway?”
What was the relationship between drugs and bombs?
Hyeon-yul found it difficult to understand the connection between the two.
It was even more suspicious because they were completely unrelated.
‘Is it to draw attention?’
As long as a bomb was involved, they had no choice but to be concerned about the bomber, so Black Eagle’s tension also rose.
What was the benefit of aiming for that?
‘Are they asking me to look into the drugs?’
He didn't know the reason, but it was clear that the place they were trying to destroy, even to the point of calling Black Eagle, was entangled with drugs.
“…I don’t know that either."
"I just did as I was told."
"Only the boss would know.”
“Where is the boss?”
“I don’t know."
"I want to meet him too."
"Still, I thought this place… would be different from other places, but it wasn’t."
"It wasn’t!”
The man’s face was contorted with anger.
The moment Hyeon-yul saw that expression, he opened his mouth, intending to cut off whatever words were about to come out.
“Give me your cell phone.”
“…What?”
“I’ll send a text to your family for you.”
“…….”
The man’s face turned deathly pale.
Wasn't it supposed to end with an arrest?
“Did you think I’d let you live if you talked?"
"Why are you so naive?”
All Black Eagles are like that.
How similarly must they have acted for everyone to think like that?
A moment ago, he had told that man, but he thought it was okay if the direction was right, even if it was despicable and dirty.
It was also the direction he had promised Jeong-min.
“Still, since you told me something, I’ll be considerate for the end."
"Give it to me.”
At Hyeon-yul’s words, the man hesitated.
Really?
Is it true?
He seemed to be asking that.
“I’m not very patient.”
At the threat-like words, the man handed over his cell phone with trembling hands.
“……Pa, password is 1226."
"It’s our princess’ birthday.”
“Yes."
"Speak.”
He thought his heart might change even a little at the mention of his daughter, but there was no change in the Eagle’s voice.
It was hopeless.
The man thought so and barely managed to speak.
Hyeon-yul wrote down what the man said.
He showed it to him as it was.
“Is this correct?”
“……Yeah.”
“I’ll send it.”
Hyeon-yul even pressed send to confirm it for him.
“Are you really… going to kill me?”
“Is there a way to fake a killing?”
“……It really was a shitty life.”
“Yes."
"That’s how it is.”
Hyeon-yul took off his helmet.
“Life is originally shitty.”
Hyeon-yul bowed his head deeply, then plunged the dagger into his neck.
The man let out a single groan and then went limp.
Hyeon-yul removed the chip from the cell phone, and it fell to the floor.
He melted into the darkness.
‘I hope working on my day off was worth it.’
Hyeon-yul went to the movie theater.
There was a movie he wanted to see, and today was his day off.
He felt that spending it this way would somehow make things okay.
“…Huh?”
Hyeon-yul turned his head at a familiar voice.
Ji-hwan and Shin-woo were standing there.
His breathing deepened, and a strong sense of déjà vu washed over him.