By Zephyria The soft atmosphere sank in an instant. Even though both Cheong and Joo-oh were smiling.
It felt like even if one plucked out their eyes and blocked their ears, they would still know where this strange pressure was coming from.
Cheong’s gaze met his red eyes. Strange eyes, as clear and sparkling as jewels.
“So it was you. You snatched all the Gifts I sent.”
“Those aren’t Gifts.”
“It’s my sincerity. A token of goodwill made with money and time.”
“I wouldn’t be happy to receive them.”
The arm around his waist tightened a little more. It was an embrace, but being pressed against the warmth of another person wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
Joo-oh fiddled with the arm covered in lean muscle and listened to Cheong’s sophistry.
“Gifts are originally at the giver’s discretion. You can’t always receive what you want.”
“Then I’ll give Cheong a Gift too.”
At the meaningful reply, the smooth face momentarily stiffened. The man, who seemed at a loss for words, rolled his eyes before finally bursting into laughter.
“Haha, ha! That’s right. I might end up receiving a burdensome Gift myself. You really are interesting.”
The other party was just a mercenary, and a mentally unstable kid at that, but he seemed to think that he could really do something threatening.
Cheong groped around with his remaining hand and grabbed a fork. He speared a chunk of meat and held it out to the embraced boy, who made a ‘yum’ sound as his grip lightened.
“You know what? You seemed to know me from the start.”
“…Is Cheong famous?”
Joo-oh slowly turned his head forward, hiding his expression. For some reason, Jin Mu-hae often noticed Joo-oh’s lies.
He had been scrutinizing his face every time, so it seemed better not to show Cheong his eyes, nose, and mouth.
“Hmm. Let’s say that’s the case. Anyway, Gifts are sincere. It means I’m interested enough to allocate resources to it.”
He knew. Whether the recipient was screwed or not, it was Cheong’s way of showing interest. Joo-oh had long realized that he was not just a simple villain or obstacle after playing the game countless times.
That’s why he felt particularly attached to him among so many NPCs. For some reason, Joo-oh simply welcomed and liked the persistent interest that the human sent.
He didn’t answer, but Cheong let out another small laugh, realizing that he was agreeing with his words.
For some reason, the chest he was leaning against was getting hotter and hotter.
“Indeed, you’re interesting.”
Something pressed against his butt from the inside of the straddling legs. Joo-oh wiggled his waist, feeling like a stone was stuck to the contact surface.
It should have been uncomfortable, but Cheong didn’t stop the movement. He just occasionally breathed moistly on the nape of his neck.
“Hoo… I like interesting people. You too, and your Jin Mu-hae… you’re all interesting.”
Nowhere in the game was Cheong’s childhood or clumsy past depicted.
However, you could guess it while playing. A person like him, who rose from such humble beginnings, didn’t appear in Sakdal with money and power from the start.
He became an underground manager at a young age, showing unprecedented skill. Now that he was on the path to success after countless efforts that would have led to burnout a hundred times over, all Cheong craved was raw interest.
The reason he kept provoking Jin Mu-hae was surprising, but that was it. Because it was interesting. Jin Mu-hae, the Return flight, Goryeo City and human society involved in it, and even complex theories like Blue Crystal.
Suddenly, Cheong bit the back of his white neck. Joo-oh, who had just finished a mountain of noodles, was startled and glared at him.
“Jin Mu-hae said you can’t touch me.”
“I didn’t touch you. I put my mouth on you.”
“Still, you can’t. Apologize.”
“Okay. Then you can touch me as much as you want.”
Cheong, who he thought would be stiff, followed the warning more easily than expected. Joo-oh nodded with a satisfied face and slightly turned his body on the narrow legs.
In fact, he had been curious about something all along. The hair that was so blue that it made him exclaim ‘wow’ even when he saw it on the monitor.
As he fiddled with the hair that was so vibrant that he wondered if it was real or fake, Cheong loosened the string and let his hair, tied in a round bun, fall long.
A subtle fragrance spread among the appetizing food smells. Cheong’s hair, without a single stain, looked like it had been this color since birth.
“Did you dye it?”
“It’s my original color.”
“Liar.”
“That’s right, it’s a lie. There’s no way.”
Considering that he dyed it every time, Cheong’s hair was so healthy that it shone. He could guess how much effort he put into maintaining this blue hair.
Why blue of all colors? Why dye his hair, which grew every day, instead of easy decorations like nails, toenails, or clothes?
Sensing the curiosity filling his gaze, Cheong readily revealed information he hadn’t even asked for.
“I like blue. And there’s no shock quite like this to be imprinted on people’s minds.”
“Shock.”
“Anyone who knows Cheong will think of Cheong when they see something blue. Even if they see a toy that kids play with, they’ll remember their promise with me, imprint fear, and be dominated by its influence even in their daily lives. Like your eyes.”
Cheong tapped Joo-oh’s eyes.
“Anyone who sees your face will think of you even when they see a red imitation ruby. Your protector’s jacket, or the food you ate so much of. Isn’t it interesting?”
What’s really interesting is the explanation Cheong is spouting now. Settings that couldn’t be found anywhere in the game story were now easily revealed right in front of him.
It felt like he had found a new puzzle or figure. Joo-oh liked 「La Vida Blue」 being real for this reason.
“Let’s say it was my mistake to test you earlier. Actually, I really need your help.”
“Jin Mu-hae does a better job.”
“That friend of yours doesn’t like me? I offered him a condition that was hard to refuse this time, so he followed me, but I don’t think he’ll include me in the future.”
There was a hint of threat mixed in with the request. It meant that Joo-oh would be troubled by things that would be difficult to handle quietly in the future.
Certainly, if Cheong was an enemy, the quest difficulty would increase in all sorts of incidents. That direction was also interesting, but he didn’t like the idea of Jin Mu-hae’s temper getting even worse.
“What do you want me to help you with?”
“Indeed. You’re a little smarter. It’s nothing much, just secretly come and tell me if there’s anything you need.”
“Because it’ll be fun?”
“Yes. I don’t want to miss out on a feast like this. In return, you just have to pick people or jobs for me like you did a little while ago.”
Fangs were slightly visible through the long, smiling lips. He had never seen such generous cooperation conditions in any route.
Was it because a character that didn’t exist originally was added? Or maybe it was because he had blocked all of Cheong’s sabotage in advance.
Joo-oh blankly fiddled with his blue hair before concluding that he had nothing to lose.
“Okay.”
Cheong let out a soft moan for some reason at the neat agreement. Strangely, the seat he was sitting on felt even more uncomfortable.
Even though it was a quest that existed in the original story, the question of whether he had sent Jin Mu-hae out alone for this purpose flashed through Joo-oh’s mind. It would be better if this cooperative relationship didn’t reach Jin Mu-hae’s ears.
Well, whatever. Cheong didn’t touch Joo-oh, and Joo-oh was ransacking his groceries as Jin Mu-hae had ordered.
He was faithfully fulfilling his role, so he would order Jin Mu-hae to stroke his head when he returned later.
‘Something’s fishy.’
Mu-hae, who was equipping a gun inside his well-dressed suit, suddenly raised one eyebrow crookedly.
He had safely arrived in Bay City via Seogyeong City and Haka City, but he felt strangely uneasy.
Well, he had visited a city where a major incident had occurred, so it would be stranger if he felt good.
Rather, it was a bit more personal and gloomy. Was it just a hunch that Joo-oh’s face kept flashing in his mind?
“I have brought flowers.”
“You must be the flower delivery man. Please, come with me in the car.”
Like the other two cities, Cheong’s backers in Bay City seemed to have been contacted in advance.
The man in the neat suit reminded him of Hawkins for some reason, and he was instinctively aware of the weapon he had put in his arms.
“I’ve been here before. It’s still a clean city.”
“It’s a humble place with many business owners. There’s an official donation system for the city.”
It was a very kind explanation to the envoy who had come to give kickbacks. It was an attitude that there was nothing to be shy about since it wasn’t an underground story.
According to what he had heard so far, Bay City was a city that embraced ability users. It was impregnable to insignificant lives, but it actively accepted external money and talent to maintain its Comfort zone and support its livelihood.
Postponing the conversation with Dunham that day, the NPS would often gather here. Even if Hawkins had disappeared and chaos had erupted, there would still be traces of them somewhere.
As he had hurried, Mu-hae still had a few hours left until sunset. He had to wander around under the guise of sightseeing and gather as much background information as possible.
“How is the employer doing?”
“As blue as ever.”
The man who seemed to be someone’s secretary in the huge building chuckled at Mu-hae’s explanation.
It seemed that he had seen Cheong in person. If so, there would be no more accurate explanation than the perfunctory description just now.
“I’m going to look around Bay City before I leave. I’ve already gotten permission from the boss.”
“We won’t suspect you of snooping around even without that explanation. Would you like a guide?”
“I’ll find one myself. I’m going to hire a mercenary who knows the geography here…”
“Ah. You can’t use this network yet. I’ll register your visit qualification for V3 purposes, so you’ll be able to access the manpower site in about 10 minutes.”
Considering that the bag Mu-hae was carrying was heavy for its size, it must have contained valuable jewelry or ornaments.
But their attitude would be so friendly. Thanks to this, he was able to look around Bay City without much vigilance.
The mercenary recruitment system would be similar in any city in the world. He put up 200 Deal for a three- or four-hour tour, and as expected, contacts flew in like fire.
The condition that was not publicly posted was a human who had stayed here for more than 10 years. To have heard and seen a lot and to be tight-lipped, it was better to find someone old.
“You can call me Lau. I heard you want a city tour.”
As if he was afraid of losing the prey he had caught, the other party came to the meeting place as soon as he accepted the request. His half-white hair was scattered here and there, as if he had hurriedly prepared and run.
Jin Mu-hae, who seemed to boast a generous living, put a carton of high-end cigarettes he had bought nearby in his arms.
“This is a tip. I’m considering moving to this city, so I want to hear all the detailed and trivial rumors.”
Lau’s lips were beaming at the case where he could easily cash in and not be ripped off by the brokerage.
The middle-aged man, who had quickly packed his things, showed a blurry hologram in front of him.
“Where would you like to go first?”
Pretending to look at the map that roughly showed the important geography, Mu-hae rolled his eyes for a long time before reaching out.
“This place, the location is quite to my liking. Witz District? Is it a good neighborhood to live in?”