By Zephyria As the day dawned, Jin Mu-hae momentarily doubted if the events of the early morning had been a dream.
Joo-oh was up with an utterly unfazed expression, eating breakfast alone. And at an earlier hour than usual, having opened two boxes of cereal…
“Does all that even fit in your empty stomach?”
“Yep.”
“I’m the fool for asking.”
“Haha. Fool.”
He was gulping down what he used to grumble about being fake milk. Joo-oh, who licked his lips clean and emptied the bowl with relish, approached Mu-hae humming a tune.
While Mu-hae sat on the floor, checking the almost-healed wound, Joo-oh suddenly jumped on his back and hung there, dangling.
The warmth of his body, his unique scent, and even the sweet smell of cereal wafted around him.
“What’s this?”
“Just like Jin Mu-hae.”
It wasn’t as if he hadn’t expressed his affection before, but it felt particularly poignant today, likely because of what Mu-hae had heard and seen.
He had been waiting only to die… or so he said? When was that, exactly?
Had they starved him in the place where they experimented? More than that, Solar City had fallen over a decade ago, so when exactly had Joo-oh escaped from there and started wandering?
Perhaps the institution that held him captive had been maintained for quite some time. Just like how there were people who continued the research even after the Return flight disappeared.
Either way, it couldn’t have been a pleasant time for Joo-oh. That much was clear from the frequent nightmares and strange behavior.
But there was nothing he could be certain of yet…
“I wanted to eat more. I held back because it was Jin Mu-hae’s.”
“Ha. What an unusual thing to say.”
“Because Jin Mu-hae’s is tasteless.”
“I should have kept my mouth shut.”
Without shaking off the guy clinging to his back, Mu-hae abruptly stood up, and Joo-oh laughed loudly, as usual.
It was a laugh that didn’t betray any of the heavy emotions from the early morning, which at least eased his mind.
“Are you going to Jaegang District?”
“Yeah. I have things to discuss with Gu-reum, and all sorts of data are stored there.”
With the leech-like guy still attached to him, Mu-hae mulled over the information he had gathered so far.
The past and present of the Return flight, the betrayal and sinking, the vanished West Wind and the Vegan Society.
It could be a simple delusion, but it felt like all of this was intertwined. When he had this kind of intuition, it was right nine times out of ten.
Even his reason, which usually found fault, whispered that he was on the right track this time. Mu-hae felt as if he had crossed some major boundary in that brief moment.
“Go get dressed. Stop clinging.”
“Okay!”
Joo-oh, who had been dangling for quite a while without any supporting hands, finally walked on his own two feet and hurried into the study.
Now, without being told, he automatically pulled his hood down low. Even though he was perfectly concealed, Mu-hae deliberately tugged and smoothed the hat, making sure to leave his mark.
Only then did the red lips beneath the hat smile contentedly.
“Director Gil seems to know everything.”
He muttered suddenly while putting on his boots. Mu-hae slung the packed bag over his shoulder without replying.
Why was he saying so many sane things these days? Mu-hae himself had suspected it, though he hadn’t tried to delve too deeply.
Unlike how they acted as if they were detached from the world, Director Gil and Teacher Jung seemed to be aware of the current situation to some extent.
“Tie your laces properly.”
“I tied them properly.”
Even so, the reason Mu-hae didn’t press them further was because he believed they had their reasons.
Their attitude was always close to indifference, but they cared more about his safety than anyone else.
If they weren’t opening their mouths even though he was caught up in dangerous matters, it wasn’t that they weren’t offering advice, but that they couldn’t.
Director Gil’s troubled face whenever he asked about specific information came to mind.
‘If they’re hesitant to even talk about it indoors, it’s not just because someone might be listening.’
Unlike the past, when he avoided complicated thoughts, his head was now full of questions.
It was partly because he had more leisure in his life, and partly because he had a strange guy stuck to his side.
‘It’s strange that there still don’t seem to be any guys looking for this kid.’
Even if it was quiet now, there was no guarantee that armed forces wouldn’t suddenly storm in from a secret research facility one day.
As his thoughts branched out that far, Mu-hae felt a headache coming on, so he sighed and shook off the thoughts about Joo-oh.
“We’re almost at the gate. They sell jelly nearby. Sounds good, right?”
Oblivious to his thoughts, Joo-oh just looked comfortable.
Yeah, this was better. If he wasn’t going to be any help anyway, he might as well smile prettily.
Mu-hae firmly held onto the guy who was gradually getting excited about the snack he had brought up himself, and hurried towards Jaegang District.
Gu-reum was definitely a busy person. Even when they ended up talking in the early morning, she always seemed to be handling work.
Still, she couldn’t ignore the story of the Vegan Society, and a reply came back immediately.
[I have something I want to ask. About Blue Cult.]
[Tonight, 9:30 PM.]
As expected, it was fortunate that the time didn’t float away. Jin Mu-hae went down to the basement to organize the data he had collected so far and check the equipment that had been damaged in the previous request.
It had started with just his father’s records, but a considerable amount of information had already been gathered. If he told someone like Director Gil or Teacher Jung, they could start the research again right away.
However, the only people who would cooperate with Mu-hae right now were Shin Dae-soo, whom he didn’t want to burden by visiting too often, and Hwang-jae, who was as ignorant as Mu-hae used to be.
“If Hwang-jae saw it, he’d praise it.”
“I don’t need that kind of thing.”
Recently, he had received a call from Hwang-jae saying that he had returned to work. Thanks to the commendation, his pay had increased, but he had declined a management position?
The guy who had been trembling, crying, and begging throughout the incident was now bragging about how peaceful work was boring.
He was also grandly boasting about managing his finances, which was too obvious for a diligent person, saying that he was quitting gambling and saving up for a big cause, so Joo-oh, who was sitting next to him and eavesdropping on the call, said something.
‘Jin Mu-hae already has two houses.’
—I have a house too, you know?
‘Jin Mu-hae doesn’t even pay rent.’
—Hey!
Somehow, their mental ages felt similar, so it was hard to trust him. That was why Dmitri’s research results, which West Wind had taken, were even more necessary.
“I liked that dinner was meat tonight.”
“It’s been meat all the time. Anyone would think I was starving you.”
As the awaited time approached, Joo-oh changed into comfortable clothes on his own and came down to the basement.
He didn’t know what memories he had recalled, but Joo-oh’s eating habits had increased again in just one day.
The sight of food that he thought could be reheated for two days disappearing in just a few bites was quite a sight. It reminded him of the day he first bought noodles for him.
“Now get off.”
After removing the guy who had climbed onto his lap, the panel on the wall began to flicker.
A call had come. Mu-hae cleared his throat slightly as he received the call.
“Good evening.”
—I heard there was an accident.
Today, it was a distorted sound that felt creaky. He wondered how many kinds of mechanical sounds she had.
“That’s why I’m calling you. About the cult.”
—You don’t ask how I know about that?
“Why bother now.”
Mu-hae had known from the beginning that Gu-reum was watching him. He had been dangling from Joo-oh’s arms when he collapsed, so anyone who needed to know would know, and there was no point in being sensitive about it.
“Do you remember what I mentioned last time about Bay City?”
—Were they the same guys?
“Not exactly the same… but they feel similar. They seem to have been connected to some extent. Here, they’re called the Vegan Society. Do you know them?”
Huh. A breath that was either a laugh or a sigh faintly vibrated the speaker. The sound of slowly tapping the desk continued, and after a long time, Gu-reum opened her mouth.
—Of course I know them. You’ve already reached that far. You’re making pretty good progress.
“That’s right. Jin Mu-hae is fast.”
“Don’t interrupt. Please continue.”
After stopping Joo-oh with a wave of his hand and maintaining silence, the mechanical sound flowed out again.
—It seems they’re threatening your safety.
“That’s part of it, but I contacted you because it’s related to the Return flight.”
—Since it’s not a personal matter, I have to cooperate?
“……”
—Your way of talking has improved quite a bit.
A rare, genuine compliment flew over, and then she stopped talking again. She seemed to be making some kind of judgment. She was probably weighing the pros and cons, recalling his actions, and deciding whether or not to make the planned offer.
—Alright. How far have you come?
“The Vegan Society is rapidly expanding its power. The purpose of their surveillance seems to be not only me but also the Return flight. Do you need more?”
—No. That’s enough. What do you want?
“It seems like it would be too unfair of a fight if only you knew about me.”
—You need a place suitable for observation?
He hadn’t hoped for that much. But since Gu-reum said so, that must be the best benefit she could offer.
He asked if there was any problem with her strangely smiling voice, and this time, she paused for a while before answering.
—There’s no problem, it’s just… I’m thinking of someone who would find it interesting to hear.
Did Jin Mu-hae think he had figured her out to some extent? She didn’t even hide the fact that there was someone she was secretly communicating with.
Well, as long as it didn’t harm him, her high evaluation couldn’t be bad. He waited quietly with his arms crossed, and soon Gu-reum brought up a proposal.
—The Beast habitats nearby are changing frequently, and Aberrants are appearing not infrequently, so there are plenty of ways to deal with the outside world, but it’s always not enough. However, I heard that the new defense force recently lacks practical experience. I heard that they are planning to invite a suitable instructor soon.
Defense force… Unlike the security forces that manage the inside of Goryeo City, it was a job that explored the outside of the Comfort zone and cleaned up the aggressive ecosystem.
That was definitely under the jurisdiction of Central, not Company level. How far could Gu-reum reach with whose power?
“Is it infiltration again this time?”
As he asked and pondered a new alias, the sound wave graph jumped up greatly, drawing a pleasant wave.
—Hahaha. No. Not this time.
Suddenly, Joo-oh reached out from the side and grabbed his arm tightly. Under the light emitted by the panel, his eyes flickered with anticipation.
—This time, you’re going in Jin Mu-hae’s name.
An unexpected job fell right in front of him.