281 – HGL 281

281

Awakened Management Bureau, Interview Room.

Tap, tap, the end of the pen tapped the desk.

“Let me summarize. You received a request from Nam Woo-jin and contacted Yoon Ga-eul.”

“That’s right. It was a piece of cake for a specialist in infiltration like me.”

“Yes, yes. And Yoon Ga-eul provided amazing information.”

“That she met J in a dream. It was the J we know. Lee Sa-young, Honeybee, and J are trapped in a Dungeon within the Invasion Dungeon, but no additional support is needed… Is that correct?”

“Yes. It seems they are getting information about Doomsday there. The client… no, Hunter J was about to talk about the stages of Doomsday, but he was kicked out before he could even hear it.”

“…I’m just glad to know they’re alive. Thank you for letting us know.”

Jung-bin smiled gently. Min-gi Seo, who had been staring at him, shrugged.

“Yoon Ga-eul said that the client… no, Hunter J looked healthy. Well, probably.”

Jung-bin sighed deeply. Min-gi Seo pushed up his sunglasses. Two weeks had passed since three key figures disappeared without a trace in the Invasion Dungeon.

Nam Woo-jin was working with Prometheus to develop a vaccine, but no plausible results had been achieved. Gyu-Gyu returned home yesterday, but he refused to meet with Jung-bin, using church service as an excuse since today was Sunday. Matthew quickly returned to the Guild and filled the void left by him and Honeybee.

And….

“Is there still no progress in vaccine development?”

“They say even the cause of the Mutation is unclear. There’s just not enough information.”

“…….”

Jung-bin’s face darkened. The number of people mutating was only increasing. He had received reports that the number of mutating humans was increasing exponentially overseas as well. Instead of all countries joining forces, they were busy solving their own problems. It would be a matter of time before a hole appeared somewhere and information leaked.

There was a limit to information control and diverting public attention.

Jung-bin glanced out the window. White ash was falling like heavy snow. The ash swallowed all sounds. People’s laughter, screams too.

He stood up and picked up his suit jacket. Min-gi Seo raised his eyebrows.

“Are you going out somewhere?”

“Yes….”

Jung-bin, who had straightened his clothes, smiled brightly.

“I’m going to church to worship.”

From some point on, no.

To be exact, from around the time Sa-young had repaired about 67% of the broken hospital room wall, Cha Eui-jae had become noticeably quiet. Instead of poking around in strange places, he spent his time buried quietly in piles of books. Isn’t it good if he’s quiet? Of course not. This is not a good sign. Problems always happened at times like this.

From the moment he sensed Cha Eui-jae’s strangeness, Sa-young had subtly asked several people. Didn’t J seem a little strange? But the answers he got were all the same.

‘He seems the same as usual?’

Honeybee was the only one who felt even a little bit of discomfort. She tilted her head and muttered.

‘Now that I think about it, he does seem a bit… quieter. Until recently, he felt more… like he’d go out with his body first, wasn’t he?’

If someone who inherently can’t live quietly is being quiet… that means there’s a problem. Whatever it is.

Sa-young leaned against the bookshelf and stared at Eui-jae, who was turning the pages. Judging by his reaction speed, it didn’t seem like he had lost his ability. But he felt a familiar wariness… He was hiding behind a thick wall. Yes, just like the moment they first met in the Hanover Soup Restaurant alley.

Gray hair was naturally scattered over the black mask. Had the color gotten a little lighter? The moment Sa-young reached out his hand, Cha Eui-jae tilted his head to avoid it. It was a natural movement, but Sa-young knew.

“…….”

He avoided it. Intentionally.

Regardless of whether the gaze towards him became sharp or not, Eui-jae leisurely turned the page. Sa-young reached out his hand once more. But the annoying man skillfully avoided his touch this time as well. So, that’s how he’s going to play it. Sa-young sighed briefly. And he stood up and looked down at the gray, round crown of his head.

“What are you doing.”

Flip, the page turns. A modulated, indifferent voice replied.

“What do you think I’m doing? Reading a book.”

“Why are you avoiding my hand?”

“It’s distracting.”

“Uh-huh… Am I a nuisance? Telling me to get lost because I’m useless?”

“You’re overinterpreting again… Sa-young, let Hyung read his book. Hyung is building up his mind right now.”

Cha Eui-jae muttered and lay down on the floor altogether. He even crossed his legs neatly. The black mask hid behind the book. He didn’t like the modulated voice. Lee Sa-young wanted to hear his voice. He liked the face and voice that revealed his emotions as they were.

The current Cha Eui-jae was….

“You said you can’t read because you get sleepy and your eyes close when you look at the letters, right?”

“It’s a picture book.”

“How old are you, Hyung?”

“A hundred years old.”

Strangely distant. Even though he was right in front of him. That’s why he was uneasy. He was anxious. Sa-young suppressed the urge to smash the black mask hiding behind the book. He wanted to see the face behind the thick mask.

“…….”

Flip, the page turns. Sa-young squatted down in front of him.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah.”

The answers came back without fail. Let’s raise the level.

“Cha Eui-jae.”

“Don’t start talking informally so casually.”

Up to this point, it was the same reaction he knew. Where did things go wrong? Sa-young checked countless possibilities. But there was too little information. He needed to dig a little deeper.

“What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did I do something wrong?”

The hand turning the paper stopped. Ah, good. He’s finally reacting properly. Sa-young calmed his satisfied heart and maintained a blank expression. This much was easy. Waiting patiently was his specialty.

Should he act a little more pitiful? Sa-young tilted his head slightly and blinked his eyes.

“Why are you suddenly like this….”

“…….”

“It makes me sad.”

The moment the strength in the hand holding the book weakened a little. Sa-young didn’t miss the brief moment and snatched the book, quickly scanning through it. What Cha Eui-jae was looking at was….

It was blank. All the pages. He was looking at something that couldn’t even be called a book. Continuously. Sa-young returned the book and said nonchalantly.

“You said it was a picture book. There’s nothing there.”

“Does it look that way to you too?”

“…….”

“Then it must be blank.”

“…Why were you looking at this?”

“I thought I might be able to figure something out.”

He still couldn’t see his expression. Sa-young slowly reached out his hand. This time, Cha Eui-jae didn’t avoid his hand either. The hand wearing the black glove caressed the lower part of the mask, then dug underneath it. He felt a lukewarm warmth. Sa-young carefully removed the mask.

Click.

“…….”

“…….”

Neither embarrassment, nor reluctance, nor indifference, nor a smile. A face devoid of any expression stared at Lee Sa-young. It was a face as expressionless as a doll. He couldn’t read anything from the blue eyes.

Lee Sa-young, no, ‘Lee Sa-young’ knew this face.

It was the face of a hero.

-Catch him.

-Catch him!

His own voice echoed in his head. Sa-young grabbed Eui-jae’s wrist without even doubting the voice. His body was faster than he thought. His spine was chilling. Cold sweat formed on the back of his neck.

Since when? What influenced it? But there was no time to think. Sa-young barely squeezed out a voice that wouldn’t come out. He had to say something. He had to catch him.

“Hyung, just a moment….”

“…….”

“…Cha Eui-jae!”

“Hey, I told you not to talk informally so casually. Who’s calling Hyung’s name so carelessly?”

Cha Eui-jae, who grumbled, easily released the hand holding his wrist. Sa-young stared at him. The being in front of him was clearly Cha Eui-jae, but it wasn’t the one Lee Sa-young knew….

Eui-jae picked up the mask that had fallen on the floor and put it on. The expressionless face hid behind the mask once again. He knelt down and gently patted Sa-young’s shoulder.

“I’m going to meet the Guild Leader. I have an appointment.”

“Wait… Let me go with you.”

“There are things we need to talk about alone. Wait for me.”

“Cha…!”

The moment Sa-young tried to raise his voice, Eui-jae, who was turning around and walking away, turned his body slightly. And he raised his index finger to his lips.

“Shh.”

“…….”

“Even so, Hyung’s name is a secret, so you can’t just call it out like that.”

“…….”

“It won’t take that long. I’ll be right back.”

Gray hair disappeared through the gap in the bookshelf. Sa-young stared blankly at the empty space. A splitting headache came to Cha Eui-jae’s empty space. Sa-young grabbed his head and groaned. Voices were mixed in the headache.

‘This is a secret.’

‘Secret.’

Secret.

Drip. Cold sweat fell, leaving a round mark on the wooden floor. Sa-young blinked his eyes with difficulty. His eyelashes were wet. His Soul was shouting.

‘Stop him.’