Chapter 20 - I've Got It! (2)

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"... So you're saying the villain attacking the bus was a coincidence?"

Having heard the whole story, Haeryeon drew her conclusion.

"That's right. What matters in this incident is the villain's behavior. He was building up experience."

As Hyeonyul nodded and spoke, Haeryeon questioned him, her face practically sprouting a question mark.

"Experience...? You mean the kind of experience I'm thinking of?"

"Yes. When villains change employers, they need experience, just as they would here. As you know, companies run by villains look no different from ordinary companies. Some of the people working there actually believe they're legitimate businesses."

Not everyone hated the Empire, so this was the disguise the villains had chosen. They created various affiliates that led ordinary people through a gradual process of becoming villains, absorbing them into their ranks.

If necessary, they used any means available, whether brainwashing or drugs. Much as they would create test subjects, they transferred people through affiliates in stages. Only once those transfers had transformed an ordinary person into a full-fledged villain could that person come to headquarters.

"A job posting went up recruiting experienced villains. We may see more incidents like this as they try to meet its requirements."

As Hyeonyul continued without hesitation, Jihwan could only smile, his eyes darting this way and that.

'Why does he know so much about this?'

He rattled off detailed information as though he had been a villain himself.

'But he's a new recruit...?'

Jihwan still didn't know Hyeonyul very well. He had heard a few things from Sinu and Nayun, but honestly, they hadn't been facts about him so much as advice on how to approach him naturally.

Judging by those texts alone, Hyeonyul wasn't the sort of person you should walk straight up to, so Jihwan hadn't spoken to him on the bus. Seeing how pleased Hyeonyul looked had convinced him he'd made the right choice.

But now it was even harder to tell what sort of person he was.

"Team Leader, I told you last time that the Poison King was planning something big, didn't I?"

Haeryeon nodded at his question.

"Yes, you did."

"With a job posting up as well, the information about a major incident is definite. Villains trying to join that company may turn the venue into a slaughterhouse."

"The venue? Do you know where it is?"

His words suggested he knew the location. Hyeonyul's unfamiliar approach made Haeryeon feel as though her mouth were drying out.

It was like watching him look at villains from a villain's perspective.

"The festival."

Jihwan tilted his head at Hyeonyul's answer.

"Big bro, how can you be so sure?"

"I used to be a villain."

"...!"

At Hyeonyul's short, simple answer, Jihwan's eyes widened.

'Jihwan hasn't even heard the rumors.'

Haeryeon smiled awkwardly as his eyes pleaded for an explanation.

"He joined through special recruitment. Hyeonyul caught Shin Daeho."

"... Big bro!"

Jihwan called out to Hyeonyul emphatically once again. Hyeonyul frowned at his deeply moved expression.

"That's incredibly hard! I only just scraped in. Nayun joined through special recruitment too, you know. Did you know that?"

"... Yes. I did."

"Team Three already has two people who joined through special recruitment. ... Ah. Being part of a team like this is just fantastic."

Jihwan looked ready to float up into the sky with joy at any moment. Strong people were always wonderful.

'... So he wasn't quiet after all.'

Hyeonyul regarded Jihwan warily. To think he'd only been pretending to be quiet.

"Anyway, Hyeonyul, what you're saying is that one villain put up a job posting, and other villains saw it and caused incidents like today's to meet the requirements?"

"Yes."

"If the festival is going to be the venue for fulfilling those requirements, the easiest way in would be through a security company, right?"

"That's correct. At least, that's what I think."

Haeryeon drew a breath at his confident answer.

"Which villain is it?"

"The Poison King."

Ha.

Haeryeon burst out laughing. The Poison King was a major player. So was Shin Daeho.

Had anyone ever gotten close to villains of that caliber this quickly?

"You're genuinely amazing, Hyeonyul."

Haeryeon was sincerely impressed. How had he ended up on her team?

He had already told her about a company the Poison King owned. If they could just find a connection to the festival's security company, they could sweep the whole operation away.

Haeryeon looked at Hyeonyul. Perhaps because he had told her everything, he looked thoroughly relieved.

"Team Leader."

The look on his face said he was going to ask for something, and she could guess what was coming.

"... Yes?"

"May I take down the Poison King myself?"

Just as she'd expected.

Haeryeon hesitated. It wasn't an easy question to answer.

"But aren't you still on probation, big bro?"

At Jihwan's tentative question, Hyeonyul gave a slight nod.

"I am."

"You don't really... have to get involved, do you? Isn't it still a little dangerous?"

Jihwan tried to persuade him gently.

Probationary and trainee periods might mean different things elsewhere, but here, at least, they genuinely meant, 'Take your time settling in.'

The sooner recruits were thrown into action, the greater their chances of dying, so it was a measure to protect new Black Eagles. As proof of that, they didn't even cut their salaries here.

"The Poison King made me work both after clocking out and before clocking in."

Emotion colored every word, as though Hyeonyul were grinding his anger between his teeth.

The Poison King had said he would meet all of Hyeonyul's demands. But in the end, there had been no consideration at all. He was exactly the same as the others.

At the very least, he shouldn't have come in the evening.

If Hyeonyul had accepted the Poison King's offer instead of joining the Black Eagles, he would undoubtedly have ended up slitting the man's throat sooner or later.

He was simply doing it now.

"I believe that alone is reason enough for me to kill the Poison King."

The words sounded quite murderous, so Jihwan closed his mouth.

'Wow, he's... full of resentment, like someone who's spent his whole career being worked into the ground by abusive employers.'

His eyes shifted ever so slightly. Whatever else he might not know, he was certain this was something he shouldn't touch.

"I'll vote in favor."

Jihwan promptly gave his support. He had already seen Hyeonyul's power. He was a new recruit, but an experienced fighter, with the boldness to take on villains.

Opposing him would almost be ridiculous.

"It's nice to see your support, but it's a little more difficult for me."

Haeryeon still hesitated. They had never sent someone on probation to kill a major villain before. As Team Leader, she had to consider a number of things.

"This isn't something I can decide right now. I have to consider your life, Hyeonyul."

Haeryeon rose from her seat. His gaze followed her.

There was no classroom training today. An order had come down temporarily suspending it because of the incident involving him.

Supposedly, they were concerned it might escalate into a conflict between the managers and the Black Eagles, but that wasn't how Hyeonyul saw it. It felt as though they were trying to hide something.

"I'd like to tell you to go home now, Hyeonyul, but unfortunately, there's another assignment."

Hyeonyul reacted eagerly to her words, only to deflate a moment later.

The assignments he had received so far had been emergency missions. Those were merely one common type; there were other assignments as well.

He had learned that in class. Search missions, protection missions, patrols—there were plenty.

"Where should I go?"

"It's very important, but it might be over quickly."

As she spoke, Haeryeon gave Jihwan a meaningful glance. He was staring vacantly, completely spaced out.

TAP TAP.

Haeryeon tapped the desk, and only then did Jihwan look at her.

"Yes, Team Leader."

"He can't go alone while he's on probation. Look after Hyeonyul for me."

Jihwan formed a circle with his thumb and index finger.

"Of course. He's on probation, after all."

"And Hyeonyul."

Haeryeon spoke cheerfully, as though she had been waiting for this moment.

"Yes?"

"Everyone involved in this incident is going to be fired, no matter who they are."

She seemed to be talking about the collaborators. They were entangled in the trouble surrounding Hyeonyul.

"They'll never set foot here again. All the key people involved are going to prison. If anyone comes to blame you for this or retaliate against you, I'll fire them on the spot, so feel free to give them the middle finger."

Haeryeon intended to apply pressure personally as well. How dare they touch one of her teammates?

Did they think she would stand by and watch?

"I hope this disciplinary action offers you at least some comfort."

At her words, Hyeonyul gave a faint smile. Perhaps he was pleased with these measures.

But he was thinking of something else.

'Who said I'd let them leave in one piece?'

Collaborators ought to be killed. That was the clean way to handle it.

* * *

'... It's quite an achievement, but what will the higher-ups think?'

Walking outside the building, Haeryeon lost herself in thought. It wasn't quite fair to call them stodgy old fossils, but neither could she call them open-minded.

'No. Why worry? I just have to push it through.'

Her lips curved upward, then she looked behind her.

"You and Juhyeon seem to be cooking up something interesting."

Dojin was smiling.

"There's plenty of interesting stuff happening. Things have been noisy everywhere lately."

"A headache, isn't it? If he's giving you a headache, you can hand him over to me..."

"Team Leader Dojin."

Haeryeon looked straight at Dojin, her eyes sharp enough to suggest anger.

"Thanks for the advice, but that isn't happening."

"At least no one on Team Two will be bad-mouthing Seo Hyeonyul."

"For that, thank you."

"Ridiculous."

"He's my teammate, after all."

At her pointed reminder, Dojin muttered, "Damn it," seemingly frustrated.

"But why do you like Hyeonyul so much, Team Leader Dojin?"

Haeryeon had been curious all along. Dojin had taken a strong liking to him from the very beginning.

"One look at his eyes told me that boy would go far. There are things you learn to see with time."

Perhaps it was more accurate to say things you saw with age. Unable to put it into words, Dojin scratched at an arm for no particular reason midway through speaking.

There truly was so much visible to those eyes.

"Anyway, you can already see the organization shaking up since he arrived, can't you? He's lancing all the festering sores on his own. It makes coming to work every day worthwhile."

Dojin laughed heartily. Organizations inevitably became a mess internally as time went on.

It felt as though Hyeonyul had arrived at precisely the right moment to save the Black Eagles.

"... On that note, Team Leader Dojin."

"What is it now?"

At the sudden gravity in Haeryeon's voice, Dojin stopped laughing and looked at her. Her dark brown eyes held nothing but seriousness.

"Do you trust me?"

Dojin was the oldest of the Team Leaders and, despite pretending otherwise, cared for the Black Eagles more than anyone.

"You should be asking the opposite. Whether you can trust me."

Dojin looked down at Haeryeon, but the gaze was filled only with depth. Seeing the same expression as always, she smiled softly.

"You were right, Team Leader Dojin."

Dojin said nothing, accepting it as a matter of course, as though the outcome had been expected.

But a short breath followed belatedly.

There was a collaborator.

It was true.

"They say you cling to things as you get older. Now that I've actually heard it, it pisses me off."

"Still, we'll be able to catch them soon."

Haeryeon pointed twice at her own head. A head commonly signified a major player.

Startled, Dojin quickly scanned their surroundings. Despite knowing no one was there, Dojin still asked in a barely lowered voice,

"... What?"

"Looks like a blessing really did land in our laps, just as you said."

Haeryeon spoke lightly and walked on. Hearing that Hyeonyul had accomplished it, Dojin couldn't suppress the regret.

I should have taken him.

I should have.

"So I'm counting on your support at today's meeting too, Team Leader Dojin."

Haeryeon knew very well how much weight Dojin's words carried after surviving so long as a Black Eagle.

"Y-you..."

Dojin started to say something, then stopped. These youngsters would carry on the next generation. Oughtn't they be regarded fondly?

"Yes?"

"You're awfully pleased with yourself."

"I am. I learned from you, Team Leader Dojin."

Haeryeon grinned.

* * *

Hyeonyul glanced at Jihwan. He had thought the man was loud, but that wasn't quite right either. Jihwan simply walked along blankly, as though his soul had left him.

Other people might find it strange, but Hyeonyul was familiar with this sight. He didn't particularly want to ask about it.

"... Oh!"

As though recharged, Jihwan stopped walking and looked at Hyeonyul as a realization suddenly struck him.

"?"

Hyeonyul shifted his eyes.

"Earlier, when you rode the eagle here, you looked a little off. Are you feeling unwell?"

Jihwan had thought it odd that he looked pale as soon as they arrived. Hadn't he even given himself some sort of injection?

'That was already ten minutes ago.'

Hyeonyul didn't bother saying it aloud.

"The eagle simply doesn't agree with me because I'm a test subject. I'm fine. It won't interfere with the assignment."

They had adjusted the eagle as precisely as possible to suit him, but there were limits.

["Hyeonyul. I've told you repeatedly what condition your body is in, so you know, right? The eagle is magic... I don't know exactly how it works either, but it keeps shaking your body up. Should I call it living motion sickness? Anyway, I'll prescribe a new medication, so hang in there until then."]

According to Jeongmin, medication was the only way to manage it from now on. Perhaps because it had been a while since he last rode an eagle, the discomfort was worse.

Walking ahead, Hyeonyul turned his head. He could no longer hear footsteps.

"... You were a test subject?"

Jihwan stood rooted to the spot, aghast.

"Yes."

"Really?"

He looked strangely delighted.

"Does that make you happy? You must have been a test subject too."

Jihwan was startled by Hyeonyul's words.

"Strictly speaking, you probably hadn't become a test subject yet. Did you get as far as the third—no, the fourth site?"

"... Can you tell? Other people don't know."

Jihwan fidgeted awkwardly with his hair. He felt oddly embarrassed.

"Other people won't know that your vacant spells are an aftereffect of the drugs. If you need help, go see Dr. Lee Jeongmin. He'll help you."

"... Big bro."

Though the address still felt unfamiliar, Hyeonyul answered.

"Go ahead."

"Can I say... I'm glad to meet you?"

Jihwan knew that he and Hyeonyul were different, but he felt a sense of kinship.

"Of course. I was glad to meet you too, to some extent."

Even when he searched the sites where experiments were conducted and took the people he found to Jeongmin, they all died.

His pleasure at meeting Jihwan was genuine.

Jeongmin's gaze poured over him with almost stinging intensity, and Hyeonyul operated his smartwatch to check the assignment. A brief mission summary appeared on the screen.

"...?"

The moment he saw its contents, he doubted his own eyes. No matter how many times he looked, it remained the same, so he turned to Jihwan.

"Is this... really our assignment?"

"Surprised, right? You'll be even more surprised when we get there."

Jihwan seemed accustomed to it. He even smiled easily.

"Do we... have to go?"

"Of course. We don't have any spare personnel, so once we're assigned something, we have to do it. Let's go!"

Jihwan raised his voice even louder.

* * *

"... Now, everyone. We have some new friends visiting our kindergarten. Shall we say hello?"

Following the teacher's bright, clear announcement, Jihwan and Hyeonyul appeared. Unlike Jihwan, who walked naturally, Hyeonyul couldn't seem to relax his rigid expression.

'... This is an assignment?'

The assignment itself was straightforward: protect this place from villains.

There was just one problem.

"Hello!"

The exuberant greeting rang out, almost a scream. Looking into the children's sparkling eyes, Hyeonyul could feel a cold sweat coming on.

For the first time in his life, he was on the receiving end of utterly innocent gazes.