Chapter 31 - Street Casting

* * *

Hyeonyul did not move rashly. This was a power he had never seen before, and it felt ominous.

'What kind of power is that?'

Could it be called magic?

The man who had passed through the portal began pulling it shut from both sides like a door, then stopped. Only the lower half of his face was visible. Suddenly, he smiled.

"I wondered what that was. Turns out there's a little rat here."

Hyeonyul could not suppress the smile that sprang reflexively to his lips at the man's words.

'He noticed me?'

How long had it been since he had experienced something this entertaining? All those experiments had left his very existence as indistinct as a shadow.

"Ah, it was nearly finished. I never imagined it would end up such a mess. What a shame. I put a lot of work into it."

The man shook his head with a sigh.

"Are you the owner of this place?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Villain A. That was this bastard.

"It's not as though some lackey would have a power like this. It would be nice if they did, though. It would help destroy the Empire."

The man laughed loudly after saying that. Hyeonyul knew how deeply the villains resented the Empire, so he was not particularly surprised.

"Did you come to destroy this place?"

"Yes. To make it sting a little."

"Oh dear, you've wasted your trip. I won't bat an eye if you destroy this place. I have plenty of money. I can build as many more of these as I like."

The man smiled, confidence practically overflowing around his eyes.

"That's fine. Things tend to collapse like dominoes. You may think it's only one incident, but the repercussions of that one incident will run quite deep."

Hyeonyul assessed his opening. That power. Senses sharp enough to detect his movements. Just who was this man?

"You'd better not," the man said.

"Is that so?"

Hyeonyul drew a deep breath and stepped forward. What conversation did he need to have with this bastard? All he needed was the man's death.

But he did not take another step. With a strange sound, countless eyes appeared in midair and met his gaze. They varied in size and shape, and each of the many eyes surrounding the portal bore a strange pattern. He realized that each held a different power.

"I warned you. I said you'd better not."

Hyeonyul smiled at the man's words. What should he call this? A barrier?

'As if that matters.'

What Hyeonyul wanted was the bastard's head. Now that he recognized the nature of the power, all that remained was to break through. He became darkness and surged forward, but just as he was about to drive his dagger into the man's neck, a door appeared out of nowhere.

An illusion? The thought barely lingered before Hyeonyul wrapped darkness around his dagger and brought it down without hesitation.

BOOOM!

He distinctly felt the door split in two.

'It's not an illusion.'

The bastard was beyond it. Hyeonyul smiled, stepped forward, and stretched out his hand.

RRRRR.

With a sharp sound as though slicing through the air, the darkness coiled around Hyeonyul's arm spread wide like wings tangled in thorns.

KABOOOM.

Whatever power lay behind it, the darkness thrust outward and pierced even the power beyond the door the bastard had created. A succession of breaking and shattering sounds followed. Dozens of eyes closed at once.

Hyeonyul looked ahead. He had clearly been close to the man, yet now they were a considerable distance apart.

'Interesting.'

He did not care whether he was caught in an illusion, whether it was magic, or any of that. Wasn't this a world full of every imaginable power? He became darkness again and closed the distance.

About three steps away, Hyeonyul sensed a formless force. Whatever it was, the darkness spread all around lunged like countless snakes and sank its teeth into it.

CRASH.

Something shattered. Amid fragments fluttering like shards of a broken mirror stood the bastard.

"... Wow, you're damn strong. You broke that?"

Pure admiration spilled from his lips. He was genuinely surprised.

"Honestly, I'd like to see more of you, but I don't have the time. See you next time."

He waved leisurely as he narrowed the portal.

Before it could shrink and vanish in an instant, Hyeonyul closed the distance and managed to drive his dagger through the tiny opening. But it did not connect. He felt no contact at all.

"Yes. See you next time."

For the first time in a long while, he felt his blood boil. No matter what anyone said, that head belonged to him.

Hyeonyul let out a long breath and removed his helmet. A vivid light glimmered in his eyes, as though it might burst into flame at any moment.

'... That voice sounds familiar.'

Had he met the man before? Even if he had, he could not remember. The drugs poured into him through countless experiments had wiped away all his memories.

'Who is he?'

* * *

"... One person has died."

Haeryeon nearly spat out her mouthful of coffee the moment she heard Ha Dongu, Team One's leader.

'Died? What's going on, first thing in the morning meeting?'

"Which person?"

Juhyeon asked while ceaselessly moving a thumb over the phone.

"You left out the subject, Team Leader Dongu."

Digging up all sorts of information lately had given Juhyeon a headache. When told it was the Poison King's phone, Juhyeon had wondered what could be different about it—but it was different. Security magic had been placed on it. Just what was inside that warranted hiding it so thoroughly? Juhyeon's eyes narrowed.

"One of the collaborators we detained. A Black... Eagle."

Dongu stumbled through his explanation.

"I was wondering why you looked so cowed from the start of the meeting. Were you hiding something this serious?"

Juhyeon set down the phone. The sound was louder than expected.

Dongu was the one assigned to watch the collaborators. It wasn't as though they hadn't given him the list; they had even placed the collaborators in temporary detention.

"You know how much trouble these collaborators are causing us right now, don't you? None of us imagined even Team Five's leader would be one."

Juhyeon smiled, resting a chin on the back of a hand. The star design with a face etched into it rose along with the hand.

"Why did you hide something this important?"

"I-I wasn't hiding it."

"Dongu. You'd better choose your words carefully."

Dojin looked at Dongu.

The reason Dongu had been assigned guard duty this time was simple. He possessed a mind-related power, which he could use to prevent them from escaping. With Dojin's warning, the other Team Leaders turned their eyes on him.

"Now, let's not put too much pressure on him. Team Leader Dongu wouldn't have kept it from us without a reason."

Haeryeon smiled, smoothly stepping in to mediate.

They had compared the information Hyeonyul had uncovered with their own and caught all the collaborators. Even so, their looks at one another remained sharp. More collaborators. As long as that possibility existed, this unease would persist.

"What happened?" Haeryeon asked slowly.

"While watching the collaborators, I thought there might be more of them, so I was searching inside the Nest. It seems... this happened while I was away."

"What about the security cameras?"

As Haeryeon continued questioning him, Dongu broke into a heavy sweat.

"When I checked, they were down. My people were unconscious, too. Out of all the collaborators we detained, only one was killed. ... That couldn't happen unless it was planned."

He knew the situation could cast suspicion on him one way or another.

"You could have told me."

Juhyeon narrowed their eyes. Surely he knew Juhyeon could interfere with and take control of electronic devices.

"I know. I do, but... To be honest, I was afraid there might be additional collaborators. I'm truly sorry."

Dongu rose and bowed his head.

"Team Leader Dongu, you brought the security camera equipment, right?"

Juhyeon held out a hand, and Dongu quickly passed it over.

"Let's not suspect anyone until we've checked. Pointing blades at one another for no reason is exactly what our enemies want."

With the equipment in hand, Juhyeon looked at the other Team Leaders. Each agreed. Times like these called for them to stand together.

"Team Leader Haeryeon."

Team Four's leader spoke up.

"Yes?"

"Please tell the recruit I said thank you."

"..."

Haeryeon was startled. Though neutral, Team Four's leader had not held a favorable opinion of Hyeonyul.

"His contribution is tremendous. If we hadn't learned of this, the Black Eagles would have plummeted with their feathers stripped away."

The most frightening threat was not outside, but when an ally within became an enemy. That was when any organization could collapse utterly.

"I will."

Haeryeon smiled warmly. Regardless of the present situation, Hyeonyul's contribution had been immense.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

An urgent knock sounded.

"We have a serious problem!"

A manager entered.

"What is it?" Dojin asked.

"The secret base... has been lost."

"Lost?"

Haeryeon struggled to understand.

"The entire base... has disappeared."

At those words, Haeryeon's heart began to pound with a peculiar unease. They had been planning to discuss how to destroy the secret base today anyway. The timing was convenient.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

At another knock on the door, Haeryeon narrowed her eyes.

'... What now?'

Everyone reacted much as she did. The person entering was a Black Eagle from Juhyeon's Team Seven.

"The new weapons you asked us to find were not discovered inside the Nest."

"... What?"

Juhyeon reacted.

Kim Namhun's interrogation had revealed that new weapons had been planted inside, prompting a search. They could not entrust it to the managers, so the Black Eagles had conducted it independently, with several teams working together. Yet there were none?

'Was something wrong with the interrogation? Was Kim Namhun mistaken?'

Watching Juhyeon's bewildered expression, Haeryeon absently touched her lips.

'The secret base disappeared, and the new weapons Kim Namhun told us about just happened to disappear too?'

There was no such coincidence.

'What on earth is happening?'

* * *

Hyeonyul sat upright to protect his back as he knitted. Lately, he had been making hats for newborns. He thought doing a little volunteer work while he was at it wasn't a bad idea.

He wasn't doing it as some sort of absolution, as people might call it. He had simply taken up knitting by chance and heard about the opportunity while learning. He had nowhere to store the things at home anyway.

He had made all sorts of things—hats, vests, socks, scarves, gloves—and sent them to an orphanage. His handiwork must not have been bad; he had once received a letter saying the children had fought over the things he made.

'What should I do with that?'

Hyeonyul pulled a new weapon from his shadow. He had brought them along as a precaution, but he could not examine one here. If it accidentally exploded, everyone in the area would die.

'... Ah, I dropped one.'

He had dropped a stitch. That sometimes happened when he let his thoughts wander while knitting. He set his work down for a moment and looked around his home.

["Still, I'm glad you're willing to move. I'm thinking of applying for housing assistance for you."]

Haeryeon's words suddenly came to mind.

To think he would be able to move.

'... I have so much stuff at home.'

The realization struck him anew. The moment he had seen the debts accumulated because of his illness, he had thought he could leave this place forever.

'No. I can leave.'

If he crossed the bare minimum line he had drawn for himself, he could pay it off within a few years.

'But I still don't want to become a monster.'

He was already a monster, but he did not want his heart to become a true monster's as well. His real self surely would not want that. What kind of person had he originally been? What had he wanted?

'... Here it goes again.'

When these stray thoughts multiplied, something hot surged up into his throat. Hyeonyul stood and rummaged through his medicine packet. Too much thinking brought auditory hallucinations, and those awakened the pain etched into his body. All of it was an aftereffect. He swallowed the medicine with water and let out a short breath.

'... I want a pet turtle.'

Perhaps he could keep one in his new home. Turtles were said to live a long time.

'Was their lifespan about twenty or thirty years?'

If he got his injections, took his medicine, and did what Jeongmin told him, perhaps he could live that long. He had already lived fourteen more years.

'I've lived a long time.'

BZZZZ.

His phone buzzed. Hyeonyul walked over and picked it up.

「Movie Tickets Booked.」

It was an alarm he had set in advance in case he forgot while zoning out over his knitting.

'Time to go see the movie.'

Hyeonyul smiled. To think a chance to enjoy something like this had come into a life filled with nothing but overtime. He was happy.

* * *

"..."

Sinu froze, holding popcorn and a soft drink.

"Hello."

Hyeonyul greeted Sinu calmly.

"...?"

Sinu remained motionless. With his cap pulled low, Sinu hadn't recognized him, but it was Hyeonyul. Who would have expected to run into him here? Yet Sinu seemed to be the only one taken aback; Hyeonyul's expression did not change.

"Well, enjoy your movie."

Hyeonyul gave a slight bow and headed toward the concession stand.

"Wait."

Sinu hurriedly called him back.

"Yes?"

Hyeonyul looked at Sinu.

"You like seeing movies alone too?"

Only then did Sinu break into a bright smile.

"Yes, I do."

"This is worth celebrating. Let me buy you popcorn."

"You don't have to. I have money too. And..."

Hyeonyul trailed off, hesitating. He still hadn't repaid Sinu for all the things bought for him last time.

"... Never mind."

"Come on, don't turn me down. What's the big deal about your big brother buying you some popcorn?"

Sinu wore a genial smile, but that wasn't how Hyeonyul saw it. A clinging leech.

'If I refuse, it'll keep coming up, won't it? Maybe I shouldn't have said hello.'

Regretting it, Hyeonyul had no choice but to nod.

"Get anything you want. Anything."

Sinu pointed at the kiosk. Hyeonyul stood before it and selected Popcorn (R) and a drink.

"Is that all you're getting?"

At Sinu's words, he changed Popcorn (R) to Popcorn (L).

"Hyeonyul, your big brother has a fat wallet."

At this latest remark, Hyeonyul thought hard. This should be enough. What more was Sinu hoping for?

"This is enough."

"Hyeonyul."

Was this some new form of harassment? Or did Sinu just want to show off how much money that wallet held? Hyeonyul added cheese balls and buttered squid, then looked at Sinu. Only then did Sinu look satisfied.

"You can add more."

"This will do. It's really quite enough."

Whatever else happened, Hyeonyul just wanted to watch his movie.

"All right."

Sinu paid and grinned at Hyeonyul.

"Enjoy the food, and enjoy the movie."

Partway through, Sinu had kept it up for the fun of it, but any more and Hyeonyul looked ready to glare.

"Yes."

After hearing his answer, Sinu moved away. Sinu checked the movie's starting time, then paused to look around before leaving.

There were sounds of happy laughter and people chatting with one another. It was especially crowded today. Who would know if a villain was mixed in among them? Suddenly, Sinu remembered someone who had been brutally murdered during a mission.

THUMP. THUMP.

Sinu's heart beat uneasily. If a biochemical agent were released here, all those smiles would disappear. If someone opened fire, wouldn't the whole place become a sea of blood?

'... Please.'

Sinu walked with heavy steps.

'Please, let there be no villains here.'

Sinu prayed while heading toward the theater. The thought of people who spent their time plotting murder coming to watch a movie at their leisure was enough to turn Sinu's stomach.

* * *

"... Excuse me. Let me through."

Holding the cola and soft drink slightly higher, Sinu shuffled sideways like a crab.

'Number nine. Number nine.'

After checking the number, Sinu sat down and stared blankly at the advertisements while sipping the soft drink. Perhaps failing to save someone on the mission was what had brought on all those thoughts.

'I should mention it at my next counseling session.'

"Excuse me."

Looking up at the familiar voice, Sinu saw Hyeonyul.

"... Cough, cough!"

Only then did Hyeonyul look at Sinu too—and freeze. Not only the same movie, but the next seat over?

"Is this... your seat?"

"Looks like it."

Still coughing, Sinu dimmed the phone's screen and showed him the ticket. Number nine.

As soon as Hyeonyul saw the number, he sighed and sat down beside Sinu. Seeing his obvious displeasure, Sinu chuckled quietly.

'... Ah, I don't know why Hyeonyul feels so familiar.'

Thinking back, it had been that way from the beginning. Sinu faced forward with a quiet smile.

"Have some."

Hyeonyul spoke with a frown, but Sinu shook their head.

"You eat it all."

How could Sinu buy it for him and then take it back to eat? The lights went out, and the movie began.