Chapter 86 - A Cup of Tea, a Slice of Cake (3)
11 min read ·
* * *
Nayun’s eyes were special. She said she had only taken a quick look, but it had been anything but quick. She could see farther and in greater detail than other people, so the world looked different through her eyes.
“What did you see?”
Jihwan held his cup and once again held his breath.
“There was a factory. Lots of people, everyone working, roads connected to it, cars going back and forth, and even streetlights along the road. But something was different.”
“Hm.”
Nayun seemed to think for a moment before putting a forkful of cake into her mouth.
“What was different?”
Jihwan could not help wondering. From the way she described it, it sounded like an ordinary factory. Since she had specifically mentioned streetlights along the road, it did not seem abandoned either.
“The people’s expressions were strange. I don’t know if I should say they looked terrified or like something was chasing them. Work is hard for everyone, right? But it wasn’t that usual ‘another shitty day’ kind of look.”
“If it wasn’t, then it certainly sounds suspicious.”
Hyeon-yul nodded in agreement. Who went to work because they loved their company? People went because they needed money.
“Maybe they... like their company? Something like that?”
Jihwan asked just in case. Rare creatures like that did exist, but they were hardly the majority.
“‘I love my company’ can never happen. It felt so, so wrong that I asked the managers about the place. From what I heard, they suspect it’s being operated by villains. They figured that out using the information you found, Hyeon-yul.”
“The information I found?”
He had handed over so much that he was not sure what particular piece she meant.
“You said we could identify places run by villains through their logos. I told them what logo I saw there.”
“Ah. That one?”
Hyeon-yul answered calmly, while Nayun looked as though something had just occurred to her.
“Hyeon-yul.”
“Yes.”
“The people who handed over your information have been kicked out. They’ll never be able to set foot here again. It’ll be the same if they try to go somewhere else. I made sure the word got around.”
She said it lightly, but it was not something that could be taken lightly.
“Did you happen to tell the Team Leader about it, Noona?”
“That’s right. I’m basically our team’s information network. Of course, the Team Leader is too.”
Nayun smiled, and Hyeon-yul watched her as though observing something unusual.
Jihwan suddenly asked, “Pretty amazing, right?”
“To be honest, yes.”
“Nayun Noona seriously knows everyone. Even I freaked out after I realized how wide her network was. I still have no idea how she manages to get close to so many people so quickly. It’s incredible.”
“I love compliments like that, Jihwan. You’re being good, so eat more.”
Nayun giggled and pushed another piece of cake toward him. Jihwan proudly raised his fork.
“Anyway, I’ll hear soon who the former Black Eagles who took your information were, and I’ll let you know.”
“...You can really do that?”
“Sometimes I think I should’ve been born in the old days. I probably could’ve made a name for myself as an information merchant.”
“It is not too late even now.”
Hyeon-yul meant it sincerely. Yu-jong had made a name for himself as an information broker as well. Nayun simply lacked people working under her. If she had them, she might truly be able to grow an enormous organization.
“Wow, thanks. I mean it.”
Nayun laughed loudly, looking clearly pleased by the praise.
“Though I could’ve seen it wrong.”
“That would never happen.”
Jihwan slipped naturally into the conversation before Nayun continued.
“...That’s probably true, but anyway, it’s possible there’s nothing there despite our expectations. Do you want to go check?”
Nayun asked with a tense expression. This was the important part. It was not even working hours yet, and because working outside those hours was something Hyeon-yul hated, she had to be extremely careful.
“Yes.”
Contrary to every concern she had, Hyeon-yul answered without a moment of hesitation.
‘...Ah. He’s more desperate than I thought.’
Nayun felt her mood sink strangely. She had always known Hyeon-yul was desperate, but this was a man who loved leaving work on time so much that, because he hated extended workdays, he had compressed five days of work into one. Yet he was willing to work outside his scheduled hours.
That was how desperate he was.
All Nayun knew was what Jihwan had occasionally said about the time he had been experimented on. Even that had sounded horrifying. Though it had happened long ago, Jihwan still had not completely escaped those memories.
Then what about Hyeon-yul, who had endured far more for far longer?
Nayun glanced at Jihwan. He was looking at Hyeon-yul with encouragement in his eyes.
—I received a lifetime’s worth of luck. I hope someone else can receive that same luck. That’s why I became a Black Eagle.
Had Jihwan decided that Hyeon-yul was the person who should receive that luck now?
“Then let’s go.”
That was the only thing Nayun could say for him right now. Hyeon-yul immediately started to rise, but she continued.
“But we’re finishing everything before we go. We’re not leaving food behind.”
“Understood.”
Hyeon-yul sat back down and picked up his fork. That was also entirely reasonable.
* * *
“...Around here?”
Jihwan created a doorway and stuck his head through it as he asked.
“Oh, yes. Around here. We’ll know the exact spot if we go a little farther.”
After checking the other side, Nayun walked through the door without hesitation. She turned and beckoned to Hyeon-yul.
Hyeon-yul could not take his eyes off Jihwan’s power. He had seen it before, but seeing it again made it look like genuine magic.
‘It is magic, but how does this even work?’
The formula was extraordinarily precise. Even if someone told Hyeon-yul to reproduce it, he would not be able to.
“Hyeon-yul?”
“This power is remarkable.”
Hyeon-yul spoke sincerely. Jihwan, who had been waiting on the other side, stared at him in surprise. He had not expected to receive praise like that and found himself speechless.
Unlike most people, Hyeon-yul could actually see magical formulas.
“Wow, Jihwan.”
Nayun immediately started teasing him, and Jihwan turned his head away. Normally he could have brushed it off with a joke, but with Nayun joining in, he was genuinely breaking into a sweat.
“My mind is... open in a certain way, so that’s why I can do it.”
“I know it isn’t something just anyone can do. I’ve seen other mages who could use movement magic, but none were at this level.”
Hyeon-yul was satisfied with its stability, durability, and even comfort.
‘I’d rather use this than an Eagle.’
It seemed like an extremely convenient means of transportation.
Hyeon-yul stepped through the doorway, and the air changed. Factories were often located away from city centers, and this place was no different. It was not mountainous, though. Buildings could be seen in the distance, placing them somewhere on the city outskirts.
A road was connected to the area, and just as Nayun had said, there were streetlights around it. Hyeon-yul took in the scent drifting through the air.
“No one had used this place until recently. They chose a good location.”
When Hyeon-yul turned and said that, Nayun immediately looked at Jihwan.
“Wow, Jihwan. You’re doing really well today.”
“Is today... some special day? I’m getting way too many compliments.”
“Do compliments require a special day?”
At Hyeon-yul’s question, Jihwan immediately shook his head.
“No! It was, uh, a figure of speech. I mean it feels really good, but I’m also embarrassed and kind of dazed. That sort of thing.”
A slight crease appeared between Hyeon-yul’s brows. He did not understand.
“So... um. I mean my feelings are complicated.”
“Why are they complicated? I only stated a fact.”
“Must be nice, Jihwan. Getting compliments from Hyeon-yul and everything. Jihwan’s going to fly away today. Praised Jihwan. Amazing Jihwan.”
Seizing her chance, Nayun started teasing him, and Jihwan became visibly flustered.
“Let’s go already! Come on!”
Jihwan hurried them along. Nayun laughed in delight as she walked ahead, looking extremely satisfied, almost as though she had eaten her fill without taking another bite.
‘Noona is just like Shinwoo Hyung.’
Thinking that, Jihwan walked alongside Hyeon-yul.
After they had walked for a while, Nayun stopped.
“See it over there?”
“That’s... pretty big.”
Jihwan narrowed his eyes. He had expected a certain scale from the word factory, but it was larger than he had imagined. His gaze had to travel for quite a while from one end to the other.
“...Should we call Shinwoo Hyung?”
“Don’t worry. I already did.”
“...What? Didn’t you say earlier that we weren’t inviting Shinwoo Hyung?”
“I did, but then I remembered how big the factory was.”
“Then how is Hyung getting here?”
“Probably on an Eagle.”
Nayun held up her phone to show them the messages.
[Team Leader! I’m going to go do some work!]
[But I don’t want to work!!!!]
She had also sent a cat sticker smacking itself on the head.
“Whatever you do, faster is better.”
“Do we need Baek Shinwoo Hyung because of the size of the factory?”
Hyeon-yul suddenly asked. Four people certainly sounded better than three.
“That’s part of it, but we need to solve this quickly, right?”
“Why?”
“We haven’t started work yet.”
At Nayun’s words, Hyeon-yul suddenly realized the obvious. Being with them had made it feel so much like work that he had almost mistaken this for working hours.
His precious free time was passing right now. There were still six or seven hours before his shift began.
“...I’ll do it.”
Even if the place was large, he could wipe it clean within an hour. They had to finish quickly.
“No, Hyeon-yul. Stay put. You’re hurt right now.”
“I’m fine.”
“This is exactly what Baek Shinwoo is for. Jihwan is here too, right? Baek Shinwoo with Jihwan is useful.”
“Shinwoo Hyung can hear you.”
Jihwan whispered. Hyeon-yul turned his head behind them.
“He’s already here. I saw the Eagle coming earlier.”
Nayun laughed, and Hyeon-yul saw Shinwoo trudging toward them. He still looked half asleep and had apparently not fully woken up.
“...You guys are seriously diligent. How are you not still in dreamland at this hour?”
YAAAWN.
Shinwoo yawned widely and rubbed his shoulder.
“So? Was it good, eating something delicious without me?”
“It was fantastic.”
Nayun sounded delighted, leaving Shinwoo dumbfounded. His gaze moved to Jihwan.
Jihwan laughed awkwardly, and Shinwoo then looked at Hyeon-yul. His expression was different from the one he had shown Nayun and Jihwan.
“...Yeah, what did you do wrong? Obviously either Nayun or Jihwan dragged you along, right?”
Hyeon-yul only blinked. Was he supposed to say that was correct?
“I already know, so you don’t have to say anything. You ate something good, so that’s fine. Let me see.”
Shinwoo examined Hyeon-yul’s forehead. A bandage was stuck over it.
“I know you’re pissed off, but don’t kill them, Hyeon-yul.”
“I know.”
“I’ll take care of it quietly for you.”
Shinwoo smiled at Jihwan, and Jihwan nodded.
“No. Neither of you. Absolutely not.”
Nayun stopped Shinwoo immediately. If those two joined forces, they could cause an incident far beyond anything reasonable.
“I’m not killing anyone. I’m just saying I might lightly touch their Achilles tendons.”
“Get a grip, Baek Shinwoo. Hyeon-yul is listening right now.”
When Nayun’s eyes sharpened, Shinwoo raised both hands. He privately wondered whether she should be more worried about Hyeon-yul than him.
“Fine, I understand. So what do I do?”
“There’s a good chance this is one of the drug suppliers Hyeon-yul was looking for.”
“...Aah.”
The look in Shinwoo’s eyes changed after Nayun explained.
“So I just have to tie down everyone in there?”
“Something like that.”
Nayun gave him a firm nod.
“Jihwan.”
“Of course I was already getting ready.”
Jihwan confidently extended a hand. A three-dimensional image of the factory appeared over his palm. It was the same magic Hyeon-yul had seen during their previous mission.
Red marks suddenly appeared across it.
‘...Ah.’
Only then did Hyeon-yul understand why Nayun had said Shinwoo and Jihwan worked so well together.
Shinwoo could summon swords across space. Jihwan could interfere with space itself. Then what would happen if Shinwoo only needed to know the target’s location?
“You don’t have to do anything, Hyeon-yul.”
A gentle breeze seemed to stir around Shinwoo.
SNAP.
The instant Shinwoo snapped his fingers, Hyeon-yul looked toward the factory. He could see a tremor. Perhaps it would be better described as a wave of power, but something distinct pulsed through the building.
“...Are there no restrictions at all on where you can summon your swords?”
“Let’s say the limit is however long I can endure it.”
How was that any different from saying there was no limit? If it was effectively unlimited, Hyeon-yul could not even picture how he was supposed to fight against it.
“Let’s go.”
Shinwoo strode forward confidently, and Nayun smoothly pulled a gun from the bag slung over her shoulder and fired.
BANG!
“...You scared me!”
Shinwoo jumped in surprise and rubbed his ear.
“There was someone outside the building. It’s a tranquilizer gun.”
Nayun raised the corners of her mouth. Its effective range was remarkably long for the size of the barrel.
“Now let’s go.”
Nayun smiled, and Shinwoo followed with a displeased expression.
“You could’ve warned me.”
“I did. Stop yapping and follow me.”
Shinwoo opened his mouth to retort, then stopped. How was he supposed to win an argument with her? He followed them with another yawn.
* * *
The moment Hyeon-yul entered the factory, the corners of his mouth rose. Swords were poised at everyone’s throats like timed explosives.
What an extraordinarily efficient ability. Several people who had already tried to act were lying dead.
This place was operated by villains, but most of the people here could be villains or they could be ordinary workers. Setting everything else aside, only one thing mattered.
‘...They make the drugs here.’
How could anyone possibly hide a stench this foul?
“Ask whatever you want and search as much as you want. Just finish before work starts. You need enough rest before your shift, after all.”
Shinwoo’s suggestion perfectly expressed what Hyeon-yul was thinking.