Prologue
It had been a full year. The time spent undercover in the criminal organization ‘Ban’, suffering through hell.
After roughly a year, Seo Hae-il returned to Icheop City and looked around with deep emotion. It was still a city full of people, full of buildings, and full of petty crimes.
It’s such a chaotic neighborhood, so that’s probably why only the organization’s executives are quietly hiding here.
As he took in the scenery around him, the days he’d rolled and tumbled through as a low-level organization member—where he’d been undercover for so long that his identity as an Esper wavered, unsure if he was a criminal or not—flashed past like a panorama.
“Seo Hae-il! Over here!”
Without enough time to fully enjoy the moment, Kang Cheol-hyeon gestured flippantly from a few steps ahead. Based on his experience working under him, if he didn’t act quickly at times like this, he’d be met with random scolding.
Hae-il quickly approached and stood beside him. He didn’t forget to ask casually.
“Hyung-nim, but what kind of work will we be doing now?”
“We’ll have to go and see. If we’re lucky, we might get to serve the higher-ups.”
No matter what the work was, if he could at least familiarize himself with the faces of Ban’s executives, that alone would be quite a significant gain. Hae-il quickened his pace while suppressing his excited feelings.
The place they arrived at was a building with an exterior so normal-looking that no one would suspect it was the headquarters of a criminal organization.
The exterior, with only a sign reading “JBH Research Foundation” hanging on it, looked perfectly fine even if you called it a building. Upon entering the first-floor lobby, he first saw a floor directory with ordinary names like research labs and offices written on it. At least on the surface, it looked like an ordinary company.
Hae-il followed Kang Cheol-hyeon to the 6th floor while carefully observing his surroundings.
“We’re going to see the Director first, and he’s a scary person, so act tactfully and pay attention. Straighten your tie.”
“Yes.”
What’s with these gangster bastards calling someone ‘Director’? If someone heard them, they’d think this was a legitimate company.
Anyway, regardless of how ridiculous it was, the intuitive title made it easy to tell that this was someone in an important position.
Hae-il rolled his eyes, pretending to be nervous, and continued observing to gather even the smallest piece of information.
When they arrived on the 6th floor, a long corridor appeared first. On both sides of the corridor were ordinary-looking offices lined up, but most of them were completely empty. Occasionally there were places with desks and computers, but there were no signs of human presence, making it hard to tell if they were actually being used or just for camouflage.
After walking through the quiet space and reaching the very end of the corridor, a room covered with blinds appeared. It was clearly a room in a position that someone high-ranking would use.
Standing in front of the door, Kang Cheol-hyeon made eye contact with Hae-il and adjusted his clothing and cleared his throat. Then he knocked very politely.
At the same time as the neat tap-tap sound rang out, a low voice could be heard faintly from inside.
“Come in.”
Is it well soundproofed? It was a volume that would be easy to miss if you weren’t listening carefully.
But strangely, that barely audible voice felt somehow familiar. There’s no way I’d know a criminal in such a high position. Did I happen to run into them by chance while passing by?
Hae-il swallowed his bewilderment internally and stiffened his body with tension. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. After roughly a year, he was meeting an executive-level member of this organization. This might be his last chance, so he had to remember their face and characteristics well.
Soon, as Kang Cheol-hyeon opened the door and entered the room, he immediately bowed 90 degrees in greeting. Hae-il, who stood a step behind him, also bent his body first in a respectful posture.
“Director, good day to you!”
A voice filled with more energy than usual rang out noisily in the room.
In contrast, the only response that came back was silence. After a few seconds of silence passed, Hae-il, who glanced sideways while still bowing, saw Kang Cheol-hyeon straightening his body and tactfully matched his speed to straighten his posture.
The first thing that caught his eye was the view of a neat office. Sunlight entered appropriately through the wide window, creating a warm atmosphere. A luxuriously designed sofa and low table occupied the very center, and a little further back sat a large desk. It was an ideal work environment, too generous to be called a gangster executive’s office.
Now it was time to face that so-called Director. Hae-il naturally moved his gaze beyond that.
Soon after, he made direct eye contact with a man sitting in front of the large desk.
Hae-il froze in place.
“……”
“……”
Is it true that when a person is too flustered, their mind goes completely blank? He realized for the first time in his life that that idiomatic expression was a very realistic description. Hae-il was so flustered that he couldn’t even think about managing his expression.
The man who appeared before his eyes was someone Seo Hae-il knew very well.
Absurdly, the first impression that came to mind was so carefree that even he found it ridiculous.
‘That bastard had such a terrible personality, and he finally ended up taking the path of a criminal…!’
As if to confirm the kill, the nameplate on the desk finally caught his eye.
Moon Woo-shin.
The familiar three-syllable name he’d faced to the point of being sick of it was clearly engraved there.
As soon as his gaze moved downward, he stood up. Only then coming to his senses, Hae-il tensed his body sharply and lowered his gaze that had been meeting his.
He had no idea why that bastard was sitting here, and with the executive title of Director at that, but that was a problem to think about later. What was urgent right now was something else.
Moon Woo-shin was more than capable of guessing Seo Hae-il’s identity. Perhaps he’d already figured out everything, even that he was a Special Abilities Agency Esper who had infiltrated with impure purposes. No, the possibility of that was very high. At least 99%.
‘…I should subdue him and run.’
The thought of throwing away a year’s worth of suffering in an instant and running made him feel like tears were blurring his vision. But still, surviving came first. You had to be alive to think about what comes next or not.
Like a skilled Esper, an escape route automatically formed quickly in his head. The path he’d taken to get here, the number and positions of people he’d encountered along the way, and even the place he’d have to hide in first after completely escaping the building.
Kang Cheol-hyeon alone would be one thing, but binding both Moon Woo-shin and him at once seemed like it would be the most difficult, but it wasn’t impossible if he timed it right.
Hae-il fiddled with the ring wrapped around his left ring finger. The ring he’d worn in the least obtrusive position had been in that spot for the entire past year. Since he was going to be found out anyway, there was no reason to keep wearing the ring that only hindered his ability usage by controlling wavelengths.
In that brief moment, Moon Woo-shin’s gaze moved precisely to Hae-il’s hand. Hae-il, who had all his nerves on edge focused on him, didn’t miss the expression that crumpled ever so slightly.
‘He’s still sharp.’
He was clearly noticing and checking that Hae-il was trying to do something just from his very small movement. It was the moment Hae-il raised his guard even more.
Moon Woo-shin’s lips, which had been firmly closed until now, slowly opened.
“Kang Cheol-hyeon.”
The words that actually came out were far from what he’d expected. As always, he thought he’d call Hae-il’s name first in a chilly voice, or cut to the chase and ask why he’d brought this rat bastard here, or if not that, he’d move his body first.
Flinching, Hae-il reflexively took a half-step away from Kang Cheol-hyeon standing beside him.
“Yes, Director!”
“Go outside and wait.”
“Yes…, yes?”
“I said you go wait outside.”
“Ah, yes! Then we’ll come back again later….”
“Just you, get out.”
While the cold voice was directed at Kang Cheol-hyeon, Moon Woo-shin’s gaze was fixed precisely on Hae-il. It was an intense gaze that could be felt even without looking.
The tingling tension that bloomed from the end of that gaze swept over Hae-il’s entire body. As if he might make eye contact without realizing it, Hae-il consciously fixed his gaze on his nameplate.
If memory served, Moon Woo-shin’s ability could only exert its full power when eye contact was made.
“Ah, yes. Then just me! I’ll wait outside!”
Kang Cheol-hyeon, who seemed extremely tense, shouted in an overly strained voice and bowed his waist deeply.
The situation was turning out a bit strange, but this was the opportunity.
