# Chapter 27
Judging by the casual way they spoke to each other, it seemed they had quite a personal connection. Given Je Sano’s personality, it didn’t seem likely he would curry favor with those in power, so it was somewhat unexpected. Just looking at them, you wouldn’t think their personalities would match. Though who would be compatible with Je Sano anyway…
Iyeon scrutinized Sano’s face as if trying to uncover something hidden, but all he got was a look that seemed to ask what the hell he was staring at. Feeling like lasers might shoot out from those sharp eyes any moment, Iyeon averted his gaze and cautiously probed.
“You seem to know Director Jin.”
Contrary to Iyeon’s expectation that Sano would simply ignore him and continue focusing on his work, Sano answered willingly.
“For quite a while now.”
His gaze appeared as indifferent as usual, but somehow his eyes seemed unusually sharp.
“About eight years ago, when I was wandering the streets.”
“…Is that so?”
Iyeon responded glumly. The killing intent made his cheeks sting. It seemed like an extremely unpleasant memory.
“That guy helped me register as a superpowered person.”
Before Iyeon could comment on the Confucian-destroying boy’s shocking way of addressing someone more than ten years his senior, Sano continued.
“That’s how I settled in this city.”
The man who had rescued a filthy street kid who had been drifting from place to place and was about to end up in a back alley didn’t offer warm words or gentle touches, but he fed him well, cleaned him up, and took him to the Superpower Management Office.
From then on, the child with the almighty superpower grew into the strongest superpowered being.
“What about you?”
The green eyes that blinked slowly while staring at Iyeon looked almost black under the deep shadows. Feeling oddly tense as those eyes seemed to be trying to dig into his deepest thoughts, Iyeon found himself stuttering without meaning to.
“Me? I don’t know the Director.”
“…”
Sano’s eyes grew cold. Iyeon flinched under his gaze, which seemed to be looking at someone too stupid to understand what he was asking.
“I guess I’m similar to you, though…”
Iyeon’s first memory was of the orphanage. Children who weren’t adopted as infants were practically neglected as they grew up, and being discharged with a pittance of a support fund was the expected reality. Iyeon naturally thought that would be his fate too.
From a painfully young age, he had to worry about his future. During that time when overwhelming uncertainty gradually tightened around his throat regardless of his age.
He found ‘parents’ who wanted him.
“I guess they needed a child who would look similar to them even after growing up. I was really lucky.”
His pale, thin build, which had seemed nothing but a disadvantage, caught their attention, and he was miraculously adopted in elementary school. It could only be described as a miracle.
“It was a new experience.”
The first embrace from his parents was soft and affectionate. The warmth he felt for the first time in his life heated his heart. The love showered on him made his heart strong. His parents loved Iyeon, and Iyeon loved them too.
Enough to do anything.
“It’s really hard to not be blind when you’re in love.”
Iyeon muttered like a sigh, but soon returned to his usual light-hearted expression and shrugged.
“That’s why childcare is so important. You understand how much a mother’s warmth is necessary for Mirae, right? That’s why I work for just the basic salary. This is what you call neighborly love, Je Sano.”
Sano frowned at Iyeon’s random nagging.
“You’re too fond of that little kid.”
“Haven’t you heard that children are the future of the nation?”
“I am the future of the nation.”
“…”
“Now you know, so worship me.”
The arrogantly sarcastic number one ranker stretched his legs and propped them on the table. His legs were so long that they covered the table with length to spare. Glancing at Sano’s feet that almost invaded his side of the sofa, Iyeon quietly shifted his buttocks away. Not afraid of his shit? No, avoiding it because it’s dirty…
Hyegang stopped typing when the two had become completely lazy, practically lying down on the sofa. The weather visible through the blinds was getting dark. Looks like we’re working overtime today without mercy. Iyeon clicked his tongue and sat up.
“How’s it going? Found anything?”
As Iyeon approached the desk, Sano followed. Hyegang moved the mouse pointer around to organize the information neatly and began briefing them.
“As I suspected, there’s no information on regular websites.”
An ordinary person couldn’t tell at a glance whether it was an original mutant or a mutated one. Probably even among hunters, few would have noticed anything unusual. Even Iyeon hadn’t known anything until Heesu handed over the report.
The people holding the information they wanted were extremely few. It was like finding a needle in a sandbox.
However, in this era, no one could live entirely analog.
“I hacked into the dark web and all private networks. There’s one suspicious place.”
The moment data was converted to digital, it fell within Hyegang’s domain.
“There’s a members-only club that opened last year.”
“A club? Why suddenly a club?”
Iyeon questioned the random turn, but Hyegang continued his explanation without answering.
“But while the property is huge, the actual club area isn’t that big. And the blueprints for the non-club part of the property are cleverly missing.”
“Is that allowed?”
“Of course not.”
Hyegang briefly explained how troublesome it was to hide blueprints and what problems it caused, but real estate-ignorant Iyeon couldn’t understand. Anyway, it’s suspicious. Pretending to understand, he nodded, and Hyegang continued.
“Well, actually, this much could be overlooked. It’s illegal real estate, but it doesn’t really concern us.”
“True.”
“But look at this. This is something the club sends out.”
Hyegang displayed a file. Below an elegant golden branch pattern on a mobile invitation that said ‘You are invited,’ there was one strange phrase added.
“For those who wish to befriend the world’s one and only mutant?”
“Intriguing, isn’t it?”
The three looked at each other.
A club related to mutants, not even animals. Of course, there were rumored black markets for mutants, and there was no law against keeping mutants… but people don’t usually try to raise them, do they?
“So I thought it was really strange and dug into the owner and guest list, but I couldn’t find anyone connected.”
A high-end members-only club would have strict membership requirements. Anyone meeting those requirements in terms of assets or reputation would naturally have records on the internet. From large portal site profile information down to SNS activity records or personal sightings.
If there were no traces, one assumption was likely.
“They all used proxies.”
It was a secretive and extremely suspicious place.
“And before opening a club, they bring in items, right? Apparently, there was an accident where a cover was briefly flipped over while moving the cargo. And guess what was inside?”
“What was it?”
“Several empty cages.”
Not exactly common items used in regular clubs. Like.
“Big enough for mutants?”
“I don’t know the size. Maybe they’re just for decoration. After that, it was just relationship talk, so I stopped reading.”
The fact that he casually added he had scraped private chat records was even more frightening. Information and Communication Network Act… I’m sorry.
“Would a superpowered mutant really be in a place like this?”
Iyeon muttered skeptically. Not discovered near the Red Void, but in a downtown club. It was hard to imagine information never shared among hunters would be exchanged in such an unexpected place.
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
We don’t have any other major clues right now anyway. After hearing Hyegang’s shrug and comment, there didn’t seem to be a better option.
“The opening time is soon. I’ll copy the invitation for you, and you can go with Mungchi.”
Soon, the invitation and location were sent to Iyeon’s phone. It didn’t take long for Sano and Iyeon to put on their coats and leave the office.
After going home to pick up Mungchi, it was fully night.
The club was far away, so Sano used his ability. With the underground elevator, they could quickly reach a neighborhood on the other side of the city. Although Mungchi was wary of this unfamiliar mode of transportation, thanks to Iyeon’s desperate reassurance, they managed to get through it without incident.
The street was bright despite the late hour thanks to the glittering signs. Drunk people stumbling, people bursting into loud laughter, music leaking from somewhere, and cars with terrifying exhaust sounds… It was a typical drinking district.
Amidst the boisterous atmosphere, only they were quiet. Iyeon’s eyes kept glancing toward Sano.
Mungchi’s presence saved him. If it had been just the two of them, he would have been busy checking for Sano’s presence, just like he had been doing recently. At the office, it was fine because Hyegang was there, but when it was just the two of them, it was like this again. Iyeon tried to focus only on Mungchi, who was walking pressed right against him, and deliberately turned his gaze to the surrounding streets.
