# Chapter 67
Hyeongseok’s voice also became dejected at the news about Subin, as if he already knew about it. As a friend who frequented illegal clubs with Subin, the possibility that he had also purchased illegal items was overwhelming. Iyeon lowered his voice.
“Speaking of that, I heard I could get some good bracelets.”
Hyeongseok’s reaction to that question was unexpected.
“Did you buy that bracelet?”
“What? Pardon?”
“Why would you buy that! Don’t you know after seeing Subin collapse? You haven’t worn it, right? How much have you used it?”
His face was frozen in seriousness as he spoke in a low, urgent tone. Iyeon cautiously asked.
“Do you know why Noona Subin collapsed?”
“…I’m not certain. I’m not certain, but…”
Hyeongseok furrowed his brows.
“Everyone who bought those bracelets ended up in bad condition. It’s too much of a coincidence to just brush off.”
Hyeongseok said that besides Subin, all his other friends had changed in similar ways. Subin’s case was the worst, but it seemed many friends were confined to their homes, bedridden as if their energy had been completely drained.
“Even if Morpho made it, the kids shouldn’t have eagerly—”
“Who?”
The slow question came from Sano. When the person who had been completely silent this whole time suddenly spoke, Hyeongseok flinched. Sano’s voice sounded particularly low and ominous. A straightforward answer flowed out instinctively.
“Ah. Rumor has it that the bracelet maker is someone called Morpho.”
“Who is Morpho?”
Morpho was the name Kim Cheoljae had mentioned. Iyeon was equally curious. In response to Iyeon’s question, Hyeongseok asked with surprise.
“You know about the club and the bracelets but not Morpho?”
Anyone connected to that side would be a lawbreaker at best. Could he be someone with a large bounty on his head? Iyeon tilted his head curiously.
“Is this person that famous?”
“Of course!”
According to Hyeongseok’s explanation, Morpho was a legendary engineer deeply connected with the underworld, the back alleys. He was like a goose that laid golden eggs—so valuable that having him meant billions were within easy reach.
“A person who makes defective bracelets with side effects is worth billions?”
Iyeon muttered skeptically. It seemed too extravagant a description for a developer of faulty products. However, Hyeongseok shook his head without hesitation. His voice dropped even lower, as if he was sharing some great secret.
“The guy selling the bracelets claims Morpho developed them, but honestly, I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“You know the terrain setting function in battle zones?”
“Of course.”
As a hunter, he’d need to retake basic training if he didn’t know that.
“They say Morpho created that.”
“…What?”
This was unexpected information.
“You know how they say the developer disappeared after creating it? The truth is that he intentionally went into hiding in the underworld.”
Iyeon asked skeptically:
“Does this person have a reason for doing that?”
“How would we know? But it must be about the money, right?”
Because a national research institute salary is predictable. Hyeongseok said this with a wink. It was an answer befitting the child of a capitalist.
“Anyway, someone who created the terrain setting function wouldn’t produce and sell such substandard items. The price is also ridiculously cheap compared to Morpho’s reputation. Surely they wouldn’t be concerned with something like cost-effectiveness?”
“Well… I suppose you’re right.”
Hyeongseok’s speculation was plausible. Iyeon also thought that if Morpho was indeed the same person as the developer who created the terrain setting function, there would be no reason for him to make this kind of superpower bracelet. As far as Iyeon knew, he had already…
“So don’t even touch things like those bracelets. Got it?”
Hyeongseok, interrupting Iyeon’s thoughts, gave a stern warning like a strict older brother. Finding it a bit amusing, Iyeon showed both hands and told the truth.
“I have no interest in bracelets like that. I’m a hunter after all.”
“A hunter?”
Hyeongseok’s eyes immediately lit up. His voice was filled with excitement.
“Wow, you’re a hunter! That’s amazing.”
“Yes. I’m only Tier 2, but…”
“Even Tier 2 is incredible! What’s your ability? Can you show me just once? Ah, you don’t have to tell me what it is. Just show me and I’ll try to guess.”
Being this excited about a Tier 2 ability—he’d probably faint if he met a Tier 5. In fact, when Hyeongseok clung to Iyeon and began pleading, Iyeon caught a glimpse of Sano’s eyebrows narrowing slightly.
“Do you have paper and a pen?”
But since he didn’t really want to make Hyeongseok faint, Iyeon willingly walked with Hyeongseok toward the window. It was a kind of reward for the rare information he had provided.
At the edge of a space with barely any people around, Iyeon placed the paper Hyeongseok handed him against the wall and quickly sketched something. After his confident hand movements, he touched the paper with his finger, and a small paper airplane popped out. It was only palm-sized, which made it easier to recognize than what he usually drew.
However, Hyeongseok’s face looked strange after seeing the white airplane that lightly soared in front of them.
“What’s wrong?”
“Is this possibly a materialization ability?”
“Wow, you figured it out right away.”
To be precise, it was drawing materialization, but… Before Iyeon could add that, Hyeongseok stared intently at Iyeon’s face. It was a persistent gaze, as if searching for something.
“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”
His expression looked so serious that Iyeon unconsciously took a step back. However, as much as he retreated, Hyeongseok approached him, and finally, when Iyeon’s back touched Sano’s body and he couldn’t back away any further, Hyeongseok asked.
“Could it be that you’re Morpho?”
“What?”
All of a sudden?
“The terrain setting function was created using materialization ability, right? Were all your questions just pretense? Are you making fun of me now? Are you afraid I’ll lock you up and make you work?”
“Me? Why? I’m telling you, I can barely operate household appliances, let alone bracelets or terrain settings. And if I were Morpho, would I be demonstrating my ability so openly? Look, this is my superhuman registration certificate. See, drawing materialization ability.”
Iyeon pulled out his phone in disbelief. Even as he showed his registration screen and explained, Hyeongseok didn’t drop his suspicious expression. Under that scrutinizing gaze, Iyeon turned to Sano, feeling wronged.
“Hey, say something too.”
Emotionless eyes swept over Iyeon. The white face with its startled expression was reflected clearly in those green eyes.
“This guy is not Morpho.”
“Would Morpho go around saying, ‘I’m Morpho’? That’s unknowable.”
Has this person been deceived his whole life…? Iyeon was so wronged that he trembled as if having a seizure. I could live without laws… well, no, I couldn’t, but to be treated on the same level as someone who drains people’s energy. It was an issue of pride, regardless of whether Hyeongseok believed Iyeon’s words.
Surprisingly, it was Sano who calmed him down. His lowered gaze alternated between the back of Iyeon’s head and the small paper airplane he had created.
“It would have been easier if he were Morpho.”
There was a strange coldness in that voice, like a sharpened blade.
“Unfortunately, he’s not.”
A peculiar pressure filled the space where the three of them stood. In the end, it was Hyeongseok who backed down.
“…If he’s not, then whatever.”
“Why don’t you believe me but you believe him? Are you discriminating against me?”
“What’s the problem if I believe you now? Should I keep not believing you?”
“Ah! That’s not the point.”
Hyeongseok burst into laughter at Iyeon, who was now clearly annoyed. He patted Iyeon on the top of his head as if he were looking at a cute younger brother. Is being tall everything? Even when Iyeon, whose mood had already soured, glared at him, Hyeongseok didn’t back down.
“But why are you so bad at drawing?”
Having been criticized so much recently by Sano, now even someone else was nagging. Thanks to Sano’s brutal objectivity, his confidence had diminished somewhat, but Iyeon, who was still generous to himself, grumbled.
“What do you mean? I draw paper airplanes often, and it’s still pretty good, isn’t it?”
“Don’t you have problems doing hunter work?”
To Hyeongseok’s reasonable question, Iyeon replied confidently.
“Drawing skill isn’t that important.”
“…But your ability is drawing materialization?”
“I’m really good at my job, you know? I’m completely professional.”
“Oh, sure…”
Hyeongseok answered with a face that showed he didn’t believe it at all. Look at this guy. When Iyeon’s eyes narrowed immediately, Hyeongseok quickly patted his shoulder.
“Anyway, I’m glad you’re not involved with the bracelets. Being healthy is what matters most.”
As if he was about to leave, Hyeongseok casually raised his hand. To the thoughtless young master who said, “Nice to meet you,” Iyeon responded.
“Hyeongseok-ssi, if you want to stay healthy, you should be more careful about how you play.”
In a way, Subin’s collapse was similar to winning an unlucky lottery. If Hyeongseok continued to teeter precariously on the edge between legal and illegal, he could also become endangered like Subin or his friends.
However, despite the concern, Hyeongseok didn’t seem to care much.
“It’s just so hard to find good pleasures in life.”
After saying that lightly, he quickly walked away. As Iyeon stared blankly at the back of his head as he walked away jauntily, he muttered.
“…Do you think he’d buy me a drink if I asked, so I wouldn’t be bored later?”
“Drop it.”
Sano frowned and turned away. “Hey, let’s go together.” Iyeon followed, taking hurried steps to catch up.
