# Chapter 86
I thought his insistence on going together without any context was just due to poor social skills, but it turned out to be a lack of conscience too. The merchant probably didn’t even know that Iyeon was originally a low-ranking hunter with Mugunghwa tier 2, who would struggle against even a level 5 variant.
The reason he accompanied him as a part-timer was because it would be inconvenient to be out playing somewhere in case of an emergency… This guy, really. As Iyeon glared at him, Jaekyung avoided his gaze and continued explaining.
Jaekyung, who had deceived both sides—telling Iyeon it was just a normal part-time job and telling the client it was insurance—arrived at the hotel with Iyeon as planned, pretended to be doing ordinary part-time work, and every night met with the merchant to put on gas masks and feign removing the Nightmare Elephant’s smoke pouch.
No matter how much they didn’t intend to kill it, they couldn’t avoid causing some injuries. Jaekyung was confident that the Nightmare Elephant wouldn’t die from his strength alone, so he steeled himself and attacked the Nightmare Elephant’s belly with full force.
“That’s why there was a wound on its stomach…”
It couldn’t help but be painful when its stomach was wounded. The Nightmare Elephant whimpered feebly and writhed, but couldn’t escape from their hands. The pain must have been severe, as it reportedly even banged its head against the cage walls during the day while in the room.
“That’s right. I’ve heard the thumping sounds too.”
“Really?”
Hyegang’s eyes widened at Iyeon’s words. Hyegang, who had spent most of the daylight hours lounging in the swimming pool, seemed not to have heard it.
Jaekyung, while pretending to fulfill the merchant’s request, quietly waited for the right moment. The day of action was the night when everyone would be distracted by the fireworks. Conveniently, the weather forecast predicted rain as well.
Choosing the forest near the walking path as the work location was, of course, a deliberate selection. The probability of searching and finding something in a dark, rainy forest approached 0%. If the Nightmare Elephant successfully escaped, it would gain its freedom safely.
Pressured by the merchant, Jaekyung called Iyeon. It would have been perfect if Iyeon had been too distracted by the fireworks to answer, but he wasn’t that lucky. Still, this was within Jaekyung’s expectations.
“But there was a variable here.”
“A variable?”
“You all.”
Jaekyung’s gaze swept over Hyegang, Sano, and Mungchi. Contrary to his plan expecting Iyeon to come alone, all of Chageum’s staff had followed along.
Having just Iyeon alone would be one thing, but with Sano present, the difficulty of searching for an escaped variant would decrease significantly. This was not a good sign for Jaekyung.
“Excuse me. Are you ignoring me now?”
“No… You’re on vacation, so you wouldn’t have brought drawing tools. And how would you draw anything in that dark night?”
I should have just overturned the whole mountain and brought the Nightmare Elephant back. As Iyeon closed his mouth in dissatisfaction, Jaekyung shrugged and continued.
“And Mungchi was the problem.”
Mungchi, who recognized its name, raised its head and glared at Jaekyung. This intelligent variant, uncannily sensitive to negative tones, only relaxed its body after Iyeon patted its head.
The moment Jaekyung heard that Mungchi was in the forest, he thought it was all over. Unlike a person who might understand a request to bring something back—putting aside whether they would comply—a variant so close to an animal wouldn’t be selective about its targets. Moreover, the Nightmare Elephant was a creature avoided even by other variants.
That’s why he suddenly became desperate. If Cheongho and the Nightmare Elephant met, naturally, the Nightmare Elephant would die.
“Are you sure you didn’t see the Nightmare Elephant? It’s not dead, right?”
He seemed curious about that despite everything. Iyeon looked at Jaekyung with mischievous eyes, considering whether to tell him, but soon spoke honestly.
“I saw it.”
“What, really?”
Jaekyung’s eyes widened. The way he kept glancing at Mungchi suggested he completely regarded it as a confirmed killer.
In truth, Iyeon had no intention of capturing and bringing back the Nightmare Elephant as Jaekyung hoped. While it was increasingly acceptable to just chase away non-aggressive species through combat, the Nightmare Elephant was a threat merely by existing. This was because it couldn’t turn its emitted smoke on and off as needed.
It was hard to guarantee that mistakes like this wouldn’t happen again. If so, simply eliminating it would be the best option.
What changed Iyeon’s mind was Mungchi.
While Iyeon was deliberating what to do, Mungchi darted out beside him and revealed itself before the Nightmare Elephant, growling threateningly at the hiding variant. Although he couldn’t understand the variant language, it was clear that this was a definite command.
The Nightmare Elephant seemed bothered by its wounds and squirmed, reluctant to move, but when Mungchi barked once, it obediently moved into the forest. Sano showed his annoyance throughout the process and indicated he just wanted to kill it, but when Iyeon, who sensed something, firmly shook his head, he remained still with a stoic face.
“Don’t worry. It entered a small Red Void.”
The small Red Void, which looked like a miniature version of the Red Void, was the main passage for small variants to emerge. Though called a passage, it doesn’t stay open for hours, but once it appears, it reportedly maintains for a few minutes.
Since they could come out, naturally they could go in too. The Nightmare Elephant, moving in the direction Mungchi indicated, soon found a small Red Void large enough for it to enter.
Although no research results suggest variants can control small Red Voids, it was suspicious that one appeared exactly where the Nightmare Elephant was pushed. Perhaps the level 2 variant classification wasn’t an arbitrary judgment…
“Wow, that’s possible? This is interesting…”
“Absolutely not.”
Iyeon turned his body to block Jaekyung’s curious gaze directed at Mungchi. Jaekyung didn’t seem intent on pressing the issue and just smacked his lips.
“Got caught up in Jaekyung-ssi’s schemes and injured my leg… Looks like I’ll be confined to my room.”
Not only that, but he was likely to catch a cold too. When he touched his forehead, a warmth spread. Though he didn’t show it as it didn’t greatly impair his movement, he would need to rest properly for a day.
“But if the Nightmare Elephant had been sold in the variant black market, it would have just had its smoke extracted daily until it died.”
Jaekyung said with a dejected face. Though rejected due to storage and accumulation issues, the Nightmare Elephant’s smoke had actually been discussed at the National Research Institute for use as a weapon.
Even if officially discarded, such things didn’t disappear in the shadows. Many people wanted to use the hallucinogenic smoke of variants. Anywhere, to anyone.
“That’s enough.”
Iyeon grumbled. He didn’t even have the energy to add more words.
“Use this opportunity to fix your meddling too.”
Sano, not missing the chance, promptly scolded him. It was true, so there was nothing to say in response.
While the part-time job was one thing, it was a shame to come to such a nice place only to be stuck in a room. Hyegang, who patted the gloomy shoulders, said nonchalantly.
“Among the people who talked to me, there was a healing-type superhuman. Even with a low tier, they should be able to fix a sprained ankle, right? I’ll ask them.”
Iyeon’s face brightened. While viral diseases like colds might be beyond help, external injuries could be healed with superpowers. Popular guys really are the best.
As a result of the subsequent pressured interview, Jaekyung watched the store alone for the remainder of the part-time period as compensation. Thanks to this, Iyeon spent one day resting quietly in bed, recovered completely, and then enjoyed a leisurely vacation with Hyegang, Sano, and Mungchi. Spa, infinity pool, sauna, walking trails. The hotel services that Jaekyung had enthusiastically promoted were indeed the best.
“This must be heaven…”
Iyeon’s face was radiant after just coming out of the spa. Although he suffered a bit in the middle, it healed without a trace thanks to Hyegang’s connections… For a first vacation, this was satisfactory.
So this is why people go to expensive hotels. Should we come here next year too? Iyeon savored the moment with a warm heart.
“What do you want to eat for dinner?”
“We just ate.”
“That was lunch.”
While waiting briefly for Hyegang who went to the bathroom, Iyeon asked in an excited tone. Sano raised an eyebrow at the gluttonous remark.
“Your appetite has grown, I see.”
“I’ve been telling you I eat well.”
Despite consistently emphasizing this since they reunited, is such distrust necessary? As Iyeon looked at him with a sincere face suggesting they should tear down the society of distrust and build one of trust, Sano snorted dismissively.
Seeing that he’s not answering, it seems I can decide the dinner menu too. Iyeon searched for “Changju Lake restaurants” on his phone. In the momentarily quiet atmosphere as he concentrated on the white screen, a matter-of-fact voice casually emerged.
“And call me Jung Iyeon.”
“Why?”
Iyeon smiled faintly. It was quick to erase the faint white afterimage lingering at the corner of his vision.
“Everyone who would call that name has disappeared.”
