# Chapter 98
Kane. That researcher who switched bodies with Kay. Boss frowned and asked with a puzzled tone.
“…When I went to the abandoned factory, wasn’t that when I was with Kay?”
“Yes, but Kay isn’t the type of person who would set a fire to clean up afterward.”
Alex was certainly right. Kay would typically dispose of bodies cleanly, as if nothing had happened. But arson? He wasn’t someone who would commit such a grand and troublesome act. He was even less likely to kidnap someone.
Then was there a separate arsonist? Boss slowly recalled his memories from that day. Kay was definitely hiding. If he had been on Peace’s side, there would have been no reason to hide, so he either came for a different purpose or was brought there.
Was Kay’s objective the missing person, then? Now that he thought about it, Kay did smell of gasoline when he got close to him. But why would he, not being a kidnapper, need to go there? With his thoughts at a dead end, Boss opened his mouth again.
“Were there any peculiarities?”
“Ah, there were a total of six bodies found there, but only one of them wasn’t a superpower user.”
“And the other five were all barrier superpower users?”
“Yes, isn’t that strange?”
Since all the missing people were barrier ability users, the one person must not have been among those who disappeared. Perhaps this was the person who orchestrated the incident. If so, the reason Kay smelled of gasoline might also be related to this other person.
It was while he was trying to understand the case in his own way. Alex, as if he had just remembered, spoke with a puzzled tone.
“And Peace bought all the land in the factory area for training purposes.”
At Alex’s words, Boss’s eyes showed a strange light. It was the moment his speculation became certainty.
If the abandoned factory had been made private property, it would be evidence that his suspicion was correct. Indeed, they had deliberately pretended not to know.
“Is it public knowledge that Kane was the arsonist?”
“For now, he’s been reported as a murderer in the media, and ultimately it was announced that he committed suicide.”
“Then they must have concluded that the body that wasn’t a barrier user was Kane.”
“The handling was too quick. It feels like everything is flowing according to plan.”
“…It’s Peace’s doing.”
If an incident occurs on Peace’s private property, naturally someone from Peace would be blamed as the culprit. So they must have deliberately exposed a dispensable pawn to the outside world. If this is the case, there’s a high probability that Peace was also behind Kay’s presence at the factory.
But if they really intended to discard Kay, he should already be dead. There would be no benefit in keeping alive someone who was to be framed as a murderer. No matter how he thought about it, it made sense for one of the six people to be Kay.
However, Kay was currently alive and well. Of course, Boss was glad Kay was alive, but rationally speaking, it was puzzling.
“I think it’s best to leave it to Fenil for now.”
In the end, after much thought, Boss chose to ask Fenil for help. She would be able to find the missing puzzle pieces. Perhaps she already knew. Alex seemed to think so too, as he quickly responded.
“So I should ask her to investigate the connection between the disappearances of barrier superpower users and Peace?”
“And… please ask her if there was anything unusual in the drone footage.”
“Yes, I’ll tell her to do it as quickly as possible.”
Since they had filmed from high up in the air out of concern for being discovered, the abandoned factory should have been captured thoroughly. There might be a clue to solving this in the footage. He had received a report that Fenil had sent the footage to Peace, so if there had been anything unusual, she would have reported that too… but they couldn’t rule out the possibility that Fenil was hiding something.
As the call ended with a click, Boss exhaled deeply. His composed expression receded, revealing his emaciated appearance. Dark fatigue showed beneath his eyes, and his lips were slightly cracked.
His condition was not easily noticeable, hidden behind his striking features. So the organization members hadn’t noticed, but he knew he was at his limit.
He no longer heard ringing in his ears, and he didn’t see Kay dying when he closed his eyes. But his mind felt muffled, as if being dragged into the deep sea.
Kay’s words about reality being overwhelming seemed to follow him. With every step, his feet felt heavy, as if walking through a sticky swamp.
As he grabbed the doorknob, Boss knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight either.
He would surrender himself to unending regret and self-blame. Since it had become almost routine, he didn’t feel any particular emotion about it.
He just felt endlessly sorry towards Kay.
Despite regretting so much, there was nothing he could do for him. He could only watch over Kay.
He could give Kay whatever he wanted, but he didn’t know what he actually wanted.
* * *
When I suddenly came to my senses, the feeling of being pushed into a deep, deep place dominated my entire body. Like being in sleep paralysis, I couldn’t move my body freely, and breathing was difficult. But as I exerted strength throughout my body, the inexplicable pressure gradually began to fade.
And finally, by the time I moved my index finger, as if it had become a catalyst, I was able to wake up from sleep.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I urgently examined my body. It wasn’t that I had been possessed again; it was my ordinary body. Nothing had changed compared to before.
“Was I just… asleep?”
Earlier, I felt my whole body losing strength, and then everything went dark, so I couldn’t understand what had happened. It was certain that before I passed out, my original consciousness—not me—had appeared. Since I was part of “me,” the memories were shared.
But it was an unexpected situation. I had thought that “I” wouldn’t appear in front of Boss, at least. After all, the main cause of “my” condition was him.
However, contrary to that thought, “I” had shown a composed reaction even in front of Boss.
I had thought that even if “I” tried to die again now, it couldn’t be helped…
But that didn’t mean “I” was normal. “I” was just enduring; “I” was still in a precarious state like a time bomb.
“What should I do…”
For now, it seemed like “I” had re-entered when I fainted, but I didn’t know when “my” consciousness would awaken again. And at that time, “I” might really try to die. I wanted “me” to be comfortable, but I didn’t want “me” to die.
I knew it was a dream-like hope, but I still wished for “me” to be happy. But I knew how meaningless it was to wish for happiness in this situation. That’s why I had been doing what “I” wanted at the very least.
But the more I thought about it, the more I felt that this wasn’t right. If I truly cared for “me,” I should not just follow like a doll but suggest a different path.
I needed to tell “me”—who had given up everything and longed for death—how to be happy. I had judged that the broken “me” couldn’t stand up again, but I couldn’t just not try.
So, until the moment I exist, I wanted to show “me” another direction. Of course, it wouldn’t change immediately.
Perhaps “I” would eventually choose death. But “I” might get a little better. There might come a moment when “I” would want to live again.
If there was even a small possibility, I wanted to try. My mind, which had been numb, began to clear. For the first time, I felt like I knew what I needed to do.
I slowly began to plan for the future. In truth, there was no clear answer to changing someone’s emotions. That’s why my deliberation inevitably lengthened. If I tried carelessly, I might end up provoking “me” instead.
So I had to choose a method that could definitely change “me.” And after much contemplation, I was able to reach one conclusion.
What “I” needed most right now was Boss. No matter how much “I” tried to deny it, that fact didn’t change.
It was he who had thrown “me” into hell, but conversely, only he could pull “me” out.
I was actually troubled. Boss was someone who could break “me” down, who was barely holding on. He was someone who could be either poison or medicine. But I thought that the current him was closer to being medicine.
Now, Boss was someone “I” couldn’t help but like, to the point where “I” naturally wanted to trust him. That’s why I decided to place my hope in Boss.
He had clearly changed from before. He was no longer as cold, nor did he force harsh training. Now, he might be able to breathe hope into “me.”
Just as I had been shaken, “I” was also being shaken by Boss. That’s why “I” was resisting all the more. “I” knew that if “I” fell for him any further, “I” wouldn’t be able to get out.
But what if I guide Boss so that “I” can’t resist, so that “I” would want to trust him instead? If I can extract words and actions from him that could change “my” heart, perhaps “I” would change too.
“Then what I can do is…”
To use Boss to make “me” have hope.
Boss tended to act carefully because of his guilt. But such behavior was of no help now. He needed to clearly convey his feelings to “me.”
That would be the only way to change “my” heart.
