# Chapter 184
Ever since establishing contact with Praxis, everything proceeded at a rapid pace.
“In case of emergency, the substitute in charge must absolutely be a verified person. Someone well-known to everyone at headquarters.”
“Is there something that concerns you about the current progress?”
“Not exactly… but we shouldn’t underestimate Naru.”
“Hmm. I’ll have someone prepared in advance. Don’t worry too much.”
They had prevented any potential recurrence of past events and made thorough preparations by deploying Jade and Kang Dongha everywhere.
They didn’t neglect securing people’s silence either. At the Management Bureau, only Beolmae knew about it. According to him, most agents wouldn’t even know what was happening when they rushed to Building D.
As for the big players in the underworld, they were people who had accumulated wealth by handling information while avoiding legal frameworks.
One of them reportedly didn’t even drink alcohol before important events, which gave some indication of how meticulous they were.
“They must be thrilled at the prospect of making a fortune. I wonder if we’re just fattening up these pigs.”
“It does feel unsettling… but we have no choice. The world is at stake.”
“Well, when you think about it, there are already different pigs getting fat right now anyway.”
Lee Hwan replied cynically as he soaked the last piece of his thirteenth pancake in syrup and put it in his mouth. His bulging cheeks moved as he chewed.
Taesung stared at him for a moment before pushing over two pancakes that should have been his portion, at which Lee Hwan suddenly froze while drinking his milk.
“…I wasn’t referring to myself.”
No one had said anything, but he just felt like he was stepping on his own toes.
If there was one issue that kept bothering him amid everything finally going smoothly, it was Kang Dongying.
Since meeting him with Kang Dongha, he seemed to be constantly monitoring Lee Hwan’s every move.
Because of this, Lee Hwan had to put on a show to deceive him. He would explore the city, pretending to disobey Taesung’s instructions, hiding clumsily here and there, and occasionally Jade would appear and whisk him away.
Moreover, he thoroughly visited the restaurants and brunch places he frequented after moving into Taesung’s house. After confirming that the manager at one café had recently changed, he pretended to confide in the overly friendly man, deliberately leaking various fake information.
‘I think something’s going wrong. He said he liked me, so we moved in together, and he told me not to get a job, so I even canceled my employment at a major company… but it doesn’t feel right.’
‘It’s not really my place to intervene, but have you considered moving out?’
‘I’ve thought about it. But at this point, I don’t have the courage to break up since I have no job, and even if we do break up, I have nowhere to go… I’m sorry for saying things you didn’t ask about… I just felt so suffocated.’
‘You said you’re a Hunter, right? Abilities should be used meaningfully… Don’t be too disheartened. Opportunities are always available, so I’m sure you’ll find an escape.’
Who said anything about escaping? Lee Hwan was on the verge of getting spasms at the corners of his mouth trying to hold back laughter.
He wondered where they had found this person. The man was handsome, seemed good-natured, and was even doing well at his café job.
His cappuccino was particularly delicious, so Lee Hwan planned to drink as many as possible over the next two weeks or so.
‘I don’t think it was this person during the first regression.’
He was completely different from the person in his fragmented memories. Just how many actors like this did they employ? Perhaps Kang Dongying had a hobby of collecting unknown actors.
But no matter how normal-looking the people they brought in were, it was Taesung who was by Lee Hwan’s side. With someone who still made him lose himself in admiration despite being familiar with his face, these people didn’t stand a chance at catching his eye.
Lee Hwan was simply playing along, enthusiastically performing the role of a pitiful victim.
‘Honestly, from the outside, it does look exactly like I described.’
The hasty cohabitation, cancellation of Naru employment, Jade who had escorted him for a while to prevent him from running off, and still living leisurely at Taesung’s house without doing any work.
Given the image Lee Hwan had shown previously, Kang Dongying had no reason to be suspicious.
However, just as he was feeling proud about successfully deceiving him, a problem arose.
‘That guy Kang Dongying… said he wanted to see you.’
‘You don’t have to go.’
Eyes filled with anger cut him off firmly. But Taesung probably knew that Lee Hwan wouldn’t follow his words.
‘There’s no need to irritate him and jeopardize our plans right before the operation.’
‘I’ll tell Kang Dongha—’
‘You know it doesn’t work that way. This was the intention behind spreading those false rumors anyway.’
An A-class Hunter contemplating escape after being caught between neglect and confinement by Taesung. It must have seemed like the perfect timing for Kang Dongying to pick him up.
Whether his peculiar collecting desire had been triggered, he stopped persistently harassing Kang Dongha and instead started extracting information about Lee Hwan from him.
Instead of being wary of Lee Hwan who suddenly appeared with Taesung, he began trying to draw him in.
Once, he even sent a combat suit for gates to coincide with a day Taesung went to work. The sleek black design with occasional amber accents was incomparably elegant.
Using monster materials, it had sturdiness that wouldn’t tear even when cut with a knife, elasticity that stretched when pulled, and was waterproof, fireproof, and breathable…
It was such an impressive combat suit that just holding it made him want to rush into a gate immediately. He was frustrated that he couldn’t, even though he wasn’t really being monitored by Taesung.
After thoroughly examining it, he found nothing that resembled a listening device. Either this gift was solely intended to win Lee Hwan’s favor, or the sender didn’t expect the suit to remain intact.
Because Taesung was by Lee Hwan’s side.
‘The subordinates did a good job. They picked a very pretty one too.’
No matter how unworldly one might be, seeing a top-tier combat suit burned to ashes while an A-class Hunter is unable to even find employment and confined at home would undoubtedly stir emotions.
Kang Dongying had seized that timing and sent Kang Dongha.
“I’m surprised Kang Dongying actually believes that.”
No matter how much all the circumstances pointed to it, Lee Hwan had expected such a thorough person to double-check.
As Lee Hwan muttered while preparing to leave, Taesung made a somewhat guilty expression. Only then did Lee Hwan realize that in some regression cycle, Taesung had actually done something similar.
‘…My baby wouldn’t do that. He just… made the wrong friend—no, enemy, that’s all.’
Rationalizing, Lee Hwan walked toward the entrance.
“I’ll be back.”
“If anything happens, just destroy everything and come back. I’ll be waiting.”
A farewell that was unclear whether it was meant to reassure or encourage destruction. Lee Hwan smiled slightly, waved his hand to calm Taesung, checked the time, and quickly left the house.
* * *
Throughout the journey from meeting Kang Dongha at Naru to heading to the Central Building, Lee Hwan maintained a depressed and anxious expression. Since it was obvious that someone would be watching him, he was diligently acting even before entering the building.
“I quite like that expression.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“I’m serious. There’s something stimulating about it.”
“Survival instinct? Because I might kill you soon.”
Exchanging meaningless whispers, they reached the Central Building where a man who had been waiting took only Lee Hwan up to the upper floor.
Kang Dongha was left alone on the first floor as if he were merely Lee Hwan’s carrier, shrugging his shoulders before leaving.
Time was flying by, and there wasn’t much left until the planned day. Today, he needed to humor Kang Dongying to prevent him from meddling and disrupting their plans.
Strictly according to what he wanted.
“Um, you work under him, right?”
As they walked down the corridor, Lee Hwan asked, causing a slight crack in the previously expressionless man’s face.
“How is it?”
At this casual question, the man glanced somewhere in the corridor and answered in a stiff voice.
“…Not many workplaces offer such treatment. If you have what you want.”
Then he sealed his lips for good, adding nothing more as he escorted Lee Hwan to the office door.
Click. With the sound of the doorknob turning, the door opened smoothly.
Kang Dongying was comfortably seated in his office chair as if he had been waiting, gesturing to Lee Hwan.
Following his instruction, Lee Hwan sat on the central sofa where they had talked last time. Kang Dongying put down the documents he had been holding, pushed his writing utensils aside, and rested his chin on one arm.
“Thank you for the suit, Director.”
When Lee Hwan spoke first to greet him, Kang Dongying made a kind face and raised the corners of his mouth.
“I’m glad you liked it. It was quite challenging to find clothes that would suit you.”
He was taking full credit even though he probably hadn’t looked for it himself. While grumbling inwardly, Lee Hwan outwardly nodded docilely. As he made a slightly apprehensive expression, Kang Dongying raised an eyebrow as if he had noticed something.
Finally, he got to the point.
“Actually, we’ve been a bit short-staffed recently. We desperately need A-class Hunters for gate exploration.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Since you don’t seem to have a busy schedule, I called you to request your help.”
“…”
Ta-da! That’s why he gave the combat suit too. He was saying he had prepared everything for the Hunter life Lee Hwan wanted. But where did you put that suit?
His expression asking this was priceless. Even though he didn’t expect it to be intact, why did he find it so enjoyable to deliberately ask?
“Well, I need to discuss it first.”
Lee Hwan fidgeted with his fingers, then deliberately swallowed as if trying to dispel his tension.
It was time to start provoking him. There was no better timing to show all the acting he had prepared.
After confirming that Kang Dongying was focused on him, Lee Hwan pretended to drink tea and turned his head. He unnaturally covered his eyes while unnecessarily manipulating the spatial density, raising and lowering it. Before long, there was a quiet sound of chair wheels moving.
Kang Dongying had stood up.
Lee Hwan abruptly stopped using his ability and quickly returned his head to its original position. But by then, Kang Dongying had already silently approached.
As Lee Hwan lowered his gaze, there was a small sound of someone inhaling in front of him, then—
Grab.
“Ugh, khhhh…”
A soft hand without a single callus firmly gripped Lee Hwan’s neck.
“What did you just do?”
“Grkh…”
He had expected him to be displeased, but he didn’t think he would approach directly and throttle him.
Lee Hwan grabbed his hand and pushed hard, but the man’s strength was so immense that he could barely breathe before his throat was squeezed again.
He could easily escape by kicking or pressing down with his ability, but engaging in such full-on attacks here would signal a fight rather than continue the act.
So he had to struggle like this until Kang Dongying was satisfied.
Whether or not he fully understood that Lee Hwan was an Awakened person, he deliberately pretended to weaken his grip, but Kang Dongying showed no intention of letting go.
Instead, his grip tightened progressively. This bastard, he really is A-class after all, Lee Hwan thought as he almost lost his breath.
“Hrkkk!”
Suddenly, Lee Hwan’s airway cleared.
“Khuh, cough, keh…!”
As Lee Hwan urgently inhaled and coughed, Kang Dongying looked down at him with cold eyes.
