TS 028

Something about that hungry look in Han Suryeon’s eyes made Yoon Taehwa frown. The intensity of his gaze, unwavering and possessive, sent a shiver down his spine, making him feel… strangely hunted. 

“Fine, since you put it that way… I’ll cooperate.”

It was Han Suryeon who backed down, his tone softening.

“Why the sudden change of heart?”

“I did come to Korea to catch Pavel. That bastard caused such a mess for the Guild, I can’t just let him run away. But he’s not the only one I’m here for.”

Yoon Taehwa wasn’t surprised by the admission. He’d anticipated as much. While the ‘punishment’ had been a convenient excuse, the idea of Kasatka’s leader flying all the way to Korea for a single rogue Esper was too far-fetched.

“The bomb that went off yesterday… it was stolen from our Guild.” 

“He must have taken it when he fled.”

“I don’t know if he was acting on his own, or if one of his contacts put him up to it… but the fact remains that the Ants has infiltrated our ranks. They were in constant communication, so my guess is they’re the ones who ordered him to steal it.” 

It was a likely scenario. Ants had something to gain from infiltrating Kasatka, and considering Pavel had been attempting to contact them, it stood to reason that they were the ones who had ordered him to steal the bomb.

‘So, he came here to hunt them down.’

Their objectives, ultimately, were aligned. 

“No wonder the Elite Team requested our assistance. It’s not like it was a problem beyond the capabilities of your Guild. Could have just been upfront with me instead of spouting all that nonsense about being punished.”

“Hmm, well… It’s not like the Center loses anything from this collaboration, right?”

The question of jurisdiction, of who ultimately got to handle the aftermath, was a separate issue. Han Suryeon’s cooperation was undeniably beneficial. S-rank Espers were a valuable asset, and the possibility of leveraging Kasatka’s resources would make their hunt for Ants significantly easier.

“Fine. Collaboration it is.” 

Han Suryeon shrugged, the movement revealing a flash of white bandages beneath his loosely buttoned shirt. Yoon Taehwa found the sight… distracting. 

“I want to be present when your director uses her mind-reading thingy. I believe I’m entitled to that much.”

“Your director?”

“The head honcho. The S-rank telepath.” 

Yoon Taehwa couldn’t understand why Han Suryeon insisted on referring to Director Shin so casually, especially when he addressed Yoon Taehwa himself with such unwavering respect. Then again, as a non-Center operative, he wasn’t obligated to show Shin Ae-hi any deference. 

“I’ll clear it with her.”

It shouldn’t be a problem. He had enough authority to make that call. Besides, Director Shin, knowing Han Suryeon’s true identity, wouldn’t object. 

“Have you told her about the mole?  It could jeopardize the operation if they’re involved.” 

“Don’t worry. We’re handling it.”

“If you say so, Team Leader.”

Han Suryeon placed the half-eaten apple on the bedside table. Yoon Taehwa’s gaze followed the movement, drawn to the other man’s hand. 

A flash of something – an unnatural stillness, an absence of tremors – made Yoon Taehwa stand abruptly.

“What about Guiding?” 

He caught Han Suryeon’s chin in a firm grip, tilting his head up, examining his eyes. They were clear, focused, the pupils slightly dilated, likely a residual effect of his injuries. 

“I received it.” 

“Woojin hyung didn’t mention it.” 

“Woojin?  Ah, your S-rank Guide. Four S-rank Espers in a row…even he has his limits. I called for an A-rank Guide after you left.” 

Yoon Taehwa’s grip tightened, his eyes narrowing. He’d have to check the Guiding records. Something didn’t add up.

‘Code Red, Code Red.’

A harsh siren, blaring through the speakers, cut through their conversation. 

“Wow, a Code Red.” 

Han Suryeon’s voice, laced with amusement, was jarringly out of place.

***

Yoon Taehwa raked a hand through his hair as he arrived at the designated Gate, his frustration mounting. 

“Why the hell did they issue a Code Red for an A-rank dungeon?  And why call in Team 1? Don’t they know we’re all recovering?”

“I apologize, Team Leader.” 

A flustered staff member, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, handed him a tablet. 

“As you can see, Team 2 is having a bit of trouble with the terrain. It’s a time-sensitive dungeon. And of course, it had to appear here, of all places…right next to the National Assembly Building.”

The tablet displayed a live feed from inside the dungeon. Team 2’s uniforms were equipped with miniature cameras that transmitted real-time footage. 

Yoon Taehwa sighed, his gaze scanning the terrain: a dense, sprawling forest. Towering trees, their branches intertwined, blocked out the sky, and thick vines, pulsing with an unsettling life of their own, snaked across the path. 

“Which members of Team 2 are inside?” 

The staff member rattled off a list of names. They were short-staffed, missing some of their key personnel.

“Where’s their Team Leader?”

“He’s been deployed to Incheon. There’s a… situation.” 

“A situation?” 

“A terrorist attack. It’s not a Team 1 scale operation, so you weren’t notified. And… well, with the incident the other day, orders were given to minimize Team 1’s deployments. They assigned it to another team, but… they’re having difficulties with this dungeon.” 

It wasn’t unusual for dungeons and terrorist attacks to coincide. Both were unpredictable, occurring at the most inconvenient times.

While advancements in technology allowed for the prediction of dungeon appearances, a significant number still emerged spontaneously, without warning. And terrorist attacks, by their very nature, were impossible to anticipate. 

“How far have they penetrated?”

“You see here…?” 

Thankfully, there were no airborne monsters. A drone, deployed to scan the dungeon’s interior, displayed a map on the screen. 

Yoon Taehwa assessed Team 2’s location. They were deep inside, suggesting they’d located the monster guarding the core, the key to neutralizing the dungeon.

“Status report.”

He handed the tablet back to the staff member, turning to face his team.

“Ready, sir.” 

“Good to go!”

“Fully charged, thanks to Guiding. Time to redeem myself.” 

While he wasn’t particularly concerned about Hae Na-eun and Kang Jaemin, Kim Su-an had exhausted a significant portion of his energy during the previous night’s incident. It would be best to utilize him for clearing a path until they reached Team 2, after which he’d pull him back to a support role. 

There was one other person he was worried about.

“Han Suryeon.”

“I’m good.” 

“Hyung, you didn’t receive any guiding.” 

“Jaemin-ah. Don’t say that in front of Team Leader. I told him I did.” 

He spoke with a grimace, but it was just for show. Yoon Taehwa frowned and started issuing orders to the other team members.

“The three of you head in first. Kim Su-an, focus on clearing a path until we reach Team 2. They’re dealing with plant-based monsters, so your fire should be effective. Once we’ve linked up, I want you to fall back. Conserve your energy, understand?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Kang Jaemin, you support Kim Su-an until then. Hae Na-eun, conserve your energy until we link up. If the monster with the core turns out to be humanoid or animal-type, your illusions will come in handy, so make your move then.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kang Jaemin, clearly feeling guilty for his earlier slip-up, fidgeted nervously. Yoon Taehwa placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Get moving.” 

“But Team Leader, now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure Suryeon hyung did receive Gui…”

“Stop talking nonsense and go.” 

“Yes, sir.”

His team vanished through the Gate. Yoon Taehwa turned back to Han Suryeon. 

“If you’re feeling unstable, go back to the Center and get some guiding. Now.”

“I told you, I’m fine… besides, you didn’t get any guiding either. And you know how it is, even within the same rank, everyone has a different threshold for a rampage. This isn’t even close to pushing mine.”

“If you go berserk inside that dungeon, I will kill you.” 

Yoon Taehwa delivered the threat casually as he walked towards the Gate. 

“Going to suffocate me again? You do seem to have a… rough side, Team Leader.” 

“Don’t use your ability until I give the order.” 

“I told you, I’ll be good…”

Ignoring the innuendo, Yoon Taehwa issued his orders. Han Suryeon smiled, a flash of white teeth against pale skin. His reply, however, was obedient. 

As he stepped through the Gate, a question, one he’d heard countless times, stopped him.

“I’ve seen how you fight in the field… But how do you handle dungeons? Your ability… it’s not exactly effective against monsters, is it?” 

Yoon Taehwa chuckled, the question failing to faze him. 

“Who says I can’t do anything?”

His smile, a confident twist of his lips, made it sound… easy. 

***

His team, having entered ahead of him, was already out of sight. Yoon Taehwa stepped through the Gate, taking in his surroundings. It was as dense and oppressive as the footage had suggested, a seemingly endless expanse of towering trees and tangled undergrowth. The air was thick with the sounds of unseen creatures, a chorus of chirps and growls that sent a shiver down his spine. Visibility was limited, making navigation a challenge.

Thankfully, Kim Su-an had already cleared a path, the vegetation scorched black, creating a narrow, winding trail through the forest. The charred remains were their guideposts.

Monsters, drawn to their presence, lurked in the shadows, their movements obscured by the dense foliage. They kept their distance, wary of the flames flanking them, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Kim Su-an had likely left the flames burning as a deterrent, knowing the monsters would avoid them.

“Doesn’t this feel like a wedding march?” 

Han Suryeon, strolling casually through the charred path as if enjoying a leisurely walk in the park, spoke, his voice light, amused.

Yoon Taehwa stared at him, incredulous. 

“A wedding march?”

They were surrounded by lush vegetation, yet the path they were walking on was a desolate strip of scorched earth, flanked by roaring flames. It was hardly a romantic setting. 

“Want to hold hands while walking?” 

Han Suryeon, his cheeks flushing, looped his arm through Yoon Taehwa’s. He’d been strange from the moment they’d met, his behavior both endearing and unsettling. 

“…..”

Yoon Taehwa stared at the arm linked through his, a strange sense of discomfort washing over him. Then, he shifted, pulling Han Suryeon closer, almost protectively.