TS 016

Four people were waiting for Shin Ae-hi. Seo Yeon-eum, the team leader of Seeker Team 1, Kim Dohee, the team leader of Esper Team 2, and Yoon Taehwa, the team leader of Team 1.

“It seems our new member has quite taken a liking to you, Team Leader.”

Han Suryeon was curled up next to them, his body hunched over. In response to Seo Yeon-eum’s comment, Yoon Taehwa shrugged nonchalantly, causing the head resting on his shoulder to gently bounce.

“Ignore him. He’s always like this.”

“But why does our Team Leader keep talking so disappointingly…? The smell of blood is making me feel nauseous.”

Yoon Taehwa wanted to suggest that instead of leaning on him, Han Suryeon should lie down on the nearby sofa, but he found it too bothersome and kept quiet. He knew he wouldn’t listen anyway, and any embarrassment would be solely his, so he chose not to concern himself with it.

Perhaps there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Seo Yeon-eum, with his gentle demeanor, didn’t seem surprised at all, nor did Kim Dohee sitting beside him.

‘Well, they might have seen him holding my hand until we entered the dungeon.’

Whether aware or not, rumors about Han Suryeon had likely spread throughout the Center. Although it could appear peculiar, his odd behavior wasn’t particularly noticeable amidst the many eccentric ability users present there.

“It’s fascinating how attached our kids are to you,” remarked Seo Yeon-eum, indicating that he found Han Suryeon’s clinginess more familiar than strange. Yoon Taehwa frowned, recalling the team members referred to as “our kids.”

“Those brats causing such a fuss?”

“I guess, being mammals… they really enjoy human touch.”

“I’m more worried about Team Leader Seo suffocating.”

Even Seo Sichan, a werewolf, had a massive build, let alone the others.

Seo Yeon-eum rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous smile. Yoon Taehwa, knowing full well how he transformed in the field, could only offer a light chuckle in response.

“Team Leader, do you like demihumans?”

Han Suryeon unexpectedly asked while resting his head on his shoulder. The way he looked up at him seemed somewhat pitiful.

“What nonsense is this all of a sudden?”

“Well, considering that dog—no, wolf from earlier…”

“Everyone’s here.”

Before he could clarify if Han Suryeon was referring to Seo Sichan, Shin Ae-hi interrupted them. Only Kim Dohee made to stand awkwardly, but Shin Ae-hi waved him off and sat down on a single-person sofa. Sensing an important discussion ahead, Han Suryeon straightened himself comfortably.

“I found out their purpose.”

“Did you interrogate them personally, Director?”

“No way. Another Esper handled it.” Shin Ae-hi gently responded to Kim Dohee, whom she seemed quite fond of. Despite her cheerful demeanor, she addressed a serious matter head-on.

“Your guess was correct, Team Leader Yoon Taehwa. They were connected to the ants. We also extracted memories of their interactions with them.”

“They must have had some objective.”

With the weight he’d been carrying lifted, Yoon Taehwa felt his shoulders relax. He raised a question that had been lingering in his mind throughout the entire counter-terrorism operation. If the ants commanded this group, there must have been a clear purpose behind it. No terrorist organization would undertake such actions solely to prove loyalty; they would be given orders aimed at benefiting their organization in some way.

‘But we can’t seem to discern that purpose.’

This wasn’t about robbing cash or taking significant hostages. Although thirty people were held hostage, it was not an extremely dire situation. Additionally, despite occupying a high-rise building, there were no bombs involved.

“Hmm?”

“They must have used these kids to achieve something.”

“You’re right; it’s strange. Despite having so many hostages, the operation went smoother than expected… The ones we captured alive didn’t make any specific demands either,” Seo Yeon-eum pondered aloud. Kim Dohee, who hadn’t directly confronted the terrorists, had little input, while Han Suryeon remained quiet as usual.

“That’s the problem.” Shin Ae-hi sighed and leaned back on the sofa. “They only did what they were told. Apparently, their deal was to occupy the building for two hours, after which someone else would handle the aftermath.”

“Two hours? These idiots. Did they really think they could last for two hours?” I was about to laugh incredulously when Kim Dohee snorted with amusement, seemingly thinking along similar lines.

“They were being monitored by the Center. When approached at their desired location, they must’ve jumped at the opportunity.”

“What exactly did the ant demand from them?” Yoon Taehwa leaned back on the sofa and asked. It couldn’t be ruled out that there might be a connection between Han Suryeon’s pursued ant and this incident.

“The hostages, including pregnant women. And a high-rise building with windows all around—those were the two main demands.”

“But despite choosing a tall building, there doesn’t seem to have been any explosives like bombs.”

Were they perhaps located on the lower floors? With a subtle glance towards Seo Yeon-eum, he shook his head, indicating that even the Seeker team hadn’t found any such devices.

“It seems there were no orders to kill hostages or anything similar. You know this well, Team Leader Yoon Taehwa. Even for a unique trait holder, surviving a bomb explosion at such height would be difficult. After all, Han Suryeon was just an A-rank Esper.”

“…Kim Dohee, did you deploy drones when suppressing the scene?”

“Yes, Team Leader. Our team still has them.”

Yoon Taehwa pursed his lips. With the building’s exterior being mostly glass windows, it provided an excellent vantage point for observing someone from outside. Moreover, using drones on a high-rise structure minimized concerns about getting caught while checking the surroundings.

‘Could it be related to Han Suryeon?’

He wondered if these actions were taken to monitor Han Suryeon. Of course, it was merely speculation.

Since they were unaware of Han Suryeon’s true identity, Yoon Taehwa cut off his explanation abruptly to Seo Yeon-eum and Kim Dohee.

“I’ll look into it, so let Hae Nae-eun know.”

“Understood.”

“That’s enough for now. Let’s discuss more details during tomorrow’s briefing.” Shin Ae-hi dismissed them with her order.

“Team Leader Yoon Taehwa, stay behind. I have something separate to discuss with you.”

Han Suryeon glanced between them curiously. Yoon Taehwa gently tapped him on the thigh, giving a subtle command.

“Wait for me in the conference room.”

“Okay. I’ll be waiting patiently.”

Han Suryeon obediently left the director’s office without any fuss, showing no intention of arguing.

After some time had passed since the three of them had left, Shin Ae-hi spoke again.

“Did you see?”

When he only raised an eyebrow instead of answering, Shin Ae-hi clasped her hands and asked again.

“I’m talking about Han Suryeon. What’s her his level of ability?”

It seemed her real purpose wasn’t the report on the terror incident, but this.

“I’m not sure exactly what you’re curious about.”

“Well then. If you say it like that, I’m not sure how to ask specifically either.” Yoon Taehwa noticed Shin Ae-hi’s evasive response. As a common trait among psychic ability users, she often spoke vaguely. This skill likely helped her navigate politics and ascend to the position of director, but for Yoon Taehwa, it was somewhat frustrating.

“As someone who closely oversees Elite Team operations, you should be more aware than me of Han Suryeon’s capabilities, Director.”

“Of course, he must be skilled. I heard even Kang Jaemin calls him ‘hyung’ and follows him around like a puppy. It would be great if our Center’s youngest could pick up some pointers from him.” Director Shin crossed her legs and tapped her fingernails rhythmically against the armrest of the sofa. This too was a habit of hers, a prelude to getting to the heart of the matter.

“Have you tried using your ability on him yet?”

Yoon Taehwa, instead of answering, merely lifted the corners of his lips. Shin Ae-hi, instantly grasping his meaning, tilted her head.

“If you two were to go head-to-head, do you think you would win?” Her question was blatant, almost like she was assessing the value of a commodity. 

“You make it sound like I’ll have to deal with him someday.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s nothing to gain from clashing with him. Our cooperation in this incident was solely to maintain amicable relations.”

Director Shin waved her hand dismissively, as if to quell any worries.

“I’m just asking hypothetically, you know, as a precaution in case he goes berserk. Although I doubt there’s anything here that would trigger him.”

It felt like she was hiding something, but Yoon Taehwa couldn’t quite put his finger on it. As if reading his suspicion, Shin Ae-hi flashed a knowing smile and rested her chin on her hand.

“So, what do you think?”

“It depends on the situation. It also depends on whether I have a gun or a knife.”

One thing’s for sure, Han Suryeon didn’t rely solely on his esper ability like other espers do. To be able to lift a demihuman so easily, he must have also honed his physical skills.

“Find out.”

Director Shin uncrossed her legs and leisurely stood up. As she passed by Yoon Taehwa, she patted him on the shoulder where someone had rested their head just moments ago.

“The panic room should be empty right now.”

It was more of a command disguised as a suggestion.

When they opened the conference room door, Han Suryeon could be seen conversing with Kang Jaemin face-to-face. Despite being engaged in discussion, his eyes were fixed on the entrance, immediately meeting Director Shin’s gaze. His expression subtly shifted above tear-filled eyes.

Yoon Taehwa noticed they kept making eye contact today, feeling somewhat self-conscious about it. He decided to address him directly.

“Come with me.”

Realizing that he was calling for him, Han Suryeon promptly rose from his seat.

“Where are you going, Team Leader? Can’t I come along?” Kang Jaemin quickly interjected, keenly observing the situation.

“The panic room.”

“What?”

It wasn’t an actual panic room, but Espers from the Center referred to the training room on the 34th floor as such. Kang Jaemin’s eyes widened at this unexpected mention of the location.

“You and the panic room, Suryeon-nim? Why?”

“Why else, Jaemin-ah?” Han Suryeon replied with a grin instead of Yoon Taehwa. “The team leader wants to spar against me inside the panic room.”