#36 Betrayal (2)
Han Seohyun snapped at the mention of going to meet Yuseonje.
"Even in this situation, you're prioritizing that guy?"
"It's not just about him..."
He'd thrown himself into the fray to save the kid, so of course he had to check if he was still breathing. The words nearly slipped out, but Han Seohyun's glare made Ishin clamp his mouth shut. Saying that now would probably earn him a real punch.
Ishin changed tack.
"We need to wrap this situation up. We can't stay holed up here forever."
The gate had already been cleared.
"What's there to wrap up? That woman was the traitor."
"No, it wasn't betrayal. She was brainwashed."
"Brainwashed? By who—wait, that bastard Seol Rokjin?"
"Yeah, I told you. His ability is brainwashing. Lee Hyewon is a victim."
Ishin stepped out of the tent, leaving Han Seohyun sputtering behind him.
The world outside was a vibrant green, making it hard to believe the entire area had been frozen solid moments ago.
Is this what this world is supposed to look like?
Han Seohyun caught up, sticking close.
"It's an S-rank gate, so it doesn't close right away. The remaining time's written in the sky. Exit's in the middle of the castle."
Ishin looked up at the timer etched into the heavens.
The time this gate would persist. Once it hit zero, this world would seal shut completely.
The woman's words suddenly resurfaced.
'This world just loops. A fate that's set in stone can't be changed.'
This world's ending was fixed. No matter how hard he tried, there was no saving a reality already locked in.
Shaking off thoughts of her, Ishin turned to Han Seohyun.
"You stay here for now."
"What about Boss?"
"I told you, I need to meet Yuseonje."
"You're going alone?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
Han Seohyun's face was etched with dissatisfaction.
"I've got some one-on-one business with him."
"What if that punk tries to off you..."
"You think he'd attack the guy who risked his life to save him? Don't worry. Stay put. Pack our gear if you've got nothing else to do."
"Gear?"
"Yeah."
Ishin glanced at the timer floating overhead. No intention of using up every second in here.
"We need to get out. From here."
Agent Smith. The moment Yuseonje saw that face, he froze solid.
Kang Ishin.
The last person he expected to see here.
At Hunter Academy Babel, Kang Ishin was infamous in multiple ways.
Babel's disgrace.
He remembered the whispers: "Why's a guy like that still clinging to this school?" Yuseonje had thought the same more than once.
Why's a loser like him hanging around Babel?
It wasn't hatred. Ishin just hadn't been worth the attention. Yuseonje figured, for Ishin's own sake, he'd be better off leaving.
Ishin had zero potential.
'Heard he got pegged as a murder suspect.'
Even that news barely registered. A bottom-feeder like Ishin ending up in hot water? Par for the course.
Jeong Hosan sticking by him until the end was surprising, but their friendship must've fizzled out eventually. It even felt satisfying, like "All that drama, and you still ended up here."
Yuseonje assumed he'd never hear Ishin's name again—or see that shameless face.
Until Ishin threw himself into mortal danger to save him.
How did a talentless nobody suddenly wield so many abilities? How did he end up here? Questions burned in Yuseonje's mind.
But the biggest one: Why the hell did you save me?
He needed to talk to Ishin for answers, but the sand mage who'd called him "Boss" blocked his path.
"I'll take care of Boss. You, scram."
A childish voice from a face in its forties. Yuseonje smirked.
"And who are you?"
"None of your business."
He hadn't fully bought the "secret agent from the Awakener Association" line, but he hadn't expected that tough-guy facade to hide a kid's squeak.
Voice fresh out of puberty.
Like Ishin wearing someone else's face, this guy must be disguised too.
"Sneaking in here hiding your identity. For what?"
Yuseonje stepped forward.
"Did you really come just to save me?"
The man fixed him with a murderous glare.
"I said scram."
The sand around them stirred threateningly. Yuseonje eyed "Agent John" calmly. Tempted to throw down for a moment, but he held back.
Ishin wasn't the enemy. Wake him up, get answers.
Yuseonje stepped aside. The sand mage lifted Ishin and sped off.
Once they were gone, Yuseonje took charge. With team leader Lee Hyewon exposed as a traitor, tasks were straightforward.
Secure her, interrogate why.
He ignored the support team. Locked Lee Hyewon in the basement prison and waited for her to wake.
Why betray him?
But when her eyes opened, she wasn't the Lee Hyewon he knew. Pupils dyed yellow, she lunged like a beast.
Watching her feral assault, Yuseonje sensed something off.
Three days in the cell.
No answers. Why betray him? Whose orders?
Fortunately, someone who could explain was approaching.
"You look fine."
Yuseonje narrowed his eyes at Ishin's words.
"Thanks to who?"
His gaze flicked over Ishin's face involuntarily.
The guy who'd vomited blood and collapsed—human decency demanded concern.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, perfectly fine."
Ishin rolled his arm casually—no visible issues. But three days ago, he'd been at death's door.
"Why'd you save me?"
Yuseonje stared at Ishin.
"I thought you hated me."
"I do."
No hesitation, blunt enough to embarrass the asker. Ishin continued eagerly.
"Honestly, you've got nothing likable about you. Strip away the stacked talents, and your personality's trash. Bad temper's one thing—arrogant, can't even look after your team. Look at this mess, how dictatorial were you?"
Insults poured out like he'd been holding them in forever. Yuseonje frowned.
"But not enough to let you die."
His eyes twitched. Ishin's face held no jest.
Saved for that reason?
"The you I knew wasn't that stupid."
"Haha, didn't expect you'd say that. Truth is, you don't know shit about me. To a hotshot like you, Babel's disgrace wasn't worth remembering."
Speechless. True—he'd claimed to know Ishin well enough to call this out of character.
"Yeah, I know next to nothing about you."
Yuseonje had never cared about anyone, especially not Ishin.
But now, he was curious. Who the hell was Kang Ishin?
Was he treating his savior decently now? Ishin tossed words at Yuseonje, who was responding earnestly for once.
"Not the point right now. Lee Hyewon. We can't leave her like that."
"Was trying to figure out why she betrayed us. No dice, though."
"She didn't betray us on her own. Brainwashed."
"Brainwashed by who?"
"Obvious. Someone who wants you dead."
Yuseonje's eyes sharpened.
"You know who?"
"Nah, no clue. Just knew you might be in danger here."
Ray chimed in mentally.
━You know damn well who.
'Knowing it's Seol Rokjin changes nothing. Provoking him leads to pointless fights and self-destruction. Confront him only when we're fully ready.'
Give an inch, and they'd get burned. Seol Rokjin rarely abused his power, but danger flipped a switch. No rash moves.
Ishin planned to play dumb.
"You came here on a tip I'd be in danger? Risking your life?"
Technically yes, but admitting it to that smug face? No thanks.
Could've spun a vague "tracking the Tower" story before, but diving in to save him ruined that.
"Don't flatter yourself. Never planned to die saving you."
To Yuseonje's steady gaze, Ishin cut straight.
"Wasn't throwing myself in out of worry for you."
Worried he'd misunderstand. Ishin genuinely disliked the guy. Saving him was purely because he'd be useful to the world.
━If his potential wasn't S-rank?
'Who cares? Would've let him die.'
Ishin cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Anyway, don't get the wrong idea. Next time, I'll let you drop."
"How'd you know I'd be in danger? Because you're a 'secret agent'?"
"Eh, something like that."
"And the murder suspect thing?"
"Hey, my situation's not the issue here. I don't matter. What matters is what you do next."
Dodging the barrage of questions.
Wanting Yuseonje to forget he was Kang Ishin was futile—unlike Seol Rokjin's brainwashing, Ishin's lies had limits. Hiding from someone who'd known him for years? Impossible. Better to mix truth and omission, letting him misread the big picture.
"Like I said, the team leader's brainwashed. That's why she won't talk."
"Any way to break it?"
"Hmm."
Ishin knew none.
Past self would've said "kill her" without hesitation. Only way out of Seol Rokjin's grip.
Her survival suggested "main" status—harder to shake.
But hey, once. Just once, give her a shot.
"I'll check her out myself and decide."