Mission: Memorandum
Bang Su-cheol clutched his ID badge and bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"Hey! Are you all insane? Look at this! I'm an investigator with the Investigation Bureau!"
"Second lockdown has been activated. No one can enter."
The guard at the main gate didn't budge an inch.
His finger was already on the trigger. It was a clear warning: approach at your own risk, and he'd open fire.
Bang Su-cheol was on the verge of losing his mind from frustration.
He knew full well the purpose of a lockdown. To root out criminals—villains—and even potential insiders with connections, you had to seal off a specific area and trap everyone inside. That was exactly what the lockdown protocol was designed for.
But blocking an investigator from entering? That was too much!
This was why people hated the Association, he thought—zero flexibility.
The siren wails grew louder and more chaotic. Police had arrived. Hundreds of officers swarmed the main gate, erecting barricades and setting up polaras lines.
Bang Su-cheol found himself pushed back behind them. Flashing his ID, explaining over and over—it meant nothing.
He tried calling Guard 1 and his section chief. No answer. Same with the head of investigations.
"Damn it."
Bang Su-cheol spat on the ground as he glared up at the West Building's glowing red exterior.
Go Cheolmin ditched the van on the roadside and sprinted ahead.
Turning the corner, the Dungeon Association headquarters came into view, its red glow dominating the scene. He skidded to a halt.
Of the four buildings making up the complex, the one called the West Building had its outer walls wrapped in intricate magic circles, pulsing with a dark crimson light.
"…Lockdown!"
His face twisted in dismay.
The Pink Team caught up, piling in beside him. Yoo Min-jeong spotted it first.
She glanced back and shouted,
"It's a lockdown!"
Police forces had barricaded the main gate to the headquarters, taking up positions in front. Hundreds of officers were already on high alert.
Reporters swarming for the scoop were blocked at the front, with curious onlookers crowding behind them.
"You all stay here."
Go Cheolmin pushed through the crowd toward the front.
Standing before the police line, he pulled his guild master ID from his wallet and showed it to the ranking inspector.
"I need to get inside!"
"Lockdown's in effect. No one's getting in."
The officer checked the ID but responded curtly.
"One of our guild's examinees is in there! I have to go!"
"Don't you know what a lockdown means? This area's sealed. No one in, no one out. Someone like you should know better."
Go Cheolmin glared at the officer, but he knew arguing with cops on orders wouldn't help.
Then his phone rang.
He stepped back to answer.
It was Mun Bong-ho, a friend working at the Association. Go Cheolmin had called on the way, but no answer then—probably just checking missed calls now.
"What's going on?"
―Sounds like villains broke into the Core Country. That's why first lockdown hit. But I don't know why it's gone to second lockdown.
"The examinees who passed the test—they okay?"
―Problems there too, apparently?
"Yeah, seems like it. Can you look into it?"
―Got it.
Ending the call, Go Cheolmin scrolled his contacts for people worth calling and hit dial.
"Hoo…"
A slender finger hovered over the phone screen, just shy of tapping the number.
Calling would get her Choi Ung, the Intelligence Director, spilling everything thanks to his ties to her father. But Yoo Min-jeong couldn't bring herself to hit call.
How long am I gonna lean on Dad's connections?
She scrolled her contacts.
People unconnected to her father… not many. Mostly raiders she'd met in Jushin Guild.
No Association staff. Before joining Uramata, regular people hadn't interested her. Natural outcome.
She bit her lip hard.
Now I get it. Why Dad met all those people. Raiders, civilians… everyone's linked. No one lives alone. Why he stayed close to them… I see it now, a little.
Regret always came too late.
Time to change her mindset.
Turning, Yoo Min-jeong looked at Choi Muhyun and Yeom Sang-taek. Both on calls.
She gazed at the police-guarded main gate and the glowing red building beyond. She knew what lockdown meant, but seeing it live was a first.
Suddenly, she almost burst out laughing.
Aigoo… he really drags trouble everywhere. From first sight to now, not even that long, but every time. Never seen anyone wrapped up in incidents like this.
Written exam: nearly failed for cheating suspicions.
Practical: hospitalized a mercenary participant.
Awakening test: wild swings summoned the exam oversight committee.
And now, issues during souvenir ceremony—plus lockdown to top it off.
What's next?
Sticking with Kim Jun felt like it'd pull her into something bigger. Far from scared, her heart raced with excitement.
Then her phone rang.
She checked the number and answered.
"Broadcast over?"
―You know about the lockdown?
Skyla's rap-like speech was lightning fast.
"I'm at headquarters."
―What? Already?
"Cheonroegeom vanished. Looks like Kim Jun summoned it. That's why Master and I came."
―I'm heading there.
"No, leave this to us. One screw-up's enough."
Silence hung briefly.
Yoo Min-jeong pressed,
"You know it'd change nothing if you came. I'll call if I learn anything."
―Fine. Take care of him.
Hanging up, she spotted Go Cheolmin approaching.
Taking a drag, his head spun.
Bang Su-cheol stood at the alley mouth, hands tucked under his arms, glaring at the headquarters.
The timing was too perfect.
He'd chased the villain out the main gate—and boom, second lockdown.
Why then?
Did my presence cramp their style? Too much of a leap?
If his hunch held—that whoever triggered second lockdown saw him as a threat—they'd be covering tracks now.
Maybe a fake villain "killed" inside.
A body no outsider could verify, incinerated via shady procedures. Some low-level clerk takes a slap-on-the-wrist for "admin error."
"Fuck."
Bang Su-cheol hated himself for blindly chasing the villain out without thinking.
He needed in. Now.
He knew a few back ways. Problem: caught sneaking, he'd be booted from the Bureau—maybe the Association too.
Dungeon Law could land him in prison.
He needed cover.
That's when he spotted a man by the barricaded gate. Familiar faces beside him.
Dropping his cigarette and grinding it underheel, he pulled out his phone.
"Master, can't we sneak over that wall?"
Choi Muhyun nodded toward the fence linked to the main gate.
Go Cheolmin shut his gaping mouth in disbelief and eyed Yoo Min-jeong. You too? his look asked.
She addressed Choi Muhyun instead.
"Caught jumping it? Three months minimum. Six during lockdown. No suspended sentence. Dungeon Law's no joke. Even without that, the fence's defense magic is brutal. You'd burn up before crossing."
Choi Muhyun frowned.
"Guess not."
Then an onlooker chucked a beer can at the fence. As it arced over, red lightning flashed—shattering it. Fragments scattered, melting midair.
The guy collapsed in shock.
Cops swarmed, pinning him, cuffing, dragging him off. Reporters flashed wildly, capturing it all.
Yoo Min-jeong said,
"Bad luck, he's looking at three months min. Dungeon Law counts throwing stuff as intrusion."
"No way in, then."
Yeom Sang-taek spoke up.
"For now—"
Go Cheolmin said calmly,
"—I'm not waiting for lockdown to lift."
Pulling his phone to call Mun Bong-ho again, it rang.
Bang Su-cheol?
Tilting his head, Go Cheolmin stepped away from the Pink Team to answer.
―Alley across the street.
Low and urgent. Scanning, he spotted Bang Su-cheol at the entrance.
"What's this about?"
―Don't you want into headquarters?
"You have a way?"
―Of course. But lockdown means big trouble if caught.
"I'll handle that."
―Come alone, out of sight—especially reporters. Into the alley.
Call ended.
Pocketing his phone, Go Cheolmin faced the Pink Team.
"Meeting a friend nearby. Back soon. Stay till lockdown lifts. Min-jeong's in charge."
"Got it."
Yoo Min-jeong's eyes gleamed.
Leaving the team, he crossed the street, confirmed no eyes on him, and ducked into the alley. Bang Su-cheol was gone.
Deeper in, under dim streetlights, Bang sat on stairs around the corner.
"Told you to come alone."
"I did…"
Turning, Go Cheolmin saw shapes emerging from shadows. Into the light: Pink Team.
"Yoo Min-jeong."
"Sorry, Master."
No remorse in her face. She eyed past him—to Bang Su-cheol.
"How'd you know?"
Go Cheolmin asked.
"Your face. Frustrated till now, then it changed. Investigator Bang, hi. Long time."
Addressing Go Cheolmin, she stared at Bang.
"…Hey. Yeah."
Bang was thrown.
Yoo Min-jeong, once Jushin's Ice Princess, grinning like that? Unimaginable.
"Whatever fix you told Master, Pink Team wants in too. Okay?"
Bang glanced at the guild master.
Go Cheolmin knew they'd never back down. Plus, Kim Jun was their leader—no stopping worried teammates.
Nodding at Bang,
"Okay. Let's go. Follow."
Bang bolted left at the fork.