Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Chain Rampage Incident (3)
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In the cafe.
I slurped down the iced Americano. Somewhere nearby, I heard the click of a camera shutter.
Annoyed, I turned my head and saw P snapping away photos of me and herself.
"...What are you doing?"
"Is it weird to take pics with my junior? I'm gonna post 'em on Insta."
It wasn't weird. But shouldn't you at least ask permission?
I furrowed my brow slightly to signal no. Rosie, sitting in the seat across, shot P a warning glance.
"P. Why don't you just be honest? You just wanna snag a handsome junior."
"Yeah? Fine, I'll be honest then. Hey, what do you think of me?"
P thrust her ample chest forward as she spoke. My elbow sank into her cleavage, and Rosie's eyes narrowed.
What the hell was this? We'd just met, and here she was acting like this.
I gave Baek Do a wry smile and a look for help. He cleared his throat repeatedly before speaking up.
"Enough about my disciple. Let's get to the main topic."
At Baek Do's words, Rosie and P switched back to professional mode like the spat had never happened.
At least they were pros when it came to work.
Baek Do glanced at me and asked,
"Do we need to explain anything about the ents we're targeting?"
"I don't need details on ents. But you should tell me the goal first."
We'd come all the way from Jirisan to Seoul for this case. Time to do something.
Baek Do pressed a finger to his lips, thought for a moment, then gave his answer.
"What we need to do right now is simple. Find some leads."
"Leads?"
P poked my cheek with her finger and answered for him.
"Junior, basically, we just patrol the area and sniff out any radicals."
"So, report anything suspicious?"
"Yep. And you're so handsome and smooth-talking, our perfect junior~"
Rosie glared at me and P like we were annoying her. Then she turned envious eyes to Baek Do and asked,
"Once we spot 'em, we kill 'em on the spot?"
"No. Capture if possible and track back to their hideout."
With that, our rough plan was set.
In short, patrol the area, subdue anyone acting suspicious without mercy, and interrogate them about the incident.
"You'll team up with San Su-yu. Gotta book lodging too. The rest of you, carry on as usual. Got it?"
Yes sir. Everyone responded in unison and stood up.
I had no idea what "as usual" meant exactly, but they were pros. They'd handle it without me meddling.
As I headed out of the cafe with that thought, P called out from behind in a cheeky tone.
"Junior's covering the cafe tab?"
"P, seriously. Cut the crap."
I smiled wryly and pulled out my card. P grinned satisfied, Rosie sighed.
Baek Do watched us, then stood and said,
"Let it go."
He pulled a black card from some luxury wallet that appeared out of nowhere.
His swag was overflowing; for a second, he didn't even look like Baek Do.
"Aw, but I like getting fed by a handsome junior."
"Focus on your job."
"Yessir~"
Baek Do brushed off P's sarcasm lightly, paid at the counter, and we stepped out. We faced each other for a moment.
Time to get to work, but honestly, the instructions were so vague I had no feel for it yet.
Bob just stood there silently.
"What?"
"Huh? Oh, no, just... you're tall."
Bob's height was beyond imagination. 2 meters 10? Easily over that.
Impressed inwardly, P snickered.
"Bob's huge, alright. Wonder about down there, though."
"Oh. Simple, I am Africa's baobab tree."
"Confident, huh?"
Overhearing their banter, Rosie sidled up to me with a sigh and explained.
"P's always like that. Think twice before joining Paradise. The work's tough, and the sexual harassment is no joke."
"Do guys usually get harassed at work?"
"Pfft, these days? She brags about how good humans feel or whatever. Slutty, right?"
P, who had been cackling with Bob, scowled at Rosie's words.
"Rosie, you done talking? Figures a hag who's never had sex wouldn't get it."
"Our family upholds premarital chastity! What am I supposed to do!?"
"Your daughter's gonna sell her juices next."
"Aaaah!"
Watching them, San Su-yu tugged my sleeve. Looked like she wanted to whisper, so I leaned down. She murmured,
"What's love juice? Why sell it?"
"...You don't need to know."
Honestly, I couldn't follow these women's logic either. Seemed like no office romance even on death's door.
San Su-yu grumbled, face full of questions unsolved. Soon, Baek Do finished paying and came out.
"You two fighting again?"
He sighed first at P and Rosie.
Then he turned to me and explained.
"Lee Si-heon. P's handling reconnaissance mostly. Enjoy two days of outside life while investigating."
"P?"
"No one beats her at support and scouting."
P, hearing that mid-argument, puffed up proudly and thumped her chest.
"That's my job! Don't fall for me while watching, junior. Witness the power of a national-level searcher."
"Tch."
Rosie clicked her tongue, displeased. Sounded like she was gonna do something impressive. I clapped anyway.
-Clap clap clap.
"Impressive."
"Haha!"
P beamed like she'd been truly validated.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ -Book a room with San Su-yu and scout the whole area. Call if anything suspicious.
Who knew life would lead here—from training to partnering with a global org.
I set Shiba on the desk and looked at San Su-yu.
"One room okay?"
She gave me a what-kind-of-question-is-that face.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
Ah. She thinks that way.
Meeting nothing but oddballs here, I'd started thinking it was normal.
Yeah, guy and girl sharing a motel room to sleep. No big deal.
...Why? It took at least two months with my ex to even share a room.
Wood Person culture? That's why I can't grasp their mindset.
Not an impossible thought, but understanding it was tiring anyway.
-Beep, biiip.
"You're the only one who gets me, Shiba..."
I stroked Shiba's sprout. It shivered happily.
San Su-yu watched intently, then perked up with interest.
"Sian."
"Sian? It's Si-heon."
"Si-heon."
"Yeah?"
"...Can I touch too?"
Like she'd been dying to. Her fingers twitched eagerly.
I nodded silently and stepped aside. San Su-yu's eyes sparkled as she reached for the sprout.
-Beep?
Spotting the unfamiliar woman's hand, Shiba tilted its sprout.
-Thud.
-Biiiieeeeeek!!!!!
At the delicate touch unlike mine, it freaked out with a siren wail.
Like a fire truck blaring.
-Biiip, biiiieee.
San Su-yu panicked at Shiba's wail, stomping her feet before turning teary-eyed to me.
"S-Si-heon... I touched too hard."
"Maybe it's shy around strangers?"
I stroked it lightly. Recognizing my touch, Shiba stopped crying and rubbed against my hand.
Like begging to wash off the dirt. Made my heart warm oddly.
"...Eung."
San Su-yu reached out again, drawn to Shiba's charm, but pulled back remembering the incident.
She seemed bummed about not touching it.
"Wanna try feeding it then?"
I pulled mineral water from my bag and handed it to her.
-Beep, biiip!
Shiba chirped happily at the bottle in my hand.
San Su-yu cupped it with both hands wide. Shiba made a confused noise.
-...Biiip?
San Su-yu unscrewed the cap and carefully poured near the soil.
-Biiip! Bieep, biiip!
Shocked, Shiba shrieked and suddenly gathered mana for a barrier.
The water slid down the transparent shield, soaking the floor.
San Su-yu's eyes welled up.
"...Eung."
"It likes me too much."
Should scold the spoiled brat, but why did it feel so good?
My daughter only drinks my water. So cute I wanna nibble it.
Wait—didn't Lee Se-young give it water once before?
I stroked the sprout and cooed,
"Say thanks and take it, Shiba."
-Biiip.
Shiba sulkily turned away, shaking like 'Really?'
I nodded. Reluctantly, it peeped and leaned toward San Su-yu.
"Ju-Just pour water?"
"Seems like."
San Su-yu tilted carefully; drops fell nearby.
-Beep. Bip.
Shiba absorbed it. Not its usual happy peep, but grumpy.
"...Cute."
Feeding it, San Su-yu instinctively reached out.
-Beep?
Shiba stiffened suddenly.
-Biiiieeeeeek!
Indignant, it flared mana.
San Su-yu yanked back, thin smoke rising from her finger.
"Hey... you okay? Does it hurt?"
Shiba balled its sprouts like fists in a boxing stance, ready to fight if crossed.
San Su-yu alternated looks between her finger and Shiba, then
mumbled sadly at me,
"My heart hurts."
"...Yeah, okay."
Looked like our Shiba was even more of a charmer than I thought.