Sponsor Lee Yun
Riding in the research institute's truck, Seong Ye-han and his group crossed the boundary between civilization and the wilderness, switching vehicles once more along the way. They passed through the outer districts with their vast rice fields, where the density and height of buildings gradually increased, until they finally reached Seoul, teeming with skyscrapers.
"Whoa..."
Na Yu-ri, who hadn't properly returned to the heart of civilization in years, let out a gasp of awe. The exiles' city had its own traces of modernity, to be sure. But the shallow glow created by criminals lording over slaves was like a firefly before the sun compared to the true brilliance of real civilization.
The streets bustled with countless people walking about, filled with laughter and energy. They wore clean, stylish clothes, each adorned with at least one sparkling accessory. It was the polar opposite of the exiles' city, steeped in resignation, gloom, mockery, and depravity. Na Yu-ri's eyes drank it all in sharply.
The same concrete and steel, yet such a world of difference. Yes... this is what it was like. She knew the glamorous surface hid deep darkness. But compared to the exiles' world, which lacked even that facade, there was no contest.
"It's beautiful..."
Feeling the remnants of her old self—thought long worn away—she secretly wiped away tears. Of course, the Na Yu-ri of now was a completely different person from that girl. Hitting A-rank as an exile meant she was no mere victim; she was one of the biggest perpetrators.
She might never truly enjoy freedom in such a world. No status, no power—nothing would surpass what she'd had as an A-rank exile. But she didn't care. The iridescent lights reflecting in her eyes were enough to satisfy her.
The van wound through the city streets before pulling into the underground parking garage of a towering building. It was massive, with multiple levels packed with rows of sleeping vehicles—a surprising number, even after the Gate incident.
Finally, deep underground, the van stopped, dropped off its passengers, and drove away without a word. As they stood there dazed, another vehicle appeared beside them. A common model from a major automaker, it glided smoothly to a halt in front of Seong Ye-han.
Screech—click.
The door opened, and there stood Han Si-won, welcoming them aboard.
"It's been a while, Mr. Seong Ye-han."
She looked like she'd stepped straight out of a painting—a secretary straight from a dream. The suit fit her perfectly, blending masculine sharpness and restraint with an ascetic aura, contrasted by soft, feminine curves that irresistibly drew the eye. Seong Ye-han felt a familiar itch in his chest and cleared his throat, averting his gaze.
"Ahem."
But her knowing stare, as if she'd anticipated his reaction, made him snap back to attention.
"Yes, it's been a while."
"The young miss instructed me to take you straight to your lodgings."
Her voice was polite yet utterly emotionless, almost mechanical. It felt a touch colder than before. Seong Ye-han sensed he'd lost a few points and felt a pang of regret. But what could he do? It was instinct for a man's eyes to wander toward beauty.
He gave an awkward smile and climbed in, followed by Na Yu-ri and Shin Ye-hwa trailing behind. Han Si-won eyed them briefly before speaking again.
"I heard... that woman is an exile."
"That's right."
"Then shouldn't she at least have some restraints?"
"..."
"Huh?!"
Na Yu-ri was the one who jumped in shock at Han Si-won's words. It wasn't some scheming retort—just the reaction of a frog minding its business suddenly pelted by a stone. From her perspective, an fragile A-rank esper like herself, flanked by two physical S-ranks, being suspected of mischief made the woman in front of her seem insane. What could she even attempt? One whiff of suspicion, and she'd be pulverized by bare fists. Assassination plot? Trembling, Na Yu-ri glared at her while furtively scanning both sides with shaky eyes.
Luckily, the monsters beside her showed no real reaction to the secretary's comment. Na Yu-ri curled up tighter, her body screaming harmlessness.
Seong Ye-han let out a dry chuckle at her antics and replied.
"No need to worry. With me and my partner here, she'd be subdued before she could try anything."
"I see..."
Han Si-won's gaze sharpened subtly. Seong Ye-han shrugged and said no more. She was right, objectively speaking. Exiles were seen as little more than humanoid monsters, so letting Na Yu-ri roam freely without restraints was unusual for him and Shin Ye-hwa.
But a proper esper like Na Yu-ri wouldn't dare mischief with two S-ranks nearby unless she was suicidal. No physical restraints were needed—it was an unspoken pact between them. Han Si-won, unaware of this, could reasonably view them as complacent.
From her standpoint, she knew Seong Ye-han wasn't just an E-rank and that the goggle-wearing woman was former S-rank Shin Ye-hwa. Even so, leaving an equal-ranked exile unguarded risked the young miss's safety—the real issue here.
"She's an esper anyway, so normal restraints won't work. Her ability is specialized for suppression, not killing... and we can just kill her if she tries anything. No worries."
Shin Ye-hwa backed him up, forcing Han Si-won to relent. Mad bitch or not, Shin Ye-hwa's reputation from four years as a hunter wasn't something an A-rank exile could undermine—even if she was no longer S-rank.
"If she poses even the slightest threat to the young miss, I'll kill her on the spot."
Han Si-won couldn't help adding that caveat.
"I'd beat you to it, Ms. Si-won."
Seong Ye-han draped an arm around Na Yu-ri's shoulders in response. She flinched but he said nothing more. That should get the point across.
"So... we're heading to the lodgings?"
His question carried a hint of why they were meeting Lee Yun. Han Si-won replied in her usual flat tone.
"You'll see when we get there."
Seoul—the throbbing heart of Korea, infamous even before the Gates for skyrocketing land and housing prices. Post-Gate, people flocked to cities even more, sending prices stratospheric.
"Whoa..."
Seong Ye-han couldn't hide his awe at the sight. It wasn't some dramatic castle from a drama or movie. But the mansion before him fit the term perfectly. Using the top floor of a hotel, office building, or apartment alone would be cheaper.
He'd demanded a house for one hunter team as proof of her A-rank status during negotiations with Lee Yun, expecting maybe a spacious apartment—not this. Even peak S-rank Shin Ye-hwa hadn't lived in something like this. What kind of wealth did the owner possess?
A regular guy until recently, Seong Ye-han couldn't even imagine it. This confirmed Lee Yun wasn't just rich—she was insanely rich.
"Welcome to your new home."
The towering walls and heavy iron gates groaned open. Han Si-won bowed gracefully before them, picture-perfect as ever.
"The young miss is waiting."
Mouths agape in undisguised shock, Seong Ye-han and the others followed her lead into the mansion. What was Lee Yun really after? Picturing the sharp-eyed beauty, Seong Ye-han steeled himself.
She'd never been one to trifle with. Her being absurdly wealthy changed nothing. He was an unofficial S-rank hunter, with Shin Ye-hwa at his side—no matter what she threw at him, he wouldn't come up short.