Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: The Squad's Visit
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"Ugh..."
"Just... just hold on a little longer."
Despair hung over them.
"Is it... even possible?"
Their efforts were being denied, deceived.
"You can hold on. Just a bit more strength."
Someone sang of hope, but it never reached the despairing.
"Just a bit...? We've been like this for an hour already!"
"God, you're whining like crazy! You wanted to tag along! Don't you feel bad for Do-hyun driving up front?"
"I'm fine. I've always preferred driving myself anyway."
That was right.
They'd been in the car for an hour since departure, feeling like death.
"Or just sleep like Tae-jun, why are you making such a fuss?"
"Tae-jun's the weird one. We're about to meet the Merchant—how could anyone sleep right now?"
Twenty kilometers should take less than twenty minutes by car.
But with Suni's "love game" only giving the distance, never the exact spot, they had no choice but to circle around.
"I'm really at my limit here."
And since they were mostly on national roads instead of highways—turning left here, right there—Woo-seok, who got carsick easily, was losing his mind.
Clutching the black bag in one hand, trembling in fear of an unknown signal, over thirty minutes now—it was maddening.
"Squad Leader, we're here."
Do-hyun said while checking Suni's love game.
"Better to go on foot from now."
"Thanks, good work."
Se-jin yelled toward the back seat.
"Alright, let's get out!"
One cheered, the other slowly woke up.
They parked in a public lot and started wandering the area.
Finding the exact door to The Shop wouldn't be easy, so the ordeal wasn't over.
But the fresh air and green scenery made it more bearable.
"By the way, Tae-jun."
"Yes?"
"Did you ask about the blue tissue?"
"Yes... but could you keep secret who first found this tissue?"
"Sure, as long as they weren't doing anything illegal."
Tae-jun explained what he'd heard from Aram, softening it as much as possible.
"From a Tale shop, huh. No wonder the Merchant knows."
Do-hyun, who'd been listening closely, approached.
"But how did they know it was in our possession?"
"That's why we're here—to ask that too."
Se-jin pondered briefly before speaking.
"Tae-jun, could you introduce me to that reporter later?"
"Pardon? Probably fine. But why?"
"Just... want to meet them."
After some chit-chat, time passed, and they stopped before a shop door.
"One meter. Must be here."
"Then let's go in."
"Whew..."
Se-jin steadied his tense chest and, as the group's rep, pulled the door open.
A familiar place after so long, once a client of the Bureau—The Shop revealed itself.
No major changes from what they knew, but more items on shelves and a new door in the back caught their eyes.
Seeing the Merchant grinning creepily in the center, Se-jin couldn't hold back the words bursting out.
"You fucking Merchant bastard!"
Se-jin bellowed.
It wasn't the Merchant's intent, but they'd contributed most to his dark history.
Of course, it was just venting, proof he saw the Merchant as an easy target.
Countless questions flooded the Merchant in this moment.
'If you're coming, come quick—why take so damn long? Not even far from the Bureau.'
"Walked here?"
"What?"
Her teammates gaped at Se-jin, who'd forgotten honorifics toward the Merchant at some point, but Se-jin didn't notice.
"Because of you, I..."
Woo-seok whispering snark from the side.
Only Se-jin heard the small voice, but his reddening face gave it away.
"Squad Leader, calm down."
Do-hyun stepped up beside Se-jin.
"Uh? Oh..."
Se-jin settled.
If he'd wanted a fight, he wouldn't have brought Woo-seok or restored the Chief's memories.
They'd come purely to talk—no need for more embarrassment.
Confirming Se-jin calm, Do-hyun stepped forward.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "We're not here to fight."
Hmm.
No matter how you look, they seem ready for one.
Feels like a trap.
Pulling out some insane "Kill the Tale No. 3" from their pocket to attack.
Of course, I'd win, but still.
Doesn't seem like they're here to trade again, and I'd refuse anyway.
Thinking back on that blind loyalty creeps me out; no desire to join anywhere now.
"Merchant, you are indeed a merchant. So you can't attack customers like us."
"Hmm. Well, true."
Rational from their view, but not quite.
Not sure if I'm really a merchant, and if I wanted, I could attack anytime.
Only "The Shop" itself is bound by the role.
Though I'd have no reason to kill them out of nowhere.
"We have some questions. You probably expect some."
Probably about the unauthorized Bureau intrusion.
"First, why—"
The questions were mostly as I'd predicted.
How I found the tissue, why, my intentions, if the changed history was my doing.
I answered plausibly within limits, mixing lies as always, but suspicion lingered inside.
Why are they acting like this?
Coming without telling the Chief, straight to questions.
Especially Park Se-jin's face—off. A mix of "I'll kill you" rage and eerie calm.
He's the rep, so he led this.
Makes it even harder to understand.
Can't ask outright, so let's try another question.
"Mind if I ask one?"
Se-jin narrowed his eyes, slowly nodding.
"Know anyone named Shin Jin-seong?"
"Who? A customer?"
Doesn't know, apparently.
In my memory, Shin Jin-seong was a game protagonist too, so I checked.
If they knew, it'd be scary.
"Well, seems we're done. Time to buy something..."
Hm?
What's that.
Next to Se-jin, something blue on the floor caught my eye.
"Ah."
The last sheet of blue tissue I hadn't used.
Guess I forgot to pick it up.
Anyone stepping on it'd slip right over.
Se-jin approaching to check goods.
His foot toward the tissue lost balance like sliding down a chute, reacting to my thought.
Thud—!
He fell.
"Ow!"
Oof.
Not my fault.
Se-jin's for not watching his step.
"What's this?"
Se-jin picked up the blue tissue.
Touching human skin, it fulfilled its purpose and vanished.
"Squad Leader! You okay?"
"Yeah, just tripped. So..."
"Squad Leader...?"
Se-jin's face twisted suddenly.
Like a massive headache hit; clutching his head, he looked pitiful.
"Shin... Jin-seong? Ah, aaa!"
"What's wrong?"
What?
The tissue did something, it seems.
But blue tissue has no harmful side effects.
"Urgh..."
Se-jin's pained eyes turned to me.
"Merchant... you fuck... what did you do to me."
He passed out like that.
Uh...
What did I do?
I did nothing.
He grabbed it himself and fainted.
"Merchant! We came to talk!"
Whether I did or not, it ends like this?
Kim Do-hyun radiated fury.
If he attacks, I'd have to kill him.
And I don't want that.
"Sorry, but that wasn't me—"
"Uh, Do-hyun?"
Moon Woo-seok poking Se-jin's body.
Checking pulse, doing something odd, then spoke.
"He's fine. Just passed out."
"Pardon?"
"I majored in biology, so I know this stuff."
Does biology make you good at that?
Dunno, but Do-hyun's face relaxed.
Good that suspicion's gone.
"...Merchant, sorry. Misunderstood."
"Hey, happens in life. Buying anything?"
"Three of the cheapest, please."
Do-hyun offered the black bag.
Prepared in advance.
Se-jin on his back looked pathetic.
They left, promising to return someday.
"Kinda anticlimactic. Come all this way just to ask questions."
What was their real goal?
I held back asking why no Chief report—didn't want suspicion on how I knew—but now wish I had.
Merchant, one question.
"You too?"
You said there were four in that group when explaining the wiki.
"Did I? Nah."
Must've misremembered.
"Yeah, always been three."