How Did Rona Get Here?
Hayul’s mind reeled. How was Rona here in the middle of a chase? Before she could react, Seong-a’s voice crackled through the in-ear device.
Hayul froze at the sharp command. She stayed perfectly still, just as Seong-a ordered.
Hayul wasn’t sure that would cut it, but she followed instructions anyway. She bent at a crisp ninety degrees, offering a polite bow. Rona responded with a practiced customer-service smile and a slight nod of her own before slipping into the bathroom. Nothing happened. The moment the tension broke, a long sigh of relief escaped Hayul’s lips.
“Whew. She didn’t notice.”
Over fifty waiters worked this club. Expecting any single person to memorize every face and mannerism was ridiculous—like the chairman of a massive Korean conglomerate knowing the names and faces of every entry-level employee at a rural branch office.
“Huh? How am I supposed to lock it from the outside?”
She had a point. If it was too much trouble, though, there wasn’t much Hayul could do about it.
“Messy how, exactly…?”
Hayul didn’t need to hear any more. She ducked back into the stall, locked the door, scaled the wall, and dropped out on the other side. For good measure she pulled a pen from her pocket and scribbled “Out of Order” on the door.
Once she stepped back into the main area, she scanned her surroundings.
“How are we supposed to secure drug evidence?”
Even disguised as a waiter, a low-level employee wouldn’t have easy access to anything incriminating.
“Sort itself out?”
Hayul was skeptical, but she did as instructed and brushed past the man.
“Hey!”
Before she could react, a hand clamped down on her shoulder.
Caught already?
“Perfect timing. I’ve got a date with my girlfriend tonight. Go clean room 1808 for me.”
“……”
“Thanks, I owe you one.”
The man shoved a cleaning kit and master key into her hands, then disappeared into the staff locker room without waiting for an answer. From his attitude, the possibility of refusal had never crossed his mind.
“How did you know that would happen?”
Hayul was genuinely impressed. The team leader had said the disguise was perfect, but matching interpersonal relationships too? That was on another level.
“Yeah.”
Hayul hauled the cleaning kit up to the eighteenth floor.
“Nothing else is going to go wrong from here, right?”
“What? Why are you only telling me now—!”
8th floor. Arriving at the 8th floor.
The elevator doors opened. A couple stood right in front of her. They stepped inside, pressing close together and murmuring.
“Pfft! Babe, look at that. A waiter doing cleaning duty.”
“Baby, are you checking out another guy right in front of me?”
“Aww, you’re the only one I see! What are you gonna do about it?! You’re making my oppa jealous because of you!”
Hayul swallowed the rage burning in her throat and spoke exactly as Seong-a instructed.
“…My apologies. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
She forced a smile and swallowed her pride. The couple seemed to lose interest once they’d had their fun.
“Hmph! Good!”
“I told you not to talk to other men, honey. If you don’t listen, I’ll have to punish you tonight.”
“Kyahaha! Oppa, you’re so cool!”
Only after they had thoroughly rubbed their relationship in everyone’s faces did they get off at the fourteenth floor. The moment the doors closed, Hayul’s expression collapsed into pure disgust.
“I was at my limit too. If it had gone on any longer I would’ve just—!”
18th floor. Arriving at the 18th floor.
The elevator reached its destination before she could finish complaining. Hayul dragged the cleaning kit down the hall, pulled out the master key, and opened the door to room 1808. Her face twisted again; she instinctively clamped a hand over her nose.
“Ugh—the smell of cum…!”
The moment the door opened, a nauseating mix of cloying perfume and stale cigarette smoke assaulted her. It didn’t smell like anything that belonged in this world.
“No kidding…!”
They had clearly thrown a drug-fueled party here. Hayul seriously questioned whether she really had to go inside.
“Does it have to be this room? Can’t we check somewhere else?”
Hayul decided she didn’t want to know what kind of scenario would cause a twenty-percent spike.
“How are we supposed to find drug evidence in here?”
The room was littered with used condoms and discarded underwear. How were they supposed to—
“You can’t be serious…!”
Hayul let out a long, miserable sigh. Somehow she had been reduced to cleaning up strangers’ filth. After an hour of scrubbing that wasn’t even part of the original plan, she finally secured several pieces of evidence: leftover drug packets, strands of the couple’s hair, and a used injector. It was more than enough.
She quickly snapped photos of the room and the bagged evidence, preparing to send them—when the lights and her phone died simultaneously.
“Seong-a? The power just cut out…”
……
Something’s wrong.
No response no matter how long she waited. Just as she began to suspect a device malfunction, she felt killing intent at her back.
“……!”
BANG! A massive scythe shattered the window. The evidence was safe, at least. Hayul whipped around to see who had attacked her. It was Rona—the same woman from the bathroom earlier.
“Oh, you dodged?”
Rona stared at her with open curiosity, then swung the black scythe again. Hayul twisted through a series of flashy acrobatics, mind racing.
How the hell did this happen?!
The in-ear was completely dead. She had been sure she’d avoided suspicion, yet Rona had tracked her down anyway.
I need to contact someone—!
“It’s useless. I just set off an EMP.”
Hayul thought she must have misheard. Detonating an EMP in the middle of Seoul? The woman was insane.
“You crazy bastard…!”
Hayul spat the insult and dove through the broken window. Rona watched her sprint away at twenty kilometers per second with a relaxed smile.
“Exactly as ‘that person’ described.”
Hayul raced across the rooftops. From her vantage point, Seoul had descended into pure chaos.
“My phone’s not working.”
“Mine either.”
“The lights are out too. Blackout?”
The glittering nightscape that had seemed eternal vanished in an instant.
Damn it…!
Her own phone was dead as well. She had to reach the Association without being caught.
They’re already chasing me…!
She glanced back. Several men in black suits were closing in. They must have been stationed in advance. She activated full transparency and poured on speed. The stamina drain was severe, but getting captured was not an option.
That full-speed sprint ended abruptly.
BANG!
“Ack!”
She collided with something invisible. Rubbing her forehead, Hayul reached out and felt a solid wall.
“A barrier… you’ve got to be kidding me!”
Setting off an EMP in Seoul and then erecting a barrier around crowded Hongdae to trap everyone inside—this was beyond the behavior of any sane person. While she hesitated, the black-suited men drew closer.
No choice…!
She dropped transparency and melted into the panicked crowd. With the internet down, people were spiraling into confusion. She needed to find a way to break through the situation.
Then a voice rang out like salvation.
“Everyone, please remain calm!”
A handsome man stood on a nearby rooftop, shouting down to the masses.
“Hongdae has been completely paralyzed by a terrorist!”
“……”
“But do not worry! I will protect your safety!”
The crowd erupted.
Waaaaaaaaah!!!!!
They cheered for Rona. A popular idol and the nation’s top A-class hunter had promised to keep them safe—what was there to fear?
For Hayul, it was utter despair.
I’m completely screwed…!
They were clearly trying to pin the terrorist label on her. She changed her face to that of an unfamiliar man. Someone with both transparency and transformation abilities could not be caught so easily.
I need to find an escape route…!
Staying passive would eventually lead to victory, but she had no idea what might happen in the meantime. Better to prepare. She slipped into an alley, lifted a manhole cover, and dropped into the sewers. A barrier had been placed underground as well.
Maybe I should just stay down here…
“There’s someone over there!”
More black-suited men were charging toward her. They had even stationed people in the sewers. Hayul really hadn’t wanted to use this.
The men rushed forward, but all they found was a pile of discarded clothes. Hayul herself had vanished.
“What? Where did they go?!”
“Where’d they disappear to?”
While the men panicked, a black cat burst from the clothes with a phone and evidence clutched in its mouth.
“Nyaa!”
“Whoa!”
The men stumbled. Hayul shot forward at full speed. Around the next bend, more black suits appeared.
“Catch that cat, now!”
The leader barked orders, but it was pointless. A cat’s small frame and incredible jumping power let Hayul slip through them effortlessly. She couldn’t use her other abilities in animal form, but she could fully utilize every ounce of a cat’s natural agility.
After escaping the sewer, she looked around desperately.
Isn’t there anyone who can help…?!
Staying alone was far too dangerous. If she could reach Association personnel, they could verify her identity—
“Nyaa?”
Someone grabbed her by the belly and lifted her off the ground. Hayul twisted her head and saw a woman with defined abs wearing leggings, staring at her with open fascination.
She looks familiar…
Hayul searched her memory. She was certain she had seen this face in some document.
“Hey! What’s that?”
Two more women were approaching. Faces that were both familiar and incredibly welcome.
“Rona! Ha-im! Come look! This cat is super weird!”