Chapter 251
Chapter 251
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 251. Quasi-Regular
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I recalled the first time I saw Yoo Daon.
Never turn an immortal into an enemy.
Even now, it didn't seem like strange advice at all. Back then, I'd vaguely thought it was probably right.
And then I thought back on Yoo Daon's actions that I'd witnessed up to now.
The time she entered the apartment, staggering with her head gone yet still pressing the switch. Or fighting without a care even when her arm flew off.
If anyone else saw it, they could rightly call it terrifying—she was that accustomed to throwing her body away in battle.
Eileen drew her gun.
With a calm expression, she checked the chamber, and Yoo Daon began stretching.
"Daon will win, right?"
"You think she'd lose?"
Song Arin replied to my question with a look of disbelief.
"As much as I hate to admit it, the black-haired one fights the best out of all of us."
"Fights well..."
"Me, White Hair, we all fight within the bounds of common sense."
Song Arin glanced at Yoo Daon.
"What she does is all beyond common sense. Like a containment object—"
"Arin."
"...She fights on par with a containment object."
Catching my eye, Song Arin corrected herself.
"Normal people close their eyes when it hurts, or whatever. They dodge when pain's coming."
"Right."
"She faces it all head-on."
Yoo Daon finished stretching and looked at Eileen.
"I don't have confidence in dodging bullets, so... I'll just run as fast as I can for now!"
"..."
Eileen gripped her gun without responding to Yoo Daon's words.
Both of them looked at me.
"...Tell me if it hurts."
"Yes! Thanks for worrying about 'me,' Jaeheon!"
Yoo Daon answered brightly at my words, and Eileen's expression soured further.
"What she says really grates on you."
Song Arin muttered, and I raised my arm.
"Start!"
No countdown.
The moment I shouted, Yoo Daon crossed her arms over her face and charged.
Eileen leaned back and fired with practiced ease.
*Bang! Bang!*
Rubber bullets thudded into Yoo Daon's body—*thunk, thunk*—followed by an awful sound from her arms that shouldn't have come.
"Rubber bullets hurt plenty if you take enough. No, up close, they can kill."
"..."
Song Arin said lightly, as Yoo Daon closed the distance to Eileen at tremendous speed.
Half the gap remained.
But Eileen showed no panic, steadying her breath.
No burst fire. Focus.
Gripping the pistol's handle with both hands, she muttered something under her breath.
Yoo Daon drew closer, and Eileen pulled the trigger.
*Bang!*
The bullet hit Yoo Daon's elbow joint.
*Crack!*
"Whoa!"
Something snapped in Yoo Daon's arm, twisting it grotesquely, exposing her face in the process.
Yoo Daon cried out in surprise.
*Bang! Bang!*
Unfazed, Eileen kept firing, bullets striking Yoo Daon's face.
"Ow, nooo!"
Yoo Daon shielded her face with one arm as she ran.
"My face'll cave in and I'll look ugly!"
"She's insane."
Eileen replied with disgust at Yoo Daon's shout, drawing her other gun. Yoo Daon's arm had already snapped back, and she inhaled deeply before accelerating.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Ignoring them completely, she emptied her magazine and Eileen gripped her gun expertly,
"Huh?"
Then charged forward.
Yoo Daon, arms still guarding her face, took a beat longer than usual to notice Eileen's movement.
In that gap, Eileen slipped perfectly into her guard.
Eileen dropped one gun to the floor.
She reversed her grip on the pistol, handle up, spun her hips, and smashed it like a home run swing under Yoo Daon's chin.
*Smack!*
Yoo Daon's head snapped back with a massive sound, throwing off her stance. Eileen didn't miss the opening, spinning to kick her side.
Or trying to.
"Surprised me!"
Yoo Daon had already recovered, grabbing Eileen's leg deftly with one arm.
"I almost blacked out! If you'd been a bit stronger... What a shame!"
Smiling ruefully, she released Eileen's leg.
"Doesn't this mean I win?"
"..."
Eileen set her gun down wordlessly and assumed a stance.
"You're really gonna keep fighting?"
Yoo Daon scratched her cheek and took her own fighting stance.
"I was pretty good at close quarters myself."
"I was top of the class."
Eileen replied to Yoo Daon's words and lunged.
Yoo Daon chuckled softly at that and lunged back.
Their fists crossed.
*
*Thud!
"Urk...!"
To cut to the chase, Yoo Daon was overwhelming Eileen.
Eileen wasn't wrong.
True to her claim of being top, she pressured Yoo Daon at first.
Faster than Yoo Daon, more varied techniques, agile movements.
The problem was her opponent was Yoo Daon.
She ignored blows, wrenched free or shattered joints to keep fighting. Unknown moves? Took them while landing her own.
From the moment they closed, Eileen couldn't win.
"Haa... haa..."
Eileen wiped her split lip, breathing raggedly, as Yoo Daon looked at me.
Her eyes asking if this was really okay.
"...That's enough."
I couldn't bear her gaze and stepped in to end it.
"I can still...!"
"You could, but you can't win."
Eileen froze at my words.
She squeezed her eyes shut and looked down. Yoo Daon smiled at the sight.
"But you fought well! For a normal person!"
Eileen's expression darkened further, and she looked up at me.
"...Eileen."
That abandoned-puppy look made me briefly think of recruiting her to HR, but I couldn't.
"You have your strengths, Eileen."
"..."
"Honestly, fighting... Our team members are just a bit beyond human limits. If you sparred with me right now, you could toy with me one-handed."
I couldn't do melee, and lacked combat abilities anyway.
"But you have great judgment and charisma."
"So we have none?"
"Nope."
I answered Song Arin's question without hesitation, meeting Eileen's eyes.
"But like this incident, when we need help from other teams or whatever, I'll definitely call you."
Dealing with all sorts of cases, a day would surely come when we needed her.
Plus, Critical could be shared.
"...Fine."
Eileen looked up.
"I lost this time, but if I prepare more next time, I know I can win."
"Huh?"
Ignoring my reaction, Eileen burned with determination.
"If I train properly, I can do it. I'll show you."
"Don't—"
"I'll be on Response Team till then."
Eileen looked at me.
"Wait for me."
Then she strode off.
"Wow, she really doesn't listen."
"You're just like her."
"Huh?"
Overhearing Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon, I watched Eileen leave, only for her to turn and look at Park Ye-eun.
"...Thanks for worrying. But next time, don't grate on my pride like that."
With that, she hurried out.
Turning to Park Ye-eun, she was smiling with relief.
"Good thing, right?"
"It worked just like you said, oppa."
Park Ye-eun looked at me.
"Is it experience?"
"You're a teen, so I hold back."
I considered smacking her but held off.
*
After Eileen left, she didn't come back dragging me off.
But she did visit HR.
"Brought coffee."
"I could've gotten it."
"I grabbed it on the way, no big deal."
"What about mine...?"
"Minors can't have coffee."
"..."
"...So I got blue grape ade."
"Thanks!"
Eileen handed me coffee and sometimes got something for Park Ye-eun too.
I thought it'd be a one-day thing.
Next day.
"Got some today too."
"Ah, thanks."
The day after.
"Ice Americano today."
"...Thanks."
The next.
"Warm one today."
"..."
"She got something on you? Why deliver coffee every morning?"
As I took coffee from Eileen, Song Arin slammed her desk and glared. Eileen ignored her, set the coffee on my desk, and met Song Arin's eyes.
"Problem with me buying what I want?"
"Yeah. HR's image tanks if other departments keep coming and going."
"Heard HR's image is already trash."
I knew it was bad, but hearing it stung more.
I glanced at the others.
Yoo Daon was chatting with Park Ye-eun. Jang Chaeyeon frowned deeply at her computer.
She'd been searching stuff online lately.
What the heck was she looking up?
"Anyway, stop making excuses and do your job."
"This *is* my job."
"What?"
"Team said I've done plenty, so go mingle with other departments."
Eileen puffed her chest confidently.
"Then go mingle somewhere else."
"I'll get to it when I have time."
"..."
Song Arin looked at me.
As I opened my mouth to say something,
"Um."
Jang Chaeyeon spoke up, drawing all eyes.
She looked at me.
"Th. Uh."
Receiving the stares, Jang Chaeyeon flicked her eyes around before looking back at me.
"My parents aren't home today."
Suddenly?
Unable to grasp her intent, I stayed silent as Yoo Daon raised her hand.
"Chaeyeon's parents passed away. Of course they're not home."
The air turned icy.