Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Seeds of Doubt
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At first, Two-Shot thought a few of his men had suffered from the potion’s side effects and died screaming.
But a thorough search of Sector 3 yielded no bodies.
When he asked Bae Anjae, the man replied nonchalantly, as if it were nothing.
“Some of Rusty’s men escaped. Don’t you think they buried them somewhere?”
To Two-Shot, Bae Anjae himself was suspicious.
He’d heard news that Bae Anjae had been found dead, so his sudden appearance was strange from the start.
Even if he overlooked it—it wasn’t uncommon for guys who’d faked their deaths to resurface in the old district—there was something else he couldn't understand.
He was sure he saw the man enter an alley on the right, but then he popped out of an alley on the left.
At first, he thought it was just someone who looked similar because his clothes were different, but it was no mistake.
One of his underlings said Bae Anjae was making potions in the west warehouse, while another claimed he was inspecting the underground passages.
And that was right after Two-Shot himself had just come up from the basement where Rusty and his men were being held, having spoken with Bae Anjae there.
This kind of thing had happened more than once.
Furthermore, late at night, he would often hear pained groans and intermittent screams coming from the floor above, where Halo and Sniper were staying.
When he asked Halo what had happened the next morning, she would just ask him what he was talking about.
He wondered if it was some kind of sleepwalking and asked his men, but they all shook their heads, saying they hadn't heard a thing.
Only Two-Shot had heard it.
He kept nagging his men to stop messing with him, which led to rumors that he was possessed by a ghost.
*It was real! How could that be a hallucination!*
Two-Shot tried to think what could make the woman once called the Order of Villains scream.
No matter how he thought about it, it couldn't be a person. It wouldn't be money, either.
Wouldn't she be able to withstand most forms of torture?
That left only one thing: a ghost.
*A ghost? Don't be ridiculous. As if those exist. And even if they did, a bullet is scarier than a ghost, isn't it?*
Two-Shot tried to shake off the unsettling feeling, rolling a bullet over and over in his palm.
His reflection in the mirror was a haggard mess.
Lately, the only one who looked well was Bae Anjae. Even Halo’s complexion was poor, and Sniper seemed strangely drained.
The first time he met Bae Anjae in Weaver’s office.
“As a down payment, I’ll let you kill Rusty with your own hands. All of his men are in my grasp, too.”
His words were clearly meant to entice Weaver, as she had the worst relationship with Rusty.
Weaver herself had shown no interest and declined the offer, which was how Bae Anjae and Halo ended up in Sector 3, but it kept bothering him.
*Is he actually working with Weaver behind my back, smuggling my men to Sector 5? Did he tell me to lock down Sector 3 to cover it up?*
He had already turned his back on Hero Headquarters and the Hunter. If he was backstabbed within the sealed-off Sector 3, there would be no way out.
Two-Shot gritted his teeth so hard they audibly ground together.
*Was it not like me to trust a complete stranger so much? What the hell is he even doing? He keeps bringing in all this bizarre experimental equipment, just like Dr. Eun Haon a few months ago…*
Just then, a mechanical mantis passed by the office window.
Watching it scan the darkness with a red laser, he suddenly felt a surge of stability and trust.
*Right. That can't be it. He built these mechanical mantises for me and even supplies potions at a cheap price.*
He had firmly believed the potions came from Eun Haon, but it turned out to be Bae Anjae.
He didn't know how a former counselor at a rehabilitation center could have secretly acquired such skills, but seeing how he was on bad terms with Eun Haon, it seemed they were in the same line of work.
*So what if a few of my men disappear? The stronger mechanical mantises will take their place.*
Those guys knew every shortcut and bolthole. It wouldn't be impossible for them to slip out of the old district without a trace.
*Let them run. As if leaving this life behind will change their fates. They'll just end up back in the old district to die here anyway.*
Finally at ease, Two-Shot chuckled and put the bullet down.
***
“Tsk. It died.”
At the same time, Bae Anjae pushed a hospital bed away with an annoyed gesture.
The wheeled bed rolled toward the wall, and a pale hand flopped over the side. It was one of Two-Shot’s men, his breath gone.
“I told you, the ones we’ve drawn a lot of blood from won’t work.”
As Bae Anjae 2 grumbled, Bae Anjae 3 brought over another hospital bed. Lying on it was another one of Two-Shot’s men, gagged.
“We haven’t drawn any blood from this one yet. Should we use him?”
“It’s a waste. Let’s just draw blood once and then use him.”
At Bae Anjae’s words, Bae Anjae 3 shrugged and wheeled the bed to another wall.
Then, Bae Anjae 4 injected a potion into the gagged man with a syringe.
“Ugh! Mmph!”
The man struggled, but the potion quickly spread through his veins, turning his fingertips bluish.
Without missing a beat, Bae Anjae 3 attached a blood bag to the man and began to draw blood.
Next to him, lining the wall, were more of Two-Shot’s and Rusty’s men, tied to beds and having their blood drawn.
Bae Anjae watched with satisfaction as the blood of the short-term Awakeners steadily accumulated, then turned his gaze to a monitor.
The latest failed experiment was being recorded.
“It keeps dying at the same point. Was there anything useful in ‘Dr. Eun’s’ research records?”
Bae Anjae 2 sighed, and Bae Anjae replied with a hint of disappointment.
“It’s only so useful. Things might have been better if Eun Haon were here.”
“Weren’t you planning to kill her?”
“Better to kill her than have her as an enemy. Though it’s more like making her wish she were dead…”
He paused, frowning. Halo had come down to the lab.
She grimaced at the gruesome scene inside and said.
“Sniper’s recovery is slow. Her fever has barely gone down. Are you even treating her properly?”
“I’ve told you multiple times, this is the best I can do. She was just born that way.”
Bae Anjae answered irritably, as if tired of the conversation, then saw Halo’s cold expression and added with a sneer.
“If you quit, your daughter will die anyway. If that’s what you want, I’ll stop right now.”
“…”
Halo suppressed the urge to wring his neck.
If the elixirs he made hadn’t worked on Sniper, she wouldn't have had to feel so humiliated here.
“Come up and check on her when the experiment is over.”
Halo replied, swallowing her anger, and turned to leave.
“Since you’re here, give some blood. We need to use yours for your daughter.”
Bae Anjae casually pointed to where the gang members were having their blood drawn.
Halo impulsively gathered a sizzling cluster of light in her palm before she barely managed to walk away.
“Fine.”
She went over to Bae Anjae 4 and rolled up her sleeve.
***
“Haon. Haon?”
“...Huh? Oh?”
Sitting blankly in the Sector 1 office, Haon snapped out of it when a hand touched her shoulder.
Bani tilted her head and waved a hand in front of her face.
“Haon. Why are you so out of it today?”
“Am… am I?”
She answered as if she didn't know, but in truth, Haon was aware she’d been spacing out all day.
*“Later… a house where the two of us can live would be even better.”*
*“Later… the two of us…”*
*“Later…”*
Juyeol’s words kept replaying in her mind.
She was happy to be included in his vision of a ‘later here,’ but at the same time, her mind was in turmoil.
*I feel like I should tell him I’m going back home. When should I do it? How should I do it?*
About to drift back into her thoughts, Haon remembered Bani was there and pulled herself together.
“Sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
It sounded like a lame excuse, but it was true she hadn’t slept well.
She had fallen asleep only after watching Juyeol’s back for a long time as he turned over to sleep. It seemed Juyeol hadn't been able to sleep for a long time either.
“Could you say that again?”
When she spoke with an apologetic look, Bani’s disappointed expression vanished, and she began to speak with a shy expression.
“Could you add a world history class to the academy? The history lecture is so much fun.”
“Of course! I’ll have it ready for you by the end of this week.”
“Really? Thanks, Haon!”
Excited, Bani threw her arms around Haon’s shoulders.
Every time Haon saw Bani enjoying learning, her heart ached with a sense of pride that was hard to describe.
It felt like Bani was finally getting to experience a small part of what she knew as a normal student’s life.
Watching Bani grin brightly as she sat across from her, chattering about which parts of which lectures were fun, Haon’s thoughts grew heavy.
*Even if I have to leave, I need to make sure they’ll be okay. There’s so much I want to do for them.*
To do that, she had to deal with Bae Anjae first. She would capture him one way or another and take him back to her home world.
It wasn't too late to modify the dimension gate for two people. It would take a little more time, but for this place to be safe, he had to be gone.
*I need to go back and finish hacking soon.*
Just as Haon decided she should strike the port first, Chacha burst through the door.
“Eun Haon!”
She said urgently, without even catching her breath.
“Two-Shot has attacked Sector 5!”