Chapter 106
Chapter 106
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Gift
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The proposal to mobilize all of Headquarters' firepower and forcibly attack District 3 was rejected by Hunter.
But Juyeol couldn't just stand by and watch Haon wither away day by day like a drying houseplant.
Even if he couldn't find an immediate solution, just discovering the possibility of a reversal might help Haon regain some of her vitality.
'I'm worried about leaving her with Nova, but no matter what happens, that bastard will protect Haon somehow. He really will.'
Juyeol, who was scouting the inside of District 3, hid deeper within the shadows.
Two men who looked like civilians were walking out of District 3, their faces weary.
"It's so inconvenient having to detour all the way to District 5. They should just hurry up and take over District 4."
"What did District 4 do to deserve that? Eun Haon should have taken District 5."
The two seemed to be District 5 residents who worked in District 3.
"I have no idea what they're thinking. They even suddenly told us to vacate the underground parking lot that Weaver had made public."
"That's why cars are lined up on every shoulder. I wonder what they're doing underground."
Juyeol mulled over their conversation as they walked away.
'The base at the port was underground, and so was the path leading to it. They don't want to be seen, even for a moment, by any drones they might have missed.'
What are they trying to build this time?
Lost in thought, Juyeol spotted a long shadow stretching into District 3.
He would be exposed while moving to that shadow, but it would only be for a moment, so he didn't hesitate.
Just as he left his spot and was about to move to the new shadow.
*Thwack!*
A stone chipped from the ground at his feet. A bullet had hit it.
"…!"
The moment Juyeol quickly pulled back, the scythe of a mechanical mantis slammed into the spot where he'd been. It was a close call.
The thought that his head had nearly been split open was immediately followed by the realization that the deliberately missed bullet had saved him.
'Why?'
He was hiding behind a wall when he sensed a faint presence, aimed his gun, and took a step out.
"Stop right there unless you want to die."
The source of the presence was already standing just inside District 3. It was Sniper.
Juyeol was suspicious. Why was Sniper, who had persistently blocked his path and interfered every time he tried to attack Halo, suddenly acting like this?
"Your marksmanship hasn't suddenly gotten worse, I assume. What's this about?"
"Skip the thank yous. Just take this and get lost."
"…!"
Juyeol snatched the bottle Sniper suddenly threw at him and examined it with an even more suspicious expression.
The glass bottle, labeled 'Elixir', contained blue and gold liquids that swirled together without mixing, creating a marbled pattern.
He didn't know what it was, but he had a gut feeling that Bae Anjae had made it.
"A new potion?"
"I don't know."
"Why are you giving this to me?"
"…I don't know."
Sniper replied coldly, her eyes scanning the surroundings.
It was strange to see her acting like this in District 3, especially after joining forces with Two-Shot.
Juyeol glanced at the spot on the ground where the mantis scythe had struck.
Since no more were coming, it seemed they were programmed to attack only if he stepped into District 3. So what was she wary of?
'Is she checking if I brought other Heroes? Even so, why give me this…'
He pocketed the mysterious potion for now and spoke.
"If you regret joining Two-Shot, why not break away before it's too late?"
"None of your business."
"I don't know what Bae Anjae is up to, but a time will come when you won't be able to turn back, even if you want to escape."
Sniper flinched at Juyeol's words, then let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"It's already too late. There's no way out, even if I wanted to quit."
"…?"
Juyeol thought Sniper seemed unusually emotional today.
If something was really happening within the gang, this could be an opportunity.
"It would be faster to kill Two-Shot or Bae Anjae from the inside. It's not like Halo is letting Two-Shot live because she can't kill him."
"I told you, it's already too late!"
Sniper snapped sharply.
It was a reaction he'd never seen from the always taciturn and detached woman.
'She was acting strange at the underground base at the port, too. She didn't look well. Is this related to that?'
Juyeol, trying to make sense of Sniper's unfamiliar behavior, remembered his reason for coming to District 3 and asked another question.
"What Bae Anjae did to Eun Haon's wrist. Do you know how to get rid of it?"
Sniper shook her head.
"It's too late for that, too. That Eun Haon is finished."
"…What's that supposed to mean? What do you know?"
"That potion… I don't know what it is, but it must be deadly. Bae Anjae was grinning from ear to ear, he was so happy about it."
"What are you talking about with Eun Haon!"
Juyeol's eyes widened as he took a step forward.
Just then, Sniper raised her pistol high in the air and, before he could stop her, pulled the trigger.
*Bang! Bang!*
"Get lost before the mantises come. Don't even think about coming to District 3."
"Sniper!"
Juyeol tried to chase after Sniper as she quickly disappeared into an alley.
But he saw the mechanical mantises flying in, having detected the gunshots, and hiding in the shadows was pointless as long as those machines were around.
"Dammit. What the hell was that about!"
In the end, he had no choice but to give up on infiltrating District 3 and turn back.
* * *
Rushing back to Haon's lab, Juyeol froze as he entered the cafe.
Something rolled away as his foot kicked it, and he saw it was a liquor bottle.
The bottle stopped when it hit another one, and beyond it, countless more were scattered about.
"…?"
Juyeol had never seen Haon drink, so he couldn't understand why these were rolling around in her lab.
"Eun Haon?"
And the moment he walked further into the cafe, puzzled, he couldn't help but curse at the sight before him.
"Fuck. Is he crazy, for real?"
"Well, look who it is. Isn't it Ghost, the man who lifted me up so easily?"
Nova, his hair done up in buns like Bani's—who knows by whom—was doing a one-finger handstand.
His shirt was inside out, revealing his well-defined abs, and the sight of him waving with a smile seemed utterly grotesque to Juyeol.
River and Chacha had swapped clothes and were each hugging a different potted plant, their bodies half-stuffed under the sofa.
Whether they were talking in their sleep or something else, the two of them took turns repeating the same words, which were completely unintelligible.
"Juyeeeeeol!"
"…"
And Haon, wrapped up in a curtain with two stray cats she must have picked up from somewhere, was hanging sideways.
"Juyeoool!"
Every time she spotted him and waved, she bumped her forehead against a curtain decoration.
"…I don't even want to know what happened here."
Juyeol, with a fed-up expression, kicked Nova aside and approached Haon.
Nova, who had fallen flat on his back, muttered about trying to stand on one toe this time.
But Juyeol only heard the sound of Haon giggling.
"What's so funny?"
"Juyeoli."
Haon pointed at Juyeol, her cheeks flushed and her eyes moist and unfocused.
"…She's so drunk her tongue's all tied up."
Juyeol, feeling his own face flush though he hadn't had a drop of alcohol, tried to untangle Haon from the bizarrely twisted curtain.
"Hold still. Ugh. You reek of alcohol."
"Attention?"
"You call that 'attention'? Why are you holding the curtain? Let go."
"No."
"What do you mean, no?"
"Can't let go of Juyeoli."
Haon let go of the curtain and clung tightly to Juyeol as he lifted her into his arms.
He tried to ignore his racing heart and the heat rising to his forehead as he adjusted his hold on her.
"Alright, just don't pull my hair."
"Sowwy."
"It's not something you need to apologize for."
"No. Sowwy. I should've treated you better."
Haon mumbled, rubbing her forehead against the nape of Juyeol's neck.
Juyeol, who was heading for the elevator while leaving the others sprawled across the cafe, smirked.
"How could you have treated me any better?"
"When I was still useful, I should've made lots of things for you. I regret it so much."
"…"
It looked like she'd had a raucous time drinking and playing with everyone else, so why was she still saying things like this?
Juyeol's mood soured rapidly, and he even found Haon a little annoying.
He'd reluctantly left Nova with her, only to come back and find her drinking and acting like this.
Unaware of his feelings, Haon fidgeted, and when their eyes met, she giggled.
Her face was so excessively cute that it only made her more annoying, so Juyeol gave her flushed cheek a firm bite.
"Ah!"
Haon's eyes went wide as she cupped her cheek, then pointed with her other hand at one of the cats rolling on the floor.
"Did you see that? It bit me!"
"…Just how much did you drink?"
This time, she pointed at Juyeol's cheek.
"It bit me right here, really hard! Mean kitty!"
"…"
Deciding he'd had enough, Juyeol pressed the back of Haon's head, making her lean fully against his shoulder.
"Go to sleep."
"Okay."
"Why are you so obedient all of a sudden? You're killing me with cuteness."
Haon meekly closed her eyes, but as they reached the rooftop, she spoke again.
"I think I'm gonna throw up."
"Hey. Wait a second."
Juyeol's steps toward the penthouse quickened.