Chapter 55
Chapter 55
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Branch 5 (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Until Ji-young and Kwon O arrived, Su-ho holed up in his room, focusing on drawing out the Flame Chain.
‘Now I need to be more careful.’
Unlike at the start, the Flame Chain—which had grown considerably—was now too unwieldy to summon inside the room. Jin Seong-hyeok, peering through Su-ho's eyes at the chains floating midair, remarked,
‘Now we're talking.’
Su-ho, finally earning a passing grade from Jin Seong-hyeok, grinned in satisfaction as he stowed the Flame Chain away.
‘By the way, what's the deal between Branch 1 and Branch 5?’
‘Nothing bad, nothing good. They couldn't care less about each other.’
They'd teamed up a few times to sweep Dead Zones, but that was it—no real overlap. They were both too swamped to spare any attention for one another.
‘At least no mind games to worry about.’
‘Eh. As long as Clark stays out of it.’
The problem, as always, was Clark.
‘What the hell is that guy's issue...’
‘Relax. Ji-young's handling him.’
Jin Seong-hyeok had run into Clark once before in a Dead Zone alongside Ji-young. Back then, it was Ji-young who'd shut down Clark's snide jabs at Jin Seong-hyeok—telling the guy that if he was so tough, he should fight solo, then grabbing him by the scruff and hurling him straight at a monster.
Ever since, Clark had quaked at the sight of Ji-young. Jin Seong-hyeok had benefited the most—Clark kept his distance whenever she was around.
‘No headaches incoming.’
‘In some ways, though... the strongest one here might be...’
‘An Ji-young.’
Jin Seong-hyeok snorted. Su-ho couldn't argue with the truth. He glanced down at the watch strapped to his wrist.
‘They should be here any minute.’
‘Might've already landed.’
No sooner had Jin Seong-hyeok spoken than the tablet on the table chimed with an alert. Su-ho snatched it up. One new message.
[Hunter An Ji-young and Helper Kwon O have arrived at the Teleport Zone.]
Su-ho's face lit up as he read it.
‘That good, huh?’
Knowing Jin Seong-hyeok would rib him no matter what, Su-ho half-surrendered with his reply.
‘Yeah. Over the moon.’
‘I just don't get what you see in An Ji-young.’
‘...You're the odd one out, Jin Seong-hyeok. Go ask around. Who doesn't like Hunter An Ji-young?’
Jin Seong-hyeok let out an incredulous chuckle.
‘Me. Right here.’
‘Exactly why you're the weird one.’
‘Fine, whatever. And I told you—drop the "ssi" already.’
Su-ho muttered under his breath, genuinely puzzled.
‘Why are you and Hunter An Ji-young so obsessed with honorifics?’
‘Shut it. Call me hyung from now on.’
‘What, forcing it like that?’
‘Don't wanna learn any other skills? Suit yourself.’
Other skills?
‘No way I'd pass that up, hyung.’
Su-ho folded instantly, calling him hyung without a fight. Jin Seong-hyeok clicked his tongue, half-amused, half-annoyed.
‘Way too quick on that.’
‘Gotta respect your elders.’
Su-ho shot back with shameless poise, then threw open the door. He strode down the now-familiar corridor toward the teleport area.
‘This place is massive.’
At Center 1, he'd have been there already—but Su-ho had only just reached the examination room.
‘Past the exam room, and you're golden.’
‘Got it.’
As he passed the examination room, Su-ho scanned his surroundings. The examiners looked slammed. Spotting him amid their hustle, they called out greetings.
Su-ho returned the nods and turned to keep walking—
“Cha Su-ho?”
The familiar voice yanked his head around. There stood Derek in his lab coat, flanked by Kwon O and Ji-young side by side.
[“Helper Cha Su-ho, you're here too. Feeling better?”]
“I'm good.”
[“Glad to hear it. Dinner tonight—Branch 5 Hunters and Helpers will be there. We'd love for you to join.”]
A pre-Dead Zone raid meal, just for introductions.
“Sounds good.”
[“See you then.”]
Derek departed. Ji-young blinked in surprise.
“Whoa, I've noticed since last time—you've changed. Right? Packed on some real muscle?”
“Su-ho's been hitting the gym hard.”
Ji-young nodded at Kwon O's words, running her hand over Su-ho's shoulder.
“No kidding. Taller too?”
“Ah... Fixed my posture during workouts. Gained a couple centimeters, I think.”
Straightening his once-hunched shoulders added about 2 cm—and the muscle bulk made him look even sharper.
“Figures.”
Su-ho averted his gaze awkwardly at her murmur. Her touch lingered on his shoulder.
“You look way better now.”
His heart thundered as she beamed at him.
‘I'm in heaven.’
‘...Don't kill the vibe.’
Ignoring Jin Seong-hyeok's scoff, Su-ho opened his mouth to speak—
“Oh, right.”
Ji-young's face drew slowly closer. Her hand slid from his shoulder up to cradle his nape.
‘What the—!’
A kiss? No way she'd just spring that. But this sure felt...!
Su-ho squeezed his eyes shut on instinct as her face neared. Something grazed his cheek—then a whisper tickled his left ear.
“Center 1 Director has a message to relay. And some questions for you.”
His eyes flew open. Staring straight ahead at Kwon O's face only deepened the embarrassment.
“Ah......”
“Quiet. Eyes everywhere.”
Su-ho flicked his gaze around. Derek—who he'd thought gone—was staring from afar with another examiner, wide-eyed.
“I'll swing by your room at midnight. Wait up.”
Ji-young peeled her body away and pitched her voice louder.
“Long time no see—a hug's the least I can do. Here, Kwon O, your turn.”
She yanked Kwon O's arm, shoving him into a clumsy embrace with Su-ho. Watching them fumble apart, she cracked up.
“Guess I'll go catch up with Scarlett.”
She beckoned the examiners. One next to Derek bolted over at once.
“Catch you at dinner.”
Su-ho stared blankly as she waved and vanished. Kwon O broke the silence.
“Haha... Su-ho.”
“...Yeah, Kwon O hyung.”
“Uh, first time here—any idea where the lounge is?”
“I'll show you. This way, hyung.”
Su-ho led the way to the lounge. His name had been the only one on the corridor before—now Kwon O's and Ji-young's joined it. Oddly, their rooms were far from Su-ho's.
“Where's yours?”
Su-ho pointed to the deepest end.
“End of the hall.”
Kwon O nodded and cracked the lounge door.
“Come in for a sec? Grabbed your favorite snacks.”
Snacks? Su-ho had never mentioned any to Kwon O. He didn't even like them much. Sensing something off, he played along.
“Was just craving some. Sure.”
Kwon O stepped inside. Su-ho tailed him fast. Click—door shut. Kwon O clapped a hand over Su-ho's mouth.
Index finger to his lips—quiet—Kwon O scanned the room with sharp eyes.
Scan done, he pulled his hand away and fished something from the bag the examiners had brought in.
A palm-sized rectangular gadget. Kwon O swept it over every corner, then exhaled heavily.
“Phew. Room's clean, at least.”
“Kwon O hyung, that thing... you weren't.”
“Yeah. Checking for bugs. No CCTV here, but they say it's crawling with listening devices.”
Bugs. Su-ho racked his brain—had he muttered aloud in here? Relief hit: talking inwardly with Jin Seong-hyeok was second nature now. No slip-ups.
Kwon O dangled the device before the chest-patting Su-ho.
“Check your room later, just in case. It'll buzz and pinpoint if anything's there.”
“Hyung... mine's clear, right?”
“Should be. Not inside, anyway—I double-checked. But.”
Kwon O's gaze hardened.
“That examiner we chatted with earlier.”
“Derek?”
“Yup. Bug in his coat pocket.”
Unthinkable. He'd pegged it for a pen.
“Branches are rivals, basically—and Branch 5 wants you bad. Center 1 Director said stay sharp.”
“I was way too green.”
“Helpers and Hunters are fine. Examiners? Tread light. They're wired straight to HQ and the Association.”
Su-ho nodded.
‘Missed the bugs myself.’
Jin Seong-hyeok had eased up too, figuring no CCTV meant safety.
“I'll watch it from here on.”
“Can't hurt. Oh, Su-ho.”
“Yeah?”
“Uh... gym around? Gotta keep up the workouts.”
Su-ho's lips twitched.
“Kwon O hyung.”
“Hm?”
“Steel yourself. Something insane's waiting.”
Su-ho dragged Kwon O straight to the fitness club like he'd been itching for it. Sure enough, two guys were mid-workout.
[“Whoa! Cha, you made it!”]
[“Yeah! Who's the new guy?”]
Larry and Ronnie's eyes lit up at Kwon O—who stared back with stars in his own.
“Introductions: Helper Kwon O from Branch 1. This is Hunter Ronnie and Helper Larry from Branch 5.”
As they swapped hellos, Su-ho eased backward. Today, his routine would go uninterrupted. Bonus: the gut-churning protein shake? Kwon O's problem now.
Su-ho hummed, pivoting to leave—
[“Man! Where you off to without pumping iron?”]
A meaty paw clamped his nape.
[“Aw, bummer, Cha. Whipped up a special shake just for you today. Gotta split it with the new dude now.”]
“I-I'm good—give it all to Helper Kwon O...”
[“Nah, man. We'll share.”]
Split 1L? 500ml each. Eyes shut, chug it down—over in seconds.
But Larry's follow-up nuked that plan.
[“Packed 2L for your cut. Sucks for you—1L today only! Tomorrow on, 2L apiece! Yeah!”]