Chapter 39: The Lunatic Who Had to Bow His Head to His Mother

Haejin slammed the steering wheel, then ripped the seat with his bare hand. He looked completely insane, but Jin-woo and Jae-hyung couldn’t say a word. Lee Chae might have been kidnapped. If only they were wrong— But the chance of that was practically zero.

“Hyung, what about asking an S-rank scout for help?”

“…What?”

Asking an S-rank scout meant getting headquarters’ permission. Haejin scowled; Jae-hyung persuaded.

“Right now that’s the only way.”

“This is driving me crazy.”

Haejin ruffled his hair violently and bowed his head. Jin-woo added calmly,

“Jae-hyung’s right. If you want to save Japchae, that’s the only answer.”

“There’s no answer? I’ll just smash every gate that’s ever opened until those bastards give me one. You think they’ll stay quiet while I wipe out their whole species?”

“You lunatic… you planning to do that alone? Who the hell wants to start a pointless war?”

“It’s not pointless—it’s to save Jung Lee Chae!”

“Cha Haejin, get a grip! I didn’t want to say this, but Jung Lee Chae is a D-rank guide. Who’s going to move heaven and earth for him?”

Haejin’s face twisted viciously, but Jin-woo kept going.

“If you go berserk, what do you think headquarters will do? They’ll pin everything on Lee Chae—call him the guide who caused an S-rank’s severe abnormal state—and finish him first.”

The moment the words ended, the windshield shattered, glass flying everywhere. He hadn’t meant to break it—he’d just glared too hard. Jin-woo stepped back, trying to understand his unhinged friend.

“Fine. I’ll go slaughter them alone.”

How do you calm this immature elementary-schooler? Jin-woo spoke calmly.

“Yeah, you’re pissed. The first person you ever cared about might die because of you, dragged off by a monster.”

Jae-hyung gasped.

“Hyung, that’s too harsh—why are you provoking him more?”

But Jin-woo ignored him.

“Because of you, Lee Chae might die.”

“I know. That’s why I’m saying let’s hit the gates.”

“If you know, then take responsibility. Who said smashing gates will save him? If I were a Cyclops, I’d kill Lee Chae first and be done with it—whether you attacked or not.”

Haejin had nothing to say. Everything Jin-woo said was right. If he really wanted to save Lee Chae, reckless attacks were forbidden—they might only provoke the beasts further.

“Think coldly. Bow your head once to headquarters, and you can save him.”

Was that really the only way?

Haejin’s shoulders slumped. In his entire life he had never once felt powerless—yet now, because of someone else, he did. Laughing bitterly at himself, he finally gave in to Jin-woo. He couldn’t lose Jung Lee Chae over pride.

“What were you two talking about so sweetly?”

Yeo-jun came back inside. He looked back and forth between Lee Chae and Ki-jun with an expression that seemed emotionless—but Ki-jun could feel it. Yeo-jun was in the worst mood possible.

He’d just spoken to Kelvetero, so of course he was upset—but this felt worse. Did they tell him to kill the collateral? Definitely. Ki-jun looked sadly at Lee Chae. Pretty and kind—such a waste to kill.

“KANG KI-JUN. Why so quiet?”

“N-nothing… I didn’t say anything! I really didn’t say anything to the coll— to him!”

Yeo-jun looked suspicious but didn’t press, probably because Lee Chae was there. He scowled, then softened when he looked at Lee Chae. It was the face of a good person, but Ki-jun knew it was acting. He wished Yeo-jun really was good and wouldn’t kill Lee Chae.

“Lee Chae-ya, did Ki-jun badmouth me?”

“No, not at all. We weren’t talking about that. He just asked if I wanted more bulgogi and soup because I ate so much.”

L-lie…

Ki-jun stared at Lee Chae in shock. Lee Chae winked discreetly.

Amazing. How did he know? Is he an angel? A god? How does he know everything and lie for me?

His heart tickled.

From the moment Lee Chae stepped into the house, something felt strange. He’d been taught humans were evil, but Lee Chae was so weak and pretty.

Earlier, when Lee Chae was sleeping, Ki-jun had sneaked in and stared. Even asleep he looked like an angel. When Ki-jun poked his cheek, Lee Chae’s lips had puckered, his tiny hands had twitched—so beautiful Ki-jun could only stare with his mouth open.

And now that person was lying to protect him…

Ki-jun was originally a dragon. After the gates opened, his parents barely survived until they died. Their hatchling, Ki-jun, was captured by headquarters, used as a test subject, escaped, lived by stealing food, was recaptured and tortured, then escaped again—only to be found by Yeo-jun.

From the start, Yeo-jun had offered revenge against the humans who killed his parents in exchange for taking human form. Ki-jun was exhausted from stealing food, so he accepted—but not once since had he felt good.

Yeo-jun looked suspiciously between the table and Lee Chae.

“You ate all that meat by yourself?”

“Yeah. Why, you regret it?”

“No… I just remembered you don’t eat much.”

“That’s because cleanup crew food is trash. I grew up poor—I go crazy for meat.”

“Oh, right.”

Seeing Yeo-jun let it go, Ki-jun sighed in relief. For carnivorous dragons, withholding meat was to maximize violent instincts later when war came. Eating only vegetables never filled him; enduring hunger was hell.

The meat Lee Chae had just given him was mind-blowingly delicious. The person who showed him that kindness might die… the thought made the world go dark.

“Our Lee Chae must’ve been starving. Sit, let’s eat.”

“Yeah, but sunbae—where’s my phone? My parents will be worried.”

“Phone? Didn’t see it. Maybe you dropped it when you collapsed?”

Yeo-jun lied smoothly. Lee Chae felt another wave of suspicion. He’d said it was for his parents, yet Yeo-jun still wouldn’t lend a phone—that wasn’t like him.

There was definitely more than kindness behind bringing him here.

“Ah, maybe. I’ll look more after we eat.”

“Yeah. Eat well.”

The awkward meal resumed.

Countless reports must have poured in—shadows acting strange, everything—yet headquarters was peaceful. Not even a guard esper in sight. Someone from the scene had clearly tipped them off in advance.

Even unrelated to combat, Haejin knew his every move reached Director Kim—his mother. She was deliberately acting indifferent. Haejin was already sick of it.

“What are you doing? Not going in? Every second counts.”

Even with Jin-woo urging him, Haejin couldn’t move easily.

“Is there really no other way?”

“If you don’t care what happens to Japchae, stand there all you want.”

“F*ck.”

It was done; no turning back. From now on he’d think only of Jung Lee Chae. Haejin forced his feet forward. Inside headquarters, he went straight to his mother’s office. Formal procedures would make using the scout team impossible anyway, and even if permission came, his mother—the final decision-maker—could veto it.

“Go alone. If we swarm in, we’ll just get hated more. I don’t even want to see headquarters people.”

Haejin nodded at Jin-woo’s words outside the door, then opened it without knocking.

Director Kim glanced over as if it were nothing, then returned to her papers.

“You know things are busy because of the sudden incident. If it’s not urgent, come back later?”

“Professor—no, Director. You’ve already received reports about my situation. I know you have people tailing me, so stop pretending.”

Only the sound of pages turning continued. If it weren’t about Lee Chae, Haejin would’ve stormed out long ago—but today he had to grit his teeth and endure.