Chapter 119: The Unseen Confrontation

Han Do-hoon was an opponent Sa-yoon knew he would eventually have to face, and he had resolved to overcome this challenge. Feigning composure, Sa-yoon offered a small smile. Though his heart still felt utterly black, he tried to view it as merely gray, a state he could manage to ignore.

“Everyone, let’s disperse for today. Rest well, and we’ll resume our efforts tomorrow. There will be much to prepare.”

Sa-yoon sent away those who watched him with worried expressions. Both those who had supported his decision to step forward and those who had opposed it shared the same look of apprehension. These were the people who hadn’t pressured Sa-yoon with a single word until he made his own choice to act.

They simply had different perspectives, yet all genuinely cared for Sa-yoon.

This was why Sa-yoon cherished this place. It was filled with earnest people, individuals so pure-hearted that he wished to strive for their sake, even if it meant enduring hardship himself.

He gently urged the lingering individuals out, leaving only Sa-yoon, Kang Tae-han, and Kang Ah-jun in the once-bustling conference room.

“Team Leader, will you truly be alright?”

“You know escaping is no trouble for me.”

“……”

Kang Ah-jun’s face was a complex mix of emotions as he nervously mumbled, clearly holding back something he wished to say. Sa-yoon easily discerned the unspoken concern.

‘He must be worried about my meeting with Han Do-hoon.’ Kang Ah-jun was, after all, one of the few who knew the full extent of what had transpired between Han Do-hoon and Sa-yoon.

Sa-yoon patted Kang Ah-jun’s shoulder before exiting the room first.

Even with ample mental preparation, the reluctance remained, an unavoidable weight. The agreed-upon negotiation date approached swiftly. Despite meticulously scouting several escape routes and formulating a thorough plan, his heart, oblivious to the situation, pounded with nervous anticipation.

Sa-yoon sighed, gazing at the structure sprawled across the ground. The Espers Alliance had designated an old operational headquarters on a remote island as the negotiation site. This island, roughly the size of Jeju, was uninhabited, save for a few Alliance personnel who had visited.

At its center stood a gray building, encircled by a chain-link fence. On its rooftop, the flag of the Espers Alliance fluttered in the breeze.

Han Do-hoon was inside that building. This would be their first conscious encounter since Sa-yoon had regained his memories. When his memories returned, the image that had seared itself into Sa-yoon’s mind was Han Do-hoon’s face, twisted into a fierce scowl as he threatened him.

Sa-yoon sighed again, observing the low, windowless building, formidable as a fortress.

“I’d prefer to end this without a fight, but that’s unlikely, isn’t it?”

“Regardless of how we proceed, avoiding an all-out battle will be difficult. Our goal is to rescue the hostages safely and escape with minimal casualties.”

“……”

“We’ve already crossed the river where dialogue could have solved anything.”

Indeed, Sa-yoon had considered confronting Han Do-hoon directly, revealing his identity, and attempting to persuade him. He wondered if Han Do-hoon was aware of the truth about the powerful elite and Rain. However, this option was quickly dismissed.

They couldn’t ascertain whether Han Do-hoon knew the truth about those who had framed Air Rain for so long to consolidate their power.

This had always been a nagging question for Sa-yoon. Did Han Do-hoon truly understand the reality of Air Rain and the powerful individuals, yet still side with the Alliance? Or was he merely being deceived by the adoptive parents who had saved him in his youth, completely unaware?

“For now, I’ll focus on the task at hand.”

Sa-yoon exhaled deeply and pulled his hood further down. Their eyes met, and he and Kang Tae-han nodded to each other. Together, they approached the building designated by the Alliance.

“Please identify yourselves.”

“Can’t you tell by looking?”

Kang Tae-han responded with a fierce voice, lifting his hood slightly. The scar on his face made the guard’s shoulders flinch. The guard, stiff with tension, hastily radioed in, and then the thick door leading into the building swung open. Before the guard could utter another word, Kang Tae-han grabbed Sa-yoon’s hand and pulled him inside.

“Don’t follow us. Not unless you want to die.”

“B-but…”

“The agreement was two from your side, two from ours for the negotiation. If you foolishly follow, we’ll consider it an unprovoked attack.”

Under Kang Tae-han’s intimidating warning, the guards recoiled. In that brief window, Kang Tae-han and Sa-yoon ventured deeper into the headquarters. Fortunately, there was no sign of anyone following them.

‘Even if I threatened them, not a single one pursued us. Their discipline must be incredibly lax.’

“Their training is quite shoddy.”

“Why are you disappointed after threatening them? Besides, they just saw the top two bounty holders side by side, so it’s natural for them to be nervous.”

“That’s a bit of a blow to my pride. To be overtaken by a mere youngster for the number one spot.”

Kang Tae-han, who had recently been relegated to second place on the bounty list, grumbled verbally but smirked. The out-of-place banter eased some of their tension.

Faint lights were clustered tightly on the ceiling, creating a secretive and gloomy atmosphere, reminiscent of an interrogation room.

“Let’s begin here.”

Sa-yoon pulled a glass bottle from his chest. A thick, slime-like liquid flowed out onto the floor, then began to change shape. The opaque slime swelled to eye level before transforming into a human form.

It then morphed into the exact likeness of Jin Sa-yoon, who had released it.

[Ah. Ahh.]

“I’m counting on you today, Teacher.”

[To be kept in a bottle. How rough.]

The being Sa-yoon brought, or rather, Rain, was a variant Rain whose true form was slime. It was an individual that had matured into an adult form, developing intelligence, much like Kang Tae-han. Typically, this particular Rain led a leisurely life, often found lounging in swamps or by lake shores, using a stone as a pillow.

“Will we be able to pull this off without being detected?”

Sa-yoon murmured, looking at Rain, who was now his spitting image.

This was the result of Air Rain’s leadership convening all night. They had decided to send Sa-yoon to the negotiation table but not to put him on the front lines. Instead, they planned to use a Rain with replication abilities, alongside Kang Tae-han, to deceive their opponents.

The strategy was to demand the release of the hostages immediately upon entering the negotiation site, then for Kang Tae-han to exit with the hostages. Following that, Rain, disguised as Sa-yoon, would discreetly slip away. Sa-yoon had volunteered to support this operation.

Sa-yoon would take a different route alone to monitor the headquarters’ maneuvers and then escape with the isolated Rain. Kang Tae-han’s brazen argument was that they weren’t breaking the promise for Sa-yoon to visit the headquarters, so it didn’t matter.

“Then I’ll hide.”

Sa-yoon manipulated a wall structure, creating a passage between walls to conceal himself. Having already mapped out the building’s layout before entering, moving while hidden was no challenge. He slipped into the slightly opened gap, and as the wall sealed behind him, Sa-yoon’s form vanished completely.

“Quite a useful ability.”

Kang Tae-han mumbled, stroking his chin. Then, he spoke towards Sa-yoon, presumably still within the wall.

“Even if we appear to be in danger, you absolutely must not come out. If you think it’s a lost cause, escape on your own. Understand?”

Sa-yoon responded with a laugh instead of words. He knew better than to utter promises he couldn’t keep.

“You should be the one to watch out, hyung.”

Ignoring Kang Tae-han’s admonition, Sa-yoon moved towards a pre-determined location. The agreement stipulated that everyone except the negotiators would vacate the headquarters. True to that, no other life forms could be detected within the building.

Sensing Kang Tae-han, Rain, and the faint dark green presence of Han Do-hoon on the opposite side, Sa-yoon headed for the central control room.

Monitors displaying CCTV footage filled the entire wall. Below them, various buttons and control panels were tightly packed and intricately intertwined.

Standing in the spacious room, filled with the hum of machinery and motor sounds, Sa-yoon watched the busy screens. His gaze settled on the room where Han Do-hoon was located. A moment later, the door opened, and he saw Kang Tae-han and Rain, disguised as Sa-yoon, enter.

The agreed number of participants was two from the Alliance and two from Air Rain. However, only Han Do-hoon was present from the Alliance side.

“……”

Sa-yoon held his breath, focusing on the screen. He moved the small CCTV feed to the main monitor, making it larger. As he put on the headset, a static-filled voice came through.

[…Release the people, as promised.]

This was Kang Tae-han’s voice. As planned, he immediately demanded the release of the hostages. Sa-yoon’s eyes widened as he stared intently at the screen. Unfortunately, due to the CCTV being installed facing the door, only Han Do-hoon’s back was visible.

[I need confirmation.]

Following the cue, Rain pulled back the hood, revealing Sa-yoon’s identical face on the screen. Han Do-hoon’s back twitched ever so slightly, a minute tremor. The tension in his back muscles was visible even through his thin clothing, betraying his agitation.

‘What emotions must Han Do-hoon be feeling right now? What is he thinking?’ Sa-yoon clenched his fists until his palms grew sweaty. Observing the situation from a detached, third-person perspective, it was an incredibly bizarre combination.

Han Do-hoon, an Irregular Hunter and the adopted son of the Commander-in-Chief. And Jin Sa-yoon, an Irregular who had joined a terrorist organization. The reunion of those who had once deceived and been deceived by each other was surprisingly quiet. The suffocating standoff, as they stared at one another without moving, made Sa-yoon momentarily wonder if the screen had frozen.

‘Surely, we haven’t been found out. Did he recognize it was a clone as soon as he saw Rain?’ It seemed impossible, yet for someone as perceptive as Han Do-hoon, it might be. Just as Sa-yoon bit his lip in anxiety, a voice came through.

[Release them.]

Han Do-hoon commanded through the terminal. It was over much more simply than expected. Kang Tae-han, like Sa-yoon, asked with a hint of suspicion.

[Are you really letting them go?]

[Yes. We’ll leave them at a nearby coastline and withdraw, so you can pick them up yourselves.]

[……]

Kang Tae-han’s eyes darted around, trying to discern the truth. There was little information to be gleaned from his opponent. Han Do-hoon remained stoic, and further questioning would likely yield the same answer. After briefly checking his wristwatch, Kang Tae-han mumbled something into Rain’s ear. Though the sound was inaudible, Sa-yoon understood the message: he would evacuate with the hostages first, and Rain should seize the opportunity to escape.

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