Chapter 163: The Departure

At that, Ju Uiryeong hardened his expression. The canyon in Arizona was the Grand Canyon. A place far enough that it could never be reached in just an hour or two.

“That’s fine, haha. Just set a date and let me know. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Dokyeom silently watched Ellen, who was smiling with his eyes curved again. He seemed like a fairly sturdy man on the outside, but in fact he was in the same department as Ju Uiryeong. He specialized in ‘support’ rather than combat, so he had no talent for fighting. All the skills he had awakened were supportive abilities, so protecting him fell to the Asian man sitting next to him.

His name was Liao.

His rank was AA, and in terms of combat ability, he was on par with Geon Ita, who was S-rank. He was deaf and mute, so he couldn’t speak, but his intuition was terrifyingly sharp.

“Actually, I’m deeply grateful to Representative Taeseongyeon. Even though he could monopolize the ability, he gave our guild a ‘chance.’ Sharing the results with others while giving away what you have is very difficult. Unless someone persuades you, people don’t usually do that, haha. In that sense, Representative Taeseongyeon seems like a person with a very big heart.”

As expected, the guy was sharp. His eyes, curved like a bow, briefly turned toward Dokyeom for that reason. But soon they alternated between Geon Ita and Taeseongyeon.

“I just want you to know that I want to give fair opportunities to those who possess abilities. Of course, I know my words aren’t very trustworthy for you to suddenly agree to a deal with no immediate benefit. Still, I hope you can believe that the day you need me will surely come.”

The concept of ‘plunder’ doesn’t apply to abilities. But that doesn’t mean ‘transfer’ or ‘exchange’ is impossible. As now, when a ‘price’ is offered and appropriate conditions are met, exchange is possible.

When both sides’ authorities ‘allow’ it, and the hunters have no objections.

The meeting probably started with an exchange: Taeseongyeon’s ‘Mercy Ability’ for the location of the ‘Demon Ability’ that Ellen knew.

But in that process, Ellen wanted to prepare for the case where Sahyeon Guild didn’t suit him as a collaborator, and as a backup plan, he brought in Uhwa Guild, which had Geon Ita.

While throwing out sweet words about opportunities and cooperation with whichever guild managed to obtain an ability.

Originally, Geon Ita and Taeseongyeon would have scoffed and turned away. This was, in essence, a meeting that Dokyeom and Ju Uiryeong had set up. While Dokyeom was persuading Taeseongyeon, Ju Uiryeong must have been twisting Geon Ita’s arm to get him to come.

“Yes, of course I think Ms. Ellen is a good person. Don’t worry. We’ll help each other and bring the ability in the most beneficial way possible. Anyway, it doesn’t matter which of the two guilds gets it, right?”

“Yes. But I hope you don’t think of this as just competition. Since it’s a dangerous place, isn’t it better to go together? I just hope you help each other and all come out alive.”

Ellen Brown smiled softly and asked them to cooperate and come back safely.

It was probably sincere. How they heard it depended on each guild’s stance. If it were Ju Uiryeong… he’d probably let it slide.

“Yes, don’t worry. Our Uhwa Guild’s hunters are all strong.”

Looking at the brightly smiling Ju Uiryeong, Ellen’s gaze slowly shifted to Dokyeom. Their eyes met instantly. Those eyes didn’t waver until he looked away.

Until his gaze was packed full of expectation.

***

In the vast landscape, a familiar chartered plane stood out. The sky beyond the plane, where the trap was installed, was so blue it was clear. The weather was good and the wind cool, so there was no better day to move.

On such a day, Dokyeom stuck his hands in his coat pockets and leisurely scanned the area.

The hunters moving their luggage were trudging along with slumped shoulders, looking like they were going to their deaths. They seemed quite reluctant to go abroad less than a month after returning from China.

The team was made up entirely of A-rank hunters, and with the only S-rank, Taeseongyeon, it was a group of twenty.

“What, are you going to die? Why are you looking at people with that kind of mood? You’re going to cry, aren’t you?”

Dokyeom nonchalantly looked up at Taeseongyeon, who was standing in front of him facing the wind. Unlike other days, he was only wearing a dress shirt. His broad chest looked firm, and a bizarre thought crossed Dokyeom’s mind: was he showing off in front of someone about to die?

“You won’t see me for a while after today, so I need to see your face one last time so I can find the strength to come back. Well, it’s also a bit of personal greed.”

“Oh, I wonder how early you’re planning to come back. You seem like you’ll be back tomorrow.”

A low laugh. Even Taeseongyeon’s black hair, fluttering in the wind, seemed to smile. When the wind stopped, Taeseongyeon tilted his head.

“Han Dokyeom.”

“What?”

A hand reached up. It brushed past the hair before his eyes and touched Dokyeom’s pale cheek. The hand was strangely cool.

“As I said before, Hunter Yisaein will join your team. I’m not attaching her so you can run wild, so you’d better behave. Scolding you never works anyway, and you’ll obviously do whatever you want out of greed, so I’m putting a brake on you.”

“Ah, what now. Let’s just take it easy.”

“Either Yisaein and Beom Yeonhu get scolded in your place, or,”

The hand on his cheek brushed across his skin and slowly rubbed his earlobe. Every time a little pressure was applied, his throat itched.

“You behave yourself.”

The thick thumb eventually moved down to the spot under his ear where the pulse beat. Right next to the hickey. As Dokyeom met Taeseongyeon’s eyes, he smiled like a sigh and grabbed his hand. Although the hand was cool, warmth spread.

“Worry about yourself. Anyone would think you’re going on a trip. That place isn’t that easy.”

“Seeing you worry like this, I guess I’ve grown on you.”

“…Just go die. Then you’ll realize my words were medicine.”

Even when I worry, this is what I get.

Until last night, Dokyeom had lost sleep worrying whether sending Taeseongyeon was the right thing. Even if he stopped him now, he wouldn’t listen, but he was afraid he might not come back, and that regret would harden.

But now, facing him like this, those thoughts had washed away. The anxiety that had been boiling calmed down, and only the belief that he would return rose up.

He felt he could trust that.

“I’ll be careful, so Han Dokyeom should take care of himself so you don’t get Beom Yeonhu and Hunter Yisaein in trouble.”

After the whisper, his hand brushed over his lips.

A cool temperature touched his feverish lips. His arms felt like they were boiling, but the hand brushing his lips was cold as ice. Perhaps because his senses were focused, the aching pain also faded.

“By the way, Dokyeom.”

Then, Taeseongyeon’s fingertips tapped his lips. As soon as Dokyeom looked up as if to ask what, Taeseongyeon tilted his head and asked.

“Seeing that you haven’t said anything all this time, I guess you don’t need mana?”

Dokyeom reflexively started to speak but closed his mouth. Habits are scary; he almost asked for it.

No, well… I do need it, but….

Dokyeom made a bitter face and sighed. Normally he would have taken it right away.

If the place Taeseongyeon was going wasn’t more dangerous than where Dokyeom was going.

Giving a little mana wouldn’t kill him, but Dokyeom didn’t want to create even a slightly disadvantageous situation for him because of himself. It was that dangerous a place.

“I don’t need mana, so just get that ability well. If I hear news that someone died coming back, do you think I’ll feel at ease and live well? Don’t talk about getting hurt and needing nursing; come back in one piece.”

“I’ll try, but.”

The hand pressing his lower lip slid to the corner of his mouth. Dokyeom followed the touch and smiled, the corners of his mouth turning up.

“Just come back safely. Then I’ll finish what I couldn’t do properly.”

“I thought you’d pretend not to know after dumping me like that.”

“Dump? No… Wait, are you saying we should keep doing that with the kids around?”

You pervert.

Dokyeom still remembered that day at the hospital, when Taeseongyeon’s momentum was fierce enough to bruise his shoulder. If Dali and Agon hadn’t appeared, it wouldn’t have ended quickly.

Dokyeom didn’t know exactly whether Taeseongyeon’s feelings for ‘Han Dokyeom’ were genuine. Maybe they were far from affection. Still, he only did that to ‘Han Dokyeom,’ didn’t he?

He saved his life, and he’s risking danger to bring the ‘ability.’ What reason did he have to refuse?

“So, are you going to end the Chinese issue like this? You think I put my life on the line to give you a tip just so you could wrap it up blandly? Ah, threaten them and get something out of them. Or take it and then backstab… Ah, is that it? What is it? Don’t keep it to yourself; tell me.”

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Trapped by the Alpha I Tried to Use

BLCohabitationEntertainment Industry

Read Now →
Not interested