Chapter 44: The Lunatic Who Was Forced to Rescue a Dragon Because His Guide Called Him “Hyung”

“Hyung… Haejin-hyung. Please help me.”

H-hyung? Please?!

Haejin froze like a broken robot. Only when Lee Chae begged again did he snap out of it. This was the first time Lee Chae had ever asked for anything so desperately. The guy who was always cynical, no matter the situation, was now dripping with emotion, even mixing in honorifics. Haejin’s head spun. He was supposed to process the words, but every time those red lips said “Hyung!” his brain turned to mush.

How much could one baby dragon have helped for Lee Chae to act like this? But the same Lee Chae he thought might be hurt had come back perfectly fine and called him “hyung.” At this point, even if he asked for the stars, Haejin would fetch them.

“If you won’t come with me, I’ll go alone. He’s too pitiful.”

Haejin stared, sighed, then asked just one thing.

“You absolutely have to save him?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’re going. But you’re not coming.”

“…Why!”

“Your energy still isn’t stable. Jin-woo and I will handle it. You’d only get in the way. We’re saving the dragon—if you’re there, I’ll only worry about you and get nothing done.”

Lee Chae shook his head firmly. Haejin was right—he might be a liability—but humanoids were masters of deception. They could set any trap for someone who didn’t know the dragon’s face. Both the dragon and Haejin could end up in danger.

And the image of Haejin going berserk from lack of guiding kept flashing in his mind. Lee Chae groaned in distress, repeating “No.”

“Why the hell not? I’m not saying I won’t save him—I’m saying I WILL!”

He couldn’t say the real reason: I’m scared you’ll fight the strongest humanoids and lose control. Too embarrassing. So he switched tactics—clung to Haejin’s arm like a koala. Haejin’s shoulders flinched.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“Hyung… can’t you just not ask anything and let me come too?”

Haejin’s pupils started shaking violently. Just a little more and he’ll cave.

“No. It’s dangerous.”

“You’re not weak just because of one guide, right? You can blow everything away with a blink—what are you worried about? I’m not scared if I’m with you.”

Haejin steeled himself against Lee Chae’s fox act. He tried to free his arm, but the tighter he pulled, the tighter Lee Chae clung. His mind went blank, vision spinning.

This little fox is playing me.

He knew it wasn’t genuine affection—just a means to an end. Yet he was still falling for it. Weird. He used to hate guides who seduced espers for favors, but when Lee Chae did it, it wasn’t disgusting—it was cute. He was definitely insane.

“Let’s make one thing clear.”

“Anything!”

“If both you and the dragon are in danger at the same time, I will save you. Don’t blame me if the dragon dies in that situation.”

“Fine. Just coming is already more than enough. Thank you… hyung.”

“And grant me one wish.”

“What?”

“You don’t have to use honorifics, but keep calling me hyung.”

He was planning to milk this dragon rescue for all it was worth. Lee Chae cursed inwardly and nodded.

“Got it. Let’s go already… hyung.”

“With my name.”

“Haejin… hyung.”

Haejin grinned wide and bellowed toward the hallway.

“Jin-woo-ya, we’re going hunting!”

Jin-woo, waiting outside, cursed loudly but silently followed the two as they left. Jae-hyung, who had been scouting everything, came along too.

In front of Yeo-jun’s hideout.

They must have noticed Lee Chae was gone—yet not a single monster guarded the perimeter.

“Why is it so quiet? The dragon isn’t already dead, right?”

At Lee Chae’s worried words, Jae-hyung answered,

“Don’t worry. The dragon’s energy on you… I mean, on Lee Chae-ssi is still inside too.”

“Phew…”

Lee Chae clutched his chest in relief. Haejin scowled hard.

“What exactly did you two do for his energy to be on you?”

Jin-woo looked at Haejin like he was an idiot.

“It’s a legendary dragon. Even brushing past would leave traces. Are you stupid?”

“Well…”

While they bickered and closed in, Jae-hyung warned,

“Once inside, the hallucinations and voices will get worse. I’ll mark the dragon’s coordinates—just focus on that. Everything you see and hear is fake.”

Lee Chae remembered Ki-jun’s advice when he escaped and added,

“The voice you care about most will sound the loudest—don’t fall for it. And Haejin-hyung… if I’m really scared or in danger, I’ll yell ‘tteokbokki’ instead of your name.”

“Huh?”

Haejin looked confused. Lee Chae explained differently instead of saying Ki-jun’s tip had saved him.

“It’s a code word no one can fake.”

“Like a couple nickname?”

Not exactly, but close enough—he nodded. Jin-woo, now right at the building, whispered that the tied-up guy looked like the dragon. Lee Chae peeked from behind him.

Ki-jun was in the middle of the living room, hands tied behind his back. Blood stained his T-shirt in patches, and he was shaking—scared—but his eyes were open; no major injuries.

A man pointed a gun at Ki-jun and said something. Ki-jun shook his head—no idea or refusing to talk about Lee Chae.

The man slapped him hard. Ki-jun turned his head but kept his mouth shut. Lee Chae felt even guiltier.

“H-hurry, save him.”

The moment the words slipped out, Haejin grabbed his hand. They crouched low, circled the building carefully, and stopped in front of the largest window.

Haejin scanned for attack angles. Problem: the dragon and the target were too close. While Haejin hesitated, Jin-woo planned.

“I’ll blast the kitchen area to shift their sight, then I’ll go in and tear them apart myself.”

“It won’t be easy to fight inside.”

“If I was scared of that, I wouldn’t be here. Enough talk—do it. Japchae looks like he’s about to explode. Anyone would think he and the dragon were separated lovers.”

Haejin blinked at the spot behind the targets.

BOOM!

Flames erupted with a bang. As the glass shattered, painful static and longed-for voices filled the espers’ ears. They knew it was fake, yet couldn’t move.

“Snap out of it! Do you all want to die here? Falling for this simple trick!”

At Jae-hyung’s shout, Jin-woo leaped through the window first. The others shook it off one by one.

“Sector 5-2! Dragon location, 5-2.”

Jae-hyung repeated the coordinates. The monsters guarding the dragon crouched low. The next instant—RRRIP! The man who had hit Ki-jun was torn in half.

“GRAAAAH!”

The transformed monster screamed. Every monster in the room swarmed Jin-woo. Meanwhile, Haejin hurled furniture aside, cleared a path, and charged straight for the dragon.

“You’re the dragon, right? You know Jung Lee Chae?”

“C-collateral?”

“Yeah, he said you called him collateral.”

“Yes! My kind friend… can’t get hurt. Can’t die.”

“Fully agreed.”

The ropes snapped the moment Haejin glared at them. Freed, Ki-jun jumped up—and his hidden tail wagged gently as he ran to Lee Chae, rubbing his face on Lee Chae’s arm.

“C-collateral… you came to save me. As expected, collateral is kind…”

When Ki-jun tried to kiss Lee Chae’s cheek—BAM! A huge frame behind Lee Chae crashed to the floor.

“Hey, dragon. Hands off my guide. Touch him again and I really won’t let it slide.”

Startled, Ki-jun hid behind Lee Chae. A legendary dragon cowering behind a lowly guide like a scared puppy—Haejin was speechless. But what pissed him off more was Lee Chae’s reaction.

“Why are you using monster-killing force on the dragon? You scared him.”

Lee Chae scolded Haejin while gently patting the trembling dragon’s head. Haejin’s eyebrow twitched dangerously.