Approximal Guide

“What’s going on? I came because I heard there was a rampage warning!”“…Han Jaemin said that?”I nodded, and Kim Moohyuk went silent for a moment before letting out a faint chuckle and replying.“Yeah. But it’s fine now. I took the emergency meds.”Were guiding suppressants really that effective at quelling pre-rampage symptoms? Or perhaps the center had prepared a special dose just for him. I tilted my head in curiosity—after partnering with Kim Moohyuk, I hadn’t noticed him carrying such medication. Still, during the years I was out of commission, suppressants might have advanced significantly. And as he claimed, he didn’t appear to show any rampage symptoms now. If the immediate danger had passed, that was a relief.“Open this,” I told Kim Moohyuk, pointing at the iron bars. “This isn’t made from ability-restraining stone, right?”Kim Moohyuk shook his head in reply and began bending the iron bars with telekinesis. The creaking noise was loud enough to make me uneasy—I stared anxiously at the door, worried the sound might reach outside. Moohyuk, on the other hand, seemed utterly indifferent. Even in the dim light, I could clearly see his nonchalant expression.Damn, he’s really grown. I set aside my swelling pride in him and turned to the people inside.“Are there others being held elsewhere?”“Yes,” said an older woman, stepping forward. “Plenty of others have been brought here too… but I don’t know where they’re being kept.”Others chimed in, adding details: siblings separated, partners torn apart, loved ones lost or dead. Their voices merged into a growing murmur that needed to be hushed before it drew attention from outside.“You should go find the others,” I told Moohyuk. “I’ll go look for Han Jaemin—”“He’s fine,” Moohyuk cut in.Without further explanation, he pulled the now-bent bars aside and began guiding people out. Then, to my disbelief, he kicked the door open with his boot.“What are you doing?! Are you trying to advertise our location?!”I tried to stop him, but it was too late. Moohyuk began sending the prisoners out the door while I scrambled to intervene.“Safety comes first—how could you act so recklessly?!”“Securing safety is exactly what I’m doing,” he said, counting the prisoners with an irritated expression.“How is this ‘safety’?! Explain that!”“You’ll see. Stick close to me and stop squawking. Let’s move.”…Well, he had a point. My guiding web, spread faintly to detect threats, confirmed there were no espers nearby stronger than Kim Moohyuk. His confidence wasn’t baseless. Reluctantly reassured, I followed his lead, a slight smile tugging at my lips.“Get everyone out the way we came in,” he instructed. “I’ll cover the rear. Just keep them calm to avoid panic. I’ll handle the rest.”“Understood.”His plan was simple but seemed feasible. I relayed his instructions to the group, telling them to prepare to run. Then, I reached out to Kim Moohyuk, gripping his hand to pass on guiding energy.“…”Moohyuk looked down at me, expression unreadable even under the harsh corridor lights. I spoke to him firmly, unable to shake my worry despite knowing how capable he’d become.“Don’t do anything reckless. No more letting yourself get hit, like earlier.”It was clear he’d taken hits on purpose when infiltrating this place—likely from Director Hwang. Even espers felt pain, and the thought of him enduring it needlessly made me uneasy.He let out a soft, breathy chuckle and then, to my surprise, intertwined his fingers with mine, pulling me close.“Ugh—!”I gasped as he suddenly hugged me tight, his breath brushing against my neck. The tingling sensation of guiding energy transferring between us sent a shiver down my spine. This much physical contact was standard during guiding, but today, it felt unusually intense.Before I could dwell on it, Moohyuk released me and leaned in slightly, speaking in a low voice.“Don’t push your luck. My patience isn’t unlimited, even for you.”“What are you—”I started to question him, but a voice from the group interrupted.“I know this might be asking too much, but…”The older woman stepped forward again. “There are many who’ve already been used in experiments. Could you… help them too?”She glanced between Moohyuk and me, hope flickering in her eyes.The image of the chimera I’d encountered earlier flashed in my mind—a man, his neck sprouting gills, his body twisted by inhuman experiments. He wasn’t the only one.My expression darkened, but before I could respond, Moohyuk spoke, his tone cold and resolute.“Focus on getting yourselves out first. I can’t promise anything else.”“But surely, you could at least—”“Are we camping here? Do you think this is a picnic?”His sharp remark left no room for argument. He ushered her back into the group, signaling it was time to move.“Let’s go,” I urged her gently.Though visibly reluctant, she nodded and began guiding the others down the hallway. Moohyuk and I exchanged a glance. Despite his blunt demeanor, I knew he carried the weight of this mission just as heavily as I did.Then came a shout from further down the corridor.“The intruder is at the west gate!”The west gate—the very route we had used to enter. They’d discovered our entry point.There was no time to hesitate. Moohyuk stayed behind to cover us, his unwavering confidence a source of comfort as we began to move.I followed at the rear, directing the people as we moved. Though I carried a handgun, it was admittedly insufficient against espers. It wasn’t like I excelled in close combat as I used to.Suddenly, screams and groans erupted. Sparks crackled loudly as the lights at the far end of the corridor flickered. The clash of ESPs must have ricocheted off the ceiling, shattering the lights. For a moment, the sounds of their fierce battle echoed behind us.Clenching my teeth, I urged the people forward, hoping they’d run faster. While none of them seemed to be espers, fortunately, they appeared trained in basic physical fitness, as if they were guides familiar with such scenarios. The plan was to escort them outside, load them into the van, and request assistance from the center.Contacting local authorities wasn’t an option, given the complications it might bring. However, the number of people with me was fewer than what had been reported as captured. This meant Kim Moohyuk might need to search through the rest of the factory.“Don’t look back! Just keep running!”I chambered a round in my gun, keeping an eye on our rear while continuing to run. As we neared the door, I stopped the group from barging through recklessly. Slowly, I opened the door and stepped outside first. After confirming that the adjacent building’s rooftop was clear, I instructed them to exit one at a time.“Stay low! There might be enemies aiming from above!”My thighs burned, but I kept a low profile, moving along the walls toward the factory’s outer fence. As the group followed, I remained vigilant, guiding them to safety.Thankfully, we reached the vehicle without incident. I opened the van’s rear doors, ushered everyone inside, and climbed in myself to establish a connection with the center.“This is Operation Vehicle Falcon. The nest has been breached, and the eggs are secured. Some eggs remain inside; requesting reinforcements.”The transmitted words were converted into Morse code and sent to the center.Since this mission was accessible only to the director or above, Kim Inhak would receive the report directly. While he might complain endlessly, he was efficient with his duties, so backup should arrive soon. For now, I just needed to wait for Kim Moohyuk to return.Taking a deep breath, I turned to the people.“Help is on the way. Please try not to worry.”At that moment, an explosion resounded from the direction of the factory. Gasps and shrieks erupted among the passengers. Clicking my tongue, I vaulted into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and drove the van away from the factory. Parking at a safe distance, I activated a locator beacon for the rescue team.Just then, the comms connected to Han Jaemin. I quickly answered.“Did you fix the comms? Why couldn’t I reach you earlier?”— The walls here are bunker-like, probably why. Where are you now?Kim Moohyuk’s earlier remark about not worrying about Han Jaemin replayed in my mind. Why had he said that? Frowning, I ignored Jaemin’s question and asked my own.“What was that explosion? Did it come from your side?”— Not mine. It seems to be from the east annex. I’m currently in what looks like a laboratory—west annex. There’s a lot of suspicious research data here. Sergeant Kang, can you come over? There’s plenty we could use as evidence.Research data… I recalled the documents I’d glimpsed earlier. As Jaemin suggested, it seemed these Accent bastards had been conducting dubious experiments.While I had managed to take an abstract and some results related to chimera experiments earlier, collecting more evidence would strengthen the case against them. Especially after seeing the faces of the captives yearning to find their lost companions, ignoring this wasn’t an option.“I’ll head to your location. Ensure the comms stay operational this time. Earlier, the connection was frustratingly unstable.”— Understood. I’ll keep it stable.After confirming, I cut the connection and turned to the anxious faces in the back seat.“I’ll be back soon. Whatever happens, don’t step outside. I’ll activate a cloaking ability for the van. It’ll make it invisible, but any physical impact will cancel it, so stay inside no matter what.”They nodded repeatedly, understanding the gravity of the situation. Pointing to a silver button on the dashboard, I explained further.“Once I leave, press this button. The cloaking ability will activate and mask the vehicle.”The cloaking tech was a one-time-use mechanism. Embedding an esper’s ability into an object required sophisticated technology, and activating it rendered the object useless. But the operation came first; the van would have to be scrapped later.I left the vehicle, crouching low, and quickly headed back toward the west gate. Although Kim Moohyuk claimed he could handle things, retrieving evidence might be a different story. The explosion also gnawed at my concerns. I moved swiftly, my path retracing the one I’d initially taken to enter.Reaching the corridor leading to the research labs, I contacted Han Jaemin via my earpiece.“Where are you exactly?”– Lab 8.Scanning the numbered rooms, I hurriedly searched: Lab 2, 3, 4… Turning a corner, I found Lab 6, then 7… Finally, I spotted Lab 8. As I approached, someone grabbed me from behind.Sensing the attack, I immediately drove my elbow backward, striking my assailant in the abdomen. The impact felt wet and slick. Recoiling, I spun around, gun at the ready.To my shock, the figure before me wasn’t an Accent esper but a grotesque creature.“Ah…”“…!”The being resembled the chimera I’d seen earlier in the tank. Gills protruded from its neck, its hands and feet webbed with clawed digits, and its skin looked scaled like a reptile’s. A foul stench, like stagnant water or decayed ponds, assaulted my senses.Frozen in place, I couldn’t lower my gun, nor could I pull the trigger.Its lips moved as if attempting to speak, but air escaping its gills disrupted its vocal cords, leaving only unintelligible motions. I focused intently, trying to decipher the silent words.His lips continued to mouth the same syllables repeatedly: “Lab… la… bor… atory.” Furrowing my brows, I focused on deciphering his words and asked,“Laboratory? Are you talking about the laboratory?”He nodded in response before stepping forward to lead the way. Each step he took left a damp, squelching sound as his bare feet pressed against the floor. On closer inspection, I noticed a faint bluish growth, like algae, appearing briefly around his feet before vanishing again. It occurred to me that he might have been an Esper with plant-enhancing abilities before becoming a chimera. With caution, I followed him.As we passed the “8th Laboratory,” I hesitated. That was the destination Jaemin had mentioned. Glancing briefly at the door, I wavered for a moment. But something compelled me to keep following the chimera. There was no logical reason—just a hunch. Perhaps the urgency in his repeated glances back at me made me feel compelled to trust him.Explosions continued to echo from outside, and I instinctively crouched lower to avoid drawing attention. The chimera, however, seemed oblivious to the sounds, as if he couldn’t hear them. His damp back glistened under the fragmented light filtering in through the broken factory windows, reflecting a rainbow of colors—likely due to the scales on his skin.We eventually arrived at a massive laboratory door. Unlike the rest of the run-down facility, this area was well-maintained and equipped with high-tech security. A glass door required an ID card for access. The chimera glanced at me briefly before raising his arm and smashing the glass with his fist.“Wait, stop! You’ll hurt yourself!” I shouted, startled.Ignoring me, he continued to pound on the glass, his blue blood dripping onto the floor with each strike. The sight of the azure liquid made my stomach churn—it suggested that his circulatory system had been altered, replacing iron-based red blood cells with copper-based blue ones. In other words, even his bone marrow had been genetically modified.I squeezed my eyes shut momentarily before opening them again, just as he tore through the shattered remnants of the door. With a faint nod, he gestured inside, his translucent eyelids briefly flickering over his cloudy pupils. Though he clearly couldn’t see, his gaze radiated desperation.“Thank you. Is there something important inside?”He nodded and muttered faintly, his voice a raspy, leaking whisper. His lips moved, forming words I could barely discern: “Guard… outside.” He seemed to be volunteering to stand watch while I investigated. Nodding quickly, I stepped into the laboratory.Just then, Jaemin’s voice came through the earpiece.“Where are you?”Without hesitation, I removed the device and turned it off. Something told me not to share my location—or the chimera’s guidance—with him. The moment the signal cut off, a sharp electronic buzz filled the silence.Now undisturbed, I took in my surroundings. Rows of large glass tanks lined the walls, their contents making my stomach churn. Inside each tank floated disembodied organs—hearts, brains, livers, and eyes—suspended in viscous solutions. One gray, blood-drained heart even pulsed faintly, a grotesque parody of life.Despite my revulsion, I knew these gruesome displays weren’t the priority. Whatever these people were researching, it was beyond the limits of current scientific understanding. I had to find out what powered their work.Rummaging through the desks, I spotted a computer left in sleep mode. Hope flared within me.“Please don’t be password-protected,” I whispered.Gingerly, I tapped the mouse. To my relief, the screen lit up, revealing a desktop cluttered with files.“Yes!” I muttered under my breath.Scanning the file names, I struggled with the flood of scientific jargon and technical terms. My rushed state didn’t help; the English words seemed to blur together. But one file title jumped out at me:“Switch ESP: A Study on Physical Transformation Abilities.”The title struck a chord, immediately reminding me of the research paper in Han Byeongeun’s lab. I opened the file and jotted down the author’s name, intending to compare it later. Then, using a small handheld camera, I began capturing snapshots of the document.A search for “Switch” revealed dozens of related files. Prioritizing those with suspicious titles, I photographed as many as I could.Outside, the chimera stood vigil, scanning the area. I could sense his hope that I would uncover something significant. I wanted to honor that hope, but the sheer volume of data overwhelmed me. The growing noise outside only heightened my urgency.As I hurriedly clicked through the files, my finger slipped, opening one with an indecipherable title like “%%&716381##.” Assuming it was just system logs, I almost closed it—until something caught my eye.My breath caught.On the screen was a photograph of someone I knew all too well. Thick brows, monolid eyes, a sharp nose—the face was unmistakable.“…Ha Seonghan…?”I barely had time to process the shock before a loud screeching sound jolted me. The chimera had entered the lab, shaking the monitor violently. His clawed hands slammed against the screen, leaving streaks of his blue blood.“What are you doing?!” I shouted, startled.The chimera didn’t stop, frantically gesturing at the monitor and then at himself, his gills flaring as he gasped for air. His eyes, though cloudy and alien, were filled with urgency.“Calm down and speak slowly!”But the chimera couldn’t calm down. A high-pitched screeching sound rang out. The noise coming from his vocal cords seemed to leak out through his gills, taking on a form that was inaudible to human ears. Suddenly, it occurred to me—what if the chimera’s language could only be heard underwater?As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I grabbed the chimera’s wrist. He seemed startled, so I quickly spoke.“Where is the aquarium? I want to understand what you’re saying, so please guide me!”At my words, the chimera seemed to understand and, this time, he led the way. As he ran, puddles formed under his footsteps, and moss bloomed briefly before sinking again. I couldn’t bring myself to step on the moss-covered traces he left behind, as they felt like his mark. I carefully avoided them and hurriedly followed him. Finally, the chimera led me to a place with a massive tank. The tank was so deep and large that it required climbing a four-step ladder. It was a different place from where I had first encountered him.He glanced at me before leaping into the tank. I quickly followed, climbing the ladder after him. Just as he was about to grab my hand to help me enter the tank…Screech—! Thud—!I was suddenly sucked into the tank by the force of his grip. The chimera toppled backward and sank into the water. The blue water in the tank spread out slowly, like blue paint mixing into the water, forming a sky-blue current. In my shock, I gasped and swallowed the water, choking. It was then that someone grabbed me by the back of my neck and pulled me out of the tank.Gasp, cough, gasp—!While struggling for air, I stared at the face of the person who had pulled me out, who had shot a bullet into the chimera’s forehead.“Are you okay?”It was Han Jaemin. I looked at him with a pale face and yelled.“What are you doing right now? Why did you shoot him?!”The water in the tank was already spreading with the chimera’s blood. My eyes closed involuntarily in despair. The report had clearly been about Ha Seonghan. The name wasn’t written, but I could never forget his face. I should have listened to him somehow, or at least rescued the chimera safely. Wiping my wet face, I asked Han Jaemin in frustration. I couldn’t forget the desperate eyes of the chimera.Han Jaemin, looking flustered, answered.“Well… I thought that monster was dragging Sergeant Kang into the water, so I did that. Wasn’t that the case?”“What nonsense is that!”It was absurd and bleak. I climbed the ladder and checked the chimera’s pulse after pulling it out of the water. There was no pulse. I thought of the woman’s request to save her compatriot, and my heart sank. Han Jaemin, looking sorry, attached a silencer to his Tokarev and loaded it.“I’m sorry. I thought that monster was threatening Sergeant Kang.”“……”I couldn’t respond. Suddenly, a question came to mind.“…Is Han Jaemin really like that?”I suddenly recalled Kim Moohyuk’s voice when he had asked that. I immediately hid my expression and shook my head. I wanted to stop referring to him as a monster, but for now, I had to refrain from showing suspicion, so I barely held it in.“…It’s fine. I was pacing the hallway, so I tried to capture him and interrogate him, but I missed the opportunity, which is why I got more aggressive. Sorry.”“It’s okay. More importantly, did that monster drag Sergeant Kang here? I’m asking because it seems far from where we were supposed to meet.”I nodded briefly at his question and let go of the chimera, which then floated gently on the water, swaying slightly with the currents before settling into stillness.I had to descend the ladder with a nonchalant expression. I tried hard to suppress any emotions—such as suspicion, despair, or doubts about Ha Seonghan—so they wouldn’t show on my face, pretending to wring out the water from my shirt. Han Jaemin was watching me closely. I didn’t know what kind of look he had, but I didn’t raise my head to check. Instead, once I had completely descended the ladder, I gestured for him to lead the way.“Let’s head to the 8th lab, as the captain mentioned.”Han Jaemin lowered his eyes and nodded, then walked ahead. I followed him, making an effort not to look back at the chimera. Later, I wanted to retrieve its body and send it back to its homeland. For a soldier, dying in a foreign land was something one had to prepare for, but for its family, it would be a devastating shock. A heavy weight settled in my chest, suppressing even a sigh.As Han Jaemin guided me toward the lab, I asked, looking at his back.“…What was in the 8th lab?”“Research materials. They all seemed strange. I think they need to be taken out, but the volume was too much to handle alone.”Was that a reasonable explanation? The whole purpose of coming here had been to rescue the hostage, yet he had entrusted all the important tasks to Kim Moohyuk and was now focused on finding research materials. Moreover, Han Jaemin had brought me here under the pretext that Kim Moohyuk might be showing signs of losing control. But when I actually encountered Kim Moohyuk, there was no sign of that. I had no idea how much to trust Han Jaemin. Without bringing up Kim Moohyuk, I continued following him.Outside, explosions continued to echo. There were no voices, and the explosions seemed distant, but I kept my guard up. Han Jaemin was walking without looking back. He didn’t seem concerned about whether I was keeping up.…Why did he kill the chimera? The chimera had been holding my hand, not my wrist. It was clear there was no force involved. And yet, Han Jaemin had claimed the chimera was threatening me? It didn’t make sense. I couldn’t hide my sense of unease. I regretted not gathering more information about Han Jaemin from Kim Moohyuk. Just then, a sudden loud noise shook the ground beneath me.“Sergeant Kang!”Before Han Jaemin called my name, the ground beneath me cracked open. I didn’t even have time to scream as I was about to fall.But my body floated up. The floor and walls were shaking, yet I felt calm, as if I were in a bubble. It was Kim Moohyuk’s ability.“Captain!”I called out to Kim Moohyuk in a startled voice. I shouldn’t have interfered during the battle, but my scream escaped before I could stop it. Kim Moohyuk was being attacked by several espers at once. Even though I had called him out of worry, I quickly covered my mouth in urgency. He and the espers who had ambushed him fell straight through the floor to the underground level. Despite the sudden fall, they continued their fight without missing a beat. I was left floating in mid-air, helplessly watching the hole in the floor as if I were observing a sinkhole.One esper jumped up and kicked Kim Moohyuk in the neck. Blocking the kick with his elbow, Kim Moohyuk grabbed the esper’s ankle and twisted it. At the same time, he reached out with his other arm, grabbed the neck of another esper behind him, and slammed them to the ground. A loud crack echoed, likely a spinal fracture. With the strength and durability of espers, breaking their bones like that showed just how strong the force was.Then, Kim Moohyuk clenched his hand in mid-air, and the espers who had fallen below him suddenly soared upward. They collided with their comrades, knocking them out cold. Debris from the broken concrete floated behind him, flying toward the espers and hitting their heads. They collapsed without having a chance to fight back. Kim Moohyuk, who had been watching them until the end, turned to me and spoke. His expression was cold and distant.“Didn’t I tell you to stay in the car?”Couldn’t he at least have lowered me before asking? Still floating in the air, I descended to the underground with a deep sigh and responded.“I came back because Lieutenant Han said there was important data. Don’t worry about the rescue operation; I’ve already reported it to the center.”“I guess you can’t understand that the orders from the operation team leader are more important than Lieutenant Han’s little data.”Kim Moohyuk sure has a knack for mocking people. However, to be honest, he wasn’t wrong, so I said sorry. I wasn’t particularly sorry, but still, it was my fault. After all, I hadn’t reported the fact that I ran out after hearing Han Jaemin’s words.“I’m sorry. I’ll write a statement if you ask me to when we return.”Kim Moohyuk’s expression grew more annoyed. He furrowed his brows and said as if warning me:“Don’t apologize just to get out of the situation. It’s annoying.”Wow, how did he know I was trying to brush it off with a half-hearted apology? Only then did I finally touch the ground with my feet.“Sergeant Kang! Are you okay?”At that moment, Han Jaemin’s voice came from above. I looked at Kim Moohyuk and replied:“Yes! I’m fine! I’ll go up with the captain soon.”Kim Moohyuk narrowed his eyes and stared at me. I casually leaned closer to him and whispered:“Lieutenant Han is suspicious as hell.”It was strange that Han Jaemin shot and killed Chimera without any warning. The mission itself was to rescue victims who were being subjected to biological experiments. Yet, he fired without confirming whether Chimera was a victim or one of the abductors. I whispered to Kim Moohyuk with a serious expression, like someone revealing a top-secret issue:“Right? It’s so wet and uncomfortable, you.”But Kim Moohyuk didn’t seem to care about my words. He answered nonchalantly before pulling me into his arms. I knew he was doing it to go up, but I was momentarily surprised. I thought it would smell like fish, but he didn’t mind. Then, it seemed like he was brushing off my comment, so I repeated myself.“I’ll explain the details later. For now, just be cautious.”“We’ve become pretty close when I wasn’t around, haven’t we?”I didn’t know how to make it sound like something was suspicious, but Kim Moohyuk remained indifferent the whole time. Only then did I realize.“…Did you suspect this from the start?”As usual, he didn’t respond. He just pulled me tighter into his embrace. Realizing I wouldn’t get an answer, I took advantage of the situation to guide him, as I always did. He glanced down at me but said nothing as he jumped up, using the collapsed floor and concrete walls to climb. Han Jaemin, who had a surprised look on his face, was watching us.“You can’t just make such a ruckus. Did you find the kidnapped people?”Han Jaemin asked Kim Moohyuk. Kim Moohyuk let me down and nodded.“In the north annex. I’ve gathered them for now, but we need to go back.”“…Really?”Han Jaemin glanced towards the north annex. Explosions were still happening there. He gave a small laugh.“You put people there?”“Yeah. You go check. I’ve got to search the other areas.”Kim Moohyuk replied casually. But the way he spoke so calmly, despite the explosions going on, was almost eerie. Kim Moohyuk remained calm, and Han Jaemin, who was silently observing him, suddenly smiled.“Fine, I’ll go. What about Sergeant Kang?”Han Jaemin suddenly turned to look at me. I remained silent for a moment, shrugged my shoulders, and casually replied.“I’ll search the lab.”“Don’t do that, come with me…”Just as Han Jaemin was about to take a step toward me, Kim Moohyuk blocked my path. His back was turned, so I couldn’t see his face. Kim Moohyuk spoke in a disinterested tone:“We’ve just paired up, so I don’t want to separate.”It sounded as if he really didn’t want to separate. Moreover, the way he implied we were paired because something was between us was absurd. If this were a normal guide-Esper relationship, the word “pair” would have a romantic connotation, but that wasn’t the case here. I raised an eyebrow, sensing an odd falsehood in his words. A brief silence lingered between the two Espers.“……”“……”I leaned out slightly from behind Kim Moohyuk and glanced at Han Jaemin. He had an unexpectedly unfamiliar expression. His eyes, which were focused on Kim Moohyuk, were narrowed and seemed threatening. It was strange to see him looking at his comrade and team leader like that.Just as I was about to say something, Han Jaemin suddenly chuckled and nodded.“……Alright, then.”His answer was simpler than expected, and he turned around without further comment. As he disappeared around the corner, I quickly whispered to Kim Moohyuk.“Lieutenant Han killed someone who could have been an important witness…”“Witness?”Kim Moohyuk, after placing me on the ground, jumped over the massive hole in the floor, and asked again.“I think they were brought here and experimented on. The tank is over there, and the lab he showed me is that way. There was a lot of research data. We need to go there first.”Kim Moohyuk didn’t argue and simply moved in response. On the way to the lab with the data, we had to pass by the tank where Chimera, who had already died, was floating. I remained silent, and Kim Moohyuk glanced at it but said nothing. Finally, we arrived at the lab Chimera had led me to. The broken glass door and the blue blood smeared at the entrance were still there. As I stepped inside toward the computer, I stopped in surprise.“…The computer with the data…”The main unit was almost completely disassembled. As I approached and inspected it, it seemed like the storage devices had been completely taken out. I clicked my tongue in frustration.“…I did take pictures earlier, but there was more information inside…”“It’s fine. We have secured enough evidence.”Kim Moohyuk glanced at the dismantled computer and then turned away, leaving the lab. I followed him.“What now?”Kim Moohyuk walked silently. The chimera, who could have been an important witness, was dead, and the plan to retrieve more data seemed futile. At least I had managed to rescue some hostages, so I supposed that was fortunate.…But where is he going now? He hadn’t answered me earlier, so I asked again.“Are we going to search for the remaining hostages?”“There are none. They’re all dead.”“…What?”I couldn’t help but ask again in surprise. All dead? There must have been more than just the people in the van… Does that mean a lot of people…?Kim Moohyuk spoke in a detached tone.“They must have realized we were infiltrating and killed everyone. The bodies were still warm.”“…”Bastards. The anger surged. The only people we saved were the guides in the van. It’s not unusual for kidnappers to target guides, but the ones who usually get hurt or killed in such situations are Esper. Kidnappers would usually extract the ESP cores from Esper and then dispose of their bodies like discarded packaging. But guides, being valuable alive, had a better chance of survival. It seemed to be the same case here.I couldn’t stop thinking about the chimera. Were others used for experiments and then killed the same way? I wanted to somehow recover the bodies and send them back to our homeland… But as I turned the corner in the hallway, I heard a loud shout.“Over there—!”Someone shouted loudly. It seemed they had spotted me from the opposite end of the hallway. As soon as our eyes met, they instinctively pulled out their gun, but a strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back behind a wall.“Ugh—!”The force was so strong that I reflexively groaned, but Kim Moohyuk seemed unaffected, effortlessly lifting me up. Suddenly, I became a human sack, carried away by him.Kim Moohyuk dragged me into a small, dark space. It was so tiny that it could easily be overlooked while walking down the corridor. He went in first and then pulled me after him. He half-sat, and the space was so tight that I had to sit on his thigh just to fit. I could feel his back against mine. I was about to say something, but…“What…”“Shh.”Kim Moohyuk whispered into my ear. It didn’t seem like he did it on purpose; the space was so cramped that it couldn’t be avoided. His lips brushed against my ear with each breath. It seemed like we were in a small space where emergency equipment was kept. Kim Moohyuk quietly closed the small door without making a sound.It was so small that even one adult would struggle to fit inside, and I had to stand on tiptoe, feeling like my feet were off the ground. I was completely relying on him to support me from behind, and the emergency equipment boxes at my feet were in the way. I carefully avoided knocking them over.It was disorienting being squished into such a small space with a large person, but I had no choice. The hallway outside was now loud, and it seemed like the person who spotted us had gone to get others to search for us.“…”“…”We held our breath. Light was leaking out from the crack of the door. We could hear footsteps running down the hallway. I tried to peek through the crack, but the space was so narrow that it wasn’t easy. I had to shift my body to see.Had they gone? I had to keep shifting and trying to peek through the small gap. As I wiggled on Kim Moohyuk’s lap, he tightened his grip around my waist, pulling me closer to his chest.“Stay still.”“…”His voice was laced with irritation, and I closed my mouth. …Is he uncomfortable? I wasn’t exactly comfortable either, but I had to listen to him. Kim Moohyuk was still holding me so closely that his lips were almost touching my ear. A sigh escaped from him, and I instinctively shrank back.“Sorry… for being wet… does it smell?”“It doesn’t. Just stay still.”“…Okay.”His short reply was straightforward, but I couldn’t help feeling strange. I was practically sitting on his lap, and the contact felt oddly intimate. Normally, I wouldn’t have minded this much proximity when moving during missions, but this time it felt different. My face was turning red, and my heartbeat was getting faster. I couldn’t help but let out a slow breath.…Why do I feel this way now? I had never felt this conscious of Kim Moohyuk before. The tension I felt now was strange, as though our past closeness had turned into something else. The small, hot, and humid space didn’t help either. The hallway outside was still noisy. I knew we had to stay quiet, but I couldn’t stop shifting again, and Kim Moohyuk’s voice came out in a low murmur.“You’d think I was the bigger fool if I stayed like this.”“What do you mean?”I asked in confusion, but I couldn’t get an answer. Trying to stay still so I didn’t make it worse for him, I started feeling a pain in my thighs from trying to support myself. Kim Moohyuk seemed to notice and pressed my chest to his, pulling me even closer.“Relax and just sit still. Don’t move. Listen to me for once.”“Yes.”He sounded pretty annoyed, so I decided to stay still. Still, it was uncomfortable. Hesitating, I whispered to him.“Captain…”“……”He didn’t answer, but I said the part that had been uncomfortable from the beginning without hesitation.“Could you please take the Tokarev off my thigh? The gun is touching my backside, and it’s uncomfortable.”“……Fuck.”Why is he swearing? I closed my mouth awkwardly. He seemed quite irritated, so I thought it would be best not to bother him at this point. After a while, while we were trapped in the cramped space together, the hallway finally quieted down.“Do you think it’s okay to go out now?”“……Open it.”Kim Moohyuk answered in a voice that was not just tired but cracked. Why is he so irritated? Seriously, he’s so sensitive. I grumbled inwardly, then carefully opened the door and stepped out. Maybe because he was worried I’d lose my balance, he grabbed my hips and helped me lift my foot onto the hallway floor easily.After we got out, I reached out to hold his hand, but Kim Moohyuk gave me a look of disbelief and got up on his own, easily making his way out of the narrow space. I felt embarrassed again and withdrew my hand, wiping the dust from my chest. When I noticed some dust on Kim Moohyuk’s hair, I stood on tiptoe and stretched out my arm to try and brush it off.“Ah…”“……”He grabbed my wrist. The look in his eyes as he looked down at me was filled with an unknown intensity. It was different from the irritated face he had shown earlier, and just as I was thinking something strange was going on, he suddenly released my wrist, almost as if he were shaking off the dust from it. He looked down at me and furrowed his brows.“Don’t go into places like this with Han Jaemin.”“Why? Does Lieutenant Han have claustrophobia?”“If there’s a need to go in, he’ll shoot and kill him. You just hide and wait.”“Pardon?”I looked at him in confusion, not understanding the reasoning, but Kim Moohyuk gave me another warning without explanation. Unable to refuse, I eventually nodded. He gave me a blank look as I nodded, then turned and walked ahead. What’s with that random order? I thought, considering it was so unlike him, and followed him.After that, we didn’t encounter any more obstacles. Kim Moohyuk didn’t seem to care that I was following him, moving without offering any explanations. He entered one research lab, taking familiar materials like a seasoned professional, tearing through green and result papers to stuff them into his tactical suit’s pocket. In another lab, he dismantled a computer’s case and extracted the memory storage.“Did you already get these earlier?”“Mm.”He didn’t give a clear positive or negative answer, but finally turned back to look at me.“We’re leaving now.”“What about Lieutenant Han?”“He killed the witness. Tell him to come.”Kim Moohyuk answered indifferently as he grabbed my wrist and pulled me along. I wondered if this was okay. Suddenly, I had the thought that Kim Moohyuk didn’t take this mission to rescue the kidnapped people but might have had other reasons. His decisive actions in sorting through data and extracting memory storage made me think so. His behavior was completely different from mine when I was searching for usable information, guided by Chimera.I pulled my wrist away from his grasp. Only then did Kim Moohyuk glance at me. His gaze was indifferent.“……Are you sure all the people in the northern annex are really dead?”He didn’t answer, just looked down at me. His brows furrowed. Kim Moohyuk didn’t avoid my gaze, his expression unchanged.“Please answer.”When I asked again, Kim Moohyuk tilted his head slightly and looked down at me with a slanted gaze before speaking.“I’m surprised, that’s why.”“……”“The most suspicious one here is not me, it’s you.”“……What?”I blinked in confusion, not understanding what he meant. Kim Moohyuk suddenly grabbed the back of my neck. As soon as our lips met, a sharp pain shot through my lower lip. He had bitten me. I was so taken aback that I lost my words.“How is it?”“What, what do you mean…?”“I’ve stolen plenty of kisses. I’m asking if you recognize the taste.”“What do you mean…?”I couldn’t continue my words in the midst of the absurdity. While our lips were still pressed together, Kim Moohyuk lightly bit my lower lip again before letting go. I had never experienced such contact, which made it even more bewildering. As I stood there speechless, Kim Moohyuk gave a small laugh. His eyes, however, were not smiling.