The Newbie Civil Servant Hunts Villains Before Going Home

Chapter 13: Don’t Mess With Me (1)

Bzzzz.

I stepped out of the infirmary and answered my vibrating phone.

It was Team Leader Oh Hae-ryeon.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Yes, I’m headed there now. Is something wrong?”

Ever since Jeong-min—who used to be my attending physician—joined Black Eagle, it had become much easier to receive treatment.

Since it was nearby too, I often dropped by.

“Yes. I’m aware.”

I checked the time.

9:11 a.m.

Theory training was supposed to begin by 9:30.

“I was just about to ask where I should go.”

I glanced down at my smartwatch.

There were no alerts anywhere.

“Nothing came through.”

Damn.

I vaguely heard Hae-ryeon mutter under her breath.

“I’m near the infirmary.”

“Understood.”

I stood still on the spot.

Looking down at my phone, I let out a soft chuckle.

‘I knew they’d try to screw me over, but they’re being awfully obvious about it.’

The moment I got my hands on one of the phones from the group that had tried to tail me yesterday, I transferred the data into a spare device and took a look.

Turns out some of the White Sparrows knew I used to be a villain, and they didn’t like that one bit.

They’d even created an anonymous group chat to talk about it.

Since they didn’t have any real dirt on me, they were suggesting that someone tail me and try to drive me out.

‘And this is how they start? What a petty and childish move.’

I had already proven my value and signed an employment contract.

If they wanted to kick me out that badly, I’d just rack up even better results.

Any place that mattered would always back those with real skill.

“Hey.”

A familiar voice rang out.

Turning my head, I saw a woman with dark purple hair styled in layers and soft waves.

She held a phone in her hand, her eyes fixed on the screen, her thumb moving nonstop.

The star-shaped tattoo on her face and her flashy nails stood out.

‘That’s definitely Team Leader Ye Ju-hyeon from Team 7.’

I looked at Ju-hyeon and answered.

She still seemed glued to her phone.

“What can I help you with?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Team Leader told me to wait here.”

Ju-hyeon tapped away furiously with her thumb before pausing with a short sigh.

“…Haa.”

Not sure why she sighed, I stayed quiet and waited.

“This clearly isn’t the training location.”

“I know.”

I answered curtly.

I had just heard that from Hae-ryeon.

She told me to wait quietly, so that’s what I was doing.

“You said you joined this place, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I was against it, but if you’re here, you should at least act like you belong. What’s this?”

She hadn’t planned on saying anything, but seeing me standing around all clueless without even knowing where to go, she couldn’t just pass by.

It wasn’t like we didn’t recognize each other either.

“Come on. I’ll show you where it is.”

“I can’t go.”

When I refused, Ju-hyeon glanced around.

Amidst the many watching eyes, there was a strange hint of mockery.

Had they been the ones who planted me here?

Unbelievable.

“You think if you do this, they’ll stop? They just don’t like you. That’s not going to change.”

Ever since I decided to join Black Eagle, she’d been trying not to pay attention.

The fact that I was a former villain kept nagging at her, and she wasn’t the only one who thought that way.

Still, she swore she never leaked any information about me.

Even she didn’t know how it had gotten out and was trying to figure it out herself.

Anyone could see it was disgraceful behavior for a Black Eagle.

‘…What is she saying?’

I didn’t understand her words at first, so I followed her gaze.

She was clearly wary of the White Sparrows.

Ah.

Only then did I catch on to what she was getting at.

“I know. No matter what I do, it won’t be easy to change their minds. But I still can’t leave this place.”

I naturally agreed, reinforcing her own thoughts.

“I wasn’t the one who spread your info.”

“Really?”

I found that surprising.

Hadn’t she opposed me joining in the first place?

“I don’t stoop to that kind of petty nonsense. This whole thing is…”

She trailed off with a long sigh.

Whatever she said, I probably wouldn’t believe her.

From beginning to end, my expression hadn’t changed.

Click.

She turned her phone and snapped a photo of the group.

Startled, they backed away.

“This whole thing disgusts me too.”

She said it loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Thank you.”

My sudden gratitude caught her off guard.

It wasn’t like I said it just to hear that from her.

“I wasn’t talking to you. I only said it because your mission logs felt sincere.”

She gripped her phone with both hands and resumed furiously typing.

What was she even writing?

As my gaze drifted to her phone, a thought crossed my mind, and I asked,

“Team Leader Ye Ju-hyeon, can you hack things?”

“That’s right. Sharp eye, huh? I can interfere with electronics. You might wanna be careful around me.”

“In that case, if something comes up later, may I ask for your help?”

“Out of nowhere?”

Lowering her phone, she stared at me in surprise.

She’d just warned me, and now I was asking a favor?

“Is that a no?”

When I asked bluntly, she narrowed her eyes.

‘He’s seriously unbelievable.’

There was no way she and I could get along.

She still didn’t trust me, and I probably resented her for trying to keep me out of Black Eagle.

“What are you trying to do?”

She didn’t agree right away.

“I’m working on something that will benefit Black Eagle.”

“Better mean that.”

“Thank you.”

I thanked her in advance and pretended to rummage through my pocket before handing over a phone.

It was the original device that belonged to the guy who’d been tailing me.

I understood what they were trying to do.

The only question left was—who orchestrated it?

Since the person behind it remained anonymous, I needed someone who could trace it.

“Could you help me find out who’s behind this?”

I lowered my voice as I asked.

To be handed something like this right after a request—Ju-hyeon was stunned.

“…What is this?”

“I was being tailed by a manager. So I stole it.”

“You stole it? W-what?! Stole?!”

Her dark eyes widened in shock.

The way I just casually said I stole something shattered her sense of normalcy.

“Didn’t Team Leader Do-jin or your own superior mention anything?”

The moment I hinted, her eyes shifted.

Looked like she had heard something about possible villains in the ranks.

“This could be the way to fix that.”

“Does unnie know too?”

She lowered her voice.

“Unnie?”

“Hae-ryeon unnie.”

“I don’t know. I was going to tell you. I just happened to run into Team Leader Ye Ju-hyeon first.”

Ju-hyeon snatched the phone and walked off.

“Tell unnie. I won’t allow you to keep secrets.”

“Of course.”

“Anyway, you. Next time we meet, act like this again.”

“Thank you for your help.”

At those words, Ju-hyeon narrowed her eyes and brushed past Hyeon-yul.

He clearly had a brain, so why was he standing around looking like a fool?

‘I don’t care. I told him to come with me, and he refused.’

Ju-hyeon flipped her hair back and kept walking.

Along the way, she almost looked back several times, but held herself back.

He wasn’t part of her team anyway.

Even after she left, Hyeon-yul remained where he was.

Just as the murmuring around him started to grow louder, the atmosphere suddenly fell silent.

People passing through the area split to either side.

Through that space, Hae-ryeon approached.

“Team Leader. I have something to say…”

“Just follow me, Hyeon-yul.”

Hae-ryeon was clearly furious.

‘I’ll have to talk while we’re on the move.’

Hyeon-yul quietly followed behind her.

“…I’ll keep it brief.”

He’d wondered why there were multiple buildings.

Turns out one of them was for the White Sparrows.

The moment they arrived, Hae-ryeon headed straight for the top floor.

Hyeon-yul stayed three steps behind and observed the situation.

There was a nameplate on the desk that read Black Eagle Manager Coordinator.

So the Coordinator was the highest-ranking person here?

“Team Leader? I’m not sure what this is about, but please calm down for now.”

Team Leader of Team 3.

That’s how the Coordinator seemed to see her.

“First of all, I sincerely apologize for barging in while you’re busy. But calm down? That, I can’t do.”

Hae-ryeon narrowed her eyes.

As if she could stay calm when she wanted to tear them all to pieces.

“I will not tolerate this kind of intentional information obstruction toward my team member. Not again.”

“Pardon…? I’m not sure what you mean…”

“Don’t think you can get away with a simple ‘I don’t know.’ We live and die by the information we receive. And you’re telling me someone deliberately withheld it from my team member?”

Hae-ryeon’s expression was more murderous than ever.

She looked like she was ready to bury someone on the spot.

“…Team Leader. I’ll, I’ll check on that immediately.”

The Coordinator hurried to calm her down.

There’d been a lot of noise surrounding Team 3 lately.

Plenty of people had expressed outrage at the fact that a new Black Eagle recruit had once been a villain.

Many filed complaints, saying they didn’t want to support a former villain.

But work was work.

Once someone became a Black Eagle, personal feelings had to be put aside.

They needed to be treated as a member of the team.

The Coordinator tapped away at the computer and removed his reading glasses.

Haa.

A short, heavy sigh escaped his lips.

It showed that information had indeed been sent to the new recruit of Team 3.

“If you look here, it says the information was sent. There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

The Coordinator even turned the monitor to show them.

Since it did show that the message had been sent, Hae-ryeon was even more furious.

“This was done manually. That kind of record can be faked any time.”

Hae-ryeon turned to Hyeon-yul.

“Hyeon-yul. Show him.”

At her words, Hyeon-yul held out his smartwatch.

He showed the series of alert messages he’d received.

None of them had anything to do with training.

Only then did the Coordinator’s face stiffen.

“Technically, alerts on this device cannot be deleted. That’s a protective policy for the managers, not for us. To erase anything, you’d have to take it to the repair center.”

“So, you're saying it was repaired…”

Bang!

Hae-ryeon slammed the desk.

Bullshit.

“Cut the nonsense and bring those employees in. I’m going to file a formal complaint!”

“Team Leader. What happens if you do file a complaint?”

Hyeon-yul, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up.

“We respect the managers. But interfering with operations is something else entirely. This is a serious offense. Even if it’s never happened before, this kind of behavior not only disrespects us, it breaks the foundation of trust.”

“That’s exactly it, isn’t it? Once trust is broken, there’s no putting it back together.”

Black Eagle and White Sparrow.

The two sides needed to trust each other.

“But honestly… I’m not sure this will be the last time. What if, while I’m on a mission, the information I get turns out to be wrong… That thought alone terrifies me.”

Hyeon-yul’s gaze locked onto the Coordinator.

His words suggested fear, but his eyes were those of a predator.

The Coordinator felt a chill run down his spine.

“What if I die in the field without ever knowing the information was changed? Will it still be the same story then? ‘The alert was sent, so it’s your fault for not receiving it?’”

The more Hyeon-yul spoke, the darker the Coordinator’s expression became.

He hadn’t even cursed once, yet it hit like a hammer.

“That’s not… I mean, that’s not what I meant…”

“Then what are you waiting for? Why haven’t you called the employee, Coordinator?”

When Hyeon-yul pressed, the Coordinator suddenly felt another gaze pierce through him.

Team Leader of Team 3.

He was well-known for how fiercely he cared about his team members.

Making an enemy of him would be trouble.

The Coordinator quickly bowed his head.

“I apologize for my misleading words.”

“You’re very slow at reading the situation.”

Hyeon-yul whispered, as if trying to console him.

But his eyes were full of ridicule.

“Why did you let it come to this?”

He patted the Coordinator’s shoulder after dropping that meaningful line.

Thump, thump.

The Coordinator had no choice but to feel the cold pounding of his heart.

“Team Leader.”

Hyeon-yul looked at Hae-ryeon with his usual calm.

“Yes?”

“If it’s alright… may I meet with them after training?”

“…Ah!”

Only then did Hae-ryeon remember what she’d forgotten.

The training instructor was probably still waiting.

“You know the location, right?”

“Yes. I remember.”

“I’ll make sure things go the way you want. But training comes first.”

“Then, I’ll head there now.”

Hyeon-yul bowed and left the room.

After waving him off, Hae-ryeon turned to the Coordinator.

He instinctively lowered his gaze.

“Coordinator. I don’t want to see someone else sitting in your seat. And I’m sure you feel the same way, don’t you?”

Black Eagles respected the White Sparrows.

They were the ones who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

They were remarkable.

But still, they were sparrows.

And a sparrow had no business acting up in front of an eagle.

“You understand, right?”

Hae-ryeon smiled sweetly.

But her warning was clear.

Don’t get cocky.