Vol 4 - Chapter 1: Kyle

Today is an extremely unlucky day.

In just twelve days in Italy, he was pickpocketed twice. No one bathes in the same river, but
his river seems to have been enchanted by WinX magic* to stop flowing, so he was stolen at
the same train station for two consecutive days like this.

(*WinX Club: is an animated series co-produced by Rainbow SpA and later Nickelodeon. The
show is set in a magical universe that is inhabited by fairies, witches, and other mythical
creatures.)

Actually, he is not useless to that extent, he just likes to make friends to the point where
everyone around him exclaims, "I have never seen anyone like you who likes people so
much."

He always treats everyone with the thought that all four corners are friends. But that doesn't
mean he will make friends with everyone around him. And it doesn't mean he will be friendly
to everyone who approaches him, especially those who come close to him with a thick stack
of newspapers and a beautiful bouquet as if they had a purpose beforehand and sneakily put a
hand in his pocket, but then were caught and politely pushed away. The group of people,
including adults and children, looked like a real family, and managed to sneak away before
being caught again.

But sometimes he will lose his guard. Especially in front of a young man with a bright and
clean face but full of worries when approaching him and asking for directions. When seeing
that person off with a cheerful mood after showing him the way that he himself didn't know
clearly on the paper map, he realized that he had also sent his wallet along with him. < :DD >

In bad luck, similarly, the next day he was robbed near the train station. By then, he had to
pull himself together to carry out the business trip seriously and be determined to be cautious
with strangers, even though it was painful because it meant he could no longer express his
sincere heart and might miss out on some interesting friends.

After twelve days between two cities and almost no work in Italy, he was satisfied with the
perfect result and boarded a train to leave the country.

He could have taken a plane, but after completing that unstable business trip, he decided to
reward himself with a one-week vacation. There is a music festival taking place in Salzburg.
He planned to leisurely visit Austria, stay for a few days, and then slowly return home.

The train departed just before 11 pm, expected to arrive in Salzburg around 4 am the next
morning. He boarded the night train after a busy schedule on the last day with a relaxed soul
but a body that no longer felt like his own. However, despite being exhausted, he stayed
awake all night to chat with his travel companion when the person approached him in a
friendly manner, because he is an extremely sociable person. But after half an hour of ‘small
talk’, he succumbed to his drowsiness and fell asleep. He hadn't even booked a hotel in
advance, but because his eyes were heavy, he decided to find accommodation upon arrival.

And he relaxed and sank into sleep on an unstable train with pickpocketing rampant.

In less than a blink of an eye, he fell into a deep sleep until someone woke him up. He tried
to open his tired eyes. His eyelids were so heavy that he could only see the person in front of
him clearly after blinking a few times.

As a ticket inspector, it seems he is crossing the border.

The ticket inspector asked him to present his passport, so he nodded at him with his eyes
almost closed as if there was a weight on top preventing his efforts to open his eyes, then
reached out to search for his bag.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and the drowsiness immediately disappeared. The wallet was no
longer where it should be.

The ticket inspector looked at him with a puzzled expression, he flipped through the empty
bag that wasn't his, but besides dust, he couldn't find anything else. He turned to search for
other bags in vain, even though he didn't remember what he had put in them, but it was
certain that there would be no new items appearing.

It should be here, it should be in this bag. And he only fell asleep for a moment. Could it be
that he was dreaming?

The ticket inspector looked at him with a pitiful look, as if he had roughly guessed the
situation by looking at that foolish face. Then suddenly the ticket inspector muttered, "Oh,"
and picked up something that had fallen on the floor as if there were many other things
hidden under the bed. It was a passport.

"I only need this."

The ticket inspector examined the passport and politely returned it to him once again. He
could only take back his passport with a stunned expression and muttered "thank you" out of
habit. Then, he bent down to look under the bed to see if there was anything else that had
fallen out, but there were only a few specks of dust welcoming him.

Perhaps the person sitting next to him might know something, so he turned his head to the
seat next to him, but it was also empty. < :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD >

The ticket inspector looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"Putting sleeping pills in drinks or even being drugged while sleeping is quite common
nowadays. If you want to report a theft, we can help you. Are the missing items important?"

He shook his head in confusion, nothing was too important. The passport was the only thing
he didn't want to lose, luckily the thief seemed to have left it behind while taking everything
else. He sighed, remembering that scoundrel who offered me a fruit drink before I fell into a
deep sleep.
If anyone heard this story, they would probably laugh until they passed out. Being robbed
three times in ten days. He has never been betrayed or deceived in business because he can
see through everyone. Yet, sometimes he gets fooled by petty thieves in such a foolish way.
Whenever this happens, his friends always laugh at him and tease, "How can someone with
such sharp eyes not be able to see through those basic tricks?"

"By the way, sir, do you have a ticket for the next station?"

The ticket inspector asked while he was lost in his own world. He looked at him blankly, then
awkwardly searched through the bags he had just rummaged through, but could only shake
his head again.

Shortly after, the train stopped at the next station. A man jumped out of the door and walked
helplessly to the police station inside the station.

Today is an extremely unlucky day.

He went to the police station and filled out a report about the theft, then slept in a corner until
dawn.

In the morning, he stepped out of the police station, the summer sun shining brightly. Even
though the shops had not yet opened, the sun had already shone on my unlucky fate.

However, the heavens do not favor anyone, because he still has his passport, so he can still
travel freely.

But it seems that his smooth journey is irritating the heavens, so a bigger problem arises,
money.

Even though he is not bound by anything related to nationality thanks to my passport, he still
needs money to go somewhere. He planned to go to the bank, confirm his identity, and
withdraw money there, but this place is like a small village near the border, it takes less than
15 minutes to walk from the train station to the city center.

It's called the city center, but it's just like any other shopping area in any other locality.
Although there are a few banks, most of them are local banks. Even though he searched all
the streets, he couldn't find a bank that allows cash withdrawal. So he went into a nearby
bank and asked, the extremely friendly staff made a call somewhere, then quickly reported
that he could conduct transactions 6 stops away.

6 stops, it's not too far, but for someone without money like him, it's like a star in the sky.

He would rather open a bank account here and make a toll-free call to the company to request
a transfer to that account. But thinking about it, transferring and receiving money abroad may
take a few days, so he will have to stay in this town for a few days until the money is
transferred.

But if he has to wait that long, he might as well sleep on the streets. Or should he wash dishes
for hire? No one would hire a security guard for only 3 or 4 days. A better option would be to
ask James to come here, but he suddenly remembered that he had an appointment with Tyler's
manager today.

He seriously pondered and started moving aimlessly, as he always does when he has
something to think about.

This village is really small. It is a typical cozy and peaceful countryside. The border-crossing
train only runs a few times a day and life here seems very gentle and comfortable, without the
hustle and bustle.

Looking back, his parents are also living in a suburb like this.

Although my father is still attached to work and often goes to work at the company, his
mother has completely retreated and quietly enjoys a peaceful life taking care of the garden in
the suburbs.

When he grows old, maybe he should build a house like this and live in a place like this.

He quickly swept away his troubles and walked leisurely, quietly observing what was
happening around him.

In the small, beautiful houses, flowers bloomed proudly on the small walls. Although it
looked old, the road was extremely clean and the air was fresh and pleasant. Somewhere in
the distance, amidst the quiet residential areas, there was a small cafe with only one silent
customer, occasionally accompanied by the sound of birds singing mixed with the wind
carrying through every alley.

There is also a bakery, a vegetable store, and a clothing shop.

Despite the rather bleak business situation, these small shops are always full of goods rather
than just short-term trading, adding a bit of color to the small streets here.

And then a store caught his eye. It was an old bookstore. The entrance was so small that at
first he didn't even realize it was a bookstore. As he stepped up to the door, he thought that
behind that long hallway there would only be about 3 or 4 bookshelves. But to his surprise,
all the bookshelves were packed to the point that it looked cramped. The gaps between the
shelves were so narrow that it was difficult for a person to pass through. There were also
books stacked like mountains next to the shelves, and it seemed like they could collapse at
any moment if he accidentally touched or pulled one wrong.

Behind the crowded rows of books, an old man with gray hair, who seemed to be the owner
of the store, was sitting basking in the sunlight shining through the window frame. But
sometimes his head nodded up and down, perhaps he was dozing off in a comfortable sleep.

A bookstore that seemed to only have flies and mosquitoes visiting all day, but unexpectedly
there was a customer standing inside. It was a young man wearing a hat that covered half of
his face and carrying a sports bag. As if finding an interesting book, he stood in front of the
bookshelf and flipped through the pages, one by one. It was surprising that at this time there
was still a bookstore like this open for business, and it seemed like the owner was still very
happy, not because of anything else but his passion for books.

< Running a non-profitable business but still happy => doing it for passion :DD >

He was a book addict. And he used to be just like the owner of this place. He always wanted
to travel everywhere to search for and collect old books, and the joy of owning a rare book
seemed indescribable. So there was a time when he even established a company specializing
in trading and exchanging rare and hard-to-find old books, but as predicted, the company
quickly went bankrupt. It was true that a company couldn't be run solely on love and passion
without generating profits.

In the end, he inherited his father's business and managed a company that made huge profits,
but he still carried out the collection and sale of old books on a personal level.

That's why he loved old bookstores like this, and if the bookstore was struggling, he would
sincerely pray for its success.

"What kind of books are here...-"

He glanced at the bookshelves attached to the wall outside the store and clicked his tongue
when he saw the books being exposed to direct sunlight. He looked through those books and
gently brushed off the dust on them. Usually, old bookstores in a rural village would have all
kinds of messy books. Even if they were categorized by topic and then grouped by author,
they wouldn't be much better, but at least it was better than having novels stacked next to
music books like this.

He sighed.

He didn't expect anything when he saw the books being exposed to the sunlight, but it was
still heartbreaking to see them in such a state of decay. Surely after a hundred years or more,
these books would become invaluable.

He patted the back of the book with a feeling of sadness as if he had just witnessed a scene of
a child being abused by their family. If it were a child, he could have reported it to the police,
but he couldn't report someone for "abusing books".

At that moment, his hand suddenly stopped on an old tattered book.

His eyes widened as if there were springs inside and could pop out at any moment. His mouth
automatically opened and couldn't be closed like a robot running out of battery.

"730 Days of Loneliness - Holt Rumpels."

He pulled out the book with trembling hands and carefully flipped to the back page of the old
tattered book to check. The 1944 edition - Hattenhardt Publishing House.

Oh my god!!!!!
The German edition of this book by Rumpels was banned and destroyed in 1944. Meanwhile,
only a few copies survived and a few foreign language editions were published in very small
quantities in neighboring countries a few years later. It was no longer reprinted and it was
also very difficult to own a copy, even from other countries.

But this is the 1944 edition. And it's a German edition!

His hand trembled, how could he find such a treasure in a simple and rustic old bookstore in
a small town in a remote village?!

Right now, he sincerely, wholeheartedly, and with all his guts, thanked the pickpocket. If it
weren't for that guy, he wouldn't have come to this train station and wouldn't have had such a
heartwarming encounter.

I want it, I got it! I want it, no. I have to have it!

He caressed the leather cover of the book over and over again. What should he do now? All
the excitement faded away, revealing the initial problem. He didn't have money.

Even when the book is torn to pieces and can be sold cheaply, he still has to pay about 5000
euros for it. If he didn't lose his wallet, he would be willing to pay a few thousand dollars to
own it. But now he doesn't even have a penny, let alone 5000 euros.

If he can't buy it now and has to wait until he has the money to come back and buy it, what
will happen if someone else wants to buy it before him? This is a treasure so it wouldn't be
surprising if someone buys it right now.

He holds the book tightly and stamps his feet on the ground, even wanting to jump up
immediately.

"What the..."

Once again, the spring in his eyes takes effect.

[Ensemble - Henry March]

"Uh.. uh"

His breath is choked.

The attire of Henry March - dominating the literature of the second half of the 19th century. It
is written on a literary foundation that philosophers have praised endlessly, and he has also
been crazy searching for it.

He hastily pulls out the book. His heart seems to want to beat bum-ba-la-bum. He thinks it
wouldn't be surprising if he collapsed from a heart attack right now.

Thinking of that, his eyes widened again. Regardless of being broke or anything else, he
decides he must search through this ruined treasure first.
Vol 4 - Chapter 2: Taeui’s first time meeting his brother-in-law

First, he skimmed through the price tags of the books displayed on the roadside outside the
bookstore. Although he couldn't find any books as valuable as the first two, he still found one
that would be very valuable if taken to an auction. But anyway, he already owned a book like
that, so he decided to ignore it.

Entering the store, the thought of walking in this cramped and messy place made him feel
helpless for a moment, but it quickly passed as he was willing to endure any pain for the
treasure in front of him.

Inside the bookstore was just as messy as outside. He had no choice but to look through each
randomly arranged book.

Starting with the books near the door until he reached the back. One by one. He found a few
other rare books, but among them, there was only one that he wanted to immediately take out
and hold close to his heart. However, if other book lovers saw those books, they would surely
be moved to the point of holding them all in their arms.

Today was an extremely lucky day.

Like falling into a lifelong trance, he bent down and ran back and forth, not missing any book
prices, and then suddenly he felt something bump into his back.

He turned around, it was the boy with the hat that covered half of his face earlier. A boy
reading a book in the early morning in an old bookstore. Was he still reading?

He turned back and said briefly, "I'm sorry," then immediately returned to his passion. Now,
no matter how much he liked the person, he didn't have time to stare at someone he didn't
even know. He liked the person, but he liked this treasure more, it was simply incomparable.

While crazily sweeping through the pile of books, he felt the calm gaze of the young man
focused on him, but he didn't have time to care, after all, he had already apologized... Oh my
god, this book is also extremely hard to find, how can such a treasure trove be lying in the
trash here without any wind blowing the news. No, he couldn't believe that there was a place
where he could collect such precious books. Maybe the strange-looking old man sleeping on
the other side is really a legendary book collector... . Right after that, the young man's gaze
left him, and the sound of flipping through the book continued. After a while, he held five
books in his hand after turning every nook and cranny in this bookstore, holding them tightly
like treasures.

And none of them he could take out of here properly.

The young man was standing in front of the last bookshelf that he hadn't explored yet.

"Excuse me, can you move a bit?"

He politely spoke to the young man who was still standing and reading a book in the same
spot. The hat covering half of his face made it impossible for him to see clearly, but with this
jawline and facial features, he was probably Asian.

The young man just calmly looked at him after hearing those words as if he didn't understand
what he just said. He read the book and pondered for a while to see if he should repeat it in a
language that the young man could understand.

He looked at the book the young man was holding. It was an English document. So he
repeated those words in English once again, and then the young man kindly turned away.

He quickly took the young man's place and started sweeping through the last remaining
bookshelf in this treasure trove, starting from the top row. The books piled up next to him
after a long time passed until he could see through the entire bookshelf. His whole body was
drenched in sweat.

He wiped the sweat off his forehead after finding another valuable book on the last
bookshelf. It must have been 10 years since he felt his heart satisfied and fulfilled like this.
He looked around the bookstore once again with an undeniable sense of pride. He would
definitely have to come here regularly in the future.

But that was also the moment that brought him back to the cruel reality. Calmly, he fell into
contemplation.

Stop. He didn't have any money. How should he account for these treasures?

He pondered with a sigh and suddenly turned his gaze towards the young man standing next
to him, still reading a book there. Concentrated to the point of not realizing that all attention
was directed towards him.

Bookworms who don't buy books are the type of customers that bookstore owners hate the
most... He suddenly thought, and tilted his head to see the interesting book that the young
man was reading, his gaze swept over the cover of the book. The book looked quite old,
bound in worn-out red leather. The title seemed to be in golden letters but was obscured by
the young man's fingers, making it difficult to see. But he didn't pay too much attention to
him anymore because his financial situation was now the top priority.

At the same time, the young man closed the book as if he had finished reading it and walked
towards the cashier where the old man was sitting half asleep, as if to buy the book.

That was the moment.

The title of the book caught his eye.

"Wait!"

He quickly grabbed the young man's wrist, who looked at him with surprise, his lips curling
under his hat.
Whether he wanted to or not, he was almost about to take the book that the young man was
holding and quickly flipped it open to examine it.

What a find! O.M.G x2!

Millow Cabli.

This book was so rare that hardly anyone had actually seen it, only heard rumors of how
amazing it was. It had been over 20 years, and he had searched for this book at any cost but
in vain. This was the book that he couldn't find even a slight clue about.

He widened his eyes as he looked at the old and yellowed book in terrible condition, with
even a bit of mold on its back cover. But this book was still a treasure. It was a treasure that
he wanted to possess to the point of trading it with his own life, even if he brought out all 6
books he had found today, they wouldn't compare.

"Are you planning to buy this book?"

He asked the young man with a worried and hesitant voice. The young man seemed
momentarily shocked, looking at him as if they were about to fight.

Finally, the young man spoke. And at that moment, he could only tense up and stare intently
at his mouth.

Was he really going to buy this precious book...?!

"I don't understand what you're saying. If you can speak English, then speak in English."

"...."

He immediately fell silent. Absentmindedly thinking about what the young man said and then
realizing his mistake, he was so desperate that he forgot for a moment that the young man
didn't know German.

"... ...Sorry. Are you going to buy this book?"

He politely apologized and repeated his words once again in English. The young man nodded
slightly. "Yeah." Just one word.

"Yes, I will."

"....! You've never read it before, have you? You haven't finished reading this book, right?"

He said in a hurried voice. The young man hesitated for a moment, as if startled by his
somewhat fierce appearance, then spoke softly.

"I skimmed through it and found it somewhat interesting... So I really want to buy it and read
it carefully later."

He wanted to faint.
The treasure turned into dust and disappeared right before his eyes. A book that you
happened to pick up and seemed interesting, of course, you should read it, right? Wasn't that
what the young man meant?

"Well...., actually, that book. It's a book that I've wanted to read for a long time but couldn't
find. Now I can see it right in front of me,... I really want to read it, can you, please, give it
back to me?"

He wasn't lying, he just told the young man a part of the truth. The young man thought for a
while, then looked at the book once again as if regretful, then gently nodded and handed the
book to him.

"Alright, you can take it. Here."

"Ah. Thank you."

He happily accepted it and at the same time silently lamented for the young man, as he had
just missed out on a valuable treasure. Right now, at this moment, he had just let go of a
treasure because of his lack of knowledge.

It's not that he didn't feel guilty for deceiving an innocent young man, but anyway, he had no
intention of profiting from this book. Besides, wouldn't it be better if a treasure like this was
cherished by someone who understood its value?

He silently cried in his heart, thinking that he would never have such a lucky day again. It felt
like even if he didn't eat for another year, he wouldn't feel hungry.

The young man looked at the book once again with a calm expression, and then looked at his
pitiful face as if he didn't know what unfortunate incident he had just encountered. Finally,
his gaze shifted to the books he was holding in his hands.

"Rumpels, Henry March, Heinzra.... You've found quite a few rare books."

He suddenly became motionless in front of the young man's words. He silently glanced into
his eyes, but it seemed like the young man had no other intentions.

But if he knew the connection between those names and these books, it seemed like he wasn't
just a passerby who happened to come to this bookstore.

The young man was passionate about books and seemed quite fascinated by these rare books,
yet he could easily give up Cabli so generously for him. Although he still had some doubts,
he remained friendly.

"Oh, I just happened to look at them,... do you also like antique books?"

Then, he shook his head as if to say "not that much" and turned to leave the bookstore,
saying.

"Oh no, it's because there are some people around me who really like books, so I just borrow
and take a look.... But this bookstore is also a bit peculiar. Yesterday I was really impressed
with it when I bought Ayers here."

".....---!!!!"

Immediately after hearing the words ‘bought Ayers’ he reflexively grabbed the young man's
arm. The young man looked surprised and turned back to look at him again.

"I, if it's Ayers...-."

"....It's Pablo Ayers. .... .... Do you want to see it?"

His head nodded eagerly in response to the young man's question.

Pablo Ayers, that was the book he had been desperately searching for. He was afraid that this
was a dream. If it was a dream, he would willingly sink into this dream without ever waking
up.

The young man, like the only angel left on earth, nodded happily and said that he had left it
in his dorm room* and didn't bring it with him now. But since his dorm room was nearby, he
could go with him and see it.

*Dorm room: In some countries, it can also refer to a room containing several beds
accommodating people*

It was unbelievable. He knew the value of this book. He knew how precious this treasure
was, yet he generously handed it over to him.

Until now, there were only a few people who shared his interests, and this kind-hearted young
man was among them. If Helena wasn't married, he would have introduced this young man to
her right away. It was a pity, but he quickly ran back to the cashier before the young man left.
There was no one in front, so he didn't have to wait long, so he would buy this book and
immediately follow him.

But at the same time, he realized the harsh reality. This was not a dream, and he didn't have
any money.

"......"

After standing still for a while with a bewildered expression, he approached him with a
somewhat puzzled look on his face. And he responded with a sad look in his eyes.

"...Because I was pickpocketed, I have been wandering aimlessly without any money
today..."

He muttered with a dejected face. Everything seemed to be back to square one. He didn't
have a penny in his pocket. Even though he had the treasure in his hands, there was no way to
make it his own.

If that's the case, he should probably call James and ask him to come here right away,
regardless of any scheduled appointments.
"If you don't mind, I can lend you the money I have now."

He was definitely an angel. He almost hugged him after hearing those words.

If he wasn't holding these precious books in his hands, he would have thrown them away and
embraced him.

But he quickly regained his composure in a moment. These books were never cheap. No, if
he calculated the total price of all these books, he could probably buy a decent house in some
countryside.

However, the young man didn't pay attention to the obvious worries on his face and took out
his wallet and approached the old man who was still dozing off behind the cashier counter
and gently woke him up.

He had just arrived here yesterday, so he probably just recognized his face.

A young man who didn't speak German and an old man who didn't speak English began to
communicate through hand gestures. Although they both looked quite professional, they had
probably never used this method of communication before. He intended to see if they needed
any help, but the buying process ended quickly. The young man took out a 50 euro note from
his wallet and handed it to the old man.

He was startled as he intervened between the young man and the old man, but the old man
calmly took the money and even returned the change.

The young man greeted the old man with a smile, and the old man responded with a wrinkled
smile.

"Shall we go?"

He nodded gently at him and walked out first. He looked back and forth between the young
man and the old man with a puzzled expression before quickly following behind.

He didn't know if he was really dreaming or not. These treasures were only worth about 50
euros. It couldn't be!

"Today you've encountered unexpected luck, haven't you?"

The young man turned back to look at him and smiled. When he lifted his hat slightly, the
face hidden behind the hat felt somewhat familiar to him. And he immediately remembered
where he had seen him before.

But before he could speak up, the young man turned towards the front and added.

“I guess the old man only opened the bookstore as a hobby. He doesn't even know how
valuable that book is. He said a relative of his passed away a few years ago and the person's
books were left behind with nowhere to go, so they were brought to his old bookstore. This
town is so small, the books are already too old, so there are hardly any customers. The locals
here just see it as a place to sunbathe all day.”
“Aha....”

He nodded, thinking that the loss of his relative must have been very painful to know that his
precious books were being treated like that. On the other hand, he was extremely curious as
to how the young man knew all this, the young man waved with a relaxed smile and replied
that body language can also surprisingly work well like that.
 Vol 4 - Chapter 3: Morning at husband’s house

The place where he lived was not far, just a small dorm room a few houses away from the old
bookstore. When they arrived there together, he knew that this guy was traveling freely and
had no specific destination. Young man also heard him tell the unfortunate incident he had to
go through yesterday. Anyway, Italy is also famous for cross-border pickpocketing.

"I didn't know it even happened on the train."

He comforted him as he told the story.

The more he looked, the more he felt that he was the embodiment of an angel, a living
Buddha. He had a good personality, an easy-going nature, and exquisite tastes. He didn't
know much about ancient books, but he had heard a lot about them. People like him are truly
rare and hard to come by.

Having the same interests is the best way to bond with someone, and he was extremely fond
of this guy.

When they arrived in front of the dorm room, the guy went inside for a while. Oh, if he could
get his favorite book, he would wait as long as it takes. Finally, he came out with a large
sports bag in his hand and a book.

"Is this the book you were looking for?"

He blinked a few times and took the book.

"Pablo Ayers! I've been searching for it tirelessly!"

He exclaimed with excitement, one hand holding the books, the other holding the guy's hand
and shaking it vigorously.

"Thank you, thank you!"

"Hahaha what's going on? Alright, now...."

The guy looked at the watch on the hand that was tightly held by him and pulled his hand
back. He shifted his attention to the sports bag hanging on his side.

"Are you planning to leave right away?"

"Yes, I don't plan to stay here for long. Staying in one place for a long time makes me
anxious, so I have to go somewhere else."

He couldn't understand why he felt anxious staying in one place for a long time, but he
thought that everyone has at least one strange personality trait.
He was extremely regretful to say goodbye to this guy, whom he already loved so much
despite having just met him.

"It's a pity to say goodbye here, if you come to Berlin in the future, please contact me. My
contact information is... oh, oh my god. I didn't bring my business card..."

He reached out and searched for empty pockets, then sadly withdrew his hand. Then,
suddenly, he remembered the 50 euros he had just borrowed from the young man.

"That's right! The money. I have to return the borrowed amount to buy the book. If you give
me your contact information, I will definitely send it back to you later."

"Why? Oh... contact information? - No, it's okay, it's nothing. See you next time if fate
allows."

When he asked the guy for his contact information, the guy looked confused for a while and
waved his hand. He had intended to shake his head and say that he couldn't give away his
information, but then he suddenly muttered what was in his head and said.

"But you live in Berlin, right?"

"Oh, right. I live there. I was planning to go to Salzburg. But I can't go there or anywhere
without a penny in my pocket."

He sighed as he remembered that he had to call James - his secretary - who was very nagging.
Then, it was the guy's turn to sigh, after thinking for a while, he cautiously said.

"It's difficult to go to Salzburg because it's the opposite direction, but now I'm on my way to
Berlin. If you think it's okay, you can come with me."

"The car is a bit small though."

He added and pointed to an old car parked in the parking lot next to the bookstore.

His eyes lit up with excitement.

He was extremely happy that this guy had saved him from James' nagging. Salzburg could be
skipped, if he called James here, he would surely be blown away to Salzburg.

He carefully placed his precious book in the box next to him, then held the guy's hand with
both hands.

He must be an angel for sure.

"I would be very grateful if I could go with you. And then, if you haven't decided where to
stay in Berlin, I would be very appreciative if you could give me the opportunity to repay you
by staying at my place. It's spacious and there are few people, so you won't feel
uncomfortable."
In response to his polite request and his hands tightly holding the guy's hand - the guy looked
a bit confused, but then smiled shyly and nodded.

******************************************

Taeui realized that sometimes habits can be terrifying.

When he first entered military school, he struggled without eating or sleeping for a week. He
even thought he would die there. He couldn't enjoy his meals and his body became weaker
and weaker as it didn't receive enough energy. His stomach also became weak, so even
though he didn't want to eat, he had to force himself to swallow.

Like Jeong Taeui back then, there were probably many others who thought they would die
and then survived and overcame everything. Even when talking to his classmates, the topic of
training sessions remained painful but memorable memories.

However, those training courses did bring certain value. Although they didn't happen
frequently, the rigorous training sessions usually took place during the transitional period,
under scorching heat or freezing cold. Taeui didn't know how many curses were uttered
during those times.

In reality, those challenges were clearly tests of willpower, as the physical pain was nothing
compared to the mental pain one had to endure. His mind was shattered in that irrational
world, where he had to obey absurd orders.

And then the time for his graduation came.

Towards the end of his studies, the training became much more bearable. His endurance
increased, and it seemed like he had a talent for it. It seemed like he had gotten used to it in
his own way. When standing among the ranks of soldiers, he truly felt what it was like to
adapt to the environment.

After graduating from the military academy, he quickly joined the military as an officer in a
rural area. Many unfortunate young men were dragged into it and had no choice but to be
under Jeong Taeui's command. But there was nothing to boast about, as there were still many
others above him.

It was rare to see a society that distinguished social classes as fiercely as in the military. If
someone wanted to rise up, they had to endure having their shoes licked by others.

Jeong Taeui didn't have many acquaintances, but there was a 1st lieutenant whose name and
face he knew, a man who seemed to be the epitome of strength and weakness. Whenever he
had a break, the lieutenant would go to the brothel, gather with other men, brag about
women, and talk about how enjoyable it was to relax with them.

Among those who were tormented by him, there was one person whom Jeong Taeui also
knew, although they only exchanged a few words while on military marches. He had a
delicate and handsome appearance, a perfect face and personality for that wretched man.
 Of course, he despised that man.

He was always in a state of fear of being caught by others, he vomited several times and sat
huddled in a corner, even trembling with the cuts on his wrists and had to go to the hospital
many times.

But that didn't last long either. As time went by, his obedience also reached its limit.
Occasionally, he would fight back when the wretched man found him.

Meanwhile, the wretched man only knew how to go around boasting about his ‘achievements'
in a blatant manner, and how he had messed with that guy. He even complained to some of
his close friends. Taeui didn't know if it was true or not, but he heard that the wretched man
even physically abused other subordinates.

But that didn't mean the soldier was forever stuck in that mud. Taeui heard that after his
discharge, he went to college and got married early.

Surely he had also tried to get used to that rotten environment.

The story was told by a classmate of Taeui's when they were drinking water. At that time, he
thought it was nothing strange. No matter how painful and difficult it is, you will gradually
get used to it. It may be different for each person, but it doesn't take much time to get used to
all of that as long as you are not bound by it.

"Maybe I have also gotten used to being hurt...."

Jeong Taeui muttered while looking up at the ceiling in confusion. As soon as he finished
speaking, a cold voice echoed.

"Have I hurt your heart?"

He was startled.

Jeong Taeui shrugged, his arm pinned down all night unable to stretch. He silently got up
from the bed, looking at the old lady standing silently in front of the door.

"No... But maybe that's right, Rita."

"The meal is ready. The master is also waiting for you, go down there. If the master has
fulfilled the master's duty, I hope the guest will fulfill the guest's duty."

The old lady turned back slowly with a hoarse voice.

It was just a gesture, but it felt like a cold wind that made him freeze.

Jeong Taeui was scratching his head and walked out of the room while the sound of the old
lady's footsteps faded away in the hallway. He entered the bathroom in the room, washed his
face, and looked up. A small drop of water covered his familiar face. In fact, a face that you
have been familiar with for decades can also become familiar to someone you have only
known for a few months.
He sighed, yes, there are things that he will get used to in just a few months. And he is deeply
feeling that right now.

He has only been at UNHRDO for a few months, but he feels like he has already gotten used
to the life there.

When Taeui wakes up in the morning here, he immediately feels uncomfortable. The faint
sound of the air conditioner that he can only hear when lying still in a quiet space, a room
without windows, odorless air, everything that has surrounded him for months has
disappeared.

In a room where sunlight shines through the window along with the noisy sounds outside like
this, along with the mixed air and the taste of a normal life. He feels uncomfortable.

That's probably because he has gotten used to life at UNHRDO.

Jeong Taeui wiped his wet face and thought, "It's worth it."

Yes, a few months may be enough time to get used to something.

And there are also some things that you will get used to in just a few days. Like now.

He dreamed a dream that he has dreamed of every day. Sometimes there are days when he
doesn't dream, but they say that dreams still appear even when you think you don't dream, so
it may be because he has forgotten it. But in reality, that dream has been repeating in his mind
every day.

The dreams have different contents, but they all have the same ending. In addition, it is
extremely consistent with what has happened before.

.....Ilay.

Jeong Taeui bitterly bites his taste. He has decided to never meet him again - and if he has to
meet him, it will be the ultimate disaster of his life. No, it's not a disaster, it will be the final
ending in the tragedy of his life.

Taeui didn't even think that he would meet him in his dreams. Yesterday, or even just a few
minutes ago. He seemed to not have predicted that when he sank into sleep last night, but he
continued to dream of him. If this continues, he will try to see if Ilay will still appear in his
dreams tomorrow night and the night after. He really wants to see if it will continue
throughout the rest of his life or not? Or will it continue for how long?

Yesterday, before going to bed, he even prayed that if he still appears, at least he should
appear with a human-like image. For example, when he eats, reads a book, or his appearance
when he meets other officers.

"Damn it... I guess I have to pray sincerely once again...."

Jeong Taeui grumbles while brushing his teeth. Maybe if he hears his prayer, he might dream
of Ilay with the most human-like image he can see. When thinking about the dream for a
 moment, he becomes horrified and foams at the mouth.

Jeong Taeui shakes his head and quickly rinses his mouth, remembering Rita's words that the
host is waiting for him, then quickly changes his clothes.

He apologizes for making the host wait for dinner. .....Well, the host doesn't even care about
that and happily chats with other guests with the appetizer.

Jeong Taeui quickly enters the dining room.

 Vol 4 - Chapter 4: Escape from UNHRDO(18+)

/Flashback - Return to that day/

It seems like he was a bit careless.

Taeui lightly tapped the beer glass and muttered to himself with a faint smile on his lips. He
had no intention of smiling, but the smile with a distracted look in his eyes seemed to have
been seen through by the person in front of him several times. No, this is definitely a mistake,
not just carelessness. He didn't know why humans constantly stepped on their own
landmines, but he had never forgotten the man in front of him, even if he wasn't human.

What was put into Ilay's beer was an odorless and tasteless muscle relaxant*.

(*Muscle relaxant: a drug that relaxes muscles, indirectly affects the central nervous system

milligrams of Tolperison around 150 - 450 miligrams, if overdose = 💀

and causes drowsiness, temporarily paralyzes muscles when injected. An adult can only take
*)

Before giving it to him, Taeui even carefully smelled and tasted a little bit. His taste and
smell were very sensitive, so he thought that even if the man in front of him wasn't human, he
wouldn't be able to detect what was mixed in this beer.

But in reality, the muscle relaxant obtained from Moral after a fight with him was quite mild.
It was called a muscle relaxant, but its effect was more like a sleeping pill, and it would make
the drinker lose control of their body and become unconscious when fully matured. This was
a type of drug that could make you unconscious in just a few minutes and then wake up
normally afterwards. If there were no mistakes, it would make the user feel a bit sluggish
after waking up, but the side effects were not too serious for the body, and it was also very
useful if used for good purposes.

But it seems that this thing is just like an ant bite when applied to the monster sitting in front
of him.

This is a mistake.

Jeong Taeui chewed on his food and muttered to himself. Forget it. He had tried to leave a
memorable farewell to him, but it had no effect. That thought made his mood suddenly drop
like a guitar string.

"What are you spacing out for?"

Ilay suddenly broke the silence after finishing his second beer and started sipping the third
one. Taeui was staring at the green beans on the plate, but immediately looked up.

"You came to me to ask something, but you have such a serious expression, it scares me."
Ilay calmly spoke with a serene smile, without a hint of fear on his face. Jeong Taeui stared
intently at his dwindling beer glass, unable to help but sigh inwardly, then reluctantly dealt
with his own glass of beer.

After finishing his beer, Ilay placed the empty glass on the table and lay back on the bed. His
face looked somewhat weary as if he was sleepy. Taeui just silently took another sip of beer
without responding.

There were numerous questions stacking up in his mind, but he didn't ask anything. He just
wanted to clear his mind of everything. But then again, Ilay couldn't possibly be so wise and
magnanimous to reveal everything even though he seemed to have swallowed up hundreds of
other ‘snakes’. Anyway, he just wanted to see what to do next.

As Taeui leaned back on the sofa in silence and gazed up at Ilay, a fleeting smile crossed his
face.

"You've met Officer Jeong, haven't you. That place."

Thinking that Taeui was hesitant when mentioning that, Ilay took the initiative to break the
silence as if he wanted to make him speak. Taeui paused, shaking the glass slowly, he didn't
even need to ask ‘that place’ is where, just looked at him with a strange expression and
furrowed his brow.

"Rumors spread quickly in a place like this.... Do you often talk to that officer? Or do you
meet him occasionally?"

"Well, not really. The fact that a member infiltrated the 4th floor was brought up in the
officers' meeting for security reasons. Because Officer Jeong Changin cherished his nephew
so much, your uncle didn't report this, but the commander did. That elevator can also record
its movement history."

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue but didn't say anything. Anyway, this matter wasn't worth
worrying about for him, even if his uncle was the one who reported what happened. That was
what his uncle should do while being here.

"So, do you want to know more than what I heard from Officer Jeong?"

Ilay's voice became more and more drowsy, as if a sleepy spell was brewing in his eyes.
Right? He wasn't sure either, but how could that medicine have an effect on Ilay?

......It's true that he is a terrifying monster. Even though this muscle relaxant is classified as a
very mild type, it still has a great effect. If it were someone else, they would have passed out
after half a cup, but he can still stand strong after three full glasses* and only looks a little bit
sleepy. Jeong Taeui quietly finishes his beer, thinking that he should have made him drink all
the muscle relaxant left.

"It seems like you've heard everything that me and him have talked about."
Taeui smugly says with a smile. Ilay doesn't say anything else, just slightly furrows his brow.
Maybe he thinks he knows most things, but Taeui understands him better. He is someone who
can control what to say and what not to do. Especially when it comes to topics that he doesn't
want to be spread outside, he is even more cautious.

The two look at each other and smile faintly. He wonders why he is laughing so much today,
but it's fine. He doesn't want to see him again, this flawed human being.

"If you have any more questions, ask. I want to sleep."

Ilay whispers slowly. His half-closed eyes gently lower. Aha, Jeong Taeui lightly taps the
empty glass next to him once, twice, three times. Anyway, he can always surpass others in
any situation.

"I used to think that I wanted to know everything, but now I'm not really curious. Whatever
comes, will come, that's how the world works."

"Is it fate?"

"That's the theory that you believe in."

Ilay smiles silently in response to Taeui's words. He gently brushes away the stray hairs on
his forehead. Now he really looks tired and sleepy. After blinking a few times while looking
at the ceiling, Ilay finally closes his eyes. Taeui observes him from beginning to end and asks
again.

“You look sleepy”

"Yeah..., and also.... ..., think a little."

His voice gradually became vague and I could hardly hear what he said behind. Jeong Taeui
was silent for a moment and asked again.

"What are you thinking about?"

No answer.

Taeui slowly counts each light tap on the empty glass.

"Ilay."

He softly calls and still doesn't receive any response. After a while, he repeats his name once
again but still no answer. Could he be intentionally not answering or pretending to be
asleep.... No, it seems like he is really losing consciousness, his head and shoulders drooping
with slow and steady breaths.

I'm sorry. I thought you weren't human, but it seems like you still have the potential to
become a human in your own way.
Jeong Taeui takes a large vial out of his pocket with his finger and stares at it intently. The
vial is more than half empty, with only a small amount of clear liquid inside. With this
dosage, he might be able to knock out all three strong individuals.

"I'm glad that you still resemble a human, at least your toe is still touching the boundary of
being human. But is it really better to withdraw from that fragile boundary and become a
human?...."

Taeui stands up and murmurs softly. The effect of the drug doesn't last long, people will lose
consciousness for a moment and then immediately wake up. Hmm, he doesn't know what
happens if someone takes an overdose, but he probably won't fall into a deep sleep for a few
hours. Anyway, he still has many fun things prepared for him, so it would be disappointing if
he sleeps for too long. But if he wakes up immediately after a minute or two, it will be
difficult to handle.

"Let's see, even if someone wakes up, their muscles will still be relaxed for a while, so they
can't move normally... But if it's him, I should still be cautious."

Taeui walks closer to the bed and carefully observes Ilay, seeing him sink into sleep with
heavy breathing like this feels strange. If you only look at his face, anyone would think that
he is a handsome and slightly mischievous person, but still gentle.

He shakes his head in disgust. Standing in front of him with this perspective makes his heart
suddenly calm, but at the same time, there is an unnamed sadness creeping into every cell. It's
just a little regret, but if asked why he regrets it, he can't answer.

He organizes everything in his head. The luggage is ready, although it's a bit funny to call it
luggage because he doesn't have anything to bring. Anyway, it's just a sports bag. He leaves
behind all his belongings and only brings his wallet and passport. When he arrived it was
considered having some things, but when he leaves, it's almost empty-handed.

It's not even two hours until you can get on that ship. You will escape from this damn island
forever, escape from this miserable person forever, and escape from this garbage organization
forever.... You won't even come to say goodbye to the uncle who brought you so much
resentment.

"Alright, there's not much time left, let's get to work."

If this miserable person wakes up now, you will be dead. Taeui sighed and took out a pair of
handcuffs from his pocket. Although this thing has been verified to be able to restrain King
Kong countless times, he still felt a little worried because he knew that the actions he was
taking were not very noble.

"If you were born a man, then be brave and try it at least once."

A pair of handcuffs at the foot of the bed, the remaining one on Ilay's right wrist.

Once he opens his eyes, he will immediately run away.

He silently observed his face once again. His wrists were as white as snow, although he could
feel the strong muscles hidden under the skin on his wrists, it was still a wrist as white as
snow.

*Smack*

Taeui kissed *Smooch* on the beautiful hands that had captivated him from the first sight.
Then he turned around and handcuffed the other wrist to the bedpost. Ilay was still sleeping
with his arms wide open, handcuffed to the headboard. Taeui sat down next to him again and

😭
looked at him in contemplation. < KANGJAK-NIM, WE NEED THIS SCENE, WHY YOU
FORGOT IT >

Thinking back, he had made enemies with a lot of people, so in this life, no one could
condemn him if he strangled him or suffocated him with a wet cloth covering his face.... Yes,
his hands were also tied, so he thought he would use a wet cloth. No, if the cloth fell when he
struggled and shook his head, what should he do? In that case, it would be better to strangle
him.

Taeui quietly reached out and gently grabbed Ilay's neck. At first glance, the blue veins were
faintly visible under the white neck, the warm blood flowing inside made it feel warm. He
could even feel each heartbeat under his fingers. Bump, bump, bump.

The feeling... was strange. It was like finding a favorite toy that he used to play with when he
was a child in the attic. He didn't know why he felt that way.

When was the last time he felt the pulse of another person beat? It was strange, but also very
vague. It gave him the feeling that he was still human.

"....."

"Alright, what are you going to do next?"

He raised his hand to his neck and felt his pulse for a moment. In the silent space, a low,
sluggish voice suddenly sounded. Ilay's eyes were closed, only his lips were moving. But he
immediately opened his eyes and looked at him as soon as he finished speaking.

Taeui reflexively quickly withdrew his hand from his neck and returned to reality.

Right, he was considering whether to strangle him or cover his face with a wet cloth.

Even though he knew that Ilay would wake up soon, it had only been a few minutes. < :DD >

Although this was a situation that he had predicted, even when his wrists were handcuffed
and their eyes met, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. If Ilay were to become
angry and start resisting, or even if the handcuffs were loosened or broken, he would
definitely have to leave the earth today.

Fortunately, he had tested the durability of these handcuffs to prevent such situations from
happening. These handcuffs were specially ordered and could definitely restrain even King
Kong. He didn't know how strong King Kong actually was, but at least it could restrain an
elephant.

But he still couldn't avoid the feeling of coldness even though he knew he was safe.

Ilay blinked his eyes a few times as if his body was still dazed and sluggish. Then he slowly
turned his head to look at his wrists and tried to move them, hearing the sound of metal on his
wrists, he frowned.

Taeui sat on the bed and stared at Ilay, expecting him to respond with a bone-chilling gaze.
But contrary to his expectations, he didn't change his expression and just looked at him
calmly, sometimes even vaguely feeling a smile on his lips.

"Are you awake?"

"No, I lost consciousness and just woke up... I'm curious, what did you put in the drink? Let
me see..., is it a muscle relaxant? I don't think it's a sedative or a sleeping pill.... It's not even
cyanide* that you gave me, so why do you look so uneasy? I'm the one who should be
worried, not you."

After struggling with his wrists a few times before giving up, Ilay remained calm and relaxed
his hand without any trace of anger on his face. He couldn't see any signs of anger or
excitement from him. More accurately, he seemed to be watching a comedy and had a smile
on his lips.

Jeong Taeui frowned, not understanding why he thought he had just heard a very bitter story.

.....I know, okay?

"What do you know? About the medicine you put in? I don't even know what it is, I just
know you put something in."

"If you know, why do you still drink it?"

There's no way my body can resist all 50,000 types of medicine in the world, Jeong Taeui
whispered with a tired expression. Ilay smiled when he saw him unbuttoning his shirt.

"Because you're doing things you've never done before, so I really want to see what you're
going to do. I didn't expect you to do such silly and cute actions.... Taeil, listen to me, no
matter what you do to me, nothing will change. My brother will still produce weapons, this
place will still be a weapons distribution network, weapons will be traded all over the world,
and your brother will still develop weapons."

"....Ilay RieGrow."

Taeui said with a loud laugh, he placed his hand on Ilay's collarbone and pushed him onto his
stomach. It felt like he was really about to strangle him.

"Now that it's come to this, do you think I care about what you say, even if it's related to
world peace? I don't need to know where your brother develops or sells weapons, I don't care
how your brother distributes weapons with his network. It's none of my business. Anyway,
I'm not the one who will do everything to fight against war."

"Aha....So?"

Jeong Taeui was silent for a moment and looked down at the Ilay's name tag lying beneath
him. He should have struggled like crazy with his tied wrists, even if the image might not be
pleasing to the eye, instead of lying so calmly without any resistance, it made him
uncomfortable. The interrogation seemed to be getting off track.

"If I strangle you or hold a knife to your chest in this state, do you have any way to resist?"

Taeui asked, then raised his hand and lightly tapped Ilay's chin and chest. Ilay pretended to
think seriously for a moment and finally shook his head.

"It would be quite difficult, I'm still very sleepy and my body doesn't have enough strength
for that anymore. Besides, these aren't ordinary handcuffs, are they?"

"But you're too lenient."

Taeui was not satisfied at all, he hesitated and grabbed Ilay's collar.

He suddenly smiled and raised his head a little, then leaned forward and licked Taeui's wrist.
Taeui shuddered, quickly grabbed his hand and took a deep breath. The feeling of being a
prey being tasted by a wild beast…< I NEED THIS SCENE TOO >

Ilay smiled faintly and collapsed onto the pillow.

"Let's see, I am indeed quite lenient. Why do I have to do this? I thought that when I drank
that glass of beer. Why did I have to close my eyes and drink it like that? Well, I wonder what
you're planning."

Ilay briefly withdrew the smile on his face, he looked indifferent at the ceiling and immersed
himself in thought, occasionally glancing at Taeui as if nothing had happened. But those dark,
inscrutable eyes still caught Taeui's gaze. It was terrifying, his whole body couldn't help but
shudder again.

While staring at Taeui intently, he murmured "Why?" as if pondering, but still couldn't come
to a conclusion. Suddenly, he looked annoyed and furrowed his brow as if some unexpected
thoughts had just appeared in his mind, then he continued to move his wrist once again.

"What's wrong? If you want to play a wild game, what are you waiting for? Take off these
handcuffs right away."

Taeui's chest seemed to go numb in the face of his cold and dissatisfied voice. In a brief
moment, Taeui even considered taking off the handcuffs to save his own life.

"....I don't like it."

In that moment, Taeui felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction being able to respond with
those two words. Perhaps realizing that half of his life had just been thrown away, his
heartbeat became even more excited when he saw the gradually chilling gaze in Ilay's eyes.
Jeong Taeui couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Ilay looked at him coldly without expression, he also smiled, but this smile carried a cold and
icy mist.

"What else? Have you eaten shark's liver or something...."

"Don't be angry anymore, okay? Just tying your hands a little, what harm does it do? What I
mean is, no matter what happens today, I will make it extremely hot for you to see."

Jeong Taeui whispered into his ear, but in his heart, he felt a bitter taste. It didn't feel right to
say those threatening words himself. He originally wanted to say some threatening words full
of meaning like Ilay, but because he had never done it before, he couldn't say it.

“Ha ha. Are you hot? I'm really looking forward to it.”

Ilay raised an eyebrow gently. He pondered for a moment as if he didn't like it, but there was
no other way. Perhaps he was thinking, "If I take off these handcuffs, you'll surely die with
me."

But it's okay, he had already left this island and flown far away.
 Vol 4 - Chapter 5: I liked you more than I thought. (18+)

So, today is the last day.

It wouldn't be fair if only he had to suffer, so he has to create something both sweet and
painful to deeply imprint in Ilay’s memory, right? But no matter what, his heart is as soft as
silk and as vast as the sky, so he won't 'repay' everything he has done to me, he will only give
him a very small amount, so be grateful for that.

Hatred towards him rewinds in his mind like a tape. Even though there are so many that he
can't remember them all, there is only one memory that hurts the most. When he remembers
that night, the resentment comes back to life within him. Even if he were to cut off that ugly
piece of flesh, it wouldn't soothe his soul.

"Ilay, you bastard. You have no idea what it feels like to be stabbed."

Taeui smiles and slowly slides down, stopping in the middle of his body. He can feel that big,
disgusting thing of his showing off even when it's in a normal state. A very clear sense of
existence. Thinking about it, he becomes discouraged and somewhat wants to give up.

Ilay tilts his head and furrows his brows as if he doesn't understand what I just said for a
moment, but then he looks at me as if he's laughing. A foolish smile briefly appears on his
face and soon turns into a cheerful smile.

"That's right, I don't know. So, are you going to tell me?"

Haha, he even bursts into laughter, laughing as if it's a funny joke...

And laughs at Jeong Taeui too.

Until a few seconds ago, he never thought about that. Rape, that's a form he has never liked
doing with anyone. Especially not with the man in front of him, who is not the type of person
he wants to be intimate with. If someone can stand up to him even knowing his dark inner
world, he wants to try it once and see what happens.

However, at that moment of laughter, it covered the pain in his past. When tears were rolling
inside him, Ilay spoke seriously with a worried tone.

"Jeong Taeil. By the way, are you... diagnosed with a serious illness? Where did your courage
go? Why are you acting like this today? I thought you would be smarter."

His words also covered his heart, which only had a little warmth left, with an icy layer.

Jeong Taeui grabbed Ilay's collar and shook him strongly with the remnants of his shattered
emotions. Ilay coughed a few times as if he was suffocating.
"I told you. I will make today hot, I won't be like you and go straight to the point, be
grateful."

He grabbed his hand, gently pressed it against his ear, and whispered each word. Then he
immediately withdrew his hand and forcefully tore off his shirt. Fine, change your mind. He
was so engrossed in the pleasure he wanted to strangle this crazy person, but he didn't mind
having sex with him either.

The shirt was quickly taken off, revealing a white body with layers of firm muscles. Without
hesitation, he lowered his hand and continued to unfasten his belt. His resistant legs soon
became obedient and silently placed back on the bed. Jeong Taeui looked up at Ilay.

Damn it. That calm expression of his had a hint of mockery, even a bit of a smile.

"I think just filling the back won't be enough... But it's fine, let's see how skilled you are. If
you can't do it, you can always take off the handcuffs. Since you're so enthusiastic today, I'll
take responsibility and send you to heaven."

Ilay lay back and spoke as if telling him to continue his work. He lifted his waist again, and
that threatening thing swelled out of his loose belt with a lascivious movement.

Jeong Taeui frowned. Although he expected that he wouldn't give in easily, according to the
script of a third-rate porn movie, he should have shouted, "Please, don't do that." At least
then, he would feel nauseous and let him go. Although he said he would pay back and treat
him violently, he didn't expect him to be so shameless to say such things.

Damn it. He didn't want to see him calm and accepting it like this. With his personality, he
wanted to see him scream in anger, saying, "I will kill you."

However, he didn't have to be disappointed for too long. At the same time as Ilay's blatant
desires, dark clouds covered his face, bringing with them a sense of anger and discomfort. It
seemed that he was not satisfied with the fact that this was a forced situation, not a sexual
assault.

Jeong Taeui looked at him and smiled. Yes, he should be angrier, only then can he leave
happily. Anyway, he had no intention of accepting any compensation from him.

That big, hot stick of his raised its head and became harder and bigger, threatening him even
more. Even though he was disgusted by the sight of that big, ugly thing, his heart suddenly
ached, his body involuntarily shivered, and the memories of the pleasure when that thing
penetrated him became even more vivid.

'Today, let's try dying once in pleasure' - Taeui thought.

Taeui grabbed his aching chest. What should he do next, he already had his own plan. He
didn't think he could do it to him, how could he stay hard when the other person was him? If
that's the case, maybe he should find something to penetrate him so that he can also taste the
pain of being done to. But he couldn't, if he did that, he would have to step on his own shit
when he witnessed the disgusting scene he created.
But he also knew that a helpless man is most painful when he is in pain.

But he also knows very well when a man is most helpless and in pain.

"Ilay..... Just wait and see. Remember this moment - because I will make you go crazy."

Taeui raised his hands and embraced his face, then leaned in and whispered into Ilay's ear. He
then forcefully bit his cheek, causing his pale face to tense up for a moment.

"Jeong Taeil. What are you planning to do?"

His body heated up from the continuous stimulation, but he spoke calmly. Warm body, cold
gaze. He calmly observed the expressions on Taeui's face.

Jeong Taeui laughed bitterly. It's strange to get out of the car in the middle of the road now.

"Why? Do you think I will strangle you to death after we're done?"

"No - what I mean is, dying under your thing wouldn't be so bad either."

He gritted his teeth and laughed. But even so, Taeui could sense the anger hidden in his
words, like an unsatisfied child. The kisses kept falling on his neck, then slowly moved down
to his firm chest and abdomen. Taeui unbuttoned his remaining shirt with his other hand, then
loosened his belt and unzipped his pants, pulling down his underwear.

Ilay's eyes sparkled with excitement.

At first glance, Taeui's body was no different from anyone else's under that layer of clothing,
but Ilay’s eyes couldn't hide the desire to explore every centimeter Taeui’s body as if wanting
to penetrate every corner. At the same time, the flesh stick was big and hard that Taeui was
sitting on also moved strongly on its own.

"Damn.... Didn't you say my body isn't your type? But it's already so hard."

Taeui clicked his tongue and stroked it. He lowered himself and lay on top of Ilay's naked
body. When their flesh touched, he could feel the tension building up in the lower part of his
body. A moment of burning heat passed through his lower abdomen, and he felt it harden
even more. Taeui took off his shirt completely and almost desperately pressed against Ilay's
body, then slowly rubbed their bodies together. Just thinking about that embarrassing image
made him blush.

His thing became even hotter than ever, so there was no way Ilay wouldn't notice.

Taeui rubbed his lower body against Ilay's ‘brother’ and started moving his waist, unable to
suppress the moans escaping from his mouth. Like what he had done before, he grazed his
neck, then his collarbone, and slid his lips over the two protruding nipples on his chest, but he
quickly moved past them. Somehow, when their flesh rubbed against each other, Ilay didn't
react, only his chest couldn't contain the nameless emotions.
"When your body becomes more sensitive, just a gentle touch on your nipple like this makes
the lower part of you hard."

Ilay's whispered words from before echoed in his ear once again.

He never thought it would actually be to that extent, but when their flesh rubbed against each
other, his nipples immediately turned red as if to prove what he had said.

A moment of confusion flashed across Taeui's face for a moment, then he sat up on top of
Ilay, as if encountering a difficult problem, he stroked his chest. Perhaps influenced by his
mood, his nipples became even more swollen. He shivered and moved his body, wanting to
confirm that strange sensation with his own finger. Then he suddenly stopped, feeling the
gaze observing his every move from Ilay. If the gaze had to be described by a color, it would
probably be black - It was a red gaze that felt the presence of black enveloping everything.

From Jeong Taeui's flushed face to his neck, from his fingertips to his chest, from his
abdomen to his lower body where the hot blood was rushing down, Ilay swept his gaze from
top to bottom without missing any detail, then licked his lips in a greedy manner. He
swallowed saliva a few times as if extremely thirsty.

"Taeil.... take it out."

His hoarse voice whispered in his ear like a breeze. Then came the sound of metal colliding
as if it was about to break. His penis was getting bigger and bigger and kept rubbing against
Taeui's inner thigh.

Jeong Taeui almost burst out laughing.

For some reason, a pleasant feeling suddenly surged. But at the same time, his chest also felt
cold.

"Dream on."

Jeong Taeui lay back down on top of him and whispered in his ear.

Although he laughed, his spine trembled a few times, as his instincts sensed danger. The
danger of facing a wild beast wearing a human mask that was slowly being peeled off, and its
true strength was gradually revealed.

Yes, he will never let him go. Playing him like this is already a mistake. The moment he is set
free is also the moment he becomes worthless. Even when he screams until his throat is torn,
gasping for breath and his heart beats so hard it could explode, this man will definitely
devour him completely without mercy. From head to toe, not leaving any corner untouched.

Jeong Taeui bites his lip, his heart pounding, as if he himself is going crazy.

Indeed, it's exciting to the point of madness.

He laughs, his hands go down to his crotch and grasp the thing still rubbing against his thigh.
It's so hard that it looks like it could explode at any moment. From bottom to top. Wet,
slippery, he uses his index finger to trace a line on its rough blood vessels. It trembles
incessantly at every movement of his and becomes even wetter.

"Taeil....! Give you one last chance. Take off the handcuffs, then I will consider this just a
stupid joke from an ignorant person. So put down this thing, or don't expect to be safe
yourself."

Ilay's voice becomes hoarse. A strange, faint sound of metal cracking comes from below in
the room. His heart beats more and more violently. Worry and excitement surge at the same
time. < Oh gosh >

"Ilay RieGrow, it feels terrible, doesn't it? You have lived a life where you can easily
dominate anyone beneath you. Sometimes you even use violence to satisfy your own desires
without caring about the feelings of others. You probably have never experienced being
treated as a tool to satisfy someone else's desires without being able to satisfy your own
desires... ... How about it? Are you dying of rage? But you bastard, at least you won't be
killed. I thought I could really die at that time."

Remembering those fragments of memories makes him want to cry out. Taeui looks at him
and says.

"You bastard, let me make you experience that feeling once." and bites Ilay's earlobe.
Although his bite is quite strong, he doesn't make a sound. He just looks at Jeong Taeui with
fiery eyes.

At that moment, the wall clock suddenly chimes, Jeong Taeui glances at the clock and
realizes that his time is running out. The time he has to stay here is almost over.

Jeong Taeui sighs and looks down at the thing still being stimulated under his crotch.

"Ilay. Doing that with me is not bad, but... ... it's also very tiring. We have different strengths
and different sexual tendencies. So let's stop that mistake right now. Go find someone who
suits your taste... This last time, let me relax a bit. You also know how violent you can be,
right?"

Jeong Taeui whispers in his ear and picks up the messy tie on the bedside shelf. He leisurely
ties it to the base of Ilay's still erect member, which is throbbing in pain.... Looking at it still
makes him terrified once again. Damn bastard, he really almost killed me with this stupid
thing. Luckily I'm still alive. It looks almost like a fist... ... No, don't think about it anymore.

Jeong Taeui shakes his pale, exhausted face when he sees it. Then, he suddenly meets Ilay's
gaze.

His expression on his face is strange.

Different from the furious face just now.

A face that doesn't know what dissatisfaction is, as if being splashed with cold water,
confused, anxious, frustrated but full of confusion as if not understanding what is happening.
"The last time?"

He grasps the key point very well. The words spoken sound a bit startled. Jeong Taeui laughs
bitterly.

"Yes, the last time. Knowing what kind of person you are, do you think I will still be here
until tomorrow? I will leave this island in an hour. Change my identity completely and
disappear... ... You won't be able to catch me and tear me apart, so you will have to live in
your rage, my officer."

"What are you saying?... ...."

He seems unable to speak and stares at Taeui. He looks into those dark eyes, embraces his
face, and places a kiss on his lips. Taeui's tongue playfully teases his thick, warm tongue and
eagerly rubs his own thing against Ilay's still penis.

He quickly reaches climax.

Ilay's thick flesh, under the explosion of pleasure, is soaked with semen slowly dripping from
its tip. Taeui gasps a few times in a moment, moaning and ejaculating on it. A white, sticky
fluid sticks and smears all over Ilay's lower body.

Jeong Taeui passionately kisses Ilay's lips and breathes out short, intermittent breaths until
the pleasure in his body trembles in waves, he only stops struggling when the pleasure
subsides. With his eyes still hazy, he looks down at Ilay and is shocked at the same time.

Ilay was looking at him with a cold gaze.

No, not just cold. It was more than that. It was a frozen face at the peak of rising anger....
Truly, he would be dead if he were caught by him. Perhaps in the future, he would have to
hide in remote mountains to avoid encountering him again.

"Indeed.... When you have the intention to leave, you plan all of this, don't you."

Ilay spoke softly, with a chilling smile on his face.

Jeong Taeui reached out and used his finger to wipe the wet lips. Then he used the back of his
hand to wipe his own lips.

"I still cherish this precious life very much."

Jeong Taeui slowly moved away from him. It was time to leave, his instincts told him that if
he stayed here for another minute, he would be in danger.

After wiping himself with a towel, Taeui began to put on his wrinkled clothes, but he didn't
pay much attention to it. He buttoned his shirt, put on his pants, wore a belt, and put on a
coat.

Ilay stared at him intently without blinking and said.

"If you knew that life was so precious, you shouldn't have done all of this in the first place,
Jeong Taeil."

Finally, he brushed off the dust on his clothes and turned to look at Ilay.

"Alright. I'm also afraid of the consequences, but I've tried to hide it. I'm not bragging, but I
think I'm doing a pretty good job of escaping... ... Oh, right, I almost forgot."

Jeong Taeui stepped closer to Ilay. He smiled and slapped him hard on the cheek without
mercy.

gritted his teeth and spoke. < Satisfied >✨

A loud *Smack* echoed in the room, as if the flesh on his cheek had been torn apart. He

"I really thought I would die on that day. Do you know how much I hated you after that?
Never meet again, you damn bastard."

Jeong Taeui put on his shoes and growled each word. He stomped on the floor a few times
with his shoe to match his footsteps. Now he was ready to leave.

Ilay remained silent for a while. He thought that he would go crazy and curse, but
surprisingly, he remained silent to a surprising extent, enough to make him feel uneasy.
Finally, he opened his mouth as Taeui's footsteps echoed.

"So, you're really going like this...?"

It was a cold and angry voice. As if there was a prey in front of him, but he could only watch
it escape. Jeong Taeui was preparing to go towards the door, then he stopped as if he
remembered something he had forgotten. Then, he turned back and walked towards Ilay.

Urgency, worry, and anxiety were slowly taking over his cold gaze. - 'If you let it slip like
this, how can you catch it to dissect it into a hundred pieces' - Ilaymust be thinking like that.

Jeong Taeui chuckled bitterly. Then he searched in his pocket and took out a small bottle,
then soaked a piece of paper towel with the transparent liquid. The strong smell of
chloroform quickly spread around.

"Don't make any more mistakes. Take a deep breath, my officer."

This wasn't something inhumane, because chloroform* didn't harm the user at all. If it didn't
work, he would just stuff something into his mouth to make him close it and then faint.

(*Chloroform: It is a very volatile, colorless, strong-smelling, dense liquid produced on a

large scale as a precursor to refrigerants and PTFE. This is a toxic substance to the
environment, so when working and in contact, safety protection measures are required. This
is an inhaled anesthetic that affects the central nervous system, causing dizziness, fatigue and
fainting)

< Combo Muscle Relax x6 + Chloroform extremely thick >

Honestly, today he had played too big, he didn't expect his courage to be this big. If there was
even a slight mistake, he would probably be lying in a pool of blood by now.

In the future, he would definitely use his whole heart to escape from this monster.

Jeong Taeui covered his nose and mouth with a wet paper towel. His blue eyes were staring
at him without missing a second. Taeui looked at him with a heavy heart.

Suddenly, his heart, like a forgotten string, suddenly resonated. Then, an idea popped into his
head.

Even though he was still angry at him, he had never hated him.

"I just suddenly remembered."

Jeong Taeui whispered, he should have been mentally overwhelmed by now, but his eyes still
looked steadfastly at him. And then, those eyes slowly closed.

But, with all his strength, Ilay tried desperately to open his eyes.

"I don't know anymore, but maybe I liked you more than I thought. So please understand, if
you are hurt by someone you like, it hurts even more than anything else... .... Goodbye, Ilay.
During this time, even though I was very angry, I was also very happy."

Why does it feel so sad like this? The sadness and bitterness were not hidden in the last
words Taeui uttered. The moment Taeui finished confessing, Ilay's eyes, which were hazy
and vague, briefly showed a hint of fear and then slowly closed.

*********************

< The fear in Ilay’s eyes…..the way Taeui's silhouette walked away >
 Vol 4 - Chapter 6: I’m Kyle Riegrow

That day, he used up all his courage and played until the end... It was really too much.

It's too late to regret anything, even a hint of fear, like a normal person, he doesn't feel
anything.

But what should he do if he happens to be caught by him somewhere? If only there was a
way to make Ilay believe that he was dead. Just thinking about a day when he was leisurely
walking down the street and turning into a small alley, suddenly seeing him waiting in that
hidden corner, his heart would probably jump out. Unless he stays far away, otherwise if he is
still within his sight, he can't be sure if he can escape from his dangerous clutches. Because
he is the one who will chase and kill his prey, and don't dream that he will let go.

But deep in his mind, Jeong Taeui still clings to a small ray of hope, even though he knows
it's useless.

Anyway, on that day, as a human being, he tried his best to protect his dignity.

Originally, from the beginning, he planned to leave as planned and leave him in a state of
unconsciousness due to chloroform. But when he turned around and looked at the figure in
front of him, he was very kind and put clothes back on him, leaving only the handcuffs.

(Actually, it's because he's worried that someone will discover him in such a naked situation,
he will probably faint from that ugly big thing of his . So he did it completely for the sake of
the person who would witness that scene.)

Of course, it would still be embarrassing if someone knew that a monster like this could be
controlled like this and humiliated it, even if it was just two handcuffs. Anyway, it's not
comfortable at all.

Jeong Taeui had already calculated that if he had the misfortune to meet him again in life, he
would calculate all the sincerity and good things he had done for him in the hope that he
could spare his life, or at least let him die without pain.... .... But there's no way that springs
with that defective personality of his.

"I can't take it anymore, there's no other way but to avoid each other."

Jeong Taeui immersed himself in his thoughts and muttered to himself without realizing it.

"That's right, that's what I mean!"

Suddenly, a loud noise interrupted his memories, he looked up and met the man in front of
him. Anton sat across from his table, pointing a finger and waving his hand incessantly.

Hey you, in Korea, pointing at someone's face like that is really rude....
Even so, he had no intention of discussing cultural differences with a foreigner. The fact is,
he didn't feel offended by just a finger like that, if living in dissatisfaction just because of
such trivial things, his ashes would have been in the urn long ago.

"Anyway, as long as we don't meet face to face, it's fine! The phone in the room is
unplugged!"

Anton continued to speak loudly, regardless of whether Taeui understood or not. He stopped
thinking for a moment and looked at him. Could this guy also be hunted?

This mansion has many different guests. To put it more precisely, it seems that day after day
it witnesses guests coming and going endlessly. It has been five days since Taeui came here,
and he has seen new faces five times during this time. In other words, it changes guests like
changing lovers. Even if they just met for the first time, it seems that the owner of this house
is very hospitable.

< Kyle has many business partners, as well as being close to them. Apparently I read spoilers
somewhere in DS or Suite, most of Kyle's business partners have high staute in society:
Prime Ministers, Mafia bosses, UNHRDO, etc,... Governmental or non-governmental
organizations, private organizations, public servants or individuals operating individually
and especially developing and selling weapons to the military side of countries. And T&R's
corporation is purely legalized. The Tarten family works in intelligence and information
trafficking, and Riegrow manufactures, develops, and supplies cold-to-hot weapons, from
rudimentary weapons to nuclear weapons.>

Jeong Taeui also enjoys meeting and talking to others, but inviting them to his house is not.
He wondered if it was really okay to let strangers into his house so carelessly, what to do if
someone suspicious came. But luckily, the owner of this house seems to have no worries
because everything seems to be under the control of the old housekeeper, who is as shrewd
and firm as an iron wall. She has been in this house even before the owner and his siblings
were born and grew up here.

Even now, she is still using her scrutinizing gaze to look at the people at the banquet table as
she takes a plate of chicken from the kitchen. It's like sweeping for potential dangers to see if
anyone can harm the owner of this place.

The old lady doesn't like Jeong Taeui very much.

To be precise, he feels like she doesn't like Asians. This is not the first time he has met
someone like this, and it is not the first time he has received such looks.

"Haha, that way we can avoid anyone."

Anton said with an excited face. Jeong Taeui took a spoon and listened to him say more.

“Yes, of course, anyway the owner of this place will not give me a room if I want to leave
here. Anyway, if I have been avoiding meeting and rejecting phone calls, there is no way to
contact all of them."”
Jeong Taeui politely laughed at his boring story and buried his face in the soup bowl.

He also knows someone he can't contact now.

"Kim, I heard you went to the National Library yesterday, did you find anything interesting?"

When he finished eating the soup and put the spoon down, the owner of the house sitting
across from him suddenly asked. Jeong Taeui looked at him and hesitated for a moment.

"I also researched it carefully, but I don't think there's anything special about it, I don't
remember clearly anymore."

Taeui shook his head and replied, and the owner smiled calmly.

"If you need anything, I will get it for you, so don't worry about it anymore, Kim."

"Thank you."

Taeui smiled and said. And then thoughts crossed his mind, it was not difficult to adapt to
anything, even if he changed the name he had been attached to for decades, he could get used
to it in just a few days.

Although still a bit unfamiliar, at least it was better than the first time he heard that name
pressed against him, he couldn't immediately answer but froze or could only answer vaguely.

Taeui cut a few pieces of chicken and put them on his plate, then looked at the owner of the
house. He was over 40 but looked younger, as if he was only about 30. And he kept talking
and laughing with the people around him.

"....."

Is this lucky or unlucky.

Jeong Taeui remembered the first time he met this man in Austria, it was a village near the
border with Italy.

By chance, he passed by there.

He rented a car as soon as he set foot in Europe and started traveling. Although he told his
uncle that he didn't want to operate as a member of UNHRDO anymore, he still insisted on
giving him a bank card. His uncle said that if he used his card for transactions, it would be
easy to leave traces, so it was best to use this card to not leave any information, anyway, this
money had been laundered in the Bahamas* several times. Don't worry because he had
legitimized this money at UNHRDO as expenses for a ‘special security’ mission, so he could
use as much as he wanted and if it wasn't enough, just message him.

(*Bahamas: An archipelago/ Tax haven and money laundering paradise. The Bahamas is an
English-speaking country in the Caribbean. It is an archipelago of 700 islands, dunes and
islets*)
But sir, isn't that doing something disadvantageous to that organization. Saying that is too
strange.

"But the benefits I bring to this organization are tens or hundreds of times more than that
small amount of money."

After saying that, he laughed loudly - "Don't worry, write down any number you want on
paper."

"I guess you don't have any reason to refuse anymore." - Jeong Taeui said indifferently and
followed what he said. He secretly thought that he would stay in the most luxurious hotels,
travel across continents, and change cars constantly wherever he went, etc....

However, the personality nurtured from childhood to adulthood prevented him from doing so.
Despite trying to spend money, he still couldn't bring himself to do it. So the most luxurious
thing he spent on was renting an old, cramped car.

When he arrived, he got lost a bit, so he decided to buy another map and had to spend the
whole day getting to know the village. Although there weren't many things Taeui liked here,
this place was a small, peaceful and quiet village, so he decided to stay here for a week or
maybe even longer. When he decided to leave, he met this man at an old bookstore.

But in fact, that was not the first time he met him. From the first time he saw him, he
recognized him.

He had met this man in Hong Kong, although he didn't formally greet him, he just glanced at
him. Perhaps he came there to meet the arms broker. At that time, the man sitting right next
to his table was him. There were two reasons why Taeui remembered this man, there was
nothing unusual and the feeling of non-existence, first because he had a quite impressive
face. Although the appearance seemed normal, it was still very impressive in its own way.
Once you have seen it, it is hard to forget. Perhaps because of the extremely sharp and serious
gaze attached to an ordinary appearance like that. Those weaklings who touched that gaze
must have felt chills.

And another more important reason was that at that time he was looking at a design drawing
with a bunch of jumbled numbers. In fact, it was because of that that he couldn't forget this
man. Because Jeong Taeui had also seen similar rows of numbers and drawings that he was
holding in his hand.

“.....”

And now he understood why he had it.

Taeui's taste suddenly turned bitter. Despite not wanting to blame the food, he still lifted the
glass of water and took a sip.

Contrary to his sharp gaze, his personality had nothing to do with his appearance. He was
slightly concerned that this man could easily smile friendly and approach strangers around
him, but the man's behavior in the old bookstore still made him laugh.
At that time, he thought, maybe if he didn't give him the book he had always dreamed of, this
big man would hug him like a child and cry for it. Jeong Taeui knew how interesting that
book about race was, and his uncle would definitely want to read it right away, so he planned
to buy it and send it to him after reading it so that he wouldn't have to leave UNHRDO.

But this man immediately threw away his face and ran towards him.

He said he would return the 50 euros he borrowed from him, but he also had no intention of
taking back that money. Giving and receiving was natural, but he never thought that he
should receive something just because he gave something. Wasn't his uncle the same? His
uncle said that even beggars on the street, he would not hesitate to give them money.

He thought so, and with his compassionate heart, he decided to give that person a ride to
Berlin.

But a problem arose immediately after.

In response to his invitation, the man politely nodded and said his house was in Berlin. After
starting the car and beginning the journey to Berlin, the two talked to each other along the
way.

No matter how you look at it, this man looked older than him, so he said to stop talking in a
formal manner and just talk comfortably, and then he became more comfortable, but his
words still remained within bounds. And when he laughed bitterly, he asked a question that
he should have asked from the beginning.

"By the way, I don't know your name. Your name is...?"

"a.... —I'm Kim Young Soo."

Taeui muttered a strange name while looking at the man through the rearview mirror.

There was no reason for him to do that, he just felt a little uncomfortable saying that name.
He deliberately chose the most common Korean name for his passport and other documents,
but later he realized that he should have chosen a name that was easier to pronounce. Once
again, the man tilted his head at unfamiliar words and opened his mouth.

"Kim Yong-soo...-?"

"Haha, it's a bit difficult to pronounce, just call me Kim."

Taeui laughed and said. The man nodded and repeated "Kim."

"Are you of Korean descent?"

"Korea... I don't really look like a Korean, do I? How did you guess so well? Usually
Europeans find it difficult to distinguish the nationality of Asians even after hearing our
names."
"I have many Korean friends, and especially a close Korean friend of mine who also loves
collecting old books. So his hobby matches mine very well. That's why I want to be able to
keep in touch with you."

The man said proudly. Jeong Taeui listened and nodded while driving.

In Europe, the quality of the roads was well maintained and there were not many vehicles on
the road, so it was easy to drive. He felt that even if he closed his eyes now, the chances of an
accident happening were much lower than driving in a big city in Korea. A Korean friend
also likes old books. Why is this world so small? Maybe even his uncle knows him.

Jeong Taeui nodded coldly.

"Sure. But I only picked up a few old books and I don't know much about them, but my uncle
is extremely knowledgeable. If you want to find a certain book, I will introduce you to him. It
would be better to be able to exchange such rare books with each other....."

The man fell silent at his words and sighed and shook his head.

"No. Rare books cannot be borrowed, who knows if that person will take those books to sell
or exchange with others. Especially old books need to be carefully preserved."

"Oh, I see..."

He didn't think this man was a bad person. But he was definitely crazy. He was crazy about
anything related to books. Fortunately, his uncle wasn't so sick.

And then he quickly turned back with a smile.

"But it's great to meet someone with the same interests. If there were more opportunities to
meet people like your uncle, that would be great."

"That's right, I understand that feeling." - Jeong Taeui replied to his words.

It seems like your uncle also has many friends who like old books, huh? If you all could
gather and talk about those books, it would be amazing.

Then he smiled and added, "Oh, right."

"Even though I'm doing a different job now, I used to work in a job related to old books, and
that job helped me meet many people with the same interest. We still keep in touch until now,
it's easy to talk to people with the same interest."

"Doing a job you like must be very enjoyable. Is a job related to old books something like
opening a used book store?"

"Oh no, I was planning to open a used book store when I get old. But when I was young, I
founded a company to reprint rare old books, but because the demand was much smaller than
the supply, it was very difficult to continue operating the company."
"Ha..... yes....."

Jeong Taeui bit his lip and answered vaguely as if he was about to sigh, feeling like a heavy
stone rolling over his chest. What is this, a terrible feeling of unease passed through his mind.
If his vague thoughts were correct, then this was definitely a fatal misfortune.

"Oh, now I remember that I don't even know your name. What's your name....?"

After the man finished his story, Jeong Taeui asked softly. He seemed surprised for a moment
and then exclaimed - "Oh" - and shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Such a basic thing and I forgot. I'm sorry, Kim. You can call me Kyle."

"Oh, okay. Kyle....., it sounds really nice."

Jeong Taeui heard that name and smiled, the heavy stone weighing on his chest also
disappeared.

Alright, even though there is still some vagueness, he couldn't possibly be "lucky" to that
extent.

"Listening to that, many people might mistake it for your name. Usually, if I say I'm Kyle, it
means I'm referring to my name." - Taeui inquired.

"But among the people I know, there are also those who use the last name Kyle." Jeong Taeui
added.

(In Europe, when introducing oneself in a social setting, they usually mention their last name
instead of their first name, for example, if the name is Kyle Riegrow, they would introduce
themselves as Riegrow, so Taeui mistakenly thought that Kyle was his last name and felt
lucky because it was definitely not Riegrow =D)

Then, the man calmly replied.

"Oh. That's my name. Although I still write my last name on my business card. When I talk, I
introduce myself as Kyle, whether it's with someone I'm meeting for the first time or
someone I've met a few times. Because my younger brother already uses the last name."

"Ha....."

"It's because my younger brother really hates it when someone calls him by his name. If
someone accidentally calls my younger brother by his name without permission, they will get
into big trouble. His temperament is not very good, so I also hesitate to tell others... So in my
family, only he is allowed to be called by his last name, and outsiders are not allowed to call
him by his name anymore. So even in social events, I still use the name Kyle like now."

"....."

For some reason, Taeui's mind felt dizzy, a bad omen crept into his mind, and the vague
pieces fit together just as he had feared, one by one. Taeui couldn't even speak and dared not
ask anything more. But whatever he didn't want to hear, the heavens would surely make it
happen. When he didn't want to hear anything more, those words from him became clearer
and clearer in his ears.

"So I've never been called by my last name. Like Mr. Riegrow or something like that."

Damn it.

Jeong Taeui gripped the steering wheel unconsciously and unintentionally stepped on the
accelerator, causing the car to speed up suddenly. The man looked at him with a puzzled
expression, and he could only quickly release the accelerator.

"Oh.... – so.... – you're Kyle Riegrow?"

"Yes, that's right, but it's rare for them to be called in full. Haha, just call me Kyle, that's fine,
everyone still calls me that. Besides, if you call me Riegrow, people might be confused
because that's how my younger brother is called at home."

"Ah, okay then."

Jeong Taeui nodded, his mind becoming empty. Suddenly, everything in front of him turned
blank. Fortunately, the straight road ahead had almost no traffic.

If he drove in such a state in a big city, he would definitely cause an accident.

*******************

🥹
<Let me apologize, because I only posted 1 chapter today, I am quite exhausted today. So I
promise to post 4 chapters tomorrow <3 ... >
 Vol 4 - Chapter 7: Kyle's unstable mansion.

Taeui used one hand to find the control panel and turn on the radio. Try to distract yourself
from your troubled thoughts by listening to something. Otherwise, even if you walk on a road
with guardrails, accidents will still happen.

He suddenly thought of a strange idea that he had forgotten. That's right, the 50 euros that
man borrowed, he must definitely get back without missing a penny.

For a beggar, he will not calculate, but for those born with the diamond spoon in their mouth,
he will take enough.

Faced with Taeui's confusion when he suddenly turned on the radio, the man was silent for a
moment. Taeui looked at him in the rearview mirror, he didn't seem to think much of
anything and was humming along to the old pop music playing on the radio.

Jeong Taeui sank into depression, one hand controlling the steering wheel, the other hand
raised to rest his chin on the window sill.

Why has his life been such shit lately? He thought the person getting in the car with him
would be a good person, but he didn't expect that he had a consanguinity with that bastard he
never wanted to see again.

Is it all just a coincidence or not? His name is Kyle Riegrow, but who knows, maybe his
younger brother isn't the man you're thinking of. Maybe it's all just such a coincidence that all
the pieces fit so subtly.

With that thought, Taeui looked back at the cruel reality and fell into depression once again.

Ilay's brother – who once ran an old book republishing company – now runs an arms trading
company.

Kyle - who used to have a business republishing old books - has now stopped doing business
and is doing another job.

Riegrow – a crazy guy at UNHDRO – who no one dares to call his name directly.

He is Kyle's younger brother, the guy who got mad when his brother called him by his name.

The pieces fit together so well that if the man now said he had no relationship with Ilay, it
would make him even more speechless.

Jeong Taeui wanted to bang his own head on the steering wheel. If Kyle wasn't here, he
would have caused an accident long ago, regardless of whether the police came or not.

"If someone without his permission accidentally calls my brother by his name, that person
will be in big trouble. His behavior is also not very nice, so I'm afraid to tell others. ..."
Taeui remembered what Kyle said just now.

It doesn't matter if Kyle's younger brother is actually the crazy guy Taeui knows. The guy
who always proudly displays his ugly side to the point where his brother can only silently
deal with all his trash. Kyle even had to admit his disabled personality and didn't even dare
tell it to others.

Anyway, he had to think of a way to get away from this man as quickly as possible. The
picturesque prospects that had just formed between the two quickly faded away. With Ilay's
personality, it's unlikely he would contact his family on a regular basis. But what if he makes
a mistake and calls Kyle now? If the two people's story goes astray and something goes
wrong, what should he do? Then there won't be any more disappointment, but he'll be
desperate.

Suddenly he wanted to rip out his mouth for proactively offering to take him to Berlin. But
whatever had happened, he could only use all his strength to ride at lightning speed to get to
Berlin and leave immediately.

Once there, he would immediately throw this man down and leave without looking back.
Jeong Taeui made up his mind and glanced at Kyle through the rearview mirror.

He was comfortably looking out the window and humming the melody of the song on the old
radio.

He doesn't look much like Ilay. Although if you look closely at every detail you will see some
similarities, he doesn't think they are too similar. There is also a big difference in age. At that
time, he said that Kyle was his uncle's friend, so there must be more than a year difference in
age.

Jeong Taeui fell into deep thoughts and then cast a bait.

"But if everything was stolen, you could call home and ask for help, right? Do you still have
a phone or anything like that?"

"Ah? No, I don't even have my phone anymore. That guy took everything from me except my
passport. However, I also have to thank him for leaving my passport behind."

Moreover, in misfortune there is luck. Wasn't it thanks to that thief that he had the
opportunity to go to that village and bring back a pile of precious books?

"....If I can't contact you, your family will be very worried, especially your younger brother..."

Jeong Taeui retracted his hook and suddenly felt relieved that the possibility of Ilay calling
had disappeared. Kyle opened his eyes and suddenly burst into laughter.

He knew clearly why Kyle was laughing like that, so he wasn't too confused and just waited
for his laughter to subside. If in return, he heard such words, he would burst out laughing.

Ilay is worried?
Taeui imagined his worried expression for a moment.

....He thought he would die of laughter.

Just imagining it makes him feel so absurd that he wants to laugh out loud. Fortunately,
Kyle's words in that breathless laughter extinguished Taeui's smile that had not yet bloomed.

"Well, this isn't something big that my brother has to worry about but...how should I say it,
should I say it's very special? Kind of like someone who's a bit lacking in affection compared
to other normal people." < :DDDDD >

Jeong Taeui really thought that Ilay had an extremely good brother compared to his shitty
personality. No one can say that he is just a "slightly lacking in emotions" person, it's just too
wild, unless that person is blinded by many, many "bean shells*".. Or maybe Kyle is
embarrassed to have such a younger brother in the family so he tries to say it understatement.

(*사랑에 빠진 대상의 모든 점이 좋게만 보이다: The bean shell covers the eyes/ idiom/ so
blinded by love that you only see the person's advantages and ignore all the shortcomings of
that person*)

"So my younger brother rarely comes home. No, it's more like he hates coming home. My
younger brother is working abroad and has some things to deal with. But even when he
comes home, he won't come to the house either."

Jeong Taeui tried to hold back his laughter. His ears seem sharper than ever.

"Isn't he going home? After all, it's his home..."

"No no, um... Because maybe you've never met my younger brother so you don't know, but
he really rarely comes home. At my house, there is an old lady who is the housekeeper , and
my younger brother said he didn't want to hear any nagging from the old lady, so he hadn't
been home in a while. Once he returned to the country and met someone in the same town as
his family, he didn't even bother to show his face and go home."

That's why Rita called him to complain about it, but he already predicted that so he didn't
answer the phone, Kyle muttered.

Jeong Taeui thought to himself that perhaps his luck had come. Now he knew a place he
would never go, and it was the perfect place to hide from Ilay’s clutches. Isn't that place safer
than any other hotel? That's right, if you think about it carefully, it seems like you just almost
missed a great opportunity. Jeong Taeui glanced at Kyle. Just a few minutes ago, his thinking
had changed 180 degrees. Right now, he really hoped that Kyle's invitation for him to stay at
his house when he came to Berlin wasn't just empty talk. It turned out that that place was his
only way to live.

"By the way, Kim, who is chasing you?"

Suddenly Anton's question broke his short recollection. The plate was empty and the chicken
was long gone. But because he was full, it was probably him and not someone else who ate it
unconsciously.

Jeong Taeui used his thumb to wipe his lips and then licked it and immediately received
Rita's frown looking at him from behind along with an "Ummmm" not very comfortable.

It's true that rumors always have a tale never lost in the telling to fail when spread.

"Rather than being chased....it's more like there's someone I shouldn't encounter."

"Yeah, who is that? Let me guess, if you say it's someone you shouldn't meet, is it a woman
who has a relationship with you? Or is it a financial relationship?"

Anton said excitedly. Alsvelt, who was sitting next to Jeong Taeui, replied indifferently.

"Whatever the case, it must be pretty bad...For example, if you happen to get involved with
some Southern Italian man's woman, you wouldn't expect to get shot at and die somewhere."

"Especially in the south of Italy, if it's about money, it's even scarier." Anton nodded and said
in agreement.

In the middle of their conversation, Taeui heard him talk about the time he traveled to Sicily
and accidentally fell in love with a seductive Gypsy woman. And unfortunately, that was the
woman of the famous Mafia boss there, that woman stole that Mafia boss’s money and he
became the main character in the story of running away for love in that way. .

Taeui muttered stupidly as he picked up a piece of meat from the steamed fish that Rita
brought and put it in his mouth.

"And where did that pile of money that Gypsy woman stole with you go...."

"Before she could do anything, that girl died at the hands of an assassin sent one step ahead
by that mafia guy."

"And then you became a lone wolf with a sky-high spirit of revenge, right?"

"....."

Anton and Alssvelt were happy, but their faces were still very serious and they didn't even
laugh. Meanwhile, Kyle next to him was giggling. Then, he nodded to Anton and asked.

"Now, think back to that time in Catarina, what happened."

"Aha, luckily it's over. Mark and I should be happy together in the fish's belly now."

Anton frowned and waved his hand. Jeong Taeui stopped the fork that was cutting the
steamed fish, and suddenly he felt a loss of appetite. Thinking back, he seemed to have heard
this before, that this American guy named Anton had a gang, and what's more, the same was
true of Alsveld, who was very close to Anton.
Arms dealers and star mafia gangs. What a great combination. Taeui felt pale but still a little
hungry, so he put the knife and fork down on the table. Then, he used the back of his hand to
wipe his lips and immediately received Rita's sharp eyes. Today, the guests in a house are
never short of people because the owner's favorite person is only Taeui, Anton and Alsvelt.
At the breakfast table yesterday were Taeui, Alsvetl and an English guest who left in the
afternoon. Before that, it was just Taeui and that British guest. Just like that, no German
guests have come here yet. And since Alsvelt will also leave this afternoon, tomorrow only
Taeui and Anton will be left. He wondered if any other guests would come today.

"Are you going to work today, Kyle?"

He put down his fork and wiped his mouth with a napkin to show that he was done eating in
front of Rita. Kyle said "Let's see." and nodded.

"I think I need to go out for a bit this afternoon. Alsfeld, when are you leaving?"

"Let's see, the flight leaves at 1 o'clock so I'll probably have to leave before lunch. But didn't
you say you'd rest until the weekend, and now it's back to work. Like a person."
workaholic..."

"No way, I even wanted to avoid it as much as possible. I didn't go to work because I wanted
to, but Ilay called the company to do something. He never called home. If you want to
contact me even if there is something, I have to go to the company to see, the staff also said
that an old acquaintance of mine will be there after a long time."

Jeong Taeui drank the last cup of tea Rita gave him and listened to their conversation without
saying a word. Because a name he didn't want to be associated with was mentioned. “Ilay”.
Anyway, it was strange to hear that name come out of someone else's mouth.

Jeong Taeui has never seen anyone call Ilay by that name.

After all, forcing the whole family to call you by your last name is really...

Jeong Taeui shook his head. But then, a thought crossed his mind. Why did Ilay tell him that
he was “Ilay” from the first time we talked? He had thought about it once before but couldn't
find the answer. It's hard to dig into this erratic bastard's head to see what he's thinking.

"If an old friend has come after a long time, surely he will stay at your house today too,
right?"

Taeui didn't want to think about that bastard anymore so he suddenly changed the subject.

‘So what about Kyle?’

After that, Kyle shook his head.

"No, he just came for work so he probably only called the company this afternoon. We have
already arranged to meet tomorrow morning, so if he agrees, he will probably stay here the
next day"
"I see" - Taeui said and nodded. It seems like witnessing people coming and going every day
has become a hobby of this house. From what he heard from the seasonal gardeners and other
helpers, it seemed like it was the same even when Kyle's parents lived here before they
moved to the suburbs, to be more precise. At that time, Kyle's guests still came and went
from time to time, but after he took over this house, the situation became worse and worse.

Usually they only stay for two or three days, but some people even stay for several months.
Meanwhile, Kyle seemed very happy when his guests said they would stay here for a long
time because to him this place is truly worthy of everyone staying for such a long time.

Nowadays, the concept of guests is not just guests anymore, but it is more like a normal
family. Is it the feeling that your family members change in appearance and personality every
day?

Jeong Taeui pondered for a moment, but his family wasn't like that so he couldn't imagine it.
Now he only has one older brother, but since birth, except for the change in maturity, even his
appearance and personality have not been much different.

That's his brother..... But how the hell is Taeui going to find him now.

Everyone in this mansion knows that Taeui is looking for someone and at the same time is
being chased by someone. Although he had no intention of revealing information about
himself, with the atmosphere where everyone kept confiding as if there were no secrets in
this house, that amount of information came naturally and poured out unconsciously when
everyone talked. And all the guests were like that.

Kyle said he would help as much as he could if he wanted to find someone, but Taeui shook
his head in refusal.

Asking Kyle to find his brother...

Even if he wanted to ask this man thousands of questions, as soon as the name Jeong Jaeui
rang out, Kyle’s ears would definitely stand up like a donkey's, then he would most likely
take him crashing right into Ilay also increased exponentially.

No, impossible...

Jeong Taeui smiled calmly and said - "I can't owe you that much..., I'll just search for it
myself."

"By the way, Kim, why are you only polite to Kyle but not to us?"

Jeong Taeui secretly glanced at Rita again after taking a sip of tea a little loudly and then
raised his eyebrows at Anton's sudden question as if he was dissatisfied. He slowly put down
the tea cup and said jokingly.

"Ah, it's because Kyle is such a compassionate host that he couldn't tell me to leave even if he
met me in person or took my phone call. We're both guests, right?"
Anton had nothing left to refute. "Uhhhhhhh" - he groaned while Kyle turned his head
slightly and chuckled. Suddenly he saw that this face also looked a bit like Ilay.

Jeong Taeui looked at Kyle without saying a word, then turned around and sipped the rest of
his black tea.

********************************
 Vol 4 - Chapter 8: Morer

His face was burning.

Jeong Taeui turned over. The spacious beach chair gently embraced his skin. Taeui half-
closed his eyelids, grabbed a towel and covered his face.

The sunlight disappeared in an instant. So that's more than enough to enjoy life.

After covering his face, the sunlight softened just enough. The warm sunlight caressed

Taeui's body as if he had just entered a sauna with the ideal temperature. When he wakes up
in a while, he might feel a burning pain from sunburn, but Taeui still doesn't want to open his
eyes right now because he feels very comfortable.

"...."

Taeui fell asleep and quickly woke up, his body tired, but he couldn't sleep again. He opened
his eyes to a large white towel covering his face, blocking his vision. After a while, when the
drowsiness subsided, Taeui turned over and exposed his bare back to the sunlight, and
covered his head again with a towel.

It's around noon now, right? He felt like he had been asleep for an hour or two. When he first
fell asleep, the shade of the porch was already past his waist, but now the sunlight was
shining straight on his face.

Birds chirped in the distance, intermittent calls rising and falling like a not too loud song. A
cool breeze gently brushed against his skin, soothing the heat on his body right now.

Below his feet is a vast stream of clear water. Occasionally there is the sound of birds
singing, warm sunlight, a great space for a short relaxing nap.

When was the last time he enjoyed such a leisurely and enjoyable time?

Thinking back, even after being discharged from the army, Taeui couldn't rest comfortably
because he had to go to the hospital for several months to recover from his injury. Then,
when he was about to let his mind drift freely and take time to recover his body, he came and
took him away.

"It's true that life should have moments of relaxation like this but...life is too difficult."

Jeong Taeui muttered to himself with a languid sigh and then wiggled back and forth.

It wasn't that he didn't consider that he was leisurely enjoying someone else's house when the
owner was busy and had to go to work early in the morning, but Kyle also didn't seem to
notice what Taeui was doing in his house. He is always polite and courteous like a true
master to any guest. Even though Jeong Taeui wasn't the type to pay attention to details, more
than anything, this house had too many guests.

He has learned a few things after staying here for a few days. Among all the people living in
this large mansion, only one person belongs to the Riegrow family. It is said that his elderly
parents live in a villa in a remote suburb, and they often go to work but rarely return to this
house. There was also a younger sister that he heard said that as soon as she turned 20, she
married a businessman the same age and moved to the United States. In other words, there
was only one person in their family living here, Kyle Riegrow.

Living alone in a palace-like house like this... He guesses he doesn't have time to think too
much about that.

After all, there are always different guests in this house along with several maids. Whether
it's a social or private guest, there will always be one or two people staying here.

In Rita's words, this little master is ‘a master at having people in his house’.

(Rita uses 도련님: respectful way of speaking)

That was when Jeong Taeui fell asleep and when he arrived at the dining room, there was no
one there. He drank the vegetable soup that Rita had prepared and asked again.

"Little master?"

Then, Rita nodded with a natural look and replied, "Little master."

She said that she had lived in this house for more than 40 years since she was just a young
girl, and she was also the nanny for the children in this family when they were young. The
little owners in this house were all raised and cared for by her, the old woman said with a
very proud look. Jeong Taeui looked at her for a moment then asked again.

“Did you raise two sons in this house by calling them master?”

Then the old woman interrupted him and replied.

"To us they are still our little masters."

< I don't understand why Ilay was born and raised in the love of every member of the family,
including the servants, but why was it possible to create such a bloodthirsty monster? >

"...."

Jeong Taeui was speechless. He had no choice but to bury his face in his plate of soup and
eat.

Rita is not a bad person.

Before getting to know her, the impression of her would be of a cold and straightforward
person, and even now she doesn't seem to like an Asian like Taeui very much. But when he
asked anything, she still answered everything, and if Jeong Taeui made any mistakes, she
would help him without saying a word. Taeui likes people like that.

That's why he also liked Rita very much, even though she looked at him with unpleasant
eyes. She is very straightforward and cold but at the same time still a caring grandmother.

"By the way, how could someone raised by such a good grandmother become such a brutal
murderer?..."

Jeong Taeui muttered unconsciously then turned over his hot body under the sunlight again.

But I don't think it's Rita's fault. It's not like Kyle was also raised by Rita but he doesn't look
like he has the same intimidating power as that bastard.

"Anyway, it's based on genetics rather than blaming factors in the environment... Siblings
born in the same environment also have to rely on their genetic code. Only then did the
differences between them form..."

In the end, he still didn't understand why Ilay had such a personality. Taeu shook his head
under the towel.

It's hard to guess. If that were true, wouldn't the two twins inherit the same genetic factors
and grow up in the same environment? So why are they so different from each other?

Once again, everything came to a dead end, it seemed like there was something innate that
couldn't be explained solely by environment or genetics when applied to that crazy guy.

"..... —I wonder how that crazy guy can live so well.....In the end, can anyone do any harm to
him? That thing could possibly survive even when thrown into the middle of that scorching
desert furnace."

Even though he was very curious, he didn't worry about him at all. Completely different from
his brother. There's nothing more useless than worrying about that person named Ilay
Riegrow.

No matter how curious he is about something, he is someone who will not tend to delve
deeply into it. Because sometimes if you discover the root cause of the problem, the anxiety
and fear can increase even more.

After leaving the other island, he contacted his uncle a few times. That's because he told his
uncle that he would call him once or twice a week, but it's not necessary to call him often if
there's nothing important.

At first, two days before leaving Hong Kong, he deliberately went to the airport and made a
call there. Taeui asked his uncle to give him an identity that even he didn't know, but he
wasn't sure if his uncle could find his location thanks to the phone call at the airport.
However, he is also quite confident that he cannot be tracked that easily. Still, he still had a
little faith.
Even if he personally found Taeui's location, he wouldn't reveal it to anyone unless
something was wrong.

Jeong Taeui doesn't know what tricks Ilay will use to find out his location. Or maybe Ilay
won't care about him anymore and won't try to find him. Of course, with Ilay’s personality,
he will probably persevere until catches and extracts his bones. But anyway, he didn't know
what Ilay was really doing now.

When he called his uncle, he asked a little and received a calm smile and a very short answer.

"Don't get caught." - Ilay

He realized something as soon as he heard those words.

Even if a crazy person like him wanted to suppress his anger, he would do very well. He
actually held back his angry outburst and everything he wanted to say, but his anger must
have risen to the top of his head.

Has Ilay ever experienced anything similar in his life? A person like him who grew up full of
pride but acted selfishly towards others would surely have his pride shattered by such
humiliation.

However.

"That's right, if I get caught... I'll die."

But it's also an incomplete death.

Jeong Taeui knew several ways to torture a person by prolonging the pain before death, but
he didn't think Ilay knew any less than he did. It wouldn't be strange if he knew a few more
brutal ways to kill people than any of the harshest ways he could know..... So there's no other
way, he has to run far away. Stop.

Just thinking about the moment he caught him, it gave him chills. That scenario is no
different from a horror movie.

"But... why is this so sad......"

Under the harsh sunlight, Taeui muttered softly as he rubbed his arms that were covered in
goosebumps.

As time passed, his memories of the past also faded. Time can heal everything, and he likes
the way it passes. When the painful memories turn into sadness and slowly can be forgotten,
the happy memories become clear again and most interesting of all.

Now he will never see the people at that branch again. Maybe one day they will accidentally
bump into each other on the road of life, but he never intended to proactively contact and
meet any of them.

Moreover, because of Ilay, he would rather run away for his life.
But what if one day, after a very long time has passed, when memories have become blurred
and no longer clear, when someone rumors that the scary man has turned around and is a bit
more human, it would be nice to see him again...... But even now, he never thought that his
temperament would change even when he got older.

Anyway, it's good. Even though he didn't know what Ilay was doing in any corner, he was
still safe in this villa. No one can find a Korean name Jeong Taeui anymore, he has
disappeared in Hong Kong, and all news has been cut off.

Now there is only KIm Young Soo - the most popular name in Korea, who is leisurely
enjoying his vacation right at Ilay Riegrow's house.

Jeong Taeui once again turned his back to lie down and sighed lazily.

Anyway, He’s resting comfortably...

But where should he go to find his brother?

Of course he wasn't really looking for him, but after spending some time looking for him,
Taeui told his uncle - "Uncle, I can't find him" - But anyway, he promised that before leaving
he would try to find him, even though the promise could be broken but those were the words
that came out of his mouth, so he would pretend to keep it.

But he still doesn't know what to do. He can't use the power of the community to find him,
and in fact even if he could use it, he doesn't think it would have any effect, so how can he
find his brother.

The person named Jeong Jaeui with his ghost-possessed origins has never been easy to find.
If he doesn't want to appear, he will have to give up the idea of meeting him because who
knows, it could cause bad consequences for Jaeui.

"Hyung.....where are you flying freely, my lucky brother..."

He whispered, "It's hard because there are no clues to find me."

While he went back through his memories to look for clues, footsteps approached from afar.
Someone is approaching the pool.

Whether it was another guest staying at the house, a new guest, or one of the maids coming to
clean the garden, Jeong Taeui took out the towel that was covering his face.

The sound of footsteps approaching brought the sound of conversation in the quiet space. It
seems there isn't just one person.

"...It's a bit difficult to move it because it's still an untested product. The first test hasn't even
been fired yet."

It was Kyle's voice.

When Jeong Taeui woke up in the morning, the owner of this house was already busy with
work and couldn't meet him. It was noon, so maybe he just stopped by the house for a bit and
didn't know if he would leave again soon or not.

He thought that Kyle had brought a guest, he didn't know if this person would stay here for a
few days or just stop by, but at first glance it seemed like they were talking about weapons.

Taeui had thought about it many times, it seemed like Kyle was really a man who enjoyed
interacting with others, especially when they became his guests.

That point was a bit similar to his uncle, but he also knew that he was not as gentle a person
as he appeared.

"But if you want, I can let you check it out first. I'll probably have time tomorrow afternoon,
okay?"

The voice was coming closer and closer and he would soon encounter him. But after all, he
was the host so he thought he should say hello, so Jeong Taeui threw a shirt over his
shoulders and stood up. The emotional voice of the man accompanying him suddenly rang
out.

"Really? Sure! You don't need to worry about it, it's always fine! The re-engineered and
remanufactured Remington 1875*... that beautiful baby!"

(*Remington 1875: was a revolver by E. Remington & Sons. It was based upon the successful
New Model Army (Remington Model 1858) with both revolvers having the same size,
appearance, and the removable cylinder*)

Before he finished those words, Jeong Jaeui was lying on a bench on the beach covered with
a towel. He rolled the towel into his hair so that not even a single strand could come loose.

It was a voice he would never forget.

An emotional voice when talking about guns. Of all the people he knew, there was only one
person like that. The only person in this world who could describe the bloody weapons as
beautiful children. And if someone accidentally touches those "children" of his, they will
definitely be in big trouble with that person's cruelty and tenacity.

"Okay, when I get to the office at 3:30 the day after tomorrow I'll talk to Louie again, so
please stay in my room for now. –My room is here, when you open the window you can
directly see the lawn, so feel free to use it whenever you want. Wait, did I say the vacation
lasts until next weekend, Morer?"

"Um, I booked a flight for Saturday night. I'll be here until then."

"Just relax.... Here... I'm the first guest here.... ...."

Kyle's voice echoed right above his head, next to a pillar, he could feel it clearly. Jeong Taeui
lay motionless, vowing that he would never take the towel off his head. As a guest, he should
have taken the initiative to greet Kyle, but now he couldn't.
Morer. Morer. Morer.!!!!!

Not only does the voice sound similar, but even the name completely coincides with the
person Jeong Taeui is thinking of.

Why would that damn man come to this peaceful mansion as a guest?
 Vol 4 - Chapter 9: Ilay has lost his mind.

If you think about it carefully, there's nothing strange at all, it's not like he's just a stranger
who's only met Kyle for a few days and he doesn't even know anything about him and yet
he's still sitting in this mansion as a guest or something. So there's no reason Morer couldn't
be here. Besides, the owner of this house is also an arms dealer and Morer is a weapons
fanatic.

Thinking back, he seemed to have heard that Morer also knew Ilay's family. It is said that
before joining UNHRDO, he worked for Riegrow's company. So Morer's stay in this house is
much more understandable and reasonable than his presence here.

"There's someone resting here, oh yeah... it's Kim."

Even though Jeong Taeui was covering his face, Kyle still spoke as if he recognized him
immediately. Kyle explained to Morer who was next to him - "This is a guest of mine who
has been staying here for several days."

"Ah, is that so?" - Morer replied indifferently and seemed to have no interest in Jeong Taeui.
The footsteps gradually moved away, he changed the subject, "This garden is still as
wonderful as ever. The birch grove leading to that path is still here, right?"

At the same time, Kyle's footsteps also faded away, bringing with them the sound of Taeui's
heart pounding.

So what about the flight next Saturday night? Does he mean Morer will stay here until then?

Then the possibility of meeting each other directly will increase and that is something he
never wants.

He has to leave here now, even tonight. It would be a shame to have to give up such a
wonderful and comfortable hiding place like this, but if he stayed here, this perfect hiding
place would sooner or later turn into a tiger's den.

Plus, you and that damn bastard can't help each other in life, and he's even more of a threat
than Lieutenant Kim.

But anyway, it would be good if he could leave this place quietly without attracting attention,
then there wouldn't be any more trouble.

Half of Taeui's body was tanned by the harsh sunlight, but he didn't even dare to turn over
because he was afraid the towel would fall off, so he just lay there motionless like a dead
fish.

After the two of them left this place, he swore that he would immediately run into his room
and observe their every move, the silhouettes of those two people still lurking within the
range he could see even though They moved a few steps away from this place.
However, right at that moment.

"Kim, how long are you going to lie around like that? You should get up and walk around a
bit. It's lunch time. If you don't eat properly, you'll get a stomach ache."

A cold, shrill voice echoed from the glass door.

Rita.

Although the old woman seemed distant, in reality Taeui was still grateful for her kindness,
who worriedly took care of him and everyone at every meal. But not at this moment.

Jeong Taeui pretended to be asleep, lying quietly without moving or answering.

"Oh, Rita. Just leave him alone. He seems to be sleeping very deeply."

Even though Kyle said so, Rita still walked out of the glass door and walked towards Taeui.

"If he naps that much, his biological clock will be upset and his health will decline, master.
Kim has been lying here since 10am., looking at his tanned skin. If I watch it, he'll get burned
later."

Rita. Rita. Thank you. But this isn't fun at all so please leave me alone. Unless you want to
see me dead. Even though Taeui is not the type of person who can reassure others, now he is
crying tears of blood. The whispers and pleas with all her heart did not reach Rita's ears.

"Kim, wake up!"

His vision was instantly possessed by the bright sunlight. In front of him, Rita, with her gray
hair tied in a neat bun, looked down at him. And across the bench behind the beach, Kyle
stood there looking at him, smiling calmly.

"Hey Kim, you probably slept late yesterday. Wake up, the sun is already at its peak."

"Aha...., yes...."

Jeong Taeui answered awkwardly and immediately looked away.

Behind Kyle, Morer approached the birch forest. He looked toward the forest and sighed in
admiration before turning back.

"Wow, it looks beautiful from afar, I want to walk here in the evening, I also have to see
you..." - Morer said and the smile suddenly disappeared from his face.

That's because he saw a familiar face also staring at him.

"Yes, it could have been developed and improved, but my father had no intention of changing
the forest like that even if he gave him thousands of gold, so I kept it as it is."
Kyle looked back at Morer with a smile, over his shoulder, Taeui's facial muscles stiffened
like a ghost. His eyes opened wide to look at Morer and then gently moved his lips to make a
mouthpiece - "Shut up."

Morer also widened his eyes at Taeui. Kyle saw that expression and immediately turned
around in confusion. Jeong Taeui pretended to smile as if nothing happened and then
approached Kyle.

"Thanks to you, I can relax like this... ...Who is this?

"Ah, it's a friend I've known for a long time. Morer. His name is Morer Keith, currently
working at the Asia branch of UNHRDO. He's an outstanding talent. Morer, say hello to him,
Mr.Kim has been staying at our house for a few days now.”

Errors in pronunciation are no longer a concern now. Jeong Taeui smiled and bowed his head
to look at Morer.

"Hello, I'm Kim Young Soo. It's because of Mr. Riegrow's hospitality that I'm able to stay
here. It's nice to meet you."

"Haha, just call me Kyle. I already mentioned it when talking about my little brother
Riegrow, doesn't it sound very suitable to me?"

While Kyle laughed with a gentle voice, Taeui and Morer's intense gazes were meeting each
other.

Later, when Rita went back into the mansion, the old woman called out to Kyle.

"Master, Gail has been waiting for 2 hours and wants to see you. I'm sorry to interrupt but
please stop by the drawing room before going to the dining room."

"Gail? Two hours? What's so urgent? –Oh, I'll leave first, you two just go to the dining room
and eat first."

"No need, I'll wait for you to come and eat together. It's better for everyone to eat together."

Jeong Taeui answered politely with a smile that did not reveal any suspicion. Kyle laughed
again haha ​glanced at him and then disappeared into his villa.

The timing matched as if everything was pre-arranged. Now, there are only two people left,
Taeui and Morer.

As soon as Kyle and Rita disappeared, the social smile disappeared from Taeui's face.

"Okay, let's go to the dining room? Rita cooks very well."

"Um, it's true that Rita's skills are great. But - Kim Yong Soo?!"

"Call me Kim."
"Okay. Kim."

Morer nodded as he called his name again with an unpredictable smile on his face. A very
generous and kind smile. He nodded a few times, um, and then shook his head again and
stopped suddenly.

"Kim. Why are you here Tae! Since when did your last name change to Kim!"

Morer's cry sounded no different than a scream. And before the screaming ended, Taeui flew
into a rage.

"Shut mtf Up!"

Taeui resisted the thought of taking the towel wrapped around his head, stuffing it straight
into Moral's mouth and ripping his head off.

Why? Why this guy? If one of the guys from UNHRDO came here like Toura, Alta, for
example, they would definitely know how to keep their mouth shut. But in the end, why does
it have to be someone who is hostile to you like this! I've never heard that this guy is a person
who knows how to keep his mouth shut.

While Jeong Taeui was angry, Morer looked at him with wide eyes and said - "You just stole
and screamed*” - then hit him on the chest. Even though he didn't do anything wrong, it was
a gesture that showed he had no good intentions.

(Moral plays on words: * 적반하장 /Jeong-ban-ha-jang, meaning both stealing and yelling,
the first letter coincides with Taeui's last name, Jeong.)

Jeong Taeui originally thought that today he would quietly pack up his things and leave in
silence, but still couldn't help but immediately come closer and grabbed Morer's neck. The
confused man glared at him.

"Bastard. I gave you back that gun, didn't I?"

Above all, you must fence first. Jeong Taeui growled softly without threatening claws. Morer
frowned. He answered reluctantly.

"I got it."

"So what else do you want from me? I don't owe you anything anymore."

"Debt and hatred are inherently separate from each other. Debt can be repaid but revenge
cannot be forgotten. Do you know how many nights I shed tears after losing that precious
child? Even now just thinking about it makes me..."

"Sorry."

Taeui quickly stopped him. Morer was so confused and surprised by Jeong Taeui's sudden
apology that he could only remain speechless. He looked at Taeui with a strange face.
"Hey, I still have a lot to say. If you apologize, how can I express my dissatisfaction?!"

"Oh sorry! Okay, if you want to vent your anger then feel free to vent your anger on me!
Don't mind me. But after you've finished talking, forget all those grudges, forget everything
Forget about my existence in this world, and forget about ever seeing me here!

Jeong Taeui still held Morer's neck and shook him violently before screaming.

What is Morer?

He blinked a few times then suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"........Aha."

He clicked his tongue inexplicably as if he had discovered something. Jeong Taeui was a bit
restless.

He didn't know what that expression meant, but it certainly wasn't something good for him.
Besides, he quickly noticed the issue of weapons that Taeui had mentioned earlier.

"He, isn't it strange to suddenly disappear like that... as expected, you intentionally caused an
accident at the branch and escaped."

"....."

Taeui was speechless. He quietly looked into Morer's eyes.

What is he trying to predict and what conclusion does he want to draw? Speculating on a
situation even when you don't understand it clearly are the basics that you were taught at
UNHRDO.

He was worried that Morer would say something that would kill him when he looked at him
like that, but fortunately, he spoke confidently as if it was the only thing he could think of.

"Did you... do something to Xinlu?"

He calmly said, there was no doubt that he could only guess that much. His brain went blank
for a moment, it was completely different from what he had been anxiously waiting for just
now.

But on the contrary, his chest suddenly tightened when he heard those words. Anxiety crept
in from the name that he could not expect. Why did Xinlu appear in Morer's story...

"Xinlu? Why Xinlu? What happened?!"

Jeong Taeui unconsciously increased his weight on the already relaxed hand still placed on
his body. Morer, who was caught once again raised his eyebrows in confusion and tilted his
head to look at Taeui.

"What did you do Xinlu?"

Taeui couldn't answer the question and could only squeeze his hand harder.

"Xinlu left! Right after you disappeared for a day or two!"

"What...? Why...."

Taeui stopped shaking his hands and looked at Morer blankly as if he didn't understand what
he just said. Morer grumbled.

"How the hell do I know why? You disappeared and so did Xinlu. I also thought you had an
accident. There were rumors spreading that it was because you raped Xinlu and ran away."
but Xinlu was injured and had to leave."

He grabbed Taeui's hand that was still holding his neck and pulled it away.

"Damn it, why did I meet you here?"

Morer muttered, and that was exactly what Jeong Taeui wanted to say. He looked at him with
skepticism then bowed his head and sat down. I don't even have time to think about that
rumor.

Xinlu left UNHRDO.

Whatever the reason is, perhaps half of it also belongs to him.

"Xinlu...., he said he really liked working there...."

Xinlu once suggested that they both leave the branch, but he also knew how much Xinlu
liked and suited UNHRDO. So I hoped he wouldn't give up just because of me.

Jeong Taeui left without saying goodbye, because he didn't know what to say. Furthermore,
he was too tired at that time. He fell into a muddy puddle deep underground and even thought
he wouldn't be able to hold on anymore. Now, he wishes he could say that. If time could turn
back, he would say goodbye properly.

But what if, even if the two of them meet again someday in the future and talk together, the
fact that he missed the best time to meet each other cannot be changed.

Jeong Taeui quietly lowered his gaze to his feet and then finally raised his head. Morer
looked down at him with a forced face.

"So..., where did Xinlu go? And what is he doing now?"

Taeui asked helplessly, he frowned.

"I don't know how, let me go to his house and see ha!."

"This inhumane bastard. After all, you two are colleagues in the same branch. Aren't you
worried at all about him suddenly quitting his job?"
"Hey kid... ....! Why should I worry about Xinlu? He doesn't care about my life or death! He's
originally the young master of a wealthy family for several generations, so Maybe I'll go
home and start a company or something. Why should I worry about someone who's alive
better than me?"

With a dissatisfied face, Morer raised his voice. Taeui looked at him and took a deep breath.
He wishes someone would knock him out right now.

That’s right. Although Xinlu in his impression is just a weak and fragile child, in reality he is
a smart and intelligent young man. He can do everything well even when no one cares about
it. If he can walk on a new path without him in it, then that's the best thing for him.

It's not exactly Xinlu who needs to worry here, but himself. Taeui struggled to stand up with
difficulty. He thought he would have to warn Morer again but he was too exhausted.

"You know, don't tell anyone in this house that you know me, don't tell anyone that you've
seen me here. I mean forget me. We both don't want anything to do with the other person,
right?"

Taeui said in a mocking voice, Morer looked at him distortedly. He glanced at Taeui and
suddenly spoke as if he was holding Taeui's tail.

"Thinking back, there's nothing interesting about it so I don't really care about it but....., you,
there are some strange rumors about Rick too."

*BAM*

Taeui suddenly showed a shocked expression as if he had just had a hole punched in his face
without realizing it. He felt Morer's eyes staring at him and hastily pretended to be calm, but
it was too late. Indeed, at times like this, he is very sharp.

"Actually, it's you...you're the one who shouldn't be caught, right...?"

He slowly spit out each word. Taeui figured that if he tore off his mouth and tongue right
now, it would be even more pleasurable and smoother than tearing silk. But before Taeui
could put the idea into practice, Morer narrowed his eyes and muttered in a creepy voice.

"There was a time when that crazy guy seemed to be in a very bad mood and kept injuring
others innocently."

Jeong Taeui frowned at Morer's words. He clicked his tongue and whispered. He could only
reluctantly lick his lips and whisper in his mouth.

"I don't know. I didn't do anything."

The words seemed to just lack the words "I'm lying." So obvious that he himself could feel it.
But Morer scratched his head as if not satisfied with that answer and muttered to himself.

"Damn it. I don't know if it's because of Xinlu or not. Because he became insane, I didn't
even dare to talk to him. If I said something against his will, in his madness he would wring
my neck. What should I do? Those few days I had to try to live like an invisible white lotus
flower."

Morer said as if it was a pity that he couldn't talk to Taeui here to witness the scene of his
head falling and bleeding. Jeong Taeui wanted to wipe away the tears in his heart when he
heard those words but at the same time felt relieved. No matter how scared he was, he
couldn't afford to have to communicate with Ilay anymore.

Looking at Taeui's relaxed appearance, Morer snorted and groaned.

"But what if I let out even a single piece of news that reaches the ears of the man who just
left? Even if I don't say it directly, there is no shortage of ears here in the forest. And it can
completely spread transmitted at breakneck speed."

Taeui suppressed the thought of immediately stuffing the rag into the mouth of the man in
front of him.

"Should I tell Tou about this when I return to the branch?"

This damn bastard.

Taeui thought he would be very pleased to cause trouble for him.

The three words - "I am sorry" - just slipped out of his mouth not long ago and he even
pretended to be weak for a moment. But now that he had been teased to the limit by those
words, he had already thrown his disguise into the chicken coop. Taeui opened his eyes wide,
with a tired expression, he looked down at Morer.

"Ah, okay.... So are you okay with those beautiful babies that you have hidden all over the
room? Those babies are probably still sleeping soundly in drawers, under the bed mattress, in
the blankets and in the bedroom and cabinet?"

"They're not there anymore, my dear friend! I moved them to another place because I was
afraid guys like you might touch them!"

Morer's voice was weak as if he wanted to cry from worry. Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue
and casually said - "Aha" - and smirked. They were still there, even if he had moved to
another place, there would be no place to hide them unless he took them off the island
altogether. So, he could only hide it in his room.

"You know that it's forbidden to keep personal weapons in the branch, right?"

"This... Why is you bastard suddenly here? I know everything!"

With a groaning voice, Morer's mind was numb. That's right, that's right. Jeong Taeui felt like
he had an opening in his stomach. At least he has a lifeline to make sure he doesn't get
stabbed in the back.

"Morer."
When Taeui seriously called out to him with a low voice, as if he had guessed, Morer
remained silent for a moment before answering bluntly.

"Say."

"When you come back, don't tell anyone about me, don't say anything, got it? And I won't
report it to the branch either. You know, everything is fine. Right?"

"Okay. Then keep your mouth shut. But if there's an unscheduled room check and if anything
happens to my pretty babies, I'll take it as a problem from you and I'll tell everything too."

"....... Whatever."

Taeui wasn't sure when such checks would be carried out, but there were two random
inspections a year on average. By that time, he will no longer be here and may have left
Europe altogether.

When that time came, even if the monster's fangs could reach here, it would be too late.

*****************************************
 Vol 4 - Chapter 10: Fateful phone call.

Two of them looked at each other for a moment, even though they were not very satisfied, but
nonetheless, the agreement was tacitly established. Jeong Taeui put his hand through the shirt
still hanging on his shoulder and slowly buttoned it up. He turned around. He had to go to the
dining room now. If he was late, he would have to receive Rita's fiery eyes during mealtime.
Morer had been here a few times and seemed to have the same brainwave frequency as Taeui
at the moment, so he quietly followed Taeui. The two walked side by side towards the
restaurant. Everything they wanted to say had been said, and the two of them had nothing
more to say to each other.

Taeui didn't want to speak, and didn't have the strength to speak either.

He walked a little faster when he saw the dining room door appear. Then, as if suddenly
remembering something, he turned back to ask Morer secretly.

“But how is the branch these days? Is everyone okay? Is there nothing special? Something
like an officer suddenly absent, or something like a search operation in the branch branch to
find someone, for example...."

Morer looked at him strangely as if he didn't understand why he was asking these things. His
face stiffened as if he wanted to get the point. He tilted his head for a moment then answered
bluntly.

"You've been gone for so long, so why are you still asking about those things? The branch is
still the same. But what's special..., if you say something has changed since you left, it's
probably neutral Rick's second-lieutenant. The fourth second-lieutenant assigned to him last
Monday was taken to an outside hospital on Thursday. And then Rick said he didn't need a
second-lieutenant anymore, so there were only four casualties."

After pausing for a moment, Morer looked at Taeui with a very dissatisfied expression.

The guy started.

"What the hell are you really doing? Because of you, we can't even say a word to him. That
monster controlled himself a bit after coming to work as a lecturer, but now he's lost his
mind. Even if he made a small mistake, he would log that person out of the sever ‘Earth’.
Those days were absolutely bloody”

Morer whispered as if he would really die if someone caught him. He expressed sympathy for
Taeui as he spoke.

"Come to think of it, aren't you the one who should take the position next to that crazy guy?"
He said sympathetically but then turned around as quickly as lightning. "But thinking back,
you're really a bad person for running away and giving that position to someone else."

What Morer said is not wrong, he is like that.

Just now Jeong Taeui thought he was going to strangle this man. He looked at Morer's neck
and then opened the dining room door. Kyle was already sitting inside, and Rita was looking
at him with scary eyes.

"I'm sorry for being late." He muttered and quickly sat down.

"I just arrived, don't worry."

Taeui looked at Kyle with grateful eyes when he heard that extremely warm voice. At times
like this he thought of one thing, it was unbelievable that a man like this could be Ilay's
brother. He sighed quietly and nibbled on some vegetables from the appetizer. Before, Ilay
was already a murderous maniac, but now his situation was even worse, as if his brutality had
been upgraded to a new level. I originally thought that this was his limit before, but who
would have thought that he could be even crazier than that.

Jeong Taeui used to think things like "I even have two more limits I haven't reached yet." It
was just a joke, but when those thoughts appeared in his mind, he suddenly felt the cruel
reality and unconsciously trembled.

I guess he was also very angry. His terse words of warning echoed again, "Don't get caught."
seemed very useful right now, because he was 10/10 sure that "If I get caught, I will die."

But the good news is that it seems he has no intention of leaving or conducting an outside
search.

Ilay didn't seem that angry. There's no other way, probably everything you did to him wasn't
enough to make him care enough to think he had to find Jeong Taeui.

"......It's a bit sad to think like that......I thought you would appear even if it's just a claw...."

Taeui mumbled to himself while eating. Kyle and Morer looked at each other with confused
expressions. He wondered if they could hear what he had just accidentally said and quickly
closed his mouth.

********************************************

Jeong Taeui was a bit reluctant to leave this house.

Even though he stayed here for a short time, he became familiar with everyone here, and he
was able to comfortably relax for a long time. But now he had been caught by that damn
bastard, so no matter how he could silence him, he had to leave here immediately.

Another huge reason is that with that guy named Ilay, Taeui can never feel secure. He packed
his few belongings with a sports bag just like when he arrived here.

Jeong Taeui leisurely prepared his things and stared intently at the wall adjacent to Morer's
room next door. He could have rested a little longer in this cozy house if it weren't for his
presence. But thinking back, if he just stayed in one place here, he would have no way to find
his brother.
Even though he was still searching without any plans, he still had to pretend like he was
trying his best to find him in front of him. Besides, he also wanted to meet hyung.

He wanted to see his indifferent face but to him there was not a trace of coldness, wanted to
hear his quiet but not distant voice.

"East, West, South, North, where should I go now? He probably won't go to North Korea. I
can't go that far........ there's an embargo there too."

Jeong Taeui patted his neatly prepared luggage bag and seriously thought about going to have
a fortune teller. It was late at night but the sun was still high in the sky. If you decide to leave
today, you should leave before the sun sets.

Jeong Taeui resolutely stood up. Although his heart was heavy when he decided to leave,
everything had been arranged. All he should do now was say a brief goodbye to Kyle, Rita,
and the others before leaving.

Luckily, Kyle was home. He brought Morer here, then went back to work, and then returned
a few hours later. Even though work was still piled up there, he still calmly smiled and said,
"Until today, this is still my vacation."

Jeong Taeui muttered to the tightly closed door.

"It's true that having to sit in the office while it's still on vacation is useless, even an office
worker wouldn't be able to do anything."

Jeong Taeui walked out into the quiet hallway, thinking about leaving like this made him feel
even more regretful. He really wanted to kick Morer out of here instead of having to leave,
but after all, this was Kyle's house. His hospitality to Morer made him reluctant to take
action.

When walking through the hallway and living room to get to the office, Jeong Taeui did not
meet anyone.

He took a deep breath, remembering Rita's presence from the kitchen, the gardener coming
and going in the garden outside, and the other guests resting in the room.

In the past, Ilay was also here.

Even if that inhumane guy stays here, this place will still have the same rhythm of life.

And now, he feels like he has to step out of his daily routine.

He hopes one day he can return to this peaceful place again.

Jeong Taeui sighed, smiled and moved step by step. He walked through the living room and
climbed the stairs where the study was. That is the staircase that only leads to that room. If
you want to go to other rooms on the second floor, you will have to go by the stairs between
the dining room and living room.
It seems like the room is quite a precious place in this house. Anyway, it had to be, because it
was like a treasure trove of humanity's library, it was filled with books that Kyle treasured
like his life. And at the same time, this is like Kyle's second company. When he's there you
can go into the library and check out books with his permission, but when he's away it's
always locked. He couldn't even take any books out of that room. Because he is truly a crazy
fan of books. Jeong Taeui smiled and went up the stairs.

When he knocked on the thick wooden door in front of the office, Kyle's voice rang out softly
from inside. After hearing the sound of inviting him in, Taeui immediately opened the door.
Kyle was staring at the file through his thin silver-rimmed glasses for a while without raising
his head even after he stepped inside. Then he finally looked up after writing something at
the bottom of that document.

Jeong Taeui didn't mind that, but he was also a bit surprised because this was the first time he
saw Kyle in the office. His appearance is very different from what he usually shows on a
daily basis.

Perhaps this feeling was similar to the feeling he had when he first saw him in Hong Kong. It
was as if he was surrounded by a thin, impenetrable membrane while he worked. It's like
becoming a different person to adapt to each different type of environment. Taeui felt like he
had just recognized another side of Kyle and quietly observed the man without saying a
word.

Noticing Taeui's appearance, Kyle smiled naturally like the friendly smile he showed to
anyone. Kyle put down the pen and file in his hand and took off his glasses.

"Kim, what's wrong? Is there a book you want to read? You can read anything you want
here."

Kyle said and pointed towards the bookshelf, Taeui shook his head.

"No, I have something to tell you........ But you look busy, maybe too much work?..."

Jeong Taeui muttered when he saw a document he had just written on a moment ago. Kyle
rubbed his temples as if tired and smiled.

"I'm not usually that busy, but there have been a number of problems that have happened in
the past few days, one by one."

"......If you need any help, is there anything I can help you with?"

Jeong Taeui hesitated for a moment and asked. It seems like there's nothing I can do to help,
but it's polite to ask, and if there's anything I can do, I'd be happy to lend a hand. But Kyle
shook his head.

"No, it's okay. It's not a big deal, sometimes things like this happen."

Kyle motioned for Taeui to sit in the chair across from him at the table in the middle of the
room and nodded vaguely with a sigh.
Taeui glanced at the pile of documents on the table, wondering if the problem came from
these files, and Kyle smiled to meet his gaze as if realizing.

"It has nothing to do with these things. There are a few problems that often arise regarding
weapons and my younger brother."

Jeong Taeui was silent. He shrugged his shoulders to appear normal, but secretly his ears
were pricked up like a dog. He doesn't want Kyle to know about the relationship between him
and his brother, so it's hard to get any more information, but if he asks about the reason for
those problems, it might be revealed. So it's best to just pretend to be deaf and dumb.

He muttered complaints to himself.

"An arms manufacturing and trading company sounds big, but to put it simply, we are an
arms dealer. So of course the company is also attacked a lot. Not to mention human rights
organizations and religious groups, rebels elsewhere often attack us and sometimes we are
also threatened by armed terrorist groups. In this case, it’s not just about trading weapons, it's
about equipping your side with weapons."

Kyle sighed and flipped through the pile of papers to see if it was related to the paper placed
right on top and then put it down.

"That would be very uncomfortable."

Jeong Taeui nodded and muttered. Of course, it is impossible to trade weapons with rebels or
armed terrorist groups. If you trade weapons with them, then it will no longer simply be
selling weapons but will become arms smuggling. And if this leaks out, the business should
close immediately.

The reality is that arms trading businesses cannot conduct transactions purely, but they must
circumvent the law to do so illegally. So even rebels can own weapons with just money and
power. If you are involved in the arms trade and only trade cleanly without any tricks, you
will definitely be considered stupid people who don't know anything.

Jeong Taeui suddenly smiled bitterly. I remember UNHRDO. And then he thought about
UNHRDO's relationship with this man. A bad memory suddenly came back to my mind.
Memories that he never wanted to remember. Memories that will forever have no solution but
only sadness and heaviness.

Perhaps Kyle doesn't want to mention too much about things related to the arms trade. He
changed the subject.

"Because of the nature of my work, the company I'm working for now has a pretty good
information network. So I'm often asked to find out about this and that." Kyle still seems to
remember his story.

"Aren't you also looking for someone? Just tell me whenever you want, I can't be sure that I'll
find that person but I'll do my best anyway."
Jeong Taeui smiled shyly and once again politely refused.

"Thank you for your kindness."

He didn't want to tell this man his brother's name and asked for his help in finding him. But
thinking back, there was no way he hadn't asked Kyle for help. If Kyle finds out, he doesn't
want him to know where his brother is.

"But not long ago, my younger brother also argued with me to find someone."

Taeui felt guilty. He smiled indifferently - "Oh, is that so?"

His palms became wet, he unconsciously grabbed the edge of his pants.

"What kind of person are you?"

"Well...., that is."

Kyle looked confused for some reason, he frowned and thought for a moment then sighed
and spoke.

"Even though I don't know the details, after a little investigation, it was the nephew of a
friend of mine. I don't know why he didn't answer when I asked why I was looking for him,
but yes It seems like that person has broken his heart. My younger brother, I think I've said it
before, because his personality is quite strange. He's the kind of person who can't forgive
those who touch him."

He knows it only too well. Besides his family, he is probably the person most familiar with
that temperament. It can be said that he's an extremely cruel but also very special personality.

Jeong Taeui muttered to himself then realized that it was nothing to be proud of and became
sullen. Even if he could say it to gain sympathy, he couldn't brag about it.

"Um....so, have you found the person your brother wants?"

Jeong Taeui said each word calmly, pretending not to know anything. Suddenly, his
expression looked as if he wanted to say - ‘Okay........ The killer is you! So…’

It sounded like a scary ghost story, he rubbed his trembling arms.

"No, it's not that easy. He hasn't left any traces since the last time my brother and he met.
Maybe he faked his identity so we still have to find him, so we still have to find the person
who helped him change his identity”

Kyle bit his lip. Jeong Taeui nodded dryly with an expression as if it was none of his
business.

Actually, he also wants to tell him that the person who helped "him" change that person's
identity is his very close friend.
He discovered that up until this point, it was completely impossible for Ilay to have guessed
who he had become and where he was now. But that doesn't mean Ilay won't cling to his
uncle and ask him to reveal his whereabouts.

From the bottom of his heart, Jeong Taeui felt scared. Even though Ilay is still at the Asia
branch, he can still use his claws to reach everywhere to find Taeui's whereabouts. However,
it seems that besides giving him a new identity, his uncle has also erased all traces of him.

Thank you, uncle! he will definitely work hard to find Jae-hyung. Even though he couldn't
utter a word, Taeui still rubbed his trembling heart as he said thank you to his uncle, even
though he couldn't hear anything. When he heard sporadic news about Ilay, his anxiety grew
greater and greater. Could he really leave here? Is there any place in the world safer than this?
This is the place that monster's claws will never reach!

After thinking a little more, Jeong Taeui's fiery will to find his brother just now suddenly died
down. He felt that staying in this house was the best choice, as long as Morer kept his mouth
shut. But in the end, Taeui still had to speak.

"It's a bit sudden, but I have something to tell you."

Kyle nodded as if remembering Taeui's purpose of coming here. He smiled and told him to
feel free to say anything. Jeong Taeui hesitated a bit then opened his mouth.

"Looks like I have to leave here earlier than planned."

Kyle smiled in surprise and looked at Jeong Taeui. He frowned slightly and asked.

"Why so suddenly? Do you feel any inconvenience?"

"No. Thank you, I've had a very comfortable time here. As I mentioned before, I need to find
someone... So I can't stay here forever. "

Jeong Taeui said with a calm smile. Kyle looked at him for a moment and sighed in
disappointment. But it seems like he's already used to this. Because the house always has
guests coming in and out, the joy when guests come and the disappointment when they leave
are probably just like everyday things in the district.

"Um, is that so? Where are you going?"

"Ah...., first I'll go to the airport."

It's time to call you home. After calling you at the airport, I'll go somewhere else. He has no
way to know his brother's whereabouts, so right now he has no specific destination.

"The airport? Are you planning to go far?"

“No, it's not that, but I need to make a phone call….”

"Call?"
At Taeui's words, Kyle became confused. Jeong Taeui could only scratch his head and
wonder if he had accidentally said something wrong.

"That's it, I need to make a phone call without leaving a trace, so I'll go to the airport to make
the call and then go somewhere else."

Upon hearing those words, Kyle seemed to understand the problem and nodded. Suddenly,
the corners of his lips curled up.

"If that's the case, then you don't have to go that far to make a call, you can do it right here.
My office is just as secure as my company's. Even though the network is no matter how good
the tracking is, it's impossible to track anything done here. Unless you have another reason to
go to the airport besides making a phone call, then just call here. It'll be fine. I'm a little tired
and thirsty, so I'll go ask Rita for a cup of tea and sip it slowly to relax."

Kyle stood up. Taeui awkwardly mumbled - "Ah, um" - but it seemed like Kyle thought
differently. So he bluntly stated with certainty - "I can 100% guarantee that it won't be
tracked" - then walked out of the study room.

"Let's talk later. When do you want to leave?"

No, I was originally planning on leaving tonight, but before Jeong Taeui could say the first
word, Kyle had already closed the door and left.

Jeong Taeui was suddenly left alone in the study room. He blinked for a moment and looked
at the silently closed door with no signs of reopening in sight. The sound of distant footsteps
going down the stairs echoed outside.

"...."

Taeui scratched his head and glanced at his phone.

What Kyle said is probably true. He couldn't ask anything more because it seemed like it was
an untraceable phone. Anyway, he very politely left so I could make the call. If I hadn't, it
would have seemed a bit rude.

Perhaps because he heard the name Ilay before, he felt a bit uncomfortable. His fingers
scrolled through each number slowly.

I'd rather ask my uncle about the situation. That's right. Maybe that would be better.

Morer said that Ilay became more and more brutal. He must have lost his mind.

A leopard can't change its spots. There was a person who was not afraid to tear him apart and
kill him immediately, but he let that person slip away, so it was natural for him to go crazy.
But thinking about it another way, it seems like he has caused many other people to fall into
misery just for his own safety. But up until now, he had understood the nature of the people
there, so this was a bit fair. It's all over. First, he'll call his unlce and ask how bad Ilay’s
temper has gotten and to what extent he's hunting for him.
After his finger passed the last number, the phone began to beep and beep. It was only when
the signal connected that Taeui realized that he hadn't considered the time difference at all.

He glanced at the clock, it was still not dark. If so, it would have been past midnight with
him. He thought for a moment, after all, he was someone who slept quite late. If he hung up
now, he would have to come back here to borrow the phone again later. Moreover, uncle is
not in the room during the day, so he will have to consider the time to call between morning
and evening. It's really not easy even if it's just a phone call. Damn it, if he woke up from his
sleep then so be it.

More than one beep rang out, with no sign of reply from the other end of the line. Maybe he
was sleeping soundly or maybe he wasn't in the room right now, maybe he was in the
bathroom, that's why he couldn't answer the phone.

Should he call back later? If so, he'll have to go to the airport to quickly make a call and leave
somewhere else.

Finally, the long beeping sound stopped. Jeong Taeui was about to put down the receiver, but
somehow he brought the receiver closer to his ear. No sound is emitted at all. He was about to
put it down again as if he hadn't even noticed that the person on the other end had picked up
the phone silently.

"......Hello?"

Because he didn't see what the other person said, he spoke first. Jeong Taeui wondered if he
had dialed the wrong number. He stared at the phone screen, it was indeed his uncle's
number.

Is there something wrong with the phone?

"Hello, uncle?"

If he still doesn't get a response this time, he'll hang up and call back later.

Jeong Taeui called him again. 10 seconds later or maybe longer, the person on the other end
of the line finally spoke.
Vol 4 - Chapter 11: "I will definitely bring you back in front of
me."

["You should have called two minutes earlier. Officer Jeong Changin was talking to me here
until then but Mao was in touch so he just left a while ago."]

It was a quiet, indifferent, and a bit languid voice.

And hidden deep inside is a fang and scary claws.

"........"

["It won't take long. He'll probably be back in about 10 minutes."]

Jeong Taeui was too familiar with this voice.

And he also knows that the person who owns this voice will definitely recognize him with
just those two hellos.

["In the meantime, let me talk to you. Or it would be better if you tell me what's going on, I'm
listening."]

A faint smile mixed in his voice.

After pondering the voice that was still pouring into his ears word by word for a long time,
Jeong Taeui softly lowered his voice.

"....Ilay."

Ilay Riegrow.

He never thought that someone other than his uncle would pick up the phone at this hour. He
knew that uncle might be sleeping or wouldn't answer the phone for a few different reasons,
but he never expected someone else to answer the call. And what's more, that other person
was that man.

["It's been a while, Taeil. You unfaithful!"]

["From the sound of your voice, it seems like you're still doing well, right? You must have
been worried since you've never contacted me again, huh? Whether you're injured or not, and
where you are, you should update me a bit, shouldn't you?"]

He whispered softly. Even though Jeong Taeui had heard this voice many times, he still
almost lost his reason for it.

He really paid attention and was looking for him.

How long has it been since Taeui heard that person's voice?

Not that long. No, Taeui thinks he just heard this voice yesterday. That was the voice and face
that entered his dreams, every day.

Everything becomes strange. His restless heart continuously echoed with thumping.....,
thumping.....slowly.

["Where are you now?"]

He asked briefly. With that gentle and gentle voice, it felt like his heart was being strangled
by someone.

Jeong Taeui was silent for a moment then smiled bitterly. He suddenly realized something
while still shaking in fear when he heard this man's voice.

"Deep down, he felt an unnamed excitement. He didn't know what the happiness creeping
into every cell of his being was. Perhaps it was the joy of having stayed away from this man
for so long, or maybe... alright. He couldn't even admit that it was simply an unnamed joy."

Taeui's bitter smile seemed to have entered the receiver. Ilay was silent for a moment.

["You seem to be doing well. I'm happy that you're doing well. If there's anything good,
please tell me. These past few days, I feel like I want to die."]

The past few days seemed to appear with every word Ilay said as if he had really gone
through such a gloomy and dark time.

Hearing that strange low voice, Jeong Taeui instinctively jumped.

"If I were next to this man right now, I'd be dead."

"Do you feel like you want to die... But you don't have any reason to do so. Ilay, UNHRDO
will always operate well, and it's also the place where you can freely do what you want and
carry out everything according to your wishes. So, what is the reason for wanting to die?
Could it be that you've gone through something unpleasant?"

Taeui slowly opened his mouth. He initially wanted to add more sarcasm and irony to his
words, but since he was only an amateur, his ability was limited. However, it still sounded
alright. After all, the other man wasn't someone who couldn't understand his clumsy sarcasm.

["....You're so proud."]

The smile disappeared from his voice. His heart was pounding.

Taeui thinks that the feeling of horror right now is more like pleasure. Maybe this is also how
people feel when watching horror movies.

["Taeil. You've suffered quite a bit while you've been here."]

Suddenly, Ilay said something seemingly unrelated. Jeong Taeui raised his eyebrows and
listened to those words. He slowly spit out each word.

"Oh right, I went through such a miserable time working alongside you. My colleagues
turned their backs on me because of that damned reason, and besides that, the fact is that I
also played a part in the disgrace of UNHRDO. So, how could I not have suffered greatly
while being there?"

Jeong Taeui smirked.

Fragments of memories at that place appeared one after another through Ilay's short words.
Each event flashed through his mind. Those things that can't be easily erased are never things
that Taeui wants to remember.

".....You talk like you know everything. But do you think you really understand people's
hearts?"

That's right. Jeong Taeui whispered bitterly through clenched teeth. You. You are the one who
has belittled others' minds and considered them insignificant; you can't understand anyone's
feelings at all. But if you could feel those emotions and still acted that way, that would be a
hundred times worse.

Ilay laughed. It seemed he felt more comfortable not having to hear Taeui's sarcastic laugh
anymore.

["You're exaggerating, Taeil. I mean right now, because you've been through a lot too, I can
only give you one piece of advice. It's very important for you."]

Jeong Taeui was silent for a moment. Ilay's low voice seemed to be whispering right next to
his ear.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to this, what is it?"

He asked reluctantly. After that, Ilay slowly gritted her teeth and whispered each word, each
word in a voice that seemed to come from the dark shadow.

["Don't get caught."]

It seemed like this voice came from hell.

Those were things he had heard before. But that time it wasn't too terrible. That's because the
person who said those words was his uncle, and he was simply giving him advice, literally.

Jeong Taeui suddenly got goosebumps, his hands that no longer had any blood left
unconsciously grabbed himself.

"........ Thank you for the advice, I will keep it in mind. I also know how to value my precious
life."
Jeong Taeui said bitterly, suddenly, a laugh rang out from inside the receiver. For a moment,
he seemed to calm down before the familiar sound.

Ilay whispered with a cold smile.

["Valuing life... ..? A person who knows how to value his life would run away like that? I
thought you had already decided to give up your life that day."]

"No way. If this life wasn't precious, I wouldn't have to endure those rotten days in that
place."

There were a few times when I had to hold back the thought of wanting to wring his neck
down just because I regretted the rest of my beautiful life.

When will he be defeated by someone else?

Is it because this is just a phone call, or because he thinks he can outsmart him? Jeong Taeui
had said everything in his heart to Ilay. Anyway, this is just a phone call and it can't be traced,
so he had to shout loudly when such a thing

["Jeong Taeil. I'm actually starting to worry about you... What the hell are you planning on
doing when you see me later?"]

Ilay sighed and muttered as if he was really worried. That made him feel like a cat playing
with a mouse. Jeong Taeui responded with words from the bottom of his heart.

"Of course, we will never meet again, you fool. I would die before I let you catch me, I'm
sure you're going crazy trying to find me, right? But where do you plan to catch me?"

After Jeong Taeui nonchalantly fired a shot, Ilay was silent for a while.

*Tock, tock*

A familiar sound came from the stethoscope. The moment he heard those rhythms, Jeong
Taeui seemed to be able to picture in his mind the whole appearance of Ilay right now. He
will sit on the chair in front of the desk, holding the receiver in one hand, with the other hand
slowly tapping the armrest of the chair or on the table.

As always.

Suddenly, his heart felt like it was rolling in waves. He still unconsciously does that familiar
movement and sometimes doesn't even realize it. He was still there, just like before.

A feeling of longing and perhaps even bitterness crept into his heart, replacing the dark anger.

Taeui still remembered how angry he was when he left that place. Perhaps life at UNHRDO
has not yet completely faded from his memory. Maybe he will remember him one day, when
time passes and memory gradually fades and bad memories gradually disappear. But even
then, he would probably still remember this man the same way as before. That's because he
still appears in my dreams every day. He is always here, in Jeong Taeui's memories.
Jeong Taeui let out a vague breath that he couldn't even tell whether it was a laugh or a sigh.
Ilay was silent for a moment at Taeui's words and then suddenly spoke.

"You said you didn't want your teeth broken, right?"

Jeong Taeui was momentarily startled by his sudden question. But without needing to recall
his memories, he soon remembered what he had just said to Ilay on the last night before
leaving UNHRDO. Although the meaning was slightly different, the main idea was the same.

But it would be great to see the sharp fangs of this monster that attacks people being worn
away.

Jeong Taeui remained silent, not wanting to correct Ilay. And silence also seems to be an
affirmation. Ilay smiled slightly. That silly smile was filled with anger as if the memories of
that day were vividly recalled in his every word.

["Okay. Since it's so precious, I'll spare your life."]

He said smiling. But it seemed like it was no longer just laughter. A gray color covered his
voice. It seemed like he was angry. The anger was suppressed to the point of being
unbearable and then seeping out like venom filling every word of Ilay.

["Do you think I will kill you so easily? Didn't you say that you hate being around me so
much? If so then prepare to enjoy such a horrible life until you die. I want you to suffer like
that every day."]

The frost blurred Jeong Taeui's voice, word by word. And it also covers Jeong Taeui's heart.

["No matter where you hide, no matter how long it takes, don't you think I can find you?
Don't worry, at any cost, I will definitely bring you back in front of me."]

The anger seeping into Ilay's heart also seemed to pierce straight through Jeong Taeui's cold
chest.

He was silent for a moment. Taeui thought he would be angry. That's right, with Ilay's
temperament, he probably won't just get angry for a moment and then calm down
immediately. Maybe he was even silently cursing and planning to tear him apart. A thought
popped into his mind. For something like this, perhaps even Jeong Taeui himself or anyone
else would get mad.

But he completely did not expect Ilay's silent, silent rage at this moment. Ilay's persistent,
gloomy, dark, even somewhat difficult feeling of discomfort seemed to penetrate through the
receiver and envelope Jeong Taeui.

"....Just do what you want if you can."

Jeong Taeui spoke softly. His breathing, his anger, and his every gesture seemed to be
lingering right in his ears.
Taeui suddenly panicked. It was a vague fear. It was not fear of the pain and suffering he
would face if caught. But it's a little different that can't be put into words.

He couldn't imagine what the anger was in him now, it was a persistent anger covered by
darkness. Jeong Taeui suddenly realized that he didn't even know what was in that darkness.
That is indeed very scary.

"Say hello to my uncle for me. And tell him that everything is going well."

Jeong Taeui spoke briefly. He didn't want to continue this conversation any longer because
his heartbeat felt like it was exploding in his chest right now. He also wanted to block out the
responses of the man on the other side of the receiver, because the vague breathing sounds in
his ear were creepy.

This man is dangerous. I felt it from the first time I watched his video.

He's too dangerous.

Because he had been close to him for a long time, he thought he must have become blind. He
was so used to the dangerous atmosphere when he was with him that he became numb and
indifferent to that danger.

So stupid.

["........ Wait…"]

When Jeong Taeui was about to hang up, a voice suddenly came from inside the receiver,
even a bit urgent and vague. He seemed very anxious to call Jeong Taeui.

He turned back to the receiver that had just left his ear and waited for his next words.

But Ilay just remained silent without saying anything else. He was just silent like that, like he
didn't know why he called him back so urgently. Jeong Taeui waited patiently without saying
a word.

Those quiet moments passed slowly. Only the sound of low breathing remained through the
stethoscope. Those seemed to be the only sounds for him to determine that the person on the
other side of the phone was still there.

Quiet. Neither of them spoke up first. The two remained silent, listening to each other's
breathing.

How long has it been?

Jeong Taeui vaguely heard footsteps coming from downstairs to the study room. In the quiet
space, the sound of footsteps grew closer and then farther away. Only after hearing those
shoes did Jeong Taeui startle himself out of the silence as if he had just woken up from a
dream.
This was not a place where he could stay for long, a clock caught his eye. By now, Kyle
should have finished drinking his tea.

"......Goodbye."

Jeong Taeui spoke briefly and put down the receiver. The clicking sound also means the call
is disconnected.

But even after he put the phone down, he still looked at it silently for a moment.

Jeong Taeui slowly tilted his head.

Strange.

He had actually just talked to Ilay, but it wasn't as scary as he had imagined.

"Is it true that the memories are gradually fading?.....The parts that need to be forgotten are
forgotten, but there are some things that don't want to be remembered and remembered
clearly."

Taeui muttered to himself with a sigh. Although he knows those memories will take a long
time to fade.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head. Try to understand what is going on with his heart right now.

"Would I want to meet him?"

As soon as he asked himself, he already knew the answer. Jeong Taeui shook his head
vigorously. Maybe he wouldn't kill him, but he probably wasn't kidding when he said he
would make him live the rest of his life in misery.

The moment he and Ilay meet, it is certain that his life will take a turn for the worse.

No. He doesn't want to meet him either.

Jeong Taeui shook his head a few times then sighed and turned away.

Kyle said he would come back after a cup of tea but he hasn't arrived yet. Maybe it's because
when he came back he was still on the phone. So it would be better if he went out now and
told him that his call ended well.

That's right. After thanking him, he will leave. Get out.

Leaving here..... Where is he going? Where would he have to go to find his brother? He didn't
even have a clue.

Jeong Taeui sighed softly, suddenly, he felt relieved. What's it like to just go somewhere?

"But, I also really like everyone...."

Jeong Taeui silently closed the heavy wooden door of the office.
When he said he was still leaving, Kyle's face visibly drooled. He always seemed sad when
he had to say goodbye to his beloved friends even though he was used to seeing people come
and go as if it were a part of his life.

It seemed that because he was so sad, he left first, leaving Jeong Taeui who became a bad
person when he decided to leave here.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head and walked down the stairs, then burst out laughing.

Perhaps because of the feeling of regret when someone leaves like this, there must always be
other guests coming to him now and then. Even for Jeong Taeui himself. He thought that he
would visit this place again when time passed favorably and circumstances permitted him to
do so.

"Actually, if it weren't for that bastard, I'd still want to stay here a little longer... what are the
petitioners in the narrow lane…."

Jeong Taeui grumbled dissatisfied and strode up the stairs.

At that moment.

"........!"

When there were only five or six steps left on the narrow, shiny wooden staircase, Jeong
Taeui carelessly slipped on the stairs, probably because he accidentally took a slightly wider
stride.

His feet slipped in the air. By the time he tried to lower his foot on the next step, his body had
lost its center of gravity.

"UH."

He didn't know if he screamed or not, he wasn't conscious enough to realize it clearly. A loud
noise echoed throughout the house.

Jeong Taeui fell down the stairs.

 Vol 4 - Chapter 12: "He must hate me a lot."

Jeong Changin paused as he stepped into the room.

As soon as he opened the door, he could clearly feel the icy cold atmosphere and a chill
running down his spine.

Riegrow was sitting at the desk.

With one hand propping his chin, he was silently lost in thought. His cold eyes seemed to
have frozen to the point where only a dark hue remained.

What is this? He had only been out of the room for at most twenty minutes, yet upon
returning, the atmosphere had become so suffocating it felt as if his chest was being
squeezed.

Jeong Changin struggled with himself for a moment, he didn't want to enter his own room but
couldn't turn back either. So, he quietly walked in. Jeong Changin knew that once Riegrow's
cold eyes turned dark and his face expressionless, it would be dangerous.

He quietly closed the door behind him and tilted his head. Perhaps Riegrow knew he was
there, but he didn't glance up, remaining silent in his thoughts. When there were matters to
discuss, Ilay, his brother, Jeong Changin and UNHRDO would connect and meet face-to-face
if possible. In the past, when the two brothers were on the other side of the earth, they would
often talk on the phone with multiple layers of security, though it wasn't an ideal method.
Despite blocking numerous signal-detecting devices to confirm the source of the call and
prevent information leaks, nothing was perfect; once security was activated, detection could
still occur.

Calling as much as they wanted was possible but not advisable frequently. Hence, they only
discussed minor issues over the phone and reserved important discussions for face-to-face
meetings or trusted messengers.

This had become a routine, and even after Riegrow moved to Hong Kong, they occasionally
met. Given the nature of UNHRDO's operations, the cables inside the branch were
considered safer than externally secured cables, making external security devices unnecessary
when in the same building.

Today was no different, they were to discuss work, specifically the power dynamics within
the branch. Riegrow had come to his office after a long time to discuss these matters.
However, just as they began talking, Mao contacted Changin with a similar issue, causing
him to leave for about ten minutes, or possibly up to twenty.

Riegrow browsed the bookshelf while waiting and was lost in thought with an expressionless
face when Jeong Changin entered the room.

"....."
This doesn't look good.

Jeong Changin thought as he approached Riegrow with a nonchalant expression. In his

memory, this atmosphere never led to a good outcome, especially if the person in front of you
was an ice-cold monster.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting. Are you reading a book?"

He pretended not to notice the current state, but Riegrow didn't respond. It seemed he was
still immersed in his own thoughts, not even glancing up once.

Jeong Changin wanted to lower the uncomfortable atmosphere as much as possible. It had
only been a few dozen minutes, surely there was a reason for this.

Jeong Changin was wearing the uniform required for the evening meeting with his superiors.
He took it off and quietly tilted his head. Alright, one issue at a time, try to think of a
plausible point.

Riegrow's mood had been bad for a while. He exuded a menacing aura so intense that even
those unaware of his previous cruelties could clearly perceive it. Jeong Changin knew exactly
when this started.

It was the night Taeui left UNHRDO.

That day, Jeong Changin's heart sank. His nephew had come to bid farewell without a word.

When Taeui arrived, he only carried a sports bag and nodded slightly through the half-open
door. Jeong Changin saw him off with a simple nod, as if he were invisible.

"Uncle. I think you're using me."

After returning from the fourth floor that day, his nephew spoke to him with a sigh. Although
Jeong Changin didn't think so, if the exploitation the boy mentioned was a burning desire for
something, he was right.

Even though his nephew was angry and cold towards him, Jeong Changin still remembered
the boy. Even if his ultimate desire was far from what people thought.

After Taeui left, Jeong Changin sat in silence for a while before slowly standing up. Such
matters were trivial and mundane. He still had a lot to do. The things he created should be
disposed of by himself.

Jeong Changin went to Riegrow's room, considering him an accomplice. Because he had
helped him in this matter.

It was late, but he didn't care.

Riegrow, even while asleep, could immediately wake up if anyone stood before his door.
Jeong Changin knocked without hesitation. Contrary to expectations, there was no
movement. Perhaps he was in the bathroom or listening to music and couldn't hear. Jeong
Changin knocked again, this time louder. Then, he heard a sound from inside.

"Rick? I'm coming in."

With that, Jeong Changin slightly opened the door and looked inside. At that moment, he felt
as if he were suffocating.

A shocking scene unfolded before him. Even in his dreams, he couldn't imagine this.

Riegrow was tied up.

His wrists were cuffed to the bedpost, leaving him unable to move.

Riegrow, like a madman, slowly lifted his eyes, looking towards Jeong Changin. It was as if
he had just woken up from unconsciousness.

However, his vision was still blurry. His eyes blinked a few times as if gradually restoring the
clarity of his once murky consciousness.

At the same time, Jeong Changin detected a familiar yet strange scent. Despite the air
conditioning, the smell of Chloroform lingered.

It seemed to be the cause of Riegrow's unconsciousness.

Who could have done this to him?

Perhaps Jeong Changin was the first to consider the possibility, not needing long to think of
an answer. There was no reason. As soon as the question arose, he immediately thought of
someone.

That nephew... before leaving, the boy must have struck the right spot and fled.

Jeong Changin clicked his tongue, stepped into the room, and approached Riegrow. The key
to his handcuffs was placed on the bedside table. Whether it was one of the things driving
him crazy or not, his gaze was so icy it was as if something within reach was rendered futile
by his still-murky consciousness.

Changin didn't know if the key had caught his eye while he was still trying to escape the
metal shackles. He picked up the key and glanced at the clock. By this time, Taeui would be
on a ship bound for Hong Kong. Even if he used all his strength to chase now, it would be too
late.

He unlocked the cuffs. Then, Jeong Changin tossed the chloroform-soaked towel from the
nightstand into the bathroom and closed the door. He thought that once Riegrow's wrists were
freed, despite the chloroform's effects, the monstrous man would miraculously get up and run
to the dock immediately. But contrary to his expectations, once Riegrow regained freedom
for his hands, he lay there silently for a long time.

"....Are you okay?"

Jeong Changin spoke and brought him some water. His gaze remained fixed on the ceiling,
still hazy and unstable.

‘Indeed a monster’ - Jeong Changin thought. The towel soaked in chloroform still faintly
scented the air. If its smell remained strong on the towel and hadn't dissipated, not much time
had passed. Yet, he had already regained consciousness.

‘Because he's not like a human’ - A long-forgotten voice automatically flashed through his
mind.

".....What time is it?"

Riegrow spoke. It was the first time Jeong Changin heard such a deep, cold voice. He silently
looked at the clock and gave the time. Perhaps Riegrow could estimate the time himself, and
if it wasn't too late, he might still chase his nephew. But upon hearing the too-late time,
Riegrow remained silent.

With Jeong Changin's support, he sat up. His gaze was low while drinking water. After
emptying the glass, he rested for a moment before leaning his head against the bed. He
remained silent except for his determined eyes, seemingly resisting the lingering effects of
the drug in pain.

If one said he simply fell asleep, it wouldn't be wrong; he just didn't move. Only then did
Jeong Changin realize this was not the right time to talk. He clicked his tongue and thought
of his nephew for a moment. Somehow, everything seemed off course.

Riegrow missing his target was nearly impossible. However, Jeong Taeui wasn't like other
people; once determined to escape, finding him would be difficult.

Riegrow, who had been silent as if dozing, suddenly muttered.

"How did you raise your nephew like this?"

Jeong Changin directed his gaze towards him. His voice was still soft and hazy, like speaking
in a dream.

He sat down in a chair, having heard similar things in the past, and responded with a
question.

"Sometimes the boy is very reckless, right?"

The answer didn't seem to address Riegrow's question. Indeed, reckless. Even Jeong Changin
wouldn't recklessly act without knowing the consequences. Fundamentally, Jeong Taeui was
the same. From his usual behavior, he wasn't the type to act recklessly without certainty.

But sometimes things just happened that way. Instead of thinking carefully, the body or
emotions reacted first. It made outsiders feel both eerie and intrigued.

Jeong Changin glanced at Riegrow, whose facial muscles were tense. His cheeks were both
flushed and swollen. He didn't need to ask the reason for this. Riegrow must have been
handcuffed and severely beaten.

He hoped his nephew could run far away.

Riegrow lowered his still dazed eyes to his hands, which seemed not to have fully regained
their strength. He then began moving one or two fingers, observing their movement as if
exploring how his hands looked.

"He likes it. I don't know why. Even when looking back at it like this."

Riegrow whispered as if telling a casual story. This was the first time Jeong Changin had seen
him like this. He looked as if he were drunk to the point of madness.

A light breath escaped. It was a long, low sigh, as if releasing heavy burdens.

Riegrow half-closed his eyes. He knew that once he closed his eyes, no matter how hard he
tried, he would once again fall into unconsciousness.

Jeong Changin stood up from his chair, knowing that this time Riegrow wouldn't wake up
again. He might not even know what he had said when he truly woke up the next morning.
On the boundary between consciousness and unconsciousness, he was now quickly falling
more into unconsciousness.

Jeong Changin stepped forward, turned off the light, and walked out the door. At that
moment, as he was about to fall asleep, a deep, hoarse voice echoed in the air.

"He must hate me a lot."

Jeong Changin didn't clearly hear those words. It was a vague voice. At first, he thought
Riegrow had said it, but he wasn't sure if he heard correctly.

As expected, Riegrow fell into unconsciousness again. Jeong Changin tilted his head in
contemplation but then quietly closed the door and left.

After that day.

Since then, Riegrow had become increasingly brutal and out of control. He had always been a
cruel man, enough to be called a madman from the early days, but when he came to the Asian
branch as an instructor, he had restrained himself a lot. Although the members of the branch
were constantly injured, both seriously and lightly, no matter how severe the injury, they
could still survive.

When Riegrow moved to the Asian branch, Kyle had seriously said - "UNHRDO must be
crazy to let him be an officer here" - But then he was surprised when no one died after a few
months.

But.

Riegrow seemed to have reverted to being a brutal killer as before.

At first glance, it seemed nothing had changed. There was no difference in his expression,
voice, and way of speaking, or even in how he handled certain issues. As usual, it was the
cold smile and slow, indifferent, yet slightly twisted tone.

But it seemed the brutal monster had returned. Now, no member could easily say anything in
front of him as before.

Because two people had died at his hands.

In three or four days, Eoryeong Prison witnessed an unprecedented event where an officer
entered and was quickly released, though it was a very short time.

He couldn't truly say Riegrow had changed, but anyone could easily sense it. Even Jeong
Changin now felt like walking on thin ice when facing this frightening and unstable monster.

If it had been before, Riegrow would have spared Jeong Changin some face. But now, if
anyone bothered him even a little, he would immediately twist their neck and tear them apart
without a word.

But he was still doing what he had to do, and he wouldn't use those gloves unless there was a
reason unless someone crossed the line.

Jeong Changin knew Riegrow wouldn't touch him to a certain extent, so he could keep a
reasonable distance from him. In fact, if it wasn't for work, the connection between the two of
them wouldn't exist, so it was easy to control it.

Even now. Riegrow had been to a company in Hong Kong last weekend for a few days and
also told his brother that sooner or later, he would receive a contact. Then today, he received
a short call from outside and came to Jeong Changin's room late at night to talk about it. Then
he was called out by his superior for a while, but when he returned, the atmosphere in the
room had become strange.

Jeong Changin hung his uniform on the hook, then turned around and began to slowly
observe Riegrow.

At that moment, Riegrow suddenly spoke.

"I just received a call from you, and I'm still thinking about what to do. It was a call from an
outside line, and all signals were cut off."

Jeong Changin slightly raised his eyebrows. His mind flashed a few clues about the reason
for Riegrow's bad mood. A call from outside. Only a few people could call from outside at
this time. Among them....

"...."

Jeong Changin scanned through each person, and his whole body seemed to tense up.
Because he didn't know exactly who the caller was. And the reason Riegrow looked at him
with such cold eyes.
"Did you have a hand in it too?"

Riegrow coldly said. Jeong Changin was speechless for a moment, then sighed.

"Alright. I helped the boy.... If I didn't, I would have lost a nephew."

Riegrow looked at him without saying a word. Those blue eyes were so cold. It seemed he
wanted to say something but eventually only asked briefly what he wanted to know.

"Where is he?"
 Vol 4 - Chapter 13: Where is he?

"Where is he?"

"I don't know either."

Jeong Changin answered without hesitation but immediately faced Riegrow's venomous
gaze. He sat opposite and clicked his tongue.

"Really. I'm not stupid enough to lie to you in this situation, and Taeui is not stupid enough to
reveal his whereabouts to me, even a hint, to be caught."

"....."

Riegrow silently looked at Jeong Changin and seemed to realize that he wouldn't get the
answer he wanted from him. Disappointment was evident in the light tapping of his fingers
on the armrest of his chair.

"The boy left with a new name and identity that I don't even know. He said he would call me
a few times a month, but he didn't even set specific dates — To be honest, he probably
doesn't want me to be a stepping stone for you to find him."

Riegrow frowned at Jeong Changin's words. Jeong Changin looked at him as if nothing had
happened, but he couldn't help feeling a chill inside. Even those words now became
dangerous in front of this man. Jeong Changin wondered if the fingertips tapping on the
armrest had increased in pressure.

Then suddenly, Riegrow stopped tapping. Jeong Changin truly didn't know what was going
on in his mind. Riegrow fell into silence. And when his eyes looked up again, Jeong Changin
could only meet them with trembling. He knew how frightening they could be.

"It seems the only thing Taeil learned here was to be bold and daring... He even loudly said
that he sometimes wanted to twist my neck off."

Riegrow smiled. Although it was just a slight curl of his lips, the low smile carried no hint of
joy. Jeong Changin responded with a calm smile, even though he knew it wasn't Riegrow's
real smile.

"Why are you so angry, Rick? Isn't it just some words in one ear and out the other? You didn't
even actually hear those words. And there are people who gossip like that without even
caring who actually said it or what was said."

Riegrow didn't respond, as Jeong Changin had said, many people tried to kill him, so such
words weren't worth caring about. Riegrow pondered for a moment, then nodded and
absentmindedly said.

"Yes, you're right."

He acknowledged it but still mumbled with a tone that wasn't entirely convincing. Riegrow
fell silent again, and Jeong Changin glanced at him.

I want to twist your neck off…’ - Jeong Changin thought for a moment about Taeui's face
and expression when he said those words, and he seemed to understand.

Jeong Changin looked up and saw him once more. A strange feeling filled his mind; clearly,
the atmosphere around him was spreading a peculiar, frightening aura, yet his expression was
very gentle.

His face seemed to be smiling — Jeong Changin really wanted to sink into despair.

Then suddenly, Riegrow stared at him with a curious gaze. He then spoke lightly but firmly.

"I won't use you as a stepping stone."

"Honestly, even if I kill you now, I will still find him. It will just be a bit more difficult...
There will be nothing making me worry about him anymore."

".... ....Thank you for that."

Jeong Changin said doubtfully, frowning slightly. As soon as Riegrow spoke, he guessed
what he would say. And Riegrow said exactly what he had thought beforehand.

"So when I find Taeil, no matter what I do to him, don't interfere. This is a matter between me
and him, not your concern. And it wouldn't be fair if you interfered again, right?"

Jeong Changin was silent for a moment. His dark blue eyes fixed on him. It was a gaze that
wouldn't yield or add any conditions.

If Ilay Riegrow could find Taeui, Jeong Changin wouldn't interfere in anything, that's what he
wanted from him.

Jeong Changin glanced at him, sighed, and finally nodded.

"Do whatever you want."

Upon hearing Jeong Changin's answer, Riegrow nodded slightly as if satisfied. Seeing him
slowly exert force on his clenched hands on the table, Jeong Changin clicked his tongue.

But in reality, even if Riegrow hadn't mentioned this, Jeong Changin had no intention of
meddling in anything anymore. He wasn't foolish enough to interfere in others' lives. Besides,
while Jeong Taeui liked having others step into his life, Jeong Changin was the complete
opposite.

He suddenly remembered a close friend of Taeui's recently. The day after Taeui left, that
young man came. He said he was on his way to the office with a resignation letter and
simultaneously asked where Taeui had gone. But in the end, he had to leave disappointed
without getting the desired answer. He looked even more worn out than Taeui, as far as Jeong
Changin remembered. Seeing that young man’s expressionless face seemed toxic, Jeong
Changin clicked his tongue.

Where was that young man now?

While sinking into the thread of memories, Jeong Changin shook his head and looked at the
clock. The clock hands had passed midnight, and dawn would break soon. He sighed and
returned to the unfinished topic at the beginning.

"By the way, have you received any news from Kyle?"

*********************

Jeong Taeui wasn't happy at all.

There are countless cases that make people feel unfortunate. And in most of those times of
misfortune, when time has passed and you look back, you often feel that those misfortunes
were actually very ordinary and trivial.

Jeong Taeui knew that. Maybe in a few years when he recalls this, he will think that this
moment was just a trifle, not worth mentioning. Probably at that time, he would frown or
mumble for a few minutes like telling a casual story, but the feeling of misfortune now would
have long vanished. He knew, time heals everything.

But despite understanding all that, he was still unhappy.

Even knowing that in a few months, not even years later, he might not even remember this
unlucky incident. But right at this moment, his heart ached unbearably.

The misfortune wasn't just because he had to wear a cast on his ankle in this scorching
summer. The smell of feet and the itchiness were only secondary issues when in a cast. His
misfortune was also that his previously injured ankle couldn't afford to be injured like this
again.

Taeui had to stay here while trying to leave because his ankle was severely injured, but he
didn't feel too troubled by it.

Earlier, he thought he had to leave because of that former colleague. But the truth was, he
didn't hate this place. On one hand, being injured meant he could stay here a bit longer; on
the other hand... It was good.

Taeui had grabbed the collar and threatened once again.

"If you dare go around and reveal that I'm here, those beautiful pets of yours will be
confiscated immediately!"

Jeong Taeui could enjoy a bit more peaceful time by strolling in the garden with his bandaged
legs and taking a nap there.

But he didn't expect that this mansion was also where his misfortunes began.
Morer was in the next room. Because the walls were thick enough for soundproofing, even if
he was right next door, it was hard to hear any noise. So having him next door was still fine.
But this former colleague of his wasn't someone who could keep secrets. And Jeong Taeui's
misfortune fundamentally lay in knowing him.

"Ah, she's so beautiful. How could there be such a beautiful and lovely child in this world? Is
that child an angel who accidentally fell to the mortal world? She was still asleep in her
lonely dream, but when I touched her, she became more radiant than any other flower in the
world, truly touching...."

Jeong Taeui looked at Morer with wide eyes as he continuously muttered nonsense beside
him.

He had gone mad.

An hour had passed since he started uttering those crazy words.

An hour ago, Jeong Taeui was peacefully sitting on a bench by the pool, playing quietly by
himself. Occasionally dipping his feet in the pool and massaging them. Occasionally, a
gardener would pass by and smile at him, and Jeong Taeui would smile back. And when Rita
scolded the maids while passing by him, he would smile at her.

Those peaceful moments an hour ago had been completely shattered.

Morer had gone out with Kyle this morning, but Jeong Taeui didn't care much. It seemed
Kyle had promised to show Morer a new gun he was developing, but due to company issues,
it was delayed for a few days until today.

Jeong Taeui didn't care much about anything at this moment, whether it was guns or
weapons. He was happily playing by himself when Morer had to go out in the morning,
saying that he wouldn't bother Taeui anymore.

If a person doesn't care about someone they hate, it's because they have a generous heart, so it
seems like Morer was quite pleased with himself.

Morer returned alone in the early afternoon, while Kyle said he had to go back to work with
an ecstatic expression. His face was flushed, strands of hair poking into his eyes with a dopey
expression.

Jeong Taeui thought this guy was pretty good.

When relaxed, his mind became more at ease, so he spoke kindly to Morer and also asked a
few questions. Like, had he found the person his brother was looking for? Although it wasn't
his business, he was just a little curious.

Morer looked at Jeong Taeui with blank eyes and quickly approached him. Jeong Taeui was
surprised to see Morer suddenly get close to him and instinctively leaned back a bit, but
Morer didn't care about that. He sat down next to Jeong Taeui and grabbed his hand as if he
didn't realize the person in front of him was Jeong Taeui.
"Oh, how could she be so adorable? From the first moment I saw her, I was captivated. How
could she be so beautiful and touching? If I meet her again, I'm sure we could fall in love
instantly. Her smooth body, her shy grip, her mesmerizing attack... everything."

Jeong Taeui looked at Morer, who was so moved he was almost in tears. He wondered what
this meant. If not for the "smooth body, shy grip, and mesmerizing attack," he would have
thought Morer had met and fallen in love at first sight with a girl at the test shooting range
today.

But what Morer was passionately praising wasn't a person; it was the gun he had seen today.

Realizing the truth, Jeong Taeui could only be speechless, his face showing his shock.

He knew Morer was a gun fanatic.

The fact that he was a gun addict, to the extent of enjoying himself happily with his weapons,
had spread throughout the branch since he was at UNHRDO. So it was nothing new.

Jeong Taeui was at a loss for words about the topic of guns. He shrugged and looked at Morer
with a horrified expression, then turned away.

It seemed he had sensed something strange. Whether it was his mood or not, Morer's groin
looks swollen. Jeong Taeui blushed. It was a new kind of terror he had never experienced
before.

He had heard similar horror stories in the past, like a farmer in a rural area being sexually
attracted to chickens. At that time, when he heard it, he thought, "Wow, this world really has
all kinds of crazy things." But now he deeply felt that it wasn't just something that happened
"out there" in the world.

Such behavior was too beastly and inhuman, so what should he say now?

Jeong Taeui didn't even look at Morer and was busy with his own random thoughts. But
Morer was still lost in his fantasy world, endlessly babbling. Even when Jeong Taeui didn't
pay attention, he continued to talk, talking cheerfully.

Oh, the damn bastard. The title ‘crazy guy’ no longer seemed to suffice for him; this gun-
crazed pervert was beyond that.

Jeong Taeui slowly rubbed his goosebump-covered arms, but he still felt a chill, his body
trembling.

Morer seemed very happy, his mood quite good and relaxed. He even tightly held Taeui's
hand, smiling cheerfully, recounting today's fateful encounter.

Jeong Taeui brushed Morer's hand off him, but this pervert had great strength. Normally, he
didn't seem that strong, but now he wouldn't let go of Taeui's hand, shaking it. Jeong Taeui
could only shout for him to let go, but it seemed his words didn't reach Morer's ears, still lost
in his love-struck daze.
Finally, exhausted, Taeui had to sit next to him for an hour, motionless, with Morer's hand
still tightly gripping his….

In reality, even with his bandaged ankle, making it hard to walk normally, Taeui didn't feel
too uncomfortable. He could enjoy the peaceful feeling of being alone like this. But this sicko
sat next to him, constantly talking about things he didn't want to hear, didn't want to
understand, and wouldn't understand even if he tried.

Taeui was not happy.

After an hour or more, those sweet praises finally changed, or rather, the way they were
expressed changed.

"But I'm still not happy... she's a 10 and adorable, but I can't love her... I have to wait a long
time before I can love her, what should I do... Right now, everything is fine, but Kyle shook
his head and said he couldn't give her to me now. They said it could take up to a year, but
how can I wait that long with this broken heart."

With a face that seemed about to shed a liter of tears, Morer cried mournfully. Jeong Taeui
widened his eyes at him. At least he still had some pity for him, not saying what he really
wanted to say.

But no matter how pitiful, he couldn't look at him normally anymore after enduring this
torture for an hour. Guns, guns, guns... he just mumbled to himself.

People say there are all kinds of people in the world, but why do all the people he meets,
even once, turn out to be like this?

Jeong Taeui sighed and shook his head, then stopped to think for a moment before shaking
his head again. But maybe that's just how people are. There are always one or two things you
can't tell anyone... And clearly, this crazy guy clinging to his arm and crying didn't realize
what he could or couldn't say to others.

"If you want it that badly, try asking Ilay."

Thinking about how to get this damned hand off him, Jeong Taeui muttered. Morer suddenly
raised his head at those words and looked at Taeui strangely. Clearly, he seemed to have just
been crying, but now when Taeui looked into his eyes, they were dry.

Taeui looked at him skeptically. Are all crazy people like this?

Morer let go of his hand, just as Taeui wished. After nearly an hour, he finally freed his hand.
Jeong Taeui sighed with relief at his now sticky hand.

However, even though he wanted to bend down and wipe his hand on the swaying grass
underfoot, he couldn't. That's because as soon as Morer let go of his hand, he grabbed Taeui's
shoulder again.

"What are you talking about?"

A faint light appeared in Morer's eyes as he grabbed Taeui's shoulder and looked at him.

Taeui seriously considered whether he should tackle this lunatic and throw him onto the
grass. If it weren't for his injured ankle, he wouldn't have hesitated to do so. Jeong Taeui
looked sadly at the cast on his leg.

He irritably removed Morer's hand from his shoulder. Jeong Taeui brushed Morer's hand off
with the back of his own, but ultimately it was futile as Morer immediately grabbed his
shoulder again as soon as Taeui's hand slipped past.

This lunatic...

He was injured in the ankle, so he was prepared for a slightly slower recovery, but now he
just needed to stand up and kill this guy.

Throwing him into the pool sounded good; it would even help cool his head a bit. That way,
it could be seen as a sacrifice for Morer's benefit.

Jeong Taeui grabbed Morer's chin, smiled, and lifted him off the ground, tossing him into the
pool with a loud splash. Water surged in an instant.

Even rotten, a herring is still a fish.*

(*썩어도 준치: An idiom meaning that even something old or decayed retains some of its
value.)

Just looking at him, you wouldn't realize it, but even though Jeong Taeui knew Morer well,
he couldn't see it — Morer was a promising member of UNHRDO. He was a talented
individual who had gone through a rigorous selection process.

The moment Jeong Taeui lifted and threw him into the pool, Morer didn't fall immediately.

"Ouch...-"

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue, but it was too late.

He was grabbed by Morer and plunged headfirst into the bottom of the pool. Along with the
previous wave created by Morer, another wave now greeted him grandly.

"....-"

Jeong Taeui emerged from the water like a ghost. Morer surfaced a moment later.

"I hate you, more than ever..."

"Oh, what a coincidence, so do I...."

Both of them shut their mouths in frustration. At the same time, they thought this would be
the first and only time they shared the same wavelength.
The pool wasn't very deep, when he swam to the other side, the water was about 2 meters
deep. On the opposite side from where Taeui had initially been sitting, the water came up just
to the top of Jeong Taeui's head. He looked down at the clear water, his casted ankle visible.

"Damn it. What about this? It's soaked because of you."

"Why did you drag me into this in the first place? You pulled me down!"

"Then why didn't you let go of your damned hand!"

Jeong Taeui and Morer argued as they grappled with each other, even taking a few punches
from each other. It hurt more than hitting with their fists normally would. This must be the
principle of being submerged in water, Jeong Taeui thought.

After a few rounds, they both soon realized that inflicting damage on the opponent would
hurt themselves more. So, Jeong Taeui dropped his fists first. He pointed and said to Morer,
"It's fair now, we've each landed three punches."

Morer also relaxed his fists after confirming that the fight wouldn't continue.

Jeong Taeui climbed out of the pool. It was a scorching afternoon, so it wasn't cold, but he
was soaking wet. Water dripped from his casted ankle. Jeong Taeui sat on the lounge chair,
staring at his pale, wrinkled foot, pondering whether he should dry it in the sun or go to the
hospital to have the cast replaced.

"But what did you mean by asking Ilay? What do you mean?"

Morer asked dejectedly. He stepped onto the grass behind Jeong Taeui and began wringing
out his clothes. Taeui sighed in relief, thinking Morer was finally coming to his senses. He
spoke plainly.

"Ilay is the son of this family, didn't you know?"

 Vol 4 - Chapter 14: Taeui got kidnapped (1)

"Ilay is the son of this family, didn't you know that?"

"I know, but why ask him?"

"What do you mean why? I heard you say before that if you see a prototype* of a product
made by a company that hasn't been released to the market yet, you could try it out first.
Doesn't that mean you can get it beforehand?"

(*Prototype: The first model, a design, or a product released for the purpose of building and
testing as a sample to learn and replicate)

At Jeong Taeui's words, Morer looked at him reluctantly and seemed to ponder. Jeong Taeui
squinted at him attentively. It was a joke, but it didn't quite feel like one.

After thinking for a moment, Morer looked at Taeui seriously and asked again.

"But asking that lunatic to bring out the gun for me first is harder than reaching the sky, isn't
it?"

".....It's difficult.....but you really want that gun, don't you?"

Jeong Taeui said with a sullen face. Normally, he would avoid places that smelled of life-
threatening danger, but if he saw a gun he really liked, he wouldn't mind risking his life to get
it.

Jeong Taeui groaned at Morer and got caught up in his own thoughts again, then offered a
more practical suggestion.

"If I were you, I'd persuade Kyle somehow. Even if it's just a prototype, I'd have to get it at all
costs and wouldn't let anyone else take it."

"Of course! How could I let such a beautiful thing slip into someone else's hands! That's
absurd!"

Morer shouted angrily at Jeong Taeui. Jeong Taeui looked at him and seriously thought that
this crazy guy needed a good smack to come to his senses.

"Even if you have to beg, if you want that thing so badly, try persuading Kyle. It's a hundred
times more likely than going through the backdoor with Ilay."

"No........it's the other way around."

At Jeong Taeui's grumbling, Morer shook his head in despair. When Taeui looked at him
suspiciously, Morer desperately ran his hands through his hair.
"I tried once before....7 years ago, before Sonya was released to the market, I fell in love with
her at first sight. I camped outside his office for a week, even after the security guards
dragged me out, I stayed there and cried my heart out in the living room of this house every
time I saw Kyle. I even threatened to cut my wrists in the bathroom. I mean...but Kyle said
no, and he really didn't give her to me."

Jeong Taeui didn't know who Sonya was, but thinking it was probably a gun, he was shocked
by Morer's following words.

This guy is really crazy.

But Kyle is tough too. He didn't hesitate to deal with all the antics of this pervert for so long.

Jeong Taeui wanted to smoke. He searched in his chest pocket but only found a cigarette that
had been soaked in water.

**********************

Summer is really unbearable. Moreover, this year had an unusually hot temperature that was
alarming.

Even now, when the sun was starting its descent, the sunlight was so bright it made Taeui feel
dizzy.

Jeong Taeui sighed with his head steaming while walking in the only shaded area here, not to
mention his aching ankle. It wasn't far to the clinic, so he refused when Kyle offered to
prepare a car in the morning, but now he regretted it a bit. Actually, even if Kyle offered
again now, he might still refuse. But the fact was, it was scorching hot, and he had to walk
about 20 minutes to the hospital with his injured leg.

After reaching the hospital, unwrapping and re-wrapping his bandage with limping steps,
Jeong Taeui sighed.

It was his own fault for causing this, he shouldn't have tried to throw Morer into the pool.

....But he would have gone crazy if he had to keep listening to all that nonsense.

At that time, he left the pool and changed his clothes but didn't know what to do with the
soaked plaster on his leg. Although it had been soaked, he thought it best to just dry it out. He
usually dried it under the sun, but quite a long time ago when he took art classes in
elementary school, if he made something out of plaster and clay, he would dry it in the shade.
By evening, the plaster on his leg was dry, but the inside still felt damp and uncomfortable.
But after all, he was no stranger to this. He thought it could heal without the trouble of going
to the hospital to re-wrap it.

But this morning he changed his mind. Actually, it wasn't that he changed his mind, but Rita
forced him to.

"Doesn't it smell? Also, keeping it wet like that is completely unsanitary, so please go to the
hospital and re-bandage it."
As soon as Rita woke up Jeong Taeui, who was lazing in bed, her ominous green words hit
his ears.

Jeong Taeui was dumbfounded looking at Rita after being woken up and realized that his leg
did smell. It was summer and very humid. Maybe because people usually don't realize the
smells coming from their own bodies, if everyone could sense their own smell, they would
probably be quite horrified.

He scratched his head, changed clothes, and went to the dining room for breakfast. Kyle and
Morer were sitting with a ‘new face’ who had arrived yesterday. Thinking back, although the
guests here always changed, the number of them seemed to always be maintained. Was there
a reservation system here? When Taeui sat down at his usual spot, Morer suddenly blinked
and smiled widely beside him.

"I heard it in the room. She said you smell like a bunch of plaster. Haha, you need to go to the
hospital to re-check it, right? They say today's weather is extremely hot, but you probably
have to endure a bit to take that broken leg to the hospital."

Then, Kyle turned around while talking to the ‘new face’. He said enthusiastically.

"It must be inconvenient. I'll tell Peter to take you by car."

Jeong Taeui brought his good leg back and kicked Morer's leg. He smiled at Kyle and waved
his hand.

"No need, it's close by. I can walk there quickly. I can even get some exercise and come
back."

"Alright, but let Peter know first. If you change your mind, you can tell him anytime."

"Yes, thank you."

Jeong Taeui said with a smile and gently removed his foot from Morer's struggling leg.

Looking at the gentle host smiling generously, Jeong Taeui suddenly remembered what
Morer had said yesterday.

"I threatened to cut my wrists in the bathroom, but I mean...he still said no."

Thinking back, the guy was tough. But Kyle was even tougher.

Of course, he felt Kyle had an interesting but sharp mind. Leading a company of this size at
under 40 was still very young, there was no need to act friendly. Moreover, Morer's childish
threats were really rude.

However, Taeui still felt it was strange. Maybe because Kyle had never shown such a side to
Jeong Taeui. After all, he finally had a topic to talk to his uncle about after more than 20
years. If his uncle heard such threats, he would surely be furious. Jeong Taeui tore off a piece
of bread and put it in his mouth.
"By the way, Morer."

While he was chewing the bread sluggishly, Morer, who was spreading butter on his bread,
raised his head when he heard Kyle call. The guy had been worrying all night about a
problem - "How can I get her now? How can I achieve my love?"

When he heard Kyle call, he looked at him with a hopeful face, although it was clearly
impossible.

He was a pervert but also pitiful to see this puppy-like tail-wagging appearance.... Jeong
Taeui thought while chewing bread. Then he looked at Morer. Initially, he didn't really like
buttered bread, so he didn't take the butter, but Morer seemed to have misunderstood
something and grabbed the butter himself. Instead of fearing it being taken away, he made an
extremely childish gesture.

"I don't eat it."

Alright. You eat it all yourself. Eat, and get fat with your swollen butt.

Jeong Taeui snorted and took another slice of bread. And he ate the bread plain. But soon he
choked on it.

"You're a member of the UNHRDO Asian branch, right? Do you know someone named
Jeong Taeil?"

Damn it. Jeong Taeui was stunned into silence.

Suddenly, the bread seemed to get stuck in his throat, making him feel suffocated. Jeong
Taeui tried to remain as calm as possible.

He put his hand on his face, gently picked up the water glass, and quickly drank the water to
clear the piece of bread stuck there. Jeong Taeui could feel it slowly sliding down his
esophagus. He looked at Kyle nervously, pretending to be interested in a topic unrelated to
himself. Jeong Taeui was really curious. Why did his name suddenly come out of Kyle's
mouth?

Morer stopped his hand spreading butter on the bread and blinked, then slowly looked back at
Jeong Taeui.

This dumb bastard, what if Kyle notices something!

Jeong Taeui screamed inwardly and stared at Morer.

"Huh? What's wrong?" He tilted his head as if wondering why the guy was looking at him
like that. Then Morer indifferently offered the butter.

"Nothing....Come on, it looks like you want some butter, huh? Look at your grumpy face. —–
Ah, who is he? Jeong Taeil? oh, I know, I know. But he's not on my team, so I only know his
name and face."
Morer deliberately offered Jeong Taeui the remaining butter and said. Then he turned back to
Kyle.

Jeong Taeui pretended not to know anything and also pretended to spread butter on his bread,
making loud noises to soothe his pounding heart. However, it seemed Morer had no intention
of exposing Jeong Taeui so blatantly here.

"That guy, does he have anything peculiar or something like that?"

"How should I know..., rumors are intriguing. But there isn't much news about him, so he
seems fine. If I had to say what makes him different from the others, it would be that he's the
nephew of Officer Jeong Changin? Oh, right. He's also the younger brother of researcher
Jeong Jaeui. But he looks so ordinary. He looks so dumb that you have to wonder if he's
really the brother of that famous genius. His temperament is also very annoying, and he
doesn't even know how strange he is....."

Morer's chanting continued to pour out, mixed with Jeong Taeui's anxious feelings. He
chewed the bread as if he was being bitten by a dog.

But why did Kyle suddenly ask about him? Not Kim Young Soo, but Jeong Taeui of
UNHRDO.

Jeong Taeui of UNHRDO, perhaps the only thing Morer knew.

The information Kyle had might be more than Morer's. His relationships, family, age, origin,
school, etc. So perhaps what Morer said wasn't what Kyle wanted to know.

Kyle thought for a moment about something, then nodded before asking again.

"I heard he's Ilay's second-lieutenant...has he had any trouble with my brother?"

"Let's see, I'm not sure. I don't know personal matters, he doesn't share those things. Rather,
that lunatic...–oh sorry, so everyone says he must have strong endurance to handle Rick's
unusual character."

Morer, perhaps unknowingly, casually called Ilay a lunatic in front of his brother. Hearing the
word ‘lunatic’ pronounced so clearly and naturally, Jeong Taeui didn't think it was just a ‘slip
of the tongue’.

"I don't even know anything else about him, I've never heard him talk about such things, so I
don't know." - Morer added.

And next to him, suddenly Jeong Taeui felt a bit grateful. He had kept his promise and didn't
mention anything about him anywhere. Even if it was because of the beautiful guns hidden
all over his room.

Jeong Taeui pretended not to know anything and vaguely asked while slicing the newly
steamed fish.

"There must be something going on with your brother then."

After that, Kyle frowned slightly and shook his head.

"I don't know why either. The boy said to find someone not long ago. And it seems he's
considering searching through other information agencies outside our family's company. But
when I asked why he had to go that far, he didn't answer, just that he had to find him at all
costs. His whereabouts haven't been found either."

So that's why he asked Morer if he knew him, Kyle said. Jeong Taeui smiled at him. He could
also feel Morer's meaningful gaze fixed on him. Jeong Taeui resolutely pretended not to
know anything, but that gaze showed no sign of moving away. He looked at Morer and
smiled like a beauty queen once more, then asked.

"Huh? What now?" - Taeui whispered.

At that moment, Morer slowly turned his head away.

What did he do to Ilay? He just jumped in, tied him up, and ran away. Hit him, slapped his
face, cursed at him, and threw him there. If he could say all that, it would be great, but even if
his mouth was pried open, Taeui couldn't say anything. Because the moment he uttered those
words, the thought of Ilay suddenly appearing from behind haunted his mind.

"Besides..."

"Beating someone up and running away isn't something to be proud of to brag to anyone
about." Jeong Taeui sighed and mumbled.

Soon the buildings appeared before his eyes. On this scorching road with his limping steps,
Jeong Taeui felt as if no matter how far he walked, this road would never end. But indeed,
after hardship comes sweet fruit. Jeong Taeui hobbled with his crutches, recovering quickly,
so he consoled himself that he would feel comfortable soon if he endured a little longer. By
the end of this summer, he could recover, the doctor had said in the hospital.

Then he would go out to find his brother? Before, it was at his uncle's request, but now it was
for himself. Because he also wanted to meet his brother. Actually, he could go home first, but
he would rather go find him than sit and wait, even if he had no clue where he was. Until his
ankle healed, he should just sit still in that house and read books.

Jeong Taeui continued walking towards the house.

Then, suddenly he tilted his head.

A car was speeding from the other side of the road opposite Kyle's mansion. The road was
wide enough for several cars to drive but not too wide. However, this place had only one
mansion, so it was rarely congested.

Once, when talking to a gardener, he heard that when the owner of a nearby house died and
their family held a funeral, the road was congested and blocked.

In the middle of a weekday like this, the entire road was devoid of any cars.
But, there was a car speeding towards the road.

Jeong Taeui thought for a while. It was strange.

Earlier, this car was parked at the end of the road, he didn't pay much attention, but he didn't
think anyone had gotten in or out of it. The car, which had been parked, started moving when
Jeong Taeui got closer to the house.

Maybe it was just a coincidence.

But as the car got closer, his suspicion grew. It was a silver van. A car that could comfortably
seat five or six people and carry a lot of luggage in the back. Moreover, it was impossible to
see through the glass from the outside.

It looked like a car that celebrities often used, but something was odd, and when he tilted his
head to figure out what it was, he realized it the moment his eyes met the man sitting in the
driver's seat.

The man was staring intently at Jeong Taeui. The man sitting in the passenger seat next to
him was also staring intently at Jeong Taeui. And neither of them said a word.

"... -!"

At that moment, Jeong Taeui realized what was odd.

The car was speeding towards him. It wasn't just a car passing by; it was clearly heading
straight for Jeong Taeui.

What bad luck. For a moment, that thought flashed through his mind. First, from the gaze of
the man still staring at him coldly without a hint of a smile.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue.

He sprinted away in an instant.

The weight on his ankle made it feel like it would shatter the moment he took the first step on
the road with the aid of the crutch. A groan escaped his mouth. But this wasn't the time to
care about the pain.

The car, coming from the other side of the road, crossed the road lines and quickly
approached the sidewalk where Jeong Taeui was running. Then, the car stopped in front of
his path, and the man sitting in the passenger seat immediately jumped out of the car.

"What are you doing?!"

 Vol 4 - Chapter 15: Taeui got kidnapped (2)

Jeong Taeui used his crutch to hit the head of the man reaching out to grab him. The man
clutched his head in confusion and staggered back. Jeong Taeui seized the opportunity to run.

He didn't know who they were, this had never happened before. When he was very young,
because of his brother, he was often at risk of being kidnapped. But since growing up, this
hasn't happened anymore.

Jeong Taeui didn't know what the purpose of these men chasing him was. Were they trying to
kill him or just kidnap him? But with the appearance of that car, it was most likely the latter.
If they wanted to kidnap him, then why? Suddenly, a thought crossed Jeong Taeui's mind.

Was it Ilay?

But then he shook his head. Ilay wasn't the type to do something like this. If it was Ilay, he
would have stepped out of the car himself.

So why? Who? Why?

"Wait. Maybe you've got the wrong person? I'm just an ordinary person! I'm dirt poor! My
family doesn't have any money!"

Damn it! Did these guys think he was related to Kyle just because they saw him leave Kyle's
mansion? They must be trying to profit from a wealthy family... But before planning a crime,
they should spend some time doing their homework. What's the likelihood that an Asian and
a European are members of the same family, huh?

The possibility of it being Ilay was ruled out. So the remaining possibility was... could it be
his brother?

Those thoughts crossed his mind. Although Jeong Taeui didn't know where his brother was or
what he was doing, his brother had always been tied to his life. Hadn't he almost been
kidnapped a few times because of his brother even when he was little? Now that he was
grown, he thought it wouldn't happen anymore, but maybe his brother knew something.
That's why these guys wanted to use his family as leverage to get something from him.

Jeong Taeui didn't have time to think it through. After the man he hit with the crutch
staggered, three other men immediately got out of the car behind and chased after him. Jeong
Taeui looked around Kyle's mansion, though it seemed close, it wasn't close enough for him
to escape these guys on crutches. Moreover, it wasn't close enough for anyone to hear his
screams. But he couldn't stay calm in front of these men crazily chasing him without even
knowing their identities.

"What the hell! You guys! You've got the wrong person! I don't know who you're after, but
it's definitely not me! Do you even know who I am?"
Jeong Taeui swung his crutch hard at one of the men, knocking him down. But the man he hit
before immediately lunged at him, with the other two circling around behind Taeui. One of
them mercilessly kicked Taeui's cast-covered ankle.

A scream echoed in the void.

Unfortunately, having a cast on. If his leg hadn't been in a cast, perhaps his eyes would be the
ones suffering this much pain.

He desperately bit the hand of the man holding his forearm from behind. The man's piercing
scream filled one of Taeui's ears as his teeth sank into the man's flesh. At the same time,
another man struck Jeong Taeui hard on the head. As a result, he had to release the man's
hand. His mouth and the man's hand were covered in blood.

"What's the matter, hey.... — buddy, you've got the wrong guy....——"

Jeong Taeui muttered weakly, mixed with groans as if he were about to suffocate. Just then,
the first man he had hit with the crutch stepped forward.

"Right. I don't know you. I don't even know who you are, but it doesn't matter to me who you
are."

The man approached with a grimace and a harsh voice. He spat blood, checking for any cuts
inside his mouth, then grabbed Jeong Taeui's chin from below. It felt like a light shock. For a
moment, his vision sparked.

"I don't know who you are, but you're a guest of Kyle Riegrow and have been staying at his
house for over ten days, right? A guest of Kyle Riegrow, he always likes all his guests."

"So it doesn't matter if you're not that important, because after all, you're not the only one."
The man whispered. But those words were fading from Jeong Taeui's consciousness. He
frowned, his eyes glittering as he tried to regain his obscured vision. A damp cloth was
placed over Jeong Taeui's nose. He frowned at the sudden medicinal smell emanating from
the white cloth.

Damn it, this is the same trick he had pulled before, but compared to that monster, he couldn't
stay conscious for long.

Those were the last thoughts Jeong Taeui had before passing out. Darkness descended before
his eyes.

***********************

Taeui had a headache. When he woke up, the first thing he felt was a sharp pain in his head.
He opened his eyes, but before he could see anything, Taeui had to gasp and curl up, hugging
himself.

His stomach churned. He felt nauseous.

Taeui groaned three or four times with nausea, but nothing came out.
The sour taste from his stomach rose to his throat, but that was it. Soon after, the nausea
subsided.

"Damn....-, Luther, medicine....-."

Jeong Taeui mumbled, hugging his head. Then he weakly thought, "Ah, I need to go to the
clinic to find Luther." Luther would probably freak out if he demanded both a stomach pill
and a headache pill at the same time.

"Do you want some water?"

It was an unfamiliar voice. Along with that voice, something soft touched his lips, and water
flowed from it. Jeong Taeui's mouth filled with the water being slowly poured in, and he
hazily opened his eyes.

Was the ceiling spinning? His head was spinning, with the ceiling coming closer and then
moving further away.

Jeong Taeui closed his eyes again, waited a moment, then opened them again. The ceiling
was still spinning, but it seemed better than before. He closed his eyes again and opened
them. It seemed better. He was still dizzy. But he had regained his composure. Jeong Taeui
shook his head and held it, his head throbbing. The smell of the medicine still lingered in his
throat.

"Are you calm now?"

Another voice spoke. Jeong Taeui finally gathered his senses and sat up. With a throbbing
head and blurry vision, he saw four unfamiliar faces standing before him. Jeong Taeui
blinked a few times and tilted his head, not only because they were strangers but also because
he didn't understand the situation.

This was a room. An empty room. There was a window, but someone had nailed it shut from
the outside, blocking it so he couldn't see out. The room was spacious, surrounded by wooden
walls, floors, and ceilings, but apart from people, there was nothing in it. There were five
people in total, all of whom Taeui had never seen before. They seemed to be of the same age,
race, or even nationality. All were sitting down, leaning back, and looking at Jeong Taeui as
he woke up.

"This place..."

Jeong Taeui tilted his head slightly and asked. He didn't know what had happened. Just a
blink of an eye, and it seemed like he had fallen into a new world.

Wait, what happened? So.... Luther? He woke up and wanted to find Luther. Was it Luther
from UNHRDO? From that place, he went to Southeast Asia, traveled by land to Central
Asia, then from Tashkent to Europe, and then..... Jeong Taeui ran his hand through his messy
hair, frowning, trying to trace his memories. He remembered meeting Kyle and,
unfortunately, bumping into Morer. So he tried to leave that mansion... Why hadn't he left
sooner?
Oh, my leg was hurt, so I went to the hospital.

Jeong Taeui followed his memory to that moment, until the moment appeared in his mind.
"Oh" - he whispered and nodded.

He had gone to the hospital, got a cast, and was on his way home. On the way, he met some
suspicious people.... right, his memory had been interrupted by inhaling some sedative, and
now... Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and tapped his head. Damn it. What the hell had they
given him? It made his mind foggy and made him feel like he wanted to die from a headache
if he used the wrong amount or inhaled it for the wrong duration. Above all, his mind was
dizzy, and he couldn't think clearly about anything, like a fool.

Perhaps it was just the lingering effects of the drug, making his head unable to function
properly, but Jeong Taeui hated this feeling. The sensation of his body not feeling like his
own was unbearable.

Even though his intellect might have been a bit lower compared to the average in his family,
it seemed to deteriorate further in this situation. Jeong Taeui mumbled to himself and looked
around at the people in the room.

Oh, excuse me. Everyone here was almost naked.

Jeong Taeui thought without a hint of embarrassment, and when he looked at himself, he told
himself again. Aww, I should be feeling embarrassed. Everyone was indeed naked, including
himself.

Once again, there was not a trace of embarrassment on his face.

Guess what?

Those guys must have taken all his belongings, including his clothes, thinking that anything
could be a threat in any other situation.

Jeong Taeui looked at the locked door and thought about the men guarding it outside,
possibly including the one he had hit earlier.

"I don't know what those guys are doing, but don't they have any sense of aesthetics putting
five nearly naked men in the same room...."

Jeong Taeui muttered, clicking his tongue in disapproval. The man next to him chuckled at
that. Turning around, Jeong Taeui saw a leather water bottle that had been closed; it must
have been the person who had given him water earlier.

"I don't know who you are, but you stayed at Kyle Riegrow's house for over ten days. A guest
of Kyle Riegrow, he always loves all his guests."

"So, it doesn't matter if you're not that important because you're not the only one."

Jeong Taeui sat up with a dizzy head, leaned against the wall, and quietly looked up at the
ceiling, reflecting on what the man had said earlier. It didn't take long for him to find an
answer to this. The reason Jeong Taeui was brought here wasn't because of something about
him. He was just one of the targets.

.....If he wasn't that important and he wasn't the only one, then maybe they could overlook
someone like him.

Jeong Taeui felt a bit petty and selfish as he looked back at the other naked people in the
room.

But he placed his hand on his conscience and thought again. Kyle liked everyone. There
should be a difference between treating close guests or less familiar ones, but it seemed like
Kyle didn't particularly care about any guest more than others. So, if it was just because he
was staying in that house, he'd be fine if he wasn't Jeong Taeui.

He hadn't seen the other four before at that house. They might have stayed there when he
wasn't around, or they became acquainted with Kyle in a different way from Jeong Taeui.
They might even be more important to Kyle than Jeong Taeui.

"Damn.... I wanted to enjoy my life, having fun without doing anything in that house, but it
turned out like this."

Nothing had been too terrible or uncomfortable since he left UNHRDO.

He had a superstitious thought that the feng shui of UNHRDO didn't suit him, or the
relationships there brought him bad luck, and that misfortune was over. But it seemed that
wasn't the case.

"Have we... been kidnapped?"

Jeong Taeui whispered to the man sitting next to him. Although soft, everyone could hear
everything because the room was too quiet. Once again, all eyes gathered. The man Jeong
Taeui questioned frowned, looked a bit worried, then shrugged.

"I guess so."

"Um... I was caught by some guys who got out of a car while I was on the road. How about
you?"

"Same here, got nabbed while jogging in the morning."

Looking at the man speaking with a nonchalant expression as if it wasn't a big deal, Jeong
Taeui thought this man must also be someone important. Now he saw they were all the same.
He rarely worried or feared the future. Everyone would feel a bit uncomfortable or worried,
but it seemed they had no intention of escaping in fear of being kidnapped like this.

Jeong Taeui looked at them for a while, then up at the ceiling.

Sure enough, he didn't know who this man was, but it seemed he had also stayed at Kyle's
house for a long time. They were just guests, but it seemed more than that. This was the
attitude of people used to such situations, or those who believed they wouldn't face any
misfortune.

In other words, they were people at the top of society.

Whether it was a friend of Kyle or a business guest of his, Jeong Taeui scratched his head and
thought - ‘I really am pitiful, still having to earn a living and stick with it.’ - Then, he looked
down at his feet. Since waking up, he has had a headache, so he didn't think about it until
now when he saw his cast-covered leg. His ankle started to throb from then.

Yeah, he had put all his body weight on his injured leg while running. If that's the case, don't
think about overexerting this crippled leg anymore, and he'll be fine. The leg seemed to have
gone through quite a lot of pressure. If he could survive safely, the first thing he'd do was go
to the hospital immediately.

"Damn, with a cracked ankle like this, it seems like I'll have to go often...."

Taeui grumbled while touching the bandage on his ankle, even though he couldn't feel
anything. The man next to him clicked his tongue.

He said sadly.

"It doesn't look comfortable; you seem to be in pain."

"So what... I'm not the only one. Everyone got dragged into this mess by these unknown
guys."

Jeong Taeui looked at him and slightly smirked. Then, the man said - "That's right." - and
gave a vague smile. Seeing that smile, Jeong Taeui tilted his head. He didn't know how to
respond, so after thinking for a while, he asked directly.

"Do you know who those people are?"

The man frowned with a worried expression and thought for a moment, then said: "What?"

"Isn't there something they want from Kyle's company?"

He shrugged and bit his lip. He said he didn't want to discuss uncertain things. The others
also said a few words or something when both sides helped each other.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head again, recalling what Kyle had said before.

"A company that manufactures and trades weapons sounds grand, but simply put, we're an
arms dealer. So, of course, the company gets attacked a lot. Not to mention human rights
organizations and religious groups, even rebels somewhere often attack us, and sometimes
we're also threatened by armed terrorist groups. In such cases, we're not just trading
weapons but have to arm our own side."

"....."
Jeong Taeui slowly shook his head. He couldn't be sure, but he could vaguely guess what was
happening. So from now on, the problem was... how would Kyle handle this? This has
happened a couple of times, so there must be a way. Jeong Taeui sighed in frustration. He
also needed to find his brother first. He didn't know how, but he had to find him first, and
even if he escaped, he had to leave with him. So, based on past incidents, he had never
encountered a situation like this, and even if he had, he didn't need to worry or fret. Just wait
for the house walls to collapse due to poor construction or for a police officer to receive a
divine signal and find this room, and it would be resolved.

.....Those really are useless ideas.

Taeui closed his eyes. Now that the headache had subsided a bit, when he woke up after a
sigh, the dizziness and headache seemed to have improved significantly.

And what will happen now.

Vol 4 - Chapter 16: "Do you want to turn the whole world upside
down just to find him?"

Returning home from work, Kyle felt quite at ease. He was about to get some leads on a few
issues he'd been trying to resolve for a long time. Several months had passed, and Kyle
seemed to have finally caught the tail of that elusive figure.

Gable had been sent to Doha, roaming the area for a long time and preparing to head to
Arabia.

"I found some useful clues." - he said.

Gable saw a glimmer of hope in those pieces of information. Gable wasn't one to take work
lightly, and when he spoke, he was overly cautious. Even when frustrated (when he couldn't
find any useful information), he would say - "There's still room to search more." - And
usually, the informant would respond - "We're close to catching him."

Everything was within reach.

Finding the young man who had disappeared was at the request of a close friend of Kyle's,
but above all, Kyle himself was eager to find him because it was extremely beneficial. The
unfinished part of the design he had left behind still needed completion. Kyle had reviewed
the design and tried repeatedly in the company's internal research institute by gathering a
team of talented researchers with the best incentives, but the design couldn't be completed.

No, to be precise, the design could be completed, but there were three to four versions. In all
those versions, each could be used as a new development step, but it was even harder to
perfect.

He didn't know which version was the best, nor if it could be perfected in another way. He
could develop and commercialize it differently, but in this industry, leaving even one
incomplete part could cause significant consequences later on.

Thus, the amount of money he had spent on researching that design was enormous.

Money poured in like water, but in the end, no one knew what the perfect design was. So, the
final conclusion was that he needed a researcher.

But that researcher had disappeared after leaving behind an unfinished design.

The head of the research institute had been unable to go in the right direction for months and
grumbled while holding the design, thinking about the complicated sequence of diagrams left
behind. Eventually, his frustration had exploded not long ago.

Kyle didn't know if he was a genius or what, but that damn bastard did this to make all of
them suffer.
When Kyle said this to the researcher's uncle, he laughed for a long time. The friend who had
witnessed the young man's growth assured Kyle that the child definitely didn't mean it.

Either way, he did well in some way. Maybe he didn't really mean it, or maybe he did want to
cause trouble for everyone. But the reality was that research funds had increased to the point
where, to exaggerate a bit, the research had reached a stage where it needed to be considered
for forced termination. And the pillars for this research project were about to collapse. So,
Kyle mobilized all the resources and information networks he had to search for him. But he
was still missing. He couldn't track his whereabouts. From Korea, the starting point, he
traveled to Tianjin, China, and when Kyle discovered it, he had reached Beijing, then
Shanghai, and then Hainan. From there, it was confirmed that he went to Kunming and
traveled overland through Southeast Asia to India.

But there was a problem afterward.

In Varanasi, India, he disappeared for real. Damn it.

Kyle searched through all the railway routes everywhere, and during that time, he even
checked all the outbound flights. Then they even hypothesized that he might have decided to
turn over a new leaf by joining some religion in India because he had been a peculiar person
from the start, even visiting Indian temples in Varanasi.

And then he never appeared again.

In fact, a few conclusions were drawn at that time. That he had gone to an almost isolated
country – don't know how – or he might have died in an accident or been kidnapped and
imprisoned somewhere.

His uncle immediately dismissed the second hypothesis, and Kyle agreed with that.

That researcher was incredibly lucky. It seemed a bit unfair for someone to be that fortunate.
That's something Kyle had confirmed several times before, like witnessing the miracles of the
god Moses firsthand.

So, only the first and third hypotheses remained. The first hypothesis was unlikely because it
wasn't easy to enter such an isolated country. If he had gone through such a difficult journey,
there were many ways for him to access information about it. So, only the third possibility
remained. But the boy's luck probably wouldn't lead him to be imprisoned for months.

Kyle pulled his hair, feeling like everything was back to square one. Almost ready to give up,
Kyle was waiting for a call. Then, Gable brought hope. There was a little clue from Arabia.
Kyle was delighted and ready to support him financially or even personally. Kyle asked if he
had any news and waited for a call from Gable. Then, a few days ago, he finally received a
call from Gable.

"I'm in the United Arab Emirates, please wait a little longer."

Kyle could be sure to some extent that working with a reliable subordinate wasn't easy to talk
about. He was sure that sooner or later, he would catch the tail of the developer. So Kyle felt
great. Business was going well, and he returned home satisfied without any worries. Then he
returned home, had dinner, and chatted happily with a couple of guests staying at his house.
He wondered a bit about not seeing Kim, a wonderful friend who had been staying for a
while, but Morer said, "He just arrived and left. He'll be back soon." Kyle nodded
suspiciously, thinking the two had quickly become close because they were the same age.

Then, while they were having tea, a phone call interrupted their camaraderie.

While talking with Morer and Jenkins about military matters, Rita announced a phone call.
And when Kyle answered the call, the voice on the other end immediately shattered his good
mood.

From the moment he heard that unfamiliar voice, he suddenly didn't feel well. Once a strange
voice started a conversation with a low, shady tone, it rarely ended well. And his intuition
was right. He had experienced this a few times before.

Had he let his guard down because it hadn't happened in recent years?

"... —."

Kyle hung up the phone, returning to the living room with a grim face. The two friends
waiting for him while chatting noticed the change in his expression and stopped laughing.

"Was that call not good?"

Morer asked, looking into Kyle's eyes. Jenkins awaited his answer.

Kyle spoke softly, like a groan, and opened his mouth.

"It was an armed group in Bolivia. Probably small-scale because I don't recall hearing their
name before. But they say they have a few of my friends."

Both men fell silent. They frowned and waited for Kyle to speak.

It rarely happened, and when it did, it could only be about weapons.

In fact, it wasn't hard to find a weapon if there were no issues. Many brokers could help with
illegal arms transactions, and military companies participating in underground trade wasn't
uncommon. So, regardless of how small the organization was, there were many ways to find
the weapon they wanted if they put in some effort.

The only problem was when they wanted a specific type of weapon.

Widely available weapons worldwide could be found anywhere without much effort, but if
the weapon they wanted was a product only available through a limited supply line, that was
a different story. And for such an item, the sellers had no choice but to be extremely cautious.

The more restricted the trade route, the easier it was to trace where the weapon was
distributed. And there would be too many troublesome gaps when problems arose. So, the
seller wouldn't readily provide it to anyone. Especially when the trade didn't follow the usual
route. If it didn't go through a reliable broker, they might never cooperate with someone they
hadn't worked with before. Money wasn't the issue, trust was.

Contacting Kyle now was also a kind of problem. When the other party wanted a specific
type of weapon, they needed to find a broker to mediate. If they couldn't find a trustworthy
person, they had no choice but to give up what they wanted. But sometimes finding such a
person was difficult, and threats were the dumbest method they could use.

"So, who are the hostages?"

Jenkins grimaced and asked. Kyle listed the names he had just heard over the phone.

"....Hine, Ludwig, and Kim."

Jenkins raised an eyebrow at the last name. As a long-time friend of Kyle, he seemed to
recognize all the other names except the last one. Kyle added - "Oh, that's a young man I just
recently met, and he's been staying at my house."

Morer, sitting next to him, rolled his eyes as if pondering something.

"I don't know if we should call it lucky or not, but they've captured people who can't be
touched."

Jenkins remarked that he felt fortunate but seemed dissatisfied with something. Kyle nodded
with a puzzled expression.

All the names mentioned were close friends of Kyle, but before being friends, they were also
business partners. They worked in various fields and were leaders in those areas. So, in other
words, if they were killed, the perpetrators would face significant consequences even if they
were already criminals. But of course, this still brought trouble to Kyle. < Oh boiz >

"This has happened before, hasn't it?"

Jenkins mumbled, frowning.

"Yeah, I've faced this twice before."

As Kyle nodded in response, Morer, who had been listening to their conversation, shook his
head in dismay. He had worked for a short time in Kyle's company lab before joining
UNHRDO and knew the company's operational structure to some extent.

"But there's still a way to deal with this."

"Yes, there's a way... but."

As Morer mumbled heavily, Jenkins replied. Kyle sighed deeply, his face darkened.

"Well..., is it difficult to contact him now?"

Morer asked softly. Kyle fell into thought. Should he say he couldn't contact him? At the very
least, he couldn't contact him the way he had done back then. If he had more time, he might
find another way, but he didn't have much time if his esteemed guests were being held
hostage.

"It's not easy. I'll try to contact the boy immediately, but he's been in a bad mood lately."

Kyle sighed and picked up the phone. Morer remained silent and sipped his coffee.

Kyle called with reluctant urgency. When a similar situation had occurred a few years ago,
the solution was simple. At that time, there was an organization like a special task force
established specifically to handle such jobs. It was a private special task force operating
independently from T&R Inc. It was registered as an independent company, and even when
T&R requested something, they had to pay according to regulations.

( Remember, this special task force operates independently and is not under T&R's
jurisdiction, but it is 100% under Ilay's authority )

However, the fact that a private special task force received money and worked with a bomb
manufacturing and trading company had sparked significant public criticism. Partly due to
the influence of competitors, that company was disbanded after two years.

Kyle's only younger brother, who had thrived in that environment, had comfortably
transitioned to UNHRDO and achieved what he had today. At that time, only the top-notch
individuals could join that special task force.

After the special task force disbanded, the members dispersed, but Kyle's younger brother
still kept in touch with them. His younger brother was the only one who could rally them due
to his strong personality.

"I don't like it either, but... there's no other way."

Kyle sighed as the phone rang, but there was no sign of anyone answering on the other end.
His younger brother seemed to be in a bit of a rush lately. The boy wanted to find someone,
but the search hadn't been effective. He had told Kyle to find the person, but locating the
individual his brother was trying to find wasn't easy.

It turned out that the person his younger brother was desperately searching for was the
younger brother of the researcher Kyle was also looking for everywhere. Kyle sighed,
thinking about it. It seemed the house was being stirred up by those brothers.

["....Why are you calling?"]

The anticipated call was interrupted by an annoyed voice from his younger brother. Thinking
back, his brother was probably still sleeping. The timing of the call wasn't ideal, but now he
had no other choice. Rescuing the hostages with his brother's help was a top priority.

"I need your help."

Kyle ignored his brother's words. Even through the phone, he could feel his brother's
expression growing colder.

["What about what I asked for earlier?"]

"Oh, I'm still looking, but there's no news yet. So wait a bit longer."

["...- What are you doing that you can't find one person?"]

His brother's voice grew irritable. Kyle also became more intense. At the same time, a
question that had crossed his mind many times before resurfaced.

"....Now let me ask you. What did that boy do to make you so obsessed? If you tell me why
you need to find him, wouldn't it be easier to find clues? If you asked me to find that boy, did
you mean to turn the world upside down just to find him?"

There was no answer from the phone. Last time, too, when Kyle asked why he was searching
for the boy, he didn't answer.

Not waiting for a reply, Kyle sighed and asked again.

"If it's because he's Jeong Jaeui's brother, I already told you before that you don't need to
worry about that. When it comes to Gil Sang Cheon, it only applies to Jeong Jaeui. Finding
him doesn't mean your luck will return."

"If you only called to talk about what I already know, stop."

He said as if he was about to hang up, and he did hang up. Kyle clicked his tongue, looking at
the phone emitting a disconnect sound. Beside him, the other two clicked their tongues,
witnessing the call ending like that. However, no one here was unaware of his brother's
peculiar personality.

Kyle called again but received no response until the third try.

"Ilay. I need help with something."

["I don't like it. Do your own work."]

"This is related to the company, so it's also your work. A small-scale armed group has carried
out a kidnapping."

["So what?"]

As soon as he heard his brother's brief, indifferent reply, Kyle's intuition realized that things
might not go the way he wanted. Once his brother said no, the boy would never change his
decision. Kyle clicked his tongue.

"You don't have to go, but please contact the old special task force for me."

["You do it yourself."]
The phone hung up again. Kyle stared at the receiver, this time for a bit longer. Then he
sighed and put the phone down.

"It's no use. I can't use this method anymore."

Kyle said weakly and shrugged. The movements of the other agents wouldn't be good if Kyle
were the one contacting them. Furthermore, he hadn't kept in touch with these people, and
their contact information was very vague.

But no matter what he said, his brother wouldn't change his mind even a bit.

"These days, the boy has been like this. Even when it's the company's business, he pushes it
aside and just rushes to find that person."

Kyle bit his tongue, lamenting to them, and added angrily - "I don't know why he's searching
for that person, but if he can't find him for the rest of his life, is he going to let his life revolve
around one person?"

But thinking back, this was indeed very rare. No, Kyle had never seen Ilay like this before.
 Vol 4 - Chapter 17: “...Hope...Ilay is coming to save us…”

It wouldn't be unusual for Ilay to refuse to do something he didn't like.

He was the type to fully commit to what he wanted to do. For Ilay, forcing him to do
something was worthless.

But he also had his own sense of responsibility. Being someone who did what he believed he
had to do, if he decided he had a responsibility for a task after hearing about it, he would take
it on.

Previously, it was Ilay who had voluntarily gone to the Hong Kong branch. Even though he
showed reluctance and seemed unwilling to go, he was aware of the company's work - the
work that required his responsibility - so despite his apparent displeasure, he ultimately
decided to go.

Then, just before the Hong Kong branch was officially established and operational, he spent a
whole month in Hong Kong to participate in a joint training session with UNHRDO.

A man who always did what he thought he had to do was now desperately searching for
someone. It was beyond imagination. Kyle had never seen his brother obsessed with
something to this extent. Of course, Ilay was the type who would never let go of those who
dared to provoke him, but he wasn't the type to go so far as to chase down a fleeing person
without showing any signs of anger... No, to be precise, those people would be caught before
they even had a chance to run.

Perhaps the damn researcher's luck, combined with Gil Sang Cheon's help, facilitated his
brother's escape. Kyle was even surprised by that unprecedented ability. But that was not the
issue now; there was another problem he needed to worry about more.

"Using Ilay is the simplest and easiest solution, but it also seems too excessive*...., I need to
think of another way, but what could it be?"

(The armed group's scale is too small, so it's not necessary for Ilay to get involved?)

Kyle mumbled to himself and sank deep into thought. He had come up with a few methods,
but none were particularly useful. It was frustrating. He couldn't provide the weapons the
criminals wanted as they demanded. It would have been easier if, before reaching this point,
they had found a reliable intermediary and conducted the transaction, but those idiots had
already done something stupid. If this happened, there would be no way to conduct a secret
underground transaction. There were some tricks to trade these things, but those idiots didn't
know that.

Kyle also couldn't pretend not to know his friends were in trouble (because of him) just
because he couldn't deliver the weapons to them. Although they were not people the
criminals could kill or deal with, he couldn't turn a blind eye. Personally, they were friends,
but they were also valuable business partners he couldn't sever ties with.
"What should I do...."

Kyle clicked his tongue. Throughout his life, he had never built a company as large as this,
and while running it, many difficult problems had arisen. But each time, he managed to
overcome everything. There had been times when serious life-threatening issues occurred,
but he still managed to resolve them. So now, Kyle wasn't overly serious about this problem.
In time, this would also become "some troublesome things that happened in the past.".

However, to be able to look back later and sigh like that, he first had to think of a way to
solve the current issue.

"Well.....-"

A gentle whisper sounded, and Kyle looked up. On the other side, Morer was resting his chin
on his hands, eyes closed and contemplating something.

This friend of his was somewhat eccentric. Among the many people Kyle knew, a few could
be called oddballs, and Morer was one of them. But Morer was a capable and intelligent
person, no different from others. Even when he was working at Kyle's company a few years
ago, he had been outstanding.

After quitting, he joined UNHRDO, but he remained an interesting friend to keep in touch
with. Unfortunately, most places with brilliant minds and deep knowledge were related to
weapons. Even though he wasn't very good at solving these kinds of problems, Morer now
seemed very dedicated to finding a solution for Kyle.

He mumbled to himself - "What's the matter? What's wrong?" - then bit his lip as if he were
slowly reaching a conclusion.

Kyle felt a bit worried when Morer's eyes lit up, and he suddenly called out to him.

"Kyle."

"Alright, tell me."

"The prototype* of the gun I saw a few days ago."

(*Prototype: The first model, a design, or a product released to build and test as a model for
learning and replicating)

Kyle gently raised an eyebrow. He was momentarily surprised by a story he hadn't expected
to come up suddenly.

Morer was a weapons enthusiast, from the beginning, he had been a person who put weapons
on a pedestal. Moreover, the prototype weapon still in development that Kyle had shown him
yesterday seemed to align perfectly with his desires. His body trembled when he saw it, and
he had clearly shown ambition to possess it.

Well, some time ago, someone had joked - "This is what you want most, so would you sell
your soul to the devil in exchange for a 22mm short-barrel 1989 pistol that stopped
production 100 years ago and can only be admired in museums?"

At that time, he hadn't hesitated or doubted, giving a serious and resolute answer - "Yes"

He was that kind of person, so it wasn't strange for him to bring up the gun again. Kyle
nodded, confused.

"Yeah, what about the prototype?"

When Kyle asked, Morer was silent for a moment. He seemed very pleased when thinking
about the gun. Excited, he waved his hands with flushed cheeks, as if determined, then closed
his eyes, blinked, and spoke.

"Give it to me, and I'll help you talk to Riegrow to resolve this."

"What...?"

Kyle opened his eyes wide, looking puzzled. Next to him, Jenkins had the same expression.
Kyle turned to Jenkins. Unsure of how Morer could persuade Ilay, Jenkins glanced at Kyle
with a look as if he didn't understand English.

Morer and Ilay weren't particularly friendly, but that didn't mean their relationship was
terrible. They were the type who knew the other existed but had never had proper contact or
conversation with each other.

"Are you alright in the head?"

When Kyle questioned him, Morer looked very confident, his eyes bright and silent. Kyle
thought for a moment. His prototype couldn't be handed over to someone else. He didn't like
experimental models being leaked before they were officially released in small quantities.
And it was even more dangerous if the product wasn't complete.

But in this situation....

Kyle glancedede til Morer.

"I mean, it's one way. But what if I don't give it to you?"

"Then this matter will be difficult to resolve."

Morer coldly replied with a broad smile. Then what was bound to happen would happen.
Kyle thought about it for a while. Finally, he nodded to Morer.

"Alright. If Ilay can help me with this, I'll give it to you. But even if you get it, you can only
keep it to yourself and never use or give it to anyone else."

"Absolutely."

Morer smiled. He fell into a moment of ecstatic happiness, staring at the ceiling until Kyle
patted him on the shoulder, bringing him back to reality.
"Alright, so how will you do it?" Kyle asked.

In fact, he had decided to accept Morer's offer even if it meant giving him the prototype
because it was the best way to resolve this matter. But more than that, he was curious about
how Morer would change Ilay's mind.

"Ah, just like that."

Morer mumbled softly.

"Make sure Taeui is among the hostages."

****************************

The Birch Forest

Thinking back, this was the first time in his life that Jeong Taeui had been officially
kidnapped (previously, because of his brother, there was only a risk of being kidnapped). He
had been beaten a few times when he was young, but the truth was, he had never actually
been kidnapped. If it were his brother, even if he got kidnapped, he would soon return. So,
when he was young – when there was still a risk of being kidnapped – there were times he
was terrified, thinking that: ‘If I get kidnapped, it would be so scary. The kidnappers will
surely starve and beat me.’

But as he grew older and more independent, he no longer thought about it because he had
grown too old to be kidnapped by another adult.

"So even adults can still get kidnapped..."

Jeong Taeui mumbled, bewildered.

When he was in middle school, he used to travel alone with a backpack. He had never been
robbed on a bus, but he could fall into situations close to being taken away. But at that time,
he could become a target not because he was Jeong Taeui. And now, he wasn't particularly
special or important, but those people still caught him.

Looking back, it seemed his life was just a dark patch, experiencing everything from robbery
to kidnapping like that.

But after all, he was still fine. And he still lived somehow lucky.

Moreover, if he had to affirm that he was truly lucky, perhaps it was the fact that he was
kidnapped for the first time in his life by these people.

They didn't starve or beat Jeong Taeui as he had feared when he was young. Although he was
confined, they fed him on time and didn't behave too rudely. But they weren't kidnappers to
be easily fooled; if they felt the room was noisy, they would bang on the door and shout.

Jeong Taeui had fallen asleep due to a headache and dizziness. Not long after, he woke up,
asked the others, and was told that he had slept for three to four hours.
Jeong Taeui didn't have a watch, so he didn't know the exact time, but he thought he had slept
for about three hours. The thing was, he didn't know when he first woke up, so he wasn't
clear about the time.

There was a window, but it had been nailed shut from the outside, making it impossible to see
the view outside. However, at the top, there was a small gap of a few inches because the
length of the nailed board wasn't enough, allowing light to filter through that small crack.

"It's around seven or eight o'clock... or maybe a bit later?"

Jeong Taeui tilted his head. The sky through the crack was a pale blue with faint streaks of
red light. The sun was setting, leaving shadows gradually covering everything.

Jeong Taeui ate the bread that the kidnappers had thrown into the room while he was
sleeping. He picked it up, chewed, and looked around. The others in the room were still
talking about various topics without any apparent tension.

Jeong Taeui found it a bit strange. Usually, in kidnapping cases, those who play significant
roles among the hostages are the ones who are kept alive the longest. Unfortunately, who dies
first among these people doesn't seem to matter, because in this case, the first to die could
very well be Jeong Taeui... However, it was still strange that the tension seemed to have
lessened significantly even though they could still very well lose their lives.

Jeong Taeui watched them for a while and then smiled. All in all, the atmosphere wasn't too
bad.

They seemed to know each other, and some didn't.

"But is everyone okay? I'm a bit scared. We don't know who those guys outside are and what
will happen next. I wonder if something bad will happen..."

Then, the man sitting next to him thought for a moment and gently patted Jeong Taeui on the
back to reassure him.

"Don't worry too much. Everything will be fine. Kyle has dealt with things like this often.
After all, he is a good negotiator."

The elderly-looking man sitting under the window across from the man next to him nodded.

"That's right. Well, this isn't the first time I've encountered something like this, so just take it
easy. Big problems become small, and small problems become nothing. If you're in the arms
trade world, you have to accept that one day, you might suddenly step out of the gate and get
hit by a car."

"Aha... is that so."

Jeong Taeui chuckled. Alright, he could feel more at ease thinking like that. If you have the
belief that no matter what, you won't die, then even if you get shot, you can still
optimistically think - ‘Even if I pass out like this, when I open my eyes, it'll just be a
hospital’- even if you can feel death really approaching.
When you actually feel death, not just as a concept on paper, but when it's really in front of
you, then death is truly right before our eyes.

Realizing that his life was near the boundary between life and death, Jeong Taeui didn't know
what fear and despair people would instinctively feel in this situation because he had never
thought that his lifeline would be cut.

Though he had never felt that, he had seen the fear and despair when close to death. Jeong
Taeui knew well the look in someone's eyes when facing death. He didn't have to go far; he
had witnessed these things at UNHRDO. Thinking about that, Jeong Taeui shook his head. A
memory he didn't want to recall resurfaced in his mind.

"Well... but if we're kidnapped, Kyle will be in trouble. If they demand something simple, it
won't be a problem, but if they want something special, it'll be difficult... But if they wanted
to make a reasonable demand, they wouldn't have gone to the trouble of doing this from the
start."

Jeong Taeui shrugged and mumbled. He was really curious how Kyle could meet the tough
demands from the other side. This hasn't happened just once or twice, so there must be a way
to solve it.

"He won't negotiate with kidnappers holding hostages but will deal with them decisively,
won't he...?"

Jeong Taeui spoke to himself and then shook his head. Hopefully, those guys weren't from
America.

A black man sitting far away answered Taeui's question vaguely.

"Come to think of it, I heard that T&R had a department specializing in dealing with things
like this before. What was it? I heard about it once but forgot."

Hearing that, Jeong Taeui nodded and sighed - "Ah ha."

Although it sounded strange, it wasn't hard to understand why a company always facing such
risks would have a specialized team like that.

But to broaden Jeong Taeui's limited knowledge, the man sitting opposite corrected him.

"No, that's not quite right. I know what you're talking about, but it wasn't a department inside
T&R, and it no longer exists. It didn't operate long, just for a year or two."

"Oh, right. A private task force supporting T&R, and it was a separate company."

The man next to Taeui nodded as if he knew that. Then, the black man who was initially
confused raised his hand.

"What kind of company was that?"

"No, it functioned more like a mercenary organization. The official name was different too.
People I knew called it the Riot Squad. The organization was very small, just a few dozen
people. But the members of that organization were special elite individuals from places like
SWAT or Special Forces*, if you heard their names, everyone would know."

*(S.W.A.T (Special Weapons and Tactics): An elite tactical unit. They are trained to handle
high-risk operations beyond the capability of ordinary police forces, such as hostage rescues
and counter-terrorism, serving high-risk arrest warrants, and engaging heavily armed
criminals.)

*(Special Forces : Elite tactical military units specially trained to carry out dangerous
missions that regular units cannot perform.)

Listening to their conversation, he vaguely remembered a Jeong Taeui from before. When he
was studying weapon engineering at the military academy not long ago, although he never
paid much attention, he had heard stories about weapons manufacturers when some
instructors took the lecture a bit too far. And T&R was one of the names he had heard at that
time.

A mercenary company stemming from T&R's main sponsorship. Although very small in
scale, it was a place with stable and excellent internal power and enormous financial strength.
Only the top talents could become members. However, not long after its establishment, the
company had to dissolve due to public pressure. It was because having a company with actual
warriors combined with a weapons manufacturing company was very unethical.

‘It shouldn't exist because moral values would be broken.’

"But if it has disbanded like that, it will be very difficult to get help from that company."

Jeong Taeui said, and the man next to him nodded. He didn't know what he was thinking, but
his face was slightly furrowed.

"Besides, I don't really like them coming to the rescue. Everyone says they're too violent.
Well, but as a hostage, I can't ask for anything luxurious."

"Do you remember?"

"Yes. They were a bit aggressive. I met them before at Kyle's house. And I have to say, they
were extremely rude. There's that side too."

Hearing the man grumble bitterly, Jeong Taeui didn't reply. And the man muttered to himself,
"Really luxurious."

Of course, their kidnapping wasn't their fault, but this wasn't a situation where they could
decide who would come to their rescue.

"If someone could help me get out of here, I'd be relieved. Anyway, as long as we get out of
here safely, it doesn't matter who comes to rescue us."
The man next to Taeui shrugged as if agreeing and mumbled something, while the other man
shook his head, seemingly not liking the idea much. Then he furrowed his brow and added,
as if to provide more evidence for his point.

"But that company was full of people like Kyle's brother."

For a second, Jeong Taeui was speechless. The man nodded dryly and furrowed his brow. It
was as if they were close friends of Kyle. Their expressions twisted strangely as if they knew
who ‘Kyle's younger brother’ was. Sensing this, the man added.

"Not really, that comment was a bit harsh. After all, they weren't just bloodthirsty. They were
only half as bad as him. So sometimes, I wondered if I could stay alive around them."

This time, everyone nodded at the man, and Jeong Taeui was no exception. He lamented to
himself as he looked at those people. Right, that made sense. Ilay had truly lost his heart. He
was heartless. He wouldn't care about that, and although it was his nature, it was still bitter.

"If RieGrow is the one coming to rescue me, that's a bit worrying. I don't even know if I can
survive under his hand."

When the man next to him muttered, Taeui laughed foolishly as if he had heard a funny story.
He also laughed as if joking. But Jeong Taeui wasn't in the mood to laugh longer. Just now,
the man by the window had said - "Choosing the rescuer is really luxurious." - and had
beaten his chest and called himself foolish. Clearly, this wasn't a situation where they could
decide who would come to their rescue, but if given a choice, Jeong Taeui would rather stay
here and live with the kidnappers than be rescued by the man named Ilay.

"...Hope...Ilay is coming to save us..."

When Jeong Taeui mumbled unconsciously, the man by the window and all the others stared
at him in shock.

Feeling the intense gazes piercing him, Jeong Taeui looked up and met faces that seemed to
have heard the most absurd sound in the world.

"....? Huh? Me?"

"You're still a young man. So, don't mention that name carelessly. You're young, so you need
to be more careful."

"Among the people I know, the first time they met Rick, they didn't know much about him,
right? That person accidentally mentioned Rick's name. As a result, it took him eight weeks
to be able to step outside again."

"You can't mention that name. It's a name that will bring great disaster to you."

Everyone started whispering. Jeong Taeui quietly shut his mouth and lowered his head.

Ilay. He truly was a heartless being. It wasn't easy to make everyone regard you with near
absolute fear and respect, like having to face a demon.
 Vol 4 - Chapter 18: Taeui tries to escape

Jeong Taeui tiredly bit his lip. The conversation continued buzzing around the topic,
eventually circling back to what Taeui had mentioned earlier.

"But he won't come. After joining UNHRDO, he said he had to handle two jobs at once and
was very busy, rarely doing anything else. In the past, when similar things happened, other
members he contacted dealt with it. He also said it had nothing to do with him."

Hearing this, Taeui quietly nodded. He thought that Ilay might need to clone himself to keep
up. Despite appearances, Ilay's life was far from leisurely, the workload at UNHRDO was no
joke. Taeui didn't know all the details, but a branch of a large company like T&R, even just
for a business trip, involved a lot of work. Ilay worked fast, but even when Taeui was by his
side, his workload was already huge.

Moreover, if a member of UNHRDO came to the T&R branch not just to check on the
company's work but to resolve issues like this, it would undoubtedly cause a lot of
discussions.

Jeong Taeui glanced at them and nodded repeatedly, agreeing. It made sense that Ilay
wouldn't get involved in this mess to rescue someone he didn't know. After all, he didn't
know who Kim Young Soo was.

"...."

Just thinking about it gave Jeong Taeui goosebumps. He rubbed his arms. Even though he
was only wearing underwear, it was still summer. Yet, thinking about it sent a chill down his
spine. He couldn't afford the luxury of thinking about who would come to rescue him. He'd
rather cling to the kidnappers and stay here if the rescuer was Ilay. He doubted they'd accept a
hostage as worthless as him.

With that thought, Jeong Taeui sighed again. They locked him up without doing anything,
which meant they had plenty of time, wasting it on useless things.

"Alright" - Jeong Taeui said dejectedly, standing up and heading to the bathroom inside.
Despite not drinking any water, he still needed to pee; the human body was indeed a mystery.

The bathroom was as empty as if everything had been cleared out. There was nothing inside
except the basics like a toilet and a sink. Jeong Taeui looked around the bathroom while
relieving himself. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a small ventilation hole on the wall. It was a hole
too small for a person to crawl through, given its width and height. However, behind the vent,
he could see the blue sky, indicating it was directly connected to the outside.

"Hmm...."

Jeong Taeui thought for a moment, then reached out. He had nothing to stand on but was tall
enough to reach the vent and grip the fan blades. Through his fingertips, he examined each
blade, noting they were quite sharp. Touching them too hard with bare hands could cut his
fingers.

This time, Jeong Taeui gently pushed the blades with his fingertips, but they didn't budge,
indicating they were securely fastened. This was it. Climbing up it wouldn't be difficult. But
there was another problem, he couldn't escape through such a small hole. Taeui considered
shouting for help from outside, but he knew the kidnappers wouldn't be foolish enough to
reveal their location to outsiders. Before anyone passing by could hear his screams, the
kidnappers would rush in and gag him.

So, the vent was useless.

"....."

Jeong Taeui thought for a moment, then removed his underwear. He wrapped it around his
hand like a glove and approached the vent.

"Ugh....—"

Jeong Taeui placed his hand in the vent, pulled himself up, and supported his weight with one
arm for a moment. Then he reached his other hand, covered with his underwear, and grabbed
the fan blade. He held on tightly to avoid slipping, then braced his foot against the wall. He
shook the fan with all his strength.

He shook it several times, his body swaying in the air, and a creaking sound echoed. It wasn't
too loud but made him worry that the kidnappers outside might notice. But he reassured
himself that the sound was only loud in the confined space of the bathroom and wasn't
actually that loud.

Three or four times, he grabbed and shook the firmly attached fan until pieces of the wall
crumbled. Even though he had wrapped his underwear around it, the fan blades still hurt his
hand. His knuckles felt like they were about to snap from the pressure.

"....!"

On the fifth attempt, the fan, which had been securely mounted, finally fell from the vent. As
it fell, Jeong Taeui, who had been hanging from it, also fell.

"Ugh...!"

Jeong Taeui's entire body slammed into the floor, his tailbone hitting the ground hard.

He trembled. He couldn't scream, or he'd die from the pain, but he couldn't make any loud
noise, so he might die from the agony.

Jeong Taeui curled up on the bathroom floor, holding his tailbone. After some time, the pain
subsided a bit, and he stood up, sighing. There was no mirror in the bathroom, so he couldn't
see, but he was sure it was bruised.

"Damn it, this hurts like hell...."

Jeong Taeui instinctively wiped away the tears welling up from the pain. He winced and
looked up. The vent where the fan had fallen was now empty.

Jeong Taeui carefully patted the throbbing area around his tailbone again. He approached the
vent and examined it. He had fallen once; another fall might render his tailbone useless.

Now, climbing up the vent was much easier without the obstructing fan. Jeong Taeui pulled
himself up again but still couldn't see outside clearly because the hole was too small and the
ceiling was in the way. The first thing he saw was a pure white tree branch. A branch of
pristine white appeared wherever his eyes could reach. Whether he tilted his head left, right,
up, or down, he could only see a single scene. Jeong Taeui silently listened. No voices. In the
quiet space, only the sound of birds singing in the distance could be heard. And the cool,
fresh air flowed in from the vent.

"...."

Jeong Taeui released his grip from the vent and landed on the floor, looking at his dusty
hands. He brushed them off.

Outside was a forest. There was no way to know which forest it was or its name. It seemed
like an isolated retreat in the mountains, built in the middle of the forest.

He didn't know what forest this was, so he couldn't say for sure. But if he could sneak out
somehow, he thought he could escape by hiding in the forest......

Jeong Taeui sat on the toilet like a statue and pondered for a moment. But his thoughts were
interrupted by a knock on the door from outside.

"I'm in a hurry" - A gentle but urgent voice said after the knock.

"Oh, I'll be right out."

Jeong Taeui hurriedly stood up and shouted back. But just as he was about to leave the
bathroom, he realized he was still naked and quickly turned back to find his underwear.

When he removed his underwear still wrapped around the vent, it was covered in black dust.

"...."

Jeong Taeui silently held his underwear, then heard the knocking again. He needed to think
about how to attempt this again.

If you're kidnapped and held captive, the easiest thing to do is wait for someone to rescue
you.

—Jeong Taeui had heard people say this, but it seemed those words were just lies. It wasn't
the most optimal method because being rescued by someone might be the best way to stay
alive, but it wasn't the most convenient way.

Jeong Taeui lay on the floor, staring out the window, lost in thought.
The sky was growing brighter. White light filtered through the cracks in the wooden boards
covering the window. It had been less than a day since he was kidnapped, but it felt like
several days had passed. What could be more frustrating than sitting helplessly, unable to do
anything but wait in vain? Jeong Taeui firmly believed that trying to escape would be better,
no matter how much he had to struggle. If he had the right tools, he would try anything. He’d
rather be beaten to death trying to escape than die of boredom.

He hadn't slept well last night. Not because of the change in sleeping arrangements, but
because he had been drugged during the day and couldn't sleep again at night.

Even now, when it was time to sleep, Jeong Taeui lay restless, unable to fall asleep as his
mind remained fully alert. In the end, he sighed and sat up. Lying on this cold, hard floor
made it difficult to sleep anyway.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head and looked around. The others weren’t much different. Some
were sleeping soundly, some had just fallen asleep, and two were wide awake.

Jeong Taeui hadn’t brushed his teeth, so his mouth felt dry. He looked out the window again.
If he did it right, he could break it. Speaking of wooden boards, nine out of ten were cheap
plywood since there was no reason to use expensive, high-quality wood for something like
this. So, someone with average strength could break it with their bare hands. If it was
plywood, Jeong Taeui could break it. But not now. He would have to use all his strength to
break it, but if the kidnappers heard the noise, they would storm in immediately.

Jeong Taeui got up and walked to the window, tapping on the wooden board covering it. It
was sturdier than he thought; he hadn’t expected to break it with his bare hands at this point.
Besides, apart from Jeong Taeui, who could do physical work, the others looked old and
weak. Honestly, he had no confidence in breaking it with his bare hands.

Jeong Taeui tapped the wooden board again with his fingertip. Through the gap at the top, he
saw a bird flying across the crimson sky outside.

Today seemed like a beautiful day.

"We're going to have a hard time escaping without any tools."

The man lying below, who was awake and watching Jeong Taeui tap the window, spoke
slowly. Jeong Taeui replied - "Certainly."

There would be many problems in this situation. Firstly, they were kidnapped, had no tools,
and it was difficult to know the outside environment. Another issue was that if they tried to
escape and failed even once, escaping a second time would be much more difficult. Literally,
there was no choice but to wait for help from outside.

"If Kyle can negotiate with them, that would be great... But it's not going to be that easy."

Jeong Taeui sighed and mumbled. This situation was like playing the lottery, their fate
depended entirely on the person coming to rescue them. If they were lucky, they could just
wait patiently without lifting a finger and return without any trouble. But if unlucky, they
might have to die here.

It seemed the others in the room didn’t think much about that future, possibly due to their
status or the influence of their work environment. Although they seemed similar, Jeong Taeui
grew up in a completely normal environment, a true commoner. So, he naturally leaned
towards the unlucky side.

As if remembering something, he left the window and went to the bathroom.

The ventilation fan he had dismantled the night before was still lying in a corner. It seemed
Jeong Taeui had struggled with a pretty tough fan.

"I'm only concerned about the future. I must try to escape from here..."

Jeong Taeui mumbled to himself as he touched the fan blades with his finger. He stared at the
ceiling for a moment, then glanced outside. From this position, he could see everyone
through the door.

He had never seen a successful escape story involving a group of people dragging along
those who were unfamiliar with fighting or not physically capable. Such stories were only
found in religious texts.

The biggest problem was the mindset; these people didn’t even intend to escape.

This situation would be quickly resolved if it happened in the military or with his colleagues
at UNHRDO. In that case, they would try to escape, and Jeong Taeui might be the one
demanding to stay put and wait for rescue. No, if it were them, they wouldn't have been
caught in the first place.

Now, escaping with others seemed very difficult, so he had to find a way to escape alone.
Jeong Taeui was concerned that even if he failed while trying to leave, if he escaped alone,
only he would die. But if he took others along, their lives would be at risk too.

However, he couldn’t just leave them behind and escape alone. (One visit to the bathroom,
and Jeong Taeui had already imagined at least ten potential emergency scenarios.)

"It's best to sit still and wait for the prince to come rescue us, huh?"

Jeong Taeui repeated the man's words and left the bathroom. The two alert people in the room
looked curiously at the fan he was holding. He moved his hand and lost himself in thought,
seemingly unaware of their gazes.

Trying to escape with nothing in hand was indeed foolish. No, it was a great opportunity to
become a fool. For example, if he tried to escape with an injured leg while a successful
negotiation with the kidnappers was happening, leading to everyone quietly being rescued
without his knowledge, that would be the dumbest thing ever.

Even so...
"I should at least come up with an excuse."

Later, when he met Kyle, he would say, "I tried my best... sorry I couldn’t help."

He would have to try to excuse his foolishness. Of course, since Kyle was the reason for this,
he could argue that Kyle should take responsibility, but Jeong Taeui didn’t think that way.

"I can guess what you're trying to do with that. But if you make a mistake and get caught, it’ll
be even more dangerous."

The man watched Jeong Taeui move and whispered worriedly.

Jeong Taeui glanced at the man's disapproving look and smiled. Instead of worrying about
him, the man was concerned about the dangers he might face if Jeong Taeui acted.

That was normal, it was unfair to risk your life because of someone else.

But the man overlooked one thing: the people in this room were all important, valuable
hostages, except for Jeong Taeui, who was worthless and quite ordinary. In other words, even
if something went wrong, the kidnappers could easily deal with Jeong Taeui without touching
the others.

"It's okay, it's okay. Even if I have to die, I'll take responsibility and die alone."

Jeong Taeui jokes and continues moving his hands. He pulled the blades out of the core,
which almost never came off. This fan must have been made by a very good company with
excellent quality. He thought he should invest and buy shares in that company later. Jeong
Taeui thought to himself as he looked at the core with the company's name engraved on it.

Finally, all four blades were removed. His hands were full of cuts from gripping and twisting
the blades, but he could endure it. Jeong Taeui pulled the twisted blades out. The sturdier the
blades, the more pain he had to endure. Jeong Taeui sighed in satisfaction and stood up with
the four blades stacked together.

Approaching the window, he looked up at the crack above the wooden board. It was daylight,
and the birds chirped merrily outside. A new day was beginning.
 Vol 4 - Chapter 19: Taeui got caught

Jeong Taeui glanced at the door, knowing that the moment those men stepped inside, it would
be a disaster.

They might come to deliver breakfast, but the problem was, exactly when would they arrive?
In any case, it seemed unlikely that they would come this early in the morning.

He quickly decided to abandon this thought. As the man had said yesterday - "If you leave,
you die; if you stay, you live." - In times like these, he only thought about that. And there
were times when it was better to do nothing. Ultimately, he had no choice but to face other
invisible anxieties.

"Lord Jaeui, Lord Jaeui, please share your luck with me...."

Jeong Taeui muttered to himself as he wedged two fan blades between the tightly fitted
wooden boards. He had prayed similar things many times, but they never reached his
brother's ears, and he had no clue where his brother was. But thinking about his brother's luck
always brought some comfort.

But as usual, Jaeui's luck didn't seem to rub off on him, no matter how much he invoked his
brother's name.

Pushing the fan blades through the wooden boards was no easy task. The sound of knocking
on the boards created creaking noises. It took a lot of time just to wedge the blades into the
gaps between the boards and squeeze them together. Meanwhile, the others who had been
sleeping were waking up one by one.

*Creak.*

The fan blade finally wedged into the middle of the board, creating a thread-thin crack
between the stacked boards.

Jeong Taeui rubbed his scarred fingers and clicked his tongue. His hands were full of cuts,
and touching anything caused sharp pain. He put his fingers in his mouth and sighed. The fan
core, set aside, was wedged between the boards. He gently pushed it like moving a lever.

*Thud*

The sound of wood falling echoed, revealing a narrow gap between the long, stacked boards.
He repeated the action once or twice, each time swaying with the vibrations. Cracks appeared
along the grain of the wood. Before long, the board became loose at the top and bottom, and
the middle section fell out. The gap between the boards was just wide enough to fit two
fingers.

With a bit more force, the board would fall out, making the rest of the process much simpler.
It would be easier than trying to remove the tightly secured wooden boards entirely.
Jeong Taeui grabbed the fan blades that had fallen between the evenly spaced boards. Even
when stacked, these sturdy fan blades had bent significantly.

This was going to be a bit more difficult.

Jeong Taeui threw the bent fan blades aside and stacked the remaining two blades together
again. He inserted them into the gap below the board and repeated the same actions. This
time, it was much easier than the first.

Finally, one of the boards broke. The other boards warped enough to create a gap wide
enough for everyone to see outside.

"....."

Jeong Taeui swallowed hard.

Even though he had envisioned it, this was indeed a forest.

He was on the second floor of a mountain resort house. Surrounding it was a large birch
forest. Beyond the forest lay a series of mountains. Even though the gaps between the boards
didn't provide a clear view of the entire mountain range, the mountains seemed quite steep.

"What is it? Can you see anything? Where is this place....."

With the board open, they could see the scene outside. The man sitting a bit away from Jeong
Taeui looked at him and got up to come closer. The others took turns asking where they were.
The man looked outside for a while, scratching his head, unable to discern the geography of
the place from such a small hole. He frowned and whispered.

"This place is deep in the mountains."

Without getting the expected answer, the others came closer one by one to look outside. The
man stepped back. But none of them could recognize the place.

Even Jeong Taeui couldn't; if it wasn't a place he visited regularly, he wouldn't recognize it
even if it was a forest behind his own house.

At that moment, Jeong Taeui heard noises outside the room, signaling that someone was
approaching. He quickly pushed away the person standing in front of the window, but the
black man peering outside only turned around and gave Jeong Taeui a puzzled look, not
moving. Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and whispered.

"Someone's coming......"

However, before Jeong Taeui could finish his sentence, the footsteps had already reached the
door, and before the black man could sit down, the door swung open.

The black man, startled, looked around. Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and touched the man's
head.
The person who had just entered, carrying a bag of black bread and water, widened his eyes
at the scene. He seemed to grasp the situation after looking at the cracked board.

"You bastards...."

He threw the items in his hands and shouted. Hearing the noise, three or four others ran in.
His companions looked at him with puzzled expressions, but seeing the scene in the room
and the cracked board, their faces turned cold.

"What are you,.... Was it you?"

He held the fan blade in his trembling hand, glaring at Jeong Taeui, who was staring back at
him. Come to think of it, this was the man Jeong Taeui had hit with the crutch yesterday.

"You just needed to sit still and wait, but why did you do this? Do you think you can escape
just because we didn't teach you a lesson?"

Jeong Taeui took a direct punch to the face from the man.

The punch was so strong that his back slammed into the wooden board behind him, and the
sudden pain contorted his face.

Even though he had lived in environments filled with men, he always found it exhausting to
be on the receiving end of blows.

It hurt like hell. And Jeong Taeui had never gotten used to the pain.

He thought to himself, "I need to beat this bastard."

Jeong Taeui rubbed his face and glared at the man, but seeing the three burly men standing
behind him, the thought quickly faded. If he didn't handle it well, he might get beaten up
again. But more importantly, the man could kill a hostage to make an example.

He had anticipated this might happen, but it was still unfortunate. Jeong Taeui wondered if it
would have been better to sit quietly, but it seemed that wasn't the case. It was just bad luck.

Maybe he had fought with some of these men, but the one who punched Jeong Taeui did so
as if he had been thrashed by him before. He landed a few punches on Jeong Taeui's face and
delivered three or four painful blows to his stomach.

Jeong Taeui looked pitiful.

He let out small groans to alleviate some of the pain and silently swore. Seriously, if it
weren't for the presence of others here, he would have bitten his lip or let himself drool.

Or, if this weren't a life-threatening or kidnapping situation, he would have tried to run to the
hospital no matter how hard they chased him.

Jeong Taeui sighed and endured the attacks on his body. He wondered if he had become
weaker or stronger after being with that crazy person.
But... It really hurt.

Clearly, this man wasn't an amateur but a trained fighter. Even though he looked different
from Jeong Taeui, his demeanor and the atmosphere around him were like those hardened in
the rot of the military. They say that police officers and soldiers can recognize people like
him from a hundred meters away, and now he understood what that meant.

Moreover, in countries where joining the military could be done through registration, it was
even easier to distinguish between someone who merely "joined" the military and a real
"soldier." Perhaps this man had left the military and joined the rebels or revolutionary forces.
But his essence was still that of someone from the slums, making his punches even sharper.

For some reason, ever since he ran away from Ilay, his luck had been running out, giving way
to misfortune. Jeong Taeui gritted his teeth and cursed with all the colorful words he had
accumulated.

The man finally stopped hitting him, seeing Jeong Taeui lying on the floor, unable to move.
He delivered one last strong kick before turning to threaten the others.

"Don't do anything stupid and behave! No matter what you hear, it won't matter to us. And I
can kill all of you here!"

The man finished his display of power and walked out. His companions surveyed the room
before following him out.

Finally, the man glanced back at Jeong Taeui as he left the room and said.

"But we're not like other bad guys. So if this ends peacefully, we won't touch you. And even
if you manage to escape, it's easy to get lost on these steep slopes. This place is filled with
wolves at night. So be good and don't plan anything."

Jeong Taeui lay there, looking at the man with deep eyes. The man clicked his tongue again
and left the room. As soon as the door closed, Jeong Taeui pushed himself up to sit. He had
been beaten severely, but he wasn't seriously injured or had any broken bones. The man was
indeed a professional. He could beat Jeong Taeui brutally without causing any severe injuries.

But that was just a superficial assessment; on the outside, Taeui looked very hurt.

"Hey, are you okay?"

The man beside him asked sympathetically. Jeong Taeui grimaced and clicked his tongue.
Without a mirror, he couldn't see himself, but he must have looked terrible. He swallowed the
metallic taste of blood in his mouth and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. His hand
came away with traces of blood, indicating that his lip was torn. However, there were no
other visible injuries anywhere else.

Jeong Taeui gently wiped his face, but no tears came out. Despite this, he still felt pain so
intense that he wanted to scream whenever he touched it, and in just a few hours or even a
few dozen minutes, his entire face would be bruised.
Jeong Taeui didn't want his face to swell up like that.

"Are you okay?"

When Jeong Taeui didn't respond, another man continued to ask. His expression wasn't any
better seeing a fellow captive being beaten like that right before his eyes. Witnessing such a
thing couldn't make anyone happy; after all, it wasn't completely unrelated to them.

"No... not at all. Aww, it hurts so much..."

Jeong Taeui groaned and looked out the window, where the wooden boards still left gaps.
Staring at the endless forest before him, he thought he couldn't escape from here. Or, as the
man had said before leaving the room, he might die in that forest if he tried to escape.

Taeui took a deep breath and stood up. Then he walked to the window, grabbed the wooden
boards tightly with both hands, and twisted with all his might.

A loud noise rang out.

Each time Taeui tried to spread his arms apart, the wooden board cracked and emitted
breaking sounds.

The others widened their eyes and approached Jeong Taeui one by one to stop him, but he
kept shaking his head.

"You've already been beaten so badly, you should realize how dangerous it is. Besides, it will
be very hard to escape even if you open the window, right? I think they just blocked our
view... Come on, what are you trying to do?"

Jeong Taeui, already beaten, used all his strength to push the wooden boards in desperation.

Finally, the board couldn't withstand the force and broke into three or four pieces. His view
gradually became clearer.

"Ah, much better... Well, I can see why they put these boards here."

It wasn't just the second floor; right below was a valley with a steep drop.

There was no ledge to grab onto and climb down to escape, and they would have no choice
but to jump. The result would be broken bones if they stubbornly jumped from the second
floor. Actually, if escaping was possible, jumping would be worth it, but the deep valley
seemed like a giant mouth ready to swallow anything. So, don't think it would be easy to
jump down. It wouldn't just be a broken bone or two; they would have to risk their lives for
such a slim chance.

It was nearing dawn, the sun was rising, and a new day had begun. In a few hours, the
summer heat would soon arrive.

"It's probably around 7 o'clock...."

"6 or 7, right?"

Jeong Taeui mumbled as if talking to himself, and behind him came a nonchalant question in
response.

Six or seven o'clock. It seemed those guys hadn't contacted Kyle's company yet. No matter
how stupid they were, they should know that dealing with Kyle personally would be more
beneficial. So, they would only call Kyle once he was home, but since he usually had dinner
at home, the call would likely happen around seven or eight in the evening.

If they had contacted Kyle, twelve hours had passed. And maybe after a night, today the
negotiation would yield results. They couldn't hold the hostages for long because this wasn't a
child kidnapping. Political criminals like this rarely held their captives too long. It depended
on whether their demands were met, which would determine if the hostages would be
released.

In this case, the negotiation results might come today, but the hostage situation could last
longer. Once their demands were met, they would release the hostages.

The second scenario is when there are disagreements, needing further negotiation. This
situation wouldn't take much time either. Both sides knew holding hostages for long wouldn't
bring any benefits, so they would soon reach a common conclusion.

The worst case is the third scenario, where negotiations fail, and the hostages' lives are in
danger. If the other side decides to abandon the hostages, they might die. Even if the other
side doesn't comply with the kidnappers' demands but still tries their best to find the hostages,
they might still die. Because once the kidnappers received any information, they might kill
the hostages immediately.

Jeong Taeui wanted to smoke. Out of habit, he turned to ask the others, but seeing their pale
faces and his own in just his underwear, he slowly turned back.

Jeong Taeui in just his underwear didn't look very good, but it was better than a Jeong Taeui
in dirty underwear, now darkened from dust and water.

"......"

Instead of exhaling smoke, Taeui could only sigh.

Of course, the first scenario was the best option, but given Kyle's way of handling things, it
would likely fall into the second scenario. Jeong Taeui didn't know how the negotiations were
going, but he just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

If he could coincidentally see ginseng hunters through the mountains, he would shout for
help, but this place was a desolate mountain with no signs of people.

Jeong Taeui rested his hands on the window ledge and stared out blankly. The forest was
covered with intertwining white birch branches. The tranquility of this place seemed to calm
his mind.
"So what... everything will be fine."

Jeong Taeui smiled faintly and sighed quietly.

Life wasn't always this bad.

*************************

That thought lasted only two minutes in Jeong Taeui's mind before it was extinguished.

Jeong Taeui suddenly felt uneasy and tilted his head. Something was different from before.
He sensed an unusual discomfort creeping in. Jeong Taeui turned his head to look back,
seeing the others still in the room talking or lost in thought. Nothing seemed different from
before.

Jeong Taeui turned to the window again. Was there a change in the scenery outside? No.
Nothing had changed from the scene he admired just a second ago.

Jeong Taeui tilted his head. Something was happening... even though everything before him
appeared unchanged....

Thinking about it, he realized what a sense of absurdity truly meant.

No sounds were being made. Even the birds occasionally chirping in the silent forest had
gone quiet.

Sometimes, the chirping came from the distant forest. But suddenly, those sounds seemed
swallowed by something, leaving an eerie, silent forest, as if a terrifying beast had appeared.

The direction where the birds had stopped singing wasn't the way to the road leading here.
The only road cars could use was to the right, just ahead, and not visible from this position.
Perhaps the kidnappers were only guarding that road. And the direction where the birds had
fallen silent was a dense forest, even if cars or something else came through, the birds would
stop singing, but no car could go that way.

The birds' silence coincided almost exactly with the strange feelings around him.

*Brrrr...*

A faint sound resonated.

It sounded like a cell phone vibrating. But there was no way a cell phone would be here, nor
could he hear the kidnappers' phones outside.

Yet there was a clear, gentle vibration, growing nearer.

The sound seemed to come from far away, gradually growing louder and closer.

It came from the direction where the birds had stopped singing.
On the narrow mountain path where no car could pass, something was slowly approaching,
bringing with it a rumbling noise like the growl of a beast.

< HE IS COMING >

 Vol 4 - Chapter 20: Monster and Anti-Tank Gun

Jeong Taeui's expression gradually hardened. Within the dense forest, something was
approaching. As the roar grew closer, it brought with it the faint sounds of rustling wind, the
rustle of leaves, and the breaking of young trees obstructing its path.

When the sound became unmistakably real, the others in the room gathered near the window
with bewildered faces.

"What is that sound? What could it be?"

"It sounds like an engine..."

"No way someone is using a lawnmower in this forest."

Someone whispered a joke, but no one laughed. The roar was getting too close.

And then, in the next moment.

Everyone in the room fell silent. They could hear the commotion of the kidnappers outside,
but no one inside uttered a word.

As the low birch trees at the edge of the forest were ruthlessly cut down, the true source of
the roar was revealed.

"That's... a Rewako*...."

(*Rewako: A type of three-wheeled motorcycle/image below.)

Someone muttered and added, "That's a model that's been out of production for a long time,"
but it seemed that nothing could reach Jeong Taeui anymore.

A three-wheeled motorcycle appeared with a roar loud enough to burst eardrums, leaving the
forest path devastated.

The motorcycle was now only recognizable by its three wheels. It seemed to have been
modified to navigate mountainous terrain, something Jeong Taeui had never seen before. It
looked entirely different from the original. A massive figure, terrifying in size, barreled
forward like a tank.

(Rewako was modified by T&R)

And there was a man sitting comfortably atop the beast.

No one else. Just him.

He held the handlebars of the Rewako with one hand as if he were on a casual stroll, with
something draped over his shoulder held by the other. His calm but cold face briefly glanced
at the lifeless faces staring at him from afar.

Jeong Taeui stared at him in disbelief. He felt as if his soul had left his body.

The strange man on the strange motorcycle looked at Jeong Taeui with an indifferent
expression, a flicker of emotion passing over his lips.

Jeong Taeui's face went pale, and his expression froze. He stared wide-eyed at the man in the
distance. For a moment, their eyes seemed to meet.

"No way...."

Jeong Taeui's lips trembled. One of the others seemed to recognize the man, their voice weak
and trembling.

"No way... that person... Rie...."

Before they could finish, something extraordinarily absurd happened.

The strange man smiled sinisterly. He tapped lightly on the massive metal object he was
carrying. The moment Jeong Taeui saw the large, long piece of metal, he was terrified.

It was a Panzer Faust*. An anti-tank weapon.

And it could easily destroy any armored vehicle.

"Wait, that...!!"

Jeong Taeui didn't finish his sentence. The grinning beast turned towards the anti-tank
weapon, stood up from the three-wheeled motorcycle, placed one foot on the handlebar, and
without any superfluous movement, fired the weapon.

Jeong Taeui immediately threw himself over those beside him, lowering himself.

That crazy bastard...!!!!!!!

Jeong Taeui screams internally, or maybe he actually screamed. But no sound came out of his
mouth; instead....

*Boom*

A deafening explosion rang out beside him.

Jeong Taeui covered his head with his arms. He thought he was screaming, but no sound
escaped. No, to be precise, his screams were buried under the series of terrifying explosions.

Thick smoke and dust engulfed the forest. Rocks and debris rained down.

Jeong Taeui lay flat, covering his head. Concrete fragments fell on his shoulders, back, and
body. A large rock struck his shoulder and fell off. Jeong Taeui grimaced in pain.
After the cacophony ceased, Jeong Taeui slowly lifted his head. White dust covered his body,
and the entire room was in disarray. A wall had collapsed, covering everyone inside.

"That maniac... that insane bastard...!!"

Jeong Taeui cursed with all the profanity he knew, despite his nearly delirious state.

When he turned around, one side of the wall had been blown away. The window once
blocked by wooden planks was now completely gone. His view was no longer obstructed,
revealing the scene outside.

Not only was the wall blown away, but the ceiling was also gone, and even the opposite wall
was half-collapsed.

"Where's that anti-tank shooting maniac? That crazy bastard!!"

Jeong Taeui screamed furiously. He didn't care if the man could hear him. And it seemed he
really couldn't hear, because another explosion came from the other side.

Shouts, explosions, machine gun fire, and yelling mixed into a terrifying noise.

Jeong Taeui looked around. Everyone was lying on the floor. He quickly stood up and
approached them, gently patting each one and calling out. Fortunately, the two who were
injured were only as hurt as Jeong Taeui himself, and they were conscious. Someone who had
fainted briefly woke up at Jeong Taeui's call. One person groaned - "Ouchh" - with a limp
arm and a pale face, seemingly suffering a minor arm injury. Another had blood running
down their head, unclear if from a fall or being struck by debris. When someone called the
man's name, he mumbled something in a low, pained groan, seemingly mentally aware but
not fully conscious.

"Damn it. You didn't come to rescue the hostages but to kill us all, right? You crazy bastard!"

Jeong Taeui cursed but couldn't help but sigh.

Everyone was still alive, even if injured. But they had narrowly escaped death.

Jeong Taeui worriedly looked at the bleeding man, sweat pouring from his forehead. He
wiped it away with the back of his hand. Only then did he notice a bloody scratch from his
forehead to his temple. But the pain wasn't too bad; he didn't even have the mind to think
about it.

"Crazy, crazy... Rick...."

Someone muttered. Their voices trembled with a mix of fear and anger.

Jeong Taeui didn't know if it was fear. After cursing for a while, he suddenly changed his
mind and redirected his anger towards the brother of the crazy man, Kyle - who was
responsible for this madness.
Why did he send someone like him for this job? Was he planning to have him kill all the
hostages and kidnappers to complete the mission? Kyle!!!

A cannon shot echoed from afar again. Jeong Taeui snapped back to reality.

Now wasn't the time to stand still. He had to run while the madman was still occupied
fighting others.

The dense forest seemed to be a stroke of luck. If he hid well, he might not be discovered.
Jeong Taeui glanced at the others one last time and moved towards the other side of the door.

He climbed over a collapsed wall. Leaving a brief farewell in the bewildered eyes of
everyone.

"See you when we get the chance," and ran with his throbbing ankle dragging him forward.

***************************************

Why is that man here?

Jeong Taeui took a deep breath, his legs running forward. His ankle felt like it was about to
break. He thought he had been imprisoned so long that his stamina had decreased, making
him short of breath.

Could it just be a coincidence?

Or did he come alone to save his brother's friend?

"...Ridiculous."

Jeong Taeui immediately laughed at himself for such absurd thoughts. His eyes lit up with a
cold fire.

This wasn't a coincidence.

Their eyes had clearly met. When their gazes crossed, he wasn't surprised. Instead... he had
smiled. As usual, he knew exactly where Jeong Taeui was.

"Morer, you murderer...!"

In the end, what had to happen happened. He didn't know why it had to be now, but perhaps
while Jeong Taeui was careless, Morer had let something slip, and the information somehow
reached Ilay.

Jeong Taeui gritted his teeth and kept running. From Kyle to Morer, he cursed both of them
without stopping. But he still had a lot of gratitude towards Kyle, who was a good person, so
he just grumbled.

"Why did you send someone like him here!"

Jeong Taeui shouted in frustration, as if cursing himself.

He should have left that day, even with a sprained or even broken ankle. This serious mistake
had caused all the subsequent consequences.

Thinking back, a friend once told him that luck is the ability to make good judgments.

What he said was based on his experience in the business world. People often say that for
businessmen, luck is the ability to decide when to seize opportunities once they can predict
them.

At the time, Jeong Taeui didn't think much of it and dismissed it. But now, although the
situation was different from what his friend mentioned, his words felt like they were piercing
through him.

Jeong Taeui should have left that very day. No, he shouldn't have come to that house in the
first place.

No, in a world with so many continents, why did he end up in this damned Europe? There
were so many places he could have gone, yet he ended up here. No, even before that...

Alright, he knew that blaming everything wouldn't lead to any resolution. Jeong Taeui
stopped regretting and just went back to the beginning of a new chapter in his life from
before.

"I shouldn't have followed my uncle to UNHRDO."

The truth was, he no longer had the strength to sit here and regret when his body was
exhausted.

Jeong Taeui didn't know how far he had gone.

He only knew he was deep in the forest. Even though he had lost consciousness when he
entered, he was confident he could find his way out. He had a good sense of direction.

The forest was deathly silent. The explosions had stopped a while ago. No more gunshots, no
more screaming. He had been running for some time, but the sound of gunfire could carry
very far. Although he might not hear the screams due to the distance, the gunfire and
explosions had definitely stopped.

Maybe because he had been in a place with so many loud explosions and then suddenly
everything went quiet, the unease started to creep in. The silence, devoid of even a bird's
chirp, was eerie.

Suddenly, he remembered something he had heard before.

"Even if you escape from here, it's easy to get lost because of the steep slopes. This place is
home to packs of wolves that roam at night. So stay put and don't try anything."
As the kidnapper had warned, the forest got deeper and deeper. However, Jeong Taeui could
distinguish between the areas where he could get lost and the areas that were still safe. So, at
this level, he was fine.

The problem wasn't his sense of direction but the wild animals that could appear in this dense
forest.

The day had just begun, which was much better than night, but encountering a hungry beast
was still a significant issue. Besides, Jeong Taeui was so exhausted that he didn't even know
if he could fend off a hungry stray dog, let alone a wild animal.

Jeong Taeui abruptly slowed down. His ears felt like they were going to explode from the
repeated loud explosions. It was like the feeling of a small grasshopper chirping in his ear.

His body was drained of energy, and it seemed like he couldn't take another step.

No, he couldn't go on.

Jeong Taeui sat down and leaned against a tree trunk. He used the back of his hand to wipe a
small wound on his forehead, blood was flowing steadily and showed no signs of stopping.
The warm red liquid mixed with the dried blood on his hand.

Next time, I should wear gloves, Jeong Taeui thought helplessly. He couldn't feel the pain
anymore. His ankle wouldn't move unless he dragged it across the ground. Earlier, while
running, he had hit branches or stumbled over rocks, and his whole body was bruised, but he
didn't feel the pain.

"Ah... Am I really about to die..."

Jeong Taeui murmured helplessly. What would happen to the others? He hoped they wouldn't
die. The kidnappers would have to fight for their own lives when facing that madman, and
while waiting for death, they wouldn't have the mindset to kill the hostages. No, if they tried
to move the hostages to another location, it would be a different story.

"I'm going to die... It wouldn't be strange if I died right now..."

Jeong Taeui half-closed his heavy eyelids and tried to keep talking to avoid losing
consciousness. If he closed his eyes and stayed silent, he would pass out in an instant, just
like when he was drugged the day before.

And then he would die, he would die and never wake up again.

Jeong Taeui was exhausted, beyond his limit, and his whole body felt worn out. Once he sat
down like this, it wouldn't be surprising if he couldn't get up again. Sure enough, even if that
madman appeared in front of him now with his savage face and ghostly smile, if he wanted to
kill him, Jeong Taeui could only tell him to go ahead and do it. He was utterly exhausted.

Maybe because he could sit down and catch his breath a bit, he felt his body, which had been
numb to any pain, gradually recovering, bit by bit.
The sensations became clearer, and the first thing to return was the damned pain. His ankle
felt like it was on fire. Jeong Taeui would rather pass out.

If he lost consciousness, there would be no pain or anything else. But Jeong Taeui knew how
dangerous it would be if he passed out and his body slipped into unconsciousness.

What should he do now? He would have to cautiously find his way out and look for another
path to avoid being caught by that madman.

The sky grew dark. His body felt like it could collapse and pass out at any moment with just a
light touch. He would have to wait a bit longer, carefully observe his surroundings, and then
find a way down the mountain to a safer and more discreet escape route. He didn't know how
long it would take to reach his house, so he didn't know how long it would take to leave
without knowing the way.

Jeong Taeui searched his memories with his tattered body, feeling like he could pass out any
moment.

For a moment, the thought of giving up on everything really crossed his mind.

But at that moment.

*Rustle* *Rustle* *Rustle*

It was the sound of grass. The exact sound of footsteps on grass. The steps seemed slow at
first but gradually became more hurried, accompanied by faint breaths.

Jeong Taeui sighed and shrugged. He slowly and quietly edged behind the rock near the tree
and hid himself. His mind, filled with chaotic thoughts, suddenly went blank.

Someone was approaching.

The heavy, impatient footsteps were getting closer.

The person wasn't directly approaching Jeong Taeui, and it seemed they didn't know he was
there, but the staggering, erratic footsteps were still heading in his direction.

...Not him.

His heart, which had been tense to the point of stopping, seemed to lighten by half.

From the sound of the footsteps, he could be sure it wasn't Ilay.

Ilay wouldn't walk in such an urgent, hurried, and unsteady manner as if about to fall. He
could recognize Ilay's footsteps instantly.

His mood became slightly more relaxed, but still very heavy.

So who was that person? Someone running hurriedly and stumbling like that.
Now, there were only two types of people here. The kidnappers or the hostages.

However, if it was someone running frantically as if escaping from someone, it was likely the
latter.

The urgency to escape was evident in the heavy footsteps.

Jeong Taeui clenched his fists. If it was the latter, he thought he should help them. But he
couldn't move from behind this rock; even moving a finger was difficult for him. Helping
someone with this worn-out body would only bring more trouble.

He remembered the men who were held hostage with him last night. Although they couldn't
become close or fond of each other overnight, they were, in a sense, comrades in the same
plight. People he couldn't pretend not to see.

How long could his body endure? Could it move properly? He didn't even know what he had
on him.

When he fled from the mountain house, lying on the floor, he searched all the pockets of the
coat he found, from the outer pockets to the front and inner pockets but didn't gather
anything. Damn, not even a Euro.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue. He had nothing. It was like being trapped in an abandoned
mountain house with nothing but a scarred body that could barely move.

He couldn't do it.

If that person was one of the hostages or in danger... then reconsidering might be necessary.

He should help that person, but he couldn't promise to risk his life for it.

Just then.

From a distance, a faint sound brushed his ear.

It was an extremely gentle sound, like something gliding over the grass.

The moment that faint sound echoed, the hurried footsteps grew more frantic. The person
stumbled and quickened their pace.

Just then.

From a distance, a faint sound brushed his ear.

It was an extremely gentle sound, like something gliding over the grass.

The moment that faint sound echoed, the hurried footsteps grew more frantic.

The person was rushing, stumbling, and quickening their pace. That man was being chased.
The second sound was leisurely. The footsteps were unhurried and calm. Because of the body
weight, although they seemed slow, the person was advancing quickly.

His heart sank. Taeui knew those footsteps well; among the people he knew, only one person
walked like that.
 Vol 4 - Chapter 21: Come out, Taeil.

Suddenly, his heart pounded.

Jeong Taeui couldn't be sure who those footsteps belonged to. If it wasn't one of the hostages
who had been with him last night, then the moment that person was discovered by those light
footsteps – it would be the end for them.

But if it was Ilay who was pursuing them, then it had to be one of the kidnappers.

Jeong Taeui lay down behind the rock, trying not to make any noise. He positioned himself
just enough to see through the stacked wooden pillars around the rocks. Jeong Taeui closed
his eyes tightly.

"Damn it" - he muttered inwardly.

It was the man who had hit him earlier, and the one chasing after him was that crazy Ilay.
Neither of them would be pleasant to encounter.

Facing Ilay, the kidnapper might resort to suicide or take Jeong Taeui hostage again to
threaten Ilay... Hopefully, he wasn't that desperate.

And when he faced Ilay... Jeong Taeui had no idea what to do...

The man was injured, his shoulder covered in blood, with it dripping down to his fingertips.
He seemed severely wounded. It wasn't just his shoulder, his leg was soaked in blood as if he
had just stepped out of a pool of it. His face was twisted in fear and horror. His breathing
grew louder as he got closer. He was gasping as if he might collapse at any moment. And he
was heading straight for the rock where Jeong Taeui was hiding.

What should he do now? If he encountered the man here, he'd have to fight for his life
somehow. But he wasn't sure he could manage anything in his current state.

Conversely, the blood-soaked man approaching him could still move, while Jeong Taeui
couldn't even move a finger anymore.

All he could do now was accept the distant reality of lying still, waiting for death.

His vision blurred. He tried to think of a way to get through this harsh reality.

Ilay had arrived.

He wasn't far behind the man, only a few dozen steps away.

For a moment, Jeong Taeui felt his soul leave his body. The sight of Ilay sent shivers down
his spine.

He was drenched in blood.

As usual. His black gloves were soaked in blood. In one hand, he held a large leather bag that
looked like a sandbag, and in the other, a military knife. The knife gleamed but was also
stained with blood.

😎
( Ilay's equipment: An anti-tank gun and a combat knife. That's enough to obliterate an entire
Mafia gang - Armed group )

From head to toe, he was covered in blood. The only part untouched by red was his black
eyes.

He calmly followed the man as if nothing had happened, despite his terrifying appearance.
No, it looked as if he wasn't even really chasing the man.

Jeong Taeui couldn't make sense of it. Ilay's steps were light as if he were on a stroll. Though
his expression showed no malice, the smile on his face sent chills down one's spine.

Ilay's pace wasn't slow; he kept up right behind the man, leisurely glancing around as if on a
casual walk. He then faced the man, looked at him for a moment, and smiled faintly, as if just
now noticing the terrified man who had been running from him.

"Ah ha, found the last one."

It was as if that smile was directed at him, causing Jeong Taeui's skin to crawl.

The man had reached the rock where Jeong Taeui was hiding. Sweat dripped from his
clenched fists. The man hurriedly braced himself against the tree beside the rock.

Damn it. He'd been found...!

Jeong Taeui tensed up and gritted his teeth.

At that moment.

—— *Slash*

A brief, strange sound pierced the stillness. But that was it, followed by silence. As if quiet
could engulf everything, the footsteps, the bird songs, and the breaths.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, a heavy body fell into the grass and collapsed. For a
moment, Jeong Taeui screamed inwardly. His tongue and body went rigid. He couldn't
breathe, couldn't move.

The man's face landed wedged between the exposed roots.

His face was directed at Jeong Taeui. His eyes stared wide open at him. His once blue eyes
were now turning red. He must have recognized Jeong Taeui, but in an instant, life drained
from his eyes. The whites of his eyes were smeared with blood. Between his chin and neck
was a deep, clean cut, like it was nearly severed, and blood spurted from it like a fountain,
soaking both his body and Jeong Taeui.
Hot blood covered his face, but Jeong Taeui couldn't avoid it.

He had no strength left to escape, and even if he did, his paralyzed body wouldn't move.

"......Well, then..."

A cold, gentle voice reached his ears like a whisper.

Ilay stood there, just a rock and a tree away.

Taeui closed his eyes. His eyelids were heavy, too weak to open. He couldn't stand up. He
didn't want to face the reality that his final distance from Ilay was only a few steps.

If there was a god in this world, please save him right now... Or at least let this moment hold
onto his remaining breath...

Jeong Taeui closed his eyes and prayed, and Ilay's voice echoed in his ears.

"Come out, Taeil."

His heart skipped a beat.

Taeui had thought he'd never hear his name called by that voice again.

No, he shouldn't have.

His fingertips trembled, his remaining willpower wasn't even enough to lift a finger. His heart
pounded. His fingers kept shaking.

"I saw you head this way, so I chased him here. Anyway, you must be in pain, so you can't go
any further."

"Come out."

It was a low, quiet voice. But in this deadly forest, the sound traveled far.

Ilay didn't know where Jeong Taeui was. Though he knew Taeui had to be hiding somewhere
nearby, within earshot, he didn't know exactly where he was concealed.

Taeui lay still, not moving. He didn't want to be a fool trying to escape now. Jeong Taeui was
so terrified his entire body trembled, his strength sapped to its last drop. He didn't even have
the strength to respond. And above all, even if he had to die like this, he didn't want to face
that man.

How was he going to do this? Was he going to scour the entire area? But anywhere in this
vast forest, the range was too wide, too vast to find someone hiding. If he brought others to
search, it would be different, but if he was alone, it would be very difficult.

This was a battle, and it was unlike anything he could handle.

"Still not coming out...?"

Ilay's voice remained calm. He spoke like a whisper, steady, not overly angry, and then he
waited silently for a few seconds.

Although the chance was slim, Jeong Taeui hoped he would give up and go back. Or that his
claim of seeing Taeui go this way and following him was just a ploy to draw him out, and he
was just passing through by chance.

Jeong Taeui's body went rigid, unable to breathe even as his consciousness faded, and he
suddenly heard him sigh. A light sigh.

"If you don't come out, this forest will burn."

It seemed like casual banter, but his voice was very serious. As if he were simply talking
about the weather. But when Jeong Taeui heard those words, his face drained of color.

No way.

Jeong Taeui looked around.

Even though it was midsummer and there were hardly any dry branches or fallen leaves, it
didn't mean the trees wouldn't catch fire. Fresh wood didn't burn well, but once it started, it
would become uncontrollable.

And the entire area was surrounded by dense trees.

No, that wasn't the issue. Even if he were a criminal, no one would be crazy enough to burn
down a forest. Jeong Taeui broke out in a cold sweat. Then his mind seemed to awaken, and
he shook his head several times.

No, no way. No matter how crazy this man was, even if he was the one who used an anti-tank
gun to shoot directly at a house with people inside, he wouldn't be crazy enough to set a
forest of this size on fire.

He couldn't possibly know how severe the consequences of such an act would be.

While Jeong Taeui held his breath and kept shaking his head, Ilay waited for a moment, then
opened his mouth and started counting.

"If you don't want to get burned, come out. One... two... — …... three."

That might have been his last bit of patience. Even though he was counting very slowly, the
time he took to say - "...three" - was drawn out a bit longer.

These days, he had become very rough and was said to be quite ruthless at UNHRDO. But
now, his voice was still very pleasant. Moreover, when thinking about the numbers he
counted, after not seeing him for such a long time, Jeong Taeui felt like a mouse being toyed
with by a cat.

However, after the final number three left his lips, Ilay didn't wait any longer. He must have
guessed that Jeong Taeui wouldn't come out. Hearing a rustling sound, Jeong Taeui slowly
opened his eyes to look through the gap between a tree trunk and a rock.

Ilay was removing the strap from the large leather bag he was carrying on his shoulder.

"...?"

Jeong Taeui tilted his head in curiosity. What was inside that big, sloshing leather bag? ... But
his thoughts were quickly cut off as he realized with a shock.

As soon as Ilay opened the bag, a strong smell hit his nose. —— It was gasoline.

Ilay loosened the strap of the bag and opened it. Without hesitation, without blinking an eye,
he immediately started pouring out the gasoline. He poured a massive amount of gasoline
from the leather bag all around the area.

The acrid smell of gasoline filled the air. The scent of gasoline rising from the forest made his
head throb.

Jeong Taeui seemed to lose his mind as well. Was he really planning to set a fire? Even if he
was crazy, he wouldn't do something like that. This wasn't just ‘burning a picture to catch a
flea’, he intended to burn down the whole forest just to draw him out.

Jeong Taeui screams internally as the smell of gasoline seems to cling to his body. However,
Ilay didn't care about Jeong Taeui's thoughts. Ilay lifted the empty leather bag and shook it
out, then tore it into pieces with his bare hands. There was a thick piece of leather that
required a bit more effort, and Ilay held the gasoline-soaked piece of leather in one hand and
took out a lighter from his pocket.

No way.

But what was inevitable had to happen.

The pieces of leather ignited instantly. The smell of burning leather mixed with the smell of
gasoline filled his nostrils. Jeong Taeui's eyes widened as he watched Ilay only a few steps
away. He calmly tossed the flames. The fire quickly consumed the grass and spread to the
gasoline-soaked trees nearby that Ilay had doused earlier.

Then, a gentle breeze blew through.

The flames rapidly spread from tree to tree, from branch to branch. And in the midst of it all,
Ilay stood there with a calm expression, taking out a cigarette from his pocket. Even though
he was standing in an area where a few steps would lead to being engulfed by the fire, he
casually lit the cigarette with a flame starting at his feet.

Ilay smoked the cigarette with a detached look.

This crazy, insane, lunatic!!!!!!!!

Jeong Taeui stood up in anger.

No, to be precise, he didn't stand up immediately. He wanted to jump up, but his strength
couldn't keep up with his will, causing him to lift only about an inch off the ground before
immediately collapsing again.

But even that small movement was enough for Ilay to notice.

He raised an eyebrow and glanced down at the rock beside him before stepping back. Then,
when he saw Jeong Taeui, his eyes curved into a slender arc.

"Ah ha....."

A low, deep laugh sounded. But that smile was something Jeong Taeui couldn't respond to
with a smile.

"You lunatic. What are you going to do with this... What are you going to do in this
situation?!"

He wanted to scream and run out, but his body wouldn't allow him to. Jeong Taeui clenched
his fists and groaned, almost gritting his teeth with every word.

Ilay approached Jeong Taeui. He knelt and leaned forward to face him. His face got closer,
but Jeong Taeui only focused on the cigarette close to his nose.

"You have something to say to me, Taeil."

Ilay whispered softly. His gentle and soft words made Jeong Taeui question for a moment if
he had misunderstood him or their past.

But he quickly remembered how dangerous this man was, even when speaking politely.

"What does that matter in this situation? The issue now is what to do with this fire!"

"Ask me for help."

"The guy who set the forest on fire...—.... what?"

Jeong Taeui used all his strength to shout in a weak voice. At first glance, he couldn't
understand what Ilay was saying. Seeing his bewildered state, Ilay tapped the ash from his
long cigarette.

Meanwhile, the flames spread like mad.

"It's getting hot here because of the fire, so I'll be leaving soon. But it seems you can't move
on your own."

"......"

"Ask me for help. Then I'll help you."

Once again, Ilay spoke calmly with the cigarette still in his mouth. His voice and expression
seemed very serious.

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay with confused eyes for a moment.

"If I don't ask, will you leave me in this fire?"

"Yeah."

Ilay responded without hesitation. Jeong Taeui was startled by his inhumane response and
looked at Ilay. But soon, his memory returned. This man would nonchalantly continue on his
path even if he had just pushed someone alive into the flames.

"It's very hot here...– Don't you have anything to say? Then I'll go."

"Hey, why did you tell me to come out if you were going to set the fire? If you planned to
throw me into the flames, what was the point of telling me to come out?!"

Despite feeling the contradiction between his words and actions, Jeong Taeui shouted. But
Ilay just stood next to him, looking down with a detached expression.

A moment of silence passed. In the stillness, their eyes locked onto each other.

But the stare didn't last long. As the flames approached the rock where Jeong Taeui lay, he
choked on the heat. Jeong Taeui couldn't bear it any longer and spoke coldly.

"Help me."

After staring at Ilay, Jeong Taeui spoke quickly.

Ilay tilted his head and looked down at him, then suddenly, the corners of his mouth lifted
slightly.

"Alright."

As soon as he gave his brief response, Ilay bent down then turned his back to Taeui, and
lifted him onto his shoulder.

Ilay carried Jeong Taeui – who was still in shock and curled up on his shoulder like a piece of
luggage – toward the area he hadn't doused with gasoline.

He calmly carried him out of the sea of flames.

It was uncomfortable. But the moment he escaped the blaze, the tension in him seemed to
dissipate.

The consciousness Taeui had been struggling to maintain was fading, and this time he didn't
dare open his eyes again.
He had been captured by a man he shouldn't have been caught by. Now, even trying to stay
awake was pointless.

As his consciousness faded, Jeong Taeui felt Ilay calling out to someone, but before he could
speak, he had already slipped into unconsciousness.
 Vol 4 - Chapter 22: Ilay's Gaze

He thought before opening his eyes.

Ah, again.

It was a feeling Jeong Taeui had experienced a few times before, the prickly sensation on his
face now. Sometimes he couldn’t open his eyes immediately because of it.

Jeong Taeui wasn't usually that sensitive; even if someone stared at him, he wouldn't
immediately sense it and look back. However, it seems that when you sleep, your senses
might become more acute instinctively. He had experienced this when he was younger. When
Taeui slept lightly, it felt like part of his consciousness was still awake. At those times, even
without opening his eyes, he could sense what was happening around him.

Someone was watching him. That person picked up a book from beside him or was arranging
clothes. Though he couldn’t hear anything, it seemed like it was happening. These were
things he occasionally felt when he slept. Feeling the intense gaze of someone observing him.

Jeong Taeui didn’t take long to know who owned that gaze. Suddenly, he became flustered.

Why is this man looking at him like that?

One can never completely understand another person.

The way people act in front of their parents, siblings, friends, and others varies. And there are
some things they never show anyone. There are even things they don't fully understand about
themselves.

So, it's impossible to say that one can fully understand another person.

And this man was no exception. Understanding him was difficult. No, in reality, no one could
fully understand him by just looking at the facets he displayed. Jeong Taeui never imagined
that he could nonchalantly do so many things without caring about the consequences.

Like what happened recently, he tried to recall when it happened, but somehow, no matter
how hard he tried, he couldn't remember, though he thought it really happened.

Who in their right mind would burn down a forest?

He had witnessed him killing people before. So that side of him wasn't surprising anymore.
But his audacity to break the norms with recklessness sometimes shattered the limits of
admiration and instilled fear.

...In reality, he was very sober when he burned down the forest.

Though Ilay couldn't be considered a sane person daily, after spending a long time with him,
he understood that side of him. But looking back, sometimes Ilay did incomprehensible
things. He couldn't understand why he acted that way.

One of those things was his gaze.

At night, sometimes Ilay would come to Taeui's room. There were times he would turn back
and chat about various things with him. During those times, he never came as an officer to
work. Most of the time, if Taeui thought he was here to do ‘that’ late at night, he was usually
right.

Initially, it felt annoying and uncomfortable. But that was all.

In the end, Taeui still did those things with him. In reality, besides being penetrated and Ilay
being good at teasing him from behind, in the end, Taeui still felt very comfortable, so he
couldn't complain about anything.

Looking back, besides the time he raped him, Jeong Taeui thought that he had behaved very
well given his personality. And those times made him sleep better. Taeui always guarded his
desires when Ilay came, but no matter how much he restrained himself, after satisfying those
desires, Taeui always felt very comfortable. So that drove him crazy for a while. Moreover,
most of the time, Ilay took care of everything from foreplay to the main act.

**************************

Jeong Taeui felt a bit disappointed. If he were less reserved about sex – though he wasn’t
conservative now, he still felt quite conservative when facing Ilay. It's hard to find a man who
could do those things well like him, so he liked it and thought it was a good experience.

However, Ilay didn’t see anyone as human. He lay on someone else's body just to satisfy his
own desires. At first, he thought it had nothing to do with conservatism or openness.

Thanks to his skills and being well-satisfied, Jeong Taeui, who was sleepy and in a good
mood, would fall asleep immediately. So, at first, he didn't pay much attention to it.

But then one day.

Whenever Taeui felt someone’s gaze on his face, sometimes he would lift his heavy eyelids
and look at the face staring down at him and ask - “What’s wrong?”

Or if he was tired, Taeui would raise his hand and close his eyes and say - “You sleep too”
and then drift back to sleep.

Then he would hear a faint laugh and everything would go quiet again.

When Taeui couldn’t open his eyes because he was too tired and felt like cotton soaked in
water; if Ilay disturbed him, he would pretend not to notice and continue to sleep even if he
felt his gaze. There was no reason to react to his gaze, and nothing to be wary of since he
knew it wasn’t to spark any argument. Then he would wake up in the morning, forget what
happened in the middle of the night, and unconsciously think - ‘Oh, I guess he was like that.’
Ilay, during the day, was also someone who often looked directly at others, but that was
mainly when he had work or something to say. But at night, when Taeui felt his gaze and
asked him - “What’s wrong?” - he never got an answer. There was a time he tried to force
open his heavy eyelids to hear a reply even when he was very sleepy, but Ilay would just
smile and cover his eyes with his hand like he always did.

“Go back to sleep” - Ilay would softly say.

It would be a lie to say he didn’t mind his gaze, but on the other hand, he had to explain why.

It was awkward to ask, and it would be ridiculous if Ilay said he wasn’t looking at him like
that. So he stayed quiet and thought about why someone would stare at another person's face.

When people dream, they remember dreaming. But when they wake up, they quickly forget
what the dream was about. Later, when they sleep again, Jeong Taeui remembers the
memories in his dream and wonders why he forgot them during the day.

Just as the memory of a dream and reality are completely separate, his thoughts about Ilay’s
gaze felt somewhat similar.

When awake, he knew what he had thought and what had happened, but after returning to
reality for a while, he couldn’t remember anything. He couldn’t even recall that he had
forgotten something. Similarly, when asleep, he thought Ilay’s gaze was persistent, but when
he woke up, the memory disappeared.

“.....”

At this moment, Jeong Taeui was considering whether to open his eyes or not. In a half-
awake state, he thought that gaze was on his face again. He pretended to sleep, thinking that
he would give up after looking at him like that for a while.

Taeui felt particularly tired and sleepy, so he tried hard but eventually gave up.

He reluctantly opened his eyes and looked at Ilay.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“.....”

When Taeui angrily spoke, Ilay, who was resting his chin and looking at him, blinked and
stared at him.

He was startled.

Someone who had been sleeping soundly with steady breaths suddenly opened their eyes and
got angry. It was surprising that someone could get angry immediately after waking up.

Ilay looked at him with a pensive face for a moment. However, Taeui’s drowsiness was like a
tidal wave; he pretended to look at him and then closed his eyes. In his daze, a thought
crossed his mind.
Wait, why is Ilay here?

Oh, thinking back, he was someone who often watched the person next to him while they
slept. But knowing that didn’t make it feel natural. Because previously, every time Ilay stared
at him, it was when he was still naked after their sessions. But now he was fully dressed –
yes, in a plain T-shirt and cotton pants – Ilay was sitting properly on a chair next to the bed.

“.....”

As he was about to fall back into a deep sleep, Jeong Taeui slowly closed his eyes and
suddenly remembered the current situation. He suddenly sprang up from the bed.

“The fire!”

Taeui’s face quickly turned pale, and he shouted, grabbing Ilay’s collar. He seemed a bit
startled. His expression showed that he was surprised, as if he had heard something
nonsensical.

“What fire?”

“You set the fire, that fire! You burned the forest, the birch forest! You filled a leather bag
with gasoline, poured it everywhere, and burned everything!”

Jeong Taeui’s expression was ashen, and he shouted frantically. Ilay frowned slightly, looking
at him. Jeong Taeui also tilted his head and glared at Ilay as he received a look that seemed to
say he was speaking nonsense.

Why did he always look at others like that?

Ilay quietly stared at Taeui with a face that clearly said “ridiculous,” then calmly spoke.

“Rather than talking about the fire, do you even know what your current situation is?”

Although Ilay’s face seemed indifferent, Taeui quickly realized the meaning behind his
seemingly interesting question. He bit his lip and silently looked at Ilay.

"The state I’m in? What about it?"

Jeong Taeui shrugged, speaking nonchalantly. Ilay looked at him once more with a puzzled
expression. Suddenly, he raised his hand and placed it on Taeui’s forehead. After a moment
of resting his hand there, he sighed and muttered to himself.

“Kidnapped like an idiot and beaten up. This guy, if you only have a slight fever, it shouldn’t
make you unaware of what’s happened. Just sleep more, sleep…”

Ilay clicked his tongue. Jeong Taeui was pushed back onto the bed by his hand. Inside, he felt
quite delighted. Taeui guessed he would be stuck with this bed for a while. Looking back, he
couldn't quite distinguish between reality and dreams anymore. His mind was hazy and dizzy,
and his body felt somewhat feverish.
Taeui slumped onto the bed, turning to one side, and noticed bandages or something similar
on his forehead and temples. Only now did he realize that his elbows, knees, calves, and the
places where he was severely injured were neatly bandaged. He couldn’t see his ankle, but he
felt it burning hot.

Jeong Taeui closed his eyes and placed his hand on his forehead.

As Ilay had said, he seemed to have a slight fever, but his hands were so hot he couldn’t tell
for sure. In reality, his entire injured body was aching and burning. Taeui was feverish, but
his head wasn’t hurting, so his mind was relatively clear.

...Taeui was a smart person, so when Ilay told him to sleep, he chose to obediently lie down
and go to sleep.

But thinking about it was frightening, so he also lost sleep. Even if he didn’t intend to sleep
anymore, Taeui didn’t want to wake up and face a serious Ilay. So, Taeui decided to close his
eyes and pretend to sleep.

Thinking back, given his understanding of him, Ilay was extremely sharp, so he might notice
this little trick. But he pretended not to wake Taeui up because he had been kidnapped and
returned with a torn-up body.

(Later, thinking back, Jeong Taeui felt a bit resentful because he didn’t like being pitied even
if he was kidnapped and returned with scars all over his body. After all, he was a man.)

After closing his eyes and pretending to sleep again, Taeui still felt it, that gaze.

When Ilay stared at his face like that, how could he sleep with his face burning up?

He wanted to, but he didn’t think he could sleep, but perhaps his body’s instincts took over,
and he fell asleep again to recover from the injuries.

Anyway, what’s wrong with this man?...

(Considering his resentment towards him, even if he had a body full of injuries and fainted in
the emergency room, he should wake up and punch him)

But Jeong Taeui immediately remembered the scene of Ilay pouring gasoline and thinking
that he had caused a great flood because he couldn’t find him, and that thought quickly
vanished.

So he came to the most reasonable conclusion.

This is a dream.

...- See, it’s just a dream.

Otherwise, why would there be a gentle, tender hand touching his forehead and stroking his
hair?
This dream is not good. In the past, he had a vivid dream that felt so real, but it could never
happen in reality. But when he had such a dream, the feeling was strange and pleasant.

But dreams like that are indeed not good, because after the dream, there is a sense of
disappointment not joy after having it.

Jeong Taeui slightly turned to avoid Ilay's touch. The hand that was on his forehead for a
moment was immediately withdrawn.

*************************

"All these weird dreams..."

Jeong Taeui opened his eyes and mumbled. He was still in a half-awake state, not even
realizing he had mumbled aloud.

Taeui had a dream in which a devil smiled sweetly and treated him kindly. Strange, this guy
was definitely a devil; look, he had a sharp tail, blood-red hands, but smiled warmly with an
unusually friendly face.

Jeong Taeui lay there with strange thoughts for a while before finally opening his eyes. But
when he opened his eyes, he quickly realized something. After all, Jeong Taeui knew the
answer to those dreams, and he knew what the dream was trying to reveal. That is, if you get
deceived by the devil’s appearance and temporary kindness, later on, when they stab you in
the back, it will hurt incredibly. At that time, trying to complain is useless because the devil
didn't even bother wearing a mask from the beginning and let the world know he was a devil.
So it’s the fault of those who deceived themselves from the start.

It was a dream with a very clear theme: You should not be deceived by the devil's appearance
and short-lived kindness.

Jeong Taeui stared blankly at the ceiling.

Why did he dream like that? The dream was sad. It brought back memories (only possible in
dreams) that he didn’t want to remember much.

Taeui sighed softly, closed his eyes, and remembered a person he didn’t want to recall.
Someone who brought a bitter, indescribable feeling.

“...wait…”

Suddenly, Jeong Taeui opened his eyes. The moment he thought of that person, the memories
he didn’t want to recall flooded back. It was a memory from the recent past, very recent.

“Ah, ha..-”

Those black eyes stood behind the rock, two steps away, looking at him. The moment their
eyes met, those sharp eyes... Jeong Taeui had seen them in the very recent past.

“...!”
Unbelievable...

Taeui's face turned pale.

I’m dead.

That thought invaded his mind immediately. What was he thinking, imagining himself
sleeping on a soft bed like this?

Ilay. Ilay Riegrow.

The image of the calm man standing in the fire appeared in his mind as if it had been
imprinted on his retina.

This is not a dream. That bizarre man was indeed there. He had cut another man's throat with
a knife and then set the fire.

God...

Just thinking about it made his heart stop.

His heart beat wildly, then suddenly constricted and stopped. But a few seconds later, it
started pounding like crazy.

Damn. He had sworn never to be caught, at least like this.

Jeong Taeui clutched his chest, his mind filled with frustration. At the same time, his brave
past replayed in a panoramic view.

What should he do? How should he handle this situation? Stay put or escape before being
caught...

Alright, he didn’t need any luggage anyway. Even with his battered body, he could stand on
the window and jump, and his entire body would fall freely...

At that moment, as Jeong Taeui was about to stand up, something vibrated beside him.

Jeong Taeui soon realized the presence of another person in the room. He turned back,
bewildered. And at that moment, his wildly beating heart suddenly stopped again.

Ilay.

How long had he been there!

 Vol 4 - Chapter 23: Have you ever regretted doing that?

Maybe he had been sitting there even before Taeui woke up. Ilay was slowly flipping through
something that looked like a notebook. His expressionless face didn’t glance at him once, as
if he didn’t know Taeui was already awake.

Damn it. This dangerous atmosphere.

He was awake now; was he going to kill him right now? No, if he said he wouldn’t kill him,
that might be even more terrifying.

"Do you think I will kill you so easily? Didn’t you say you hated being near me so much? If
that’s the case, be prepared to endure such a horrible life until you die. I want you to suffer
day by day."

Suddenly, he remembered the gentle voice he had heard once before.

At that time, Ilay had said those words. He said... until he died.

Jeong Taeui slowly turned his eyes to the left and looked at Ilay.

But even until he died.

"Will I really suffer until I die?"

Anyway, he would do that until he died.

Jeong Taeui didn’t know if he meant it that way, but a person couldn’t spend their whole life
tormenting another. Even if he watched him 24 hours a day, there would be moments when
he had to look away, and then he could escape.

As soon as he opened his eyes, Taeui had some thoughts about his current pitiful situation.
He wondered why he ended up like this, but thinking back, he realized that half of the reason
he was enduring these things was his fault.

It was sad that he somewhat regretted it. Why did he quietly pack his things and leave the
branch? Why did he do that to get back at this man? He didn’t even foresee how scary it
would be.

Jeong Taeui thought dejectedly.

But maybe if a similar situation happened, he would still make the same choice. The choice
he made at that time was right when applied to that moment. If someone seriously asked him
if he truly regretted it, Jeong Taeui would take a moment to think but then still shake his
head. Choices are always like that. No matter which option you choose, there will be
something you regret later. After that, when thinking back slowly, Jeong Taeui thought that
the fewer choices there were, the less regret there would be, and the ultimate thing he aimed
for was "how to live a beautiful life."

What happened had already happened, and fortunately, Jeong Taeui hadn’t made any choices
in life that he regretted afterward.

Alright. Don’t regret it anymore. Didn’t he also do those things to him? Well, now in this
situation, he needed to grit his teeth like a man with a strong masculine heart, he needed to be
mindful of it to never repeat the mistake again and not get caught. Even if he was beaten a bit
(a lot).

But no matter how strong his heart was, he quickly abandoned the idea of trying to escape
from here. A man of great stature, temporarily setting aside his pride for the sake of
immediate peace was a very strong and difficult decision. Although Jeong Taeui knew it was
just an excuse, the thought of escaping that had just flickered immediately went out.

Jeong Taeui quietly sighed and slowly moved his eyes once more. Ilay was still holding a
small notebook and was slowly flipping through it. His hands moved over each page. Taeui
followed his gaze, wondering what Ilay was looking at.

"...."

* Gulp*

Jeong Taeui gulped nervously. The blue-covered notebook that Ilay was holding was his
passport.

It was the South Korean passport with the golden national flower symbol on the front that he
had carried with him. The passport was under the name Kim Young Soo. On the front page, a
photo of Jeong Taeui was attached.

Ilay flipped back to the first page after looking through it and fell silent. Then suddenly, he
looked at him and spoke.

"Huwmmmm... - Kim Young Soo... Passport number JR0203314, born on June 12, 19xx,
resident registration number 1365814..."

"...."

"The only correct information is your birth year."

Ilay tossed the passport onto the table. Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue with a face as if he had
been bitten by a bug. Clearly, he had kept it in his backpack, and Ilay had taken someone
else’s belongings without permission. Bastard.

Ilay sighed and remained silent for a while, then looked straight at Taeui. As soon as he felt
that gaze, Jeong Taeui could only hurriedly close his eyes tightly. His eyes closed
instinctively even though he knew it was useless because Ilay would definitely realize he was
awake.
"Are you planning to sleep more?"

"......"

"You’re already awake, why are you pretending to sleep?"

Only after hearing those words did Jeong Taeui reluctantly open his eyes. Ilay was leaning
against the chair and quietly sitting, watching him.

"When did you get here?"

Taeui asked softly, and Ilay raised an eyebrow and spoke.

"Let’s see."

He didn’t say anything more. Jeong Taeui looked at him suspiciously.

He had a strange dream.

And that was because he had always been by his side like this.

It seemed that he was the demon who had appeared in his dream, as well as the other dreams
he had had a short while ago. Yes, Ilay just silently sat there and watched him... Jeong Taeui
thought for a moment because of those things and then suddenly tilted his head.

"......?"

But no matter how he thought about it, there was something very strange, but he couldn’t find
the answer, so Taeui just nodded a few times.

Ilay looked at Taeui like that for a moment. His eyes stung when facing that gaze of his. He
took a deep breath. His gaze was really serious, and then he looked straight ahead as if he
wanted to kill someone.

Ilay watched him for a while, then raised an eyebrow and mumbled - "Umm." - Then he
crossed his arms. After that, he tilted his head and looked at Taeui with slightly narrowed
eyes. As if he was searching for something in him.

This gaze was completely different from the one he had felt earlier. Jeong Taeui looked at
him, not wanting to pay attention to that gaze, but it seemed that Ilay couldn’t help but notice
a bit of tension in Taeui’s expression. He suddenly laughed in amusement.

"Have you ever regretted doing that?"

Jeong Taeui was silent for a while before answering the sudden question. He was asking if he
regretted it.

He didn’t feel regret in any situation. At least he didn’t think he would have any other choice
even if he went back to that moment. And what he did with Ilay was the same.
"...."

Jeong Taeui observed Ilay’s expression for a while before answering. It seemed that the timid
heart he had when facing him had returned.

If he said he regretted it, would Ilay hit him less? Thinking about it, there was no way that
would happen. The word "forgive" didn’t exist in the dictionary of this monster.

When Jeong Taeui quietly turned his head and looked dejected, Ilay seemed curious about the
answer for a moment, but he didn’t ask again.

"No... I don’t regret it."

Jeong Taeui sighed and shook his head. Ilay smiled slyly at him.

"You don’t regret it? But it seems like you had to think about it for a while."

"Well... If I said I regretted it, would you hit me less? But thinking about it, there’s no way
that would happen... In the end, people should live honestly with themselves."

Jeong Taeui calmly said. Ilay looked at him with an expression as if he had been hit, but then
quickly laughed out loud as if he was very happy.

But Taeui knew this man well, and he knew whether that smile of his was because he was
really happy or not. Although they hadn’t been together for long, he thought he understood
him well enough.

"Alright. So you don’t regret it... Well... in what way?"

"Huh?"

Jeong Taeui rolled his eyes, not understanding his words for a moment. Ilay blinked a few
times, rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a while, and then cautiously asked him with a curious
look.

"In what way... hitting you? Was it that I hit you? Or was it that I tied you up? Or was it that I
drugged you?"

There were too many issues being brought up one by one. And those memories flashed
through Jeong Taeui’s mind. Suddenly, he thought he had dug his own grave. What was he
going to do with the things he had listed? But by the time he realized the situation, it was too
late.

As if the memories of that time were slowly coming back to his mind, as soon as Taeui
seemed to wake up, Ilay, who was looking at him calmly and somewhat indifferently,
suddenly smiled.

With the experience of being with him for the past few months, Jeong Taeui knew that even if
he smiled, it didn’t necessarily mean he was happy inside.
Damn it. He thought that alcohol and cigarettes had destroyed his brain cells. Maybe from
now on, he should drink less beer... No, beer was just a drink. Beer was just a beverage made
from barley. So let’s try to quit smoking.

For a few seconds, Jeong Taeui genuinely regretted his past. It was foolish to bring up a story
that would make him recall that time.

"Haha. I've heard that kind of thing quite a bit. Alright, tell me more about the day you
escaped. Surely, there must be more things you regret, right?"

Ilay tilted his chin and approached Jeong Taeui. Taeui looked up at him, wondering if he
really wanted to hear about it now. However, after thinking for a moment, Jeong Taeui
decided to try to keep his mouth shut and remain silent. So, Ilay issued a threat.

"I told you to tell me!*"

(*말해 보라니까: Ilay spoke in an imperative tone, probably sounding a bit harsh.)

Jeong Taeui frowned, because he did not regret what he had done to Ilay. So many things had
happened, and it was hard to list them all. But in this situation, that was one of the things that
could make him angry.

"...Did you just curse?"

Jeong Taeui hesitantly asked.

Ilay raised an eyebrow. This time, he lowered his voice.

"Tell me more*"

(* '더 말해 봐.': In a gentler tone.)

He wondered if Ilay had ever thought about tormenting him in this way. Repeatedly asking
about something he didn't even think about, but Ilay kept asking and repeating those things.
But if he kept doing that, wasn't he torturing himself more than he was torturing Jeong Taeui?
Asking if he was truly suffering or regretting something, what was there to discuss?

The memories that made him uncomfortable would flood back after those probing questions.
He didn't think that was some weird hobby of Ilay’s; after all, was this what people called -
‘Before you die, say everything you want to say?’

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay in silence, then sighed and shook his head.

"I don’t know what bothers you the most, but there’s nothing I regret about what I did to
you."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."
Ilay asked as if he was giving him one last chance, but Taeui simply repeated his words. Ilay
gently shook his head and said - "Hmmm" - then quietly looked at Taeui.

After answering that question, Taeui suddenly thought.

Yes, is this man really angry about the things I did?

If you carefully consider Ilay’s personality, all the things he did would be enough to make
him explode with anger.

Not knowing whether hitting him, tying him up, or drugging him made him more angry. He
even cursed him right to his face.

But either way, hitting, tying up, and drugging were far worse than cursing. Just thinking
about those things would be enough to make him explode with rage.

But Ilay’s repeated questions seemed to be expecting a particular answer. He asked if he

regretted anything specific, maybe something that made him the most angry.

But Taeui didn’t know what that was. After all, what made him the most angry? Suddenly, he
was really curious to know that. Which of his actions did Ilay deeply resent?

"...So, you."

Jeong Taeui started to speak and then paused for a moment. He hesitated, wondering if it
would be better not to ask.

What made him the most angry?

Would he regret finding out what it was?

No.

He was so angry because of all the things he did. Suddenly, his heart felt cold.

Ilay and Taeui, after a few months and even almost half a year together, all that was left
between them was anger.

He was the source of anger, and he was also the one who planted the seeds of anger.

"....I, even so, I don't..."

Jeong Taeui told himself. That wasn't all. That wasn’t the only negative feeling he had when
being with him. Whether at the beginning or even now, he had some memories that made him
angry, but having those memories and whether those negative feelings continued until now
were two different things.

Even friends have things they don’t like about each other. Everyone has something they
dislike about the other. There have been many times he was hurt or angry because of the
things he didn’t like. The memories are always there, but holding onto those memories and
continuing to have painful or angry feelings from that time are entirely different matters.

Jeong Taeui lowered his head and bit his lip.

Ilay looked at him with a slight frown. That was because he couldn’t understand the meaning
of Taeui’s broken murmurs. He was silent for a while, then suddenly curled his lips slightly
and said.

"Whatever. Whether you regret it or anything else, it’s useless to think about it. So, those
things don’t matter."

Ilay stood up from the chair, walked over to the bed, and placed his hand on the pillow where
Jeong Taeui was lying, then he tilted his head down and looked at Taeui as if he was pleased.
A faint smile played on Ilay’s lips.

"No matter what you think, from now on you will have to stay by my side, no matter what…-
I already told you, didn’t I? You will have to endure staying next to me, someone you
absolutely hate, every single day."

"...."

His face came down so close that it seemed like his lips were about to touch Taeui's forehead.
His soft, heartfelt whisper sent shivers down his spine.

Suddenly, Ilay stopped smiling. After looking at Taeui for a long time, he whispered in a very
low voice, so low that Taeui almost couldn't hear it.

"Tae. I mean, I’ve never been this angry."

The distance was so close that Taeui almost touched his head and lost his sight. But he still
looked up at Ilay. In response to that gentle, sweet voice, he couldn’t discern what emotions
he had.

"Really, extremely, yes - I was extremely angry."

He didn’t even know if he was smiling. That cold, terrifying voice went through his ears
lightly like the faint sound of insects.

"I can’t even remember the week after you disappeared, the state I lived in. When I regained
consciousness, I realized I had killed two people in that week. I couldn’t even remember
doing those things."

So maybe that was the first time in UNHDRO history that someone could enter Eoryeong’s
prison and be released after just a few days. Ilay smiled and remained silent for a moment.
Perhaps he still remembered those days.

"However, going to prison was fortunate. It was the perfect place to calmly think. But even
after entering, my anger didn’t subside. I really went crazy like a madman and didn’t know
what to do. Then, maybe the day before I got out of Eoryeong, I saw you in my dream."
His lips gradually moved closer until they finally touched Jeong Taeui’s forehead.

It was a feeling he was very familiar with. But perhaps being together for a while, or because
of his soft, creepy voice, Jeong Taeui’s shoulders trembled slightly. Realizing this, Ilay
smirked.

"In that dream... No, that dream might still be okay. After waking up from that dream and
opening my eyes to the surrounding darkness, I thought. I must calm down. Until I killed a
person I didn’t even remember, and when I realized it afterward, it was someone I shouldn’t
have killed. Isn’t that really difficult? Hmm?"

He laughed. The laughter slowly descended from his forehead, gently moved to his ears, and
then slid up to his cheeks.

Jeong Taeui lay still, not avoiding the lips that were falling on his face. He just lay there in
silence.

"If it’s so hateful that it makes you want to kill me but you think it’s better to torment me... If
you decide to let me live because of that... Ilay... you should just kill me."

Jeong Taeui softly said as Ilay’s lips finally reached his. The lips paused for a moment.

Even when talking about his own survival, Taeui still said that to him. It was for his own
mental health. That was his sincere advice to Ilay.

The lips left him.

His face turned pale, no longer showing a smile. He looked at Taeui coldly. Jeong Taeui
looked up at him, then sighed and spoke softly.

"For me... if you try to kill me, I’ll try to find every way to save myself, whether it’s running
away, fighting, or begging."

"I don’t want to die," Taeui added, and when he mumbled with a melancholic expression,
Ilay’s eyes showed a fleeting cold smile.

He stood up from the bed. As if the unfinished conversation had ended, he walked towards
the door and spoke to Taeui.

"Rita said to come to the dining room after you wake up. My brother also said you should go
to his room to talk after dinner."

"Huh...?"

Seeing Jeong Taeui blink in confusion, Ilay raised an eyebrow and looked back at Taeui as if
asking if he had anything else to say, but Taeui just said, "Nothing," and looked at him
suspiciously.

"You’re just leaving like that?"

"Hmm?"

"No... it’s just that I thought I might lose an eye..."

Hearing Jeong Taeui murmur while tilting his head, Ilay stared at him for a moment. A flash
of light crossed his face, and his gaze turned cold again.

"If you want, I can do that for you."

"No, I really, honestly don’t want that. I was just wondering if that was the case, that’s all."

He had thought that if he had to face Ilay again, he would lose his life the moment he
encountered him. If not, if Ilay meant what he said about not killing him, then he would take
some part of his body, leaving him maimed and living in agony. So, right when he opened his
eyes, Taeui had resolved to lose an arm, a leg, or an eye.

Jeong Taeui was genuinely happy with his intact body and good health. His face was bright
and lively as he looked at Ilay. The cold look in Ilay's eyes had returned.

Ilay seemed like he wanted to say something but remained silent and clicked his tongue.

"Alright, go see Rita. Rita has been nagging that the flavor of the soup will worsen if it's
cooked any later."

Jeong Taeui recalled why Ilay didn't come home when he was staying at his place. For some
reason, Ilay's expression when talking about Rita's nagging was quite endearing.

Indeed, there was someone who could handle this man with patience.

Thinking about that, Taeui struggled to get out of bed.

 Vol 4 - Chapter 24: Ambiguous

Kyle was reading the evening paper when he felt something strange and suddenly looked up.

When his gaze met the person standing at the door, Kyle was utterly surprised. How long had
the boy been standing there?

Ilay was leaning against the door, staring blankly at him.

"Why are you standing there? Come in."

Kyle nodded to him and finished the article he was reading. In the [Society] section of the
newspaper, there was a small report about a forest fire that had occurred this morning. His
hand holding the newspaper suddenly tensed, causing the paper to crumple.

Kyle folded the newspaper backward, leaving the report clear on the table.

He placed it on the table for someone to see. But the person who needed to read it was
lounging in a single chair a short distance from the desk.

He rested his chin on his tightly clasped hands and stared blankly at Ilay. Ilay was lost in his
own thoughts, oblivious to his brother's gaze.

Kyle hadn't seen his younger brother in months and would have been happy to see him after
such a long time, but why did he feel so unwelcome?

Ilay used to live in the same city as Kyle, and he often ran into his brother at his former
company since Kyle passed by it almost daily. At that time, he had thought that even though
they lived close and were family, he didn't feel particularly welcomed.

But even after not seeing each other for months, Ilay still had that same unenthusiastic
demeanor. So it seemed it wasn't a matter of family or time.

Kyle clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

"That's the news about society. Fortunately, there's no information about arson, which is
crazy."

Ilay made a face as if he didn't know what Kyle was talking about, then shrugged with a
casual - "Ah."

He looked at Kyle. It was a look that said he should know what to do next.

Kyle groaned softly. Ilay wouldn't know how much trouble he had gone through with James
today to cover up the truth behind the fire. Furthermore, after the article was published, the
firefighters who extinguished the fire on site concluded it was arson based on the evidence
left behind. There were also some calls to the newspaper office to verify the article's
accuracy. James had said he had to awkwardly apologize to the newspaper's editor multiple
times, and someone who didn't get along well with Kyle like James was very angry.

He told himself he needed to get along with James from now on.

His younger brother causing trouble wasn't a new thing. Murder was the hardest to cover up,
but this brother of his had assured Kyle that he at least considered the consequences and said
very politely - "I didn't leave any traces, or if there were, they were handled neatly to not be
exposed. So don't worry." - And that was even before the young man came of age.

In fact, Kyle wasn't the one responsible for handling Ilay's messes; his chief assistant was.
When Ilay was still a young and inexperienced man who didn't know how to hide evidence
properly in his anger, James had to work overtime so much that he needed psychiatric
treatment. At least after Ilay grew up and could handle his own affairs, James's workload was
significantly reduced.

Kyle recognized that without a talented assistant like James, the company couldn't operate
normally, so he had decided he'd rather give up protecting Ilay. But Ilay still killed and took
many lives without Kyle knowing. But at least he could clean up after himself without Kyle
having to lift a finger.

So he was somewhat relieved (warily).

But today, a significant incident occurred.

Just killing people was still manageable. Today, this man had massacred about a dozen
people there. However, it was relatively easy to cover up. As soon as Ilay contacted him,
Kyle quickly sent people who had been waiting nearby to clean up the corpses and other
traces that would be difficult to deal with if exposed.

However, it wasn't possible to clean up all the traces left behind beforehand, and this was the
most challenging situation to handle. When Kyle heard the news, he really wanted to faint for
a second.

It was 6:30 AM when Ilay arrived in Berlin.

At that time of day, Kyle usually skimmed through the morning paper after a light exercise.

But today, he didn't go for his exercise because he couldn't sleep well the previous night after
the kidnapping incident. His head was heavy. Instead of exercising by walking around the
garden and breathing in the early morning air, he prepared to go to his office.

The kidnapping had been temporarily resolved.

The night before, after hearing Morer's words, Kyle learned that Kim was Jeong Taeui, the
person Ilay had been desperately searching for. Kyle's knees buckled, and he called his
younger brother. After calling multiple times without any answer, his brother finally picked
up, sounding annoyed.

"Why do you keep calling?"

"The young man you're looking for is among those kidnapped today."

"… What?"

Ilay's voice dropped.

Kyle raised an eyebrow at that tone. No matter how agitated he was, Ilay had never shown it
so clearly before. His younger brother must have spent considerable effort searching for the
young man.

"You didn't mention this before."

"Because I didn't know then. I just found out."

"...If you're lying just to drag me into this, you're making a big mistake."

Ilay's voice lowered. The icy tone sent chills down Kyle's spine. He clicked his tongue. Even
someone who had lived with Ilay for a long time like him felt a shiver; what about those
sitting next to him now?

Kyle thought about Kim. No, he was a young man named Jeong Taeui. He was the younger
brother of Jeong Jaeui and the nephew of Jeong Changin. Coincidentally, he was also Ilay's
former second-lieutenant and now a friend of Kyle, whom Ilay was hunting down.

Only after connecting all these dots did Kyle understand his curiosity about Kim. At the same
time, he genuinely mourned and felt sorry for such a good young man.

How could a kind person like him end up as Ilay's second-lieutenant? How could a
straightforward young man like him be hunted after angering Ilay? Kyle wanted to protect
him, but if the opponent was Ilay, he was powerless.

Kyle, who had experienced enough ups and downs and knew how to deal with people, had
never faced any difficulty with anyone, but in a somewhat different way than usual, he had
never wanted to confront Ilay.

"… Let's see. I'm not sure because I only heard it from Morer."

Kyle replied to Ilay. Although he cautiously said he wasn't sure if it was true, he assumed
Morer wouldn't lie. Even if the guy was quirky, he was smart. He wasn't foolish enough to
shorten his lifespan by lying when he knew Ilay would be involved.

Ilay seemed to think the same. He was silent for a moment.

"So, I want to ask for your help. You don't need to step in yourself, just contact your riot
squad…"

"I'll help. Confirm their location."

Kyle hadn't even finished his sentence when Ilay curtly cut him off and hung up. With no
room for further discussion, Kyle hung up and looked around, shrugging at the two people
looking at each other curiously. He spoke vaguely.

"I think this is sorted out now."

(After that, Morer said something confusing about having to evacuate his beloved beauties.
He hurriedly packed his things and left for Hong Kong the same night.)

He couldn't be sure, but since Ilay had said he would help, Kyle decided to trust him.
Although unpredictable, once Ilay said something, he would do it.

However, at exactly 6:30 AM the following day, when Kyle was restless because his
esteemed guests were held hostage, the doorbell to his office rang, even though it was
unusual for anyone to come to his house at that hour.

Kyle wondered who it could be. But he thought Rita would call him if needed, so he focused
on reading the newspaper. And a minute and a half later, Kyle suspiciously looked up at the
face entering his office.

Less than 12 hours after the call ended.

But standing in front of Kyle now was his younger brother, who had been on the other side of
the world just a few hours ago.

Ilay extended his hand as soon as he entered, ignoring Kyle's astonished gaze.

"Rewaco. Faust Panzer. And their location."

No greeting. As soon as he saw Kyle's face, Ilay directly demanded the necessary items. But
Kyle still threw a questioning look at his brother before preparing the items.

"How did you get here at this hour?"

Even though Kyle knew the answer, he still asked. Given the time, even if he had gone to the
airport and taken the fastest flight right after hanging up, he couldn't have arrived this soon.
So there was only one way.

"UNHDRO's private jet."

Ilay spoke curtly and waved his hand as if asking him to stop asking pointless questions and
hand over what he needed.

Kyle clicked his tongue. Who was it that appointed him as an officer at UNHDRO?

He had once bought an out-of-production item and even refurbished it, but Kyle didn't have
much use for it, so he handed the keys to that three-wheeled motorcycle along with a note
about its location to him. James had found it last night. But when it came to the second
weapon his brother requested, Kyle was silent for a moment.

"Panzer Faust. What are you planning to do with that?"

"I'm not planning to waste any more time."

Kyle sighed at Ilay's short response and stared at him for a moment before gesturing for him
to leave. He had contacted James and requested that he bring the weapon from whichever
warehouse it was in as quickly as possible and fulfill Ilay's final request.

After confirming their location while preparing the weapons, Ilay pondered for a moment and
then requested a barrel of gasoline. Although Kyle was very suspicious about this request, he
thought his brother was asking for more assistance, so he complied. And that was his biggest
mistake.

A few hours later, his brother contacted Kyle at an astonishing speed to report, "All the
hostages are safe—though some need to go to the hospital. The others have been moved, and
the house has been destroyed." Hearing this, Kyle couldn't help but praise his brother.

😦
Although from Ilay's tone it seemed he had handled the situation roughly, he was still glad
that everything had been resolved. < A few hours….What the heck >

But before hanging up, his brother added a sentence that made Kyle want to faint for a
second.

"Oh, I poured gasoline and set the forest on fire afterward. The fire spread quite wide, but I
was able to control it. So don't worry too much and put it out."

Kyle knew that his brother was a man with everything but a conscience. And the boy had
shown that clearly since he was a child. But Kyle had never felt that, even though he knew it
was an undeniable fact.

Kyle looked at the article in the corner of the newspaper helplessly and sighed. This incident,
in some cases, was nothing short of a "special reward" for James.

Even though the situation had been resolved, there were still too many things to handle. So he
had buried himself in work and been tormented by James all day today. Afterward, he
managed to return home, take a bath, and eat.

Ilay had come home for the first time in a long time, so Kyle had wanted to have a meal with
him, but Ilay pretended not to hear and went directly to Kim's room—no, Jeong Taeui's room
—and didn't come out. Kyle could only stare blankly at his brother's silhouette disappearing
behind the door.

Now, with Ilay in his room lost in thought, Kyle asked him the question he most wanted to
know.

"Kim… no, has Taeil woken up?"

Upon hearing this, Ilay, who had been idle, glanced at Kyle. But he didn't answer
immediately, remaining silent for a moment before briefly responding.

"Yes, a while ago."

"I see. That's good. Is he alright?"

"Yes. He's with Rita now. You wanted to meet him, so he'll come here after eating."

Kyle nodded, and Ilay fell silent again.

Kyle thought of the young man he had known for a long time, Kim. His brain tried to switch
the familiar name Kim to the unfamiliar name Jeong Taeui. Otherwise, he would keep calling
him Kim. But in reality, the name Jeong Taeui was no longer unfamiliar to him.

If it was just the name, he had heard it a few times even while working with Jeong Jaeui
when occasionally the young man would mention the name. Kyle had also heard it a few
times from Jeong Changin, a friend of his. And he had also heard it from Ilay, but when
talking to Ilay, he usually referred to him as Gil Sang Cheon rather than Jeong Taeui.
Anyway, the name was familiar to him.

Yes. Kim was Gil Sang Cheon…

Once again, Kyle called the name Kim and quickly shook his head to correct it.

It was a story from a long time ago, over ten years ago when Jeong Taeui had received more
attention than his genius brother Jeong Jaeui. At first, only those who knew him were curious
about the younger brother, but when rumors spread that Jeong Jaeui's miraculous luck came
from Jeong Taeui, many people desired him. Their curiosity and greed only faded after
several attempts when they realized it was actually Jeong Jaeui who brought luck to Jeong
Taeui.

Perhaps even Jeong Taeui didn't know that he had at least once become someone's target.
Because Jeong Jaeui and Jeong Changin had continuously prevented those things at that time.

"Taeui doesn't need to know the meaning of this."

Kyle suddenly remembered a soft voice he had heard before. It was when they happened to
meet Jeong Jaeui and talked about family and other miscellaneous issues in the outdoor
garden on the terrace. He rarely shared personal stories.

"For his safety and as a precaution, wouldn't it be better to let him know?"

However, Jeong Jaeui shook his head. He remained silent, seemingly unwilling to say more.
Kyle thought that Jeong Jaeui had a different viewpoint from his, so he didn't ask further.

"…"

But now that he thought about it, he could vaguely understand the genius's sentiments,
although it was still very vague. Jeong Taeui was a young man who always received affection
from his brother.

"Thankfully, he seems to be alright."

Kyle whispered. Ilay frowned slightly at him.

"Not yet, we'll see if he's hurt or not, Taeil."

Kyle frowned at Ilay's words. He thought he understood his brother very well, but recently,
he realized there were times when he didn't understand him at all. Especially moments like
this.

"… Is there something else you're looking for?"

Kyle couldn't grasp the message or what Ilay wanted to say when asking whether Jeong Taeui
was hurt. He spoke while clenching his teeth with a cold face that made the listener feel
paralyzed with fear.

Ilay clicked his tongue.

Looking at his brother who wanted to say something but couldn't because the words weren't
forming in his mind, Kyle threw a strange look at Ilay. He then changed the subject and could
only wish the kind and sincere young man Jeong Taeui a comfortable life.

"I heard that before Jeong Taeui left UNHDRO, he did something terrible to you? Isn't that
why you were so eager to find him? Didn't you try to figure out what to do? Well, now that
you've caught him, what are you going to do?"

Ilay remained silent for a long time. Kyle patiently watched him, waiting for his brother's
answer.

He would do his best if Ilay intended to harm Taeui. But that only existed in his thoughts;
Kyle wasn't sure if he could really protect Taeui if it came to that because his opponent was
Ilay. His brother never listened to anyone going against his will. And even though they were
brothers, they rarely intervened in each other's personal affairs due to their distinct
personalities. It was like an unspoken agreement between them not to interfere with each
other's matters.

So, it was clear that Kyle didn't receive any concession from Ilay even though they were
family. But even so, if Ilay insisted on doing what he wanted, Kyle couldn't do anything
about it. But at least he would try to stop it.

Not just because he liked the young man named Jeong Taeui, but because Kyle liked his
friends, and he didn't want them to be destroyed by his brother or anyone else. As the one
standing in the middle, Kyle could maintain a harmonious relationship between everyone and
Ilay, even though his brother was criticized and shunned by others. If Kyle stopped his
brother from touching someone, it was usually out of pity for that person.

Jeong Jaeui's younger brother and Jeong Changin's nephew. Jeong Taeui himself, although he
wasn't believed to bring luck to others, was a kind and ethical young man. So Kyle didn't
want such a good young man to befriend the RieGrow family.

"You found him, so are you going to kill him?"

Ilay was deep in thought for a long time, and Kyle received no answer. He frowned and
sighed as if he was frustrated.
Kyle could sense that the frustration wasn't directed at him.

"Of course I should kill him. If I've found him… Yes, I have to kill him as soon as I find
him."

Ilay mumbled to himself.

 Vol 4 - Chapter 25: The confusion of Ilay

Ilay mumbled to himself.

"No, that was just a joke."

Kyle looked at him with curiosity, tilting his head slightly and coming to a clever conclusion.

"Hmmm. So now that you've found him, are you going to kill him or have you changed your
mind?"

Judging by Ilay's previous tone, it seemed more inclined toward the latter. However, Ilay
didn't answer immediately, remaining silent as if contemplating something while staring at a
fixed point in the air, searching for something. His gaze suddenly turned cold.

"For now... I won't kill him."

Even though Ilay was his brother, the moments when his eyes turned cold and sharp like a
blade were still terrifying. And that was exactly how his eyes looked now.

He must have thought about something regarding Jeong Taeui. But Kyle didn't know what
could cause such a look. Nonetheless, that answer did put him at ease. Despite the "for now"
qualifier, Kyle still felt relieved.

"That’s good for me too. If you kill Jeong Taeil, the relationships I have that shouldn't be
problematic will be affected."

Kyle frowned at his own words. That wasn't wrong. Ilay certainly thought so. Obviously, if
he dealt with Jeong Taeui, it wouldn't sit well with Kyle, and even if Ilay caused any changes
in his relationships, he and his brother were still separate individuals.

But this didn't feel like what Ilay had said. The reason seemed significant, but clearly,
someone cared about that young man.

"You're right, but I like Taeil. I don't know what happened to you, but from a personal
standpoint, I like that young man."

Kyle concluded. Yes, he had been very fond of Taeil since he was Kim. Whether it was
because he was the nephew of a friend or the younger brother of a genius, it was clear that
Kyle really liked Jeong Taeui.

Sometimes, there are people you start liking just by talking to them. It's hard to pinpoint a
specific reason for that. You might think of ordinary reasons like having a good personality,
being easy to talk to, or being very friendly. However, if you think about it carefully, liking
someone doesn't always need a reason.
Good and bad personalities vary between individuals and are also based on what each person
can tolerate as good or bad, so unless someone has an extremely odd or unusual personality,
liking someone because of their personality isn't an objective reason. In that way, Kyle would
categorize Ilay as having a peculiar personality...

Liking someone doesn't necessarily correlate with whether they have a good or easy-to-deal-
with personality. In fact, from Kyle's perspective, Jeong Taeui wasn't particularly easy to deal
with either.

His way of talking was normal, and he could easily blend into conversations, but he wasn't
overly comfortable, and Kyle didn't feel that they got along exceptionally well. But even so,
Kyle clearly had a great affection for him.

Kyle pondered about the young man named Jeong Taeui for a moment and suddenly felt a
gaze on him. He looked up and met Ilay's eyes. Ilay's narrowed eyes seemed worrisome, at
the very least, not pleasant.

"--What’s the matter... If you have issues with Taeil, I won't interfere. So handle it as you see
fit. I'm just expressing my personal wishes."

Kyle added and concluded. Both had very distinct personalities. Both Kyle and Ilay.

Kyle didn't feel uncomfortable because Ilay planned to do something to someone he cared
about, but he did think this situation was somewhat strange.

"He’s like this wherever he goes."

Suddenly, Ilay mumbled to himself. He clicked his tongue and said.

"Wherever he goes, people like him."

Kyle nodded without thinking. But when he agreed with Ilay, Ilay gave him a disapproving
look.

"People who are liked by others have something in common."

Kyle indifferently mumbled.

"People like me, I like people."

If you think about it, it makes sense. Generally speaking, it holds true among people. Even if
there are varying degrees, it's often ‘people like me, I like people’ or ‘the people I like also
like me.’

Even if the types of ‘liking’ are different, the goodwill is fundamentally the same.

And since people naturally live based on the favor of others, they have no choice but to be
sensitive to these things. Even if they can't recognize it themselves, they know who likes
people and who deserves to be liked.
Ilay stared at Kyle. As usual, his inscrutable black eyes watched him, occasionally frowning
slightly.

"Let's see.... I don't think it's related. But depending on the timing, it might be. Or perhaps it’s
quite true."

Kyle raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. It was rare for his brother to talk like this. Kyle
thought he would leave his office soon, as he usually did. But this time, Ilay stayed longer
than expected. Kyle gave up the idea of opening the newspaper again and took off his
glasses.

"Alright, so what do you plan to do with Taeil?"

"Thinking about it makes me angry again. Should I get rid of it? "

("It" here refers to 'the thing that angers Ilay, specifically the cause, and this cause comes
from Tae.')

Ilay smiled enigmatically and whispered. His words always seemed like a joke, but in reality,
he wasn't joking. He was always someone who acted on his whims whenever he wanted.

"You dislike him that much? Taeil?"

It was rare to see him dislike someone to this extent.

Considering only Ilay had appeared during the raid this morning, Kyle had never seen
anything like this before.

...No, looking at what he had done today, it seemed Ilay's personality had grown increasingly
strange.

Kyle didn't like this situation when Ilay persistently targeted Jeong Taeui and tried to harm
him. It seemed he was stubbornly fixated on him. If it had been the old Ilay, he would have
directly killed him without hesitation.

"... If that's the case, I'd rather kill him right away without hesitation. This isn't like you, Ilay."

When Kyle spoke briefly, Ilay made a strange expression and then laughed softly.

"Hearing you say that, it seems like you’re finally acting like an older brother."

Kyle frowned bitterly. He didn't think his personality was too good, but he felt a bit
uncomfortable hearing such nuanced words from Ilay. Yes, it was Ilay, not anyone else.

Ilay fell silent for a moment, seemingly pondering Kyle's words.

Kyle looked at Ilay and suddenly realized something. Ilay had no clear idea of what to do
until he found Jeong Taeui.

This hadn't happened before.

"Yes... I just need to cut his throat as soon as I see him... as I always do..."

Ilay mumbled. Kyle smiled and frowned at him.

It wasn't like Ilay at all.

"Why don't you do as usual?"

Ilay didn't answer. He didn't respond to Kyle's question but just faced him. He frowned, a
complex expression as if he himself didn't know the answer.

"Right... Even if Taeil were torn into pieces before my eyes, it wouldn't matter... No, in fact,
even if I tore him into pieces with my own hands, it wouldn’t matter..."

Ilay slowly whispered. Kyle silently watched Ilay, puzzled. He thought for a while and then
nodded.

At that moment.

From outside the door, at the bottom of the stairs, Rita's voice rang out.

"Kim, if you sit on the stairs like that, you'll block others from going up. If you want to rest,
go to the living room and sit comfortably. It's better than sitting on those hard wooden stairs."

Kyle involuntarily glanced at Ilay. The voice echoed through the open door, resonating in the
air.

Following Rita's words was a hesitant voice, as if being strangled, sounding troubled.

"Uh... it's nothing... I just heard that Kyle called for me."

"Then come up. The master is in the study."

"Well... it seems he's got a guest. I'm not in a hurry, so I'll wait... But thinking about it, Rita is
right. I should go and sit in the living room. Why didn't I think of that?"

Your head is full of flowers, so silly, so very silly. Taeui thought to himself with a sigh.

Kyle frowned. He cursed himself for letting such a stupid mistake happen.

He hadn't closed the study door.

The study was a place where Kyle would stay when he wanted to enjoy some alone time at
home, so when he closed the door, he hardly heard any noise from outside.

But since he was in the study, Rita and other guests wouldn't disturb him either. Rarely did he
come here to work, so he would leave the door slightly ajar unless Kyle really wanted to be
alone for an extended period of time.

And he had left the door open until now without giving it any thought.
Although this room was well soundproofed when the door was closed, because Rita
occasionally called Kyle from downstairs, he would sometimes leave the door open. So when
that happened, the sound echoed between the study and the first floor quite clearly. At least
the sounds from the first floor could be heard from the study and vice versa.

Kyle clicked his tongue. Jeong Taeui, maybe he had come to find him after the meal, as Ilay
had said earlier. To avoid disturbing him while he was talking with Ilay, Jeong Taeui must
have waited downstairs. And if he had been there, he must have heard their entire
conversation.

Kyle felt a bit guilty. Even though he hadn't cursed or gossiped, looking back at the
conversation, there were likely many things that shouldn't have been overheard by a third
party. Although most of it was Ilay's words, Kyle still felt like an accomplice for having
listened to everything. He scratched his head awkwardly when meeting Jeong Taeui.

"Kim, it's okay, come on in."

Kyle called out to Jeong Taeui. Since the short conversation between Taeui and Rita had
echoed up to the second floor, everyone knew that their conversation had been overheard by
those in the room. Once it was clear that the other party had heard everything, hesitating and
pretending otherwise would only make both sides feel more awkward.

After Kyle finished speaking, it seemed the person downstairs hesitated for a moment before
slowly stepping up the stairs. The weak creaking sound of the wooden steps could be heard
with each step.

Kyle recalled what Ilay had said. His brother had said that if he found Jeong Taeui, he would
kill him, and that he would be very angry. Of course, hearing such words was not pleasant.

However, in this case, it was fortunate that Ilay's usual behavior was already unpleasant. So it
was no surprise that he said such things because his personality had always been like that.

For the first time, Kyle felt grateful that this was his usual personality.

Kyle glanced at Ilay, a bit surprised.

Ilay was looking out the door, just like Kyle, seemingly completely unaware that Jeong Taeui
was there.

On that face, even for a brief moment, a look of confusion appeared.

Kyle blinked, unsure if he had seen it wrong. No, maybe he had indeed seen it wrong. This
was Ilay.

If someone said Ilay Riegrow was confused or embarrassed about something, it was better to
doubt one's own eyes.

He blinked several times and looked at Ilay again. The usual expression had returned.
Ah. He must have been mistaken. But even if he had seen something absurd like that (Ilay's
confusion), it would be a very rare absurdity.

Kyle slowly shook his head. At that moment, the half-closed door opened a bit more, and
Jeong Taeui stepped in.

He scratched his head with an embarrassed look.

"Um... I didn't mean to eavesdrop... but I waited downstairs until your conversation ended,
so... I heard it all."

Jeong Taeui awkwardly said, glancing at Kyle, then quickly shifting his gaze to Ilay.

Ilay simply looked at him with a detached expression. Jeong Taeui bitterly licked his lips and
scratched his head.

Kyle, sitting somewhat dazed between them, soon realized that the resentment between the
two seemed to have shifted.

Thinking of something, he brought up a topic he thought would be most acceptable in the

current situation.

"By the way, are you alright? I truly apologize for causing so much trouble to my friends this
time."

Kyle spoke naturally. He could feel Ilay quietly laughing, saying, "I've had to rescue my
brother's friends from kidnappers a few times before."

Jeong Taeui also looked at Kyle with a delicate expression and gently shook his head.

"No, it's my fault. I should have been more careful. I was too careless... He also said you had
prepared tea.... Besides, your brother did save me, didn't he? Didn't he?"

Kyle was speechless. Jeong Taeui, who mentioned his brother to make him feel less guilty,
also fell silent. He was sure Jeong Taeui had thoughts similar to his own at that moment.
Thinking back, wasn't this young man also directly at the scene of the arson?

The person who carried out the forest arson was here and currently looked perfectly normal,
while the two of them seemed dark and silent for no reason.

Indeed, if there's an abnormal person around you, only those around them will suffer, while
they remain happy. Kyle once again reflected on the unspoken rules of human relationships.

Suddenly, Jeong Taeui raised his head and spoke.

"Where is Morer now?"

"Morer? Morer returned to Hong Kong last night. He said he had urgent business. He also
asked me to send his regards to you."
"You must have a good relationship with him." Kyle added with a warm smile.

Jeong Taeui also wanted to smile in response and say something, but only a faint glimmer
passed through his forced smile, "Haha, I see."

It was a very brief moment, so Kyle thought he might have seen it wrong again.

"By the way, it might be strange, but... this might be the first time we've officially met like
this, Jeong Taeil."

Kyle said.

Jeong Taeui looked puzzled for a moment but quickly understood and smiled awkwardly.

"Alright, Kyle. My name is Jeong Tae-ui. For some reason, I couldn't tell you my real name."

"In such circumstances... I understand. If I were in your position, I would do the same."

Kyle shook his head. Anyway, if you have to run away from someone as eccentric as Ilay,
changing your name and everything makes sense.

Thinking about it, this young man was really unlucky. What does it mean that the kidnapping
happened at this time? If it hadn't happened, Kyle wouldn't have sought Ilay's help, and Taeui
wouldn't have been captured like this.

But on the bright side, thanks to Jeong Taeui's presence among the hostages, Kyle felt very
relieved.

Kyle hadn't expected Ilay to rush over in a heartbeat like that.

The room fell silent, no one said another word. Placing the three of them together, there was
no common topic to discuss.

Because sharing this and that between brothers or sharing something with two people who
had enmity, or even sharing other stories, was vague. Clearly, the three of them had no
common topic.

Kyle tapped lightly on the table. The reason he wanted to meet Jeong Taeui was to ask after
him since he had been at his house and got kidnapped, even getting injured during the
incident. So he deserved an apology from Kyle. But he couldn't even greet Jeong Taeui, let
alone Kim.

The trivial matters had been addressed. If there was nothing more to discuss, it was better to
end the conversation here. Kyle liked talking with people, but he didn't like an awkward
atmosphere. As he pretended to tidy up his desk a bit, Jeong Taeui quickly understood his
intention, choosing the appropriate words for the situation and saying.

"Then I'll go rest for a bit."

"Alright. You should rest. Have a good rest and get well soon."
Kyle smiled and nodded.

When Jeong Taeui bowed and left the room, Kyle suddenly remembered something and
called out to him.

Jeong Taeui stopped at the call of his name without taking another step.

"I almost forgot. I have informed Officer Jeong Changin. I told him you weren't seriously
injured, but he was very worried and asked you to call him later. If anything comes up, you
can use the phone here."

Kyle pointed to the phone on the table. Jeong Taeui looked at the phone with a stiff
expression. Ilay, who was observing them, suddenly smirked.

"I see, so you'll call from here...., that way it won't leave any traces." - He whispered.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue. Oh, the bitterness of it all!

 Vol 4 - Chapter 26: Marking (18+)

Only after eating the soup Rita had prepared did Jeong Taeui's mind, which had been in a
haze, begin to clear a bit. As soon as he became more alert, the first thing that came to his
mind was the whereabouts of Morer.

Although Jeong Taeui didn’t think that sly guy would just sit around waiting to die, upon
hearing from Kyle that Morer had returned to Hong Kong, a rage ignited within him. Betting
nine out of ten times that even if he called the European branch now to report Morer's
possession of illegal weapons, it would be too late.

Surely, Morer had already gone back to his room, packed all his precious beauties, and hid
them somewhere else.

"Damn it. I guess I’ll have to go back there myself..."

He would storm into Morer's room, throw out all his beloved treasures, and head to Hong
Kong. Those things should be buried deep under the sea. Jeong Taeui gritted his teeth and
muttered. That son of a bitch. If I ever see you again, I won’t mind making this relationship
even worse.

As soon as he stepped out of Kyle's office, Jeong Taeui with a pale-face, quickly strode to his
own room. When he reached his door, he glanced at the room right next to his, where Morer
had stayed until just the previous day. With that thought, Jeong Taeui kicked the door with all
his might.

"... ―! ... ―!! ... ―!!!"

After venting his anger on the door, he realized his leg wasn’t normal at the moment. The
tattered bandage from running through the forest had been carefully and neatly rewrapped
while he slept. A doctor had been called to the house, and all his wounds had been treated
and wrapped neatly with gauze. But no matter how well they were bandaged, the wounds
beneath wouldn’t heal instantly. Especially his ankle, which had been overworked last night
and this morning, made him think he might never use it again. His legs were limping as if he
could barely walk, but there was no other choice. Even indoors, he had to use a cane.

And in his rage, Jeong Taeui had forgotten that and kicked the door hard, so now his already
injured ankle was about to be crippled.

Ilay quietly watched Jeong Taeui, who was trembling and clutching his ankle while lying face
down in the hallway with a pale face. He frowned slightly and muttered to himself.

"Sometimes, I really don’t understand you at times like this...."

Taeui didn’t have the energy to respond to Ilay’s serious remark. He groaned while clutching
his ankle for a long time before he calmed down.
He bent over and entered his room, then suddenly saw Ilay following him. Taeui frowned.

"What do you want?"

Even though he asked with a cold face, Taeui wondered when that moment would come.
From the dawn when he met him in the forest until he returned home and woke up for a
while, this man didn’t show any reaction that worried him. He had thought at least one of his
arms would be chopped off when he met him. Maybe he intended to drain his blood and spirit
with this advanced method, didn’t he?.....

Jeong Taeui looked up at Ilay suspiciously.

Now he was no longer Kim. Anyway, the escape was over. He couldn’t beat him with force,
so there was no other choice but to die quietly if he did so.

However, whether Ilay knew what he was thinking or not, Ilay still quietly looked down at
him. Then he turned and went to the chair by the window, sat down, and sighed deeply,
hmmm.

"When did you start listening?"

"What?"

"Earlier. In the office. You must have heard things there."

Ilay's voice was slightly hesitant. He even seemed a bit worried.

Jeong Taeui remained silent. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to say when he had
started listening to the conversation.

When Jeong Taeui had finished his meal and arrived at Kyle's office, he was about to go up
the stairs when he heard Ilay's voice inside the room. Instinctively, his steps halted.

It wasn’t because of the content of the conversation, but because he didn’t want to face Ilay at
the moment. Given the current situation, he wanted to avoid him as much as possible.

Jeong Taeui frowned and intended to turn back, but then he changed his mind immediately.
He had to greet Kyle. He hadn’t seen Kyle since the kidnapping incident.... Well, in reality, it
had only been a day and a half since the kidnapping happened yesterday morning....

After thinking for a while, Jeong Taeui decided to sit on the wooden stairs. Ilay wasn’t the
type to linger in someone’s room unless he had a specific purpose. If it were a small matter to
discuss, he would leave as soon as the conversation was over. It might be a bit different if the
person talking to Ilay was his brother, but Taeui didn’t think the conversation would last long.

While sitting on the wooden steps with a determined spirit, a thought flashed through Jeong
Taeui’s mind, "Come to think of it, what’s wrong with him?", and then Taeui heard a voice
coming from inside the room, though he didn’t want to hear it at all.

"When did you start listening?"

Ilay asked again, this time his voice lowered a bit.

Jeong Taeui hesitated, biting his lip for a moment, but then obediently answered.

"From the part where you said - 'I’ll tear apart anything I find.' "

Then, it was Ilay's turn to remain silent. Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and scratched his
head.

"I didn’t hear clearly what you said. You didn’t even speak loudly, so sometimes I could only
hear a few words, not everything. Among the things I heard, I don’t think there was anything
important, so if you said something important, you don’t have to worry about it."

Eavesdropping on someone else’s conversation wasn’t a good thing unless under special
circumstances or intentions. Jeong Taeui regretted saying, "I should have gone to the living
room to wait until you came out."

"...and?"

Ilay, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. Jeong Taeui looked at him curiously.

Ilay spoke again, this time sounding displeased.

"And, aside from that, you must have heard something else."

His voice lowered, and there was no hint of humor. As if Jeong Taeui had heard something he
shouldn’t have, Ilay looked at him coldly.

Jeong Taeui was stunned for a moment.

Even if his answer wasn’t entirely truthful, it wasn’t like he had intentionally eavesdropped
on their conversation. Even if he had accidentally heard parts of a conversation involving
him, it wasn’t his fault.

"You mentioned things related to me, and now you feel uncomfortable because I heard those
things?"

Jeong Taeui's voice also lowered as he smirked and glared at Ilay.

Just because he had sat in the wrong spot and overheard someone else’s conversation didn’t
mean he needed to make excuses. But in reality, he also felt very uncomfortable hearing those
things.

"If you're so curious about what I heard, fine, let me tell you... - You said you’d cut my throat
as soon as you found me? Then why are you holding back? Isn’t tearing me apart with your
own hands just great, huh?"

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and threw the knife at him. Ilay's gaze darkened.
In life, there are situations where pretending not to know or hear is much better. And that
would be very appropriate in this situation; he would rather insist he hadn’t heard anything at
all.

But he just wanted to say something. Jeong Taeui worriedly scratched his head. Ilay's cold
gaze pierced through his face without saying a word before he turned away.

"...—...?"

Taeui had thought he would say something, but was surprised when Ilay just turned away
without speaking.

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay suspiciously, but he couldn’t ask, "Why aren’t you picking a fight
with me?" so he remained silent.

He wasn’t too surprised when he met Ilay in the forest.

From the moment they met again, he had accepted that anything could happen to him. So no
matter what it was, it wouldn’t be strange. It’s just that his determination seemed to be fading
with the growing unease in his heart, as the harsh end he expected didn’t come as soon as he
thought.

If he intended to torture him to death, it would be better to kill him immediately.

Jeong Taeui glared at him for a moment before deciding to ask directly.

"Ilay."

When Taeui called, he only glanced without responding.

"There’s something I’m really curious about. What exactly do you plan to do with me?"

"Do you think it’s better to tear me apart to death like you said?"

When Jeong Taeui added, Ilay frowned slightly and squinted as if thinking, looking at Jeong
Taeui.

And then… slowly…, he whispered.

"Let's see... I’m thinking about that too. What should we do?"

Jeong Taeui made a face like he had been bitten by an insect. If you want to kill me, just kill
me already.

As Jeong Taeui grumbled and licked his lips in disapproval, Ilay suddenly laughed strangely.

"But I think I already said it before, right? I said I wouldn’t kill you easily, but would make
you live in resentment until you die."

Jeong Taeui's expression disappeared. He coldly glared at Ilay.

Suddenly, Ilay looked annoyed. He got up from his chair andIlay suddenly looked annoyed.
He stood up from his chair and walked slowly towards Jeong Taeui, whispering each step of
the way.

"Honestly, even though I said that before, I thought I would kill you the moment I saw you. I
wondered if I should cut off your limbs while you're still alive or gouge out your eyes and
tongue first. I was extremely, incredibly angry."

".....-"

"Then, I finally found you on that mountain. No matter how far you ran, I could find you in
an instant."

Ilay suddenly laughed. That laughter had something truly terrifying about it.

"At that moment, I decided to stop the killing. Killing you? I can do that anytime. But if I
have to think of another way to deal with you, what should I do...."

Jeong Taeui glared at Ilay. He was already right in front of him before he realized it. Ilay
suddenly fell silent. The expression on his face vanished as if it had been completely washed
away.

His face was as expressionless as a lifeless doll, and he gently lowered his creepy gaze.
Facing that look, Jeong Taeui felt a chill in his heart.

Suddenly, Ilay raised his hand. Then, he cupped Taeui's cheeks in his hands. The distance
between them was so close that their faces almost touched.

Jeong Taeui suddenly felt... Ilay's eyes were as clear as glass.

They were like a pitch-black mirror, not reflecting anything and revealing nothing inside.

And it seemed that the mirror flashed for a moment.

"I think I'm crazy."

A small whisper escaped Ilay's lips. Jeong Taeui swallowed hard, feeling his warm breath
brush against his lips.

"Hmm? I'm crazy, aren't I? I've done things that even I don't know why. Why is that? Hmm?"

Jeong Taeui didn't know how to answer Ilay's continuous questions. He couldn't understand
the heart of this man.

He was already a madman from the start. Jeong Taeui whispered softly, but it seemed his
words could only be swallowed back down.

He silently looked at Ilay, who was gazing at him with sparkling eyes as if he were a strange
creature.
He truly is a madman. Those red, glass-like eyes reminded Jeong Taeui of something.

"That... How would I know?"

Jeong Taeui quietly replied, not avoiding his gaze. He shook his head. He couldn't understand
what had happened to this man because he hadn't seen him for a long time.

But one thing was very clear: Ilay had become extremely unstable and brutal. He didn't need
to hear Morer recount it; he realized it as soon as he saw him.

His eyes and expressions were trembling and unstable.

".... ..."

However, after thinking for a moment, Jeong Taeui shook his head. No, it didn't have to be
like that. There was nothing special about how Ilay treated others. Ilay was still the same as
before - fierce - brutal and cruel.

Hearing Jeong Taeui's answer, Ilay was speechless, as if he had been doused with a bucket of
cold water. His eyes continuously stare at Jeong Taeui.

Then he laughed. The corners of his mouth slowly lifted.

"Alright.... That's right. You don't know."

The hands cupping Jeong Taeui's cheeks dropped, and those still beautifully white hands
slowly moved away from his cheeks.

For a moment, Jeong Taeui suddenly felt regret.

It was like a feeling he had experienced before. He used to think that this gentle physical
contact made his heart tremble a little. But that was a long time ago.

Well. So, what should he do now? Should he leave now? And what would this man do?

Damn it. Jeong Taeui muttered. All his initial plans had terrible outcomes. After this ankle
healed, he planned to leave and go somewhere to find his brother. But now he was
unfortunately caught, and he would have to live a life constantly worried for his life, every
day.

.... At some point, he would have to escape again.

Jeong Taeui immersed himself in thoughts about the future.

However, on further thought, Ilay had no choice but to return to Hong Kong. Even if he left
UNHRDO, he still had the family business in Hong Kong.

What was he planning? Was he even going to drag him there and torture him?
In reality, it was very difficult to keep dragging someone along like that. It was almost
impossible without that person's consent because as long as limbs weren't cut off, there would
always be a chance to escape or flee.

"......."

Not necessarily. Jeong Taeui thought. Remembering the phrase "cut off limbs," he
unconsciously massaged his forearms with a fearful expression. If it were Ilay, he thought, he
could definitely do that.

Ilay remained silent for a while, standing there quietly watching Jeong Taeui a few steps
away. He just stood there, making him worry.

"Your body now seems like it's actually living."

While Taeui was lost in thought, Ilay suddenly spoke up and shrugged. Taeui looked at him
in surprise. Those casual words seemed to show concern for him.

Jeong Taeui looked at him and thought for a while. It seemed difficult to be sure he was
worried about his body. If he was genuinely worried about his body, he would have clearly
seen him limping earlier.

Jeong Taeui frowned and lifted his bandaged leg, shaking it in front of him.

"Oh yes, it's very good. I think I could use it to run out of a burning forest right now."

"Good.... That's good."

The fragmented words were spoken once again. Jeong Taeui lowered his quite heavily
bandaged leg and looked at him curiously. However, his view was quickly blocked before he
realized anything. In an instant, Ilay was right in front of Taeui.

"...-!"

Before his brain could process the situation, Ilay's lips were on his neck, gnawing as if he
wanted to bite his neck off. Exactly. He was like a wild beast biting its prey, or perhaps a
mighty beast subduing a weaker creature.

His rigid teeth bit into his neck. Taeui could feel those sharp fangs digging into his flesh.

"ILAY!"

Jeong Taeui frowned and shouted.

Ilay now seemed like a vampire. The feeling was even more vivid because there was a large
full-body mirror directly in Taeui's line of sight.

The image of the two was reflected in the long mirror in front of Taeui. The image of him
sitting on a chair, almost trapped under a large man biting his neck.
At a glance, a bright white tooth was sinking into his neck, reflected in the mirror.

That sight made Jeong Taeui shudder.

"Hey! Why are you biting my neck! Are you a vampire or something!"

"Where else is better if not the neck?"

The answer to his cry was also unexpected. Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay in the mirror for a
moment with a puzzled expression, then clicked his tongue.

"I never said the neck was good."

"No, but I like it."

Ilay smiled and placed his lips back on Taeui's neck. As soon as he finished speaking, he bit
down hard on his neck. To the point of drawing blood.

"....-!!"

A short groan escaped Jeong Taeui's mouth.

His heart began to pound. The moment he bit into his neck, an almost primal fear washed
over him. It was the fear of having his lifeline held by someone else.

"Hey! Hey! Why are you suddenly acting like this!

Jeong Taeui hurriedly shouted.

What surprised him wasn't Ilay pouncing on him. If he was used to those things, it wouldn't
surprise him anymore.

The only thing that shocked him was that he was actually biting into his neck.

"....! ILAY! ILAY! STOP IT."

Jeong Taeui's face hardened. The physical contact made his skin crawl. He was sucking the
blood oozing from the bites on his neck.

"THIS BASTARD IS CRAZY....! HEY!"

The feeling of having his blood sucked from his neck sent a chill down his spine. Jeong Taeui
reflexively hit Ilay's head without thinking.

"Ouch.....!"

He pulled away from his neck. But his teeth had been biting into his neck, so it tore his skin a
bit more. In the reflected mirror before him, he saw blood oozing from the wound on his
neck.

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay in the mirror with a stunned expression.

He wasn't crazy. No, he had been crazy from the start. But this was abnormal.

"Ilay... calm down."

Jeong Taeui said seriously.

But surprisingly, Ilay appeared quite normal. The face looking down at him with a smile was
still the same. Seeing him calmly wipe the blood from his lips with that face was even more
bizarre.

Although he didn't completely trust science, he didn't think that a vampire could exist in the
modern world. This was just a man Jeong Taeui knew.

Jeong Taeui unconsciously grabbed the wrist of that man as if intending to drag him
somewhere, looking straight at Ilay. Running away wasn't the issue now. The issue was that
he seriously needed a mental hospital. Jeong Taeui was so scared that he began to worry a bit.

"You... come on, let's go to the hospital for a while."

Jeong Taeui said seriously, he wasn't joking, he spoke with all sincerity in his heart.

Though the thought of running away from this man always lingered in his mind, Jeong Taeui
couldn’t pretend not to know when witnessing someone in such a severely abnormal state.

Suddenly, Ilay’s expression became strange as he looked at Jeong Taeui. Then, in a moment,
he burst into laughter. It wasn’t a loud laugh; it started as a faint whisper but lasted quite a
while.

"A hospital, huh.... If you’re planning to stop the bleeding from your neck, I’ll go with you."

Ilay said with a slight smile. Jeong Taeui looked at him doubtfully. His voice was still low
and usual.

"Taeil."

Ilay suddenly lowered his voice. The smile on his lips grew more pronounced.

"Have you heard of the story about claiming ownership of property by branding it?"

Jeong Taeui silently looked at Ilay, who was smiling calmly. He knew many similar stories.
In fact, the story of vampires was one of them. And there were also some animals that bit
each other’s necks to establish dominance or during mating.

Thinking about the latter case, Jeong Taeui quietly shook his head. This wasn’t happening to
someone else but to him, so he didn’t want to think much about it.

"That’s not something that can be applied to humans, and besides, I’m not a piece of
property."

Jeong Taeui sighed and muttered, seemingly understanding what Ilay meant.
Ilay looked at him with a subtle smile and murmured softly.

"But right now, I just think it would be great to leave a mark to show that you belong to me."

Jeong Taeui was speechless. It seemed Ilay wasn’t joking at all. But what he said didn’t seem
to make any sense. He couldn’t even understand what Ilay was talking about; it was so
absurd. Besides, worry and discomfort were simultaneously rising within him.

"Ilay. Stop this joke. A person can’t belong to another person. Branding, seriously?... It
sounds ridiculous. If someone had a hundred brands, where would you claim ownership? Can
you go to court and sue?"

"Wrong, Tae."

Ilay grabbed Jeong Taeui’s collar. Reflexively, he raised his hand, the other hand easily
holding his wrist, and brought his mouth close to Taeui’s neck, facing the large mirror.

*Bite*!

Jeong Taeui hesitated, closing his eyes tightly, but didn’t feel the pain he had prepared
himself to endure. Instead, Ilay’s lips moved very gently, like tenderly stroking the back of
his neck.

"Humans can belong to other humans. Even if ownership isn’t recognized by law and courts,
if someone wants to own another person, just one kind of mark is enough.... Didn’t you
know?"

Ilay’s voice whispered at the back of his neck. Taeui felt a strange itching sensation, and his
body involuntarily shivered.

"What nonsense are you talking about!... Damn it. If you want sex, just say so! Stop talking
nonsense!"

Jeong Taeui shouted softly. Suddenly, the lips caressing his neck paused for a moment. In the
sudden silence, Jeong Taeui also instinctively stopped moving.

"Jeong Taeui. You said you didn’t know, right?"

 Vol 4 - Chapter 27: You are mine (18+)

<Recommend reading this chapter while listening to Passion Audio>

************************************

"Jeong Taeui. You told you that you don't know."

"....-"

Jeong Taeui tilted his head, not understanding what Ilay was whispering, then suddenly
remembered the conversation from earlier.

"I think I'm crazy. I've done things that I myself don't even know why. Why is that? Huh?"

Jeong Taeui had no other choice but to give a similar answer as before.

"That…How would I know! How could I possibly know why you're like this...!"

Jeong Taeui had no way of understanding what had caused his instability.

This madman. He's truly gone mad now.

Jeong Taeui cursed in his heart. But when Ilay's lips slowly caressed from the nape of his
neck to his ear, the feeling of his tongue lightly licking his earlobe made Taeui feel
mesmerized and dazed.

"Belief is the mark."

".....?"

Those lips whispered in his ear in a soft voice, carrying a breath. Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay
in confusion. But even so, he could only see his hair.

"Owning a person is very simple. Just recognizing deep in your subconscious that you own
someone. Extremely. Deeply. Recognizing that."

Jeong Taeui froze. It took a while before he slowly spoke.

"What... are you implying?"

Just thinking about it made his heart grow cold. Is there something that makes a person act
against their will? When the mind betrays the body, or when the body betrays the mind, it
causes the body to no longer obey reason.
He couldn't understand what this man was saying.

Ilay suddenly smiled.

"Let's see...., is it the same? I'm just saying that's what came to my mind."

"Just recognizing that you belong to me is enough."

"...- What nonsense are you talking about.... Are you saying you're going to do something
crazy to make me believe that I belong to you?!"

Jeong Taeui finally got angry.

He hated having his life controlled regardless of his will. Especially being controlled by
others. But Ilay just chuckled lightly at Taeui's angry shout.

"Taeil. You're wrong again. It's not like that."

"Then what are you going to do? How? Do you want to kill me? If not, are you going to
torture me? Is that the only way you can find to torment me? Do you think I'll belong to you
no matter what you do?"

"Taeil. I told you you're wrong."

Ilay said with a sigh and a smile.

He suddenly bit Jeong Taeui's earlobe hard and gently embraced Taeui's body. Then, he
stepped back and observed him from head to toe. Ilay sensually licked his lips. When Taeui
saw that tongue, his heart involuntarily raced.

"You are mine. That doesn't necessarily require your awareness."

"What...?"

"I realized that."

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay speechlessly. He was unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt. The
movements of his pale, relaxed hands were somehow truly seductive. Taeui's eyes couldn't
help but be drawn to those hands gently touching and unbuttoning each button.

He couldn't understand what Ilay was trying to convey. Ilay seemed to read his thoughts and
continued.

"I thought about it, my current mental state is a bit strange. This isn't my usual self... But no
matter how much I think about it, I still don't know why... But first of all, the cause is
definitely you."

He shook his head and added, "I really didn't know."

His breath mixed with his slightly narrowed eyes as if filled with trouble.
"So, first of all. I concluded that 'recognizing' that is necessary. Whatever. Once you
recognize the question, you can know if it's right or wrong, and then you can analyze and find
the correct answer."

Ilay mumbled with a vague expression. Jeong Taeui stared at him speechlessly. There was
only one thing he could understand. The abnormality of this man was beyond his
comprehension.

Own? Me? Belong to Ilay?

Jeong Taeui was too shocked to speak. After unbuttoning his shirt, Ilay took it off and threw
it over the chair, looking at Taeui. When Taeui looked back at him, he saw a smile on his
face.

"Why are you making that face? There's nothing to worry about. The reason I know you're
mine is because I'm not you."

(Meaning: Because I'm not as foolish as you, I could realize it sooner.)

********************************

The ceiling kept shaking, in Jeong Taeui's view, the white waves on the ceiling were swaying
erratically. It was like his brain was becoming disordered.

"You bastard! You crazy dog! If you want to put it in, just say you want to put it in...!"

Jeong Taeui kept cursing inwardly. If not, he would lose his mind. He thought he was just
mumbling it under his breath, but unconsciously he had spoken out loud without realizing it.
Those sounds reached Ilay's ears, but he laughed very contentedly.

"Am I doing it right? It seems like you hate being penetrated."

"Hey bastard, you're still doing this to fuck me anyway! Bastard!!"

When Jeong Taeui heard Ilay's relaxed voice, he could only shout angrily. His chest touched
his sweaty back. But perhaps it was his own sweat. His back was slippery and goosebumps
rose with every touch of those hands.

Ilay sat Taeui on his lap, sighing into his earlobe. Bite marks lingered on his nape, and even
his shoulders were not spared. Taeui couldn't feel the pain as those hard fangs bit into his skin
because all his senses were overwhelmed by a different feeling.

Sucking sounds echoed in his ears. Taeui thought it was surely intentional. When he couldn't
suppress the small moans escaping from his throat, this damn man would immediately put a
finger in his mouth. Despite his panic and attempts to push away, the fingers didn't stop
invading the small hole between his legs, and no matter what he did to resist, the unyielding
hand holding his chin made him unable to do anything.

After those fingers stirred in his saliva-filled mouth creating strange sounds, Ilay
continuously pushed them deep into his mouth, the sopping, sticky sounds resonating in the
silent space.

He was going mad too. His mind felt strange.

The other hand, the one caressing the small hole between his legs, was drawing out a clear,
viscous liquid, the entrance soaked and played with by his fingers, never leaving his skin.
Then, those hands leisurely played with his penis, gliding over his lower abdomen and waist,
finally fondling his firm chest.

His fingers teased and massaged the small protruding nipples on his chest. Jeong Taeui
couldn't help but twitch.

"Ah ha.... As expected."

Jeong Taeui could hear Ilay whispering softly and laughing joyfully. The moment that sound
reached his ears, shame and anger overwhelmed him.

Damn it! As expected, what the hell is expected!

Jeong Taeui tried to stand up from Ilay's lap, but somehow, before he could do so, Ilay's arm
wrapped around his waist like an unbreakable chain. Taeui couldn't loosen the strong
embrace. He struggled a few times until he felt a hand massaging his lower body, holding
him in place.

"Let go of your hand! What kind of person are you....--"

"Behave."

Interrupting Jeong Taeui, Ilay quietly said. Simultaneously, he took one of his nipples into his
mouth and sucked. His body involuntarily twitched once more.

What is this? What is this feeling!

Jeong Taeui was vaguely surprised by the involuntary reactions of his body, feeling ashamed.
Ilay slowly ran his fingers over Jeong Taeui's chest, every place he touched leaving a tingling
sensation that quickly spread throughout his body. Clearly, at first, only his nipples felt a bit
itchy, but that feeling infiltrated deep into every cell inside his body, especially the part
hardening between his legs.

He bent over, trying to close his legs, but it was useless; the feeling of something bubbling
inside him became more apparent. Ilay lifted Taeui slightly, hugging him from behind, one
hand spreading his knees apart, the other continuously entering his small hole. He kept
teasing his lower abdomen, then lowered his hand to push his thumb into his body. His
beautiful white fingers continuously stroked and teased the base of Taeui's penis and around
Taeui's wet little entrance.

Jeong Taeui couldn't concentrate because of the inexplicable itchy feeling spreading
throughout his body. From his nipples to his penis and small hole felt ticklish. Sometimes he
couldn't control himself, his body involuntarily twitching with each touch.
"Stop,... wait.... It's too itchy....-"

Ilay ignored Jeong Taeui's embarrassed shout. He slowly, patiently caressed his body at his
own pace. The thumb that had been outside the entrance was swallowed by his small hole
without him realizing. It penetrated deep inside, the other fingers quickly loosening it, as if it
was devouring his fingers.

"Now it's good... well done."

Jeong Taeui heard him mumbling. What's good about it? Damn it! He couldn't help but curse
again.

"Taeil, do you understand now?"

"This body belongs to me."

Ilay whispered each word into his ear like a hypnotic chant. Taeui glared at him fiercely. But
Ilay didn’t care about that; he used his tongue to wipe away the tears threatening to spill from
Taeui's eyes.

“There’s no part of your body that I don’t understand. There’s no place on your body that my
hands haven’t touched. And this place... it’s here to swallow mine.”

Ilay's fingers, playing inside Taeui’s small opening, suddenly grew more powerful, stirring
incessantly. Jeong Taeui couldn’t help but let out a small moan. As soon as there was a slight
loosening, his fingers moved in and out even more vigorously.

“Taeil... look forward.”

Time and again, his vision blurred. Jeong Taeui rested his head on Ilay's shoulder, panting. At
Ilay's deep, husky voice, with eyes clouded with lust, he looked in the direction Ilay
indicated.

In that moment, his mind reeled.

Opposite Jeong Taeui, in front of the chair, was a large full-length mirror.

Although he knew of its existence, he couldn’t help but freeze for a moment. The reflection
in the mirror was incredibly clear: a completely naked Jeong Taeui sitting on Ilay’s lap, his
knees spread wide over the armrests, and between his spread legs, Ilay's wet hands moved
vigorously in and out.

The moment Jeong Taeui looked in the mirror and stiffened in shock, Ilay laughed. Without
hesitation, he grabbed Taeui's thighs with his large hands and spread them even wider.

“Ila...!”

Jeong Taeui urgently shouted his name, his face flushed, but couldn’t finish his sentence. Ilay
ignored his words. Taeui tried to close his legs, but Ilay’s strong hands wouldn’t let go.
“Don’t be afraid. Your body belongs to me. From top to bottom, inside and out, everything is
mine. So, what does this mean?”

“Don’t be ridiculous...”

Jeong Taeui panted and mumbled brokenly as Ilay’s slow, soft voice echoed in his ear and his
wet tongue gently circled his reddening earlobe. But in the next moment, Jeong Taeui froze.
It was when he saw the bulging erection of the man he was sitting on, rubbing against his
own balls. The vulgar image was reflected blatantly in the mirror.

“Taeil, so... look carefully. This place is mine. Isn’t it?”

Ilay gently moved his hips, his enormous erection swaying, the massive organ slapping
against Jeong Taeui’s thigh. In the mirror, that hardened flesh intertwined with his skin, the
obscene reflection so vivid it left him speechless.

“Ilay... you crazy pervert with terrible taste! Let go... Let go! What are you doing...!”

“I told you already. I’ve realized you are mine. So, at this moment, not just the person
reflected in the mirror but the person sitting on my lap now is mine as well.”

“Stop talking nonsense! Why would I be yours!”

Jeong Taeui screamed, his voice on the verge of tears. Because of this madman, he felt like he
was going insane too. His head felt like it was about to explode, spinning. When he tried to
turn his head away, Ilay firmly grabbed his chin, turning his face back to the mirror. When
Taeui tried to close his eyes, Ilay didn’t hesitate to grab his cock, squeezing it so hard that his
vision turned white.

“Look. Isn’t it clear? I don’t need you to acknowledge it, you just need to see it, see how I
perceive you as mine. I told you it’s enough that I recognize you are mine.”

“That’s just an excuse! Ilay! You bastard! Stop it...! Damn it! Didn’t I already say it, you
crazy bastard! If you want to fuck, just fuck! Just do it! Why do all this...!”

Jeong Taeui spoke as if about to cry. His anger reached its peak, and even though he didn’t
want to look, his face burned at the blatant, lewd images displayed before them.

He really wanted to cry. He thought he would go crazy. Why did he have to be caught by a
lunatic like this? Why couldn’t he escape cleanly but ended up being caught again?

At that moment, he suddenly felt like his body was floating in the air. Taeui was a bit
confused, thinking he would lose his balance, but Ilay whispered from behind him.

“It’s okay. Be good. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall. I’ve been holding back, I won’t hurt
you, so stay still and don’t worry.”

Ilay placed his hands under Taeui’s spread legs, lifting him up. With his back floating in the
air, his legs spread wide, he felt a bit off balance.
“Look carefully, Taeil. Don’t close your eyes. It’s right now...”

Ilay spoke gently to the bewildered Jeong Taeui. He grabbed his collar. Jeong Taeui looked
up at the mirror and instinctively screamed. He was truly speechless. Even if he closed his
eyes, those images were imprinted deeply in his mind. Jeong Taeui stared at his own
reflection in the mirror.

He just stared like that. No, to be precise. It wasn’t just his reflection, but the image of Ilay’s
large body over his own.

Between his legs, Ilay’s glans caressed his entrance, where fingers had continuously moved
in and out earlier, opening the small mouth to reveal the red-hot flesh inside.

“Do you understand now?”

“You’re mine.”

The moment Ilay’s hot words fell into his ears, between Jeong Taeui’s legs, Ilay’s erect
member began to penetrate. The enormous swollen glans continuously pushed into his body.
Jeong Taeui couldn’t help but scream. His body felt like it was being torn in half. That huge,
towering thing seemed impossibly large for a human body, persistently widening his small
entrance and trying to force its way in, slowly, bit by bit.

“That’s good, you’re doing well. Relax a little, don’t tense up... Tae, you’re mine. The small
hole between your legs is opening to accept mine, do you see? Now mine is inside you.
You’re swallowing my cock.”

Ilay’s voice grew excited. Lust boiled in his tone, and his lower body hardened even more.
Each time he raised his hips a little, the inside of Jeong Taeui grew wetter.

Jeong Taeui cried. Damn bastard! Damn son of a bitch! What the hell is good about this! He
would die from the pain. This bastard isn’t human, he should just die in a horse’s stable! Son
of a bitch!

Jeong Taeui didn’t even know what he was saying, cursing incoherently. He couldn’t help but
shudder with each of Ilay’s movements.

Ilay exhaled. His warm breath on Taeui’s ear felt like electricity running down his spine. His
whole body heated up, and the small member between his legs stood up. The initial pain had
disappeared at some point, and while he tried to hold his breath to escape Ilay’s grasp, Ilay
suddenly let go of his legs a little, causing his body to drop abruptly.

“...—!!!”

He couldn’t even scream. His breath was so ragged that he couldn’t make any sound. His
body, losing support for a moment, slid down, pressing all its weight onto Ilay’s cock and
swallowing it whole. The enormous rod was now completely inside him. The sensation of
being filled was overwhelming. His body felt like it was being split in half.
“Don’t cry. It’s okay, it’s okay. It won’t tear, don’t worry... Relax, that’s it... You’re doing
great... You’re so good.”

Like soothing a crying child, Ilay whispered in a husky voice filled with lust. Hearing that
voice, Jeong Taeui’s lower body involuntarily contracted in sobs to try to alleviate the pain.

“A... ...!”

Jeong Taeui screamed in shock the moment his body contracted because he could feel the
cock inside him swelling even more. The sensation of being filled made his mind go blank.
Ilay let out a groan of praise.

“Perfect, you’re perfect... I’ll start now... Relax, okay...”

His hips began to move little by little. Jeong Taeui thought he would pass out just by staying
still, but the reflection in the mirror was crystal clear, showing Ilay’s stiffened member
starting to thrust in and out of his body. When Taeui whimpered and tried to turn his head
away, Ilay grabbed his chin and turned his face back, placing hot kisses on his cheek while
moaning in pleasure.

“Don’t cry. And remember this. You just need to remember what you see. The thing being
swallowed between your legs is my cock, and the place where my cock is thrusting deep
inside is your body.”

Jeong Taeui cried. The pain and the unbearable sight of the obscene scene unfolding before
his eyes were too much. After kissing his cheek, Ilay tilted his head slightly, his wet tongue
finding Taeui’s lips to suck on. Gradually, his lower body moved more vigorously. Between
Taeui’s legs, he went numb, and finally, when a thick liquid spilled out of his body as Ilay
thrust his cock deep inside, Taeui arched his back, Ilay’s moans of pleasure echoing in his
ears - “Ha…—...Ha.” - Ilay let out short groans and thrust a few more times, a vague stream
of semen leaking from the place where their bodies were joined.

Ilay licked Taeui’s neck and gently nibbled on his ear, his tongue moving to caress his cheek,
his eyes, and his tear-streaked lips. Ilay placed a kiss on his lips. It was as if no inch of skin
on his body was left untouched by Ilay’s lips. Obsessively.

“Remember this, Taeil. From today - every day from now on, you’re mine.”

A gentle, sweet whisper filled his ears. Ilay placed a light kiss on his cheek.

Jeong Taeui stared blankly at the ceiling with tear-filled eyes, faintly lamenting in his mind
that he no longer had the strength to curse him. This crazy bastard! What the hell, “I don’t
need you to acknowledge it, I just need to know you’re mine.” He thought he was about to be
successfully brainwashed by Ilay.
 Vol 4 - Chapter 28: Everything of mine is for you.

The third time Rita woke him up, Jeong Taeui finally came to his senses.

Rita said that she had woken him up twice before, once 30 minutes ago and once 15 minutes
ago, telling him to go eat. And apparently, he had nodded both times and said he would come
soon.

However, Jeong Taeui had no memory of any of that.

Jeong Taeui remembered the first time Rita woke him up; he had clearly been awake then.
But when Rita came for the third time, looking very angry, she said, "I hope you don’t make
the same mistake three times."

She gave him a cold look and left the room. Jeong Taeui said, "I’m sorry," even though he
didn’t remember what he had done wrong. He then stared blankly at the door and sighed.

Even though Rita had seemed to treat him very well these past few days, today it seemed like
he had crossed a line. Taeui felt regretful and continued to stare at the door. Then he
wondered why he was just standing there in a daze. He turned his head and then stared
blankly at the ceiling.

“What’s wrong with you, Jeong Taeui... Get a grip.”

His mind was empty, still in a fog even though he tried to force himself to wake up. Jeong
Taeui slapped himself hard enough to sting and opened his eyes. Perhaps because of the sharp
pain on his cheek, his mind cleared a little. And as soon as he became alert, Jeong Taeui
slumped down on the bed.

The pain hit him when his mind cleared, making him feel like he was dying. He was
exhausted. He felt like he couldn’t even walk because his back had no strength left.

Jeong Taeui struggled on the bed with his overworked and tortured body.

Why couldn’t humans erase memories as easily as machines? For the first time in his life, he
envied a machine's ability to delete any data in an instant. Jeong Taeui lay on the bed, sinking
into a depressive state. Then, hearing the faint ticking of the grandfather clock in the living
room, he reluctantly got up.

If he didn’t go to the dining room this time, Rita would bite his head off.

Even if he felt like his body was being torn apart, he still had to get to the dining room before
Rita came back. In this house, Jeong Taeui feared Rita the most.

He cautiously crawled out of bed. The moment his feet touched the ground, his lower body
hurt so much that he couldn’t straighten his back, but after a while, the pain eased a bit. Jeong
Taeui sighed quietly as he leaned on the table and hesitantly stood up.
Compared to the first time he did it with Ilay, this time was much better. The first time, Taeui
had thought he was really going to die. And after that day, he had been bedridden all day,
unable to get up. At least today, he was still conscious and could walk. But seeing blood
when going to the bathroom today was inevitable. He felt devastated. Being sick was
exhausting enough. Thinking about what he did with him yesterday only made him more
depressed. Jeong Taeui felt like crying.

That bastard. Even though he had said that if Ilay wanted to have sex, he should just say so.
But who would want to have sex with that colossal, idiotic thing of his, knowing it would be
like dying?

What a jerk.

Jeong Taeui slowly walked. Every step on the floor made his groin throb. But he could still
walk, albeit very slowly. Jeong Taeui thought that the cane he used for his injured ankle
would be very useful today.

There was just one thing.

The only thing that could be forgiven was that every time they finished, Ilay would clean him
up - when he could only lie on the bed, trembling and unable to move. Yesterday, too, Ilay
had carried Taeui, who was almost unconscious, into the bathroom, washed him thoroughly
from inside out, and then carefully dressed him again. He cleaned the chair, made the bed,
and changed the dirty clothes and sheets.

Okay. At least he still did that well, like in the past.

Jeong Taeui slowly dragged his prickling body into the bathroom, washed up, changed his
clothes again, and hurried out of the room before Rita came back.

However, unfortunately, as Jeong Taeui was limping towards the exit, he suddenly saw the
full-length mirror leaning beside the door. He instinctively looked in the mirror to check if
anything was wrong with him.

“........”

His face quickly turned red. Not just his face, but his entire head, neck, and ears were
burning.

He thought about something he shouldn’t have been concerned about early in the morning.
Just thinking about it made him explode.

Ilay. Ilay Riegrow.

He wasn’t just ‘crazy’ anymore, he was on the verge of reaching a new level beyond crazy.

And although Jeong Taeui never wanted to be a stepping stone for this level-up of insanity, in
the end, he was the key to that leap.
Jeong Taeui wiped his cheek with the back of his hand; his hand was very hot. Maybe he
should wash his face again?

After seeing his reflection in the mirror, Jeong Taeui went back to the bathroom, but hearing
someone coming from the dining room, he quickly stepped out.

Even if he limped and walked slowly now, he wouldn’t fear others thinking it was strange, at
least at this moment. For the first time, he felt lucky to have an ankle injury. He walked
towards the dining room, seeing Rita in the distance, about to step out with a cold expression.
When she saw Jeong Taeui, she turned back. Thankfully, if Rita had come and found him still
washing his face, she would have exploded in anger. Jeong Taeui thought as he dragged his
steps across the floor.

At some point, he vaguely remembered mumbling to himself not to let Rita hate him.

“....”

Jeong Taeui tilted his head and slowly sifted through his memories. Rita had come to his
room three times in the morning, as she had said. The first time she came, he was still in a
daze and almost unconscious. So it seemed he had mumbled something like an answer when
Rita called, then quickly fell back into unconsciousness.

The second time Rita came, at least he was in better condition than the first time, but his
consciousness was still very hazy. He had reminded himself, “You have to get up quickly, or
Rita will hate you” but then he fell asleep again. And the third time Rita came, he finally
managed to stand here, fully awake.

“............ ?”

Jeong Taeui silently rummaged through his mind, then tilted his head. It seemed there were
more than just those three times. Whether it was a dream or reality, it seemed he had hugged
someone and cried, sobbing.

“Please, take that guy away.”

That memory existed in a vague, distant place.

“Is that right....?”

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember hugging anyone like that.

There’s no way he could have hugged Ilay and asked him to take himself away, and even less
likely to grab Rita; she would go berserk if someone dared mistreat the “little master” of the
house...

Was it just an illusion?

Jeong Taeui sighed as he moved step by step towards the dining room.
He couldn’t go to bed with Ilay anymore. It consumed his energy severely. He was made
unconscious by him. At least yesterday was better, but because his stamina couldn’t keep up
with Ilay’s, he had fainted once. When he groggily came to, he was being held from the waist
down and made to do it again.

Jeong Taeui suddenly remembered a terrifying voice.

“From today - every day from now on, you are mine.”

Ilay’s voice whispered in his ear with heavy breath. Just thinking about it made his face burn.

This is impossible, absolutely impossible. He couldn’t believe he would have to do that

regularly with him from now on. Jeong Taeui’s expression hardened. He stood there, staring
at his feet for a long time.

“.... .. Not putting it in but doing it many times or putting it in and doing it less, which one is
better....”

Jeong Taeui bitterly pondered.

Yesterday, he thought he was going to die. He really thought he would die of exhaustion then.

“No, neither is good.... Indeed, with that guy, neither is possible.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled despondently before stepping into the dining room.

At that moment.

“Who? Who can’t do what?”

A voice with a laugh rang out, and Jeong Taeui wondered if his mumbling had been heard.

When he looked up, he saw Kyle greeting him from the table, saying, “Good morning.”

Jeong Taeui replied - “Ah... Good morning!” - then bowed and sat in his usual seat. He
briefly saw the man sitting opposite him.

“... ...”

“Because Rita is here, you can’t sleep in, huh?”

Ilay casually said, not knowing if he saw Jeong Taeui’s sullen face as he ate his first dish.
Rita frowned and muttered a few complaints.

“...... .....”

Jeong Taeui suddenly got very angry. Someone here was feeling like the sky had fallen right
in front of them early in the morning, yet that man had no special reaction.

Jeong Taeui feebly chewed his salad without replying.

“So, what about after that?”

“.?.... Yes?”

Kyle asked in fragmented sentences while Jeong Taeui was eating in silence. Taeui looked at
Kyle, puzzled.

"Didn't you say when you walked in, 'Neither is possible?’ Is something bothering you?"

Kyle noticed that Taeui had forgotten about it, so he asked again. Hearing this, Taeui could
only respond with, "Ah," and couldn't say anything more for a moment.

How could he possibly answer that?

Jeong Taeui smiled like a pageant queen and shook his head. Kyle didn't press further. Taeui
kept his head down, focused on his meal, and stared at his plate.

He really didn't want to look at Ilay. That man was the reason for his current depression. Just
looking at him made Taeui feel more tired and despondent.

Damn it. Jeong Taeui cursed silently. He could feel Ilay's gaze fixed firmly on him.

With his chin resting on the back of his hand holding the fork, Ilay's eyes didn't leave Jeong
Taeui for a second. Openly, brazenly, and publicly. Meanwhile, Taeui could only sneak quick
glances at him.

"..."

Jeong Taeui pretended not to notice the gaze for a while but eventually gave in and looked up
when Ilay's eyes showed no sign of looking away, no matter how long he waited. Taeui
looked directly at him with a displeased expression, matching Ilay's unblinking stare.

"Is there something you want?"

"........no."

Ilay looked at Jeong Taeui for a moment, then slowly shook his head. Taeui frowned slightly.
The way Ilay said - "no" - while looking at him didn't help ease his mood at all.

"If you have something to say, just say it."

Jeong Taeui glared at Ilay in response. Anyone could sense the silent battle going on between
their eyes.

A part of Jeong Taeui's mind told him - ‘You're being very bold now’ - Jeong Taeui thought -
‘You'll be leaving here soon’

Somehow finding motivation, he felt like he feared nothing anymore. If you want to kill me,
then go ahead. I'm not scared anymore. Yes. This is the feeling.
After waiting a moment following Taeui's words, Ilay remained silent, just looking at him.
Finally, he pointed his fork at the plate in front of Jeong Taeui.

"It's nothing special, just that the chicken leg you took was the one I chose."

"... ...."

".....Should I give it back to you?"

Jeong Taeui looked at the half-eaten chicken leg in his hand, speaking softly as he waved it in
front of Ilay. Whatever Ilay was thinking, he just gave a faint smile at Taeui and shook his
head.

"It's fine. After all, it's mine....—Alright."

And Ilay explained further with extreme satisfaction.

"Since it's mine, you can eat it."

Taeui's face froze upon hearing those words. Seeing his expression, Ilay smiled contentedly
and continued eating as if nothing had happened.

His face burned. Jeong Taeui tried to cool down by rubbing his face with the back of his
hand. But his head was even hotter, and for a moment, his whole body was burning.

"You are mine"

Taeui couldn't remember how many times he had heard that last night. That voice echoed in
his ears over and over, like a nail being driven into his mind. To the point where he wondered
if Ilay truly intended to brainwash or psychologically manipulate him.

"That's what I realize, not you" - Like a madman, those hypnotic words lingered in his mind.
Jeong Taeui thought he should break that mirror as soon as he got back to his room.

Jeong Taeui suddenly lost his appetite and set down the half-eaten chicken leg.

That word ‘mine’.

Jeong Taeui had no intention of putting his life in someone else's hands. Just as he wouldn't
take someone else's life, he didn't want to control anyone's life or be controlled by anyone.

His life was entirely his own. No one could live it for him. He could have relationships
running parallel to his life but didn't want his life to overlap with someone else's.

Ilay. He had said he would torment him for the rest of his life, right?

Damn it. As soon as he took his eyes off him, Jeong Taeui would run away again! Let him
chase me again if he wants.
But even as he boldly declared this, Jeong Taeui knew that he couldn't create a new identity
now. The previous identity he could use belonged to Kim Young Soo. And Ilay knew that
well. Without an identity, he couldn't work or travel anywhere, not even go to a bank, because
wherever he went, Ilay would be able to find his traces immediately.

Jeong Taeui sighed dejectedly.

What should he do now? What would Ilay do?

Jeong Taeui smiled bitterly. Why was he thinking about what Ilay would do while planning
his own future? However, the harsh reality was that he was still here, right in this place.

Feeling disheartened thinking about these things, Jeong Taeui only ate a bit more of the
vegetables. At that moment, the sound of a phone ringing broke the silence. It was probably a
mobile phone. The sound came from the dining room, where there was no landline, next to
the table.

The phone belonged to Kyle. He nodded slightly and said, "Excuse me for a moment," before
answering the call. His face lit up, perhaps because he was naturally friendly. He put his fork
down, though he didn't know if the call would be long.

Jeong Taeui continued eating in silence. Then, for a moment, he looked at Ilay sitting across
from him, who didn't seem different from before. His gestures, his expressions, the
atmosphere around him. This was what Ilay Taeui knew from the UNHRDO.

Whenever Rita nagged about something, he would frown and wave his hand. And Rita, who
had raised him from infancy, would continue nagging. But other times, he was entirely the
same.

.... Yes, exactly the same.

Jeong Taeui stared at him, dazed. He squinted and tilted his head. Ilay now looked exactly
like the man he knew from the UNHRDO.

A man who seemed very unstable just yesterday, but now had regained his usual calm and
composure.

“......”

Jeong Taeui wondered what had happened overnight. But no matter how he thought about it,
he couldn't find any clues. Well, a calm and composed madman was at least easier to deal
with than an unstable one.

Jeong Taeui thought as he drank his water, then heard Kyle call him.

"Taeil."

Taeui hurriedly swallowed the water and put the glass down. Seeing him still holding the
phone, Taeui nodded instead of speaking, asking - "What is it?" - Kyle smiled and handed
over the phone.
"It's Changin."

Jeong Taeui took the phone. Hearing his uncle's name felt a bit unfamiliar now. It had been a
long time since he had received a call from his uncle.

Usually, he was the one calling his uncle. But thinking back, he had never told his uncle that
he was here. If his uncle knew, it must have been Morer who told him.

Thinking about that name made Jeong Taeui angry again, his face heating as he pressed the
phone to his ear.

“Yes, hello?”

["Ah. Taeui, right? Are you alright?”]

“Yes, uncle. It's been a while. How are you?”

It had been a long time since he had heard his uncle's voice. The last time he called the
UNHRDO was also from this house, but that time it was Ilay who answered. Jeong Taeui
smiled and asked how his uncle was doing, but his uncle suddenly fell silent.

With the abrupt silence, Jeong Taeui wondered if there was an issue with the phone and
added - “Hello, uncle?” - He tried again, but there was no response.

He remembered the last time, also in a similar situation when Ilay answered the phone... but
that couldn't be the case now. Kyle had just spoken on the phone, so no one else could have
answered but his uncle. Jeong Taeui scratched his head, confused, and looked at the phone,
then at Kyle. Kyle looked back with a puzzled expression, wondering what was happening.

"It's nothing... it seems the call was cut off."

But just as Jeong Taeui spoke, a small laugh came from the phone. No, it couldn't be called a
laugh. But the faint, high-pitched chuckle continued for a while without stopping.

Jeong Taeui raised the phone to his ear again and looked at Kyle with a puzzled expression.
Wondering if Kyle's previous conversation with his uncle had caused him to laugh before
passing the phone, Taeui tilted his head.

“......Hello, uncle~~.”

It was embarrassing not knowing why the other person was suddenly laughing.

"Uncle, what's so funny? If you want to laugh, let me laugh with you."

["Ah haha. No, it's nothing too funny. Just something really interesting happened this
morning."]

His uncle still couldn't stop laughing. Jeong Taeui squinted and slowly processed his uncle's
words. Something really interesting happened this morning? He had no way of knowing what
his uncle did early in the morning.
“Ah...yes?” Jeong Taeui choked up and rubbed his neck. He didn't know what his uncle had
done in the morning or if his uncle's laughter during their conversation had any connection,
but he somehow didn't feel cheerful at all.

Jeong Taeui tilted his head, looking confused, and finally, his uncle's laughter subsided. His
uncle spoke in a voice still tinged with amusement.

[“It seems you don't remember calling me this morning, do you?”]

“.... ...Excuse me?”

Jeong Taeui blinked, wondering what he had just heard, and asked again. Calling his uncle in
the morning? He had no memory of such a thing.

Jeong Taeui, confused, tried to recall if he had called his uncle. He mumbled to himself. And
Jeong Changin laughed again.

["You called me unexpectedly early this morning... even before my usual work hours."]

Jeong Taeui was stunned.

He searched his memory. Nothing like that had happened. He rarely called anyone while they
were still sleeping. Moreover, his uncle had said it was early in the morning...

While struggling to remember, Jeong Taeui suddenly recalled the time difference. His uncle
seemed to realize it at the same moment and exclaimed, "Oh... it must have been midnight
where you are."

However, even with the adjusted time, he still couldn't recall that part of his memory. Jeong
Taeui rarely called anyone late at night, and if he had really needed to call his uncle, he
would have remembered the conversation.

"Uncle, but I don't remember calling..."

When Jeong Taeui spoke cautiously, his uncle laughed.

["That's why I guessed you wouldn't remember calling me this morning. Let's see... it was
around 8AM, so it would have been... 1AM for you? I received a call from you around that
time. You were crying."]

"......."
 Vol 4 - Chapter 29: Please take him away.

".......”

His uncle was not someone who would lie about such things. Besides, he wasn’t the type to
lie at all. His uncle even provided contextual evidence, mentioning, “While crying.” Hearing
this, Jeong Taeui thought that perhaps he really had called his uncle.

Taeui sighed.

“I didn’t call. I wasn’t sleepwalking either......”

Jeong Taeui stopped abruptly. Something stuck in his mind.

“Please take him away.”

The phrase that had flashed in his mind on the way to the dining room earlier reappeared. The
expression on Jeong Taeui’s face gradually froze.

Damn. He had thought it was a dream. But it wasn’t a dream.

Jeong Taeui glanced at Ilay. Ilay raised an eyebrow, looking at him puzzled. Taeui quickly
looked away.

“...... That memory…. It feels like that too…”

Jeong Taeui mumbled shakily. His uncle chuckled.

[“You’re quite amusing today. As soon as I answered the phone, I heard someone suddenly
start crying. So I was wondering what kind of tune this was.”]

“...... Did I… really do that?”

[“Yes, you did.”]

Jeong Taeui fell silent.

Although he couldn’t blame anyone else, in this case, he wished he could hypnotize himself
into thinking - ‘No, it wasn’t like that.’

[“Although it sounds a bit insane, thinking back, you’ve done something like this before
when you were a kid. When Jaeui did something wrong but you got scolded instead, you
suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and said, ‘I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it’ and cried.
Your sister-in-law told me about it.”]

Jeong Taeui was worried that he had been sleepwalking, but it seemed that wasn’t the case,
and he wasn’t pleased at all when his uncle said, “I don’t know why, but I’m happy to see
that your strange childhood habits are still there.”
Instead, hearing such childhood stories made his face feel hot. Jeong Taeui apparently called
his uncle last night to cry about something, but he couldn’t remember exactly what he had
said, making him suddenly anxious.

“If I called you… did I say anything strange?”

Jeong Changin laughed for a moment and then mumbled.

[“You didn’t say much, just cried and kept saying, ‘Please take him away, please take him
away’ with sobs in between. It was heartbreaking to hear.”]

Jeong Taeui was speechless.

Clearly, he had been exhausted yesterday. He had encountered a monster he swore never to
meet again, almost died when that bastard fired an anti-tank gun at the house he was locked
in, and nearly died again when he set the forest on fire. And in the evening, that guy, who
talked nonsense he couldn’t understand, blindly did things to him, almost killing him over
and over in a short time.

At that level, Jeong Taeui thought that being sleep-deprived was understandable. He suddenly
felt pity for himself. He had never felt so sorry for himself in his life, yet here he was.

“It’s just that...... things have been tough…. please understand, Uncle.”

Jeong Taeui’s voice was somber. His uncle chuckled kindly. Jeong Taeui could almost see his
uncle nodding on the other end of the line. Jeong Taeui spoke awkwardly, and then a thought
crossed his mind, so he hesitantly asked - “As I said…”

[“So, when will that person be taken away….”]

He glanced at the person sitting opposite him, unable to directly ask - ‘When will Ilay leave
here?’ - so he just focused on the key point of what his uncle had recounted. But it seemed
his uncle had already guessed the meaning behind Jeong Taeui’s words. His uncle chuckled
as he spoke.

[“He went out without permission and without proper leave. It won’t be long. Even when he
returns, he’ll have to write a series of reports. Let’s see… it should be about 3 or 4 days?”]

Three or four days. It wasn’t long. Although he didn’t know what the man intended to do
with him in those few days, he wouldn’t let this ambiguous situation drag on.

Jeong Taeui thought it wasn’t because his uncle was quick to understand but rather because
he was lucky, he said, “Thank you, Uncle.” and smiled. Then, as he was about to recount
something about Ilay, a thought struck him. His expression immediately changed.

“Uncle, did that guy return?”

[“Morer? Yes. He seemed ecstatic, saying he had been to Germany during his vacation and
saw a very beautiful piece.”]
“...... He saw something? I’ll take it.”

By selling me out, no doubt. Just thinking about it made his head hot.

When his ankle healed, he would try to escape and find his brother, but his brother’s
whereabouts were still unknown. Besides, if he returned to the UNHRDO Asia branch—but
Ilay was there. He would undoubtedly be captured again, and nothing could be more
terrifying.

His uncle laughed heartily. His uncle probably knew that Morer wouldn’t be satisfied with
just looking at those ‘beautiful pieces’ without owning it.

“Please check his room and find his weapons.”

[“Haha, it’s probably too late.”]

Jeong Taeui was angry at his uncle’s words. But he had no other choice because he knew it
well. Before Jeong Taeui returned to this house, the first thing Morer did was to suddenly flee
back to Hong Kong, surely to dispose of his beloved treasures.

Jeong Taeui thought of a suitable method of revenge and silently engraved it in his mind.

Jeong Taeui groaned; the next time he saw him, he wouldn’t let him get away. He would take
a rare and valuable gun and disassemble it in front of him, then throw all the pieces into the
toilet and flush them. Yes, right in front of him.

Next to him, Ilay was staring blankly at him. Jeong Taeui silently glanced at him and spoke
softly to his uncle.

“I mean….”

He mumbled that he would hold a grudge against him from now on.

[“But it’s quite surprising….”]

His uncle seemed to be about to say something but then stopped. Jeong Taeui tilted his head,
perhaps his uncle was considering whether to continue or not. Jeong Taeui sighed as he
remembered the context of the conversation.

“It seems surprisingly okay, right, Uncle…?”

[“Haha, you’re a quick-witted young man.”]

Jeong Taeui remained silent, neither affirming nor denying, just nodding. Although his uncle
couldn’t see it, he nodded to himself and wondered deeply. Although he was in a very
unexpected situation.

Jeong Taeui had once been sure that if he met Ilay RieGrow again, he would be killed
immediately or fall into a situation similar to death. That thought persisted even when their
eyes met in the forest, amidst the burning fire.
“......”

He couldn’t understand what this man was thinking.

Jeong Taeui took a deep breath. He had no choice but to observe the situation as it unfolded.
Otherwise, he would worry because there was no way to predict what would come and how
to prepare for it.

Jeong Taeui stole another glance at Ilay.

Rita had brought tea. He leisurely sipped his tea, his gaze fixed on Jeong Taeui. Since Taeui
had arrived, Ilay hadn’t taken his eyes off him for a single second.

Ever since UNHRDO, Jeong Taeui had been unable to understand him. Sometimes, he
thought he understood him a little, but the crucial parts always seemed beyond his grasp.

[“By the way… Jaeui.”]

Jeong Taeui, lost in his own thoughts, was suddenly brought back to reality by his uncle
mentioning another topic.

Jeong Taeui mumbled - “Ah” - remembering that he had left UNHRDO to find his brother.
Although he had said he wasn’t sure if he would find him, he still felt a bit guilty for not
having any leads so far.

“Well, I’m still not sure. I don’t have any specific clues about his whereabouts… So, I’ve just
been searching aimlessly wherever I want…”

He had been simply wandering around without any specific information or clues. The world
was vast, and searching like that was like finding a needle in a haystack. It would be easier to
find Kim’s son-in-law in Seoul than to find his brother by chance.

(서울 가서 김 서방 찾는다: "Finding Kim’s son-in-law in Seoul" implies finding a specific

person in a place where many people share the same last name, akin to finding a needle in a
haystack.)

Rather than actively searching, he was more like traveling aimlessly. Nonetheless, he tried to
find his brother. Wherever he went, he silently observed people, hoping to spot someone
familiar in a town or by the roadside.

Strangely, as time passed, his desire to meet his brother grew stronger.

Before, he hadn’t realized how much he missed him, even though they had been apart for
longer than this. But now, he misses him, perhaps because he often heard his name or because
he couldn’t contact him or didn’t know where he was. All of it.

“It would be great to know where he is.”

Jeong Taeui smiled sadly, and his uncle was silent for a moment. Perhaps he felt a bit
disheartened for not finding his brother. But then, his uncle slowly opened his mouth and
brought unexpected news.

[“I have a bit of a lead…”]

“...... Really? Where?”

Jeong Taeui’s eyes widened.

It was about his brother, whom he hadn’t been able to find. Though it was understandable not
to find him by aimlessly wandering, even his uncle, who probably knew all kinds of ways to
search for information, had said it was difficult to find even a small clue. But now, finally, his
uncle had a lead. Jeong Taeui instinctively pressed the phone to his ear. Even though he knew
it wouldn’t help him hear better, he suddenly felt anxious. Even a small clue was enough to
focus his mind on where his brother might be.

His uncle was silent for a moment again. However, this silence didn’t last long. With a slight
smile, his uncle spoke.

[“You should ask Kyle rather than me. Because he’s the one who found it.”]

“Kyle….”

Jeong Taeui turned his head toward the person sitting diagonally from him. Kyle seemed
puzzled by the sudden mention of his name and looked at Jeong Taeui.

“Yes, I don’t know either. Although he’s your brother, I didn’t ask because it’s not the kind of
information that can be shared carelessly.”

His uncle chuckled.

Jeong Taeui stared at Kyle. He knew, he knew where his brother was.

“So…”

[“As for that, you can decide where to go. Now that we have a lead. UNHRDO might try to
track it down using our methods… But if you plan to follow it, stay in touch with me
frequently.”]

His uncle ended the call with a half-joking, half-serious tone.

Jeong Taeui exchanged a brief farewell with his uncle, handed the phone back to Kyle, and
stared at him blankly. Kyle calmly took the phone and looked at Taeui with a puzzled
expression. After waiting for a while, since Jeong Taeui didn’t speak first, Kyle smiled and
spoke.

“Do you have something you want to say to me?”

“...... my brother Jaeui.”

Jeong Taeui spoke urgently. And when that name came up, Kyle pondered for a moment, then
asked Taeui as if he had just remembered something.

“Come to think of it, you’re looking for someone, aren’t you? Is it Jeong Jaeil?”

Jeong Taeui nodded. He was the one who had to run and search for his brother.

“I see.” - Kyle slowly nodded. He seemed to be thinking about something.

At that moment, Ilay, who had been listening to their conversation, spoke up.

“What will you do if you find Jeong Jaeil?”

Jeong Taeui frowned at Ilay’s sudden question.

“I need to find where he is. He’s my brother, and I haven’t seen him for a long time, so I’ll go
find him.”

“Hmm...... So, you want to find Jeong Jaeil?”

Jeong Taeui remained silent and stared at Ilay.

“If that’s the case, are you planning to interfere?”

Taeui’s voice lowered slightly. Ilay stared intently at Jeong Taeui.

If he intended to interfere with this, Jeong Taeui would fight him to the end. Although he
knew he couldn’t win against him physically, Jeong Taeui wouldn’t let him interfere no
matter what.

Perhaps Ilay understood what Jeong Taeui was thinking.

He slightly opened his eyes and looked at him. At first glance, he seemed genuinely
displeased. Maybe it annoyed him that Jeong Taeui intended to continue with his plans, even
if it meant going against him. Or perhaps there was something else that he didn't like.

Ilay opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but then hesitated as if he couldn't
find the words.

Then, he seemed to drift back into his thoughts.

"Jeong Jaeil..."

Yes, Jeong Jaeui.

An old memory resurfaced in Jeong Taeui's mind. Back when he was still at UNHRDO, Ilay
had mentioned that he was interested in a genius researcher named Jeong Jaeui. If that was
the case, then perhaps he wouldn't have opposed the idea of Taeui searching for his brother
back then. Even if Ilay showed disapproval now, Taeui would still leave.
Ilay didn't say anything. He shrugged with a vague expression. It seemed he would take a
step back from this matter.

While listening to their conversation, Kyle, lost in his thoughts, gently looked at Jeong Taeui
and sighed.

"I couldn't pinpoint exactly where he was. I only found a place where he might be. He might
be there, but it's also possible that..."

Jeong Taeui cautiously asked as Kyle trailed off.

"Is it a difficult place to reach?"

"No. It's not difficult. Anyone can enter that island."

Kyle shook his head and said. Jeong Taeui waited for his next words. Kyle looked puzzled
and tapped on the table before continuing.

"The island is where Arabian royalty and tycoons build mansions and occasionally use them.
But there are some places where outsiders can't set foot. Moreover, it's quite secluded, so it's
impossible to know what's inside from the outside."

"...Is Jaeui there?"

"Well... I'm not sure about that. But I've heard that it's possible. Anyway, for now, that's the
only lead."

Jeong Taeui tilted his head, looking slightly puzzled. He thought about it for a moment but
couldn't figure it out, so he raised his head and asked doubtfully.

"Why would my brother be in a mansion of Arabian royalty or a tycoon?"

Kyle remained silent and didn't answer. He had said he didn't know, but it seemed like he had
a guess. Kyle seemed reluctant to say more. However, he appeared to be choosing his words
carefully to convey the story in the best way possible.

"It might be related to the power struggle among factions in Arabia... I've heard that Jeong
Jaeil might have been kidnapped and detained to force your brother to develop weapons."

When Kyle finished speaking, Jeong Taeui fell silent. He couldn't think of anything else to
say. If he wanted to ask, there were countless questions in his mind, but if he didn't want to,
what he had heard was enough. The reality was that nothing else mattered as long as Jeong
Jaeil was there.

"Where is that place?"

Jeong Taeui asked softly. The place where his brother might be. His brother, whom he hadn't
heard from or been able to contact for months - might be there.

Kyle looked at Jeong Taeui for a moment, then opened his mouth.
"Seringe. It's off the east coast of Africa. It's a small island accessible by light aircraft from
Dar es Salaam."

[END VOL 4]
 Hidden track - Vol 4: When the light goes out

He had a dream.

Thinking back, it was the first time that person had appeared in his dream.

As he opened his eyes, a dark, invisible void enveloped his vision. Countless colors, smells,
and sensations of existence all disappeared simultaneously. He blinked a few times in the
suffocating darkness, then realized he had been dreaming.

Slowly, memories began to return with a sense of coming back to reality. The pitch-black
darkness and isolated cell were his current reality.

He recalled the feeling he had just experienced not long ago.

It was a strange feeling. He rarely dreamed. Sometimes, even when he did, he would soon
forget after opening his eyes.

But this was indeed a dream.

His sight, hearing, and even touch were still present. It was the first time his senses had felt
so vivid and real in a dream. He had heard of dreams that felt real as if they were reality, but
this was the first time he had experienced such a thing. Even when he opened his eyes, it took
a while to distinguish between dream and reality.

Where had that person gone?

The body temperature he had felt in his hand just moments ago. The scent of that person's
body that had brushed past his nose and the soft skin.

He frowned. He couldn't believe everything had suddenly disappeared, leaving only this
pitch-black darkness around him, where he couldn't even see what he had in his hand.

The world had suddenly turned upside down, and he seemed to have been thrown out of the
world where he was supposed to be.

A sudden wave of anger surged within him. It was an anger he had never felt before.

He felt as if something he rightfully deserved had been taken away from him. Things that
were originally his, things he had no doubt were his, had suddenly disappeared from his
grasp. And in the place where they should have been, darkness had enveloped.

**************************

It felt like living in a dream.

Officer Jeong, with a confused look on his face, said that he had killed someone. They said
he had killed two members for a very trivial reason, so they had asked him to spend at least a
few days in the cell as a formality.

He didn't remember.

He had killed one or two people, but for some reason, he couldn't remember. But when he
thought about it after hearing about it, it seemed that something like that had indeed
happened. However, what had happened didn't seem like reality but rather a distant dream.

Alright. It seemed he had killed someone – in his vague memory – but couldn't remember the
other one. He didn't remember what had happened. What the first guy had said had offended
him. So he had simply done something to erase that discomfort.

But was that really what had happened?

He was surprised. The vague feeling of that time still seemed to linger on his hands. Unlike
what happens in a dream. No, he was living in a dream.

He looked at Officer Jeong and clicked his tongue. He must have been quite puzzled when
officially notifying him that he had to spend a few days in the cell.

He could see him frowning and the corners of his mouth stiffening. Only then did he realize
he had told him to stay alive.

He was extremely surprised once again. Because it was only then that he realized that, for a
moment, he had even thought of killing Officer Jeong. It had happened unconsciously, so he
wasn't even aware of it.

He thought he had heard things that upset him. Perhaps Jeong didn't know that those words
could directly lead to murder. Furthermore, Jeong was an officer.

Yes. That was how he killed them.

He remembered the two men they said he had killed, even though he didn't remember them.

He understood now.

Officer Jeong Changin was an old friend of his brother. He had known him for a long time.
And he was also an indispensable person in running the company.

So he had never thought he would be harsh with him. Because he knew that if something
happened to Jeong, it would affect him as well. However, even if he didn't touch Jeong, it
wouldn't be surprising if he took the lives of people he didn't even know.

He thought this would bring risks. If this situation continued, who knows how many more
lives would be lost at his hands. Surely, as Officer Jeong had said, it would be better if he
went to the cell now. He thought it would be better to isolate himself to avoid further trouble,
so he willingly agreed.

Jeong Taeui.
He could pronounce his name accurately. But it seemed that person hadn't realized that truth.
Because from the beginning, he had called Taeil in an easy-to-pronounce way. Sometimes he
would pronounce the name correctly, but Taeil didn't even know that.

But he didn't care (whether Taeil realized it or not). Occasionally, he would call his name and
laugh to himself when he saw Taeil respond - "Yes, what is it?" - without realizing.

A long time ago (when they were both young), the boy back then had often emphasized that
he didn't pronounce his name correctly and repeated his name accurately. Yet, as time passed,
memories had become so blurred...

He laughed at Taeil's poor memory, and when Taeil heard it, his small head would tilt, and he
would ask dejectedly if he had ever pronounced it correctly.

Not bad. It was interesting to see him lost in thought about him. He had wondered if the
current Taeil was the same as in the past, and watching him think about it was amusing.

Before they met, he already knew Taeil's name.

He was a well-known figure in the circle, just as the name he had called once when he was
young. He didn't know or expect anything from that name, but many people around him
coveted the genius's fortune associated with that name.

He didn't care about that fortune, but he was a bit curious. What kind of mask would the
famous Gil Sang Cheon wear? And when he met him in person, he was very surprised by
how exceedingly ordinary he was.

From appearance, voice, feeling, and even the atmosphere around him, everything was
exceedingly ordinary.

When he came to the Asian branch to participate in joint training as a member of the
European branch at that time, the first night he arrived, when he walked into the assigned
room and saw the boy saying he came to retrieve something he had left behind, he had
calmed down. Others would call it a feeling of disappointment.

However, the very next day, that disappointment was shattered, and interest burst from
within. When a guy attacked him in the cafeteria, Taeil had pointed a gun at him to prevent
someone from dying.

Taeil's judgment was correct. If he hadn't stopped him, the attacker would have died.

But no matter how correct that judgment was, seeing Taeil pointing a gun at him made him
think he was foolish. Taeil surely knew all the rumors about him and had seen the recorded
videos of his previous training sessions. Taeil knew well what kind of person he was and also
knew that his strength was far inferior to his own, yet he still made such a foolish move.

However, at that moment, his interest in the boy disappeared.

But what Taeil was pointing at him was an empty gun.

When he heard Officer Jeong speak, it felt like he had been struck on the head. And, while
still thinking that the person who did that was a fool, he tasted a burst of joy.

So, after that incident, he started paying attention to him. And because of that, he got to know
more and more about him. The deeper he delved into this guy, the more interesting he
became. It seemed he could only know how interesting he was after thoroughly
understanding him over time.

The reason why Officer Jeong Changin and Jeong Jaeui cared so much about him.

He considered the guy's personality foolish, but at the same time, he didn't hate him.
Although he was ordinary, it was clear that he had set standards that a person should follow.
Additionally, in his relationships with others, there was a certain standard that was hard to
articulate.

It was confusing, he thought.

If that was the guy's personality, then he would be angry with Jeong Changin and him if he
found out about it later. He would be sad, thinking he had been used.

Understanding his personality, he occasionally thought about that. And one day, while talking
to others and Officer Jeong, he mentioned it. If later his nephew found out the truth, he would
be furious.

Then, Officer Jeong smiled with a confused face and said - "He can't." - and sighed.

Even this man – a person who rarely showed many emotions – seemed to care deeply for his
nephew. He sighed deeply, feeling a bit bitter at the thought of his nephew resenting him,
then said, "Hmm."

"Even if that child is upset and angry with me for a while, in the end, he will still be by my
side. Even if he doesn't like it, that child has no choice but to do so."

"After all, we are family. It's a blessing" he said with a smile.

At that moment, it felt like a cold bucket of water had been poured over him.

Even if he was upset or angry, he would still maintain his relationship with Officer Jeong.

He was determined to do so from birth...

But what about him?

The moment he thought about that, he was confused.

He had nothing.

He had nothing like an unbreakable bond with him.

So, he quickly changed his decision (to become an officer at the UNHRDO Asian branch).
After all, he was still his officer. As long as he was at UNHRDO, he would have to work by
his side.

And one more thing.

The reason why he liked him, even though he thought he was foolish.

He didn't hate people.

Instead of saying he didn't hate, he lived with it as a very natural emotion. No matter what, he
would only frown for a moment and then sigh and accept it.

He would grumble, but that was all.

It was the same for him.

He had never shown any dislike for him. He might have felt offended, annoyed, or shocked,
but in the usual sense of the word "hate," he didn't hate him. Even if he forced himself a bit
and complained that he didn't like him, in the end, he would just give up and say he could do
whatever he wanted.

Even more, when he used his strength to force him. For the next few days, this guy always
grumbled in his heart, even though he was dissatisfied with the attitude that he should take
care of his own life – he must have been very angry. However, in the end, he would just close
his eyes, sigh, and come back to him.

So, it would be okay. Even if he was upset and angry, it wouldn't last long. After sulking, that
heart would soon calm down.

But then, he became confused by something else.

So, he...

He was confused when he realized that he didn't have any bond with him. And he felt really
confused in that situation.

What did that mean?

He laughed out loud when he thought about it.

— He thought he would die of rage that day. "Do you know how much I hated being around
you after that day when you just acted indifferent? Never see me again, you bastard."

That day, he left those words behind. With the anger evident in every word about the
resentment he had accumulated all this time.

He couldn't move. Maybe even if his hands were free, he wouldn't be able to move.

His mind was blank, unable to think of anything. His mind was engulfed in an endless void.
That person said they would leave.

That person said... they would leave after an hour, and they would brush off all the
accumulated resentment in their heart.

He stared blankly at that person. He couldn't remember exactly what he said at that moment.
The only thing present in his mind was that the person would never see him again, and the
fact that they had hated him intensely all this time.

As the memory of that day slowly returned, the words that person had said lingered in his
mind, refusing to leave.

Ha. He laughed. Why did it have to be like that? How did things turn out this way?

But after a moment, the laughter seemed to fade, and then it stopped altogether.

He was angry. He felt a terrifying, intense rage that made his hair turn white, and he could
understand what it felt like to have sparks fly right before his eyes.

“I hate you so much. I hate you terribly.” Those words echoed in his mind. And with just
those few words, the rage within him seemed to surge without end.

He had never been this angry. No one had ever made him this angry.

He thought he wanted to kill him. He thought he should kill him. He was so angry that he
couldn't breathe when that person disappeared, leaving only those words.

He swore he would find him, find him and cut his throat with his own hands. If he didn't, this
hatred would never fade for the rest of his life.

However, he couldn't pinpoint his exact location. And during that time, he couldn't control his
emotions, as if he were living in a dream. He killed people almost instinctively, without any
memory of it.

And then he went to the cell.

One day before he was released from the cell, he had another dream.

He met him in his dream.

Even in his dream, he frantically searched for him. He searched for him for so long, and
finally, he found him.

And in that dream, he repeated the same words: "I don't want to see you anymore," "I hate
you terribly."

Even in his dreams, he was engulfed in the same terrible rage that plagued him in reality.

So, he killed him.

In that dream, he killed him. He couldn't remember how he had killed him. The only thing he
was sure of was that he had killed him. It was a dream so close to reality.

A dream he mistook for reality.

He had heard that person's voice. He could feel the scent of that person's body. And the
warm, sticky feeling of his blood was still clear on his hands.

It was a dream, not reality. That person was no longer there.

The dream faded away. He was once again engulfed in pitch-black darkness. In that darkness,
he hadn't fully awakened from the vivid dream. He raised his hands in confusion. The hands
were swallowed by the darkness, but he could still feel the warm drops of blood on them. It
must be the blood of Jeong Taeui, who had died by his hands and no longer existed in this
world.

He thought he might have screamed. Yes, perhaps he had awakened with his own scream. But
that might not be true. The sound seemed to have just brushed past his ears.

—Wake up.

—Wake up, Ilay Riegrow.

He whispered, tearing at the skin over his heart.

Right. That's the feeling.

The dream was similar to the reason he was sent to the cell. Reality that he vaguely
remembered as a dream, with a momentary rage that led him to kill someone without
realizing it.

In reality, he had killed two people as if it were a dream.

In the dream, he had killed one person as if it were real.

And in both cases, he couldn't suppress his emotions.

Ever since that person disappeared, he had lost control of himself.

—Wake up, Ilay. Calm down, Ilay Riegrow.

He shouted many times, the screams filling his head.

He had to wake up from this vague chaos. If not, he would kill him before realizing it and
without being able to control himself.

Then, if that really happened, the terrifying sense of loss he had felt in that dream would once
again engulf his mind.

He heard a sound like a cry from deep within his body.

Wake up. Calm down. Ilay.

He no longer thought about what that anger was. The name of that anger didn't matter. He
was just angry and needed to control that anger himself.

After that, he had to bring that person back into his arms.

He had to do it. If not, he would lose that person once again.

That was the only thing that mattered to him now.