111.
“You’ll regret this. As you well know, our power is everywhere. What you see isn’t everything.”
Researcher Heather’s eyes gleamed as he issued his warning. Yoonjae silently took out a tablet from his pocket. He tapped the screen a few times with his index finger, then thrust a video in front of Researcher Heather.
As the video played, the color drained from Researcher Heather’s face.
“I’m going to pull out one of the thickest roots.”
A man recognizable to any South Korean citizen was moving in the video. It was Minister of National Defense, Keum Heon-jung.
Keum Heon-jung was touring various parts of a research facility, accompanied by men in pristine white lab coats. The footage explicitly showed children trapped behind transparent glass walls being experimented on.
Despite witnessing these horrific scenes, Keum Heon-jung showed no change in expression, simply nodding or giving instructions to those standing beside him. He clearly appeared to be directing the experiments.
“This isn’t the only video we have. This is just a portion. The backlash will be fierce, proportional to the trust and love he once received from the public. All the parasites attached to the roots will be exposed as well.”
“Eeek…!”
Researcher Heather grabbed the iron bars and trembled. Keum Heon-jung had been an original member of the Jeongho Association since its beginning. He wielded the second most influence after the association’s head.
This was inevitable since he was responsible for procuring vast sums of money from business circles for the research. If Keum Heon-jung fell, more than 90 percent of the Jeongho Association’s funding would be cut off.
Moreover, the reason why prosecutors and police who knew about the Jeongho Association couldn’t touch them would essentially disappear.
Once public opinion was stirred up, it was clear that forces from all directions would tear apart the Jeongho Association, stripped of its shield.
“You ungrateful beast…!”
Seeing the hatred swirling in his eyes, Yoonjae nodded as if he had expected this reaction.
“I didn’t expect you to show remorse. You’ll probably think you’re right until the day you die. So I have no choice but to give you the death that suits you best.”
Yoonjae’s shadow rose. The shadow entered the cell, bound Researcher Heather’s limbs, and forcibly opened his mouth.
“No, don’t…”
Researcher Heather’s eyes bulged as he sensed the impending pain, but the bright red liquid smoothly went down his throat.
“Kheuk, kuk, kuluk, kuluk…”
Blue veins protruded on Researcher Heather’s neck and temples from pain that felt like his insides were being torn apart. The whites of his eyes became bloodshot, and tears flowed continuously, wetting his sunken cheeks.
Blood drops began to mix with his coughing, followed by pieces of crushed internal organs spewing from his mouth.
“Don’t kill him yet.”
Sehun, holding the nearly unconscious Jian in his arms, warned Yoonjae. He intended to exact payment for what had been done to him, but he also needed to collect Jian’s share with interest.
Killing him now would be excessively merciful. Yoonjae looked at Sehun with a friendly smile.
“Don’t worry. He won’t die from just this much. Let’s leave him writhing in pain and start our conversation. It seems we have a lot to talk about.”
After lightly dusting off his hands, Yoonjae looked around at the gathering. He gestured toward the table, and everyone took a seat. Only Jian remained in Sehun’s arms.
“Did Guild Master Yoo Hyunwoo tell you about the Jeongho Association?”
Yoonjae sat at the head of the table and asked Siyun. He had already mentioned it somewhat to Yongho, and Hyunsu was Hyunwoo’s brother, so there was no need to worry about him.
“Yes. Is it true that you, Director, belong to the Jeongho Association while opposing them?”
Based on the information so far, Siyun asked, and Yoonjae nodded affirmatively.
“This will be a long story. Please hold your questions until I’ve finished speaking.”
With those words, Yoonjae began his ancient tale. As Yoonjae continued, the expressions of those gathered changed in various ways.
They darkened, grew angry, became immersed in sadness, and showed pity.
Only Sehun’s face, feeling strong anger, remained consistently cold and rigid.
The gist of Yoonjae’s words was simple. After being experimented on as a child, he awakened as an A-rank hunter, and with his unique social skills and eloquence, he earned high marks from the Jeongho Association executives, including Keum Heon-jung.
Jian became an S-rank hunter thanks to the experiments, but had a fatal side effect: his skills were not diverse and used his life force.
When everyone was wondering how to deal with the problematic Jian, Yoonjae became an executive of the Jeongho Association. It was to protect Jian.
Thinking that countless more children would be sacrificed if the roots weren’t completely pulled out, he pretended to be subservient in front of them while quietly gathering irrefutable evidence.
During this time, Hyunwoo caught wind of what the Jeongho Association had done.
Thinking he might become dangerous, Yoonjae framed Hyunwoo to prevent him from focusing on this matter—at this point, Hyunwoo frowned and sighed displeasedly.
“Although Keum Heon-jung effectively acts as the head of the Jeongho Association, strictly speaking, there is a separate leader.”
Though he had somewhat anticipated this, when he heard that Keum Heon-jung was indeed involved, Hyunwoo quietly gritted his teeth.
The fact that the person who should protect the citizens more than anyone had sacrificed the most vulnerable children fueled his anger.
“They’re an ability user with foresight skills. Even I don’t know their gender or age—everything about them is shrouded in mystery.”
Sehun raised one eyebrow. He couldn’t believe that a foresight ability user really formed the foundation of the Jeongho Association.
This revealed the origin of the numerous brainwashing educations he had received. The discomfort far outweighed any satisfaction at having his suspicions confirmed.
But one question arose. Could the foresight ability user really not have foreseen this situation?
“Couldn’t they have foreseen this current situation? If they truly have foresight abilities, they would have foreseen your betrayal, Director.”
At Sehun’s question, Yoonjae smiled faintly. Sehun’s brow furrowed at the gaze that seemed like looking at a well-raised younger brother.
“I was wondering who would ask that, and it’s Hunter Han Sehun. You’re right. I was always afraid of that too. While I was keeping my head down, one day Keum Heon-jung, drunk, told me that the leader can only foresee the emergence of new dungeons. That’s how he learned about the existence of the tower. If he could foresee everything happening around him, my revenge wouldn’t have succeeded. I wouldn’t have been able to build up this much power either.”
When he learned that fact, Yoonjae thought that the children who had died unjustly in the past were helping him. Thanks to them, he got an opportunity to bring down the Jeongho Association.
“When Keum Heon-jung is investigated, information about the leader will be revealed in some way. That’s why I need your strength. There will be tremendous counterattacks. The power of the Jeongho Association is currently deeply rooted all over South Korea, making it almost impossible to predict where and how they’ll spring up.”
With Keum Heon-jung, who had more power than the president, leading the Jeongho Association for more than a decade, its power was strong enough to shake South Korea.
“There is abundant evidence, but in the case of witnesses, there’s a high possibility that they’ll be taken care of by the other side. So I’d like you all to mark and protect the key witnesses.”
Yoonjae had secured some people who had worked for the Jeongho Association to testify.
They were all afraid of retaliation and didn’t want to speak, but because Yoonjae’s power and influence were also considerable, they promised to be brave.
“I would like Guild Master Yoo Hyunwoo, Hunter Han Sehun, Hunter Yoo Hyunsu, and Hunter Lee Jian to take on the task of pursuing the leader. It’s the most important job.”
In Sehun’s arms, Jian nodded slightly. He had barely regained consciousness around the time Yoonjae began his formal explanation.
His body, still trembling, was comforted by Sehun’s embrace. Listening to Yoonjae’s story, Jian felt some of his unconsciously dormant memories awakening.
Although the soul of the body’s original owner had disappeared, the painful memories he had experienced remained in the body.
Starting with the sight of numerous children writhing in pain, a boy resembling Yoonjae also appeared. Despite probably being in more pain himself, he always worried about and tried to protect “Lee Jian,” the owner of this body.
The emotions felt at that time spread through his heart. Someone he had once felt was unfathomable was now as trustworthy as Hyunwoo.
He was also certain that he would never do anything harmful to him, no matter what.
“Let’s do it. Whether it’s Keum Heon-jung or whoever, conducting inhumane experiments on powerless children is unacceptable. My Blue Dragon Guild will stand with you, Director, until the Jeongho Association is completely uprooted.”
Siyun threateningly shook his tightly clenched fist. It was so full of strength that it seemed he would swing it somewhere at any moment.
“…Though I may be inadequate, if my power can help, I’ll contribute.”
Yongho, who had been maintaining silence, also expressed his solidarity. Yoonjae stood up with a bright smile. It was time to formally eradicate the Jeongho Association.
* * *
“Ugh…”
Sehun’s eyes flew open at the groaning sound from beside him. Lowering his gaze, he saw Jian’s face with furrowed brows.
The face resting its temple on his arm while sleeping was flushed. He wiped the beaded sweat from Jian’s forehead with his hand while checking the clock on the bedside table.
4:32 AM.
This was already the third time today he had seen Jian suffering from nightmares.
After talking with Yoonjae, the group had split up to carry out their respective tasks.
Researcher Heather was currently hidden by Yoonjae in a place no one knew about, and Hyunwoo had begun the task of finding the Jeongho Association’s leader with Hyunsu. He said he would sort through the most likely locations.
As Jian’s condition was still not good, only Sehun and Jian were resting in a hotel room.
“Hyung.”
As Sehun moved his fingertips, a wet towel placed on the table flew over. He carefully wiped Jian’s forehead, which was quickly beaded with sweat again, and his tear-filled eyes, causing Jian to slowly open his eyes.
“…I woke you up again. Sorry.”
Meeting Sehun’s worried gaze, Jian exhaled almost inaudibly and wrapped his arms around Sehun’s waist.
Like a chain reaction, the experiences of his body’s original owner appeared even in his dreams, preventing him from resting properly.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
