117
Yeon Ji-ho, after picking up Set’s phone, didn’t hesitate to go outside. No matter how he thought about it, there was only one reason why Set would leave without saying anything.
Hadad.
Somehow, Hadad had called Set out. Once outside, Ji-ho started walking aimlessly while closely examining Set’s phone.
The call history marked ‘Restricted Number’ wasn’t the first time today. There were records of calls coming in steadily every three or four days, though not daily.
The reason Ji-ho was certain that the caller was Hadad was because this phone originally belonged to him. Ji-ho didn’t have anyone who would call him with a ‘Restricted Number.’ Moreover, the calls had started precisely after Set returned to this world, making the circumstances fit even more.
Realizing there was nothing more to learn from Set’s phone, Ji-ho stopped abruptly.
Now he needed to think. Not just be anxious and impatient, but consider what he should do next. Ji-ho took out his own phone, hesitated for a moment, then tapped the screen.
“Hello?”
“Oh, Ji-ho? What’s the matter?”
Seon-rok’s voice came through the phone. His voice, which seemed distant at first as if he had been doing something, soon came closer. Ji-ho parted his dry lips.
“Uncle, I’m sorry, but…”
“Yes, yes. What is it, Ji-ho? Tell me. I’m not busy.”
“…Can you track a caller’s location for me?”
“Huh? What?”
Seon-rok’s surprised voice came through the phone. However, Ji-ho closed his eyes tightly and spoke once more. For him, Seon-rok was the only person he could ask for this kind of help.
“Tracking a caller’s location. Uncle, you said… if I ever needed that person, to ask. I wonder if this is possible too.”
“…”
Ji-ho knew well that Seon-rok came from an extraordinary family. Seon-rok had never openly revealed this fact, but when Ji-ho was avoiding Hadad before, he had unhesitatingly hired a security company for him.
The security company Seon-rok hired was one that ordinary people couldn’t dare to use. It was then that Ji-ho realized Seon-rok was even more extraordinary than he had thought.
But when no voice came through the phone, Ji-ho hung his head. Even for someone like Seon-rok, it would be difficult to track the location of a call that came with a restricted number.
“Um… It’s okay if it’s not possible. I’m sorry, Uncle. I just couldn’t think of anyone else to ask.”
“Huh? No, it’s not that. I know a private investigator, so I was just texting them. They just replied, asking for the phone number that received the call. Is it the phone you’re talking to me on now?”
“Ah, no! It’s my original phone. I mean, Set’s phone.”
After that, Seon-rok was silent for about five minutes. As Ji-ho waited, hiding his anxious feelings, Seon-rok’s voice soon came through.
“Hey, Ji-ho. I got the location.”
“What? Already?”
Ji-ho asked back in surprise. Seon-rok replied in a nonchalant voice.
“Yeah, apparently the caller used a burner phone. It’s hard for me to explain how they found it. Anyway, because it’s a burner phone, they say it’s difficult to get the exact location. So they can only tell the general area…”
“That’s fine, that’s enough. Uncle, where is it?”
“You remember that furniture factory complex a bit outside our neighborhood?”
Ji-ho blinked. The furniture factory complex was located less than a 30-minute drive from here. However, it was a place that was no longer in use as the factory had closed down, but its scale was so grand that it gave off quite a desolate atmosphere.
“Yes, I know it.”
“Yeah, it’s there, but they say it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact location right now. It’ll take a few days… Should I ask them to keep looking?”
“No, it’s okay. Uncle, thank you so much.”
“Hm? Ji-ho, you’re not planning to go there or anything, right?”
Ji-ho hesitated at Seon-rok’s question. Should he honestly say that Set had disappeared and ask Seon-rok for more help?
Clenching his fist with the hand not holding the phone, Ji-ho took a deep breath. Then, he hid all traces of anxiety and impatience from his voice.
“Of course not. It just seemed like Set wanted to know, so I was trying to help.”
“What’s going on? If you need any more help, just tell me.”
“Yes, yes. It’s okay now. It’s nothing serious.”
Ji-ho finally decided not to tell Seon-rok. Perhaps it would have been easier to tell Seon-rok and get more help. However, that would probably require much more time than now.
For Ji-ho, waiting helplessly at home while Set was missing, relying solely on Seon-rok’s help, was as good as driving him mad. What if Set couldn’t return? If he had to part with Set forever, even worse than before.
Ji-ho couldn’t bear that loneliness.
However, instead of recklessly going to the furniture factory, Ji-ho first returned home. He went into the dressing room and put on thick underwear and loose elastic-waisted pants. Then he layered on several warm clothes on top.
It was an excessive outfit for the season that had just passed autumn, but he didn’t know how long he’d have to wander outside. Even if he was cold, the baby in his belly shouldn’t be, so Ji-ho dressed warmly despite the discomfort.
Lastly, Ji-ho headed to the pantry and grabbed a stun gun from the corner.
Finally, Ji-ho stepped outside. A taxi he had called in advance was waiting right in front.
Slam.
The door of the taxi Ji-ho got into closed roughly. Soon after, the taxi departed, leaving a faint trail as it headed towards the furniture factory.
***
By the time they arrived in front of the factory, the sun was starting to set due to the early arrival of winter. As a result, the lengthening shadows made the already desolate furniture factory look even more gloomy.
After sending the taxi away, Ji-ho wandered in front of the factory and easily found a door that led into the abandoned factory complex. Ji-ho carefully cradled his belly as he stepped through.
Creak…
As soon as he entered, the sound of rusty metal echoed faintly in his ears. The abandoned factory complex was so dilapidated that the inside was visible even from the outside.
“Haa.”
Taking a deep breath, Ji-ho slowly began to examine the inside of the factory. There was no sense of anyone’s presence. Thud, thud. The only footsteps were Ji-ho’s own.
Ji-ho was grateful that he wasn’t particularly afraid of horror stories. Because it was starting to get dark, the inside of the factory complex was darkening even faster. Ji-ho decided to quickly inspect the place and leave before it was completely enveloped in darkness.
“Set, where are you…”
But the factory was so large it was called a ‘complex,’ and with its structure of Factories 1 through 4 lined up side by side, it took quite a while to walk through. Ji-ho felt a sense of déjà vu when he reached the front of Factory 3.
He had walked through Factories 1 and 2 but found no trace of Set, which made him anxious. So when Ji-ho reached Factory 3, he unconsciously muttered to himself, searching for Set. At the same time, there was a fairly loud noise from Factory 4, which was a little distance away.
Ji-ho, who was about to enter Factory 3, naturally turned his head. He saw a human silhouette on the roof of Factory 4, about five stories high. Not only that, but he also saw flickering red sword energy.
Ji-ho’s eyes widened as he turned and started running towards Factory 4. Having already circled Factories 1 and 2, Ji-ho was out of breath as he ran towards Factory 4. Still, Ji-ho was inwardly relieved.
If he had circled all the way to Factory 3, he would have been too exhausted to easily climb the stairs to the top of Factory 4. Fortunately, he had found Set just before circling Factory 3…
Ji-ho, who had been thinking this far, stopped abruptly in the middle of the stairs on the second floor of Factory 4.
Hadn’t he felt this sensation before?
The pages in Ji-ho’s mind turned rapidly forward. Surely, surely there had been times. The very first time was then.
‘How am I going to find Set here?’
Ji-ho, who had muttered this, immediately met Baal. It was when he wanted to meet Set but felt he couldn’t right away, so he was searching for a way to meet him.
When was the next time?
‘Set…!’
When he was looking for Set to help Baal who was in danger. Ji-ho had miraculously met Set then too. How happy he had been to meet him in an unexpected place.
And the last time was relatively recent. It was when Ji-ho was hospitalized.
‘Set, Set, Set…’
It was the same then. He was so surprised that Set, who had been with him until he fell asleep, wasn’t by his side, that he rushed out to find him without even putting on his slippers properly. And as soon as he did, Set appeared in front of Ji-ho as if he had been waiting.
Could all of this have been coincidence?
Stopped on the stairs, Ji-ho grabbed the half-broken railing and took deep breaths. His mind was racing. Suddenly, what came to mind were Hadad’s words, spoken recklessly towards him.
‘You already know, don’t you, Ji-ho? That everything surrounding you is somewhat of a classic cliché.’
‘Ji-ho, you’re the protagonist of this place.’
Ah, protagonist.
Why was it that this word so intensely invaded his mind at that moment?
