Still cradled in his arms, Eun-jo arrived at the gate.
It was far more massive and imposing than anything described in the novel. The towering doors stretched so high they seemed endless, and between them, aurora-like light leaked through the cracks. It looked like the gates to heaven—breathtakingly beautiful. But everyone knew the truth. In just five minutes, grotesque monsters would come crawling out.
“Ahh!”
Out of nowhere, Lee Sang-heon headbutted Eun-jo in the stomach. Eun-jo toppled forward, and Sang-heon quickly caught and hauled him back up.
“Hey! Lee Sang-heon!”
“Ruff!”
It wasn’t even a habit at this point—it just happened every damn time. Every time they met, Eun-jo ended up getting carried off by him. Without missing a beat, Lee Sang-heon dashed toward Team A with Eun-jo in his arms.
Park Se-yul and Jung Tae-seok were already in field gear. The tactical uniforms were designed for movement, fitted with bulletproof vests, pouches for extra magazines, and holstered sidearms. They looked like something out of an action movie, and for a moment, Eun-jo just stared, awestruck.
“Hyung!”
Jung Tae-seok spotted him and came bounding over like an excited puppy. As soon as he reached him, he threw his arms around Eun-jo’s waist in a tight hug.
“Why the hell are you showing up with him?”
He glared past Eun-jo with obvious displeasure.
“Ran into him on the way.”
Eun-jo’s reply was calm, but Tae-seok narrowed his eyes, unconvinced.
“Ran into him? Where exactly?”
“…Just out front…?”
“Out front where?”
It sounded like a lie even to his own ears. Tae-seok bit his tongue, resisting the urge to interrogate him—when, where, how, what did they do?—and instead shot a glare in the opposite direction.
Jin Mu-seong, standing in Team B’s area, was also looking their way. Their eyes met, and Jin Mu-seong flashed a dazzling smile—so bright it lit up the entire space. But Tae-seok’s face twisted like he’d just been forced to look at something disgusting.
So fucking annoying. He tightened his hold on Eun-jo’s waist.
“Ugh—hey—I can’t breathe…”
“Deal with it.”
Ignoring Eun-jo’s grumbling, Tae-seok let out a long breath. Finally, he could breathe. He hadn’t had a single moment to stop by—not with all the nonstop gate runs lately.
Then Tae-seok nuzzled his face into Eun-jo’s chest, almost like he was trying to bury himself there. Eun-jo let out a soft laugh.
“What are you, a puppy?”
“That’d be better. At least puppies wait at home.”
If Eun-jo would just come back to him—only to him—like a dog to its master, maybe this suffocating anxiety wouldn’t be so unbearable. But reality wasn’t that kind. Yeo Eun-jo was a team Guide. He had to guide everyone on the team. That alone was enough to drive Tae-seok up the wall—but lately, he kept showing up with Team B’s damn leader in tow.
The more irritated he got, the more tightly he clung to Eun-jo’s chest.
“You even sound like you’re whining,” Eun-jo muttered, gently brushing a hand over his head.
“If I pet you, will you stop?”
“Back.”
It meant he wanted his back petted too. Since they’d last seen each other, Jung Tae-seok had apparently become a puppy himself. Eun-jo started rubbing his back, and Tae-seok’s voice rumbled again—low and quiet.
“Head.”
“Your head again?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Eun-jo ran his fingers through Tae-seok’s hair without complaint. After spending a long moment with his face buried in Eun-jo’s chest, Jung Tae-seok finally lifted his head slightly. His golden eyes shimmered.
He stared at Eun-jo’s dry lips for a moment, then suddenly let go and pulled him toward a makeshift tent nearby.
“Go grab your gear from over there. Now.”
“You already packed everything?”
“Yeah.”
Sure enough, from his belt to his pants pockets, Tae-seok was fully loaded. Ammo, sidearm, even a spare knife—he must’ve come straight from the Center, geared up and ready. Meanwhile, Eun-jo had shown up empty-handed.
Feeling a little sheepish, Eun-jo gave a small nod and headed toward the tent.
“…Hyung.”
A large hand wrapped around his wrist. Huh? When he turned, Tae-seok was stuffing something into his pants pocket.
“Here.”
“What is it?”
Tae-seok pushed it in deep to make sure it wouldn’t fall out, then parted his lips like he was about to say something. But he just stood there, visibly fidgeting—hesitating in a way that was so unlike him. After a few awkward seconds, he turned and walked off toward Lee Sang-heon.
“…What the hell?”
What’s gotten into him? Eun-jo felt over the outside of his pocket. Something small and round pressed against his fingertips.
No way… Is this a condom?
Startled by the absurd thought, he shoved his hand into his pocket. His fingers curled around a round object, and when he pulled it out, he saw a familiar logo printed on the top.
A lip balm. A pricey one—probably over 50,000 won.
“Pfft…”
So he really remembered that throwaway comment about wanting an expensive lip balm? Trying not to laugh, Eun-jo glanced in the direction Tae-seok had fled. Their eyes met—Tae-seok immediately looked away. His ears were burning red.
Seriously, this guy…
He popped the cap open. A sweet strawberry scent drifted out. The surface of the balm was already slightly smudged—like someone had tested it.
Probably Tae-seok. His golden boy. His clingy mutt who probably just wanted an excuse to get their lips a little closer…
This time, Eun-jo couldn’t hold it in. Laughing out loud, he headed into the tent.
The Gate’s threat level wasn’t high.
According to the Center’s sensors, it ranked somewhere between B and C. Only one core monster was expected to spawn. The real issue was its location—way too close to the Center itself.
If they didn’t handle it fast, the entire facility could be overrun. That was why Team A had been deployed immediately.
“It’s a time-sensitive mission. Move fast.”
Park Se-yul stood at the front, sweeping his gaze across the team.
“Lee Sang-heon, the moment we go in, locate the core.”
“Woof!”
“Tae-seok, you’ll provide support—”
His gaze slid past the rim of his silver glasses and landed on Eun-jo. His eyes narrowed slightly. Eun-jo was nestled against Tae-seok’s side like a well-worn plush toy.
Their eyes met, and Eun-jo gave him a small, polite nod.
“…Yeo Eun-jo said his leg was numb earlier. Heal it.”
Park Se-yul’s eyes flicked to Eun-jo’s thigh, then away. Right where the switch had struck him earlier.
“Can’t afford to fall behind.”
With that, Park Se-yul turned and walked straight into the Gate like he was done talking. That left just Jung Tae-seok—and his oversized mutt.
Grimacing, Tae-seok immediately crouched and placed a hand on Eun-jo’s leg. A warm pulse spread through him, and the lingering ache in his thigh eased. The bruise was probably fading too.
“Fuck, seriously…”
Tae-seok muttered under his breath, glaring up at him.
Eun-jo looked away, suddenly feeling like the guilty one for no reason at all.
“Hey. Yeo Eun-jo.”
Just like that, Eun-jo got demoted—Eun-jo hyung one second, now just hey, Yeo Eun-jo. He pouted, lips jutting out as he mumbled under his breath.
“I liked it better when you called me hyung…”
“What, your mouth’s gonna rip open if you’re the first to say hi?”
“Pretty sure you’d be the one doing the ripping…”
Caught in that deadly glare, Eun-jo clamped his mouth shut. Below him, Lee Sang-heon bit gently at his ankle like a nagging dog.
“Ruff, ruff.”
A bark followed—definitely not random. That was absolutely a lecture in dog.
After the healing, they stepped into the Gate—and were immediately greeted by a colossal cavern. It stretched on endlessly, a gaping black hole with no visible end.
Their footsteps echoed across the stone, the humid air clinging to their skin. Every nerve stood on edge. That was when it really hit him—they were inside a Gate. Inside the twisted world where monsters ran wild and reality bent to something else.
“It’s coming.”
At that moment, Park Se-yul conjured a long spear of ice and launched himself into the air.
Shhhk!
From the cave walls, slick tendrils shot out—dozens, maybe hundreds of them—snaking up the ceiling like a living net. Sharp thorns sprouted along their lengths. Park Se-yul sliced through them in one fluid motion, and Lee Sang-heon charged in right beside him.
