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“Hanging Bridge Route…”

I start reading the route written in the manual.

[Manual for Office Staff]

[HQ – Way to the Management Agency]

4. Here’s the guide for the Hanging Bridge route from Building A apartment to the Management Agency.

5. Take the stairs up to the 3rd floor.

6. Upon reaching the 3rd floor, open the fire hydrant, and you’ll see a fire hose.

7. Pulling out the fire hose will reveal a passageway.

8. When walking, never look up at the ceiling.

I glance back at the two behind me who are reading the manual as well.

Yu Da On, who is already filling her water bottle, and Jang Chae Yeon, who has just started packing her necessary things into her bag.

Both are quick to prepare.

“I’m all set!”

“Me too.”

Before I knew it, the two had gathered their things and were looking at me, so I also nodded while picking up my bag.

“Let’s go.”

*

– Swish…

The rain continued to pour, and from the wide-open window, people floated by, exuding a menacing aura.

I carefully descend the stairs.

“…Da On.”

“Yes.”

I whisper to Yu Da On, who is walking in front of me, and she responds in a whisper too.

“How’s your body after… the incident?”

“Um…”

Yu Da On pats her waist and thigh with both hands, smiling at me.

“Nothing much, really?”

“That’s a relief.”

“What about you, Jae Heon?”

“…I’m fine too.”

The problem is that ‘fine’ could mean anything at all.

Even if it’s temporary, the fact that my bond with Yu Da On has unlocked means that no matter how hard I try, I can’t see the ‘translucent window’ that signifies it.

Could it really be just temporarily unlocked?

I need to talk to Yu Da On a bit more.

“Let’s chat about this after all this is over.”

“Uh, me? Why?”

“Well… about our relationship… and what happened back then…”

As Song Ah Rin suggested, I need to lay on the compliments and gather my thoughts again.

“Our relationship…?”

When I say that, Yu Da On’s expression suddenly stiffens.

“Uh, um… Jae Heon?”

“Yes?”

“Did… I do something wrong…?”

“Huh?”

She suddenly grabs my sleeve.

“Please tell me.”

“Wait a second.”

“I’m… I’m too stupid to know unless you tell me…”

Her grip tightens on my sleeve.

Has she ever acted like this before?

“Uh, Da On…”

“Please, I can do anything.”

Now gripping my arm with both hands, she looks up at me.

Her usual smile seems to have a crack in it, as she desperately attempts to smile with just one corner of her mouth raised.

Her hands brush against my arm as if trying to scrape something off.

The humble eyes she shows me, which I’ve never seen before, reflect my own bewildered expression.

“So please… don’t abandon me—”

“Enough.”

Jang Chae Yeon grabs Yu Da On by the nape of her neck and pulls her away from me.

“You’re making him uncomfortable.”

“…”

Yu Da On turns her head to look at Jang Chae Yeon.

Since she turned her head, I couldn’t see the expression on Yu Da On’s face, but for an instant, confusion crossed Jang Chae Yeon’s face as she hurriedly released her grip on Yu Da On.

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon’s hand brushes over her arm as if feeling a chill, and after a brief silence, Yu Da On looks at me again.

“…I’m sorry.”

“…It’s okay.”

“…Did I surprise you? I must have gotten a bit tense.”

She scratches her cheek while looking at me.

“I’m sorry. I’ll look ahead now.”

She turns back, walking forward with the same calm smile as if nothing had happened.

“Da On.”

“…”

She walks ahead without turning back at my call.

“…”

“Chae Yeon?”

Jang Chae Yeon stands beside me, staring at Yu Da On, then looks far away.

“…I’m worried.”

“Really?”

She mutters softly.

“…No.”

“Aren’t they coming?”

Yu Da On turns around, looking curious as she looks at us, and—

“…Let’s go.”

There’s so much I want to discuss, but I don’t have time for that right now.

I follow behind Yu Da On.

After that, we didn’t say much.

To be precise, the atmosphere from earlier made it so.

By the time we reached the 3rd floor, the fire hydrant was already open.

All the hoses were untangled, and it looked like someone had rushed in, as bloodstains marked the fire hydrant.

“…It smells like blood.”

Yu Da On murmurs as she sniffs the air, while Jang Chae Yeon clenches her fists, looking anxious.

“I don’t feel up to stopping it.”

“Were they that strong?”

Jang Chae Yeon nods at my question.

“When I worked with the Isolation Team, sometimes there were entities I could never overpower.”

“Like giants,” she adds.

“Something like that.”

“…Understood.”

Currently, my critical meter wasn’t rising. So, I’d have to rely on Jang Chae Yeon during a fight.

The gun probably won’t help.

“Then let’s avoid a fight if we can.”

At my words, both women nod.

“I’ll go first.”

I turn to look inside the fire hydrant.

Inside was a corridor stretching far ahead.

It was so dark that without a light source, I couldn’t see even an inch in front of me, and as Yu Da On said, the smell of blood was thick.

“…Is there no other route?”

I mutter while unfolding the manual, but unfortunately, the manual displayed only blank pages.

That means there are no alternatives.

“It seems we don’t have a choice. We have to go.”

“Then I’ll take the lead.”

Yu Da On bends down and enters the corridor.

“Didn’t I tell you not to look up?”

“Yes.”

Jang Chae Yeon nods and looks at me.

“You go ahead. I’ll check if anything’s following us.”

“Alright.”

I pass through the narrow fire hydrant and step inside.

An endless dark corridor stretches before me.

It’s likely that passing through here will lead to the Management Agency, but does it really need to be this dark?

“…”

I briefly ponder using the flashlight feature on my smartphone but shake my head.

If it’s dark, then there must be a reason.

“Da On.”

“I’m here.”

I hear Yu Da On’s voice in front of me.

I check for the translucent window floating above her head.

She’s the real deal.

“I’ll make sure to monitor our distance, so let’s all move ahead.”

“Got it.”

“Okay.”

I start moving forward after hearing their responses.

We walk through the endless corridor.

I can’t see the ceiling, but the walls are so tight that I can’t stretch my arms wide.

If a fight breaks out in a place like this, I should brace for a bloody melee.

“…”

Suddenly, Yu Da On, who was moving in front, stops.

“Da On?”

“The blood smell… it’s really strong.”

Yu Da On murmurs, and I pull out my gun from my pocket.

Squinting, I gaze ahead.

Soon, a translucent window appears far in front.

[Name: Gang Woo Hyun]

[Age: 24]

[Specialty: X]

[Talent: X]

[Background: He is happy by being with water.]

[Weakness: Send him back to where he came from.]

“Hello.”

A distorted voice murmurs as a man rises from his spot.

“Ready!”

As soon as I finish my words, something moves in front of me with a sound of floor crushing, and a pitch-black shadow hurtles toward me.

“Hello!”

“Jae Heon! Be careful!”

[Chronos Shield: 10 seconds]

– Bang!

A person crashes into the shield with a tremendous noise.

“Chae Yeon!”

[Coordinate Tear: 3 times]

Instantly, graph paper unfolds, and Jang Chae Yeon tears through it.

– Crack!

“…Hmph.”

Jang Chae Yeon’s tear directly hit its mark.

The problem is, it literally absorbed the impact.

“…How strong is this body?”

The bullets won’t even penetrate.

The situation isn’t bad.

With Yu Da On to block and Jang Chae Yeon available to attack, we might just win if we use our bonds a bit more.

[Chronos Shield: 8 seconds]

[Coordinate Tear: 2 times]

However, we can’t use everything in this fight. Who knows when something might go haywire.

I wonder if there’s a good way to take it down without lifting a finger…

Suddenly, a phrase from the manual springs to mind.

<Never look up at the ceiling when walking.>

“Chae Yeon!”

“Yeah!”

“Lift its chin and make it look up!”

“I got it!”

As it charges again, Yu Da On manages to block while Jang Chae Yeon extends her finger upward.

– Whack!

With a sharp sound, something strikes its chin, and its gaze shifts upward.

“…”

It stands there, entranced, staring at the ceiling.

“…What is this?”

“…I don’t know.”

Yu Da On mutters anxiously, raising her fist.

– Crack, crack…

It begins to gnash its teeth while muttering something.

“The beginning and end are one, and we shall soon become one…”

“…”

What is this nonsense?

“Having witnessed all this, we cannot bear to live with our eyes open.”

And just as it brings its hands to its eyes, I quickly cover Yu Da On’s eyes, and I close mine too.

Amidst the sound of something being pulled out and the sound of it collapsing to the ground.

“Uh, I’m good at this kind of stuff.”

“…It’s a habit.”

It’s just like before.

Even if I can’t recall exactly when that was.

Opening my eyes, I glance at the figure lying down.

The translucent window doesn’t appear.

“Let’s go.”

I quicken my steps.

For some reason, it feels like we need to hurry.

*

After that, I saw nothing and met no one.

When I finally spot a small door at the edge of my vision, Jang Chae Yeon murmurs from behind me.

“I think we’ve arrived.”

“It seems that way.”

Without saying a word, Yu Da On opens the door.

“…Huh.”

I’m at a loss for words.

The lobby of the Gangseo Branch unfolded before my eyes.

This is the real Gangseo Branch of the Management Agency.

But as if nobody cares, countless people are rushing around in a state of emergency.

“Yeah, Mom. It’s me. Where are you now? Gangbuk? Thank goodness. Bye.”

A woman walks around with a worried look, talking on the phone, while someone in a white coat stands serious with documents, murmuring something to each other.

“But… if it continues like this…”

“There’s still time…”

Were there this many people in the Management Agency?

As I blankly scanned the surroundings, someone suddenly grabbed my shoulder.

“You’re here.”

“…Branch Chief?”

The Gangseo Branch Chief looked at me with narrowed eyes.

“What’s going on?”

“…You need to come with me. There’s something to see.”

“…See?”

– Bang!

A loud noise erupts from the front door.

“…The Isolation Team is currently blocking an intruder.”

The Branch Chief murmurs while looking at me.

“It’s not a problem of strength.”

“…”

“We need someone to watch.”

“…What is it?”

“You’ll find out when you get there. It’s better to see than to hear.”

Her gaze fixes on me.

There’s no trace of a smile.

“I’ll do my best to protect you. We just need to buy time.”

“…”

“Then everything will be resolved.”

What on earth is she waiting for, saying we just need to buy time?

“But if we can’t buy time…”

– Bang!

“All available personnel to the front door!”

Someone shouts while drawing a gun and charges forward, and fully armed men follow right behind.

A dirty blonde appears at the edge of my vision.

It’s Aileen.

“We’re all going to die.”

The Branch Chief’s eyes widen, devoid of a smile, and her crimson pupils bore into me.