Chapter 5

I’m the New Recruit

“... Little brother? You look pretty unwell. Your face, your expression—everything.”

Shinwoo patted Hyunyul on the back.

All he’d done was ride a black eagle, yet he looked like he was dying.

Shinwoo had been caught off guard when Hyunyul started gagging as soon as they arrived.

...Oh, right. That was a thing.

—Mr. Shinwoo, if Hyunyul looks queasy after riding the eagle, give him this.

Shinwoo remembered the bottle of medicine Haeryeon had given him to look after Hyunyul.

He’d wondered why she gave it to him. Now he understood.

When we get back, I’ll ask them to match the eagle to your condition.

Hyunyul paused with the bottle in his hand, unsure what Shinwoo meant by that sudden remark.

Then he remembered why.

...Oh. They need me to be in good shape if they’re going to put me to work, right?

How many workplaces would bother doing that?

At the very least, this place was saying it would.

This really is a dream job.

What incredible benefits.

Back when he worked for the villains, so many people had died on the job because they couldn’t even take sick leave. He himself had gotten into countless fights over sick days—and hadn’t he ended up killing his boss over one?

They’d even given him a field uniform that looked like a regular uniform but felt surprisingly comfortable, all while pretending to worry about him.

Hyunyul renewed his resolve to stay here for the rest of his life.

“Are you nervous because it’s your first time?”

Shinwoo kept talking to put Hyunyul at ease.

Hyunyul didn’t answer until he’d drunk the liquid in the bottle.

“No. I went on a bomb-disposal mission with the team leader.”

“The team leader did that...? That doesn’t sound like him.”

Hyunyul didn’t know why Shinwoo’s expression had stiffened, but he continued right away.

“I volunteered. I brought back Shin Daeho’s head, but it could have been a fake.”

“Oh. So you must be pretty strong.”

Shinwoo’s smile widened. He looked genuinely curious.

Just how strong was Hyunyul?

“Strong enough not to get killed by other people.”

“Good. That’s really good.”

Shinwoo looked pleased.

Most people had some kind of power, whether magic or psychic abilities, but fewer than you’d think could use it properly in the field.

A lot of people who supposedly had magical powers could do little more than make a bright light.

With things like that, it was no wonder the Black Eagles were always short-staffed.

They were already grateful to have another new recruit. And now it turned out he was strong, too.

If there was a god, it felt as if He’d answered Shinwoo’s prayers.

“Little brother, anything you want to know before we head to the mission site?”

Shinwoo asked with a cheerful smile.

First, he showed Hyunyul how to use the smartwatch.

“Who was the person who spoke to me before I got on the eagle?”

Hyunyul pictured the stern-looking man.

—So you’re the one.

His cold gaze and displeased expression had made him look like he was staring at an unwelcome guest.

“He’s the team leader of Team Five. Don’t worry about him. He can be a bit cold, but that’s just how he is.”

Shinwoo moved closer as if to put an arm around Hyunyul’s shoulders, but Hyunyul stepped back.

Seeing the wary look in Hyunyul’s eyes, Shinwoo felt awkward.

Maybe he’d gotten too close too soon.

“My smartwatch says ‘On Mission.’ Can another mission come in while it’s in this state?”

Once he’d made sure there was some distance between them, Hyunyul asked.

He wanted to know if the work would keep piling up.

“No. Missions only come in at random when you’re not already on one. We don’t have enough people to pick and choose our assignments.”

“Do you usually work alone?”

“Most of the time. So you have to be strong if you don’t want to die.”

Shinwoo turned and started walking, then glanced back as if telling Hyunyul to follow.

“When an incident happens, the managers go to the scene at the police’s request. They do the initial investigation and look around the area. It usually doesn’t go beyond investigating, so it’s pretty rare for a manager to die like the one today.”

That was useful information.

Hyunyul followed behind without saying anything.

That’s going to make them dislike me even more.

He’d worked so hard for the Black Eagles, and now someone with a villain’s past had shown up.

Wouldn’t it feel like they were working for a villain?

Still, the managers’ attitude does bother me.

Hyunyul was weighing his options, wondering what to do about them.

“If you’re uneasy about the information a manager brings you, you can check it yourself. That’s up to you.”

“But if they’re doing all that, what does the Black Eagles do?”

Were they just there to boss the managers around?

No matter how many times he thought about it, Hyunyul couldn’t deny that the White Sparrows were a subordinate organization to the Black Eagles.

“We’re the ones who take on the most dangerous jobs, right? We’re the ones who face villains directly.”

The smile faded slightly from Shinwoo’s face.

He wasn’t trying to look down on the managers’ work, but investigating a crime scene was different from confronting the criminals yourself.

“Check the mission now.”

At Shinwoo’s words, Hyunyul operated the smartwatch and looked down at it.

He’d been told that the details of a mission were usually sent over while they were riding the eagle.

A large display appeared, like an image from a projector.

Only the person wearing that smartwatch could see it.

So this is magic?

Even knowing that, he still found it amazing that a map appeared automatically.

The map showed a large apartment complex. The site was marked in red, and the surrounding area was shaded a lighter red.

“Remember, the redder an area is on the map, the more likely it is to have villains in it.”

Shinwoo gave him a quick reminder.

“I haven’t forgotten.”

Hyunyul answered and read the mission summary.

Incident details

A gang of criminals disguised themselves as delivery workers and spread out through the apartment complex. At the same time, they began killing residents, starting from the top floor.

Incident so far

A security guard noticed something suspicious and called the police. (The guard is currently being protected.)The managers who received the report went to the scene to investigate the area.While giving nearby residents evacuation orders, they got into a direct fight with the gang. One manager was killed. The situation is currently at a standoff.

Points of caution

A large number of criminals are positioned throughout the apartment complex.There are hostages.Some hostages have been abducted and are being transported. (They are currently being tracked.)

“Let’s go.”

They were heading out on a mission. That was all.

***

“What do we usually do about hostages? Do we take down the villains first, or rescue the hostages first?”

Hyunyul asked, just in case.

He needed to know how to handle the situation.

Shinwoo stopped walking.

It was such an obvious question. But Hyunyul seemed genuinely unsure, as if even the most basic common sense had been twisted out of shape.

“The lives and safety of the hostages and civilians come first. The Black Eagles were created to protect people from villains.”

“Understood.”

Rescue the hostages. Kill the villains.

It was simple enough.

Hyunyul put on a motorcycle helmet to cover his face.

Even though Shinwoo looked at him as if to ask why he’d asked something so obvious, Hyunyul didn’t respond.

He remembered his past life, but more than a decade of experiments had ruined his memories, emotions, and common sense. Why would he tell Shinwoo that?

“...That’s a store, though.”

Shinwoo spoke up as Hyunyul suddenly headed toward a store attached to the apartment complex instead of toward the apartment building.

“We need to check this place first. Mr. Baek Shinwoo, you—”

“You can call me big brother.”

“Do you know how old I am? Why should I call you that?”

Shinwoo pulled out his phone and proudly showed Hyunyul his ID.

“Take a look.”

He waved it around with pride.

Hyunyul knew he was getting drawn into this, but it still annoyed him a little.

He showed Shinwoo his own ID on his phone.

“I filed my report late, so the age on my ID is different.”

“Still, I look older than you, don’t I?”

“That’s not exactly a good thing.”

“What does it matter? Being called ‘big brother’ feels better than you’d think.”

Shinwoo chuckled.

“I only got a quick look, but your birthday’s in April...?”

“Yes.”

Hyunyul’s flat reply made Shinwoo cover his mouth.

He couldn’t laugh out loud. He’d heard a noise from the convenience store across the way.

So that’s why he came over here. They were hiding in there.

Shinwoo’s lips curled into a smile.

This new recruit had especially good instincts.

Shinwoo mimed drawing something, and a sword appeared.

“Can I make one appear in my hand, too?”

At Hyunyul’s question, Shinwoo reached out his hand.

Several swords floated up from his grasp.

“Of course you can. Do you need one? Or is this what you meant?”

The swords vanished until only two remained in Shinwoo’s grasp.

Holding one in each hand, he hurled them toward the convenience store.

Whoosh!

They flew so fast it was hard to believe he’d thrown them without putting much strength into it.

A moment later, a gust of wind swept through.

...Did they pass right through the windows?

Hyunyul was a little surprised.

The glass, which he’d expected to shatter, was perfectly intact.

What kind of power was that?

“At least I won’t have to worry about you slowing me down, right?”

Shinwoo asked with a shrug. Hyunyul went inside the convenience store.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw two people unconscious, hanging against the wall.

“You didn’t kill them?”

“I don’t. I don’t plan to unless the situation calls for it.”

“Then can I hold that sword, too?”

“Caught your eye, huh?”

Hyunyul nodded at Shinwoo’s question.

It looked like a well-maintained sword.

“You’ve got a good eye. Wait here while I take care of things.”

Shinwoo looked around, then pointed to the counter.

“I can take care of that—”

“No need. The new recruit can stay put.”

...How’s a new recruit supposed to just sit still?

Hyunyul sat down, but he felt awkward.

Was this some kind of hazing?

Could it be?

While Shinwoo took the two men down one at a time and tied them up, Hyunyul covered both ears with his hands.

As he melted into the darkness, all sound vanished for a moment.

Hyunyul gently closed his eyes.

He couldn’t determine anyone’s location by hearing alone.

His eyes began to move along with his ears.

Sounds came from all over the apartment complex.

He didn’t need to listen to every conversation. Amid all the voices, one conversation caught his attention.

“...The Eagles should be showing up any minute. Get ready to run.”

He couldn’t hear what the other person was saying.

They were probably talking on the phone.

“What? You want to kill them? Are you insane? You think we can take on the Black Eagles? I’m telling you, we should run! Oh, forget it! Then you can kill those Eagle brats and help bring down the Empire! I’m getting the hell out of here!”

He’ll be killed if he does that.

Hyunyul knew how villains operated.

Running away during a mission meant death.

This one must be a rookie.

“A way to escape? Of course there is. If we take over this apartment complex, they’ll think there are lots of hostages, right? So what’ll they do? They’ll do anything to rescue them, won’t they? We’ll escape while they’re busy with that. Idiots...! There aren’t any hostages left now!”

A loud laugh followed.

Hyunyul’s lips curled up, too.

He took his hands away from his ears and looked at Shinwoo.

“Do your ears hurt?”

Shinwoo asked as he taped the enemies’ hands and feet together.

“There are no hostages.”

“What?”

“I’ll go deal with the enemies. You should get moving, too, Mr. Baek Shinwoo.”

If they both worked, they could finish early.

Hyunyul checked his watch.

It was 1:26 p.m.

Even if they’d eaten lunch, it was still early.

“Wait.”

Hyunyul had started to move, but stopped at Shinwoo’s words.

Maybe he’d been too quick to act.

He looked at Shinwoo.

“I told you to call me big brother.”

There it was again.

If he didn’t do it now, Shinwoo would keep bringing it up.

“Big brother.”

Hyunyul said it with an air of annoyance.

“Good. Now tell me why you said there were no hostages.”

“I confirmed it.”

“When? ...Oh, when you covered your ears? You could tell from that?”

“Yes.”

Shinwoo took the answer seriously and nodded several times.

“That’s a useful ability. All right, now sit here and wait.”

There were no hostages.

The news put Shinwoo at ease.

It was basically permission to cut loose.

But Hyunyul’s eyelid twitched.

He’d been told he was specially recruited, and now Shinwoo was telling him to sit still.

Didn’t that amount to being taken off the job → deemed incompetent → fired?

His head began to spin.

“Why do I have to wait?”

“Because you’re still on probation. You’ll miss this once you’re past it. You don’t need to push yourself right from the start.”

“...So you’re telling me to get paid for doing nothing?”

“Well, yeah. That’s why I came.”

Shinwoo laughed, and Hyunyul was stunned.

He was serious.

It was as shocking as learning he’d been reincarnated in another world.

Could that really be true?

Getting paid while doing nothing?

If that were possible, wouldn’t everyone say they loved going to work?

Hyunyul’s gaze fixed on Shinwoo.

...I almost fell for it.

How could getting paid to laze around possibly be real?

Is he trying to get me fired?

If Shinwoo told Haeryeon that Hyunyul hadn’t done anything on this mission, what would happen to him?

He’d be the new recruit who’d slacked off on his very first day.

He’d definitely get fired.

This guy’s dangerous...

How had he forgotten that you should be most wary of people who approached you with a smile?

He’d been fooled that way before.

“I’ll leave you my card. Get yourself something good to eat.”

Shinwoo really did set his card down.

It was bait. Hyunyul was sure of it.

Is he the biggest obstacle to me doing my job?

If someone got in the way of his work, he just had to get rid of them.

“You don’t have to stare at me like that. I can afford to buy out the whole convenience store.”

As if worried Hyunyul might feel uncomfortable, Shinwoo said it with even more confidence, waved, and headed outside.

Hyunyul followed him out.

“Thank you. Be careful out there.”

He’s already acting like a good little recruit.

Shinwoo felt oddly pleased and took off at a cheerful run.

“Pretty fast, and light on his feet.”

Watching Shinwoo from behind, Hyunyul considered how he’d fight him.

If he decided to kill him, there was a chance Shinwoo could block his attack.

He was someone Hyunyul would need to study carefully.

Then I should get moving, too.

It would be a problem if Shinwoo reported to Haeryeon that he’d been slacking off.

He needed to do something—and there was something else he had to look into.

—Some hostages have been abducted and are being transported. (They are currently being tracked.)

One part of the mission summary he’d read earlier had been bothering him.

It sounded like the perfect excuse for overtime.

I should take care of that before it becomes a problem.

Hyunyul covered one eye and one ear.

He followed the voice of the person who’d been on the phone.

“...Anyway, stay alert. Yeah, good work.”

He found the speaker.

Hyunyul’s eyes moved quickly.

Three people.

And one more.

Four in total.

Hyunyul lowered his hand and looked at the pair of scissors that had caught his eye earlier.

These will do.

He picked them up and melted into the darkness.

The moment his field of vision changed, he stabbed one of them in the eye.

Blood sprayed. He pulled the scissors free and, hearing footsteps approaching, hurled them.

Thud!

The sound of the scissors piercing their target rang out. Hyunyul vanished from the spot and reappeared behind the man they’d struck.

He pulled out the scissors and spread the blades apart.

Like a pair of daggers, he slashed the man’s throat.

“...Guhhh.”

He heard the man choke on his blood.

Using the man as a shield, Hyunyul shoved him forward. Then, as he saw a hand reaching for him from behind, he cut it off with the scissors.

Slice.

“Aaaagh!”

A scream burst out along with the severed flesh.

“Shh.”

Hyunyul moved in, covered the screaming man’s mouth, and stabbed him in the throat.

As he sank toward the ground with the body, he swung his hand behind him.

“...Ghk!”

He stabbed the man who’d been coming at him, clutching his eye.

Hyunyul stood up and looked at his target, holding up three fingers.

“...You monster.”

He couldn’t think of anything else to call him.

The target’s hand trembled.

As Hyunyul approached without a sound, the man stumbled backward.

“D-Don’t come any closer! Stay back!”

He dropped his phone mid-shout.

The man recoiled in terror. As his gaze fell to the phone, he spotted the scissors, thick with blood.

His eyes followed the scissors up to Hyunyul.

“You’ve worked hard killing people. Since you’ve gone to all that trouble, would you mind telling me where you sent the hostages?”

Hyunyul asked with an easy grin.