Chapter 8
Scouted (2)
Hyunyul got off the bus.
He watched the movies he’d missed over the past two days, went grocery shopping, and even cooked himself a meal for the first time in ages.
After living the way he hadn’t been able to for years, he wondered if any job could be more enjoyable than this one.
And apparently, things could get even better.
He knew he was on his way to work, but he felt light on his feet.
“Hey.”
A man approached, calling out to him.
He was a muscular, middle-aged man with a large build. Apart from the wrinkles on his face, his neat clothes and carefully combed hair made him look like the owner of a large company.
I’ve seen him before.
Hyunyul stared at him blankly.
“I’m Yang Dojin, team leader of Team Two.”
Dojin confidently held out his hand.
Hyunyul looked at it.
“I’m—”
“Come to Team Two.”
Dojin smiled boldly.
Am I such an easy target to recruit?
Hyunyul almost snorted.
It hadn’t even been a full day since someone had tried to recruit him with a poisoned business card. And now a team leader from the Black Eagles was making him an offer.
Why is this team leader offering me a spot? I know I’m exactly the kind of person villains need, but I’m not exactly the kind of person the Black Eagles need.
Hyunyul’s gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at Dojin.
...Is he a spy?
Why wouldn’t there be villains planted inside the Black Eagles?
Even a team leader could be one.
“Did you not hear me?”
Dojin glanced at a bus passing by, then wondered if he’d spoken too quietly. He spoke again.
“Join my team, Seo Hyunyul.”
Dojin flashed a grin, showing his teeth, and pointed proudly at himself with his thumb.
“I was the first to vote in favor of you joining the Black Eagles.”
Hyunyul didn’t know why Dojin was bringing that up now, but something about it felt suspicious.
It was as if Dojin were using him to make a point to someone else.
Who was he trying to impress?
“I remember. Thank you for supporting me then.”
“I don’t know if Haeryeon explained it, but the vote yesterday was a real mess.”
There had been a new vote yesterday.
—Before we vote, I’d like to say something. Please make your decision after hearing about the mission Seo Hyunyul handled today.
Haeryeon had said it confidently just before the vote began.
What Hyunyul had done was something even the most capable new recruit would never normally manage.
“A new vote? I was brought in fairly.”
“Right. You were. The other team leaders were just so petty that they forced a revote. Three voted in favor, two against, and two abstained. We won by one vote.”
Hyunyul’s eyelid twitched.
Two had abstained.
Two had voted against him.
In fact, the abstentions couldn’t really be considered neutral.
They were just trying not to show their hand. In practice, all four were against me.
Maybe they’d abstained at first because they couldn’t bring themselves to lose face, even as they pushed for another vote.
So now they’ll nitpick everything I do and try to get me kicked out?
Hyunyul forced down the smile that threatened to rise.
They’re really going out of their way to get themselves killed.
He wondered how strong a team leader could be.
“I can protect you.”
The unexpected words made Hyunyul look up.
Dojin met his eyes without wavering.
“Can you?”
Hyunyul didn’t believe him.
Even if Dojin sounded sincere, Hyunyul didn’t believe him.
Dojin laughed loudly at his answer.
He’d crossed the line of death countless times himself, and Hyunyul must have, too.
How could either of them easily trust someone’s words?
“I’m not asking you to decide right now. Take your time. There’s nothing strange about transferring to another team. I’ll show you I mean it—”
“Team Leader Dojin!”
A sharp voice suddenly called from somewhere nearby.
A short woman came running over.
Dojin looked at her with an expression that already seemed annoyed.
That woman’s eyes really are something.
Dojin didn’t say a word.
He knew she could read him like an open book.
“Team Leader, that was a pretty dangerous thing to say.”
“What was? What did I say?”
“You know I have good eyesight, right? As soon as you started saying that, I ran all the way here from the entrance!”
The woman pointed somewhere, and Hyunyul turned to look.
Over there... That’s where the eagles land. She could see us from there?
It was more than a fifteen-minute walk away.
Hyunyul studied the woman, who had reddish, shoulder-length hair.
Just how good was her eyesight?
“Once again, I’m reminded how good your eyes are.”
Dojin brushed off the situation casually, as if he were used to this.
“Team Leader, the new recruit is on our team. Our team. That’s already been settled, hasn’t it?”
She’s from Team Three.
Only then did Hyunyul understand why she’d interrupted.
She was on his team.
“I know. He’s on your team for now. But you need to hear the details of this situation, too.”
“What situation?”
At Dojin’s gentler tone, the woman looked at him with a more conciliatory expression.
“W-Wait! Hold on!”
A familiar voice rang out.
“Haeryeon. You look like you’re in a hurry.”
Dojin gave Haeryeon a knowing smile.
“...Na-yoon, could you take Mr. Hyunyul with you?”
Haeryeon spoke quietly to Na-yoon.
“Sure.”
Na-yoon looked around, then nodded.
This situation wasn’t good for a new recruit. Regardless of the reason, having two team leaders standing there must have been terrifying.
The rookie...
Na-yoon looked at Hyunyul, then paused.
Even though they were talking about him, he was quiet, as if he were listening to someone else’s conversation.
...He’s frozen with fear, isn’t he?
Na-yoon blinked, then clenched her fist.
I’m his senior.
It had been so long since they’d had a new recruit.
She had to protect him.
“Let’s go.”
Even at Na-yoon’s urging, Hyunyul bowed politely to Dojin and Haeryeon.
“I’ll take my leave first.”
His impeccable manners prompted Dojin and Haeryeon to return the greeting. Only then did Hyunyul follow Na-yoon.
After they were gone, Haeryeon gave a little laugh and looked at Dojin.
“Good morning, Team Leader Dojin. You certainly have a loud voice. It carries all the way from back there.”
“It is a good morning, Haeryeon. You’ve been sleeping soundly lately, haven’t you?”
“Of course. I’ve been sleeping with both legs stretched out.”
“I didn’t know you could move so quickly.”
“Is that so?”
“You went to defuse a bomb with Seo Hyunyul, and then you immediately made him an offer. Now you’ve practically declared at a meeting that you’re taking him in.”
“That’s a misunderstanding. Team Leader Dojin, you never said you were going to take Mr. Hyunyul, did you?”
As Haeryeon’s smile widened, Dojin laughed heartily.
“I left my post to recruit a team member.”
“You should recruit team members. That’s what you’re a team leader for.”
“I’m glad you’re serious about him, but don’t let your guard down.”
“I can handle that—”
“Keep him safe.”
Dojin smiled faintly.
Haeryeon’s eyes widened.
This time, unlike before, he wasn’t just saying it casually.
“What do you mean by that?”
Haeryeon lowered her voice.
Dojin’s gaze flicked somewhere else. Just as Haeryeon started to look in that direction, he chuckled.
“You’ll have to keep him safe if you don’t want me to snatch him away.”
“I’ll keep him safe. He’s on my team.”
Haeryeon answered, looking at Dojin.
Knowing Dojin, there was more to his words than that.
...So there’s someone watching us right now, and he’s telling me to find them on my own?
Haeryeon blew a strand of hair away from her face.
I knew it might be hard for Mr. Hyunyul to settle in here, but I didn’t expect trouble to start this soon.
Haeryeon found the situation rather amusing.
An organization that never changed would slowly die. Without meaning to, Hyunyul had stirred things up.
“Right. You should.”
“I will.”
Haeryeon smiled, glad to hear the advice.
She was always grateful for that kind of warning.
“...I’m Choo Na-yoon. I’m on Team Three, too.”
As they walked, Na-yoon introduced herself.
It seemed like a perfectly natural thing to do, but Hyunyul felt differently.
The whole situation made him uncomfortable.
He already felt drained.
“...I’m Seo Hyunyul.”
“You were surprised I recognized you, weren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Na-yoon giggled at his honest reply.
Maybe she was a straightforward person.
“I bugged Shinwoo until he told me what the new recruit looked like. So I recognized you right away. My eyesight’s really good.”
“When did Big Brother Baek Shinwoo take a picture of me?”
Hyunyul’s expression was beginning to turn cold, so Na-yoon quickly showed him her phone.
[Baek Shinwoo (weirdo): Hyunyul?]
[Baek Shinwoo (weirdo): He’s got black hair and a look like he’s seen everything life has to offer. You know, the kind of guy who makes the whole room feel heavy just by standing there. That’s Hyunyul.]
Hyunyul’s eyes narrowed as soon as he saw the messages.
“...Do I really make the whole room feel heavy?”
“Yes! ...No, no, not at all!”
Na-yoon began to agree, then hurriedly shook her head.
With an awkward smile, she took a discreet step backward.
“Anyway, isn’t it more important that I recognized you right away? Some people have no presence at all, but having a presence is a big deal, isn’t it?”
Na-yoon spoke, timidly raising both thumbs.
But the furrow between Hyunyul’s brows didn’t relax.
If she was making excuses, that meant it was true.
“I can’t tell you how happy I was when I first spotted you from a distance. I don’t know if Team Leader or Shinwoo told you, but we’re always short-staffed. And now we have a new recruit! I’m really, really happy!”
Na-yoon’s words tumbled out one after another, and her voice grew brighter. There was something about it that made Hyunyul almost forget what had happened a moment ago.
Her clear, deep green eyes were especially bright—almost uncomfortably so.
“Is that so...?”
Hyunyul lowered his gaze slightly.
When he gave the same answer again, Na-yoon studied him for a moment.
Is he shy?
She giggled to herself, then started walking.
Hyunyul followed.
“By the way, Mr. Hyunyul, why did you join the Black Eagles?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because we’re teammates. For the record, I joined through special recruitment, too.”
Na-yoon lowered her voice to a whisper.
“Really?”
“Yeah. We’re the same, right?”
Her smile widened.
When she saw that Hyunyul’s expression hadn’t changed, she pointed at her eyes.
“It’s because of these. I used to report villains from wanted posters all the time. I’m probably still the top reporter.”
Na-yoon said proudly, then continued walking.
Is her power concentrated in her eyes?
Hyunyul thought about it for a moment.
In a world where most people were born with some kind of power, having it concentrated in a specific part of the body was certainly unusual.
Hyunyul was about to answer when he sensed someone watching him.
White Sparrows moved about in every direction. They seemed busy, but he could feel them glancing over at him.
They said people can see that I’m on Team Three, even though my face looks different, right?
Why would they keep staring if they already knew he was on Team Three?
It seemed the rumors were spreading.
Let’s see how far they go.
Hyunyul decided to wait.
The more people involved, the more likely the one in charge would show up in person.
“Oh! Do you want to become a noble?”
Na-yoon looked at him expectantly.
Her deep green eyes widened.
“How could I become a noble?”
Hyunyul asked instead.
Nobles existed in this world, but they were more like a modern title. It wasn’t a status that came with social discrimination; it was a rank created to grant special benefits.
Even with all those benefits, becoming a noble wasn’t easy.
It was more like receiving a medal of honor.
“You can become one through the Black Eagles. It’s not in the job listing, but it was one of the conditions the Empire set when the Black Eagles were founded. The person who contributes the most to eliminating villains can even become a noble. Of course, no one’s managed it yet. There are still so many villains around, right?”
That was news to him.
A noble?
Hyunyul couldn’t have cared less.
“I just want to kill villains.”
Hyunyul answered with a long sigh.
There was no need to talk around it.
Na-yoon immediately held out her phone.
“...?”
Hyunyul’s eyes widened.
“If there’s anything you don’t know, just ask me. I’ll answer whenever you need. I—”
“Na-yoon!”
Someone called out to her.
“Ah! Hello!”
Na-yoon waved both hands and greeted a manager.
Hyunyul couldn’t tell whether she was just very friendly or knew a lot of people.
Either way, he didn’t want to draw attention.
He pretended not to notice and started to walk past, but Na-yoon caught his sleeve.
“Could I have your number?”
She gazed at him eagerly.
She looked ready to hold on until he gave it to her.
“Is this how you normally do things? Mr. Baek Shinwoo—no, Big Brother Baek Shinwoo—asked for my number, too.”
Na-yoon rolled her eyes for a moment, then grinned.
“Of course. This is how it’s done.”
“Is that right?”
Hyunyul wasn’t convinced, but he entered his number anyway.
“Since you call Shinwoo ‘big brother,’ you can call me ‘big sister,’ too. I’m the same age as him.”
“...Pardon?”
“Surprising, right? Baek Shinwoo looks older than he is. So, will you call me that?”
Hyunyul didn’t know what to say.
Na-yoon stared at him with a mischievous look.
Why does she know so many people?
He hadn’t even gone on a mission yet, and he was already tired.
Just walking around with Na-yoon drew all kinds of attention.
At first, he thought it was his imagination. But every three steps, she’d stop to greet someone passing by.
Then another three steps, and she’d greet someone else she knew.
Eventually, even Haeryeon joined them.
“Would you like some coffee...?”
Haeryeon paused while making coffee and looked at Hyunyul.
He already looked exhausted.
“I’m fine. I’ve just realized there are quite a lot of people here.”
Shinwoo, who’d arrived earlier, looked at Haeryeon in surprise.
Team Leader, did you pair Na-yoon with Hyunyul?
His expression said it all. Only then did Haeryeon look sheepish.
She’d been so distracted by Dojin that she hadn’t thought it through.
In a way, Na-yoon and Hyunyul were opposites.
“Hey, Baek Shinwoo. Why are you looking at the team leader like that? Do you think I ate Mr. Hyunyul or something?”
“You only told him a little, right?”
At Shinwoo’s question, Na-yoon rolled her eyes.
“...Of course. I only told him a little, in my own way. It’s just that so many people recognize me.”
Hyunyul was surprised by her answer.
That was only a little?
“Mr. Hyunyul, could I talk to you for a moment?”
As soon as Haeryeon saw Hyunyul’s expression stiffen, she hurriedly gestured for him to follow.
Hyunyul went into the room with her, his expression still rigid.
“About the information on Shin Daeho you gave me yesterday...”
“I’m sorry. I’ll fix it.”
The words came out automatically.
Haeryeon was startled and waved both hands.
“...N-No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Are you saying there’s something wrong with it?”
“We’re still comparing and analyzing it. How could I point out a mistake already? And even if there is one, there’s no need to worry. I didn’t call you in to criticize you. It’s about the meeting that came up suddenly before we left work yesterday.”
“The revote?”
“So you heard about it. That’s right, there was a revote. This kind of situation won’t happen again, so—”
“I’ll handle the work related to Shin Daeho.”
“What?”
“Didn’t people say I had to prove myself, even after the revote?”
They’d keep talking unless they were thoroughly shut down.
Hyunyul fidgeted with his fingers, wondering who he should kill first.
“That’s all nonsense, so don’t worry about it. The result of the revote will put an end to those kinds of comments.”
“Sorry, but I don’t think so. I know they’ll keep talking. If that’s how it is, it’ll be faster to show them what I can do.”
Hyunyul spoke as if this wasn’t the first time he’d been harassed like this.
Haeryeon pressed her brow, then lowered her hand.
How long had he been dealing with this?
“Mr. Hyunyul.”
“Yes?”
“Whatever they say, I’ll handle it.”
Haeryeon’s dark brown eyes sharpened.
“I’ll deal with them. You just focus on yourself, Mr. Hyunyul. You need time to adjust.”
Why?
Hyunyul couldn’t easily accept Haeryeon’s words or her attitude.
He was supposed to handle his own problems.
But he gave a small laugh and answered.
When he couldn’t understand something, it was easier to smooth things over with a smile.
“Understood. There’s something I need to tell you, too. Is now a good time?”
“Go ahead.”
“Two days ago, a villain came to see me. It was after you sent me that text.”
“...Huh?”
Haeryeon was startled.
A villain had gone to see him?
“...You didn’t move, did you? No, wait—I never told you to, did I? What was I thinking?”
Haeryeon grimaced and clutched her voluminous permed hair with both hands.
Most people didn’t need to move, but Hyunyul was different.
He’d previously worked for a company run by villains.
Of course they’d come to the address they had on file for him.
“I thought they wouldn’t come looking for me once they knew I’d joined the Black Eagles. I suppose that was a naive assumption.”
“How would the villains know you’d joined the Black Eagles? That’s the bigger problem.”
“Is it?”
“Of course. Why do you think the smartwatch is enchanted to blur people’s identities?”
“Then I think this is a good opportunity to identify any villains hiding inside the organization, or anyone who might be working with them.”
Hyunyul smiled. Haeryeon looked a little surprised.
Did he hear what I said to Team Leader Dojin? No...
He couldn’t have. He’d been with Na-yoon.
Or has he already anticipated the strange things happening inside the organization?
He was no ordinary person.
Haeryeon was curious what rank he’d held in the past and what kind of work he’d done.
Interest gleamed in her eyes.
“That’s true. It’s a good opportunity.”
“There aren’t many organizations that are completely clean inside. I can help.”
Hyunyul wanted to prove his usefulness.
Haeryeon was his team leader and, if necessary, someone who could shield him.
He decided to give her something to work with and handed over the business card he’d received earlier.
“What is this...?”
“Don’t touch it. It’s coated in poison.”
“Poison? ...Poison?”
“Yes. There’s nothing on the front or back, just a phone number.”
“They put poison on a business card...?”
Haeryeon’s brow twitched.
Where had she heard of that before?
“...Oh.”
The people trying to overthrow the Empire were broadly called villains, but, of course, the villains had leaders, too.
Each of them had a nickname.
The Poison King.
Haeryeon’s fingers tightened.
He was one of the major players.
So the Poison King had tried to recruit Hyunyul.
“The Poison King approached you, Mr. Hyunyul?”
Haeryeon asked in disbelief.
How could this be happening?