Chapter 177

Kwak Han-mook hooked a finger into the knot of his bowtie and pulled.

As he loosened the tight knot, he felt a renewed sense of absurdity.

A banquet, of all things, in the middle of a trial.

The tuxedo, featuring fiber-optic piping along the seams, was dreadfully old-fashioned in form.

They claimed to be aliens, but their behavior was no different from medieval aristocrats.

Notifications streamed constantly from the metal bracelet fastened to his wrist.

Orders from guests and directives from superiors poured in, but Kwak Han-mook ignored them all and strolled leisurely toward the smoking room.

It was the designated meeting spot where he had agreed to exchange notes with Han Goyo.

He hadn’t found any concrete clues yet, but he couldn’t stay still out of worry for him.

Though he had received a message, he felt he wouldn’t be at peace until he saw his face in person.

As he walked, Kwak Han-mook realized he was walking far too urgently for someone playing a waiter.

Belatedly, he slowed his pace to blend in with the crowd.

Kwak Han-mook was experiencing a confusion that was unlike him.

He had realized painfully at the start that beings from beyond Earth desired Han Goyo.

The masquerade ball, in particular, was an event blatantly targeting Han Goyo.

Having reached this point, Kwak Han-mook couldn’t help but wonder.

Why doesn’t Han Goyo run away?

From the moment Je Hyun-oh was taken away by the god who was the master of

<City of flame>, Han Goyo had plenty of other options.

He could have abandoned him and escaped to safety...

But Han Goyo didn’t.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, he put himself on the line to save Je Hyun-oh.

He hadn’t shown a shred of hesitation or wavering in his choice.

However, as a god, Han Goyo was still utterly inexperienced.

As a price, he had become prey, hunted by other gods.

In that case, what could he, registered as a god’s kin, do for Han Goyo?

Having experienced a god firsthand, he knew all too well.

No matter how suitable a candidate they were, they were still merely human. They were far too lacking to stand against beings as distant as gods.

Was a kin really nothing more than a child’s toy, just as the aliens said?

Unable to even protect their master...

’This is fucking pathetic.’

A thick, clinging frustration continued to torment Kwak Han-mook.

It was a feeling of helplessness of being unable to do anything that he never wanted to feel again.

"Hyung. I’m okay."

The image of a child from the past, saying he was fine while looking not fine at all, overlapped with the present.

Unconsciously, Kwak Han-mook’s face contorted as he swallowed a curse.

Back then, struggling had been useless. But this time, he wanted to make it happen, no matter what.

Anything would do; he needed a change.

For the first time in a long while, Kwak Han-mook missed Je Hyun-oh.

He didn’t expect a proper answer to whatever he asked, but Je Hyun-oh was a superior who always gave clear instructions in situations like this.

As he thought about wanting to get Je Hyun-oh out of the Tower quickly, he arrived at the smoking room.

The smoking room was empty.

In the world of City of flame, smoking tobacco was an act typical of the labor class, so it was bound to be deserted.

It was a space created in name only.

Thus, among the various smoking rooms, they had chosen this one, far from the banquet hall, as their meeting place.

Just as he was scanning the area to see if anyone was hiding in a blind spot, the door to the smoking room opened.

Kwak Han-mook, who had been pretending to be a waiter there to clean, relaxed his posture upon seeing who entered. However, he didn’t let his guard down.

The person who entered, trailing a white dress, was Cecilia.

Since she was also part of the undercover reporting operation, her presence here was natural.

But neither Cecilia nor Kwak Han-mook acknowledged the other first.

Cecilia, pulling a pack of cigarettes from a small bag, suddenly spoke.

"Want one?"

Kwak Han-mook, who had been expressionless, shifted his gaze.

The moment his eyes met Cecilia’s, he replied with a grin, as if his previous demeanor had never existed.

"Noona. If you give me just one, I shall never forget your grace."

Cecilia handed him a cigarette without a word, and as Kwak Han-mook put the filter to his lips, she lit it for him with a plasma lighter.

Watching him take a drag, she narrowed her eyes slightly.

The synthetic cigarettes smoked by the labor class of Hyper Eden contained chemical substances that induced a slight state of arousal.

For those unaccustomed to it, it was a cigarette so harsh it was difficult to endure, but Kwak Han-mook smoked it without any trouble.

Feeling Cecilia’s gaze, Kwak Han-mook let out a puff of smoke to the side and said,

"Ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m a non-smoker. I’m just having this one."

Cecilia let out a short, dry laugh at the excuse he offered, despite her not having asked anything.

They smoked in silence for a while. The characteristic fluorescent smoke of synthetic cigarettes filled the air.

She wasn’t the person he was waiting for, but he had wanted to have a conversation with Cecilia at least once.

It was to understand the peculiar favor that the NPCs consistently showed toward Han Goyo.

Especially since Cecilia blatantly displayed her intimate relationship with Han Goyo, there was a greater need to talk to her.

To find out what on earth Han Goyo had done to make an NPC so protective of him.

Just as Kwak Han-mook was pondering a suitable topic of conversation...

"I hoped Roasted Chestnut wouldn’t return here. He suffered a lot."

Cecilia spoke out of the blue. She continued while looking directly at Kwak Han-mook.

"But if he were to return... I thought I should stay with him. He hates being alone."

Her words were firmly laced with the implication that the rest of them were useless to Goyo.

However, Kwak Han-mook replied nonchalantly.

"I see. But I don’t think you need to worry anymore."

"Brother Chestnut has no fewer than three younger siblings attached to him. The siblings will take special care of him on their own. And well, as you know, Noona, we’re not just siblings."

Kwak Han-mook replied in an extremely delinquent manner, dangling the cigarette from his fingers.

"We’re his kin, aren’t we?"

Cecilia’s gaze instantly turned fierce. With glinting eyes, she wore a smiling expression.

"But for a sibling and kin... you seem to know very little about Roasted Chestnut."

"Huh?"

When he reacted with exaggerated surprise, Cecilia began to talk about the time she had spent with ’Roasted Chestnut.’ She pretended to reminisce, but her intention was singular.

Regardless of siblings or kin, she was claiming to have a deeper relationship with him.

"Roasted Chestnut sleeps late in the morning, doesn’t he? He has a hard time waking up."

Hearing her bring up even trivial living habits, Kwak Han-mook recalled something Mo Hae-in had said.

’Wasn’t I a bit strange?’

It was a question Mo Hae-in had asked only Kwak Han-mook, quietly, after the reporting quest at the large convenience store.

Mo Hae-in had clashed with Cecilia over Han Goyo.

Of course, Cecilia had been the one to provoke first.

But Mo Hae-in hadn’t been able to remain calm and had retaliated.

There was no need to cause conflict among the major NPCs, yet she had acted as if she were flaunting her intimacy with Han Goyo.

Mo Hae-in confessed that at that moment, she had felt an impulse so strong she couldn’t suppress it.

She said it felt as if emotions she would normally have let slide were being abnormally amplified.

And now, Kwak Han-mook was experiencing exactly what Mo Hae-in had described in a very vivid way.

"That’s definitely true. Brother Chestnut especially can’t wake up on rainy days."

He shook his head and continued.

"And his hair is always a mess when he wakes up... Ah, last time, he even came to my bedroom saying he didn’t want to sleep alone."

’Even though he actually came to gouge my eyes out...’

While rattling off stories about Han Goyo, Kwak Han-mook cursed himself internally.

’What the hell am I doing?’

Knowing full well how childish it was, he couldn’t stop talking.

He had become like a brat who didn’t want his master’s attention stolen.

He didn’t know if it was because he and Mo Hae-in were connected to Goyo in the form of kin, or for some other reason.

For now, instead of thinking deeply, he let his tongue run.

Listening to Kwak Han-mook, Cecilia exhaled a long stream of smoke. With a strange smile, she asked,

"Then why weren’t you by his side back then?"

Not missing the moment Kwak Han-mook stiffened, she continued.

"When a child came to Hyper Eden alone, reporting tenaciously, making money by any means necessary, and crying secretly every night because he was hurt..."

Cecilia asked again, sarcastically.

"Why was no one by Roasted Chestnut’s side?"

She crushed the cigarette out in the ashtray.

Snapping the long cigarette before it was even finished, she whispered.

"I was the one who was with Roasted Chestnut when he was struggling the most. I saved a child who was dying, and Roasted Chestnut brought me back to life."

Cecilia’s gaze grew increasingly grim. It was a face she never showed in front of Han Goyo.

"The child I personally sent out of Hyper Eden, hoping he would never be in pain again, has returned."

Cecilia spoke with eyes that looked as if she might pull out a pulse gun and start firing at any moment.

"I keep thinking this is because of those ’siblings’?"

Kwak Han-mook looked at Cecilia in silence for a moment.

Like her, he crushed his cigarette and spoke slowly.

"...There were circumstances back then."

He answered with sincerity, in a tone devoid of any playfulness.

"I will make sure that doesn’t happen again. Never."

Cecilia’s gaze wavered briefly.

Perhaps she hadn’t expected him to react this way. Just as they were locked in a silent stare...

The door to the smoking room swung open noisily.

"...!"

Mo Hae-in stood there, her face pale.

Sensing something was wrong, Kwak Han-mook and Cecilia’s expressions hardened simultaneously.

Scanning the smoking room, Mo Hae-in muttered with a look of utter despair.

"The trainee is gone."

***

The horizontally long holographic mural that covered an entire wall was opaque, making it impossible to see beyond it.

However, I could imagine the being outside.

A man of three meters, walking with leisurely steps.

The faint heat emanating from the holographic screens projection device was unfelt at this moment.

Rather, I felt a chill.

Even the young god, who had been tormenting CEO Cha as he pleased until a moment ago, was holding his breath.

Why?

Why was Dominic with the Black Block?

I had already suspected they might know each other.

In a previous communication, the Black Block had referred to Dominic as ’that person’, subtly indicating their acquaintance.

But Dominic had ignored the Black Block.

The only moment he had spoken was when the Black Block had acted as if he were threatening me.

Therefore, I had unconsciously assumed, as always, that Dominic would help me or take my side.

But for Dominic, who had suddenly disappeared, to be beside the Black Block...

Did it mean he had recovered everything?

Even if not, at the very least, he likely sought out the Black Block to find what he had lost.

’Let’s not jump to conclusions. For now... we don’t know.’

Dominic was an alien whose thoughts were impossible to read.

Rather than guessing his intentions now, it wouldn’t be too late to watch the situation a bit longer before despairing.

Trying to think positively, I checked on CEO Cha.

The gap between the holographic screen and the wall was barely wide enough for one person.

We were standing side by side, practically pressed against the wall.

CEO Cha, who was gripping my forearm to prevent me from going out, was more extremely tense than ever.

It was a look I hadn’t seen even in front of the Eye Alien or when dealing with the young god.

Hiding behind the thin veil of the holographic screen, we listened to the voices of the gods.

"As you requested, I have not informed the outside. If word got out that you had arrived, it would likely become troublesome for you!"

The Black Block was acting quite respectful.

For the most part, the Black Block did all the talking while Dominic gave short responses.

Dominic continued to speak in a language I couldn’t understand.

His voice sounded comfortable, as if he were wearing a custom-tailored suit.

I felt that this was the language that suited Dominic.

’So until now, Dominic had been adjusting his speech for me...’

The moment I realized this new fact, the sound of neat dress shoes stopped in front of the screen.

The grip of CEO Cha’s hand on me tightened further.

It was almost painful, but I wasn’t in a situation where I could properly feel pain.

The man beyond the screen seemed to be admiring the mural.

The Black Block explained the image on the holographic screen.

"This is a spiral galaxy newly brought into the domain."

In the first place, neither Dominic nor the Black Block were beings who wouldn’t know I was hiding here.

There must be a reason why they were pretending not to know, like a well-staged play.

I held my breath and waited for the words to follow.

"It’s similar in shape to the galaxy where the Lamb’s small planet is located! If the Lamb’s planet is destroyed, I intend to give this galaxy as a gift!"

The Black Block spoke fussily to me behind the screen, saying he hoped the Lamb would like it.

Then, he added a subtle comment as if talking to himself.

"I wonder if the Lamb’s small planet can survive this time."

This time...?

The nuance suggested it had been destroyed once before.

At that moment, I realized.

Why both Dominic and the Black Block had deliberately made it so that I was ’overhearing’ them.

There is a price to pay for obtaining information. It seemed they were doing this to reduce that price.

However, I couldn’t understand why they were granting me such favor by giving me information.

An instinctive suspicion surged.

’Should I be listening to this?’

For some reason, I felt that if there were a system window, it would be popping up square warnings telling me not to listen.

While I was confused, words of unknown meaning reached me.

"■■■■."

I couldn’t tell for sure, but for some reason, it sounded like they were talking about Je Hyun-oh.

At Dominic’s words, the Black Block made a sobbing sound.

"It couldn’t be helped! Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given me any attention at all. But the Lamb has started the broadcast."

The Black Block appealed his misery to Dominic, saying the plan had been completely exposed and he had gained nothing.

Then, as if introducing a highlight, he shouted.

"So I’ve changed it to be a bit more interesting! I’m sure you’ll love it."

Simultaneously, the screen shimmered.

I widened my eyes and looked at what was before me.

A gloved hand was stirring the holographic screen as if playing a game.

The screen wavered like a wave following the touch, but the other side remained invisible.

"There must be a prize for the protagonist, the Lamb! The Lamb’s kin is also here! However..."

The Black Block spoke toward me behind the screen.

"It probably isn’t in the form the Lamb remembers!"

...

The moment those words hit, I lunged forward to break out.

Or rather, I tried to.

If CEO Cha hadn’t grabbed me, I surely would have leaped past the screen.

I couldn’t even scream at the black block.

It was because CEO Cha had clamped his hand over my mouth.

I glared at him, but CEO Cha kept a firm grip on me and shook his head.

He was signaling that this was precisely what the entity outside was aiming for.

As I gasped for air, the black block withdrew its hand from the screen.

The final words whispered into my ear.

"The game of hide and seek for the young god will be quite entertaining!"