The Perfect

Thanks to this, Seungjae was able to gather some information about them. The power outage and explosion earlier had freed the Heartless trapped in the lab. However, the three who captured Seungjae were confined in a special facility and couldn’t escape when the other Heartless fled. Instead, they escaped when the emergency power came on, and a researcher came to check on them.And just the three of them had devastated the lab. They were looking for a specific drug. They were more interested in that drug than escaping. When Seungjae didn’t give them the right answers, they deemed him useless and tried to eliminate him, but then there was a loud banging on the door. In hindsight, that noise saved his life.The Heartless whispered among themselves, tied up the unconscious Seungjae, and disappeared. The one who acted most human and lied well went out alone. The others could speak properly but had crazed eyes. But one was particularly good at acting normal, enough to fool Seungjae. That’s how he ended up with a knife wound in his side.Of course, it was mostly his fault for letting his guard down, even though the Heartless was skilled with a knife. He hoped whoever encountered them next would be Director Kook. But soon, he heard a loud shout with Director Kook’s name, but it wasn’t him. It was the Special Department employee. Of all people, it had to be him. What rotten luck. Not only was he marked by Director Kook, but he was also about to die. And he was terribly scared.Though he didn’t like that it was the Special Department employee, he felt a bit sorry for him. After a while, Seungjae twisted his arms to free himself and grabbed the chair he had been sitting on. It took some time to pinpoint the location of the Heartless who had stabbed him through the opaque glass. He heard the Special Department employee’s voice faintly, talking about glass and laws. Typical bureaucrat, explaining everything.He moved silently, unable to hear other sounds. He didn’t get to see how terrified the Special Department employee’s face was. He focused on moving his body properly. Fortunately, the Heartless was too focused on the Special Department employee to notice Seungjae’s movements. They didn’t have much time. Despite his staggering steps, he quickly approached and struck the Heartless’s head.Clang.The metal chair fell to the floor. Seungjae’s gaze turned to the far end of the hallway. The noise would soon bring the others. The three monsters here were more cunning and powerful than regular Heartless. He was injured and drugged, unsure if he could handle them. But he could do one thing.As expected, two appeared at the end of the hallway. Yeah, he could hold off two for a minute. Run, I can handle this. He probably said that to the scared Special Department employee. As he stepped in front of the employee, he thought of his favorite food. He wouldn’t eat it if he died anyway. Maybe he should have chosen something weird like the Special Department employee. As the thought crossed his mind, he heard giggling.The Heartless he had hit with the chair staggered up, holding a knife. Damn, he couldn’t even last 30 seconds… But his consciousness faded. Thud, Seungjae’s body fell to the floor. The person standing behind him slowly lowered his hand. The Heartless with the knife twisted his lips at the action of striking down an ally.“Hitting your own? What a joke.”But the Heartless’s smile soon disappeared. He met black eyes. He couldn’t move for a moment. The pause was only a few seconds. But it was enough for the opponent.The loud gunfire that sounded like a war stopped. The shouts of the guards soon faded. It was an ominous sign. Surely over 100 guards hadn’t been wiped out in 30 minutes?“You need to leave.”The secretary had urged dozens of times. The chairman’s daughter stubbornly shook her head.“I can’t leave until I find my father.”“But the variant Heartless could reach here any moment.”“There are only ten of them. Are you saying over ten times as many guards were all defeated?”“High-risk Heartless exhibit strength several times that of normal people. They were all classified as E-grade…”“But they were being treated.”She added confidently.“They used to be like animals, unable to speak, with bloodshot eyes, roaring like beasts. Now they can talk and act calmly. How are the treated ones so strong?”“Ma’am, there’s no conclusive evidence they were treated. Most researchers were skeptical and suggested stopping the research.”“But some said it was part of the treatment process and needed monitoring. Three out of ten showed clear effects. I heard that.”She looked at the darkened outside again. The safety lights were useless. Heartless who had undergone long treatment weren’t affected by them. Seeing various changes, she believed Heartless could be cured. But they weren’t cured.Heartless were laughing, killing guards, and reveling in blood. She could see their crazed eyes from afar. She observed them daily. She believed a little more medication would cure them. But they weren’t cured? Why? What went wrong?“We’ve lowered the defensive walls and activated traps around the house, but we can’t guarantee safety if they attack. You must leave…”“Why did this happen?”“Ma’am.”“There were clear effects. They were getting better. Weren’t they?”“No.”The answer came from elsewhere. The chairman’s daughter turned in surprise. Someone was sitting in a chair. She had been watching outside, so only a few safety lights were on inside. The secretary quickly shone a flashlight towards the sound. Director Kook was sitting in a fancy armchair, legs crossed.“When did you come in?! What about the guards?! What did you do to them?!”The secretary ordered two guards to check outside and held a gun. Director Kook’s face twisted in a sneer.“XXX45, a good gun. Made for close combat, prioritizing stopping power, so the ammo’s firepower is excellent. But it has a short range. It uses large-caliber bullets, so it can kill effectively, but if you miss once, it’s over. No second chance. The enemy will be at your throat before you know it. You don’t realize how fatal that flaw is. You’ll only understand when a Heartless takes your gun and kills you with it. Shouldn’t have relied on the gun like a kid.”The secretary’s eyebrow twitched.“If you think I’m a novice, you’re mistaken.”“Bragging when you didn’t even notice an intruder sneaking in?”Just then, the two guards who went outside whispered something to the secretary. The secretary asked Director Kook with a serious face.“What did you do to the guards?”“You just heard. I made them rest for a while to stop them from interfering.”“Can’t you see those Heartless outside, being a hunter?”“I see them. They’re having fun. But watching you tremble is even better.”“Hey! You…”The secretary stepped forward in anger, but the chairman’s daughter stopped him.“Director Kook. If you catch the Heartless outside, I’ll pay you.”“You should have said that earlier.”Director Kook, as if waiting, took out his phone and sent a contract.“Check and sign.”The chairman’s daughter looked at Director Kook in disbelief, then lowered her gaze. She looked at the contract and raised her head again, incredulous.“This is ridiculous. Such an amount… Did my brother offer you this amount too?”“No. The contract with your brother is at a normal rate. Yours includes a special situation fee. Ten times the rate per Heartless.”“Is the special situation fee for my life?”“Of course not. You just need to sign the contract. After that, whether you live or die is none of my business.”“Then what’s the special situation that requires my entire fortune?”Director Kook sneered as if it was obvious.“Are you asking because you don’t know, or to see how much I know? You experimented on E-grade Heartless, claiming to cure them, and made them worse variants. Heartless that roam freely under safety lights. That’s a special situation. If you’re afraid this will be exposed, don’t worry. It’ll be known soon enough. Just prepare for prison. But make sure to pay me first.”“……”“Not signing? I don’t care if everyone here gets massacred or your creations run wild.”The chairman’s daughter glared at him.“You’re just like my brother, only caring about money.”“You experimented on Heartless to save your father, turning them into variants that killed innocent guards. What did they do to deserve dying to unheard-of Heartless? Seeing the Heartless from the lab running wild, it’s obvious what happened to the lab staff. How many died because of your greed? A hundred? Two hundred?”Director Kook counted on his fingers, leaving only the middle finger up.“Considering future deaths, it’ll be thousands.”“Watch your mouth! Do you know what she went through? She experimented out of love for her father, believing Heartless could be cured.”“Bullshit. She’s not the only one with a father.”The secretary got more agitated at Director Kook’s sneer, but the chairman’s daughter stopped him again.“Can you definitely eliminate them all?”“The six in the garden.”“Six?”“Several guards sacrificed themselves to kill one. I don’t know where the other three are. They’ll turn up.”“You can catch all the Heartless that took several guards to kill one?”Gunshots rang out again outside. Screams and shouts followed, indicating a battle. Director Kook sneered again.“That’s why I hate guns. If taken, they give Heartless wings. Can I catch them all alone? Do you have any other options?”The chairman’s daughter glared at him, then signed the contract. Director Kook confirmed the signature and smirked. The chairman’s daughter asked calmly.“Are you a chef?”“Maybe.”“The one who gave the drug said to show respect to the chef. You knew about the drug?”“So what? It’s not a cure. What now?”The chairman’s daughter clamped her mouth shut. She wanted to ask again. Is it really not a cure? Director Kook, sensing her thoughts, muttered while checking his phone.“But you won’t believe it’s not a cure until you’re executed. You were obsessed with the obsession itself, not your father. Caught in delusional faith.”Despite Director Kook’s sneer, the chairman’s daughter couldn’t let go of her hope. Maybe a little more medication would cure them? Director Kook, about to put away his phone, paused. His expression changed as he swiped the screen.“What’s wrong?”When Director Kook didn’t respond, the chairman’s daughter called him again.“Director Kook, what’s wrong?”“The vitals of my companion are bad. And they’re in the bunker. Is there something special in the bunker?”The chairman’s daughter and the secretary exchanged glances at his question.“There’s a lab in the bunker. But I don’t know why the Special Department employee went there.”The chairman’s daughter said, and the secretary added.“Is the condition critical? I’ll send guards.”Silence followed. Director Kook slowly raised his head from his phone. He looked around at the chairman’s daughter, the secretary, and the remaining guards. The two felt a chill down their spines as they met his gaze. An inexplicable fear made them hold their breath.“I never said he was a Special Department employee.”Really? We must have misunderstood. No one could offer a light excuse. The chilling aura paralyzed them as if bound by ropes.“What did you do to Han Jemyung?”“Director Kook.”The chairman’s daughter barely spoke, forcing strength into her voice.“I just signed a huge contract. Do I need to tell you my priorities?”“Did you send Han Jemyung to the bunker?”“Hey, watch your mouth with the chairman… Ugh!”The secretary screamed, clutching his hand. A small shuriken was embedded in the back of his hand that held the gun. The guards, startled, aimed their guns but hesitated at Director Kook. He held something with a button.“Curious about what I’m holding? Imagine anything. It’ll make your fall less regrettable.”Director Kook bound the guards and turned to the chairman’s daughter.“What did you tell Han Jemyung?”“I don’t know why you care about the Special Department employee, but if you’re so worried, shouldn’t you be running instead of asking me?”“Lady. You asked my priority? My priority is the Special Department employee. I hate it when he’s in danger out of my sight. If that happens, I’ll be really pissed. So my priority is finding out what pissed me off and destroying it.”Director Kook asked expressionlessly, picking up an axe.“Did you tell Han Jemyung to hide in the bunker?”“It’s a bunker. A place to hide in danger, right?”Director Kook stared at her and spoke.“It’s also a lab, right? So there are Heartless not in the garden. The three test subjects you believe succeeded.”Director Kook turned his body. The chairman’s daughter hurriedly called out to him.“The Special Department employee must be dead. Your employee too. But the Heartless left there are very important test subjects. If we can find proof that they can return to normal, humanity will gain immensely…”“Who said they’re dead? Don’t talk nonsense when you’ve been fooled by a scammer.”The chairman’s daughter’s eyes trembled. As Director Kook walked out, she followed him.“Ma’am, where are you going?”“I need to follow him.”“Director Kook? He’s heading to the bunker where the Heartless are…”“He knows something I don’t. He might need more of the drug.”As the chairman’s daughter started running, the secretary and guards followed her to the bunker. The guards, armed and ready for any attack, led the way through the long hallway into the lab. They were all shocked by the scene inside. Blood-soaked floors, walls, and ceilings. Severed and mutilated bodies scattered everywhere.“Ma’am, it’s dangerous.”The secretary tried to stop her, but she pushed his arm away and moved forward. Director Kook was standing in the middle of the hallway, looking at the floor. The chairman’s daughter recognized the bodies and stopped. They were the three she had watched on the monitor every day for over a month, the ones she believed were successful test subjects.“Why are they…”The secretary pressed a handkerchief to his bleeding hand and looked around.“Judging by the last moments before the CCTV went out, it’s clear they killed the lab staff. But…”Everyone thought the same unspoken question. Who killed them? The secretary stepped forward to examine the bodies closely. Two had neck wounds as if stabbed, and one had a severed wrist and a stab wound to the heart. All three held weapons. It looked like they had fought each other and died together.“Could they have attacked each other?”“Attack each other? Why? Heartless have never shown violence towards each other. They only target normal people or public facilities… What if one of them became normal?”The chairman’s daughter excitedly proposed a hypothesis.“Look, one has different wounds and a severed hand. Maybe this one became normal and tried to stop the others and died.”“Ma’am, that’s…”“Lady, I told you not to talk nonsense.”Director Kook coldly cut her off and looked around. His menacing aura made everyone watch him closely.“I knew it was you.”He muttered something incomprehensible and started walking in a determined direction. The chairman’s daughter tried to follow, but the secretary stopped her.“If the one who killed the Heartless is still here, it could be dangerous.”“Who? Who could kill three E-grade Heartless? They must have fought each other. One might have returned to normal, as I said.”“Ma’am, before the CCTV went out, all three were recorded killing people.”“But…”“The one with different wounds escaped first and beheaded the researchers. He was skilled with a knife.”Despair filled the chairman’s daughter’s eyes.“So the experiment really failed? All we did was create stronger, more vicious Heartless?”“Ma’am.”Crash! The secretary, trying to comfort her, was startled by a loud noise and looked towards it. It came from a lab Director Kook had just entered. The secretary and guards followed to see Director Kook roughly pushing aside chairs and desks piled up like a barricade. What is he… The answer was clear before they could ask.Behind the barricade, someone was crouched and hiding. It was the Special Department employee. Next to him was an unconscious 4K employee. As Director Kook said, Han Jemyung was alive. Really lucky, they thought, as Director Kook asked the terrified person.“It was you, wasn’t it?”* * *I was hiding very well. I had stopped Clicker’s bleeding with a cloth, so the immediate danger was over. Fortunately, the wound wasn’t deep, so his life wasn’t at risk. I planned to stay hidden behind the barricade until morning, not even breathing. But then I heard murmuring in the distance, and someone knocked down my barricade.Gah! I pressed myself against the wall and crouched. Damn, it couldn’t be Heartless, right? Trembling, I heard a question. It was you, wasn’t it? What? I looked up, and words spilled out without thinking.“Why are you coming now?!”Yangsimless frowned at my unexpected attack. But I had to say what I needed to, whether he frowned or not.“I called for help so many times! I called Director Kook so many times!”He stepped back. Then he rolled his eyes and repeated the same words.“It was you.”“What?!”My louder voice made Yangsimless flinch again.“You did that outside…”“Director Kook! Why are you doing this to me?! I clearly called for help so many times!”My neck veins bulged. My face turned red with blood pressure, and I spat. But it wasn’t enough to express my anger. I couldn’t hold back and stood up, making Yangsimless step back quickly.“Right…”“Right what?! Those three fought over some drug, and I barely survived hiding. What are you suspecting, Director Kook?!”While Yangsimless backed away with a disgusted look, the chairman’s daughter stepped forward.“You said drug? They fought over a drug? That can’t be. There shouldn’t be any left…”“I don’t know the details. They searched this place for the drug, and one found it. Then they fought over it… Wait, ma’am. Why did you tell me to hide here? This isn’t a bunker.”The chairman’s daughter flinched and stepped back.“And why are there so many Heartless here? What is this research facility, where did those variant Heartless come from, and what about the Heartless outside… What happened to the Heartless outside?”My question seemed to remind the chairman’s daughter and her group of something, and they flinched in surprise. These people, seriously.“Director Kook, according to the contract, quickly… what are you doing?”I was curious too. Why was Yangsimless putting something strange in his ear? But without any explanation, he pressed a button on the small device in his hand. Soon, my head was filled with a chilling sound. The last thing I saw was people collapsing to the floor like mannequins. Including me. Except for Yangsimless, of course.“Ugh!”Even with an empty stomach, I kept dry heaving. My head hurt so much. I couldn’t sit up properly, crouching and vomiting while feeling utterly miserable. Damn Yangsimless. The only consolation was that several others were suffering the aftereffects too.Around me, groans and vomiting sounds mixed, making it feel like a giant hospital ward. Especially Clicker, who was already injured, was overwhelmed with vomiting and clutching his head in pain. When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying in a corner of an improvised treatment area in the mansion’s lounge.Of course, as soon as I opened my eyes, dizziness hit me, making it hard to stand. But human resilience is amazing. I couldn’t move a finger, but when nausea hit, I jumped up and vomited behind a nearby pillar, out of sight.It was all because of Yangsimless. He pressed that strange button, and this happened. My condition was similar to before, but my head hurt even more. After squeezing out every drop of fluid from my body, I grabbed a cloth at my feet and wiped the floor.Even in pain, I worried about dirtying the mansion’s floor and having to compensate, so I quickly cleaned up with trembling hands. As I staggered back, a man who looked like a paramedic supported my arm.“You must be very dizzy.”Dizzy doesn’t cover it. I feel like I’m on the other side of the planet.“I gave you painkillers, but if the headache is severe, I can give you more.”Please do. Take my brain out and soak it in painkillers. I looked at him desperately because I couldn’t speak. He laid me down and praised me.“You’re holding up well. Everyone else is in a lot of pain.”I was in the most pain. I wanted to give myself a gold medal. But it hurt too much to speak.“The serious patients can’t even talk right now.”That’s me! I briefly suspected the paramedic was in league with the Heartless.“Maybe it’s lucky you were unconscious and didn’t see that hell.”“Hell?”I managed to say one word, and the paramedic looked around and lowered his voice.“The fight with the Heartless in the garden was recorded on CCTV. The Special Department’s special team reviewed it, and the footage is spreading.”“Heartless… fell… like us…”“They didn’t fall. The sound dispersed in the open air, reducing the weapon’s effect. The guards fighting the Heartless were all civilians and fell, but the Heartless just shook their heads without much impact. Then something flew among them.”Something? This time, I didn’t have to strain my sore throat. The paramedic kindly explained.“An axe. A sharp axe suddenly flew in and beheaded one Heartless, and that was the start.”The paramedic shuddered, recalling the scene.“I’ve never seen anyone swing an axe so savagely. The Heartless looked like sheep. That person was like a wolf among sheep, hacking at the Heartless. Even on CCTV, it gave me chills. Covered in blood, moving faster than the Heartless. How can a person move like that? But laughing while chopping bodies like meat…”The paramedic shook his head again.“That hunter didn’t look human.”There was no need to ask who that person was.“Working under someone like that, you’re impressive too.”Under? No, I’m a Special Department employee supporting a partner company. Before I could explain, he got up to leave.“Wait, I…”“This person is a Special Department employee supporting 4K.”A sudden voice provided the proper explanation. But the paramedic shrugged as if it didn’t matter and left. After he disappeared, Clicker, who had explained, glanced at me and looked away. As if he saw something unpleasant. Am I unpleasant? I quickly checked myself.But my neat personality shone through even while vomiting and cleaning the floor, so my clothes were spotless. Meanwhile, Clicker was shirtless, with a shirt draped over his shoulders. Fortunately, I didn’t have to see his nipples. His torso was wrapped in bandages like a mummy. So why is he like that? He spoke while looking elsewhere.“You don’t seem injured.”Did the paramedic think I was playing?“I’m in pain. My head feels like it’s splitting, my stomach is upset, and I’m in terrible condition.”“Everyone there feels the same.”“Let’s be clear. Not everyone. Some had earplugs.”Clicker was annoyed by my point.“Director Kook is always an exception.”“……”“I’m not angry.”He mumbled and looked away again. Not like Clicker.“What’s wrong?”“What?”“You’re making things awkward.”‘What do you mean?’ He snapped, then turned away and muttered.“Thank you.”“……”“Thank you. For hiding me when I collapsed in front of the Heartless.”When I didn’t respond, he looked at me. The debt seemed gone with his thanks, and his usual rude gaze returned.“I heard a bit, but what exactly happened? When I collapsed, the Heartless weren’t fighting over drugs.”“I don’t know. When you collapsed, I crouched beside you. They asked each other about the drug, thinking they could kill us later. We were lucky.”“But one had the drug, and they killed each other over it? The chairman’s daughter said there was no drug left.”“Maybe a researcher hid some.”Maybe, he muttered, looking at me with a frown.“Can’t stand? Need a wheelchair?”I wasn’t getting up. I planned to lie in the mansion lounge until I recovered, invading private property as revenge for the chairman’s daughter’s actions. But my petty plan was thwarted. Clicker urged me.“Speak quickly. Everyone’s waiting for you to start.”“Who? What?”But I didn’t get an answer to my question. He suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me up. I didn’t like anyone touching me, so I quickly pulled away and stood up. He looked at his hand and tilted his head.“Huh? Your body is firm.”“Let’s go quickly.”This time, I urged him, and we left the lounge. Following Clicker, we went to the large room where I first witnessed the siblings’ fight. There were the siblings, a few guards, two men in black suits, and Yangsimless. Seeing him made my anger surge, but I also felt relieved that I had finally called his name at the moment of death. Now the grudge was over, right? I smiled at him without realizing it. Yangsimless’s eyebrow twitched. Ah, yes, it’s goodbye for us.“Everyone present at the scene is here, so let’s begin. Director Kook, where is the chairman you were hired to find?”One of the men in black suits asked. I thought of the chairman I saw under my bed. What, they haven’t found him yet? Yangsimless glanced at me.“What’s it to you?”“Hey. If there are still Heartless…”“My father is not Heartless.”The chairman’s daughter stood up and shouted, then collapsed weakly onto the sofa. Even as she was supported by an employee, she repeated her claim.“My father is not Heartless. Right, Director Kook? That’s why you didn’t bring his head.”Yangsimless sneered at her words.“Now is not the time for you to speak, lady.”Some frowned, but no one criticized Yangsimless for being rude. Given what she had done, harsher words wouldn’t be enough. The only good thing about Yangsimless being on your side. The chairman’s daughter clamped her mouth shut and glared at Yangsimless before asking.“Then just tell me where my father is.”“What’s it to you? To give him drugs and experiment?”“Hey! I…”“If your father isn’t Heartless and has any normal thoughts, do you think he’d show up here? Seeing his daughter obsessed with mad experiments, causing countless deaths, and still not coming to her senses, spouting nonsense. Would he want to see a daughter less human than Heartless?”“……”“If I had a daughter like you, I’d be ashamed and cut my own throat.”The chairman’s daughter’s eyes shook violently. Of course, no one comforted or defended her this time either. After a while, one of the men in black suits asked Yangsimless.“Is the chairman alive?”“What’s it to you?”The same answer for the third time, but the man in black didn’t waver.“If he’s not a typical Heartless, he’s a subject for government research. Especially if he took any of the drugs the chairman’s daughter gave to Heartless, we need his brain. Did your father take the drug?”He asked the chairman’s daughter coldly. Compared to him, Yangsimless seemed almost kind. The chairman’s daughter shook her head firmly.“No.”“You claimed your father wasn’t a typical Heartless. Didn’t you give him the drug?”“Would I give my father an untested drug? No matter how much of a Special Agent you are, you have a father, right? Then you’d understand my feelings. No matter how much my father shows Heartless symptoms, as his child, I don’t want to believe it.”Ah, so he was a Special Agent. Special Agents were created after the great disaster three years ago to handle national-level incidents. I had only heard of them, never seen one.“Of course, I have a father. But for humanity’s sake, I’d sacrifice even him.”Yangsimless was no longer alone. The chairman’s daughter’s face grew darker. If her father wasn’t a typical Heartless, his head would go to the lab. If he was, all the wealth would go to her sneering brother. No one would help her now. Surprisingly, she looked at Yangsimless. Why? As I wondered, Special Agent 1 demanded from Yangsimless.“Where is the chairman? We’ll check ourselves. If necessary, we’ll use our legal authority.”“If you want to invoke the Special Law on Disasters and Countermeasures due to New Brain Disorders, you’d better shut up. One condition of my contract with the Special Department is ‘not taking orders from any other agency under any circumstances.’ It’s authorized by the Special Department head, but the seal on the contract is from the highest authority you can imagine.”Special Agent 1 stared at Yangsimless expressionlessly. Yangsimless sneered.“Having ‘Special’ twice in your title makes you feel important? It’s just a fancy sign to work you hard. To overcome your meager salary, you need patriotism to sell even your father. And you’ll use your legal authority as a shield, but you should choose your targets wisely. Right?”“Where is the chairman?”“Wait. I’ll tell you when I want to.”Yangsimless silenced Special Agent 1 and turned to the next person.“Now, shall we discuss our contract?”“Discuss? You promised to bring my father’s head by morning. You failed, so I owe you nothing. I should get back the initial fee and penalty for failure.”“You’re right. Manager Hong, transfer it now.”Clicker operated the tablet a few times and nodded. It’s done. We were a bit surprised. Yangsimless admitting failure so easily. The chairman’s son raised an eyebrow in surprise.“Director Kook, I heard you never failed a job. Was I wrong?”“You’re right. This is the first.”Yangsimless coolly admitted and asked Special Agent 1.“Is the investigation almost over?”“With someone’s cooperation, it’ll be quick.”“Who’s not cooperating with a Special Agent?”You. Special Agent 1’s facial muscles twitched at Yangsimless’s shamelessness. Yangsimless hit back at his potential soul mate and asked the chairman’s daughter.“Is it you? Not cooperating with the Special Agent?”Strangely, the chairman’s daughter didn’t get angry. She looked at Yangsimless and slowly spoke.“There’s no drug. The researchers spent months analyzing the ingredients and trying to make a copy, but they couldn’t succeed due to a specific new substance in the raw material. There’s no drug left. A week ago, the supplier suddenly stopped contacting us.”She added to Special Agent 1.“I’ve provided all the information about the supplier. My secretary will give you more details.”“But the information you provided tells us nothing about the supplier.”“We had no choice. We had to rely on the supplier’s unilateral contact. They called it a cure. They threatened to cut off all supply if it was exposed, so I had to research secretly. We gained nothing.”“Is there really no drug left? Didn’t you hide some for the chairman?”The chairman’s daughter stared into space and asked.“No. If there was, what would you do for me?”“Ma’am. We don’t negotiate about Heartless. But if you cooperate now, we can reduce your sentence. You know you could face the death penalty for this.”“If I feared death, I wouldn’t have started this.”“If there’s hidden drug, we’ll find it.”“You should have found it sooner.”The chairman’s daughter glared at Special Agent 1.“You claim to be such a great organization, but you must have known about the drug. Isn’t that right?”Special Agent 1 didn’t respond. The people in the room looked between the two.“Don’t take out your incompetence on me. You’re excited to finally catch a big case, but I have no drug to give you.”Special Agent 1 still said nothing. Instead, Special Agent 2 stepped forward.“Ma’am, let’s talk privately for a moment.”“Is that necessary? If you have something to say, say it here. You’ve condemned my illegal actions, so you’re not going to make an illegal proposal in private, are you?”Special Agent 2 smiled kindly.“I was just going to ask for your cooperation again. If you have the drug and can give it to us, we’ll do our best to clear the misunderstanding that the chairman is a special Heartless whose head needs to go to the lab.”Special Agent 2 knew exactly what the chairman’s daughter wanted. “But.” He added a word and suddenly looked at me.“Someone has already testified that the chairman is different from a typical Heartless. Mr. Han Jemyung, as a Special Department employee, I trust you wouldn’t lie.”All eyes turned to me. Ah, I really hated this situation. I looked at Yangsimless without realizing it. He was watching me with interest. The chairman’s daughter also looked at me. Depending on what I said, her dream of protecting her father’s body might be shattered. She might retaliate against me.I looked at Special Agent 2. He had the ability to speak with his eyes. Tell her the chairman is a typical Heartless so we can get the drug. But considering Yangsimless’s grudge, I had to say he was a special Heartless due to dementia. Damn. I cursed inwardly.“The chairman was different from a typical Heartless.”* * *The Special Department employee was so inconspicuous that some didn’t even know he was in the room. But suddenly, he became the center of attention, and people hoped he had some common sense. Anyone could see that a deal was being made between the Special Agents and the chairman’s daughter.The chairman’s daughter wanted her father’s body, and the Special Agents wanted the drug. So the Special Department employee just had to testify that the chairman was a typical Heartless. But it seemed he lacked even that much sense. His answer made Special Agent 1 visibly annoyed, and Special Agent 2’s voice turned cold.“How was he different?”The Special Department employee avoided looking at the chairman’s daughter and turned to Special Agent 2.“He was more like an elderly person with dementia than a Heartless.”“Don’t talk nonsense, you bastard!”The chairman’s son stood up and shouted.“What do you know to say that?!”“Unless you have a special contract like Director Kook, if you interfere with our investigation, you’ll be arrested immediately.”The chairman’s son tried to curse at Special Agent 2, but his subordinate whispered in his ear, and he barely held his tongue. Making enemies with the Special Agents meant it would be hard to live in this country. Even a wealthy company would face difficulties, but being labeled as uncooperative with Heartless matters was the real problem.No matter how big the company, it couldn’t survive that accusation. The chairman’s son might lose his inheritance if his father was found to have dementia, but if he acted rashly now, he could lose what he had already received. As he stepped back, Special Agent 2 warned the Special Department employee sternly.“Mr. Han Jemyung, without evidence, your opinion is irrelevant.”“I have evidence. But first, I have a question.”“What is it?”“Is the simultaneous occurrence of dementia and Heartless such important research data?”Special Agent 2’s lips curled slightly. The Special Department employee wasn’t entirely foolish.“It’s not unheard of. But that’s for the lab to decide.”“Dementia Heartless is rare, but is it really a priority? I heard the lab is overwhelmed with heads. Is there a need to add more work?”“If dementia weakened or eliminated Heartless symptoms, it’s different.”“That wasn’t the case. He showed the eerie traits of Heartless between moments of dementia. He even tried to kill me but let me go. His eyes were those of a dementia patient then.”The chairman’s son tried to interrupt again, but Special Agent 2 stopped him with a hand.“What’s the evidence?”“He showed typical signs of dementia. He was stuck in the past.”The chairman’s son stepped forward again.“You took money from my sister, didn’t you? Who would believe your nonsense?!”“Where were you 45 years ago?”“What?”“45 years ago. You were 8, and the chairman’s daughter was 5. The chairman was likely in South America then. Am I wrong?”The Special Department employee pointed to a photo on the wall. A young chairman, wearing a hard hat, stood with his hands on his hips in a dusty field. The photo had the year and a South American city name written below.“What are you talking about?”“The chairman seemed to have returned to that time. He said a strange word.”“What word?”“El Niño.”The chairman’s son just frowned. The reaction came from elsewhere. The chairman’s daughter stood up, looking shocked.“Did my father say El Niño?”“Yes. At first, I thought it was a term for a weather phenomenon, but you said he wasn’t interested in the environment. Instead, I learned he spent years in South America. If he returned to that time, it makes sense he said that word. You and your brother were young too. El Niño means ‘the baby.’”The chairman’s daughter’s eyes widened.“But when referring to my child, you use Mi Niño. Maybe he didn’t know the exact term and used El Niño. Is that right?”“Yes. Before going to South America, he learned that word and called us El Niño. Even after realizing it was wrong, he continued to use it as a special term between us. El Niño.”The chairman’s daughter’s eyes filled with tears.“Don’t you remember, brother?”The chairman’s son glared at the Special Department employee without a word. The seemingly insignificant employee calmly met his gaze.“The chairman added one more thing. He said, ‘El Niño, it’s okay.’”The chairman’s daughter collapsed to the floor. Her sobs contrasted with the chairman’s son’s cold expression.“I remember nothing. If you think I’ll fall for your dirty tricks with my sister, you’re mistaken. If you want to live, watch your mouth.”“Shut up.”The sudden, menacing voice came from Director Kook, who had been watching with his arms crossed. He stepped forward and warned the chairman’s son.“How dare you speak to Han Jemyung like that.”His low voice was filled with menace. Everyone was shocked, but the Special Department employee and Seungjae showed suspicion. Are my ears deceiving me? As they worried about their health, Director Kook reassured them.“Han Jemyung is a useless person who trips over his own feet at home. Do you think his head is any different? Someone like that getting involved in dirty schemes? Don’t make me laugh. Han Jemyung doesn’t have the brains, courage, or body for that.”My ears were fine. The two of them looked at Director Kook in unison again. That crazy guy, of course. Director Kook, angry at the misunderstanding and threat to the Special Department employee’s life, glared menacingly at the others in the room.“Everyone listen up. The only one who can decide if Han Jemyung lives or dies is me. Han Jemyung can only die in front of me.”* * *In my novel, the male protagonist appearing at the moment of crisis to save the main character happened twice per episode. With about 100 episodes published, that’s roughly 200 times. Plus, the small helps and support during conversations are countless. It might seem excessive, but it’s a virtue and basic quality of a male protagonist in a romance novel. Such warnings are as common as investigations.‘Only I can love Wi Siwoo!’The same words, minus one word, echoed in reality. In my novel, the protagonist Siwoo blushed and placed a hand on his racing heart. I had a similar reaction. My face turned red with embarrassment, and my heart pounded with shame. Damn it, I won’t die in front of you. But it wasn’t the right time to express my frustration.“You’re all in cahoots, aren’t you? Director Kook, you never intended to fulfill the contract, did you?”“You didn’t either. But the difference between you and me is that you left obvious evidence, and I’m a genius.”An unexpected boast hit hard. Many frowned, but Clicker and I remained calm. The chairman’s son took the bait, suffering minor damage.“What evidence?”“You caused the power outage at the mansion last night.”“Don’t be ridiculous.”“CCTV caught your people in the act.”The chairman’s son laughed incredulously.“The CCTV was already broken before the incident…”The chairman’s son paused, realizing his mistake. He quickly composed himself and added.“Don’t misunderstand. I found out the CCTV was broken while investigating what happened last night.”“Mister. The CCTV server was destroyed during the commotion last night. What were you investigating?”“Stored separately by the security company…”“If there’s an issue at the power plant, the related footage is automatically secured and can’t be accessed without the Special Department. No matter how much money you spend, you can’t get it before the Special Department. Did the Special Agents give you the data?”The chairman’s son, annoyed at being caught in a simple trap, raised his chin.“If that’s true, you’re the liar. What did the CCTV show?”“Your people. Oh, I installed that CCTV. That’s why I was a bit late last night.”The chairman’s son’s eyes widened.“Manager Hong, give all the evidence to the Special Agent.”Yangsimless ordered and pointed to the chairman’s son for Special Agent 2.“He deliberately blew up the power plant and released E-grade Heartless into the world. Take him away. Keeping him here will only disrupt the conversation.”The chairman’s son shouted in surprise, but the Special Agents were faster. They contacted someone via radio, and the police came in to take the chairman’s son away. As he was being taken out, he shouted the typical rich man’s lines, “Let go, do you know who I am?” and cursed at Yangsimless.“You bastard, what the hell are you doing?!”“Now’s not the time for villainous questions. Think about your situation. From the looks of things, the chairman will be confirmed to have dementia. You won’t get any inheritance. Do you know your biggest mistake in this?”Yangsimless sneered at him.“Trying to hire the great me when you’re a pauper.”The chairman’s son’s face turned red with anger, and he shouted. But the door closed, leaving only Yangsimless with a sly smile. He turned to the chairman’s daughter.“Now, all the inheritance is yours. The remaining payment will be deposited on the day the inheritance is finalized.”I finally understood why Yangsimless didn’t bring the chairman’s head to the table. He switched to the side that paid more. The chairman’s daughter would lose a significant portion of her inheritance, but she wasn’t upset. Her focus was on one thing. She calmly asked Special Agent 2.“What will you do? My father is a dementia Heartless, but if he’s not a research priority as the Special Department employee said, there’s no need to take his head.”“I agree.”Special Agent 2 acknowledged, and the chairman’s daughter sighed in relief. She looked up at Yangsimless.“Now that it’s over, bring my father. I need to see if he’s okay.”“No.”“No…?”“Yeah. Like your brother, you should go to prison.”The chairman’s daughter stood up abruptly.“Don’t act on your own! Bring my father!”She shouted, but Yangsimless complained to Special Agent 2, pointing at her.“What are you doing? Arrest her.”“If you take me now, you won’t get what you want. I need to see my father to be reassured and give you what you want.”Special Agent 2 glanced at Yangsimless, then shook his head.“It’s best not to see your father, ma’am.”“Why…”“Do you want to show your current self to a father who only remembers his 5-year-old daughter?”The chairman’s daughter hesitated but firmly demanded with trembling lips.“Show me my father.”“The chairman is Heartless. If found, he’ll be killed immediately. Heartless are killed on sight. This is non-negotiable. Do you want to see your father die in front of you?”The chairman’s daughter’s hands and arms trembled. She looked at the two men in disbelief.“I just want to see my father briefly. Before he dies…”“If the chairman recognizes you as his daughter, the dementia Heartless hypothesis might be discarded.”“……”“Wait at the end of the hallway with the police. You can see the chairman from a distance as he enters this room.”A moment later, the chairman’s daughter, looking like she had lost everything, left. Yangsimless finally told Clicker to bring the chairman. Left were Yangsimless, now a quasi-tycoon, the Special Agents who had scored a big case, and me, who would be stuck with reports for 2-3 days. The siblings who caused the mess were gone, but a subtle psychological battle between the hunter and the Special Department filled the room. On top of that, Special Agent 1 tried to divide us.“Mr. Han Jemyung, thank you for your hard work. You were supporting the Special Department as a cooperative employee?”“Yes.”“Come to the Special Department today. Visit our department too.”This extended my report period to 4-5 days. I made a timid protest.“If you request my report from the Special Department, they’ll share it immediately.”“Reading it and hearing it directly are different. It’s better to get it over with quickly.”“I’m not feeling well today and would like to rest…”