* * *

“What is it?”

Doyoung flinched, but only for a brief moment.

He quickly composed his expression and feigned indifference as he asked.

“Don’t bother calculating. I’ll pay.”

He internally sighed in relief at what Beom Sinje had said.

‘Ah… he hasn’t noticed.’

When his wrist had been grabbed, Doyoung was genuinely startled, worried that Beom Sinje might have figured out what was going on.

No matter how much he had already exposed himself—embarrassing moments and all—this was different.

He didn’t want his current state to be discovered in broad daylight, especially not in a public place.

“I won’t. You’re the one who dragged me here, saying you’d buy lunch. So why would I?”

Doyoung deliberately sounded more petulant as he yanked his arm free from Beom Sinje’s grip.

Thankfully, Beom Sinje didn’t seem to find it strange and released him quietly.

Even so, his gaze lingered on Doyoung’s face, refusing to let go.

“What? Why?”

“Nothing.”

Doyoung snorted dramatically and began walking again.

Inside, he rolled his tongue against the roof of his mouth, pretending to be unaffected while carefully controlling his pace.

‘It must be my imagination… feeling like his gaze is still following me from behind.’

As he walked down the corridor, he could feel the persistent heat pooling in his lower abdomen.

Clenching and unclenching his fists, he struggled to steady himself.

He bit his tongue repeatedly, trying to remain composed.

When he encountered an employee in the hallway, a new wave of tension surged through him.

Fortunately, the staff member merely offered a polite smile and a nod without asking where he was headed.

For that, Doyoung was thankful.

‘I can’t risk stepping outside and raising suspicion.’

He needed to find a suitable place where no one would come looking.

While pondering his options, a sign for a smoking area caught his eye.

He opened the door slightly and peeked outside.

Confirming the area was empty, he stepped inside, positioning himself where he could still see the entrance.

Just in case someone appeared, he wanted to be able to notice immediately.

From there, he pulled out his smartphone and made a call.

—Hello, Secretary Na. How’s your health?

“Thanks to you, I’m fine. Actually, I’m calling to ask about the boss monster from this time.”

Responding briefly to Joo Taekwon’s greeting, Doyoung got straight to the point.

—Ah, you’re calling about that? Perfect timing. I was about to contact the Guild Master since the analysis results came in today.

“Results?”

—Yes.

“Why don’t you tell me? I’ll relay it since I’m with him.”

—Oh, is that so? Very well. First, about the toxicity: it seems to remain effective for a week to ten days at most.

Joo Taekwon began by addressing what Doyoung wanted to know most.

“Does it cause consistent symptoms throughout that period?”

—Hmm? Could you specify what symptoms you mean?

Doyoung’s lips parted but quickly shut again, his gaze fixed on a single point.

‘It doesn’t seem to calm down at all.’

If anything, it was becoming increasingly obvious—enough for anyone who glanced his way to notice his heightened state.

‘Why on earth is this happening?’

This wasn’t part of the original storyline.

The novel merely described the S-rank dungeon boss monster as having vampiric traits, along with poison containing mild hallucinogenic and aphrodisiac properties.

Of course, in the original story, the S-rank dungeon raid had been far more intense and dangerous.

The government had faced public backlash for the mutated dungeon incident, and Beom Sinje had lost public trust.

As a result, he participated in the raid burdened with the heavy responsibility of making up for past failures.

However, the other hunters had been openly hostile toward him, refusing to cooperate, which led to numerous casualties.

‘They lost dozens of hunters, and even the survivors were severely injured.’

The story hadn’t delved into the exact effects of the toxin, though.

If Doyoung had known it would cause such an awkward situation, he would have looked into it earlier.

‘Is this really that hard to say out loud?’

Since transmigrating, he had rarely hesitated to speak his mind.

Not even when Beom Sinje had uncovered his secret.

If anything, he had felt relieved then—hopeful even.

The end was finally approaching. He would soon sever his ties with the suffocating system and could finally watch Beom Sinje’s rise to glory from the sidelines in peace.

‘Explaining myself when he grabbed me by the collar was easier than this.’

Doyoung let out a deep sigh. He couldn’t understand how things had veered so off course.

All he wanted was a quiet, retired life spent fangirling over his favorite character from up close while keeping himself alive.

Joo Taekwon’s voice brought him back to reality.

—Does the medicine not work? Or are there other symptoms you’re experiencing?

Reflecting on the chaotic day so far, Doyoung wondered if the medicine was simply ineffective.

However, before he could respond, one part of Joo Taekwon’s words caught his attention.

“Other symptoms? What exactly do you mean?”

—Based on the analysis, the boss monster’s venom doesn’t just relax muscles to incapacitate its target—it also contains components that induce arousal.

“I’m aware of that.”

More than aware.

It wasn’t just mild; it was intense—enough to make his nerve endings tingle unpleasantly.

—Additionally, the boss monster has been identified as male.

“Male?”

The image of the boss monster flashed in Doyoung’s mind: its grotesque maw, razor-sharp fangs, piercing screeches, and wiry body.

No matter how he looked at it, it hadn’t seemed masculine.

—Yes. So, to neutralize the toxin within your body… um, well…

Joo Taekwon’s voice took on an awkward, embarrassed tone.

Doyoung frowned, wondering why he was hesitating.

—I was planning to discuss this with the Guild Master, but you happened to call at just the right time.

Joo Taekwon’s roundabout way of speaking only deepened Doyoung’s frustration.

“What is it? Just say it.”

Unable to hold back, Doyoung urged him impatiently.

As he did, a faint sound caught his attention.

The door to the smoking area creaked open slightly.

‘Is someone coming?’

Keeping his gaze fixed on the door, Doyoung waited. Finally, Joo Taekwon spoke again.

—As I mentioned, the boss monster is male. So, if the medication doesn’t work, the most effective way to counteract the toxin is through direct stimulation. However, due to the monster’s nature, simply reaching climax won’t be enough.

A piercing gaze settled on Doyoung.

It was searching, probing, as if trying to uncover something, yet carried a strange, indescribable undertone.

On the other end of the phone, Joo Taekwon’s explanation continued.

—This is purely professional medical advice, so please don’t take it the wrong way.

Uncharacteristically careful, Joo Taekwon’s words barely registered with Doyoung.

Because Beom Sinje was slowly approaching.

Strangely, it felt like being stalked by a predator, each step deliberate and intimidating.

His entire body tensed, his pulse quickened, and his senses sharpened to an almost painful degree.

—It’s only a theory, but it seems the venom can only be neutralized by absorbing male fluids internally.

“…What?”

* * *