* * *
“We’re having lunch with one more person.”
“Who?”
“Hunter Na Hongju.”
“Why the three of you?”
Baek Gunho’s relentless persistence was typical of him.
I should have avoided getting caught in the first place.
But when Baek Gunho decided to come all the way here, of all times, I couldn’t avoid talking to him…
Before offering a detailed explanation, I checked my surroundings.
There was no one around, but you never know.
This wasn’t the place for such a conversation.
“Let’s talk in the car.”
“Fine.”
Baek Gunho nodded reluctantly, his expression still disapproving.
Once we were seated in the car, Baek Gunho turned to face me instead of grabbing the steering wheel.
“So? What is it?”
“Remember when the dungeon break happened? I helped Na Hongju back then. She wanted to thank me and asked how she could repay me, so I just told her to buy me a meal.”
“A home-cooked meal?”
“No way. Do you think I’d ask for food because I was starving?”
“You might.”
Ridiculous.
“You said you were suspicious of Kanghoon, right? If the investigation isn’t giving results, sometimes it’s better to approach directly and probe for information. Having a meal together seemed like a good opportunity to get closer.”
“That’s dangerous.”
Of course, he’d say that.
I already expected him to oppose it, so I wasn’t even surprised.
“Kanghoon is a C-rank, isn’t he? How is a C-rank a threat to me?”
“He’s part of the Baekmyeon Sect. He might’ve approached you with an ulterior motive from the start.”
“That’s possible, but—”
“But?”
Baek Gunho’s voice turned sharp, almost growling.
He looked ready to yell something drastic, like locking me up for my own safety.
“But can we really just sit still like this? If we wait until something happens, it’ll be too late. It’s already suspicious how quiet things have been.”
“…”
Baek Gunho fell silent. I was sure he had been mulling over similar concerns.
It had been a while since Jaehee showed up and spewed nonsense in front of me.
At first, I was on high alert, worried that Jaehee or the Black Sea Guild might make a move.
But oddly enough, there’d been no news whatsoever.
Usually, the ones being targeted get more anxious than the ones doing the targeting.
Maybe they were dragging things out to loosen our vigilance.
Either way, I was the one exposed while they remained hidden, putting us at a disadvantage.
“The longer this drags on, the worse it gets. If you’re that worried, why don’t you wait nearby when we meet?”
“I waited nearby last time and still, you ended up trapped in a dungeon.”
A factual attack.
It wasn’t my fault, but it was true that I had a tendency to end up in unforeseen accidents.
“But Na Hongju will be there. He’s a B-rank Hunter and recently gained a lot of fame. If someone tried to pull something with him around and got caught, it’d turn into a huge mess.”
“What if Na Hongju’s in on it?”
“I don’t think he is.”
“Why not?”
Baek Gunho’s gaze turned fierce, as if I’d said something absurd.
“Because you said Na Hongju was trustworthy. I trust your judgment.”
“…”
“You don’t suspect him either, do you? You’re just trying to stop me for my own good.”
Baek Gunho scowled.
He wasn’t one to lie.
And since his assessments were usually accurate, I had no reason to doubt him.
“This isn’t something you should handle.”
“It’s my business, so I should deal with it.”
Taking charge of my own affairs—wasn’t that how it should be?
But Baek Gunho, who seemed to think of me as someone he needed to protect, clearly disagreed.
His long sighs said it all.
“Sigh… I should’ve prevented you from being identified in the first place.”
“Well, it’s too late now.”
“It’s not too late.”
“The other side came prepared. Protecting just me wasn’t going to solve everything. Besides, they have a clairvoyant.”
“A clairvoyant…”
Baek Gunho muttered ominously.
“We should’ve found them and killed them earlier.”
“That’s terrifying, you know.”
“If you’re scared of this, why do you keep pushing your luck?”
“I’m not scared. Happy?”
Annoying as ever, nitpicking about everything.
Instead of responding, Baek Gunho stared straight ahead at a blank wall, lost in thought.
Normally, he’d dismiss my plans outright, but the fact that he was even considering them was progress.
Letting him think, I replayed my earlier interaction with Kanghoon.
Kanghoon didn’t seem like someone who approached me on Baekmyeon Sect’s orders.
He was far too friendly.
Besides, I’d initiated the meal meeting.
At first, he’d even tried to compensate me materially. It could all be an act, of course, but his approach felt genuine.
Still, new orders could come at any time.
But if I were Kanghoon, I’d be cautious.
They had only just dealt with Shin Chaeyoung.
Taking another life so soon would draw too much attention.
After a long pause, Baek Gunho finally spoke.
“Do it your way.”
“…Seriously?”
I expected another string of objections, not this easy agreement.
“But I’m coming with you.”
“Sure.”
That was within expectations.
“And wear a tracker.”
“Fine, fine.”
It didn’t matter whether I knew about it or not.
“Take a bug too.”
“Got it.”
What, so he could listen in on everything?
It might be a bit nerve-wracking, but I could live with it.
“Trust me. I’ll handle this.”
Baek Gunho snorted at my confidence.
“I’m only letting this happen because I think nothing will come of it.”
“What? You were adamantly against it earlier, saying it was too dangerous.”
“I was trying to stop you. The other side is lying low right now—they won’t act recklessly.”
Ridiculous. He always opposed anything I suggested. Was it just a habit at this point?
“The odds of Kanghoon knowing about you are slim. Only a select few know the details. I doubt he’s been informed.”
“That was my guess too.”
The Baekmyeon Sect was vast. If everyone knew, this silence would’ve been impossible.
Secrets were harder to keep with more people involved.
And if it were me, I wouldn’t tell the average follower.
Imagine how disappointed they’d be to learn their supposed deity was just some mundane office worker who didn’t even believe in the Baekmyeon Sect.
“There’s no need for you to get involved. I’ll take care of it, so don’t cause trouble.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t go poking around or mentioning the Baekmyeon Sect recklessly.”
“Obviously. Do you think I’d say, ‘Hey, what’s your relationship with the Baekmyeon Sect?’ Come on.”
Baek Gunho launched into another round of nagging about the Baekmyeon Sect, its dangers, and so on.
“You seem to know a lot about them,” I remarked.
He shot me a glare, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.
But he finally admitted, “I planted someone inside.”
“Who?”
“Han Ahreum.”
“Should I know who that is?”
“Look it up.”
The name felt oddly familiar. Curious, I pulled up a search.
The moment I saw her profile, I recognized her.
A well-known actress with numerous roles to her name.
But that wasn’t the only reason she stuck out to me.
At one point, she was involved in a significant scandal with Baek Gunho, even listed in online communities as one of Baek Gunho’s so-called “ex-girlfriends.”
Of course, I knew well enough that the so-called list was utter nonsense…
Instead of overthinking, I looked at Han Areum’s face again.
She was a beautiful person.
…No, I’m still wasting my thoughts.
“But is it okay for a celebrity to infiltrate a cult?”
“That’s for Han Areum to decide.”
“You’re so cold…”
“We’re working together because it benefits both of us. Don’t let your imagination run wild.”
“I wasn’t imagining things.”
Well, I wasn’t imagining things per se.
It just felt… awkward, considering she was the person he had a scandal with.
The scandal with Han Areum had undeniable photographic evidence.
There was a photo of her stepping out of Baek Gunho’s car, and another time, she had gone out of her way to meet him after he cleared a dungeon.
At the time, Baek Gunho explained that it was just business.
Of course, people didn’t really believe him.
Knowing the circumstances now, it seemed like they met privately to maintain confidentiality.
“Doesn’t her involvement raise suspicions when she’s working with you?”
“When rumors about us dating spread, Han Areum deliberately leaked my information to Baekmyeon Sect.”
So they must think Han Areum used Baek Gunho.
The Baekmyeon Sect probably believes he fell for a woman and got played…
“Is that enough of an explanation for you?”
“It’s not really an explanation… but you’ll handle it, I guess.”
“Don’t lie. You were worried about it.”
“No, I wasn’t…”
“Don’t worry. You know I only have you.”
I flinched at his words.
What the heck?
What’s with that strange statement?
Do friends even say things like that to each other?
…Well, maybe not in other friendships, but we do.
It’s not that weird.
Probably.
But considering what happened yesterday, and the conversation we had this morning, saying something so cheesy feels a bit… off.
Maybe it’s just my imagination.
* * *
Trust your instincts bby