Chapter 131

Joo Seowon looked baffled, like he didn’t get it.

“Why Do Yehyun?”

“He’s into secrets. Stuff only two people know... that kind of thing. He mentioned it in passing last time, and he liked that you didn’t know.”

“...What?”

“Beats me.”

Do Yehyun’s standard was still a mystery. Was sharing personal stuff good on its own? Couldn’t say I understood that mindset.

Of course, this wasn’t even a real secret.

If you counted the beast in my hand as a secret, sure—but making a thing out of whether I drink or not was ridiculous.

Seowon asked again, still not buying it.

“So you and Do Yehyun made your reason for not drinking... into a secret? Why?”

“It’s not that deep. It wasn’t a big deal to begin with, he just liked it on his own.”

“...”

I wondered if he was enjoying his alone time. It was the first time we’d left the place empty with just the two of us gone.

The messages I’d ignored from earlier had kept coming in at intervals.

Did you get back okay?

I got off work early today

Make sure you eat

Don’t... do anything dangerous

A neat run from report to worry. Since he’d crossed my mind, I checked and fired off a quick reply when Seowon spoke again.

“What are you... even doing with Do Yehyun?”

“What?”

Doing what, my ass. I ignored the nonsense and sent him a rough got it.

“I mean, he...”

He started like he had something to say, then clamped his mouth shut.

“Why?”

I tossed my phone onto the bed, unbuttoned my shirt, and prodded him to continue.

‘Time to wash up and sleep.’

Even after a bit, he didn’t say anything.

‘What the hell?’

Was that the end of it? Fine. I left him be and headed into the bathroom to get it over with.

—

When I stepped back out after a shower, he was sitting on the bed, absentmindedly fidgeting with his clothes.

“What are you doing? Go wash.”

“...”

Even if he said he was fine, the schedule had been tight. I hung the towel on the chair and glanced at him—no intention of moving.

He tracked my movements with his eyes, then stood up without a word.

Before killing the lights, I sat on the bed and skimmed a couple headlines on my phone.

News│Gate ranks keep rising; calls for countermeasures grow

(photo.jpg)

Δ Interview on-site with Gate special expert Dr. Gi Cheoljun.

The Gate Special Response Team—aka the Special Response Team, which handles Gate incidents—announced that the number of Gates has surged this year. And it wasn’t just quantity.

There were seven C-rank-and-above Gates in a single week. Two of those were A-rank. Compared to last year’s distribution, the numbers have clearly jumped.

Dr. Gi Cheoljun warned this could herald a “second Upheaval.” He presented analysis that “the mana levels of recent Gates have become distinctly unstable compared to previous ones.”

‘Yeah, the timing lines up.’

The year was about to turn; Gate mana rising made sense. In other words, Kwon Taehan’s regression point was getting close.

The one fuzzy part was that I had more autonomy now. At this rate, I’d run into him with a garbage body, nowhere near B-rank, which wasn’t exactly ideal.

‘For how many dungeons I’ve run, the returns aren’t great.’

I scrolled past that piece and opened another. Nothing else worth flagging—just more about Im Haekyung clearing Gates.

With the high-rank Gates popping off nonstop, he was in the news almost daily: clearing A-ranks, running Haeseong, showing up at domestic and international meetings.

‘Would be nice to see him in person soon.’

Right then, perfect timing—Seowon came out of the bathroom. I glanced at his damp hair and tossed out,

“Sleep?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

He sat on the bed towel-drying his hair. I turned off the lights, leaving a small one on.

He rustled beside me for a while, then went completely quiet. I didn’t often sleep in the same room as someone else—even accounting for different bed setups—but lately I’d been doing all kinds of things I didn’t used to.

The grind of the day faded into that ordinary post-battle slackness. Unfinished business nagged at me, but first things first: sleep.

No point clinging to what I couldn’t fix right now.

***

The next morning, we were up early and moving fast.

My phone had piled up with Do Yehyun’s report-and-reply chain from last night. I skimmed the obvious stuff and woke Seowon first.

“Seowon.”

“...Mm.”

I kneaded the back of his neck and his body scrunched up.

“Up. We gotta go.”

“Ugh, sleepy...”

“Stick to the schedule and sleep when we get back.”

He looked more tired than I expected. I hadn’t exactly overworked him. Maybe he’d slept badly.

‘Seemed quiet enough.’

No noise overnight. Still, new bed—fair enough.

I shoved the zombie into the bathroom and changed. I’d planned a quick breakfast, but we’d woken later than expected, so we’d probably have to skip it.

Once he was done, I hurried him along and we headed to meet Kang Sojeong. He kept silent the whole way. Not his usual, so he must’ve been pretty beat.

I kneaded my brow awake and asked,

“Any reply?”

“Reply?”

“Wang Tiansin.”

“Oh.”

The more I thought about running into her yesterday, the more it stuck with me. She’d dropped hints; I’d expected at least a response. But Seowon’s answer was unexpected.

“She read it, but didn’t reply.”

“Yeah?”

I figured she’d at least trade a few words, even if not to set something up.

‘Can’t be helped. I’ll find another opening to make contact.’

Whatever he saw on my face, he added slowly,

“...If she replies, I’ll tell you right away.”

“Okay. And if she doesn’t... it is what it is.”

At the café we’d picked, a familiar face showed up soon after. Spotting us, Kang Sojeong strode over and dropped into the seat opposite, eyes flicking between us.

“Good morning.”

At my brief greeting, her eyes narrowed.

“You look tired.”

“Maybe because we traveled a ways.”

“You said you live two hours out...”

I shrugged, and she cut the small talk and went straight for business.

“Did you get it?”

“Yes.”

I wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries either. I put the Space-Saving Box on the table.

“Price?”

“Reasonable hammer price. 191,000. In yuan.”

“...Better than I thought. Can I pay now and—”

“No chance.”

I pulled the box back to my side before she even finished.

She clicked her tongue with a wry grin.

“I wasn’t going to run off with it.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Doesn’t seem like you do.”

Like hell she wasn’t. From what I’d seen, she was exactly the type to bolt with the item. Realizing I didn’t trust her, she sighed.

“Then when do I get it? Judging by your attitude, you didn’t see what you wanted yesterday.”

“Right.”

I kept it short and thought a moment.

It had bugged me since yesterday—did she know the entire auction lineup?

‘How?’

I watched her for a beat, then asked,

“Do you know the lineup for the items?”

“...Not all of ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) it.”

So, some of it. She hedged, and the usually quiet Seowon chimed in.

“How’d you find out?”

There was a hint of interest in his voice. Not just curiosity—more like cautious appraisal.

‘Guess you pick these things up keeping him close.’

I focused on them, amused. She glanced at him and answered readily.

“Insider info.”

“Mm...”

He’d bought from an insider too.

‘Lucky draw gone wrong, then.’

She paused, then added,

“No... to be precise, not a regular insider. I stole a lineup that some of the VVIPs received.”

“Oh...”

That was enough to warrant a background check. Instead of replying, Seowon stayed quiet, then asked,

“...You stole it?”

“From one of the VVIP attendants. They probably don’t even know it’s missing. I only know a few key things, anyway. What are you after?”

No reason to hide it now.

“You know Hunter Tae Hyunjin.”

“Aha.”

She nodded, pulling one corner of her mouth.

“Good. That one’s today.”

Exactly what I wanted to hear. I hadn’t wanted to attend through the last day.

“Oh, that is good.”

I tossed in a brief comment, and then, out of nowhere, the usually quiet Seowon asked,

“By the way, do you know the name of that VVIP?”

“Hm? I do.”

“The name is...?”

Had he been stuck on that since earlier? The bad intel from yesterday must’ve rattled him a bit.

She stared at him, then said,

“Will it ring a bell if you hear it?”

“Heh... probably.”

I was ready to tune out—then she said a familiar name.

“Wang Tiansin.”

Well now... that was a hell of a coincidence.