CH-039

After the incident at dawn, Jang Yi-jung had briefly killed time nearby and returned in the morning.

"Don't worry about the details, just stay here until tomorrow morning."

Because Seo Shin-woo had said so the day before. But when he actually returned to the room, Seo Shin-woo wasn't there.

So he lay alone on the bed and lounged around. He dozed off while waiting, and when he came to his senses at some point, he was inside the gate.

Instead of moving directly, Jang Yi-jung used the monster he had with him to scout inside the hotel.

Sensing the presence of monsters and taming them. That was his ability. However, direct contact with the target was the condition for taming...

Among the monsters that had entered with him, the only one usable in the current situation was the vampiric creature. There was also a bird-shaped monster, but since they were trapped indoors, it was highly likely to be spotted. Moreover, since it couldn't use its front paws, it was inconvenient for following stealthily. Therefore, he had no choice but to use the vampiric creature.

When the connection weakened even briefly, the monsters acted according to their instincts. Whenever Jang Yi-jung was lost in thought for a moment, the vampiric creature hovered around humans exuding the scent of blood. Because of that, he was quickly caught while spying on the two people.

Perhaps because he had been using monsters that closely resembled animals all this time, he lacked the awareness that he was controlling a monster.

It even went so far as to act like a pet monster to Seo Shin-woo, who approached it, far from attacking.

"......"

Jang Yi-jung pushed bread into his mouth and fell into thought. Since earlier, stray thoughts had welled up to the point where the connection blurred several times. He had learned this by eavesdropping on the conversation between Yeom Ha-jae and Seo Shin-woo.

'Seo Shin-woo is not normal.'

He understood part of what Yeom Ha-jae said. Although Jang Yi-jung had other intentions, looking only at the facts that occurred, Jang Yi-jung had indeed pinned Seo Shin-woo down. Even with a hundred concessions, it was not a 'normal conversation'.

But to brush off such an incident as nothing.

'It's not the sensibility of an ordinary person.'

He recalled Seo Shin-woo, who had instead pulled at his hand as it was about to fall away.

'...He did seem accustomed to that kind of treatment.'

The drunk Seo Shin-woo acted as if offering his body to others was no big deal.

Usually, he was a man who dressed himself up to the fullest. He was well aware of how he looked to others. It didn't seem like he could utter weak complaints, even if his pride was wounded.

Jang Yi-jung rolled the object in his hand with an expressionless face.

It was a wristwatch.

It was what he had received as a gift from Seo Shin-woo yesterday. Between the clinking sounds of metal, he seemed to hear the ticking of the second hand, which couldn't possibly be heard.

"Hmm..."

Jang Yi-jung stared piercingly at the watch. As if trying to find some hidden device.

But he knew. That no device was hidden.

'A birthday present... he said it was.'

Jang Yi-jung didn't wear the watch, but put it in his pocket just as it was in the box.

After lying down looking at the ceiling, he closed his eyes again and began searching for a familiar presence. The figures of the two people are drawn in the black vision.

***

The monster, which had been quietly draped over my shoulder, suddenly straightened its head.

"Kkieeek!"

"?"

Then it hissed at the empty air and trembled all over. It was a seizure-like act.

'Did it eat something wrong?'

I lifted Whitey up with both hands. I wasn't sure, but I intended to at least pat its back.

But after patting its back a few times, its movements suddenly stopped.

"Huh?"

"......"

I gently shook the limp body.

Flash!

Whitey, which had been unresponsive, snapped its eyes open. Sparkling red pupils were revealed.

"...Kkik?"

The monster tilted its head. It was blinking gently, as if wondering what had happened.

"You surprised me."

I thought it was dead. Contrary to my worry, Whitey swiftly slipped out of my hands. Seeing its rat-like quick movements, it seemed like catching it and putting it in a jewelry box would be more reassuring. That was originally why I brought it along anyway.

'But... it won't stay still.'

After I tried to catch it once and missed, perhaps it caught on, as it dodged my touch like a ghost. After that, I had no choice but to let it roam free.

Anyway, confirming it was nothing serious, I turned my gaze. Yeom Ha-jae, who had gone into his room alone, poked his head out.

"Hyung, what are you doing outside? Please come in quickly."

"Then excuse me."

The structure was similar to the room I was staying in. There was almost no luggage inside, so there was nothing to observe.

"Did you check the detector?"

"Yes, the needle points to the outside, but..."

A dungeon detector. An expensive item worth tens of billions for a single small machine popped out of Yeom Ha-jae's pocket.

The detector had a long hexahedron inside a transparent circle. Following the tilted direction of the hexahedron would lead to the core. As Yeom Ha-jae said, the hexahedron was pointing downwards, but the tip was tilted diagonally, so it seemed we had to go outside the hotel anyway.

"First, we have to do something about the protective wall."

After roughly looking around, I perched on the bed, but something stuck to my hand. It was a bandage. It was a common item, but the shape with blood on the inside was somewhat familiar.

'It must have fallen off while I was lying down yesterday...'

I might have been lying on Yeom Ha-jae's bed much longer than I thought.

'It's still unsettling.'

I immediately called Yeom Ha-jae.

"Hunter-nim, do you happen to have more bandages?"

"Yes. Should I give you some?"

"I'd appreciate it if you would."

After rustling about for a moment, Yeom Ha-jae turned to look at me and was startled.

"Wha, what are you doing?"

"I'm taking off my clothes."

"So why..."

Silently, I unbuttoned my shirt all the way. Of course, I had no intention of taking it all off. I opened my shirt to expose my chest.

"My chest is itchy."

"...!"

"I think it will be okay if I put a bandage on it."

While speaking, I observed Yeom Ha-jae's reaction. An earthquake was happening in his pupils.

"Hunter-nim?"

"...Here it is."

Approaching with creaking steps, he held out the bandage without meeting my eyes. It was close enough to reach if I stretched out my hand, but I didn't take it right away.

"Since this morning, one side of my chest has been itchy."

"Th-that must be bothersome..."

"Want to guess which side is itchy?"

"...?"

He would know right away if he looked. Because clearly only one side was congested. But Yeom Ha-jae absolutely did not turn his eyes.

'It's strange that someone this easily embarrassed would secretly suck someone else's chest... But not being able to look at another man's chest this much is also suspicious in a way.'

To confirm, instead of taking the bandage, I grabbed Yeom Ha-jae's hand.

"Won't you look at it? I'm worried that hyung's chest might have gotten inflamed."

"It looks fine."

"Haha, tell me after you look."

Yeom Ha-jae creakily turned his eyes.

"It looks fine."

"Put the bandage on for me. My hand hurts so I can't move."

I raised my right hand, which had been bitten by Whitey. As a result of Yeom Ha-jae's fussing, a bandage was wrapped up to my wrist.

"......"

Yeom Ha-jae completely froze. As I brazenly smiled as if I would wait until he put it on, he slowly bent down in front of me.

'He's actually doing it.'

I had expected him to feel guilty and confess. He silently squeezed ointment from his pocket and spread it in a circle on my chest. When the cold ointment touched my swollen chest, it felt strange.

"......"

"......"

An awkward atmosphere for saying anything more had developed. It was because Yeom Ha-jae was being unnecessarily serious.

As I watched quietly, he tore open the bandage. Then, with a solemn face, he sticks the bandage on the glistening chest.

"It seems like it'll fall off..."

Yeom Ha-jae, who had been staring blankly at my chest, muttered to himself and then smacked over the bandage.

Smack!

"......"

"...Huhk."

Despite being the one who hit, Yeom Ha-jae inhaled as if he had been hit himself.

"S-sorry."

"Has a nice feel to it, right?"

"No. Ah, no, I don't mean it's bad..."

Yeom Ha-jae hurriedly raised his body.

"I'll wait outside...!"

He grabbed the sword leaning against the wall. Then he passed me and left the room.

"Sss, confusing..."

It felt like trying to sound him out only gave me the unpleasant experience of getting my chest hit for nothing. I straightened my clothes and followed Yeom Ha-jae out of the room.

We began walking quietly down the illuminated corridor. Come to think of it, the upper floors had lights on, as if electricity was being supplied. Maybe the problem wasn't with the emergency power itself, but with the lower floor power grid.

With the lights on, Yeom Ha-jae was pretending to diligently examine the surroundings. To be honest, it was obvious he was consciously turning away from me. Perhaps because of what happened in the room earlier, a different awkward silence from before flowed.

Yeom Ha-jae, who had been constantly fidgeting, opened his mouth.

"Uh, come to think of it, it's strange."

"?"

"Director Kim... said he was staying on the top floor, but the top floor is here."

It was a topic to blatantly divert attention. The intention was obvious, but I decided to play along with his effort.

"He must have misspoken. Right now, even in the lobby, it says the 30th floor is the top."

Seemingly not quite convinced, Yeom Ha-jae tilted his head.

"Right..."

A face that seemed to be thinking, 'Could someone misspeak about that?'

Still, I was relieved that he at least accepted it and moved on.

There was the option to just tell him the truth, but I had a reason to lie.

'...I threw up a lot yesterday.'

The top floor, meaning the penthouse floor the Director used.

That room was likely left with a lot of unpleasant traces.

I didn't know how much the room had been tidied up... In the worst case, if the room hadn't been cleaned at all and yesterday's traces remained intact.

I couldn't know what kind of reaction Yeom Ha-jae would have upon seeing the messy traces.

'Like running to the police station, saying the cooperation with the druggie never happened.'

Anyway, it seemed like it would be troublesome. This was intuition.

After that, we headed to my room without much conversation. We passed by the room with its door torn off. Because of the dawn incident, my room location had been temporarily moved. I rummaged through my pocket and took out the card.

But.

"—."

"......"

Hesitation.

"Hyung?"

"Shh."

I quickly raised my palm. Yeom Ha-jae, understanding the signal, shut his mouth and drew his sword.

Holding my breath, I listened to the situation inside the room.

A presence was definitely felt from inside the room. The person inside also seemed to have noticed us, as their movements stopped.

"......"

I expected there would be more people awake, but.

'No way... Jang Yi-jung?'

I glanced back at Yeom Ha-jae. Yeom Ha-jae also looked at me with a stiff face. It would be troublesome if the two met right now.

Yeom Ha-jae had the detector, and there wasn't much stuff to pack anyway. It was better to retreat here for now...

Just as I was about to persuade Yeom Ha-jae and turn around.

Bang!

The room door opened.