As soon as he stepped aside from the entrance, Kwon Taehyuk entered the office and glanced again at the shattered window. Then, he turned to the secretary waiting in the hallway.
“Contact the restoration team and send them over here. Specialists in building repair.”
“Understood.”
“You really don’t need to bother with that.”
It was obvious why Kwon Taehyuk was calling in a restoration crew. I tried to awkwardly refuse with a small smile, but he simply closed the front door with a look that allowed not even a needle to slip through.
“We can’t leave it like this, can we? Our guild’s restoration team is pretty competent. That level of damage will be restored in under a minute.”
“No, really...”
“If you don’t mind, I’d prefer if we sat down and talked calmly.”
Damn it. He just completely ignored my attempt to decline.
Normally, I wouldn’t mind a rich man’s generosity. But the fact that Kwon Taehyuk had come all the way to my office in person... That made things complicated.
Clearly, he had a reason for coming himself, and if I ended up accepting even this favor, it’d become all the harder to turn down whatever request he was here to make. Though I suspected it was already too late.
‘I should’ve told him I was busy and kicked him out.’
It was my own fault for being flustered when he suddenly showed up and failing to reject him on the spot.
Sighing, I sat down across from him on the sofa. With an indifferent look, I gently patted Cha Sahyeon’s back as she clung to my side, then opened my mouth casually.
“So then, what brings you here? Quite a sudden visit.”
“I apologize for showing up without contacting you in advance.”
Kwon Taehyuk bowed his head respectfully before speaking further after a brief pause.
“In fact, I did try to call several times before arriving, but I couldn’t get through.”
“Ah.”
Only then did I remember the phone I had completely forgotten after cutting off Hyun Dowoon’s call.
I had felt a few vibrations since then, but naturally assumed it was just Dowoon calling back in irritation. Could it have been Kwon Taehyuk?
“I also tried calling a couple of times last night. Were you aware of that?”
“Ah, yes. I noticed the missed calls.”
I had checked the missed calls just before watching the recording of the competition broadcast. They had all come in after 11 p.m. last night.
I’d been unconscious in Cover’s body in the arena at that time, so there was no way I could’ve answered. Honestly, I was glad I didn’t have my phone on me then.
“I was planning to return the call after watching the footage, but, well, as you saw, I had a guest. Didn’t get the chance.”
“That call was...”
Kwon Taehyuk hesitated briefly, then continued.
“I was calling to ask for Hunter Cha Seohu’s help.”
“Help?”
“Yes. A Hunter was seriously injured... We urgently needed a Supporter to treat them.”
...Huh?
I scratched my cheek at his next words. A seriously injured Hunter... Could it be...?
“I needed someone I could trust, and at that moment, the only person who came to mind was Hunter Cha Seohu.”
“...”
Damn. No matter how I looked at it, that was definitely me.
‘I don’t know whether to feel flattered or baffled.’
Perhaps misinterpreting my awkward expression, Kwon Taehyuk gave a brief bow.
“My apologies if it caused you any discomfort.”
“Ahem, no, not at all. Now that I know what the call was about, I’m actually sorry I missed it. Were things resolved in the end?”
“Yes. Fortunately, there were no major issues.”
He answered cleanly, and I found myself looking at him in a new light.
I thought he disliked Cover. For him to reach out to someone he’s not even close with for help... Then again, knowing his upright personality, maybe it wasn’t all that surprising.
‘Still, I’m shocked he hasn’t tried to expose my mask.’
Ryu Sunghyun and the Circle Guild members were naturally good people, so I could understand them. But Kwon Taehyuk? This was unexpected. Wasn’t he always curious about my identity?
Hmm... Maybe his impression of Cover changed recently? I grinned inwardly and asked him in a casual tone.
“So, what brings you here today?”
I was honestly touched that he’d come all this way just out of concern, so my voice came out a bit gentler than before.
But that gentleness didn’t matter—Kwon Taehyuk promptly pulled out a tablet PC with his usual stoic expression. Wait, this atmosphere... felt familiar somehow.
“Are you aware there’s an event at Gyeongbokgung Palace next Wednesday?”
“An event?”
“A well-known brand is hosting a fashion show. Apparently, it’s going to draw quite the crowd.”
He handed me the tablet. The screen showed a frontal image of Gyeongbokgung and the event schedule laid out neatly. I blinked, slightly unimpressed as I read it.
“I vaguely remember seeing something about this in the news. But isn’t it an invitation-only event? Didn’t think it’d have that many people.”
“There’ll be over 300 attendees when you include invited celebrities and models, fashion industry figures, hired staff, security, and event organizers.”
“That’s impressive.”
“And since the event will utilize not only the palace itself but also nearby hotels, the radius of movement is quite large.”
“Huh... I see.”
“Yes.”
“...”
“...”
An awkward silence settled between us. I flipped through the tablet out of politeness, but eventually couldn’t hold back and asked him directly.
“Guildmaster Kwon.”
“Yes?”
“So, what about this event?”
Surely he wasn’t asking me to attend this thing with him. But the moment that thought crossed my mind, he hit me with it.
“If you don’t have any other plans, would you consider ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) attending with me?”
“...Where?”
“The event I just explained, of course.”
“Why would I go there with you?”
I gave a dry laugh, but Kwon Taehyuk calmly pulled something else from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
After the tablet, what he produced was a small white card—barely bigger than a palm. I took it and immediately recognized it as someone’s business card.
‘No company or position listed... Just the person’s name.’
That type of card was usually used by high-profile people whose names alone carried weight.
The name printed on it: Kwak Seunggyu. Nothing special. Never heard of him, never met him.
‘So what’s with this card?’
I flipped it over absently—then froze.
“...!”
At the center of the card was a familiar logo, and my eyes went wide. My heart dropped like a stone, and my blood ran cold.
A black circular shape, slanted like a pill... and English text inside it.
‘Nox Bio...’
How could I ever forget this logo?
My hand trembled as I held the card. Watching my complexion turn pale, Kwon Taehyuk finally spoke.
“It’s one of the business cards I discreetly obtained from the event organizers. Kwak Seunggyu is expected to attend.”
“...So that’s why you want me to go?”
Looking down, I saw Cha Sahyeon clinging close, staring up at me with worried eyes. She’d sensed my sudden shift immediately.
“The research lab where my sister and I were imprisoned. The owner of this card... is involved with that place?”
That Nox Bio logo had shown up countless times during our captivity in the lab.
It wasn’t plastered everywhere openly, but it was subtly printed on the uniforms of the guards and researchers who monitored us.
Even the lab coat worn by the Director every time she appeared—it had that logo too.
If someone’s using a card with that emblem, odds were high they were deeply connected to the lab. Even if it turned out to be a trap, I could at least interrogate Kwak Seunggyu and dig something up.
Never would I have expected Kwon Taehyuk to bring me information tied to the lab. For someone like me, actively hunting their traces, this was a huge opportunity.
‘But still...’
It wasn’t something I could jump into lightly.
Why had Kwon Taehyuk brought this to me? Sure, I was one of the victims rescued during the raid, but that alone didn’t seem enough for him to show me this hand.
And more importantly, I wasn’t in great shape right now.
I had cleanup to do after the competition, and now Kwon Seoyul had appeared, too.
And if this was legit, I had to consider whether I’d go in as myself or as Cover.
This was a golden chance, no doubt. But that’s exactly why I had to tread carefully. I might not get another shot.
“You don’t need to give me an answer right now.”
Seeing me hesitate, lips slightly parted, Kwon Taehyuk added calmly.
“I know I came without notice, and I understand this is difficult for you—considering you were a victim of what they did.”
“...Yeah. It’s honestly a little overwhelming. I’m still not sure why you’re telling me all this.”
“I want to cooperate with you, Hunter Cha Seohu.”
He looked me straight in the eyes, steady and unwavering.
“There will be over 300 people at the venue. Most of them are well-known public figures.”
“...”
“If Kwak Seunggyu were to pull something in the middle of that...”
It would be absolute chaos. I winced at the thought.
“I need your help. If something does go wrong... you’re the only one who could save even a single life.”
He was clearly counting on my support skill, the one capable of large-scale healing. The fact that I didn’t want to reveal it meant nothing to him.
Hundreds of lives versus the secret of one person. There was no question which way the scale would tip.
“I’ll send you the detailed information. Please take your time to think it over and let me know your decision.”
“What if I refuse?”
“Then I’ll accept that. But please don’t forget—if anyone can prevent a disaster, it’s you, Hunter Cha Seohu.”
“Pfft, that’s a lot of pressure. Are you trying to guilt-trip me?”
“I’m just stating the facts.”
His black eyes remained sincere, despite the pressure behind his words.
‘This is driving me nuts.’
Honestly, I wanted to say yes.
He’d helped me multiple times, and this intel was incredibly valuable.
But it wasn’t that simple—I had a lot to weigh.
‘And the biggest problem of all...’
Kwon Seoyul. That bastard definitely wouldn’t stay quiet. Just imagining his smug grin and clingy behavior was already giving me a headache.
A few days had passed since the competition ended. Today, Ryu Sunghyun, summoned to the director’s office, received unexpected news.
“The Yesung Guild... requested a collaboration?”
“Yes.”
Song Jiwoon smiled faintly and handed him a document.
The Yesung Guild’s logo was stamped on the front page. As Ryu Sunghyun turned it over, the contents of the cooperation request came into view. The date: next Wednesday. The location: Gyeongbokgung Palace.
“Interestingly, the Yesung Guild specifically named you in their request.”
Sipping tea leisurely, Song Jiwoon added:
“Probably left out the details, knowing it’d pass through my hands. But from what I can tell, someone connected to the lab is expected to show up at the event. You’ll learn more from Guildmaster Kwon Taehyuk. You remember—the illegal research lab you raided with your team last time.”
“Ah...”
Ryu Sunghyun blinked with a strange expression and clenched the document a little tighter.
The lab. Just hearing the word brought to mind a man with jet-black hair and pale skin.
‘Hunter Cha Seohu...’

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