Cha Sahyeon and Kwon Taehyuk returned to the hospital room about ten minutes later. Kwon Taehyuk, trailing behind the child, looked puzzled when he saw me sitting on the bed alone.
“Where did Hunter Ryu Sunghyun go?”
“Oh, he went back to his guild.”
I’d already managed to calm myself emotionally by then. I spoke while hugging Cha Sahyeon as she came running into my arms. Kwon Taehyuk, staring at me in response to my casual answer, furrowed his brow slightly.
“...Did something happen?”
“No?”
I widened my eyes and tilted my head, pretending not to know. At that, Kwon Taehyuk hesitated, as if it would be awkward to press the issue further, and shifted the topic.
“As long as nothing happened, that’s good. The Supporter is waiting—let’s proceed with your treatment.”
“Okay.”
The Supporter he brought was a B-rank healer.
It wasn’t even a serious injury, and I wasn’t a damage dealer either, so even a C-rank would have sufficed. I couldn’t help but feel a little strange while being treated—it was obvious Kwon Taehyuk had gone out of his way.
‘Even B-rank healers are expensive, aren’t they?’
Not that it matters—it’s not my money. Guess there really are perks to knowing a rich guy.
It was a bit overwhelming, but I didn’t feel guilty or anything. It’s not like I’m that considerate of a person, and I was looking out for Kwon Taehyuk too, in my own way.
The treatment didn’t even take two minutes—it was over in a flash. After sending the Supporter off with a bodyguard, Kwon Taehyuk looked at my now-clear neck and spoke.
“Your meal will arrive shortly. You’ll be discharged tomorrow, so after eating, it’d be good to shower and change into clean clothes.”
God, what is he—my parent?
I had been wearing the same clothes since the front gate of the Royal Palace incident, so I did feel a bit gross. I didn’t refuse.
‘...But how long is he planning to stay here?’
Ryu Sunghyun already left, so maybe it’s time for Kwon Taehyuk to head out too? I started to get uneasy.
“When will you be leaving, Guildmaster? You must be busy—I feel bad keeping you here.”
“I was just going to stay long enough to make sure the meal arrives properly.”
Oh, nice.
“I’ll assign security personnel in the hallway just in case.”
...Not nice.
“There’s no need for that, really.”
“It’s just a precaution.”
Seeing me clearly uncomfortable, Kwon Taehyuk paused, then explained:
“It’s not to monitor you, Hunter Cha Seohu. I’ve already instructed them not to interfere, so you shouldn’t experience any discomfort. It’s merely to respond quickly in case something like earlier happens again.”
“So, if I want to go out for a walk with my sister, or head to the cafeteria for dinner, the guards won’t follow me around?”
“Of course not.”
Hmm. In that case... I reluctantly accepted the presence of the guards, and Kwon Taehyuk let out a brief sigh.
That sigh just made me feel ridiculous. What, does he think I’m the one being unreasonable now? I shot him a quiet glare, just as the door opened and a staff member brought in my meal.
Kwon Taehyuk carefully inspected the tray, then buttoned up his suit jacket as the staff member left.
“I’ll take my leave now. Enjoy your meal.”
“Thanks for everything. Get home safe.”
Finally. I smiled warmly, keeping up my image until the end. Kwon Taehyuk stared at me with an unreadable expression for a moment, then gave a small nod and walked out of the room.
After Kwon Taehyuk left, I could finally relax for real. After showering with Cha Sahyeon, we both enjoyed some quiet downtime. When I saw that it was getting dark outside, I quietly climbed out of bed.
“Kiddo.”
Cha Sahyeon blinked up from the mobile game she was playing on my phone—since her gaming console was still at home.
“I’m stepping out for a bit. Stay here and don’t wander off, okay?”
“...Again?”
She scrunched up her face in displeasure and put down the phone. Even though her character had just died, she didn’t take her eyes off me.
Her gaze was sharp enough to cut, so I scratched my head awkwardly and patted her.
“Sorry. But really, I’ll be quick this time. I still need to eat dinner too.”
“......”
But that kind of persuasion didn’t seem to work anymore. Her expression turned deeply sulky, her lips jutting out.
“I want to go too.”
“Mm, that’s a bit...”
The whole reason I was trying to sneak out now was because of her.
Unlike our office, here we had the guards Kwon Taehyuk had left in place, so it was safe even if I stepped out.
It would be harder to leave her alone in the room from now on, so this was my chance.
“I’ll bring you a present, okay? Is there anything you want?”
I stroked her puffed cheeks gently, trying my best to coax her.
Time was tight, but leaving a child this upset could cause an emotional surge, which could affect the Seed—and that would be a disaster. Still, despite my efforts, Sahyeon remained unmoved.
“Nothing.”
“Oh, come on. Think carefully.”
“Nothing.”
She was really firm today.
Well, I hadn’t exactly kept my promise about the amusement park, and I always used the same lame excuses to calm her down—so I could understand her frustration.
“What’ll it take for you to let me go?”
I groaned as I asked. Sahyeon glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, hesitating, clearly conflicted.
She didn’t say “nothing” this time, so there must be something she wanted, at least.
Relieved, I gently tapped her earring with a finger.
“......”
She hung her head, wavering in silence, then finally mumbled:
“...Do it.”
Suddenly, her cheeks flushed red—fast. The heat spread from her face all the way down her neck.
“P-p-p... kiss...”
“What?”
“Give me a kiss.”
“Uh...?”
I let out a baffled laugh at the unexpected word. Her face turned an even deeper shade of red.
But instead of backing down, she straightened up and repeated, voice stubborn and firm:
“I’ll let you go if you kiss me.”
Oh, for crying out loud.
“A kiss? Where the hell did that come from? What have you been secretly watching?”
“I—I didn’t watch anything! I already knew about kisses, okay?!”
“Yeah?”
I replied half-heartedly, gears turning in my head. A kiss? Why would she want that all of a sudden?
‘Did that drama I left on last time have a kiss scene? Or maybe she saw something weird on the phone? Kids these days get exposed to all sorts of dangerous content...’
I’d need to set up parental controls on her phone later. At this rate, I was going to end up joining a parenting forum.
While I was lost in thought, Sahyeon bit her lip and looked up at me, her eyes full of moisture.
“...You’re not going to do it?”
Shit. If I said no, she’d cry and my whole outing would be ruined.
“No, I’ll do it.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s no big deal.”
I still didn’t understand why she wanted it, but if one little kiss could solve all this, I’d gladly do it.
I braced myself with one hand on the bed and leaned down. The soft scent of soap reached my nose as her flushed cheek filled my vision.
She tensed up, her shoulders twitching. I pressed a kiss to her warm cheek, adding a playful “mwah” for effect.
When I pulled back, her whole neck had turned red too. It was ridiculous—and hilarious—so I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I’m going out, so keep your promise. Stay put in the room. Got it?”
“Yeah!”
One kiss was apparently all it took to melt her mood. She nodded quickly, swallowing hard.
She better not sneak out after me again. I was a little nervous, but I couldn’t just not go—so I grabbed my coat and opened the door.
I stepped out into the hallway wearing a coat over my hospital gown. One of the guards stationed right outside immediately approached.
“Are you heading out?”
“Yes. Just taking a walk nearby and meeting a friend. My little sister’s in the room—could you keep an eye on her so she doesn’t wander off?”
“Don’t worry.”
Judging by his presence, he was probably around A-rank. He was wearing a sleek black suit, likely the team leader. Way too good to be guarding a patient with a B-rank Supporter.
But hey, he’d stop Sahyeon from chasing after me, so it worked in my favor.
Leaving the guard behind, I headed down to the first floor and entered a restroom. After locking the door—
Crackle!
“Ugh...!”
《Hidden Skill: Silverlight’s Blessing (S-rank) – Activated》
After confirming my transformation, I changed clothes right away. Good thing I’d prepared several outfits in my inventory just in case.
I stuffed the hospital gown into my inventory and changed into a gray hoodie and jeans. Then I pulled on a cap and a mask. After thoroughly checking my reflection in the mirror, I walked casually across the first-floor lobby and exited the hospital.
It was a bit of a hassle, but the windows in the hospital room didn’t open—except for a tiny sliver—so I had no choice. I pulled the hood over my cap and flagged down a taxi.
The glow of monitors lit up the darkened room.
Dozens of massive screens covered the wall, each one showing various views of Gangnam—from streets to interiors of buildings, every corner monitored.
“Lord.”
A quiet voice broke the silence, and the man seated at the monitors turned around.
His face, half-hidden beneath shimmering silver hair, was covered by a mask.
“Cover’s location has been confirmed. Seoul Hospital.”
“I see.”
Of course he’d show up. If Cha Seohu was there, Cover would appear too.
From behind his mask, Eun Woojeong smiled faintly and turned to the masked subordinate.
“Same pattern as before?”
“Yes. No entry was recorded, but we confirmed the moment she exited the building.”
“She really is something else.”
Eun Woojeong rested his chin in his hand, murmuring to himself.
A few months ago, he had randomly spotted Cover slipping into a building. It was pure luck, nothing more.
After all, Spiderweb hadn’t been tracking Cover—it had been monitoring Cha Seohu, who had started a guild that wasn’t even considered a real guild.
Cha Seohu might have been only a B-rank Supporter, but he was far from ordinary. He belonged to the mysterious C-281 district and was a survivor of illegal human experimentation.
With all that in mind, he was someone worth observing for at least six months. But who would’ve thought he was connected to Cover?
To Spiderweb, it was like hitting the jackpot. They had used that intel to meet with Cover and steer their dealings to /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ their advantage.
“She’s currently in a taxi. Shall we continue tracking?”
“Follow her. Find out the destination.”
“Understood. Also, another report.”
The subordinate handed over a file and continued.
“These are the hunters who went missing in China over the past three months.”
“...400, huh. Even accounting for monsters or rogue hunters, that’s a lot.”
“You’ll probably need to head to China soon.”
“I’ve been away too long anyway.”
Eun Woojeong flipped through the documents without much interest, then waved his hand.
“That’s all. You may go.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once the subordinate left, Eun Woojeong tossed the papers onto the desk and stood up.
He crossed the barren hallway and entered the room at the far end. There, he picked up a remote control and pressed a button.
Bzzzzt.
The room vibrated slightly as an extra layer of black walls rose up, sealing it off completely. After scanning the room to confirm there were no cameras, Eun Woojeong removed his mask.
Clack.
He set the mask down, followed by his gloves. Once he pulled them off, pale skin marred with scattered scars was revealed. The scars began at his hands and ran across his entire body.
With each piece of clothing removed, more scars emerged—far more severe than what had been on his hands. His muscles twitched beneath the old wounds, flexing and stretching with every movement.
Once he was fully undressed, he swapped into a crisp shirt. Then he retrieved a ring with a green gem from his inventory and slid it onto his left index finger.
The instant it touched his skin, his silver hair turned black, and the scars vanished without a trace. Even the powerful aura around him completely disappeared.
Now fully transformed into the actor Eun Woojeong, he studied his reflection in the mirror. Then he pressed another button on the remote, and a new door opened in the wall.
As he walked toward it, he thought about Cover.
‘Might be a good idea to meet her once before heading to China.’
He chuckled to himself as he recalled the look of disgust on Cover’s face when they last met.
It didn’t matter if she didn’t want to see him. As long as she wanted something, she’d have no choice but to come to him.

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