“You!”


  “Hey . I would say it has been a while, but it hasn’t been that long, right?”


  The man waved his hand through the air . Sungyoon was familiar with this man .

  “Sung Hyunwoo!”


  As always, Hyunwoo looked the same: calm and easygoing . He didn’t look like someone who had betrayed humanity .

  ‘No . A person like him is probably more capable of betraying humanity . ’


  “That startled me . Why are you yelling so loud?”


  Even though these words came out of his mouth, Hyunwoo didn’t look surprised at all .

  “Ah! Are you trying to warn the person outside? You’re quite proactive in many ways . ”


  Sungyoon flinched, and his expression hardened . He had tried his best not to be too obvious, but there was no need for it . Hyunwoo already knew someone was outside .

  “Is that Jimin?”


  Sungyoon became tense when Hyunwoo turned his gaze outside .

  “Don’t be so nervous . I’m not here to fight you today . ”


  “You want me to believe that?”


  “Don’t believe me then . Will you fight me while protecting Jimin? Do you think you can do it?”


  Sungyoon had no answer for Hyunwoo’s wicked words .

  He had easily won against a higher rank Connector only because they had fought on Earth . There was no guarantee that the same thing would happen in a fight against Hyunwoo . In fact, the possibility of him getting messed up was higher .

  The power difference between the two of them was that large .

  ‘I have to evacuate Jimin first . ’


  As Sungyoon tried to come up with a solution, Hyunwoo spoke up in a friendly manner .

  “Why don’t you come in too, Jimin!”


  Hyunwoo shouted .

  “Leave her be . ”


  “Hmm? Ok! I don’t really care . ”


  Hyunwoo readily agreed with Sungyoon, and this behavior confused Sungyoon .

  ‘What’s he up to?’


  He was sure Jimin now knew who was inside the house . She would be calling this in . Sungyoon was facing off against Hyunwoo; her course of action would be obvious . Hyunwoo knew this too, yet he was calm, and it Sungyoon all the more suspicious of Hyunwoo .

  “What are you thinking right now?”


  In the end, Sungyoon decided to be direct .

  “What? Are you asking why I’m so composed? Even if the police come, they can’t stop me . It’ll be a while before anyone powerful enough to trouble me can arrive her . Also, I don’t plan on staying here long . ”


  Hyunwoo didn’t say what Sungyoon had expected . He didn’t ask if Sungyoon was going to run away, or made any statements about not letting Sungyoon and Jimin go .

  However, it didn’t change the fact that Sungyoon’s priority was protecting Jimin and the preservation of his own life .

  Tuhnk!

  Hyunwoo sat down on the sofa again . He got comfortable and crossed his legs as if this were his house .

  “What are you doing? Sit! You’re going to make the ceiling fall . ”


  Sungyoon looked at him for a moment, then carefully sat in the opposite seat .

  “Why are you here?”


  “There’s nothing much to it . Didn’t I treat you especially well in the past? I’m just here to give you some advice . ”


  “Please cut the bullshit . ”


  “Why do you think I’m bullshitting? Which part? Do you dispute the fact that I’ve treated you well or are you skeptical that I’m willing to give you advice? I don’t know what you’re thinking right now, but I’m telling the truth . I’ve told no lies . ”


  Hyunwoo opened his arms wide as if to expose his heart . However, it was such an exaggerated gesture that it made his words sound insincere .

  “I’m sure you guys are having a hard time in recent days . ”


  Sungyoon realized that there was already an open bottle of hard liquor on the table . Hyunwoo took the bottle and calmly poured the liquid into a cup . Sungyoon glanced to the side and saw that a bottle was missing from his liquor cabinet .

  “Ah . I’m borrowing this for now . ”


  Hyunwoo was aware of what Sungyoon was doing, so he shook the bottle .

  Sungyoon couldn’t help but think that Hyunwoo had a thick skin .

  Hyunwoo picked up the cup and downed the liquor . The liquor-filled cup became empty in an instant . The cup hadn’t contained a single ice cube, but Hyunwoo had drunk the liquor straight without any problem .

  “I don’t care if you treat my words as bullshit or not . I’ll just say what I have to say, then leave . ”


  Tahk!

  Hyunwoo heavily placed the cup on the table .

  “Did you check the USB I gave you?”


  “Are you talking about the information on how to defeat Grenoid? It was interesting, but considering the source of the information, I have a hard time believing it . ”


  “Yes . I guess it’s to be expected . ”


  Hyunwoo chuckled even though Sungyoon had basically insulted him .

  “However, it’s the truth . ”


  Hyunwoo poured himself another cup .

  “That place has what you all desperately want: the method to stop the monsters from attacking Earth . ”


  If Hyunwoo was right, humanity had to acquire this method at all costs . At their current trajectory, they would only walk down the path of extinction without putting up any resistance .

  It might be considered a loser’s mentality to make such a quick determination of their current situation, but a consensus had developed even amongst the higher-ups . Everyone was pessimistic .

  “Let’s say you’re right . Why are you telling us this?”


  Sungyoon suddenly remembered the Mayor’s words .

  “Are you perhaps a spy? Did you infiltrate the monsters for humanity’s sake?”


  Hyunwoo burst out laughing . His laughter was loud and violent as if he had heard the world’s funniest joke .

  “Ha ha ha ha ha! Is that what they are saying about me?”


  “I’m guessing that’s not the case by your reaction . ”


  “Did someone say those words in front of Plu-El?”


  “She hated it . ”


  Hyunwoo’s laughter became louder, and tears even appeared in his eyes . He clutched at his stomach as he laughed . As if that wasn’t enough, his body bent over like a shrimp as he pounded the table .

  “Man, that was a funny story . ”


  Hyunwoo finally calmed down . However, as if he didn’t have control over his laughter, he kept having fits of laughter .

  “Yes, yes! I have to pay you back for making me laugh so hard! I’ll answer your question!”


  Hyunwoo mumbled . It seemed he had come for that purpose anyway . He looked at Sungyoon .

  “Who brought up that conjecture?”


  “The Mayor . ”


  “I have a message for him . ”


  Hyunwoo’s eyes were still full of mirth . However, contempt and ridicule appeared within them too .

  “Tell him to stop thinking about such bullshit . He should stick to doing his job and take care of the immediate problems in front of him . ”


  “In the end, you just confirmed that you betrayed us . What do you want? Authority?”


  “Authority? Well, it isn’t bad to have it . ”


  Hyunwoo’s attitude showed that he wasn’t really interested in it .

  “I will tell you this . There are indeed things I desire, but for now, I don’t want to tell you what those are . If you need to know the reason I’m doing this, you can make it up for all I care . You can think of me as a person crazy about wealth or a person thirsting for power . I don’t really care . ”


  Hyunwoo directly placed the bottle to his lips . The bottle had been only half empty, yet Hyunwoo chugged the strong liquor in a flash .

  “Hoo~! As always, this is good stuff . ”


  This liquor was from a brand Hyunwoo enjoyed . Satisfaction appeared in his eyes, and he placed his hand in his pocket .

  Sungyoon became tense . Fortunately, Hyunwoo didn’t bring out his weapon, but his wallet . He took out a couple of bills . It seemed he was paying for the liquor he had consumed .

  At a glance, Sungyoon could tell the amount was far above the retail price of the liquor bottle .

  “I added a little extra . ”


  Hyunwoo mumbled as he put his wallet away . Money was useless to him .

  “Since my business is done here, it’s time for me to go . I’m sure people will soon arrive here to interrupt this meeting . ”


  He glanced at his watch as he stood up from the sofa .

  As Hyunwoo headed toward the front door, Sungyoon felt conflicted watching his back .

  ‘Should I really let him go like this?’


  He was fully armed, and Hyunwoo wasn’t . Moreover, the only one capable of activating Gems in an instant was him .

  If he attacked, he could overwhelm Hyunwoo . Even if Hyunwoo was an amazing Connector, without his Gems, he was just a little stronger than a normal human .

  “Don’t even think about it . ”


  Hyunwoo’s words took Sungyoon by surprise . Then, Hyunwoo lazily brought his hand up .

  Sungyoon saw a sword in his hand .

  ‘When did he?’


  The sword’s appearance shocked Sungyoon . He hadn’t seen any movements that indicated Hyunwoo was trying to activate his Gems .

  ‘Did he activate it in an instant like me?’


  Hyunwoo didn’t pay attention to Sungyoon’s dismay as he put away his weapon .

  “Even I wouldn’t come here without making any preparations . This is especially true when I’m meeting a monster like you, who can activate a Gem in an instant . Right now, you can’t win against me . ”


  Hyunwoo calmly put his shoes on . After he tapped the nose of his shoes on the ground, he opened the front door . Sungyoon carefully followed Hyunwoo out .

  Jimin was standing at the corner of the front yard, and her phone was in her hand . She looked at the two of them .

  After contacting the authorities, Jimin had been a nervous wreck as she waited outside .

  She now looked at Hyunwoo . No, she glared at him .

  Sungyoon quickly went across the yard to stand in front of Jimin . The probability of a fight breaking out was low, but he had to protect her .

  “You’re a great couple . Should I give you a wedding gift?”


  “We don’t want it . ”


  “We don’t want it . ”


  Hyunwoo had been about to take out his wallet once again, and he cackled .

  “You’re a married couple through and through . ”


  “Let me ask you this question . ”


  Jimin ignored his joke as she spoke up .

  There was an edge to her voice, and her fingers were trembling a little . She calmed herself by taking a couple of deep breaths, and she unconsciously placed a finger on Sungyoon’s armor .

  “Did you really kill my father?”


  “Yes . ”


  Hyunwoo said without any hesitation . His words, expression, and attitude were as calm as ever .

  He had revealed the truth about killing his best friend; he did it in front of his best friend’s daughter . Yet, he had such an attitude . It was unimaginable .

  “.…… Why?”


  Her voice was strained as if a rock weighing several tons had settled within her throat . She felt as though she were forcing air through a constricted tube . However, this didn’t stop her from speaking .

  “Why did you kill him?”


  She looked at Hyunwoo, who had stopped laughing .

  “Was it really about money? Is that really…… He was your close friend . ”


  Her voice steadily grew louder .

  “So why did you do it!”


  In the end, she let out a wail and became unsteady on her feet . Sungyoon propped her up .

  “Friend . . . . ”


  Hyunwoo looked at the sky .

  There was a slender crescent Moon in the night sky . It looked like the sneering lips of a human . Hyunwoo lowered his gaze . A coldness had appeared in his eyes .

  “Was I really his friend?”


  “What?”


  “Your father wasn’t as kind as you make it out to be . ”


  Hyunwoo looked at Sungyoon .

  “I’ll guarantee this . If your father were alive, you probably wouldn’t have been able to marry your current husband . ”


  After dropping those incomprehensible words, Hyunwoo turned around . He was overtly showing that he no longer intended to continue this conversation .

  “Woo Sungyoon . Do not forget about the advice I gave you . ”


  With those last words, Hyunwoo disappeared into the dark night .

  Sungyoon and Jimin had no plans of chasing after him . The two of them just stared at the location where Hyunwoo had disappeared as sirens filled the air .