Retire 574
by Cristae574 (Extra Story 41) The Fossil in the Terrarium_1
“Um, sunbae…”
Han Taekyung, looking uncharacteristically hesitant, called out to Woo Huijae.
Woo Huijae, who was reviewing the files of “research applicants” that had already been screened once by Kim Chaemin, then by Sandra, and then again by Imi-seon and Hong Seokyoung, frowned as soon as he saw Han Taekyung.
“Did you hit someone?”
“Huh? I’m not the type to go around hitting people.”
“…….”
Woo Huijae’s expression did not relax.
Han Taekyung, despite the suspicious look, stood his ground. But his hunched shoulders betrayed a certain timidity.
Timid?
Who?
Woo Huijae glanced at the résumé Kim Chaemin had asked him to check one last time. Then he looked back at Han Taekyung.
This was not the same as the Han Taekyung he’d seen on the day after some incident in the distant future, the one who pretended to be sorry just to avoid a scolding, without really believing he’d done anything wrong.
That was just reading the room.
But this—this was Han Taekyung genuinely flustered, not knowing how to broach the subject.
A different kind of headache.
He supposed he should ask? But knowing Han Taekyung wasn’t one for pointless talk only made him more reluctant.
What on earth was making him so awkward?
“…….”
Woo Huijae looked at Han Taekyung.
When their eyes met, even through the sunglasses, Han Taekyung hesitated, then gave a bright, forced smile.
That meek posture was even more ominous. He wanted to just send him away, but that would only make him more uneasy.
In the end, Woo Huijae spoke first. This kind of stress never changed.
“What is it? And where’s Alex?”
“Complaining about being bored, so Teacher Kim took him as an assistant.”
“Him?”
“She said he’s the most obedient of us.”
Unable to deny it, Woo Huijae fell silent.
So did Han Taekyung.
An awkward silence hung in the air—a feeling Woo Huijae never expected to find in Han Taekyung.
Clearly, he had something to say, but he kept circling around Woo Huijae, unable to get the words out.
“What is it, already?”
“…Huh?”
The investigation into Atlas Village was now in full swing.
No matter how suspicious the place was, they couldn’t just search it without evidence. So, under the pretext of the dungeon, they were evacuating the area and using the process to identify wanted criminals—a tedious business.
There were, in fact, wanted individuals among those Han Taekyung and Alex had identified during their stay. Jimmy Forrest’s wife, Nora Forrest, whom they’d apprehended, was wanted for embezzlement and illegal experiments at Atlas Pharmaceuticals.
Guild Mimi wasn’t involved in the investigation, but any documents found in the village had to be checked by Kim Chaemin. That was why Alex was acting as her assistant.
“Stop stalling and spit it out. I’m busy.”
And since Woo Huijae wasn’t much help with that, he was planning to return to Korea soon…
He narrowed his eyes. Had that pink cat cartoon released a new episode? Was Han Taekyung angling for time off?
No, Han Taekyung would never be so shy about something he loved.
“No, it’s really nothing major.”
Han Taekyung muttered, sounding reluctant.
“There’s… someone who wants to meet you, sunbae.”
“…Me?”
“I asked him for a favor, and he said he’d only hand it over after checking out who I work with…”
“A favor?”
“It’s nothing big.”
Woo Huijae forced himself to put aside his preconceptions and recall his own experience to judge the situation.
Usually, when a Hunter came to report something “not a big deal” with this much hesitation, it was always something big. Usually a mess they couldn’t handle alone.
“You know, there was something Master asked me to do.”
“……?”
“It was a while ago… It wasn’t something that could be solved just by talking, so it took a lot of work. Actually, my friend did most of it, but since that’s his job anyway, it wasn’t much trouble. So don’t think I’ve been running my mouth about things I shouldn’t. No scolding, please. From his perspective, I’m the weird one for wanting to hand over such important info to my boss. That’s why he wants to talk to you, and I couldn’t refuse, but he’s a bit odd, so I wasn’t sure about just introducing him…”
Han Taekyung rambled, uncharacteristically incoherent.
Woo Huijae was thrown by this unfamiliar sight, and even more surprised that Han Taekyung would describe someone as “odd.” Was it even possible for such a person to exist?
“All right. So what is it? What did Master ask me to do?”
“You know. That thing.”
“That thing?”
“Someone like Lehmann—someone who’s been swapped out.”
The paper in Woo Huijae’s hand crumpled. It was the résumé of a mana engineer who dreamed of working with Grand Mage Kim Chaemin.
“You asked me to collect those cases, remember?”
Han Taekyung, oblivious to Woo Huijae’s reaction, scratched his head sheepishly.
“Since I worked mostly in dungeons where those wish-granting, feathered monsters showed up… That kind of thing is treated as a state secret there.”
But now that he’d said it, Han Taekyung seemed to regain his usual confidence.
“So it’s fine if I see it, but since someone else has to look too, he wants to talk to you! Haha, your flight back to Korea is the day after tomorrow, right? So you’ve got time, don’t you?”
Woo Huijae had the urge to throw whatever was in his hand at Han Taekyung.
How was this “nothing major”?
‘He’ll chatter endlessly about that stupid cat, but when it’s something important, he gets embarrassed!’
The only reason Woo Huijae didn’t yell was the patience he’d honed at the future Administration Bureau. But knowing how much of that patience was due to the man in front of him made it hard to feel proud.
Pressing his temples, Woo Huijae forced himself to ask,
“…Who am I supposed to meet?”
“The director of the Arabian Integrated Medical Research Center. His real name’s long, but just call him Salman.”
The Arabian Integrated Medical Research Center was an institution specializing in research and treatment of monster-related injuries, jointly run by countries on the Arabian Peninsula and neighboring regions.
Hunters were their main clients, but it was open to civilians, and people from all over the world came for its top-tier care.
Since it opened ten years ago, its reputation had never dropped from the top, even twenty years into the future.
The now-defunct Korean Ability Management Bureau had also formed a partnership with the Center. By the time Woo Huijae joined the Bureau, the partnership was already long-standing. So he’d always assumed it was Hong Seokyoung who’d initiated it.
After all, what other reason could there be for such a prestigious institution to partner with a small, underfunded government agency, turning down offers from elsewhere?
‘If it’s the Middle East, of course it’s Han Taekyung!’
Back then, he hadn’t known much about Han Taekyung’s past, so he hadn’t made the connection.
Woo Huijae glared at Han Taekyung. No matter how much he pressed for details, all he got was “just meet him and you’ll see,” which was exasperating.
The director of the Arabian Integrated Medical Research Center was appointed on a rotating basis by the member countries. While some medical background was required, it was usually someone connected to royalty.
As a result, you couldn’t even find proper information online. It was a hospital, but the director’s identity was a state secret?
“Is he royalty?”
“Ah, well…”
Han Taekyung didn’t give a clear answer.
“Not exactly…”
“Not exactly?”
“But not not, either…”
So, there was some connection.
“He’s a noisy guy, but nothing to worry about. Like I said, this is a state secret, so he wants to hand it over in person.”
“Is… is this the meeting place?”
“Yep.”
Han Taekyung carefully drove the car up to the hotel entrance. Instead of hotel staff in uniforms, men in black suits approached the car.
Woo Huijae frowned. They were too professional for hotel staff—more like security. Awakened. They didn’t bother to hide the fact that they were armed.
“They’re Salman’s bodyguards.”
“…….”
“He said the city was too small for his tastes, so he rented out the whole hotel.”
“Ah, I see…”
Given the information Salman was bringing, this level of security was probably justified.
The bodyguards, recognizing Han Taekyung, spoke into their radios and then efficiently led the two inside. The hotel was empty—even the staff had been sent away. Only black-suited Hunters stood guard in the blind spots.
The bodyguards led them to the restaurant on the upper floor. The spacious dining room was completely empty except for a single table in the center. Even the bodyguards didn’t enter. The one who’d escorted them stopped at the entrance, and while Woo Huijae hesitated, Han Taekyung strode right in.
At the lone table sat a man in a light suit, speaking on the phone with a bored expression.
He didn’t bother to hide his irritation, and his voice was tinged with annoyance. Slamming the table and shouting at the person on the other end, he finally sensed someone at the entrance and looked up.
The first thing Woo Huijae noticed was the eyepatch over his left eye.
“Han!”
The man, who’d been yelling into the phone a moment ago, tossed it aside and jumped up. He was big for someone in the medical field—an Awakened, and clearly professionally trained.
He ignored Woo Huijae, striding straight over to Han Taekyung and pulling him into a tight hug.
“It’s so hard to see you! You have to come this winter. Alia and Muhammad are dying to see you.”
“We’ll see. How’s Abdel?”
“He’s fine these days. I think he’s just pretending to be sick to get out of work. It’s not serious, but he acts like it is…”
“He’s still a kid.”
“A kid? He’s older than you, you know?”
“Is he?”
“He’s just immature.”
The man spoke only to Han Taekyung.
Anyone else might have felt snubbed, but Woo Huijae didn’t mind. He was just surprised Han Taekyung could hold a normal conversation.
And that arrogant-looking man was paying close attention to “Han Taekyung.” Since that ultimately worked in their favor, as long as he got the information he needed, Woo Huijae didn’t care.
If you pay the price, he’ll fix you. That was what Han Taekyung had said about the secret dungeons sometimes found in the desert. Of course it was classified. But now, with all the world’s nations gathered in Kansas, he’d come in person to share it—without asking for anything in return.
After chatting with Han Taekyung for a while, the man finally turned to Woo Huijae.
His cold eyes narrowed, then he grinned.
“So we finally meet! You’re Hong Seokyoung’s son, aren’t you?”