AGENT 21

The car that had sped from Seoul arrived in front of the Imsil Research Institute at midnight. Although he had worked overtime many times, he usually went home before nine o’clock at the latest, so this was the first time he had seen the institute with all its lights extinguished.

“Is audio recorded on the CCTV inside?”

“I understand that it is not.”

“Then we can just do it for show. I’ll point the gun at your head again as we go in, but you mustn’t faint this time.”

“…I won’t faint anymore.”

When Yongnae replied to Weizhen with a slightly sulky pout, Lee Suji snickered and reenacted Yongnae fainting. He was truly a bald man who played around in a way that contradicted his appearance.

“Suji, stop laughing. You have to act from now on, too.”

“Acting? Should I act like I’m getting angry while pointing a gun and stuff?”

“You just need to keep your mouth shut and stay by my side.”

That was true.

As if telling Yongnae not to be scared, Weizhen pulled out a pistol and showed himself engaging the safety lock; soon after, he got out of the car first and approached the back seat while aiming the gun. He had already begun acting, keeping in mind that there might be CCTV in the parking lot. He was very meticulous.

As if responding to him, Yongnae got out of the back seat with both hands raised like a person being threatened, and Lee Suji also got out of the passenger seat while scowling deeply, as if intending to participate in the acting. Even without a deliberate scowl, he looked like a final boss because of the tattoos on his scalp, so Yongnae thought he was really putting in a lot of effort.

Whether they had been ordered to wait in the parking lot, their subordinates only got out of the van they had driven and did not follow. It seemed they intended for only the three of them to enter the institute.

Yongnae led the way up the parking lot stairs. Fortunately, he had his institute key because he had been called by the National Police Agency while he was at the institute.

Vrrr— Vrrr—

“Oh, I need to take a call.”

Just as they arrived at the main entrance of the institute, Lee Suji suddenly stopped walking and said he was taking a call. Should they wait? Yongnae turned around and looked at Lee Suji.

“Yeah— we’ve arrived.”

Whether he was telling an organization colleague that they had reached their destination, Lee Suji’s tone over the phone was light.

“Let’s head in first.”

“Yes. Ah, then when you come in, don’t touch anything and follow the lights.”

Yongnae gave a warning, worried that Lee Suji might trigger a sensor or something while touching things as he followed behind.

“Yeah, I’m next to the teacher—.”

Lee Suji nodded to show he understood and turned back toward the parking lot to continue the call. At that, just as Yongnae was about to turn back to enter the institute,

“I think I’ll arrive in the morning. What about Susu?”

The man’s name was heard.

“Ah— then when are you coming back to Korea?”

Yongnae’s body turned back again, and his gaze went straight to the cell phone Lee Suji was holding to his ear.

“Three days later? Got it. Oh, right! Susu! Do you know the phrase ‘sa-heul’?”

The person on the other end of that call was,

“Ah… you knew…”

“…”

“Four days is called ‘na-heul.’ Yeah. The teacher told me.”

“…”

“Odor? I know that too! A bad smell!”

‘O—?’

‘What kind of work is that?’

‘Ah, dor—. Odor.’

It was definitely the man.

Suddenly, his temples began to throb rapidly, and it felt as if every nerve in his ears was directed toward the cell phone in Lee Suji’s hand. He wondered if he might catch the sound of the voice.

“Researcher.”

“…”

“Researcher?”

However, the desired voice did not come through; he only heard the call of Weizhen, who grabbed his arm from behind, looking a bit flustered.

“…Ah.”

Yongnae looked back at Weizhen with his arm caught and became flustered in turn. It was because he had unknowingly been following behind Lee Suji.

“…Let’s head in first.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Flustered, Yongnae blinked his eyes rapidly and moved back toward the institute.

“…”

He hadn’t even heard the voice directly, yet he was flustered by himself for following as if possessed.

The institute he entered first with Weizhen was beyond quiet; it was even eerie with all the lights off. I experimented here every day, but it feels unfamiliar seeing it at dawn.

There were many risk factors from the outside to conduct work within the institute. Therefore, they decided to pack only the necessary equipment and go back up to Seoul to work. Since it would be obvious if he took the equipment he usually used, they went to the warehouse where new supplies were kept and gathered items.

And to pack the most important hydrogen sulfide gas cylinder, Yongnae entered the laboratory. And behind such a Yongnae, Weizhen followed with a gun pointed so that it could be seen clearly on the CCTV.

And Weizhen, knowing the fact that voices were not recorded, opened his mouth with a very calm face.

“Susu is beautiful, isn’t he?”

And at those sudden words, Yongnae almost dropped the gas cylinder in his arms. It’s okay to drop other gases, but not hydrogen sulfide. The moment this opened, the institute would be filled with this smell, and if that happened, they would quickly notice that the gas cylinder had disappeared from within the institute.

“Everyone who sees Susu for the first time is surprised by that appearance. Even though I am a man myself, I was lost in thought when I first saw Susu.”

Even the rational-looking Weizhen was lost in thought when he first saw the man. But it couldn’t be helped. Hadn’t he himself become a stuttering fool in front of the man despite being a fairly rational type?

“That’s why the people who clung to Susu were always too many to count. From children of conglomerate families to famous figures. They all approached Susu with expectations, but they all were hurt and went back or were left alone.”

“…”

“However, they could buy emptiness with money.”

“…”

“But a person living a completely different life won’t be able to endure that futility.”

Strength entered the arms of Yongnae, who was clutching the gas cylinder. It was advice for an ordinary person like himself not to harbor any feelings for Susu.

“…”

There was no way he would harbor any feelings for the same man. He was just.

Just…

∞ ∞ ∞

Yongnae, who had finished the quantitative preparation of the hydrogen sulfide gas, walked out of the temporary laboratory tent and opened the warehouse door. Weizhen, who was waiting in front, went straight in with a few subordinates saying he would count the number, and Lee Suji patted Yongnae on the shoulder, saying he had worked hard.

“Good job. The boys can just drive around and disperse it later in the afternoon.”

Yongnae, who had taken off his respirator, immediately opened his mouth regarding precautions.

“Wearing dust-proof clothing and a respirator is absolutely essential. When citizens smell it, it is already diluted in the air and doesn’t harm the human body, but those who are dispersing it may be exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas for a long time, which can be dangerous to the human body.”

“Teacher, I’m really touched. Taking care of even these meticulous parts. Even if we can’t catch that killer bastard, I wonder if we should give you 50 million plus a bonus—.”

At Lee Suji’s words, the organization members, including the red-haired one, all burst into snickers together.

50 million.

Right. This job was almost over. Since dawn had passed and morning had come, it was already the fifth day. In two days, even if they couldn’t catch the killer, it would end with him receiving 50 million won.

Within two days, what would be the probability of meeting the man? Judging by Lee Suji’s phone call yesterday, the man said he would come in three days. The day he himself would finish searching for the killer.

At that time, would he be able to see him again, even for a moment?