[R]i Chul-Moo's hand, stained with blood, trembled as he withdrew it from his now-healed nose. The once-piercing pain had subsided into a dull ache, but the metallic taste of blood lingered in his mouth.
He steadied himself, fixing his narrowed gaze upon his friend.
Tension saturated the air, thickening with every passing moment, as Han Si-Hyun leaned casually against the metal examination table. His eyes held a glimmer of superiority, and a twisted grin played upon his lips.
Ri Chul-Moo couldn't shake the uneasiness that stirred within him, an unsettling feeling coiling in his gut.
Breaking the suffocating silence, he spoke up, his voice tinged with frustrations. "We fucked up big time. Shadow's intel were wrong. We killed the wrong target."
Han Si-Hyun's smile widened, but there was an unsettling madness lurking behind his eyes. Without hesitation, he kicked the metal table aside, the resounding clatter reverberating through the room. His gaze fixated on Ri Chul-Moo with a chilling calmness as he spoke.
"So, you're telling me that Yeon-Soo is still out there, fucking with that vermin from the streets?"
"What would you want me to do, huh? Shadow's mistakes led us astray."
Han Si-Hyun let out a weary sigh, running a hand through his hair as if in an attempt to calm himself down. "Find that bastard and kill him. I trust you can handle at least that much."
"I refuse!"
Han Si-Hyun paused, the mockery in his eyes deepening. "What was that, Ri? I believe I misheard you."
Ri Chul-Moo's eyes narrowed, defiance seeping into his voice. "I said I won't do it!"
Another unbearable tension filled the room, making it hard to breathe.
Briskly, Han Si-hyun swung a punch at Ri Chul-moo's face, aiming to mess him up again. But this time, thanks to the Zenith Serum still coursing through his veins, Ri Chul-moo reacted faster and managed to block the attack.
Han Si-hyun's usual sly smile broke into a fierce glare, making him twice as scary. A fleeting thought crossed his mind before retrieving his hand and clicking his tongue in annoyance.
He realized that his wingman was actually being serious. "You know I can't stand disobedient dogs, right?"
"For fuck's sake! I already said I won't do it!" Ri Chul-moo asserted firmly, his jaw tight and his teeth clenched. His heart was racing as he stood his ground against his ally and only superior.
Han Si-hyun stared at him intensely and asked, "What made you change your mind?"
Ri Chul-moo sighed, feeling a tinge of unease from his boss's piercing gaze. He reluctantly bent down to retrieve the cloth that had fallen to the ground, swiftly tying it around his waist.
Recognizing the futility of attempting to explain himself, Ri Chul-moo avoided any direct eye contact, aware that Si-hyun wouldn't truly grasp his point of view. Over the years, their relationship had soured deeply.
Then reluctantly, he confessed, "I feel utterly useless in this environment. I lack the strength required. You don't need someone as worthless as me by your side."
Si-hyun's face contorted into an incredulous smirk as he swiftly pulled up a nearby chair and took a seat. This gesture hinted at a rare willingness to listen, indicating that this conversation might require some time.
"I see. So, that's what has been troubling you," Si-hyun pondered, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully. "Tell me, who hurt you so badly, huh? Who did this to you?"
Vortex, who had been disregarded earlier, felt compelled to break the prevailing silence, realizing that Ri Chul-moo himself was reluctant to voice his thoughts.
With his words, Vortex disrupted Ri Chul-moo's avoidance of Han Si-hyun's penetrating gaze. "Si-hyun, this might sound crazy, but…"
A brief moment of hesitation ensued as Vortex grappled to find the right words.
"Out with it already! What is it?!" Si-hyun impatiently demanded.
"I've examined Ri Chul-moo's wounds. A-and… well… They seem to have originated from an Apex Zone!"
Si-hyun, who had been absentmindedly listening, raised an intrigued eyebrow, indicating a newfound understanding.
"Apex Zone? That's no ordinary opponent, indeed!" Han Si-hyun let out a sigh, acknowledging the formidable nature of such a foe. "Well, it's no wonder you couldn't stand against an Elder. Their skills surpass ours by a significant margin, you know? But enough dwelling on it—"
"They weren't caused by an Elder!" Ri Chul-moo interjected, startling both Vortex and Si-hyun.
Han Si-hyun narrowed his eyes, a hint of suspicion creeping in, as he wondered if his friend was fucking with him. "What's now?" he questioned.
Ri Chul-moo emphasized, his tone firm, "I'm telling you, it wasn't an Elder!" The room fell into another momentary silence as Han Si-hyun appeared lost in deep contemplation.
"Then if not an Elder, who?" He self-reflected before a flicker of realization crossed his face. "Wait! Don't tell me... Was it Jin-ho Yoo?"
Ri Chul-moo shook his head. "No way! Why would you even suspect him?" he responded.
"There were rumors about him being a successor to one of the Elders. Which one of them? None of us knew!" Han Si-hyun explained with a shrug.
Ri Chul-moo nodded in understanding before clarifying, "The wounds were inflicted by a man and a woman."
Han Si-hyun's interest sparked. "What the hell? Don't tell me it was Viper and one of her cronies? How did they even reach the Apex Zone to begin with?"
"It wasn't Viper!" Ri Chul-moo denied. Han Si-hyun narrowed his eyes in response. "It wasn't Viper or any of her numerous partners!"
Curiosity piqued, Han Si-hyun questioned, "Then who the hell—"
"I honestly have no idea! They were a duo I've never met before, and both appeared to be members of the police force!"
"That's impossible!" Han Si-hyun quickly objected, dismissing the notion. "It must have been Viper! There's no doubt about it!"
"It wasn't her! I caught her scent, and let me tell you, it was..." Ri Chul-moo paused, taking a deep breath as if trying to recall and savor the scent. He looked rather strange, but both Vortex and Han Si-hyun were accustomed to his peculiar behavior. "Her scent is nothing like my sweetheart's!"
"Your sweetheart?" Vortex questioned, perplexed. Han Si-hyun was as puzzled as he was.
"Yeah! The moment I caught her scent and realized she was one of us, I decided to make her mine! And the fact that she possesses the Apex Zone is just the cherry on top!"
"Hah?" Han Si-hyun sighed rubbing his eyes, a suspicious thought crawled through his head. "That's practically impossible! No other woman's name is on the list, and there haven't been any new additions to the ranks of Ascended since the chaos of four years ago. The Council has become more strict and less flexible when it comes to the Zenith Serum."
"I'm well aware of that! Trust me, I asked her about it—the serum, I mean! She seemed clueless and had no idea what it was! So, I don't know!" Ri Chul-moo explained.
"Damn hypocrites!" Vortex groaned, having seemingly came to a conclusion. "They've denied us the use of the serum to create new Ascended for years, and now you're telling me they might have used it on someone arbitrarily?"
Vortex's frustration stemmed from the fact that, after the gang war that erupted four years ago, clans were restricted from having more than five Ascended members. The Council had become stringent in its control over the Zenith Serum.
"Find her and bring her into our ranks, even if it means using force!" Han Si-hyun's eyes began to gleam with a sinister and twisted intent.
If they could recruit an Ascended member to their cause without the elders' knowledge, it would disrupt the delicate balance between the clans. And the possibility of someone possessing the Apex Zone would give them a significant advantage.
"Hunt down those two individuals! I'm certain they must have an elder supporting them. Find a way to investigate them discreetly," Han Si-hyun commanded.
"I will!" Ri Chul-moo nodded. "But first, I need to become stronger."
"What do you mean?" Han Si-hyun casted a dark stare his way.
"Those enemies are already formidable on their own. Engaging them head-on without adequate preparation will only lead to more problems," Ri Chul-moo explained, before adding, "please allow me to join the arena!"
"I understand. Do what you have to. I'll leave it in your hands," Han Si-hyun said, rising from his chair and checking his mobile phone. Without looking back, he headed toward the door.
The action was so unexpected, it caught both Vortex and Ri Chul-moo off guards.
"W-Wait, where are you going?" Ri Chul-moo demanded.
Han Si-hyun waved his hand dismissively over his shoulder without turning around. "I'm going to meet with Yeon-soo. I can't wait to hear the excuses she'll come up with this time."
Ri Chul-moo and Vortex exchanged a glance, their gazes following Han Si-hyun as he walked away knowing that nothing good ever came after those two would meet.