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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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While getting to know the Hunter Killer members, I decided I also needed to gather information on the enigmatic Yellow, about whom I knew virtually nothing. But I couldn’t find a way to approach her.
I was able to locate Yu-bin and Yu-ra because they both had part-time jobs, and Ruche had investigated their workplaces.
My encounters with Green and Ha-yeong had been purely coincidental; I wouldn’t have met them otherwise.
This was my first time actively seeking information on a specific individual, and I was at a loss. So, I decided to ask Ruche.
“Ruche.”
“What?”
I called out to Ruche, who was staring intently at her computer screen.
“Do you have any additional information on Hunter Killer?”
“What kind of additional information?”
“Like… places the other members frequent, besides Red and Pink.”
“No.”
Her immediate, decisive answer didn’t even faze me. It was so firm that it felt undeniably true.
“We haven’t had any duels for two weeks because of the rain, so there’s been no opportunity to gather intel.”
Unlike Spacetroe, some information on superhumans was publicly available, but their personal lives were largely private.
The only information readily available was from incidents involving superhumans causing trouble and making headlines.
“Why? Do you want me to look into it?”
“No, you’ll be busy with the training preparations, so I’ll handle it.”
Ruche had constantly checked on my progress while I was monitoring Yu-bin, eager for results, but she hadn’t contacted me about Pink, Yu-ra. She seemed to have given up on getting any useful information from surveillance.
“I haven’t found anything on their combat capabilities. The only thing I’ve learned is that the team atmosphere has improved.”
“I don’t care about their team atmosphere.”
Hunter Killer’s internal dynamics were irrelevant to Ruche. In fact, a negative atmosphere would have been more useful. Discord meant potential weaknesses to exploit, while a positive atmosphere just meant improved teamwork, which wasn’t helpful.
She already knew Hunter Killer had excellent teamwork, and now, it was apparently even better.
“Haven’t you learned anything about the materials they use for their weapons or any superhuman weaknesses?”
“It’s impressive that you think I could get that kind of information from surveillance.”
“I didn’t. I was just asking.”
She blushed and looked away from my gaze, realizing her question had been absurd.
“How’s the surveillance going? You can stop if it’s not producing any results.”
“I have to do something, even if it’s just this.”
I wasn’t planning on stopping the surveillance. It was an excuse to see Yu-ra, and I still held onto a sliver of hope that I might glean some useful information for Spacetroe.
While Yu-bin and Yu-ra were tight-lipped about Hunter Killer’s internal affairs, they might inadvertently reveal something.
“I’m going home for the day.”
“Already?”
“I’m going to review the training schedule at home.”
There wasn’t anything else for me to do at headquarters. I could continue researching superhumans, but I wanted to go home early today.
“Okay. Are you coming in tomorrow?”
“Maybe, I’m not sure.”
I gave a vague answer, said goodbye to Ruche, packed up my things, and left headquarters. The afternoon sun was scorching, and I hurried home.
I entered my passcode, opened the door, and the cool air from the air conditioner greeted me.
“Oppa, you’re back.”
Yu-bin, who’d arrived earlier, had been lying on the bed, scrolling through her phone. She sat up when she saw me.
“It’s so hot outside.”
“Your face is all red. Did you put on sunscreen?”
She touched my face, which was flushed from the heat, and the gentle touch of her hand was soothing.
“No.”
“You should. You’ll get sunburned.”
“I’ll remember next time.”
Green had mentioned a disagreement during their meeting earlier today, and I’d been worried Yu-bin might be upset, but she seemed fine.
“How was work today?”
I knew she’d been at a Hunter Killer meeting, disguised as an office assistant job, and I asked, hoping she’d mention the incident, but she just nodded casually.
“It was good. I had a nice chat with my coworkers. It was fun.”
She’d had a conversation. I didn’t know if it was with Yellow, smoothing things over, or with someone else, but she’d definitely talked about what had happened.
“Are you going tomorrow, too?”
“Yes, I have a short meeting in the morning, then my convenience store shift in the afternoon.”
Her answer about tomorrow’s schedule gave me a dangerous idea.
If I followed Yu-bin, I could potentially locate the Earth Defense Alliance Seoul headquarters.
Why hadn’t I thought of this before? I’d never considered actively searching for their headquarters, so tailing her hadn’t occurred to me.
But there were too many risks.
First, the act itself was risky. Superhumans had heightened senses. While I couldn’t quantify it, they were far more perceptive than ordinary humans.
There was a chance I’d be detected, which would make it impossible to continue the surveillance. More importantly, I wouldn’t know how to explain myself if I was caught.
She might misunderstand, or worse, my true identity might be exposed.
While I wasn’t worried about being discovered in a crowded city like Seoul, if their headquarters was located in a more secluded, less populated area, the risk of exposure would increase. The lack of information made me anxious just from thinking about it.
“Make sure you put on sunscreen.”
Yu-bin caressed my cheek, and I touched hers, and she smiled.
“I will, so you should too, if you’re going out. You’re going out again this weekend, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, should we go buy some before work tomorrow?”
She thought for a moment before answering, probably calculating the time it would take and whether it would fit into her schedule.
The risks of tailing her would continue even after arriving at her destination.
Four out of the five Hunter Killer members knew my face. And three of them, Yu-bin, Yu-ra, and Ha-yeong, had been intimate with me; they’d definitely recognize me.
Would Green, with whom I hadn’t been intimate, not recognize me?
On second thought, she probably would.
Even in the best-case scenario, if I successfully followed Yu-bin to the Earth Defense Alliance headquarters undetected, there was no guarantee Yellow would be there.
She was reserved, with a strong personality, and she rarely attended meetings. There was no guarantee she’d be there on the day I followed Yu-bin. I couldn’t ask Yu-bin if Yellow would be there, and asking anyone else… I dismissed the thought. It would be too suspicious.
“Yeah, I have time, so let’s go together.”
By the time I agreed to go shopping for sunscreen, which I didn’t even use, I’d already abandoned the idea of tailing her.
Deceiving my girlfriend and following her secretly felt wrong, even if I wasn’t caught.
I could probably do it if I was ruthless enough, but I wasn’t.
“A date before the weekend, even if it’s just for a bit?”
I couldn’t disappoint my girlfriend, who was so happy about our outing, even if it was just a short one.
Our entire relationship, based on lies and hidden identities, was already a disappointment, but still.
“I guess so.”
I also felt happy about spending time with Yu-bin, and the cool air from the AC was refreshing. I felt energized and, unable to contain my happiness, kissed her.
We shared a brief kiss, then looked into each other’s eyes, and Yu-bin, cupping my face in her hands, kissed me again.
This time, the kiss deepened, our tongues tangling, a familiar yet always exhilarating sensation. I kissed her back, my arms wrapping around her waist.
“What? Already feeling frisky even though it’s not even evening yet?”
A smile played on my lips as we parted. I was probably radiating lust. Yu-bin blushed and started undressing, and I followed suit, our bodies coming together soon after.
The next morning, we left the apartment together and took the subway. I briefly wondered if she was taking me to Hunter Killer headquarters, but thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
We got off at a station and headed towards a cosmetics store, where I looked for sunscreen. I wanted to ask her about her destination, but I didn’t want to give away the fact that I was trying to find the location of her headquarters, just in case it was nearby.
“I think this one’s good. What do you think, Oppa?”
“I don’t know anything about sunscreen, so let’s get the one you like.”
I had no idea about sunscreen and just bought the one she chose, then quickly left the store, not wanting to waste any more time, aware of her meeting schedule.
I glanced at Yu-bin, who was checking the time on her phone, a disappointed look on her face.
“Isn’t it almost time for your… appointment?”
“Yes, it’s a short taxi ride from here.”
“Have a good day.”
While I was disappointed that our date had been cut short, I also wanted to leave quickly, worried we might run into someone I knew. I hoped we weren’t near her headquarters.
I’d abandoned the idea of tailing her because of the risks, but it would still be a disaster if I was seen with her.
Yu-bin was still looking at her phone, clearly wanting to spend more time together.
I felt guilty for wanting to escape while my girlfriend was so obviously disappointed. I was a terrible person.
Seeing her like that calmed my anxieties, and I hugged her, enjoying her warmth despite the heat.
“I’ll be waiting at home.”
Yu-bin’s face brightened, and she hugged me back.
I put her in a taxi and watched her leave, and the anxiety I’d momentarily suppressed returned.
There was a Korean saying, “A guilty conscience needs no accuser,” and that perfectly described my current state. I knew the chances of running into someone I knew in this vast city were slim, but my guilt made me anxious.
I should just go home.
I started walking towards the station.
Running into someone I knew in the middle of Seoul was highly unlikely. But unlikely didn’t mean impossible. Even a 0.1% chance was still a chance.
But what were the chances of running into someone I only knew by face, a potential target for information gathering?
As I was walking towards the station, I saw a familiar face and followed her.
I’d memorized the Hunter Killer members’ faces when I first received their profiles and knew I couldn’t be mistaken.
“Oh, oh?”
A woman with slightly dark blonde hair, a bob, slightly taller than the other members… I’d encountered her, against all odds, in the middle of Seoul.
Yellow, entering an arcade.
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Thanks for the chapter 👍🏼