Joining the Table
"Chief. Chief."
Kancho whispered.
"Yeah. Behind us, right?"
"That's right."
Kancho's eyes gleamed.
Day by day, the Chief's senses sharpened. Now he figured things out on his own without being told.
"Wanna go check it out?"
"Understood! Yodel Ranger Kancho, going on recon duty!"
Kancho whispered in his ticklish little voice, then pitter-pattered down the corridor.
I glanced back.
Several people's gazes were pulled toward this side.
I never used to pick up on things like that.
But as my level and stats rose, the range and sensitivity of my sense-for-presences had grown along with them.
Kancho reappeared after a brief absence.
"Reporting, sir! Six people. Couldn't see clearly because they're hiding things at their waists, but I smell gunpowder. Not bombs—guns, I think!"
Jinhyuk frowned.
Compared to Korea or Japan, Europe was generally lax about gun ownership—but the UK was the exception.
He'd heard gun control here was extremely strict. Yet the moment they arrived, there were guns.
"Want me to blow them up?"
"No. Let's wait a bit. But keep eyes on them. If anything feels off, take them out. Just… not too loudly."
"Roger! I'll use a Yodel-special mini-mini bomb and shove it in through their mouth or ear to just pop the head off!"
It sounded gruesome, but he gave a thumbs-up anyway.
It wouldn't affect the train or other passengers—so it was fine.
"I'll drop my weight down a bit first! I'm heavy right now!"
Kancho had just finished a feast.
Dragging himself down to the floor with effort, he scurried off again.
I tapped my fingers.
Guess we ended up on the wrong train.
At first, he'd thought they were sent by Hosaka or the Japanese government.
But the vibe said otherwise.
Their gazes were all fixed on the young girl and her group.
Step.
One of the six lined up men took a step.
Invisible Kancho looked at Jinhyuk, silently asking for permission to strike.
He shook his head and watched the man approach.
Meanwhile, the man walking up to Jinhyuk lowered his voice.
"Target confirmed. Two escorts. Awaiting instruction."
Orders from above: cause as little commotion as possible.
"Permission to use firearms?"
If it cannot be handled quietly, permission granted.
"Confirmed."
He slipped a hand into his pocket as he neared the girl.
Killing a child.
There was no need for a gun.
His hand produced a thin pen.
Dosed with desert scorpion venom—merely a touch would induce convulsions.
Without the antidote, the victim's blood would clot within a minute. Guaranteed death.
Nothing personal. I'll make it as painless as possible.
Passing by as if minding his own business, he extended the pen tip toward the girl's nape.
There was a bodyguard between them, but it didn't matter.
It would end before anyone sensed anything.
At that moment, someone suddenly stepped into the corridor.
Poke.
The pen tip that should've pierced the girl instead stabbed the intruder's forearm.
Thrown off by the unexpected interference, the man simply kept walking past.
"I stabbed the wrong guy. Commotion incoming. Repeating—prepare for chaos."
Grinding his teeth, the man reached for his gun.
He'd already stabbed him. Convulsions should begin any moment.
Quiet disposal had failed.
But… why?
Enough time had passed for the venom to work, yet the man he'd stabbed hadn't collapsed.
"!?"
Instead of convulsing, the stabbed man simply turned his head and stared at the one reaching for the gun.
What's going on? You stabbed him for sure, right?
The man tried to answer—
"Hey."
A voice came from behind.
He reflexively turned—and a hand seized him.
Dark held his mouth shut, smiling a thin, vicious smile.
W-what strength…!
He struggled, but the grip choking his jaw and neck didn't budge.
He tried joint locks as trained, but the forearm didn't move an inch.
"Flailing, huh."
Dark opened the door to the connector between train cars.
"Bye now."
"Mmph!!"
After a quiet farewell, Dark hurled him out.
"Carrying around crap like this, seriously."
He flicked the venom pen away and released his manifestation.
Meanwhile, in the aisle beside the girl's seat—
Ow.
Jinhyuk rubbed the spot where the pen had stabbed him.
[Desert Scorpion venom is entering your system! A lethal toxin that clots the victim's blood and leads to death!]
[Your trait All Status Resistance SSS+ activates! Immune to Desert Scorpion venom!]
They carry some scary stuff.
He brushed off his arm and stood.
Three pairs of eyes were staring—caught off guard by his sudden approach.
The girl seated inside looked puzzled, while the man and woman beside her stared with open wariness.
"Hello. I'm traveling from Korea. It's a little lonely sitting alone—mind if I join you?"
He pointed to the empty seat.
Gulp.
He spoke casually, but sweat slid down his back.
It was blatant meddling.
Even he knew that—but what could he do?
If he hadn't noticed, fine.
But knowing what was happening, he couldn't just ignore it.
"Sorry, but we—"
"Have a seat."
The woman, who was about to refuse, stopped.
The green-eyed girl invited him instead.
Unlike the boy, the woman beside him radiated discomfort, unable to hide it.
"My name's Yoo Jinhyuk. Thanks for letting me sit."
"Think nothing of it. I'm Sophia."
Sophia smiled brightly and extended her hand.
He sensed the woman flinch beside him, but pretended not to notice and shook her hand.
She's something else.
She looked about first or second year of high school—same age as Yoo Jinhui.
But her vibe was completely different.
Elegance. Nobility.
Something rare.
"This is my sister, Olivia. And that's Mr. Charles."
Sophia introduced the two on their behalf.
Olivia clearly hadn't intended to introduce herself, but dipped her head begrudgingly.
Charles bowed with surprisingly formal courtesy.
"Charles. A pleasure."
"Pleasure's mine."
Sophia smiled, seeming pleased with the loosening tension.
"Korea's far. Are you traveling alone?"
"Yes. I wanted to visit Snowdonia National Park."
"So jealous. It's my dream to travel alone someday."
While Sophia and Jinhyuk chatted endlessly, Olivia sent Charles a look.
Is this really okay?
Charles gave a small nod.
It wasn't merely because of the kid's guileless face.
Charles narrowed his eyes, observing Jinhyuk.
Was it coincidence?
One of Charles's hands rested on his waist.
He had sensed the murderous intent behind them earlier.
He'd planned to draw his weapon just as the enemy reached him.
Jinhyuk stepping in had caused the enemy to pass right by instead.
Coincidence… maybe.
The boy looked barely twenty.
Too young to knowingly intervene in an assassination attempt.
Charles gave Olivia a subtle signal.
Stay alert.
They had been exposed.
The enemy would attack again—certainly.
And just as he suspected, the unknown attackers didn't retreat.
Except—
Crack! Crunch!
All but one of them had already had their necks snapped.
In the bathroom midway down the car—
A pale-faced man barely managed to speak.
"Wh-who are you!? Who sent you!?"
Dark stood before him, white hair neatly swept back.
He had just snapped someone's neck, yet his expression hadn't shifted an inch.
"Hmm? Who should I say sent me…"
Dark shrugged.
Should he point to his master? Or the heavens? Hard to say.
At that moment—
Thud.
A thick dagger punched through his ribs and pierced his lung.
"Idiot! Dropping your guard with an enemy right in front of you!"
The man grinned triumphantly and twisted the blade.
Dark's mouth gushed blood—
and several seconds passed.
A question mark formed on the man's face.
He had stabbed him cleanly.
A lung shot—normally excruciating, instantly debilitating.
But the "man" before him showed no pain.
"Wow. Nice technique. Military training?"
"!?"
Instead of agony, Dark smiled and asked a question.
The man tried to retreat instinctively—
but a hand flew in.
Dark gripped his face.
Pressure increased.
"Gggghhh…!"
He writhed, but Dark only smiled coldly.
"It wouldn't have been this bad. If you hadn't put hands on my master's body."
There was no time to ask who the master was.
A grotesque snap—his body went limp.
"Know your place, friends."
Dark murmured, locking the bathroom door and dropping his manifestation.
This restroom was now closed for the day.
Sophia and Jinhyuk continued chatting endlessly.
Meanwhile, Olivia and Charles remained tense.
The enemy had revealed themselves once already.
Since their identities were exposed, another attack could come anytime.
Charles quietly exhaled, relaxing his stiffened hand.
How long are they going to make us wait?
Perhaps the waiting itself was the enemy's tactic—
draining them by keeping them on edge.
Damn it, why are these bastards so slow.
Olivia frowned.
If they were coming anyway, she wished they'd hurry.
Deal with it and get at least a little rest.
Then—
"You can relax."
The voice came from beside them.
Charles and Olivia both turned.
The words weren't addressed to Sophia.
"What did you say?" Olivia asked.
Jinhyuk smiled.
"No need to stay tense. There won't be any attacks."
"!!!"
Startled, Olivia shoved herself between Sophia and Jinhyuk, ready to draw her weapon.
"No need to be on guard."
Jinhyuk calmly extended his forearm.
"I blocked the attack aimed at Sophia earlier. Something called Desert Scorpion venom, right?"
"Don't talk nonsense. If you were hit by that, you'd already be dead."
"Not me. I've got a weird constitution."
"You—what are you…?"
Charles raised a hand.
"Sit down, Olivia. Drawing attention isn't ideal."
"But sir—!"
"Sit."
Olivia reluctantly obeyed.
Charles let out a quiet breath.
So it wasn't coincidence.
As he realized that, Jinhyuk spoke.
"Why are people after you?"
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T/N:
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