Chapter 89: Episode 23. Karen In Red Shoes

EPISODE 23. Karen in red shoes

"You've waited a long... ung?"

When Cha Soo-yeon returned from the call, the place she thought Han Yi-gyeol would be in was empty and she looked around in bewilderment.

"Han Yi-gyeol?"

She called his name just in case, but the person she was looking for didn't appear.

"What, where did he go?"

She wondered if he was called by the master, so she turned her gaze to Hong Si-ah, but she saw only Kim Na-yul and Woo Seo-hyuk by her side. What, really?

"No way... he didn't run away, did he?"

She felt a strange sense of anxiety. She muttered jokingly, but she knew that Han Yi-gyeol wasn't the kind of person to run away without a word. So, what is the essence of this unknown anxiety?

Cha Soo-yeon immediately picked up her cell phone and dialled Han Yi-gyeol's number that she had saved before entering the gate.

Trr—trrr—tuk.

The beep that had been well connected suddenly cut off. Cha Soo-yeon, with a frown on her brow, immediately tried to connect the call again, but she heard a voice telling her that the phone was turned off.

'Is your cell phone turned off?'

When the third connection also failed, Cha Soo-yeon folded her arms and sighed.

"What, really."

She didn't feel very good. She was thinking about what to do with this situation, and Woo Seo-hyuk, who had finished talking with Hong Si-ah, approached her. When only Cha Soo-yeon was standing in the place where Han Yi-gyeol was, he looked around and asked Cha Soo-yeon.

"Where did Han Yi-gyeol-ssi go?"

"Um, that's..."

As Cha Soo-yeon hesitated with a troubled face, Woo Seo-hyuk's black eyes subsided coldly. When the atmosphere between Woo Seo-hyuk and Cha Soo-yeon became strange, Hong Si-ah, who was passing by, intervened.

"What. What is it? Did something happen?"

"Master."

Cha Soo-yeon, who had been hesitating, opened her mouth carefully.

"That's because I can't see Han Yi-gyeol."

"Talented Han Yi-gyeol?"

"Yes. He was just here waiting while I was talking on the phone... he promised to go out to dinner with me."

"Uum?"

Hong Si-ah tilted her head. It was quite surprising that Cha Soo-yeon called the talented Han Yi-gyeol by name and even made an appointment for a meal together, but let's put that aside.

"I don't think Talented Han Yi-gyeol would have made a promise and left without a word."

"That's right."

"Master Hong Si-ah."

Woo Seo-hyuk, who was quietly listening to the conversation, spoke in a lower voice.

"Just in case, can you check who was here?"

"Hm. Wait a minute."

After thinking for a while at Woo Seo-hyuk's request, Hong Si-ah called someone. He was an employee managing the entrance to the G5 Area.

Hong Si-ah asked the employee who ran to her with a very nervous expression.

"You're recording a visitor list, right?"

"Yes! That's right!"

"Is there anyone other than the clear team?"

"Ah, Master Kang Seung-geon of the Blun Guild came a while ago."

Cha Soo-yeon and Woo Seo-hyuk, as well as Hong Si-ah, were hardened at the name that no one could have thought of.

"Are you sure it's Master Kang Seung-geon?"

"Yes. He also signed the visitor list."

"Is he already leaving?"

"Pardon?"

"Did you make sure he left?"

The employee, who was very nervous at the noticeably changed voice of Hong Si-ah, looked carefully at her eyes and answered carefully.

"No, I didn't see him leaving."

"...okay. You can go."

The employee ran away with a relieved expression. Hong Si-ah, who had usually had a playful expression on her face, called out to Kim Na-yul.

"Deputy Master! Have you got the combat gloves I gave you as a gift before? Can you lend me a minute?"

"Pardon?"

Kim Na-yul, who was talking with the healer team, hurriedly approached at Hong Si-ah's request and took out combat gloves from her inventory necklace and held it out.

"Why all of a sudden?"

"I'm going to use it. Soo-yeon-ah, where was the spot that Talented Han Yi-gyeol was standing?"

"Uum, roughly... around here."

When Cha Soo-yeon touched the ground, Hong Si-ah rolled up her sleeves and wore the black leather gloves. Huu, taking a deep breath, Hong Si-ah slammed her fist on the floor with her tightly clenched fist.

Kuung!

The hard ground collapsed helplessly, revealing a space wide enough for three adults to fit under it. The eyes of four people looked down.

"This..."

"As expected."

Hong Si-ah frowned. If it was a normal land, she could easily destroy it without using amplification items, but if it was a land blocked by the same S-rank Kang Seung-geon, basic physical strength was not enough. She tried wearing amplification items just in case and it wasn't a bad choice.

"It's one of the methods that Master Kang Seung-geon uses. Making a passage in the ground and moving around. Only when we came in, we had to go through the entrance to find Han Yi-gyeol, but when he ran away, there was no need for that."

Cha Soo-yeon asked with a confused voice at Hong Si-ah's explanation.

"Are you saying that Master Kang Seung-geon kidnapped Han Yi-gyeol?"

"Looking at the current situation, it seems to be the case."

"Then... for what reason is Master Kang Seung-gun kidnapping Han Yi-gyeol?"

"I'm curious too, but let's fix it first. Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk."

Hong Si-ah took off the gloves and handed them to Kim Na-yul and said.

"Are you going to contact Master Cheon Sa-yeon right away?"

"Yes."

"Since something like this has happened at the place I manage, I'll do my best to help as much as I can. Let me know if you find out anything. We will do the same."

"I understand."

Woo Seo-hyuk, who had never shown any expression before, nodded his head with a cold look and then quickly turned his back. Cha Soo-yeon, who was listening to their conversation, looked around and took out her cell phone and called someone.

Fortunately, the call connection sound didn't last long. As soon as she confirmed that the other person received it, Cha Soo-yeon opened her mouth.

"We're in trouble, Tae-heon-ssi."

* * *

Kim Woo-jin looked at the document in front of him for a moment, then raised his head and asked the other person.

"Renewal... contract?"

"Yeah."

Cheon Sa-yeon answered with a light smile.

It had been a long time since Kim Woo-jin visited the representative office alone.

He used to be afraid that Cheon Sa-yeon would throw himself out of use whenever he came to the office.

However, it was different now. Kim Woo-jin was most afraid of being abandoned by Han Yi-gyeol, not Cheon Sa-yeon.

"You've also built up some skills and proficiency, so I can't just leave the pattern alone as an attendant forever."

"......"

"Let's read it first and talk slowly about what we need to discuss."

At those words, Kim Woo-jin took the document and read it slowly. Physics Support Team (물리지원팀). It was one of the departments made up of physical talents and was mainly a place where dispatch missions were given to other guilds.

"If you think about the usefulness of your ability, you can go to a better place rather than the support team, but then you will be that much busier. If that's okay with you, I'll consider another team."

"No."

As Cheon Sa-yeon said, the support team had a few tasks relatively. It could be considered as caring. Kim Woo-jin replied while looking into Cheon Sa-yeon's eyes.

"This place is good."

"That's a relief."

Kim Woo-jin remembered Han Yi-gyeol with a bitter heart. From the moment he found out that his rank had gone up anyway, he expected that it would be difficult to stay by his side like before.

If he told Han Yi-gyeol what happened today, he was sure he would congratulate him... He honestly wasn't very happy with himself. If he entered the gate, he wouldn't meet Han Yi-gyeol for at least three days. If the timing wasn't right, they might not see each other for more than a week.

'Still...'

Because Han Yi-gyeol liked money. If he worked hard and found a house that the two of them could live in, wouldn't he praise him for doing a good job? As he said, he couldn't stay in the Requiem Guild forever.

Kim Woo-jin, who made up his heart, had just finished signing the document. Cheon Sa-yeon took out his vibrating cell phone and answered the call.

[Master.]

"Say it."

Kim Woo-jin, who had improved in physical ability compared to the general public as he reached A-rank, was able to listen to the phone call without difficulty. He was contemplating whether he should leave his seat, but Woo Seo-hyuk, who called the Cheon Sa-yeon, hurriedly brought up the subject.

[Something went wrong.]

"What is it?"

[...Han Yi-gyeol-ssi.]

Kim Woo-jin, who was looking at the document, suddenly lifted his head. Cheon Sa-yeon also narrowed his eyes and waited for the next word.

[Disappeared.]

"Disappeared?"

[Yes. Master Hong Si-ah said that Master Kang Seung-geon seems to have kidnapped him. Evidence has been found that Master Kang Seung-geon used his ability to escape the area.]

Kidnapped? Did Han Yi-gyeol get kidnapped?

Kim Woo-jin stood up with his face hardened at the shocking content. Cheon Sa-yeon, whose smile disappeared from his lips, opened his mouth with a calm voice.

"If Master Hong Si-ah said that, he must have had a certain degree of certainty. Where's the location?"

[...I'm sorry.]

Cheon Sa-yeon closed his eyes for a moment and organized his thoughts. Soon after, he ordered Woo Seo-hyuk.

"I'll send you a coordinate in five minutes. Go straight there."

[Yes.]

After finishing the call, Cheon Sa-yeon immediately called someone else. Click. The call was connected and an unfamiliar voice was heard.

[Long time no see, N89.]

The woman's cold voice was extremely businesslike. Cheon Sa-yeon said, tapping his finger on the sofa armrest.

"Please do a search for the item location."

[Please tell the code.]

"C-29835. It is A-class and in the form of a bracelet."

[An item was searched with the corresponding code.]

Then the woman called the coordinates. Cheon Sa-yeon, who hung up the phone without answering, got up. Kim Woo-jin, who noticed that he was going to Han Yi-gyeol, said hurriedly.

"I will go too, Master."

"......"

Cheon Sa-yeon looked at Kim Woo-jin as if judging something. Kim Woo-jin's dry saliva went over at the gaze that showed no emotion.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who he knew, was basically well-mannered and affectionate at first glance, but that was only his outward appearance. Ever since he first received an offer from Cheon Sa-yeon and joined the guild, Kim Woojin had never felt comfortable with him for a single moment.

"Well, that wouldn't be bad. It might be a good opportunity to test your ability."

"......"

Even now. Even after hearing that Han Yi-gyeol had been kidnapped, he was always cool and rational. He was different from his restless self.

"Yes."

Kim Woo-jin, who barely responded as if squeezing it, walked after Cheon Sa-yeon.

'Han Yi-gyeol.'

Feeling his heart beating nervously with worry and anxiety, Kim Woo-jin bit his lip. Please.

Please, everything should be fine.

T/N :

I just read all the comments, I'm sorry for the late reply, guys. But your usual likes and comments really give me a strength to keep translating this series and publish it on time. :')

If you kinda dislike Woo-jin for being useless for Yi-gyeol (I think about this sometime too lol), please come back to read this arc because he will rescue Yi-gyeol. The MLs always have their shining(?) time and Author-nim already set them proportionally with their own capabilities to help Yi-gyeol in many ways. ^