#12

His words and actions, filled with authority and a superiority complex, had always been suffocatingly oppressive. But now that I was an adult, it was at least somewhat better. As long as I achieved what my father wanted, I could claim some degree of freedom in other areas of my life.

“…Ha.”

I let out a deep sigh, feeling as if all the strength had drained from my body.

For a brief moment, my vision swayed, and a heavy fog settled in my head. Before I could even process it, I collapsed onto the bed.

A foreign ceiling filled my view, and the world around me was deathly silent.

I quietly closed my eyes.

* * *

I woke up, tormented by intense hunger.

Before the drowsiness had even fully worn off, a loud growl echoed through my body. Rubbing my bleary eyes, I instinctively scanned my surroundings. This wasn’t the usual scenery.

Beyond the wide-open window, a lush green garden spread out before me, and only then did I remember—I was in Wei Chen’s house.

“…Morning.”

The sunlight was annoyingly bright and crisp. Had I really slept for half a day here? Worse, I had fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep—something I hadn’t done in a long time.

“……”

A wave of self-reproach hit me.

How could I sleep so soundly in such a suspicious place without even a shred of caution?

Almost on instinct, I patted my body, lifting my shirt to check my stomach. A delayed anxiety crept in—what if something had been removed while I was asleep?

But it was a ridiculous overreaction. There wasn’t a single mark on me. Aside from a slight stiffness in my shoulders, everything felt normal.

If I step outside, I’ll have to see that lunatic again.

As I made my way to the bathroom, I couldn’t help but think of Wei Chen.

It was surprising that he hadn’t done anything to me. Even if he hadn’t gone as far as organ harvesting, he could’ve at least stuck a needle in me. Yet, it seemed like he hadn’t even touched a single strand of my hair.

I had assumed he had no basic manners, but maybe he had some boundaries after all.

No matter how much this was his house, he hadn’t barged into the room he gave to a woman…

“…What the hell.”

That train of thought came to an abrupt halt.

Just outside the bathroom, in front of the connected dressing room, hung a neatly arranged set of clothes.

Brand new.

A crisp, ivory-colored T-shirt, matching training pants, fresh underwear, and even a pair of shoes—everything was perfectly prepared.

As if I was expected to wear them.

And next to it, sitting ominously, was a large round trash bin.

…Was I supposed to throw away the clothes I had on?

I stood there for a moment, staring blankly. Then, without a word, I walked past the neatly laid-out clothes and stepped into the bathroom.

* * *

As I descended the stairs, a savory aroma filled my nose.

Growl.

My stomach rumbled again, demanding food.

Come to think of it, the last thing I had eaten was a piece of bread in the morning yesterday. I’d been running on empty ever since. Maybe that’s why my steps quickened instinctively.

Then, I misstepped. My ankle wobbled, but I managed to catch my balance before making a fool of myself.

Wei Chen, who had been sitting at the living room table, waved at me. He had a tablet in one hand, seemingly in the middle of reading something.

“What’s with that mess of a look?”

“What about me?”

“You didn’t see what I left for you?”

“I saw it… but it’s not my style.”

“Perfect. Toss your old clothes and your taste in the trash, get changed, and come back.”

He waved his hand dismissively, as if he had nothing more to say.

I ignored him and plopped down on the sofa.

“Are you in your rebellious phase?”

“Explain properly what this ‘Nexus’ I took actually is. And why your blood acts as a sedative.”

“Wei Chen.”

“…Wei Chen’s blood acts as a—ugh, can’t you just let this slide?”

Thud.

His long fingers pressed the power button on his tablet.

Without a case, the device slid smoothly across the marble table and stopped right at the center.

“You don’t listen to a single thing I say, but you keep making demands.”

“……”

“Get changed. Eat a light breakfast, brush your teeth, and do some exercises in the garden. Then, we’ll talk.”

His bored gaze locked onto mine.

No matter how much I resisted, it was clear he wasn’t going to budge.

My defiance didn’t last long before it crumbled in half.

In the end, I trudged back to the bedroom and changed into the clothes he had left for me.

The fabric was much lighter and softer than my hoodie, wrapping around me comfortably.

How did he even get the sizing so perfectly right?

The memory of his hands shamelessly touching me without hesitation flashed through my mind.

“…Was that why?”

No way.

I shook the thought off with a deep breath.

* * *

The sun scattered its rays over the cloudless blue sky. A soft breeze drifted by—perfect weather for drying laundry. The morning dew still clung to the grass, making it glisten under the light, while the small fountain trickled gently in the distance.

Wei Chen, wearing thick sunglasses, cycled around me in lazy circles. The wheels of his bike made a soft, rhythmic sound against the grass.

“Baekwoon isn’t just looking for a drone-level weapon. They want the perfect combat machine—something far beyond human limits. Enhanced physical abilities, limitless stamina, lightning-fast reflexes, superior tactical instincts. Their goal is simple: create an ultimate being, sell it, and make a fortune. Straightforward, isn’t it?”

Ding!

The bell on his bike chimed playfully.

“They poured astronomical amounts of money and manpower into development. The problem? In the early trials, most of the test subjects died from side effects. Their bodies either went berserk, failed to control their mutations, or just boom—exploded. After countless failures and sacrifices, they finally created the drug you took—Nexus. A formula that reconstructs human tissue and neural pathways to stabilize transformations.”

“…S-Shit… huff… fuck.”

I couldn’t help but swear.

What the hell was this bastard even saying?

I was too exhausted to even process his words. My legs felt like lead, too heavy to move, and I collapsed onto the grass.

My entire body was drenched in sweat, making the fresh clothes I’d changed into completely pointless.

Gasping for air, I lay sprawled out, staring at the blinding sky. In the background, some old-school Hong Kong action movie soundtrack was still playing.

Wei Chen finally stopped his bike and crouched next to me.

“And you? You’re the first human to ingest Nexus.”

I didn’t respond. I was too busy trying to suck in enough oxygen to stay alive.

Seeing this, Wei Chen grabbed a bottle from the basket attached to his bike and handed it to me. I sat up just enough to chug it down in one go.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I shot him a glare.

“You said it’d be light exercise!”

“It was light.”

“I ran around the garden ten times! Huff—how the hell is that light?!”

“Kids these days don’t get enough exercise.”

Beep.

With a single sound, the music playing in the garden cut off.

“I won’t tell you to run anymore, so get up.”

Still unsteady on my feet, I staggered up and looked at him.

“…Are you even allowed to tell me all this? Isn’t it classified?”

I was still panting as I questioned him.

Wei Chen turned slightly to glance at me before shrugging, completely unfazed.

“You asked me to.”

“…Still…”

I hadn’t expected him to spill so easily.

“If a kidnapped person sees the culprit’s face, they’re usually doomed, right? So… you’re going to kill me for knowing too much?”

I pressed, still catching my breath.

Wei Chen snorted.

“You already had a rough idea of everything. What difference does it make if you know more?”

“…”

“What, are you planning to take down Baekwoon or something?”

“…Not really.”

He casually tossed his bike onto the ground and headed toward the house. I hurried to follow, still frustrated.

Just as he was about to open the door, a sudden thought slipped out of my mouth.

“Wait—you still didn’t tell me the most important part. Why does your blood act as a sedative for me?”

Wei Chen stopped.

For a brief moment, he stood still at the doorway before turning his head slightly to glance at me. Then, with complete indifference, he said:

“My younger sibling was the one who developed Nexus.”

“…What?”

I blinked in confusion, staring at him in shock.

Before I could ask anything else, he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.