LONG CHAPTER AHEAD

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2. A New Encounter

“What the hell is that?”

As soon as Yoon opened the door to the infirmary, she frowned as if she had seen something she shouldn’t have. Standing there with his arms wide open, grinning, was the doctor.

“What’s with that creepy pose?”

“Oh dear… Weren’t you about to run in and hug me? You burst through the door so dramatically—I naturally assumed you’d throw yourself into my arms.”

The doctor lowered his arms in mock disappointment, wrinkling his nose playfully as he laughed. He adjusted his slipping glasses with an air of complete ease.

“Yoon, do you still feel nothing?”

Unfortunately.

Contrary to the supposed sympathy in his words, his face remained infuriatingly bright. If he was going to say something like that, the least he could do was make an effort to control his expression.

Heat crept up the back of Yoon’s neck, spreading through her head. If driving people mad was a talent, then he certainly had a gift for it.

“Feel nothing? Yeah, still nothing. What, are you jealous?”

She tilted her head slightly, as if stretching.

“Come here.”

The watch on her wrist slipped off smoothly, landing on the floor with a dull thud.

“Crack your skull once, and you’ll end up just like me.”

The button at her collar came undone with a soft pop.

“Ah.”

Yoon suddenly paused, as if a thought had crossed her mind. Her dark eyes gleamed with something strange.

“You might die, though. But that’s fine, right?”

After all, you’re the one who never stops whining about how envious you are of my numbness. Aren’t you?

As Yoon suddenly closed the distance between them, the doctor instinctively took a slow step backward. Teasing her was always a thrill, but today… today felt dangerous.

Her cold, piercing gaze trailed over his body, moving sluggishly, calculatingly. It was the kind of look that made his skin crawl—the look of someone deciding where to put a bullet hole.

The doctor let out an awkward laugh, retreating further.

“Calm down, Yoon. Did you hate having your blood drawn that much?”

Yoon tilted her head slowly. Hate? Hate? That word was far too simple to define what she felt.

Without hesitation, she closed the distance in an instant, her hand shooting out to grab the doctor by the collar.

“Are you seriously asking me that?”

Their eyes locked. Any trace of rationality had long since vanished from her dark pupils.

“Ugh—!”

The doctor’s back hit the ground with a harsh thud. Before he could react, Yoon was already on top of him.

“You’ll understand soon enough. How I feel.”

Her grip tightened, veins rising on the back of her hand as she clenched his collar.

“I’ll drain every last drop of your blood.”

Her voice was razor-sharp, laced with the kind of fury that had been simmering for too long—fury that had finally boiled over. The sheer malice in her tone sent an involuntary shudder through the doctor’s body.

Yoon’s eyes flicked around before she grabbed the first syringe within reach. She tore off the cap with her teeth in one violent motion. The exposed needle gleamed ominously under the light.

A cold sweat trickled down the doctor’s back.

“Hahaha… You’re not actually planning to stab me with that, right?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

Yoon’s smile was dazzling—almost too bright.

“Yoon, do you even know what’s in that syringe?”

“Does it matter?”

“If you inject it like this, at this angle, the blood will backflow for sure. You could rupture a vein and die—”

“Perfect.”

Her grin widened as she adjusted her grip.

“I’ve always wanted to burst these damn veins at least once.”

After all, mine were the only ones that ever got torn apart.

Yoon leaned in close, her voice a low whisper against his ear. The chilling tone sent a shiver down his spine.

“Do you see this? These are the marks you left, Doctor.”

She pulled back the sleeve of her wrist, exposing the countless needle punctures and bruises that had yet to heal.

“Hah… My marks, you say? Well, well.”

I quite like that.

His usual loose smile remained, but something sharp gleamed in his eyes. This was dangerous—extremely so—but the thrill of it made it all the more intoxicating. Fear alone wasn’t enough to overshadow how perfectly this moment fit his tastes.

As Yoon shifted slightly on top of him, her toned thighs pressing against his waist, the doctor’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He felt strangely parched, as if he needed a drink. His tongue darted out, running along his lips as he looked up at her.

“Yoon, I think you should get off me now.”

“What the hell are you babbling about?”

Her voice was sharp, dismissive, but the doctor only chuckled softly.

“I think I just discovered a new preference of mine.”

His drowsy eyes curved into crescent moons behind his glasses as he subtly gestured downward.

Following his gaze, Yoon’s expression twisted in pure disgust. Right there, plain as day, was the evidence of his arousal.

“You goddamn pervert… even in a situation like this?!”

“Mhm. You got on top of me, and I got excited. Can I move now?”

What the hell was this lunatic even asking? Yoon’s brows furrowed so hard it looked painful. She wanted to shut that filthy mouth of his—preferably with her fist.

The needle in her grasp gleamed as she adjusted her grip, ready to drive it straight into his throat.

Then—

“What the hell are you doing that you didn’t even hear me knock?”

The door swung open, and a familiar voice cut through the tension.

Lucas.

He stepped inside, then halted mid-sentence as his gaze landed on the sight before him. The doctor, sprawled on the floor, breathing heavily. Yoon, straddling him, a syringe clutched in her hand.

His eyes flicked between them, scanning the bizarre scene with unreadable precision.

Then, with an almost mechanical motion, he shut the door behind him.

The soft click of the door closing sent a bone-chilling silence through the room.

Lucas’s voice came out cold.

“Explain.”

Lucas’s low voice carried a palpable weight, thickening the air with tension. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

“Are you not going to explain?”

Sensing the seriousness of the situation, the doctor lifted both hands in surrender, his tone lighthearted as he spoke.

“Just to be clear, I was the one pinned down. What you’re seeing is exactly what happened. Yoon attacked me, and delicate little me had no choice but to be overpowered.”

His shameless claim of victimhood was absolutely ridiculous.

“She came at me, saying she wanted to see me cry. And what was I supposed to do? A fragile man like me could only accept my fate. It’s all because I’m just too damn irresistible. I should have known Yoon would eventually pounce on me.”

He even wiped away imaginary tears, putting on an exaggeratedly tragic expression.

Yoon scoffed.

You actually believe that?

She was about to spit out some choice curses, but Lucas’s expression was so stone-cold serious that, for a second, she almost apologized.

For what, exactly?

For pinning another man down? No, wait—that wasn’t the point.

Yoon quickly reset her thoughts.

Right. What mattered right now wasn’t clearing her name from this absurd accusation. It was driving that damn syringe into the doctor’s neck.

“I’ll explain later. Just get out.”

Lucas’s gaze sharpened.

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s exactly what it looks like. Don’t get in the way. Leave.”

“You’re telling me to accept this situation as it is?”

“That’s right.”

“So I’m supposed to accept the sight of you pinning the doctor down on the floor?”

“Yeah. And while you’re at it, maybe also take a look at the syringe in my hand.”

Lucas’s eyes flicked toward the sharp needle clutched between Yoon’s fingers.

After a brief moment of silence, he let out a tired sigh and dragged a hand down his face, looking utterly exhausted.

Lucas exhaled slowly, a strange mix of relief and humiliation settling in his chest.

So she’d finally snapped. She had held out for a long time, but today was the breaking point.

Yeah. No matter what, Yoon wasn’t the type to pin just any man down.

That irrational sense of relief annoyed him, and he hated that he’d even felt it in the first place.

He had to admit, it was odd that she had gone to the doctor so willingly. He had known this would explode eventually, but he hadn’t expected it to be today.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Lucas decided to abandon the doctor to his fate. Right now, dealing with his own misplaced emotions was more urgent.

Sometimes, letting go of the reins was the best way to prevent a bigger disaster.

No matter how reckless Yoon was, she wouldn’t actually kill the doctor.

…Probably.

She’d take it right up to the edge of death, though. But that wasn’t his problem. Even Lucas had to admit that the doctor pushed Yoon’s buttons more than necessary.

“Just don’t kill him.”

With that, Lucas—ever the considerate one—closed the door behind him as he left.

The doctor stared after him, utterly betrayed.

“Well then, shall we continue?”

The syringe gleamed ominously under the light as Yoon flashed a dazzling smile.

The doctor’s lips twitched into an awkward grin.

“Hahaha… Yoon?”

Her smile only deepened.

“Yeah, I’m right here.”

Now, let’s have some fun.

Her sickeningly sweet voice slithered into his ears, and in that instant, he knew—this was the day his life was over.

* * *

“Lost it again…?”

The cold voice cut through the heavy silence, directed at the man with his head bowed.

“I’m sorry.”

The repeated apologies, like a parrot’s mimicry, grated on his nerves. The tapping fingers on the desk stilled.

Sensing its master’s displeasure, the Doberman lounging on the velvet rug gracefully stood and pressed its face against his leg.

Long, elegant fingers moved slowly, stroking the dog’s head.

The man standing before him swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. His lips felt dry—parched from the tension coiling around the room.

He knew all too well how dangerous that beast was. It was a creature that obeyed only its master, one that wouldn’t hesitate to sink its teeth into human flesh at a single command.

Just the sound of its low, rumbling growl sent a shiver down his spine.

Perhaps it was fear creeping up his throat, but his voice came out trembling.

“Is ‘I’m sorry’ the only thing that mouth of yours can say?”

The man who had been idly leaning against the window turned his gaze toward the kneeling subordinate. As his leather shoes clicked against the floor, approaching, the subordinate instinctively shut his eyes, bracing for the inevitable blow.

Smack.

But instead of pain, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

The unexpected gesture sent a flicker of confusion through his eyes, his pupils shaking in disbelief.

“Bring him.”

“…What?”

A whisper, dangerously low, slithered into his ear, making the hairs on his body stand on end.

“I said, bring him.”

“Ah—! Y-yes, sir!”

His response came out fast, almost desperate. Whether he died here or failed to bring the target back, the end result was the same. If he had to choose, he’d rather delay death for as long as possible.

As his subordinate scrambled out the door, Lowe Howard ran a slow thumb over his lower lip, deep in thought.

“Who could it be?”

What kind of man was so skilled that every single one of his men had failed to capture him?

For the first time in a while, something piqued his interest.

Lowe Howard, eldest son of the Howard family and its future successor, had no tolerance for incompetence.

To be precise—he simply couldn’t comprehend the concept of incompetence at all.

“Not even capable of handling a single task properly. How utterly pathetic.”

Lowe’s voice was devoid of emotion, but the disappointment in it was sharp enough to cut.

His gaze lowered to the obedient Doberman beside him, the only thing in this room that never failed him.

“Isn’t that right, Rye?”

“Woof!”

The dog barked in firm agreement, its deep voice echoing through the room.

Lowe’s lips curled into a faint smile.

For the first time in a while, something interesting had appeared.

* * *

As Lucas stepped into the office, he frowned at the bizarre sight before him.

“…What the hell are you doing?”

“Bruising.”

“No, I mean—why the hell are you hitting it like that?”

Yoon was sprawled precariously on the couch, her legs hanging over the armrest in a position that looked straight out of a horror movie.

After the whole doctor incident, she’d seemed to have relieved some of her stress, wandering around like nothing had happened—yet here she was, back at it again with her strange antics.

“My brain’s not working these days. Not that I ever liked thinking in the first place.”

Her voice was as sluggish as her posture, weighed down by a sense of fatigue.

“Then eat something instead. Stop trying to think—it doesn’t suit you.”

“Right? Me trying to be serious for once? Gives me chills.”

Still, with all the blood rushing to her head like this, it did feel like her brain was working a little better.

Lucas clicked his tongue, exasperated.

“Isn’t it usually the other way around?”

“Nope. Something about my head spinning like this feels kinda… refreshing.”

Of course. Nothing about her was ever normal.

Shaking his head, Lucas walked over and sat on the couch across from her.

Lately, the Howard family had been making unusual moves. No matter how he looked at it, Yoon was the only one who could’ve stirred them up like this.

“What did you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“I know you’re about to say something. Just spit it out and stop dancing around it.”

Do I need to be worried?

Yoon chuckled softly, rubbing her neck.

Whatever it was that Lucas was hesitating to say, it must’ve been something big. That alone made her curious.

Did he have some sort of divine revelation? Ugh. That wouldn’t be very fun.

Lucas looked at her with an unreadable expression.

As always, when it came to the strangest things, Yoon’s instincts were annoyingly sharp.

“The Howard family is turning every stone trying to find you.”

Yoon had a pretty good guess why. It wasn’t just once or twice—she had pulled one over on them several times now. If nothing else, they had every reason to be pissed off. Whether they planned to persuade her or kill her once they found her was anyone’s guess, so it was better to stay cautious.

“Yeah? Took them long enough. Kinda slow, aren’t they?”

She casually rolled her shoulders, utterly unbothered.

Lucas let out a deep sigh.

“Can’t you, for once in your life, worry about something?”

“What’s the point? If I start worrying, does that mean they’ll magically stop looking for me?”

Her indifferent tone only made his frustration worse. Every time he saw her like this, it made his head hurt.

If the Howard family was serious about finding her, tracking down her personal information wouldn’t take long. They weren’t standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Maier family for nothing.

If it hadn’t been for Yoon, an unexpected wildcard, Howard’s men wouldn’t have lost their prey in the first place. It was strange they had waited this long to act, but in the end, it was inevitable.

And Lowe Howard wasn’t the type to sit still.

“Ugh…!”

With a quick motion, Yoon sat up straight.

Damn, that made me a little dizzy.

Yeah, maybe she should get up more slowly next time. She nodded to herself as if making a mental note.

“I’m heading home.”

Yeah, today felt like a meat day. Last time was beef—tonight, she’d go with pork.

“Did you even hear me? They’re looking for you.”

“And? You want me to just sit here and hide?”

Being tracked and hunted was part of the job.

“Everyone in this line of work deals with it. No need to make a big deal out of it.”

Oh. Wait.

“…You in love with me or something?”

She narrowed her eyes, mischief dancing in them.

“Are you scared you’ll drop dead if I get caught?”

Is that why you’re clinging like this? How unlike you.

Lucas felt exhaustion settle in his bones as she fired off one playful jab after another.

“Yeah, yeah. Do whatever the hell you want, you damn wild horse.”

It wasn’t like telling her to stay would change anything.

Yoon smirked at his exasperated expression and grabbed her jacket.

“I might kill them, you know. That fine with you?”

She had no intention of letting anyone who came after her walk away unscathed.

Letting them go “lightly” without injuries? What a joke.

They weren’t going to treat her like some fragile shrine maiden, either.

“Better than you getting killed.”

Lucas’s voice was low, resigned.

Whether those men lived or died wasn’t his problem. A few bodies were hardly worth fussing over.

“You did give me permission, remember? I’m off.”

* * *

It had been a while since she was last home, and as always, the place was silent.

Minimal, sparse—almost cold.

The house mirrored its owner’s personality, filled with only the bare essentials. But Yoon liked it that way.

“As long as it has what I need to live, that’s enough.”

If Turner heard her say that, he’d probably clutch his chest and collapse. He was the type to personally decorate every corner of his home with pride.

But since he had no reason to step foot in her house, it wasn’t a concern.

“Been a while since he went on that business trip.”

Turner had a habit of bringing back alcohol like a souvenir every time he traveled. No doubt, he’d return with something decent this time too.

“We should have a drink when he gets back.”

Despite being Lucas’s secretary, constantly buried in work, Turner was also Yoon’s drinking buddy. There had even been a time when the two had raided the Maier family’s liquor stash and drank until they could barely stand.

That, of course, led to Lucas catching them—and the inevitable punishment of days of nagging and a mountain of work.

But regret? She had none.

Shrugging off her discarded suit jacket and tie, Yoon headed straight for the bed.

“Ha… this is nice.”

The moment she collapsed onto the plush mattress, her whole body melted into it.

She lay there for a long while, simply enjoying the comfort.

Then, instinctively, her hand reached beneath the pillow, fingers wrapping around the cool metal of her gun.

And just like that, she was up again.

“Tch. Just when I was about to finally relax.”

Quick or stupid—she wasn’t sure which.

If someone was going to die tonight, they could at least make an effort.

“Come out, you voyeuristic piece of shit.”

Her dark eyes were filled with nothing but pure irritation.

* * *

Three men had been taken down.

Two were dead—gunshot wounds to the chest.

One was still alive—barely—writhing on the floor with a bullet lodged in his abdomen.

Yoon crouched down, yanking open their shirts to check for tattoos.

A crescent moon and a dagger.

The Howard family crest.

Not surprising. Expected, even.

Two were dead, but the last one… she’d let him live.

Surviving this would be warning enough.

Her gaze swept across the bloodstained room.

Yeah… sleeping at home wasn’t happening tonight.

With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and dialed Lucas.

As if he had been waiting for the call, his low voice answered immediately.

—Did you get them?

“Yeah. Three. Killed two. Letting one go as a message.”

—Got it. I’ll send someone over.

“Oh, and let me crash at your place. Send a cleanup crew while you’re at it.”

A click of the tongue.

—How bad did you make it?

“It just… turned out that way. I’m heading over now.”

 

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