“Muhae. Didn’t you say you picked up a kid?”As soon as he stepped into the electronics shop, Boss Gil greeted him. Jin Muhae recalled yesterday’s events as he walked inside.All the miners were dead, and only that man remained—mysterious red-eyed, answering no questions, only furrowing his brow.He’d brought him back to Goryeo City last night, and already rumors were flying.Muhae rummaged through the gear on the workbench and said indifferently, “He’s not a kid. He’s pretty tall.”“Kids these days are growing up again. At the academy, half the students are already as tall as me.”“That just means you’re short.”“You little—watch your mouth when you talk to your elders…”Boss Gil always snapped like that. Muhae half-listened as he picked up a piece of equipment. He pressed a button and a high-tensile wire shot out with a hiss. He’d brought the shattered device from the last mission here on the off chance it could be fixed—it looked brand-new now.“You repaired this?”Despite his foul temper, no one in this district knew electronics better than Boss Gil. Just as Muhae marveled, Gil jabbed him with another question.“I heard you took him to Dr. Jeong. Where’d you get the money?”“I just asked for a quick check-up. I picked him up myself.”“Dr. Jeong was asking about you five minutes ago.”“Really?”Muhae glanced over and saw Boss Gil tapping numbers into his terminal, cigarette clenched in his teeth. 999 dil—it made no sense except to pad out the price.When Gil pretended to worry about Muhae’s funds, Muhae muttered under his breath—and Gil pretended to overhear.“Use that extra 1 dil on snacks.”“Thanks, I appreciate it.”“Get some for Dr. Jeong, too.”“He doesn’t eat cheap snacks.”“He does when you’re not looking.”Gil’s laugh rattled the shop’s fluorescent lights, and Muhae, halfheartedly, tapped “Approve.”Beep!The payment confirmed with a beep, and Boss Gil clicked his tongue.“You’ll have to do another run, huh?”“Tsk,” Muhae clicked his tongue and checked his balance. He was right—this month was tight, thanks to rescuing that strange man yesterday.“Got any decent jobs coming in?”“Beats me. Since the day before yesterday, everyone’s been crazy about hunting the Thorn Wolf.”“Why wolves all of a sudden?”“Some old guy from Central went feral and became wolf food. His will’s on his implant chip, so everyone’s scrambling for the inheritance.”Public bounties weren’t common, and this one sounded like a waste of time—everyone and their dog would swarm that. Better to stick to side gigs.“The body and the chip are probably rotted by now.”“Doesn’t matter. Bring back the remains and it’s 30,000 dil. It’s not an anomaly—it’s just a beast. Everyone with working limbs is already outside the dome.”“Like looking for a needle in a desert.”“Suck it up or stay home.”Muhae nodded and slung his pack over his shoulder. Exiting the cramped shop, a chill breeze hit his face. The slum’s patchwork buildings loomed ahead.Location ▶ Goryeo City– West 81.2240, North 12.0771Starlight Avenue was lined with illegal additions, the poorest quarter in the western slums—Muhae’s home. He had no memories before childhood; from the moment he could remember, he’d been one of these alley rats, tough as weeds. Better than nowhere to sleep, but still a cage.[UNION/GR Balance – 24,557 dil]“Unexpected expenses,” Muhae muttered, turning toward the hospital to meet this mystery man.Ding.The clinic’s door chimed cheaply. A tinny speaker crackled.“You’re here.”Dr. Jeong’s languid voice came from inside. One of the few doctors in Starlight Avenue.“How is he?”Without greeting, Muhae asked. Jeong pushed his glasses up and motioned him in.“See for yourself.”A diagonal scar streaked Jeong’s cheek—maybe that made his every word carry weight. Muhae stepped into the treatment room with unusual deference.Clack.On the left, a cot draped in a blanket half-pulled back. The boy sat there, nestling into the covers, eyes fixed on nothing. His jet-black hair looked as soft as mink; his eyes glowed an unsettling red.Muhae approached. This was the stranger he’d found in Kan Rano.“He’s awake.”“He was awake on arrival.”“True enough.”What was this kid? He didn’t meet Muhae’s gaze. When Muhae rescued him, the boy had stared unblinkingly—now he avoided eye contact.“He’s twenty-two.”Dr. Jeong interjected dryly as Muhae studied the boy. Yesterday’s conversation flickered through his mind.‘Why is this a patient?’‘Picked him up in Kan Rano.’‘There’s no safe zone there.’‘Maybe he fell during transit… he doesn’t look like a miner.’‘Must’ve grown up privileged.’‘No calluses on his hands.’‘What’s his name? Age?’‘Don’t know. I asked but he keeps…’‘Hmm…’‘He only makes that sound.’The boy clearly wasn’t right in the head. Muhae had left him here and gone home, but overnight Dr. Jeong must have made a discovery.“Did you find medical records?”“No implants, no birth record, no citizen ID.”No implant chip? Muhae frowned—Central folk always got expensive implants. Could this spotless kid be from the slums?Beep-beep!Muhae’s thoughts were interrupted by a beep. The boy was playing with a clinic-issued handheld recorder, poking at its floating interface and smiling like he’d never seen technology before.“How did you know?” Muhae challenged. “Does a diagnosis show that?”“No. He told me.”He spoke?Muhae glanced at the bed—only now did the boy look up. His gem-like eyes studied Muhae.After a pause, the boy whispered, “Hungry.”A single word, devoid of context.Slurp.In front of a street stall, the boy devoured bowl after bowl of noodles, seated on a battered stool. He wasn’t right in the head, yet his chopstick skills were impeccable. White noodles vanished into his red mouth, one bowl after another.Slurp, gulp. Slurp, gulp.Muhae, who knew these noodles weren’t exceptional, was stunned by how ravenous the boy seemed—like a castaway at sea for a decade, but his hair was healthy and his skin glowed. Every time he bounced his legs, his thick black hair swayed as if on display.Definitely not a local. Muhae imagined the reward he’d fetch if he reunited the boy with his family.“Whew.”Still odd that he’d been in the deadliest zone outside the dome, and yet hadn’t tasted real food till now. He’d emptied three bowls, each more than enough to fill even Muhae’s own stomach.When the boy finished the third bowl, Muhae spoke.“Where do you live?”No answer—only that blank stare. Then the boy reached over, snatched Muhae’s bowl, and slurped it down too.Crazy. Muhae grabbed the bowl—but it wouldn’t budge. He yanked harder—nothing. Muhae had never been overpowered like this.“Give it back.”His pride stung, Muhae scowled, but the bowl stayed in place.“If you don’t speak, I won’t buy you more.”Unexpectedly, the boy’s eyes flickered with conflict. Human or beast—he only responded to food.Damn—bringing him back may have been a mistake. No identity, no implant, and now he couldn’t even pay him back. Muhae was barely getting by himself. Maybe he should cut his losses…But…‘You’re lucky to be alive. A kid alone outside the dome…’‘Sitting there staring at the sky, clueless how dangerous it was…’A haunting memory surfaced: Muhae himself had once been left outside the dome, lost as a child. Faded as it was, he’d never forget. Jeong speculated Muhae’s own memory had frayed after that day.Strange kinship. He couldn’t just dump this kid back into danger—especially one so striking. His smooth, handsome face had already drawn glances all day. Too tempting a target for bad people.“Hah.”Muhae sighed, rubbing his brow. So he’d have to take him home, at least temporarily. Unaware, the boy gulped down his final bowl. The empty dish clattered on the table. At last, he met Muhae’s eyes—tightening his grip on the bowl, recalling the warning not to buy more if he didn’t answer.“If you don’t want to talk, at least gesture.”At that, the boy paused, thinking. He glanced past Muhae toward the city gates where they’d entered.Silence.His gaze offered no clue. Muhae had no idea what to make of him.“Hey.”The boy spoke for the first time since “Hungry.” His voice was eerie, dissonant with his dazed manner. Muhae braced himself as the boy pointed at the steaming meat beside them. Then, with a ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ wet drip—“Damn.”He began drooling over the meat.

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