Accidents and incidents are the protagonist’s fateMercenaries in Goryeo City generally fall into two categories.Those who take on mining-related commissions from city-affiliated Companies,and those who choose various jobs through unofficial request channels.The former get plenty of work and fair pay despite the difficulty; the latter’s income and workload vary wildly.Muhae had long distinguished himself by handling Company contracts, but he wasn’t satisfied and picked up private gigs on the side.After about seven years of experience, he’d become quite famous among mercenaries—a skilled, sturdy young man obsessed with money.“Stay where I can see you.”A seasoned mercenary could glean a lot from minimal request details: the client’s budget, whether the job was official or off-the-books.Even the meeting point at the East Gate hinted that the client was from Tae-eul district.The mission was risky and poorly paid for a two-day trip, so it had sat unclaimed for two weeks—perfect for Muhae.The next afternoon, lightly armed, he headed to the rendezvous point, with Joo-o trailing behind under his hood.Vrrrr-. Click.Inside the hover van there was just enough room for eight. Muhae shoved Joo-o into the passenger seat and activated the navigation system. The route lit up red in several places—beast-infested zones.“Departing now.”Muhae recorded the start on his watch. The client nodded tensely. Joo-o simply smiled, studying the map like it was a show. When his eyes met Muhae’s, pure delight bloomed on his face, and Muhae instinctively looked away.The journey was honestly more boring than dangerous. Occasionally distant howls sent a chill through the cabin, but after Muhae tweaked a few devices and scanned the surroundings, calm returned.When meal time came, the client ate nothing—just swallowed a few nutrient pills with water and glanced to the rear seat.“You can get off up ahead and grab something to eat.”Joo-o’s eyes lit up, but he shook his head.“I want to try these.”“These taste like nothing, won’t fill you. I take them to avoid bulk when moving.”“I’m fine.”Whoever starved or not, Muhae didn’t care. Joo-o himself had once declared that if he said he was fine, he truly was. Before Muhae could offer water, Joo-o shoved all the pills into his mouth and swallowed. Less startling than when he’d eaten meat with bones.“Halfway there. We’ve passed two beast zones. Even if there’s fighting ahead, it shouldn’t be too dangerous.”A relieved sigh came from the back. Though Muhae knew it wasn’t truly safe, he let the client’s misunderstanding stand.Then Joo-o, seated quietly in the passenger seat, murmured,“It’s not.”Barely above a whisper—enough for Muhae alone to hear. He raised an eyebrow and Joo-o peered around nervously.“If you’re bored, just sleep.”“I’ve hunted beasts. Now it’s anomalies.”“Don’t jinx us.”Muhae knew Joo-o was unhinged enough not to argue; any other mercenary would’ve cursed him out. Mercenary life beyond the Comfort Zone was a gamble with one’s life, so they clung to superstitions. Since Joo-o would stick around, Muhae needed to keep him in line. He’d been mute when they first met, but gradually he’d grown chatty.“What are you looking at?”Joo-o’s gaze drifted through thin air, as if inspecting an invisible hologram. ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Only when Muhae’s frown snapped him back did he meet Muhae’s eyes, looking as though he’d just realized something important.“I’m watching you, Muhae.”“Not now.”“I wasn’t watching.”Another pointless exchange. Muhae clicked his tongue and fell silent. The van grew quiet once more.‘If we clear the next zone without incident, we’ll save some supplies.’Mercenary work earned big but spent big—mostly on gear and medical bills. Avoidable fights were money saved. Muhae’s goal wasn’t the 310 dil fee but a legitimate reason to enter Tae-eul district, so he intended a peaceful run. With that mindset, jobs usually went smoothly. Everyone knew how competent veteran mercs were.Vrrrr-.But if only that strange howl hadn’t echoed unexpectedly around them.Kiaaaak-.“…!”That noise wasn’t a beast’s roar. It sounded like a madman’s scream, echoing faintly in succession. Muhae and the client both flinched. Muhae sat up, and the pill bottle clattered to the floor. He ignored the client’s alarm and switched the hover van to manual control. The speed gauge rocketed to the max.“Gah! Did a beast see us? A wild dog? A wolf?”“…”“…It’s a beast, right? A beast?”“Shut up and buckle in. It’s going to get bumpy.”His calm warning came under the alarm’s bleeps. At the same moment, the van lurched violently left.

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