Black Badger

Chapter 41

An article?

An article? A newspaper article? A news article? My jaw dropped, and I stared blankly at the doctor.

Why had an article come out?

Because of that chairman. He was a celebrity, after all.

I felt like my insides were sinking.

Images of my face-to-face with Ye-hyeon and my first meeting with Yoon flashed quickly through my mind. What if they found out I was a parachutist? It wouldn't end with just Ye-hyeon resigning.

How far had the article spread?

Samuel Han must have pitied my trembling state, because he clicked his tongue in sympathy: tsk tsk tsk.

With his rough hands, he handed me a tablet. It wasn't the work tablet; it seemed to be his personal one.

I widened my eyes and looked down at the screen filled with the article. An article featuring two people I knew was blown up huge on the front page.

["My brother never let go of us, not even for a moment."]

I wanted to die.

Luke, what the hell did you do?

I read the article filled with heartwarming stories, my body shaking uncontrollably.

The article was all praise. Stories of how, even while with the Cureus Corporation chairman, he prioritized the lives of the two children. How he took the children and ran out, then went back in to save the chairman. Praise for actually saving everyone unharmed.

The final paragraph mentioned that I appeared to be a "new agent of Black Badger."

There was a huge photo on the screen of me receiving an oxygen mask from the firefighters.

There was also a photo of me passed out.

I stared at the tablet, speechless for a long time.

"Fortunately, the content was positive, but with an article this big, you're going to have a headache."

Samuel scratched the back of his head vigorously.

"You're a new face to the public, and it's the kind of heartwarming story they love, plus you're not bad-looking. It's going to be noisy for a while."

"It'll die down after some time, right?"

"I'm not sure. You, on top of that..."

The doctor looked at me with troubled eyes.

I waited for the man, who had one hand tucked into his gown pocket, to speak.

He only spoke after a nurse called him from afar.

"Anyway, I'm going. Call the nurse if you need anything."

From his reaction, it seemed not all responses were positive.

The comments were probably the issue. There were no filters there, no matter the topic. I hesitated, then scrolled down to the comments section.

I deliberately sought out the negative ones.

Yeah, it's just doing what a badger should, so it's overblown. It would have been best if he could have saved all three at once.... All fair points....

Ah.

I stopped my scrolling finger as soon as I read one comment.

「Where did this guy pop out from?」

When did Black Badger hire a new recruit? When did he join? Where's he from? Why was there no record of even basic education, let alone college?

My heart tightened at the sharp criticisms. As I scrolled down quickly, I saw several similar comments.

Fortunately, those comments hadn't gained much attention. Replies countered with things like, "Why are you digging into someone else's privacy?"

What would happen if this blew up?

I frantically searched the internet. I browsed various sites and communities, scanning reactions to the article.

Fortunately, my background wasn't a big topic. A few were curious, but most focused on the collapsed tower, the sudden increase in creatures, the late-evacuated Cureus Corporation chairman, my face, and so on.

A small mercy amid misfortune.

But would it really quiet down at this level?

Disturbed by the unanswered question, I pulled out my smartphone.

There were piles of unread messages. Two worried cohort members. Ami telling me to contact her when I woke up. Ro sharing the article and laughing it off. A message from a restricted caller ID saying, "You've debuted?"

And Supreme Commander Lee Ye-hyeon.

Lee Ye-hyeon?

His private number?

No.

I stared for a long time at the intimidating message from the official number, saved only as "Supreme Commander."

Then, mustering tremendous courage, I opened the chat.

[We'll monitor the situation and decide, but report immediately if any unknown person approaches. No missions inside the Core for the time being.]

The message from my superior was curt. Still, my heart sank.

I needed to go to Yoon.

I shoved the phone into the pocket of my patient gown and got up.

I should report to my mentor.

"Hey! Where are you going!"

Samuel, who had turned to leave, shouted as he saw me carefully removing the IV needle.

"Sit still!"

"Sorry, Doctor."

I jumped off the bed and apologized to the angry doctor.

"I'll be right back."

"Hey!"

What did he mean back? And sorry for what? If I went out like that, he didn't want me to come back! The doctor fumed, looking ready to throw the tablet.

Leaving my guilt behind, I dashed out of the hospital room.

*

Yoon was at his desk.

A man sat neatly amid the bustle. I fixed my gaze on him and quickly crossed the noisy space.

As I traversed the lab, people called out from here and there.

"Oh, it's Talev."

Curious researchers poked their heads out to look at me.

"You're awake."

"Good to see you look healthy."

"Huh? In patient clothes?"

"Talev! I saw the article! You must have gone through a lot!"

"My brother never let go of us, not even for a moment! Not even for a moment!"

"How's the Cureus Corporation chairman? Is he as rude as the rumors say?"

I couldn't respond to everyone, so I raised my voice in greeting.

"Thank you for your concern! Ah, the Cureus Corporation chairman is exactly as the rumors say!"

"Wooow!"

"What are you doing?"

A low voice mixed in with the inexplicable cheers from the researchers.

I stopped in front of my mentor, who shot me a dry, piercing gaze.

Only then did my senses fully awaken. My vision sharpened. The lab sounds rang clearly in my ears. The tickling noise of AI Martin moving along the ceiling reached me.

I stood there, absorbing the flood of sensations, and reported bluntly to the man whose expression hadn't changed.

"I came right after seeing the article upon waking."

"Looks like it. What's the matter?"

"The Commander sent a message, so I came."

As expected, Yoon straightened his back.

Before he could say anything, I pulled my phone from my pocket and held it out.

"Here it is."

Yoon took my phone without a word.

He looked down at the screen with an inscrutable expression. I felt the inexplicable pressure I always did when standing before Yoon, waiting for his reaction.

While waiting, I let my eyes wander, scanning the lab. It was always a fascinating place, fun to observe.

Wait, there was someone familiar sitting next to Yoon.

I took in John Mullen, sitting at the desk and staring intently at his laptop. He pierced the screen with his clear blue eyes.

Just seeing his profile brought back old nightmares.

But he had helped me in the tower. If we hadn't crossed paths, I might have pretended not to know, but I couldn't ignore him right in front of me without even greeting.

I hesitated, then went and stood by Mullen's chair.

I bowed my head to the man deeply focused.

"Hello, Senior. Thank you for your help back then."

"..."

No response.

He didn't even look at me.

Had I angered him by just saying my piece and cutting off back then?

"Senior."

"..."

"Senior?"

"It's no use."

I turned to meet Yoon's gaze.

Yoon nodded toward the colleague using the desk next to him.

"He can't even hear your voice right now."

"Pardon?"

"Once he's into something, he doesn't see anything else. He's engrossed in the new research topic I gave him last time; he's probably forgotten you even exist."

What a real nutjob.

He was even crazier than I thought. I stared in astonishment at the researcher who seemed oblivious to my presence.

So that's why he asked who I was back then.

I wasn't hurt, but it was ridiculous. As I muttered, "Even though he saved me as Test Subject 0," Yoon let out a small laugh. He reached out, snatched the phone Mullen had neatly placed on the desk, and fiddled with it.

"Did he save you as Test Subject 0?"

"Yes, that's what he did."

"That's hilarious. He must really like you. Anyway, so you're being exiled from the Core for a while. Got it. Nothing else to say? Probably not."

"There is."

Yoon, who had been smirking while messing with Mullen's phone, looked up.

He widened his eyes and stared at me.

"There is?"

"Yes. He said to report immediately if any unknown person approaches, so I was going to tell you."

"Is there someone approaching? Who? A reporter?"

"No, strictly speaking, I don't even know who it is. But they've been sending these weird messages nonstop."

I took back my phone from Yoon's desk and showed him all the incomprehensible messages I'd received so far. Starting from the ones from unknown numbers, up to today's "You've debuted?"

I explained while showing the screen, so I didn't catch my mentor's reaction.

Only after Yoon abruptly stood from his seat did I realize the severity.

"We're going up to the office."

Yoon commanded in a cold voice.

"Bring your phone and follow."

I obeyed without question.

*

The high command didn't return to the office until after 10 p.m.

Yoon and I, waiting in the small reception room next to it, stood up simultaneously.

The people we'd waited over four hours for emerged from the open elevator. Ye-hyeon. Ska Owen. And someone I'd never seen before.

The three men simultaneously widened their eyes upon seeing me.

"Yoon, you made Hilde wait in patient clothes?"

From Ye-hyeon's surprised voice, I realized why the high command had all widened their eyes.

I felt extremely embarrassed. I should have changed first instead of spacing out.

Of course, the man standing next to me—who wasn't the one in patient clothes—was utterly shameless.

"The outfit isn't important."

"You should have at least given him time to change. He's still not fully recovered."

"Tate, get some clothes ready for Hilde."

Ska craned his neck and spoke to his secretary.

While I mumbled my thanks awkwardly, Ye-hyeon and the stranger entered the office. They passed us, removing their coats. Yoon and I waited quietly for them to prepare.

The night air, as the day drew to a close.

Only after I changed into the clothes the secretary had prepared did the conversation begin.

"Hilde."

Ye-hyeon called my name in a neutral tone.

"Have you ever replied to this person's messages?"