When the event finally ended, the candidates returned to their regular classes.

But the four of us—HAUT’s selected representatives—were given permission to go straight back to the dorms and rest.

“Take the day to recover from your fatigue. We’ll talk later.”

With that, Im Seongyeon left the auditorium alongside the other teachers.

“Yein, what should we do?”

Lumina’s face was filled with worry.

“If Teacher Kim Sang-sik isn’t answering his phone… what if it’s because of Jodie?”

“Let’s check.”

I replied, then led the three of them outside.

We stopped near a bench on the path back to the dormitory. With everyone else in class, the area was empty.

Though I knew it was pointless, I dialed Kim Sang-sik’s number.

[The number you have dialed cannot be reached…]

Just as expected.

I tried several more times, but the result was the same.

“So Forward really did snatch them, didn’t they?”

Meiling crossed her arms.

At her words, Lumina flinched, her expression on the verge of tears.

“We don’t know yet.”

I pocketed my phone.

“I already gave Jodie the Doppelganger’s Mirror. That should’ve been enough to keep her cover safe.”

The Doppelganger’s Mirror was a unique costume-type item, allowing the user to take on the appearance of someone they had seen before.

Physically, nothing changed, but anyone looking would be convinced otherwise.

The problem is, the disguise breaks the moment combat starts.

I had warned them of that, so I believed Jodie and Kim Sang-sik would’ve been cautious.

But if they were forced into a fight…

I gathered my thoughts and spoke.

“Let’s head to Teacher Kim’s house.”

“You even know where he lives?”

Meiling asked.

“I memorized the address from the navigation when he gave me a ride once.”

“…Ah. I see.”

Meiling fell silent.

“Then let’s go right away.”

I called a taxi through the app.

As we passed the school gates, the security guard called out to us.

“Hey, aren’t you the HAUT champions? Already heading out after just getting back?”

“We thought we’d celebrate with dinner as a team.”

I smiled as I answered.

“Ha! Well, enjoy it. Eat something good.”

He chuckled and waved us through.

“You lie way too smoothly, you know that?”

Meiling rolled her eyes.

“What else was I supposed to say? ‘A friend who was experimented on by Forward might be in danger, so we’re going to rescue them’?”

“Who told you to say it like that?”

She snorted.

We took the taxi into a district lined with wealthy houses.

Standing in front of Kim Sang-sik’s home, I first checked the surroundings.

The streets were pristine, silent. No passersby in sight.

The house itself looked perfectly normal.

Good. At least no signs of a fight. If Jodie had been forced to fight, the house would be wrecked.

I rang the doorbell.

Ten seconds of silence.

“…No one’s home?”

Seo Yui muttered, staring at the intercom.

I pressed it again. Still nothing.

“No choice.”

I scanned the area again.

“We’ll go in through the window.”

One on the second floor was cracked open.

“W-wait, seriously?”

Lumina’s eyes went wide.

“No one’s watching. And Teacher wouldn’t have us punished for breaking in if it’s because we were worried about him.”

“There’s no need for all of us to climb in. I’ll go and open the front door.”

Seo Yui offered.

“Please. We’ll keep watch out here.”

“Alright.”

With a single leap, she gripped the second-floor balcony railing, swung herself up, and slipped through the window.

“There’s a CCTV on that streetlamp, you know?”

Meiling said.

“If anyone asks, we’ll just say we were worried students acting on impulse. Not a lie, right?”

“Y-Yein, did you already plan what to say when the police catch us?”

Lumina’s voice trembled.

“It’s just a precaution. Just in case.”

Then—beep!

The front door clicked open.

Seo Yui stood there, holding her shoes in her hands.

“Doesn’t look like anyone’s home.”

I nodded, and we went inside.

We split up to search the place.

“No one here.”

Meiling reported.

“Maybe they just stepped out for a bit…?”

Lumina’s voice was hopeful, but thin.

“Impossible. He’s been absent from the academy for days, and unreachable.”

“Ugh…”

“His car isn’t in the garage. They definitely left.”

Seo Yui added.

I thought back on what I’d seen while looking around.

No signs of a struggle anywhere. Trash shows they were living normally until just recently—bread with today’s expiration, soup packets still fresh.

If the car was gone, then they’d left home and never returned.

Which meant—

[VRRRR!]

“Kyaa!?”

Lumina screamed.

I glanced at my smartwatch’s screen.

!

The call was from Kim Sang-sik.

I switched my phone to speaker mode and answered.

“Hello?”

[Yein!? Nam Yein! It’s me! Jodie!]

Her urgent voice burst through the line. My teammates’ faces went rigid.

“Jodie, where are you right now?”

[Yein, help! Sang-sik collapsed! He hasn’t woken up, no matter how long it’s been! It’s like he can’t recover at all!]

Two status effects from the game sprang to my mind.

One—Feign Death.

A debuff inflicted by certain bosses, reducing HP and MP to a near-dead state, preventing any recovery.

The other—Mind Shackle.

A status caused by specific spells, leaving the victim in endless unconsciousness despite no physical injury.

Unless cured with the right potion or skill, the target would never wake.

It’s probably the latter.

After all, there’s no way Jodie and Teacher Kim Sang-sik would have taken that thing on directly as enemies.

[ I wanted to ask you for help earlier, but Sang-sik kept stopping me. He said he couldn’t drag you into this. Please… help us… ]

Her voice trembled, on the verge of tears.

“Calm down. Tell me where you are. I can only help if I know your location.”

[ Ah… Bucheon. We’re in Bucheon. ]

Bucheon. Of course.

There was a hidden Forward research facility there.

They must have gone after its data and ended up in trouble instead.

“How many enemies are there?”

[ None right now. We dealt with everyone who was chasing us. But during that fight, Sang-sik was hit. ]

A small mercy—but it didn’t mean they were safe.

Forward had surely already been alerted. They’d send more mercenary hunters to capture them.

“What about your car?”

[ It was destroyed. Even if it wasn’t, Sang-sik can’t move like this… ]

“Got it. Then stay hidden for now. Turn on the GPS on your phone and send me your location.”

[ I’ll try… but my hands… it’s hard to use. Just making this call took everything. ]

I clicked my tongue. That couldn’t be helped. I’d just have to trust she’d manage somehow.

“I’ll get to you as fast as I can. Be careful.”

[ Okay… I will. ]

The line went dead.

I looked at my three companions, their faces pale and grim.

We could solve this on our own, but after HAUT, our faces are known everywhere. Moving recklessly isn’t an option.

What mattered most was keeping Jodie and Teacher Kim alive.

No choice, then.

I pulled out my phone, opened my contacts, and hovered over a certain number.

After a moment’s hesitation, I pressed call.

As the dial tone buzzed, I organized what I’d say. Then the voice came through.

[ Yein? What’s going on? ]

“I need a favor. It’s urgent.”

[…Speak.]

The mirth was gone from his tone. And with that, I felt it—

I had just crossed a river I could never return from.

“……”

Jodie pressed her back to the wall and peeked out through the shattered window.

The deserted street was littered with derelict buildings. Stray dogs wandered the ruins.

Seeing no people, she exhaled and sank down to the floor.

When she turned her head, her eyes fell on Sang-sik lying unconscious beside her, his body covered in wounds.

He wasn’t so gravely injured that an awakened like him should be down, yet he hadn’t stirred once.

This is all my fault… If I hadn’t kept pushing…

After Sang-sik had returned with intelligence on Forward’s lab, she’d begged him to go back there.

With the Doppelganger’s Mirror from Yein’s squad, sneaking in would be easy—or so she thought.

Sang-sik had insisted they needed more preparation. But Jodie couldn’t wait.

She told him that if he wouldn’t help, she’d go alone.

Defeated, he had gone with her to the lab in Bucheon.

The plan was simple.

Using the mirror, Sang-sik would slip inside, gather the needed evidence, and return.

Waiting in the car, Jodie had rejoiced when he came back safely.

But luck ended there.

Somehow the mercenaries guarding the facility had caught on.

They’d pursued them, wrecked the car, and forced a battle.

This was the result.

If Sang-sik dies because of me…

Tears fell from her eyes.

“Please… Yein…”

Just then, the screen of her phone—set to silent—lit up.

Her eyes widened. Yein was calling.

She snatched it up.

“Hello? Yein?”

[ Jodie. We’re near the ruins of Bucheon Station. ]

Her face brightened. She leaned forward and glanced outside.

Through the collapsed roof of the old station, she could see the landmark clearly.

[ Woof! ]

A dog’s bark erupted below.

Jodie quickly ducked down.

Boom!

[ Yelping! ]

An explosion, followed by the howl of a dying animal.

Her stomach tightened with dread.

“If she’s hiding here, it’ll be nearby. Spread out and search.”

A voice echoed from below. The fur on her monstrous arm stood on end.

[ Jodie, did you hear that explosion? ]

“Yes.”

She whispered back.

[ That’ll be Forward’s reinforcements. The Black Hounds. ]

Her jaw clenched.

The Black Hounds.

Forward’s private mercenary corps—hunters with an average level said to be around 60.

Even Jodie couldn’t win against a pack of them.

“They’re close. Just below. They’re searching the building we’re in.”

[ Understood. Do not let them find you. Stay hidden. We’ll lure them away. Once they’re gone, head for the plaza in front of the station. ]

“You’re going to lure the Black Hounds?!”

The thought horrified her.

[ No time to explain. Once you reach the plaza, listen to the people waiting there. ]

Her eyes widened.

“People? What people—”

But the line went dead.

The next instant—

KWA-BOOM!!

An explosion so massive it dwarfed the last shook the entire building.

Concrete rained from the ceiling as the floor trembled like an earthquake.

“What the hell?!”

“It came from over there!”

“Baeki, Homa, Changyeon—check it out. The rest of us will keep searching here.”

“Yes, sir! Let’s go!”

Jodie bit her lip hard.

She had hoped they would all leave. But things were never so easy.

She hefted Sang-sik onto her back.

Then she started down the emergency stairs.

Screeeech—

“!!!”

Her foot froze mid-step.

From below came the sound of a steel door creaking open.

(End of Chapter)