“Your coffee is ready!”

  The barista shouted as the alarm bell buzzed. A freshly brewed coffee and the café's signature cake were placed on a tray. Jihyeon picked them up and headed toward his table.

  The aroma of hot coffee and sweet cake always put Jihyeon in a good mood. Even with the vast amount of knowledge he had integrated into himself, experiencing the sensations firsthand was a different matter entirely.

  Ordering coffee he would never have dared to buy in the past had become a recent pleasure. Jihyeon figured that if the state was footing the bill, he could afford this small luxury.

  Of course, the coffee wasn't extravagantly expensive, but ordering something pricier than a basic Americano was a habit he had only recently adopted.

  Jihyeon smiled slightly, anticipating the taste. However, the smile quickly faded. Waiting at the table was someone who detested sweets.

  Investigator Seok-young disliked sweet food—or rather, he would eat it if it was there, but he never sought it out. If he had come to the café alone, he certainly wouldn't have ordered cake. Consequently, Jihyeon’s choice wasn't to his taste. Even though he didn't have to eat it, he seemed slightly annoyed just looking at it.

  Lately, Seok-young didn't even try to hide his discomfort. He waited with an expression that clearly signaled his displeasure.

  Of course, Jihyeon knew.

  Seok-young wasn't just annoyed by the cake. He always found meeting Jihyeon burdensome. It was somewhat ironic, considering he was the one who had initiated contact first.

  But perhaps it was only natural.

  Meetings between Jihyeon and Seok-young at coffee shops had become a routine. And every time, Seok-young felt as if his information was being forcibly stripped from him.

  Jihyeon could figure out everything just by looking at Seok-young. It was, as always, an unsettling experience. In any negotiation, one needs secrets to maintain leverage. But in front of Jihyeon, Seok-young felt as if he had been thrust onto a battlefield without a single piece of armor. It was deeply unpleasant.

  Still, Jihyeon wasn't just taking. He always provided the police with high-quality information in a perfect format. Obtaining such intelligence for the price of state-level protection and a few cups of coffee was an incredible bargain.

  Seok-young's only grievance was that his entire private life—including how his date went the night before—was laid bare in the process.

  “Meeting every day like this... it’s almost like we’re dating, isn’t it? Though I’m not particularly fond of the idea,” Jihyeon said, teasing him intentionally.

  Seok-young could only offer a bitter smile. Meeting every day was indeed not very pleasant. They changed locations every time to prepare for any contingency. Jihyeon was obsessive about security, and Seok-young had no choice but to follow his lead. Because of this, Seok-young often found himself forced to eat sweets he didn't like, which only added to his frustration.

  “I’m not fond of it either. Why would I enjoy meeting someone who steals all my information just by looking at my face?”

  Jihyeon gave a thin smile, but it didn't last long.

  “Take a look at this.”

  Jihyeon scribbled something on a notepad and handed it over. Seok-young’s expression stiffened instantly.

  “I see...”

  If what Jihyeon wrote was true, Seok-young had no choice but to grimace.

  A Tail.

  It seemed they had a watcher today. Despite Jihyeon’s efforts, the other side seemed to have someone skilled enough to track them down.

  “So, what’s the plan?” Seok-young asked. He couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity about what Jihyeon would choose to do.

  “I’m going to crush them. It’ll serve as a warning.”

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Jihyeon spoke matter-of-factly as he finished the cake. His fork moved as normally as if he knew nothing.

  “Let’s finish everything before we head out.”

  Jihyeon took a sip of his coffee. Seok-young could only smile bitterly at his reaction.

  There was no need to rush. There was also no need to cause a scene in the middle of the city. The two enjoyed their "tea time" with a bit more leisure. While Seok-young still didn't enjoy spending time this way, he felt a certain anticipation for what Jihyeon was about to do.

  Following his Master’s orders, the man monitored Jihyeon. His Master often said Jihyeon would be an obstacle to the business. Although the man didn't fully grasp the extent of Jihyeon’s danger, he watched him constantly because it was an order.

  However, he had never come this close before. He had received numerous warnings that approaching Jihyeon within a certain distance was dangerous, so he had always kept his distance.

  But today was different.

  Although the Master still forbade approaching, the man rareley disobeyed that order. He wanted to know what kind of conversation Jihyeon was having with the police investigator. He was prepared to accept any punishment for his disobedience, but satisfying his curiosity took priority.

  If Jihyeon always drank coffee at the same place, his curiosity might not have been piqued. But Jihyeon was always sensitive to the gaze of those watching him. He would secretly share information with the investigator to sabotage their business.

  This always infuriated the man. He had never imagined some brat from nowhere could interfere with their business to this extent.

  Yet, he couldn't touch the investigator.

  The man knew well the mistake his predecessor had made. The investigator was cunning enough to have another officer specifically assigned to guard him. Because of that, his predecessor was caught. Although he had deleted all data in his brain the moment he was captured, preventing any information leak, losing a comrade was still a bitter blow.

  He couldn't afford a similar mistake today. Even though he had taken a risk by approaching, he didn't intend to go further. He planned to keep his surveillance from a safe distance.

  Creeeak.

  With the sound of chairs sliding, Jihyeon and the investigator stood up. They headed outside as if moving to another location.

  Without drawing anyone's attention, the man slowly rose from his seat. He began to tail Jihyeon cautiously.

  Fortunately, Jihyeon soon parted ways with the investigator and headed toward his home. Watching him, the man had to do his best to suppress the urge to attack.

  Everything would be so much easier if he just killed that brat. Why did the Master insist on surveillance from a distance?

  The man didn't understand. He was already a superior being with a tool successfully implanted. He was on a different level from the low-grade products sold to the public.

  The thugs who had lost their minds over the low-grade products didn't realize they were merely test subjects. Only the one called "The Boss" was wise enough to keep his distance; all other organizations had long since become the "biological robots" the Master desired.

  They would move according to the flick of a switch when the time came. Just not now.

  Until the time was right, they would run around causing trouble, intoxicated by a power that wasn't their own. The man often felt a contemptuous joy watching them.

  When that day arrived, it would be very entertaining. The sight of those foolish pieces of trash dying off would bring him great pleasure.

  But for now, he had to focus on the task at hand. Watching Jihyeon from afar, the man moved slowly. He kept a safe distance.

  If he could just lunge and take him down in one go, that would be enough. The Master might not be pleased, but removing an obstacle to the business would surely be a great achievement.

  The man followed stealthily. He intended to kill Jihyeon the moment he entered a secluded alleyway.

  However, when Jihyeon finally entered the desired spot, he vanished.

  The man was bewildered.

  To vanish—it was impossible to hide here. How could someone disappear in a dead-end alley?

  Yet, Jihyeon was gone.

  It was as if a ghost had played a trick on him. Panic-stricken, the man forgot to be cautious and rushed toward the spot where Jihyeon had disappeared.

  Where did he go?

  If Jihyeon were to hide himself, the first possibility would be a tool that neutralized CCTV. He knew how to distort visible light to hide. But the man was well aware of such tools.

  Those were originally their products.

  Thus, a mere distortion of visible light shouldn't have worked against him. But to vanish completely... how was that possible? The man couldn't hide his bewilderment.

  It was then.

  “I hope you don’t needlessly try to ‘wash’ your brain, mister.”

  A voice came from behind. Simultaneously, the sound of something dropping echoed.

  Startled, the man turned around. But at that moment, he felt it.

  An impact so intense it threatened to snuff out his consciousness.

  It was a single attack. There was no physical contact, yet it was powerful enough to blow his consciousness away instantly.

  His body refused to listen.

  Consciousness vanished in a heartbeat. Amidst an impact he couldn't counter, the man was completely neutralized.

  When he finally came to, the man found himself under an unfamiliar ceiling.

  “Wh...?”

  He couldn't understand the situation. If he had been caught by an enemy like this, all the data in his brain should have been wiped by now. Like his predecessor, he should have followed the same path.

  But he hadn't.

  His consciousness was clear, and none of his memories were missing. However, his body was completely restrained, and he was gagged. He felt despair realizing that all his "last resort" options had been removed.

  “I’ve already removed the tool installed in your body, so don’t try anything foolish.”

  It was then.

  A familiar voice reached him. It struck the man's heart with even greater shock. He knew exactly whose voice it was, but he couldn't believe the meaning of the words.

  “Oh, and I’ve also removed all the bombs and poisons from your body, so why don’t you just cooperate?”

  The owner of the voice—Jihyeon—spoke with a smile. Looking at his face, the man could only let out a silent sigh of defeat.