episode_0037

“That face looks familiar.”

At Daeeun’s words, I instinctively shook my head.

The high-ranker seems to be uncertain, contemplating his decision.

Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to remember the girl he met in the early morning.

Back then, I had a mask on and only showed my ID, so it’s understandable that he wouldn’t recognize me.

So, if I don’t show him my ID this time either, he won’t be able to recognize me forever.

If I don’t show it…

“Let me see your ID card.”

As expected…

If I reveal the fact that I saw that girl that day and Anna next to me exposes her identity, we’ll immediately be considered accomplices.

I have to find a way to stop this.

“Um… I left my ID at home.”

I stammered like a student who came to buy cigarettes at a convenience store.

I never thought I would say such a line myself…

The high-ranker’s eyebrows twitched.

It wasn’t the answer he was looking for.

“Well, I guess there’s no other choice. You’ll have to accompany us to the station.”

“To the station?! I really didn’t do anything…”

I looked at the guests with a pitiful expression.

Seemingly understanding my intentions, they nodded in agreement, speaking up on my behalf.

“The young lady here saved us by throwing a smoke bomb. She was really skilled.”

The male employee mentioned ‘skilled,’ which didn’t need to be brought up.

“And the tall lady took down all the armed robbers with just a rope.”

The female employee mentioned ‘just a rope,’ which didn’t need to be brought up.

They were clearly trying to show our innocence.

But their overly honest accounts only piqued Daeeun’s curiosity even more.

“Yes… one subdued the armed robbers with a rope, and another expertly threw a smoke bomb-.”

“They are truly remarkable individuals.”

Daeeun smiled slyly as she looked at us.

Anna seemed satisfied with her praise as she nodded in agreement.

This is sarcasm… What a sly fox.

Daeeun approached Anna, who wore a pressed hat, and asked her for her ID as well.

“I left mine too.”

Anna replied nonchalantly, as if unaware that her interlocutor was a rank 7 inspector.

Please, could she not provoke him?

“I see. Well, then both of you will have to accompany each other.”

He shrugged as if implying that together, everything would be resolved.

Then, he issued a command into the walkie-talkie he was carrying.

“All members, inside.”

Soon, armed members with carbines filed in following his call.

They were vigilant, each holding their designated positions.

All of them were wearing bulletproof vests, and those without guns were at least B-rank hunters armed with swords and magic.

The robbers may have seemed strong, but there was no room for error against these individuals.

The moment I became aware of them, my body involuntarily trembled.

Seeing my reaction, Daeeun reassured me with a smile.

“There’s no need to worry. We need to check identities to award bounties, after all.”

“No need.”

Anna cut off his words decisively and sarcastically.

With a smile frozen on his face, the high-ranker’s expression stiffened.

In this country called Korea, there are only six rankers above him.

Therefore, Anna’s arrogant attitude felt somewhat new to Daeeun.

However, he is a public servant.

He tried his best to handle her favorably.

“At the very least, as a brave citizen…”

“No need.”

Repeatedly blocked by Anna’s insane blocking, Daeeun’s patience reached its limit.

He sighed deeply and slowly approached Anna.

“This is strange…”

Daeeun lowered his head to see the killer hidden under Anna’s hat.

There was no trace of a smile left on his face.

“Usually, people who refuse identity checks fall into two categories.”

The high-ranker grabbed Anna’s hat.

“One of them is an illegal immigrant from China or Russia…”

The hat comes off.

Anna’s hidden white skin and face are revealed.

With a high nose bridge and deep eye sockets that make it hard to believe she’s Korean.

“The two must be wanted criminals.”

Even the white iris that can’t be perfectly concealed with colored lenses.

Upon seeing those eyes, Dae-eun is filled with certainty.

“Isn’t that right, Anna?”

As if solving a long-standing problem, Dae-eun’s lips curl up.

The seasoned ranker immediately places his hand on his hip.

Anna isn’t just staring blankly at them.

The moment Dae-eun tries to draw his sword, she pulls out a dagger from her pocket.

And…

“That’s far enough. If you draw it, she dies.”

She swiftly pulls me into her arms.

With the dagger pointed at my throat.

“Wait, why me?”

At the sudden appearance of the blade, words escape me involuntarily.

But even with my outburst, Anna pays no mind.

She simply presses the sharp blade against my soft neck.

“Were you not an accomplice…”

A security officer mutters in surprise at Anna’s sudden actions.

Dae-eun raises both hands, indicating no intention to attack.

In response, the killer slowly begins to increase the distance between himself and the ranker.

“It’s strange, Anna has never staged a hostage situation before.”

Approaching cautiously, like handling an escaped cheetah from a zoo.

Then, with a sly smile, Anna thrusts the knife into my neck.

I feel the cold touch on my neck.

Black droplets trickle down my collarbone, staining my shirt.

It’s chilling and painful.

“Okay, okay… I’m sorry.”

Seeing my half-closed eyes, the ranker takes a step back.

Sensing that I might really die, sweat beads on his forehead.

“What do you want.”

“All three of you, step outside 100 meters.”

Nodding slowly, Dae-eun takes out a walkie-talkie.

“Team, outside the building.”

The heavily armed security officers tilt their heads disapprovingly.

But following the captain’s orders, they retreat into the sunlight pouring in.

“Now, it’s just the three of us left.”

“…”

“Do we really need to involve civilians? Let’s handle this like we used to, just among ourselves.”

Anna chuckles at Dae-eun’s dignified words.

“Are you talking about the blind woman who was hiding in the morning? Not coming out?”

Seems like she was also a skilled ranker.

She swallows a mouthful of saliva.

And she stares intently at Anna, who is holding me.

Her gaze travels up from Anna’s contoured collarbone to her fair neck.

Soon, a sculpted face comes into view.

The strong scent of soap envelops me.

That fragrance completely masks the faint smell of my blood.

The killer then gazes down at me as if aware of my scrutiny.

Her pupils carefully observe every corner of my body.

Eventually, her hazy pupils squarely focus on my sternum.

Anna’s face inches closer to mine.

Soon, she whispers softly to me.

“You’ve been hiding something cute, haven’t you?”

“Wha…?”

I’m paralyzed as if electrocuted.

Because Anna’s hand, which was around my shoulder, moves.

Like a snake, her hand slides down my collarbone gently to my chest.

Her fingers follow the texture of the bra, slipping into the pocket of my chest.

Anna’s fingers move sensually.

Caressing my chest and slowly pulling out a black sphere.

My whole body heats up at the sensation I’ve never felt before.

But seemingly forgetting what she had touched on my body, the killer merely puts the smoke bomb she pulled out into her mouth.

Saliva drips between her teeth.

“Did you heat it up nicely?”

Her single statement, looking down at me with curiosity.

Thanks to that, I could feel the sticky sweat running all over my body.

Dae-eun stares at the sphere caught between Anna’s teeth.

And when he realizes what the sphere is, he quickly reaches out his hand.

However, at that moment, the killer bit down hard on the smoke bomb.

Soon, ash-gray smoke began to billow out from her mouth like a storm.

“Anna…!”

Dae-eun shouted.

Not as refined as before, but with a very rough voice.

Indeed, the power of the smoke bomb, warmed up nicely, was considerable.

Anna gripped my wrist tightly.

And quickly, we started fleeing upstairs together.

The escalator had long since stopped running.

She took the lead and dashed up it.

So fast that she almost stumbled and fell.

“Wait a minute…!”

Dragging me along, what exactly was her plan?

Was she planning to use me as a hostage again?

Even though we had saved each other several times, being treated like a hostage again was unpleasant.

Unpleasant to the point of being hurtful.

But there was nothing I could do about it.

Because that’s Anna for you.

We reached the 4th floor after crossing the 2nd floor.

There was a sky terrace there.

A dead end with no elevator or emergency stairs.

“What more do you want to do here? Let’s just surrender. You wouldn’t actually kill, would you?”

I said, holding onto my pounding heart.

But Anna casually ignored my words.

And she began to take off the fleece she was wearing.

Soon, she was in a sleeveless outfit, walking towards the terrace railing.

And she looked down at the outdoor swimming pool below.

A huge swimming pool in aquamarine color.

Anna muttered to herself briefly as if calculating something.

Then she gestured to me, indicating to come over.

I shook my head vigorously.

I knew exactly what she was about to do.

Her expression at that moment terrified me.

It was completely different from when she pulled out the smoke bomb earlier.

I heard rough footsteps behind me.

I could tell they were security guards.

If I held out a little longer here, I might be rescued.

I just needed to swing open the terrace door and greet them.

But… in my haste, my legs wouldn’t move easily.

While I was pondering this, Anna’s shadow was already looming over me.

“You’re such a troublesome child.”

She grabbed my neck with agile arms.

I struggled and resisted, but my body had already surrendered to Anna without a fight, being dragged along without resistance.

The killer leaned over the precarious railing.

“—!”

Meanwhile, the security officers we had hoped for finally arrived.

Dae-eun rushed over and looked at us.

“Save me…”

I screamed continuously, trying to make myself heard.

But the killer’s harsh breath completely drowned out my voice.

“Anna!”

Dae-eun shouted.

And that shout soon became a signal of our descent.

My body goes limp.

The sound of air tearing rushes into my ears.

My body floated up into the air.

In the face of a fear I had never felt before, I couldn’t even scream.

Sensing my state, Anna embraced me tightly.

Slowly, we drew closer to the blue coral reef.

“—!”

The swimming pool split open like the Red Sea.

Soon, the whole world was dyed blue.

It hurt as if my whole body had been torn apart.

Perhaps due to that shock, I gradually lost the ability to think.

My body swayed on the water’s surface.

I stared blankly at it, then soon lost consciousness.