140 A Shard Within (2)
“This is our Guild Leader’s private home within the guild facilities. You don’t have a location tracking device with you?”
I have a spirit instead of an item. However, I was hesitant to enter because my fear resistance level was still C level and what had happened yesterday. He was even in a bad mood, and things would probably not end well.
“About that hunter who could read information from a corpse.”
Soyoung Kang widened her eyes and tilted her head. I thought I might be able to ask for help without bringing Hyunjae Sung in, but she really did not seem to know and looked like she only knew what was going on domestically or dungeon conquests.
I prodded at her, but she did not seem to know much about what happened in Hong Kong. She only knew that Hyunjae Sung helped in rescuing me. I had to meet him directly. Soyoung Kang looked at me with a worried gaze as I sighed.
“How about coming back tomorrow since there’s something’s off?”
“I want to, but this is urgent. I have to meet him as soon as possible.”
I should have asked for cooperation last night, but I had been too tired. I did not want to stay long with that damn guy, and the me of today was suffering because of yesterday’s me. I wish I could procrastinate all this to tomorrow’s me.
“Yes. Well, the thing is, we have not received permission from our Guild Leader to let you in.”
“What? There’s no permission?”
“Yes! We have been unable to establish contact with him.”
Soyoung Kang answered with a bright voice. What was she talking about?
“He’s not answering us, and we were afraid to go in. So, I asked around, and every one said to just let you in.”
“Hey, can you just let an outsider go in ?”
“It’s all right! I have talked with our Head of Security and others.”
Was this protocol, Sesung? Of course, I am an F class hunter, and he was the top of all S class hunters, and no one would worry about safety since I would not be able to harm Hyunjae Sung even if he was sound asleep.
“He would not eat you guys up because of a bad mood. Why couldn’t you go in?”
“Normal company employees would not want to go to their CEO’s house for reasons other than business.”
That was right, and since this was personal business, I should not bother other Sesung Guild members. I had to be thankful that they had let me in despite being unable to get in touch with Hyunjae Sung. I bowed my head a little to Soyoung Kang.
“Thank you for your trouble.”
“It’s quite alright. Please smooth things down and tell us how he’s doing.”
Was that the reason why they were letting me in so easily? I used a damage negation item before going into the portal. The magic stone must not have been digested yet, and how long had it been used last night? It should last at least an hour.
A door opened when I went across the miniature portal. I pressed the bell, but there was no answer. I was already beginning to feel nervous, and I went in with the key Soyoung Kang had given me.
“Mr. Hyunjae Sung? Are you there?”
The house was large, and I walked in, looking around. The space I assumed was the center of the house looked like a hotel lobby because the ceiling was two stories high. There was a small garden in the middle, and a pillar-shaped aquarium came down from the ceiling.
The light illuminated the waves, and the glass of the aquarium was so transparent that a body of water had taken shape. Colorful fish were swimming inside, and I wondered how he fed them and cleaned the aquarium.
How many floors were here? The height of the ceiling was at least two but maybe about three because of the sheer size of the aquarium.
“You live in too large a house for one. How about marriage?”
Actually, I felt sorry for the woman. Riette would be the only one to be able to stand up to him, and then everyone else would suffer. The two would make a hell of a pair.
The mere thought of searching this place tired me, and I sat on the bench that looked like an interior decoration in front of the garden. He had to know I was here, and I wanted at least a hint.
“Tell me what floor! Directions, too, if possible.”
A tired and weary stat F class should not have to wander around this massive manor, but there was no answer. I stood up to search from the first floor when I saw something move in the grass.
‘Did this guy also raise a monster in his garden?’
I saw something snakelike in front of me as I instinctively stepped backward. It was a golden chain, and I was thankful I did not have to lose my way. The searcher’s chain tied around me and pulled my body, so I fell. It then started to drag me across the floor.
“That crazy bastard! Hey! Hyunjae Sung!”
The stairs, damn, the stairs! I would definitely be bruised from all the hits. I just wanted a guide and walk on my two feet.
I thought the endlessly long stairs finally came to a stop, but there was another floor. Then, there was that long corridor. I found myself cursing all the way because he seemed to be set on cleaning the house with my body. I had to say that the house was clean without a trace of dust.
I finally arrived in a large room where I could see the aquarium from the center of the floor. Raindrops hit a glass ceiling, and something tingled in me that said a scary person was here without looking around. I quaked a little, but I needed to say what was required.
“I have legs, you bastard.”
There was no answer to my grumbling. I thought Hyunjae Sung would at least say that he had forgotten about carrying me around everywhere. However, everything was quiet, and I stood with the chain wrapped around me.
I felt chills run down my spine and raised my head, thinking everything has went to hell.
Hyunjae Sung stood in the middle of the room. The glass floor was thin and transparent, so he looked like he was standing on water. His eyes were darker than usual as he looked down on me with his neck slanted.
“How about saying something?”
The chain moved again towards Hyunajae Sung, and it dragged my body over the aquarium. I was face to face with deep water, and the sight of the garden vaguely reflected all the way down there scared me a little. The glass was really too thin to believe it was there.
“The older brother of Hayeon’s leader.”
Hyunjae Sung mumbled as to remember, and the way he said it implied that he did not remember me well.
“Are you already becoming that absentminded at your age?”
He did not answer again, and instead, my lower body was thrown in.