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Kwon Hyuk guided Yoon Tae-ha to a high-floor suite, explaining that the chimera’s and Cheon Geon-young’s rooms would be assigned directly below their current floor.
The room Kwon Hyuk had shown her, true to its name, was spacious, but it looked cramped due to Changcheon’s agents and their various equipment. She carefully avoided tripping on the wires connecting the laptop and the hologram video projection equipment as she listened to him.
Kwon Hyuk picked up a tablet and activated a simple 3D simulation, saying,
“During the Charity Gala, our side will create a situation where the chimera takes the elevator up to the room alone. It won’t be a grand incident. The scene fundamentally shouldn’t attract much attention.”
On the screen, the elevator slowly ascended. Yoon Tae-ha watched its movement with determined eyes.
“Then, we’ll subdue the chimera isolated in the elevator and bring it to this room. We must avoid killing it because we haven’t figured out the target’s biological mechanism. Instead, we plan to use an undisclosed drug developed by a government research institute to make it lose consciousness.”
Kwon Hyuk called an agent. A cautious-looking female agent approached and opened a small box she was holding, showing its contents to Yoon Tae-ha.
“This is a bio-tube for transporting dangerous substances.”
Inside the box was a silver-gray syringe with a short, blunt body. Yoon Tae-ha’s heart pounded heavily as she confirmed the bio-tube. The agent, at Kwon Hyuk’s nod, closed the box and disappeared towards the bedroom.
“The chimera, with its chip removed, will be kept frozen. After the operation is concluded and it has been used as evidence, it will be destroyed in front of you. Lee Hae-kyung has sent his opinion that he will take responsibility for protecting the evidence in Korea. In my personal opinion, entrusting it to him is the safest option.”
Lee Hae-kyung must have volunteered, perhaps worried that other interested parties might approach with ulterior motives. Yoon Tae-ha trusted him.
“I’d feel relieved if it’s Center Director Lee Hae-kyung as well.”
“Finally, I want to confirm this with you. Is your intention to participate directly in the operation still valid?”
“I want to handle the dangerous elements myself.”
Yoon Tae-ha replied in a voice that conveyed solid responsibility rather than distrust. He wouldn’t think she was arrogant, would he? She worried for a moment, but Kwon Hyuk calmly accepted her decision.
“I understand.”
After finishing their conversation, Kwon Hyuk left to talk with the person in charge of controlling the surrounding traffic.
Yoon Tae-ha settled herself in front of a small monitor displaying surveillance camera footage of the lobby, so as not to disturb others. None of the agents passing by spoke to her. Everyone seemed anxious and busy. She suppressed her unease and steadfastly held her position like a statue.
Time could be seen passing through the sun visible outside the window. A moment later, Kwon Hyuk, who had finished his work outside and entered, signaled the communications officer. Through the monitor, people attending the charity event began to appear.
The man wearing a headset with a microphone immediately gave a mechanical command.
“Situation initiated. All units to their positions.”
________________________________________
The hall where the Charity Gala was to be held was lavishly decorated.
The first thing to greet the distinguished guests were thousands of crystal chandeliers, studded with crystals, hanging at regular intervals from the entrance to the opposite end of the hall. On either side of the chandeliers, water-colored drapes, similar to Ark’s symbolic color, hung symmetrically.
The chairs and tables were all black, and at the center of the circular tables covered with black tablecloths were vibrant floral arrangements in a perfect balance of blue and green. The sight of subtly pale yellow light orbs floating gracefully around the floral arrangements like fireflies was even fantastical.
The low platform furthest from the entrance was decorated with tree branches and thin vines. Despite being indoors, the leaves on the branches subtly swayed as if blown by a breeze, emitting a pleasant fragrance.
The sight made the claim that Blackwood had gathered a considerable number of mages for today’s charity event not seem like an exaggeration. Smiles continuously bloomed on the faces of the invited guests.
Cheon Geon-young arrived at the hall’s entrance after more than half of the people had entered. That morning, having received a special request from Chairman Cheon, he did not enter immediately but waited for someone.
Then, a woman accompanied by four bodyguards appeared in the distance. The gazes of those conversing outside the hall focused on her. The woman, wearing an ivory dress that revealed her captivating silhouette, stopped in front of him.
“Were you waiting for me?”
The chimera, imitating Yoon Tae-ha, asked in a seductive voice.
“I waited a long time. Enough to want to come get you.”
The chimera smiled contentedly at Cheon Geon-young’s reply. Immediately after, Cheon Geon-young extended his arm to her.
The moment her slender hand touched his arm, an urge to cut off his own arm crept up, but he endured. Chairman Cheon wanted to see his grandson with a special woman.
As the couple, looking like characters from a fairy tale, entered, the commotion inside the hall briefly subsided, then revived when the two did nothing conspicuous. Cheon Geon-young was guided to the seats of those expected to donate the most.
At a table far from where he was sitting, Chairman Cheon was conversing with other distinguished guests. The topic of conversation among the people was not the new works of art they would encounter, but rather the aquatic city Ark had painstakingly planned.
Meanwhile, the chimera noticed that other women’s envious gazes had been fixed on her necklace and the man beside her for some time.
The necklace she wore was a gift from Cheon Geon-young. Of course, it was an item she wouldn’t have received without Chairman Cheon’s influence. But few people here knew the inside story. Driven by a desire for ostentation, she leaned towards Cheon Geon-young.
“This necklace. Was it very expensive?”
Cheon Geon-young looked at the dazzling diamond necklace, then replied indifferently.
“So-so.”
The chimera lightly touched the man’s rock-solid shoulder with her fingertips.
“If you say it like that, I really wonder how much it cost. Just tell me a little. Honestly, I was so flustered when I received it that I couldn’t say anything, but now I feel burdened and want to return it.”
“I merely chose it because it had to suit you, even if just for a moment.”
The chimera fell silent, lost in thought, trying to grasp the meaning of his words.
As the people who would host the Charity Gala appeared, all the seats at Cheon Geon-young’s table were filled. The invited guests were excited and eager at the prospect of seeing valuable works of art.
However, the chimera found little enjoyment in this event. After enduring boredom for a while, when the first part concluded, she slipped away from the people who were passionately discussing the auctioned works and their buyers. The bodyguards assigned by the Director-General immediately reacted to her movement and followed.
Entering a quiet, deserted corridor, the chimera checked the ceiling for surveillance cameras, then called one of the male bodyguards. As he stood closely beside her, the chimera whispered,
“Guiding has accumulated. I need to release it.”
“There was an instruction to guide the target. Have you still not succeeded?”
“You want me to climb onto that man’s lap in front of those elegant people shopping for art? Why don’t you just tell me to go into the bedroom completely naked?”
“If necessary, you must do so.”
“I’ll decide the timing.”
She frowned annoyedly, crumpled the bodyguard’s jacket, pulled him close, and kissed him. Saliva and breath mixed, and the chimera pushed the guiding into the bodyguard’s body, then broke the kiss.
“If you’re going to make me, make me properly. My head aches if I don’t do this on time.”
The bodyguard remained calm, as if this wasn’t the first or second time they had kissed.
“The guiding is working normally, so don’t worry and approach Cheon Geon-young.”
“Only the dead woman looks foolish. If I have guiding abilities, wasn’t she also the same type as Cheon Geon-young? Though I’m grateful she died.”
“I don’t know about matters inside the research institute.”
“How obvious. I guess I’ll just have to keep playing the role of a poor woman whose life was stolen by Orca.”
The chimera, with a sneer, pinched the cheek of the bodyguard she had just kissed, then headed towards the hall. The bodyguards followed her at a delay.
Returning to her seat, the chimera sat down at a table where new silver cutlery had been placed. Staff members were moving between tables, offering champagne and wine, and a half-empty glass of red wine sat in front of Cheon Geon-young.
“Wine already? Did someone snatch the artwork you wanted?”
“The artwork I want will appear in Part 2.”
“I wonder what it will be.”
She also picked up the glass in front of her. Just then, a staff member carrying a tray with champagne glasses slipped, stepping on the excessively long hem of someone’s dress.
“Kyaa!”
With a woman’s slender shriek, the staff member staggered and dropped the tray he was carrying. It happened to be close to where Cheon Geon-young and the chimera were sitting.
Just before the clear glasses spilled over the chimera’s head, Cheon Geon-young stood up and used his arm to block the worst of the mishap. But as he stood up hastily, the table shook violently, and the wine glass with red wine fell onto the chimera’s lap. The ivory dress was instantly ruined with red liquid.
“I apologize!”
Other staff members quickly approached to help. The staff member who caused the accident retreated, and a higher-ranking staff member continuously apologized, but the ruined dress couldn’t become white again. The chimera’s face crumpled. Meanwhile, Cheon Geon-young’s sleeve was also soaked with champagne.
“I think we need to change clothes.”
“You just need to get a jacket, but I don’t have a new dress!”
She snapped sharply. In contrast, Cheon Geon-young’s voice was calm.
“I had the dress you liked second brought to the room.”
“...What did you say?”
“The dress you said you liked second is upstairs. It’s an outfit I planned to give you as a gift on the cruise, but it seems like a good time to change now.”
She was flustered at the mention of a surprise gift.
“Please stand up with me for a moment.”
The chimera, putting away her accusing glare, reluctantly stood up. The bodyguards, who had been standing against the wall, tried to move with them, but she signaled them not to approach.
After leaving the hall, the chimera, standing in front of the elevator, glanced at the man’s wet hand, which had received the champagne shower in her place. Clear liquid trickled down the veins on the back of his hand.
In the meantime, the elevator at the top began to descend.
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