Riegrow naturally gestured toward Jeong Taeui. Jeong Taeui felt a bit confused and was about to decline by making an excuse to sit and eat with Maurer, but Maurer, who also didn’t like getting involved in such matters, had already moved far away and was sitting at another table.

Jeong Taeui remained silent for a moment. Saying something like – ‘Because you are from the European branch, I can’t eat with you’ – would sound ridiculous, and saying – ‘Because being around you feels like being next to a sharp stone that could hit me anytime, I’ll avoid you’ – would reveal his true intentions, so he quietly followed behind.

This is not good. This is not a good sign.

His uncle had advised him to avoid drawing attention, and Jeong Taeui had certainly kept that advice in mind. Even without that advice, that was what he had wanted from the start.

Last night, he didn’t expect the person in his room to be that man and unfortunately got caught right then and there, but he thought that was all. Fortunately, everything had passed without any trouble – even though those men caused a commotion in the hallway and faced a big issue – he was relieved and thought that from today he would only walk in hidden and dark places.

“Does it bother you a lot?”

He didn’t expect the man smiling in front of him to start a conversation. He thought what happened yesterday was yesterday’s matter, and today would be a new day and things would just move on.

Jeong Taeui picked up his chopsticks and rudely asked the man sitting across from him.

“What do you mean, bother me about what?”

His answer didn’t mean he wasn’t bothered. There were too many things bothering him, but he didn’t know which one the man was referring to. Was it the fact that the most troublesome man had initiated a conversation with him, or was it his strange friendliness, or the cold stares from the people at table number 6, which was reserved for European branch members?

The man laughed when he heard Jeong Taeui’s answer.

“I think you’re quite brave to sit in the middle of a table full of European branch members.”

Hearing that with a laugh, Jeong Taeui held his chopsticks and looked at him displeased.

“You told me to come here. Besides, there’s no other empty spot.”

Jeong Taeui replied uncomfortably. Not just the table he was sitting at, but all the surrounding tables were occupied by European branch members. The gazes fell upon him like arrows. You could almost hear the thoughts of – “Go sit somewhere else with your friends” – but no one dared to say that, probably because of the man sitting in front of him.

The men sitting at the table with them shrank back and remained silent as Jeong Taeui and the ‘Fully Armed Weapon’ – Riegrow – sat down together. At that moment, Jeong Taeui could guess how this man was treated by others in the branch.

…….Perhaps it wasn’t because they were from the Asian branch and got beaten by him, but anyone who annoyed him would get beaten.

“Does he act the same way even in his own branch…….?” – Jeong Taeui muttered to himself while eating, and Riegrow heard it and asked back.

“Who?”

At that moment, Jeong Taeui paused for a bit but then continued eating as if nothing had happened.

No, this isn’t right. I need to avoid attention. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s best not to draw attention. Finish eating and disappear quickly, never to appear in front of him again.

As Jeong Taeui silently ate, the European branch members at the table stood up and quietly left. Even though four seats were now empty, no one came to sit there.

“I don’t think I’ve heard your name,” 

Riegrow’s casual remark reached his ears. As soon as he heard it, Jeong Taeui’s heart seemed to stop beating.

This is bad. The signs are getting worse. Asking for a name might be normal for people who just met, but coming from him, it couldn’t be taken lightly.

“May I ask you something?”

Jeong Taeui didn’t answer the question but pretended not to hear it, drank water, and asked back. Riegrow raised an eyebrow, signaling Jeong Taeui to continue.

“Do you normally ask people’s names?”

He thought Riegrow was someone who didn’t care about others. But thinking about it, even ‘Jack the Ripper’* might have asked, “What’s your name?” when meeting a prostitute for the first time.

(*Jack the Ripper: Jack the Butcher or Jack the Ripper, was an unidentified serial killer who operated in areas predominantly inhabited by the poor, around the Whitechapel district of London, England in 1888.)

Hearing the question, Riegrow smiled slightly, seemingly amused.

“Usually, yes. It’s inconvenient not to know each other’s names. Don’t you think so?”

“If it’s inconvenient, just ask the names of those you’ll meet often.”

Riegrow nodded as if understanding, while Jeong Taeui soullessly chewed his food, staring at him.

From the outside, he was indeed a very handsome young man. Even standing in a crowded place, he would stand out with his clean and pleasant appearance. From a certain angle, he could be considered beautiful.

The scene of this handsome man eating a piece of toast, crumbs falling carelessly, created a (beautiful) picture. Watching the video didn’t convey this, but seeing him in person, he looked much younger. Perhaps he was one or two years younger than Jeong Taeui. …….Or maybe his real age was much older than his appearance……. following the legend that bathing in blood could rejuvenate.

“How old are you?” 

Jeong Taeui rudely propped his elbow on the table and stared at him, asking unexpectedly.

Riegrow seemed surprised by the sudden question but answered with interest.

“Do you often ask people’s ages? Or do you think I’ll meet you often enough to know my age?” (Mocking Jeong Taeui’s previous response about asking for names)

Faced with Riegrow’s interesting reply, Jeong Taeui didn’t ask further. He just felt his mood getting gloomier. Maybe if they met again in a fight, he would go easy on him because they knew each other.

But his uncle had said: “Just don’t draw attention.”

It’s too late now, uncle. What should I do? If I die, please don’t forget to burn my books too.

Muttering his last words while eating, Jeong Taeui noticed Riegrow’s hand holding the coffee cup. His neat, dark-colored gloves covered his hands completely.

“It seems you really like gloves. You always wear them.”

“Huh?” – Riegrow looked at his hand in surprise, then clenched and opened his fist a few times and shook his head.

“Not really. Actually, wearing gloves is more inconvenient than bare hands.”

“Then why do you always wear gloves?”

“I don’t like blood sticking to my hands. It’s sticky and hard to clean when it dries.”

“But you’re in a cafeteria eating food, there’s no way blood would stick to your hands–.”

Jeong Taeui, with a puzzled expression, was talking and hadn’t finished his sentence. At that moment, a man suddenly burst open the cafeteria door and ran straight to their table.

The man, whom Jeong Taeui had never spoken to and was probably from another team, with an extremely stern face and bloodshot eyes, stared at Riegrow and immediately rushed towards him.

“Riegrow! This is Croy’s gun, the person you killed!”

The angry shout rang out, and in his hand was a .50 Caliber pistol*.

(*.50 Caliber [0.50 BMG – Browning Machine Gun]: one of the most powerful ammunition used in personal firearms and machine guns, initially designed for heavy machine guns. Known for its armor-piercing capability and long-range, often used to destroy armored targets or at long distances.)

Jeong Taeui’s face immediately turned pale. This madman! Who shows up in the morning holding such a dangerous weapon that could destroy the entire cafeteria in an instant!

“If you want to die, die alone, you bastard…….!”

Jeong Taeui, who had no chivalry to stand up and protect Riegrow, muttered curses and quickly moved aside. In a situation where a gun with such a powerful recoil could cause stray bullets, he didn’t know who it would hit, but as long as it didn’t hit him, it was fine. 

Nevertheless, the cafeteria had already become chaotic.

Jeong Taeui immediately hid behind a large pillar nearby, anxiously observing the situation.

With this pillar, a few shots could break it down. But no, it’s a six-shot revolver, and he wouldn’t waste bullets on a pillar. And before that, he had no reason to target him.

Although not completely safe, Jeong Taeui had timely taken cover and instinctively reached into his jacket pocket. But his pocket was full of dust.

Damn it! While muttering curses and turning his head, he suddenly saw Maurer crawling under a table a few meters away.

“Maurer!”

Jeong Taeui immediately rushed to Maurer. Just then, deafening gunshots rang out, shaking the air. A piece of stone flew from behind, hitting Jeong Taeui. The gunshots made his ears ache. Damn this madman! If you survive, I’ll beat you to a pulp!

Jeong Taeui squeezed next to Maurer, who was panicking, and grabbed his collar. Despite Maurer’s screams and struggles, Jeong Taeui shoved his hand into his pocket. As expected, a cold metal piece fit perfectly in his hand.

Jeong Taeui turned his head and saw Riegrow standing calmly as if he were an outsider in the chaos. A few meters away, the man was aiming the gun at him.

An unbelievable scene unfolded before Jeong Taeui’s eyes.

Riegrow effortlessly overturned the six-seater cedarwood table, which would normally require three to four strong men to move, with a nonchalant expression as if it was light as a feather. He used the table as a shield, then kicked it hard, sending it flying towards the man.

*Bang!*

Another deafening gunshot rang out. The thick table flying towards the man shattered into pieces upon being hit by the bullet, with fragments of wood hitting Riegrow and falling to the ground.

“Now, there are only four bullets left, right?”

Riegrow muttered calmly and leisurely, taking cover behind a nearby pillar before overturning another table. He grabbed the leg of the table, lifted the whole table, and quickly hurled it at the man. Another ear-piercing shot rang out, the leg of the table splintered into pieces, this time the fragments were blocked by the pillar and did not touch Riegrow.

“There are only three bullets left. If none of them hit, you will die,” – Riegrow seemed to be enjoying himself. He smiled joyfully.

“Give me the gun back! That’s my beloved baby, give it back now!” – Maurer clung tightly to Taeui’s arm. Taeui struggled to shake off Maurer and crouched low to slip through a gap. While he was maneuvering behind the man, two more consecutive shots rang out.

“This foolish idiot, why start a battle you can’t win and risk your life for it?”

Jeong Taeui gritted his teeth and muttered.

Only one bullet was left, and everything around had turned into a mess.

The distance between the man and Riegrow was now only about 4-5 meters.

The man’s neck was drenched in sweat. Meanwhile, Riegrow stood in front of the man with a calm expression as if playing with a mouse, a faint smile on his lips. He lightly picked up a piece of wood about the size of a person’s arm, tossed it up and down a few times, then threw it forcefully at the man as if playing a game. But it was no joke; the piece of wood whizzed past the man’s head, creating a sound in the air. If it hit, the man would be knocked unconscious.

That was the decisive moment.

Jeong Taeui felt that this was the moment. The moment when Jeong Taeui sensed a person’s life was in danger. When he realized this, he immediately acted.

As soon as the man ducked to avoid the piece of wood, Riegrow darted forward, almost simultaneously with throwing the wood.

The man might have seen the demon rushing towards him with a delighted smile on his face.

*Bang!!!*

The ground seemed to shake. Jeong Taeui, standing nearby, flinched and closed his eyes because the deafening gunshot made his ears ring. A short groan escaped the man’s mouth. When he opened his eyes, he witnessed Riegrow, who had darted low, suddenly springing up, grabbing the man’s wrist tightly and twisting it hard, causing the gun to fly away. From the ceiling, where the bullet was lodged, fragments of stone and dust fell down. With his other hand, Riegrow grasped the man’s neck, pressing hard on the carotid artery.

“Really……. missed again.”

Riegrow’s soft laughter and muttering echoed in the space so quiet it made one’s ears ring.

As those words spread, everyone present realized what had happened.

Riegrow then grabbed the man’s arm holding the gun, twisted the barrel towards the man’s head. He was calmly deciding the man’s fate.

The man stared wide-eyed at Riegrow. The hand on his neck gently caressed him.

“See you in the next life.”

Riegrow’s eyes softened. His gentle whispering voice echoed like a song. The large and frightening hand – capable of easily breaking a person’s neck with bare hands – suddenly squeezed tightly.

In those moments.

“Let go!”

A cold voice rang out.

The barrel of the Colt Jeong Taeui was holding, stopped at the back of Riegrow’s neck from behind.

Riegrow, still gripping the man’s neck, stopped. He gently leaned back, bringing his neck closer to the barrel, and calmly said with a smile.

“Shooting at such a close distance, your wrist won’t be intact.”

“Don’t move. I think a wounded wrist is much better than losing a life.”

“…….I was wrong. I hate fools who risk their lives for something unrelated, pretending to be chivalrous.”

“Don’t move!!!”

Jeong Taeui gripped the Colt tightly. Without blinking, he whispered and focused on every small movement of Riegrow. At the same time, he cursed himself silently.

******************************

*Caliber: