Jeong Taeui continued to climb to the first floor without resting, using his unsteady legs. After a while, he had to stop and let out a sigh. Now he couldn’t even breathe after climbing just a few floors. The exhaustion was overwhelming, and he had to take deep breaths to regain his strength.

Suddenly, he exclaimed to himself: “Ah.”

Now he knew. Now he knew the name of this feeling. Although it was uncomfortable and intense, it had no strength, and he just wanted to cry or scream out loud, but he didn’t have the energy to do so. He just wanted to hide in a place where there was no one and never leave.

He was tired.

He was truly exhausted and worn out.

It would be better if someone blamed him for being weak in these situations so that he could grab that damn bastard by the collar and fight back with punches. Because he could endure physical fatigue, but he couldn’t bear the mental torment.

Even now, if he returned home in exhaustion, his older brother wouldn’t be there to welcome him and sit down to drink with him, even though his older brother couldn’t drink. 

Now, he had nowhere to lean, nowhere to vomit, and no one to sit huddled next to.

After holding his breath for a while, Jeong Taeui took a step forward and wiped his dry and cold eyes with the back of his hand.

Alright, no matter what his uncle said, whoever the next Director would be, or which branch he would be transferred to, Jeong Taeui didn’t care anymore.

Everyone’s life and work tend to go the way they want. So if his uncle had that intention from the beginning, it would be done in the way he wanted, regardless of whether anyone helped or hindered.

“If it were you, even if you were demoted somewhere, you would still survive……. So why do you need me?”

No one heard, but Jeong Taeui whispered to himself after thinking about it for a while. Whether someone helped or not, his life would not be disrupted. Because he was someone who would do anything to achieve his goals.

As he dragged his painful ankles along the corridor, the Director’s office appeared in front of him. Taeui had only been there once before during the appointment ceremony for Ilay’s Instructor position. This was not a place where any branch member could come recklessly, but now Taeui no longer cared about that.

The promise with his uncle had ended. The remaining days here were no longer important. And even if he left now, it wouldn’t be a problem for his uncle. If he needed permission from the Director to leave this place, then he would go and personally speak to him. He would leave UNHRDO and escape from here. Originally, Taeui couldn’t directly meet the Director because when a member had a request, they had to report to their superior Instructor, and only when the Instructor approved could they receive the Director’s permission. But now he disregarded all of that and didn’t bother with those cumbersome procedures.

In front of the Director’s office, Taeui stood still for a moment and knocked on the door. The thick and heavy wooden door made a low and heavy sound that suppressed his exhausted gasps. He listened and waited for a response from inside, but even after standing there for a while, there was still silence. He knocked on the door again.

Still no sign of a response. Maybe there was no one inside because it wasn’t working hours yet. It was just morning, so obviously there wouldn’t be anyone, but he didn’t think about that and just ran here in anger.

Jeong Taeui let out a sigh of relief. He was selfish and foolish. Taeui stared at the doorknob of the Director’s office for a while, then gently pushed it, thinking it would be locked, but the door opened easily.

“……. I’m sorry…… I’m the Assistant Instructor – Jeong Taeui.”

He thought there would be no one here, but he still spoke softly outside the door as a precaution. The door opened, so if there was someone here, they would have heard, but once again, there was no answer. And it seemed like there really was no one inside.

Taeui hesitated and then entered the room. Anyway, he had prepared himself to meet the Director and be happily kicked out of this place, even being grabbed by the collar.

But this place looked more like the Director’s bedroom than his office. Could it be that the Director’s office and bedroom were in the same place?

No one was in the Director’s room, but it seemed like he had been here a while ago as the lamp on the desk was still on. Thinking about it, he had heard that the Director was obsessed with work day and night, to the point of being called workaholic, so maybe he hadn’t left but was nearby. Taeui paused for a moment, and at that moment, he saw two adjoining doors in the office. One was the bathroom door, and the other was the entrance to the Director’s private room.

It has been a month since that day and he has not seen this Director again. Taeui sighed and knocked on the door again, knowing there would be no answer.

“Sir…….” 

He said softly, muttering his name even though he did not receive a response, but suddenly a button next to the door caught his attention. Perhaps his brain was slow to react due to the blood rushing, so he did not have time to look around. Initially, he thought it was a doorbell so he pressed the button, but no sound came out even though it really looked like a normal doorbell. He tilted his head, before Taeui could think of anything else, the door quietly opened.

The elevator behind the door appeared.

He paused and blinked, why is there an elevator here?

But then again, this is the Director’s room, so it’s not surprising if there is an elevator in the room. Moreover, it is not certain whether it leads directly to his private room or not. As he leaned over, the door quietly closed.

Jeong Taeui frowned.

Something is going to happen.

He didn’t know what it was, but something was going to happen, anyway, it wasn’t a good feeling.

Taeui wanted to turn back, for some reason, the elevator and this wooden door seemed like a sign of something. Like a smoldering fire in a haystack.

“……”

But even thinking that way, his hands still pressed the button, like before, the door opened again to reveal the elevator.

The space was extremely quiet. There was no one in the room, only Taeui was here. The wooden door slid and tried to close again. He suddenly raised his hand to stop it. The door got stuck on an obstacle so it opened again.

Jeong Taeui stepped inside. The door closed as if it had been waiting for a long time.

This elevator is like any other elevator. If there is a difference, it is perhaps that this elevator only has a button to the destination floor, no other buttons. It can only go to one place and cannot go to any other floor in the branch outside the Director’s office.

He pondered for a moment and then pressed the blank button with no numbers or anything written on it. After a while, his body felt weightless, the elevator began to move down.

There were no numbers on the button but there were numbers appearing on the fluorescent board indicating the floor numbers. As the elevator descended, the numbers gradually increased.

Start with the letter G – ground floor, then 1, 2, 3, and basement. And the number stops at number 4.

The elevator stops, the heavy feeling under his feet comes closer and then disappears. Jeong Taeui stares at the number on the board.

Floor 4. It is a place that is blocked and has no entrance, even the staircase has a prohibition sign and the regular elevator cannot stop at this floor.

The door opens.

It’s difficult, he thinks. By instinct, Jeong Taeui feels that he should not ‘get off the car’ here. There are some things in the world that are best left unknown. And his intuition at this moment also speaks up. This place is one of those ‘should not know’ things.

In front of the elevator, there is a wall blocking the way, so if he doesn’t leave here, he won’t be able to see anything beyond that wall.

Yeah, he can’t see anything. So if he goes back now, everything will be as if it never happened. Taeui waits for the automatic door to close, but time quietly passes, and when he is about to press the button, a faint voice whispers in his head: “Don’t go.”

After a while, the door still doesn’t close, even after he counts from 1 to 20. Jeong Taeui sighs softly. It seems that on this floor, the door will only close when the button is pressed.

His finger rests on the button for a moment, then he looks up at the ceiling where the white fluorescent light of the elevator is shining. When he lowers his head, there is still a wall in front of the elevator blocking his view like a barrier.

“It’s really unfortunate to know these things.”

Taeui mutters.

Perhaps the entire 4th floor is designed like a large house where the Director can comfortably live. Nearly a hundred personnel here all believe that the 6 basement floors are common property, but once they become Directors, no one dares to say anything even if they occupy an entire floor for themselves.

Taeui sighs when he thinks about that. He didn’t think he would do this, after all, it is clear that no member here is allowed to come here. And there must be a reason for that. Looking back later, Taeui completely doesn’t understand why he didn’t just turn back immediately while not knowing what was waiting for him ahead, at least he would be safe if he went back. He bet his life on something he wasn’t even sure of, but that was probably because his instinct awakened at the right moment.

A few seconds later, when Taeui steps out, the elevator door slowly closes. He thinks it’s a waste to use an elevator like this just to move between 2 floors. But this thought doesn’t last.

The scene unfolding in front of Taeui’s eyes makes his feet suddenly stop.

An entire floor of about 600 square meters opens up before him. In the distance, a wall can be seen, a large space containing large and small containers arranged in a neat row.

This is a very large warehouse.

“What is this……. this smell……. what should I do now.”

Jeong Taeui whispers in a gasp. Then he slowly approaches the small cargo container in front of him.

The iron shelf reaches up to the ceiling, equivalent to the second floor of any building. No, this can’t be called just a shelf, they are extremely heavy iron poles attached to the floor and ceiling, supporting tightly connected iron mesh panels between them.

And on top of them are a row of cargo containers.

The containers vary in size, some are like a drawer while others are as big as a small temporary house. The materials are also divided into wood and iron. The only common thing about them is that there are no traces on the outside.

“Not okay at all……. I have to leave here.”

Jeong Taeui clicks his tongue. But the moment he steps out of the elevator, it seems that he immediately abandons the intention to go back.

The sound of his footsteps echoes loudly in the silent space while this type of floor is not easy to leave sound traces. This is a special space, so there is no reason for such a loud sound to appear. It may be because his nerves are tense or because he is alone, Taeui is scared by the sound of his own footsteps.

Jeong Taeui approaches the small cargo container and takes a few steps and taps his finger on the lid of the container. He thinks he might hear something from inside but doesn’t detect anything. Taeui tries to push the container but it doesn’t budge, even if he uses his whole body strength to push it, it only shakes a little.

The container on the bottom shelf has been nailed shut. But right above it, there is a container of the same size and shape, covered with a lid, it seems not fixed. Jeong Taeui looks at the box for a while and then puts his hand on the lid. And he gently pushes.

The weight of the heavy lid can keep it in place for a moment, but eventually it slowly tilts to one side. The things inside the box also appear.

“……..”

What the hell is this?

Jeong Taeui swallowed the curses and insults. He looked at the box for a moment, closed it, and then intended to open the box next to it. It was twice the size of the previous box. But most boxes of the same size were nailed shut and couldn’t be opened. Until he looked around the nearby iron racks before discovering a box that was almost open.

This time, Jeong Taeui didn’t hesitate to open the box. This was exactly what he expected, although he never wanted it.

“……I am indeed a prophet…….”

Jeong Taeui took a step forward. He didn’t even bother to close the lid. After all, there were surely surveillance cameras installed throughout this warehouse, so the moment he stepped in would leave a trace. When he thought about it, he even began to feel more at ease.

He walked straight to the innermost part of the warehouse. As he walked, he opened other boxes as if contemplating something and occasionally flipped them open to check inside. A container the size of a room was placed where Jeong Taeui stopped.

It was the deepest part of the warehouse. The cargo box was not closed, whether due to its size or for some other reason. It looked like a torn temporary wall of a building, with one side of the container completely punctured. And inside was a heavy iron block that even if many people rushed in, it would be difficult to lift.

As if in a trance, Jeong Taeui stared at the cargo box for a long time, precisely at the shiny black iron block inside. Like an iron flag, with sharp and graceful curves, it seemed like it could fly in the sky at any moment. (It’s a nuclear bomb :DD)

“Ha……”

A sporadic laughter escaped Taeui’s mouth. His gaze was fixed on it.

“It truly is…… a masterpiece.”

Jeong Taeui scratched his head and laughed like a fool. Besides that, he didn’t know what else to do. In his mind, thoughts were swirling in a chaotic mess.

“Oh my, you should be excited, uncle. How did you manage to come here?”

A voice came from his shoulder. Taeui turned around without feeling surprised. He had no reason to be surprised because the sound of footsteps had gotten closer. The sound of footsteps quietly stopped not far from Jeong Taeui.

“I thought you would come during lunchtime, but it seems like you arrived earlier than I thought. Did you come by an executive jet?”

“When I called, you were already at the airport. There were some issues with the branch, whatever it was, it happened and you were summoned.”

When Jeong Taeui asked a serious question, his uncle also gave a serious answer. His uncle took another step and looked at the box that Taeui had looked at earlier.

As if evaluating a sculpture, his uncle tilted his head and looked at him for a while before muttering.

“This is not a beautiful piece, is it?”

“Yes, this is the most beautiful bomb I have ever seen.”

Jeong Taeui whispered in helplessness and sighed with a tired voice.

“This is the last thing Jaeui created.”

Uncle slowly walked toward the massive structure, his footsteps echoing with each deliberate step. Stopping in front of it, he ran his palm over the jet-black iron body. Jeong Taeui quietly watched his uncle and the iron structure, then murmured softly:

“Did my brother make the ones in the other containers too?”

Uncle traced the glossy black surface in silence for a moment, then tilted his head ambiguously.

“Some of them, yes. But most are not. They’re just products meant for general sale.”

“Products…… for UNHRDO?”

“To be precise, you could call them collaborations. And if half are products, then perhaps the other half should be considered donations.”

Uncle spoke calmly. He slid his fingers across the iron surface as if reluctant to let go, then turned away with an indifferent expression. Their eyes met.

Jeong Taeui rubbed his forehead. A faint powerless smile escaped him. There was nothing else he could do but smile.

“Well, this is just one thing on top of another…… products and donations, huh.”

Jeong Taeui muttered bitterly. Uncle didn’t say anything more. But Jeong Taeui wasn’t so foolish or oblivious as to miss the meaning behind his uncle’s silence.

“UNHRDO headquarters is in the U.S, right?”

Jeong Taeui asked as if talking to himself. Instead of answering, his uncle raised an eyebrow. Jeong Taeui let out a dry chuckle.

“Are they secretly selling weapons to Iran again, supplying them to anti-government rebels in some communist country?”

When Jeong Taeui made his weary joke, Uncle faintly smiled.

“UNHRDO isn’t an organization belonging to the U.S. While it’s heavily influenced by them, it’s a place where 6 countries evenly share the reins of power.”

“Ah, I see. An international organization where 6 countries evenly—share the reins, you say. One for all, and all for one……?”

Uncle only smiled without giving an answer. A short distance away, he walked to a box that Jeong Taeui had opened earlier but hadn’t closed properly. As he replaced the lid, Uncle spoke briefly.

“No comment beyond that.”

Jeong Taeui glanced around. From floor to ceiling, containers were stacked. The entire warehouse was packed with containers, stretching out beyond what was visible, hidden behind the rows. Inside those containers were weapons, ready to be used at any moment, lying dormant.

“Someone like Maurer would absolutely lose his mind over this.”

Jeong Taeui muttered, trying to chuckle. But the laugh didn’t come. His strength gave out, and he sank to the floor. Incredible. He was completely, undeniably knocked out.

“Where does the secrecy begin and end?”

Jeong Taeui murmured, his voice barely audible. As he spoke, Uncle, while closing the lids of the boxes that Jeong Taeui had left open, glanced briefly in his direction.

“Among the people you’d know who are above the line, you could count them on ten fingers. Among the Director, Vice Directors, and Instructors, it’s just Rick and me. As for the rest, Jaeui might have known. Though he never mentioned it directly.”

“……Aha.”

Jeong Taeui nodded. He kept nodding and nodding, even though his mind still felt like it was dreaming, unable to fully grasp the situation. Yet, his head moved up and down like a toy figure that wouldn’t stop.

The Director, the Vice Directors, and the Instructors, Uncle and Rick. And possibly Jeong Jaeui.

As Jeong Taeui considered the list, he retraced his thoughts. The General Director, the Vice Directors, and the developers—those made sense to him. But he couldn’t immediately understand why only two Instructors had been singled out. Still, it didn’t take long for the reason to dawn on him. The answer was almost too obvious.

Ah, so that’s how it is. Now he finally understood Ilay’s peculiar privileges. Of course—this was why Uncle was considered ‘a necessary man for UNHRDO’. Suddenly, Jeong Taeui let out a faint chuckle. And with that, the laughter he had struggled to summon earlier came spilling out uncontrollably. A low dry laughter echoed on and on.

When things reached this point, there was nothing to do but laugh.

United Nations Human Resources Development Organization.

Who would believe that this international organization, which everyone aspires to join, is secretly at the forefront of illegal activities? If this were exposed, it would be the scoop of a lifetime. Of course, before it ever reached the public, you’d either disappear without a trace, or it would be quietly suppressed before a single word could be published. Compared to this, something like McKeen was nothing.

“What are we supposed to do when an international organization violates international treaties? ……Or maybe, it was established for this very purpose from the start…… Ah, now that I think about it, wasn’t the Asia branch the most recently established branch of UNHRDO?”

“Taeui.”

Jeong Taeui, who had been muttering with a hollow laugh, fell silent. Uncle had cut him off by calling his name, paused briefly before shaking his head with a troubled expression, a faintly awkward smile playing on his lips.

“Thinking something in your head and saying it out loud are entirely different matters. When spoken, thoughts have a way of becoming reality.”

This time, it was Jeong Taeui who remained silent. He wasn’t foolish enough to miss the warning in his uncle’s words. Sitting on the floor, he stared blankly at his feet, then let out a long soundless sigh.

It was truly a dreadful feeling. Jeong Taeui had never felt so utterly foolish before. Somewhere along the line, without even realizing it, he had become a dancing, singing clown in a place he didn’t recognize.

“My brother.” – Jeong Taeui suddenly asked.

But his uncle, who always seemed to know everything, slowly shook his head.

“I don’t know. I’ve searched everywhere, but I haven’t even found a clue yet.”

Jeong Taeui buried his face in his knees. His body was already drained of energy, hung limp, and unable to move. It wouldn’t have surprised him if he turned into a fossil right there.

What a ridiculous sight. He thought this with a self-mocking bitterness. He wasn’t particularly more moral or conscientious than others. Nor was he a starry-eyed, idealistic youth naive enough to view the world through rose-colored glasses. When news of some scandal or corruption broke out in some corner of the world, he would usually shrug it off as just another thing that happens where people live. Perhaps even now, if he weren’t so utterly exhausted, he might have simply gotten angry or made a snide remark before turning his head away, pretending not to care.

But right now, he was so utterly drained that it felt as though he might collapse if someone so much as exhaled near him. Even the mere fact of his presence in this place weighed on him like hundreds of tons of iron pressing him down. And to think that he was connected, directly or indirectly, to the system here—there was no need to say anything more.

“When I came to your house, even if Jaeui had been there with you, I would have taken you instead. From the beginning, I thought you were the one I needed to ask for help, and that’s why I came for you.”

*Thud.* The sound of a shoe echoed as someone took a step closer. Another step followed.

“You’re undoubtedly talented and smart. Even if the circumstances around you move regardless of your efforts, that’s not your fault. At the very least, in this environment, you were exceptional enough to end up here.”

“Uncle…… that’s just sophistry.”

Jeong Taeui spoke with a weary smile. If being in this situation wasn’t due to misfortune but rather to his personality or some insignificant talent he wasn’t even sure he had, then such things were worthless and could be discarded without regret. He raised his head from where it had been buried in his knees. A few steps away, his uncle stood, looking down at him. He would never apologize, nor would he offer any excuses.

“Uncle, I think I’ll head back now.” – Jeong Taeui said.

Uncle paused to consider, then leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees, bending down as if inspecting a small child. His face drew closer, hovering above Jeong Taeui’s head.

“If it’s you, you could climb to any position you want here.”

“Thanks for the high opinion, Uncle, but…… I don’t want any position in this place.”

Jeong Taeui let out a dry chuckle.

A position he wanted? How far could he climb? To the position of an Instructor, like his cunning uncle standing before him, or that insane guy who beats people senselessly without facing any real consequences? Or to the Vice Director’s seat, embroiled in power struggles and factions? Perhaps even the Director’s position, hiding behind a polished façade while contributing to the violence unfolding somewhere in the world?

There was no place among them for Jeong Taeui to ascend.

“I’m tired.”

“……”

“I just want to go home and sleep for about a week without thinking about anything. The sleeping arrangements here are too unsettling; I can’t get any deep sleep.” 

Jeong Taeui muttered bitterly. His uncle quietly observed him as he vented, his tone laced with weariness. Then, as if on a whim, he spoke playfully, almost like a joke, yet revealing a truth.

“For a while, your house might not be the best place to sleep either. You may have some unwelcome guests dropping by. This time, it won’t be Jaeui they’re looking for—it’ll be you.”

“What is that supposed to mean……” 

Jeong Taeui muttered in genuine frustration, burying his face back into his knees. Well, it might be true. No—given that his uncle’s words were rarely wrong, it was more likely than not. After all, Jeong Taeui was now involved in the shady affairs surrounding a Vice Director. It was impossible to predict who might come looking for him or for what reason.

The peaceful home he longed to return to was gone. His mind had already left this place. So, where should he go? There was nowhere to go.

“In the blink of an eye, I’m homeless and adrift…… Uncle, that’s just cruel.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled, his face still buried in his knees. Whether his words fully reached his uncle’s ears was unclear. Uncle stood silently for a while, watching him.

“……Taeui. When you came here, we agreed on half a year, didn’t we?”

“There’s not much time left now, anyway.”

Jeong Taeui sulked as he answered, anticipating that his uncle might tell him to stay for the full half-year. Even if he did, Jeong Taeui had already decided to leave. He didn’t want to stay here any longer. Not even his agreement with his uncle could keep him bound to this place.

“Then, for the remaining time, work for me somewhere else, not here.”

His uncle’s serious voice fell over him like a weight. Jeong Taeui remained silent for a moment, quietly processing the words.

Who knows how long it was. Quite a bit of time had passed, yet Uncle patiently waited for Jeong Taeui’s response. Finally, Jeong Taeui slowly lifted his head, looking at his uncle with weary eyes, and whispered like a sigh:

“Uncle…… y-you’re so shameless.”

His uncle laughed. For the first time today, Jeong Taeui saw a gentle softness in his uncle’s eyes, and with that, he let out a long sigh.

“Uncle, I have no idea where my brother might be. If all the networks and resources from everywhere couldn’t track him down, how on earth am I supposed to find him?”

When Jeong Taeui spoke, his uncle raised an eyebrow slightly. Then, unexpectedly, he let out a laugh. As if he’d been caught off guard, Uncle chuckled softly, the sound lingering as he reached out to ruffle Jeong Taeui’s hair.

His nephew was sharper and more perceptive than he had anticipated. Even with minimal clues, Jeong Taeui had an uncanny ability to pinpoint the core of the matter with surprising accuracy.

“I don’t expect results. Just the process will suffice. Until the allotted time is up, you’ll hold the status of a special agent for UNHRDO, and any expenses incurred can be fully charged—right down to the coins you toss to a passing beggar. Do you understand what I mean?”

Speaking as though to a very young child, just as he had done when Jeong Taeui was little, Uncle gently cupped Jeong Taeui’s cheek in his palm and stroked it softly. Jeong Taeui looked up at him quietly, as if he had indeed become a child again.

“A month or two. That should be enough time for things to settle internally. Those who are to be demoted will be demoted, those who are to be transferred will be transferred, and silencing others should also be manageable within that time frame. After that, you can return home. I’ll drop by occasionally—not as much as now, but still, more often than before.”

“You didn’t come even once in the three years after my father passed away, and now you’re talking about ‘dropping by occasionally’. What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Even in his exhausted state, Jeong Taeui didn’t let the part of his uncle’s words that caught his attention slip away. His uncle’s soft laughter brushed past his ears.

Still leaning into his uncle’s hand on his cheek, Jeong Taeui tilted his head slightly. His entire body felt drained, and he just wanted to collapse and sleep. If he closed his eyes, he felt like he wouldn’t wake up for a hundred years.

“Alright. Let’s do that. Two months. I doubt I’ll be able to find my brother, but I’ll look for him. I want to see him too.”

Jeong Taeui murmured in a quiet voice, as though drunk with sleep. His words might have been difficult to make out, yet his uncle listened silently without interruption. After a brief pause, Jeong Taeui continued speaking.

“But I don’t need the status of a special agent for UNHRDO. Even my name, Jeong Taeui, would be dangerous, wouldn’t it? Give me a new name. One that no one knows, one no one would suspect—a name that seems as if it truly exists in this world……A name even you wouldn’t recognize, Uncle.”

‘Leave nothing behind—no trace, no clue that Jeong Taeui ever existed. I want a new name, one that no one can connect to me, not even you, Uncle.’

Uncle gazed at Jeong Taeui in silence. The hand resting on his cheek began to move again, calmly stroking his hair. The steady, soothing touch was unexpectedly comforting, a rare moment of peace in the midst of chaos.

“Alright. Let’s do that. I’ll create a new identity for you—with the name, nationality, age, and personal details you choose. After that, I won’t even look at the records; I’ll seal them in an envelope and burn them. ……But if you disappear as completely as Jae-ui did, I think I’d feel a bit sad.”

“I’ll keep in touch occasionally. After all, I need to report my progress since I’ll be looking for my brother.” – Jeong Taeui murmured with a faint chuckle.

Uncle continued to gently stroke his hair for a while longer before slowly nodding in agreement.

“Alright. Then shall we get up? It’s time to start the day anew.” – Uncle said.

Jeong Taeui took the hand his uncle offered as he stepped back and stood up from where he had been sitting. It had felt like he would never be able to rise from that spot, as if he might remain there forever. But now, he had to stand and walk. Staying seated would only mean being trapped there indefinitely.

Following a few steps behind his uncle, Jeong Taeui stared at the distant elevator. Once he stepped into that elevator and the doors opened again, it would lead outside. Beyond those doors was no longer the UNHRDO branch—just the outside world waiting. Right now, he is tired of everything. Exhausted. Everything that bound him as Jeong Taeui felt unbearably heavy. But now he was ready to shed all of it and leave. Once he left, he wouldn’t come back. Never.

His uncle had said that, in time, he would be able to return home. But Jeong Taeui felt no attachment to that place. Even if he could never go back, his weary heart couldn’t care less right now. All that mattered at this moment was finding a place to rest his tattered, exhausted soul. Future sanctuaries or destinations didn’t concern him in the slightest.

The elevator drew closer. Uncle stepped through the open wooden doors and waited for Jeong Taeui inside. Once he stepped in and then stepped out again, Jeong Taeui would have to bid farewell to himself—to the Jeong Taeui he had been. He hesitated briefly at the threshold. Uncle waited in silence. But what was there to hesitate about now? There was nothing left to hold him back.

Jeong Taeui quietly raised a hand and tapped his chest, as if to soothe his weary heart. Then, as if preparing to step toward a new place, he took a step forward.