98 - Murim Login

Episode 98 Hong Woo-jin regretted his actions. 'I didn't think this through.' The infiltration was a success. He managed to win over the target's little sister, a cat enthusiast, by approaching her with pitiful eyes that sparkled with desperation. However, the problem was... “What does our Yeoreum eat to be this adorable? Hm? Hm?” Meow. “Yeoreum, why do you keep trying to go outside? Stay here and play with your sister.” Meow. “Eek, so cute!” Hiss! Hissssss! “Oh no, is Yeoreum angry? I'm sorry. Did I touch you too much? Okay, I'll stay still, so just play on the bed, alright?” This damned little sister had no intention of letting him out. As a result, he found himself stuck in Jin Ha-yeon's room for over a day and a half. 'I should've chosen to be a dog.' Had he been a dog, entering the room might have been more challenging, but he wouldn't have ended up in such a near-captive situation. At the very least, he would have been taken on a walk. 'This can’t go on.' Gripped by a sense of crisis, Hong Woo-jin attempted to escape. 'Let's see who wins, you or me!' With a determined spirit, he initiated his plan... Scratch, scratch, scratch. Meow. Meeow! The first attempt was a failure. He scratched at the door and cried loudly, but Jin Ha-yeon remained unresponsive at her desk. She wasn't even wearing earphones, just solving problems with fierce focus and dexterity. 'I heard she’s in the top 0.01% nationally.' He saw it in the preliminary survey data. Since middle school, she effortlessly held the first or second place in her year, and she had numerous awards from various competitions that made the record unforgettable. Today, Hong Woo-jin understood why. Sitting at her desk, she was truly a force of unwavering concentration. 'She would be perfect as a magician... but that's not the point.' He continued trying to interrupt her studies by nudging her foot and trying to be cute. But Jin Ha-yeon's reaction was simple. “I'm studying right now. You shouldn't disturb me.” She tucked her feet on the chair and sat hugging the desk leg, making it impossible for his small body to reach her. The limitations of a kitten. 'This operation is a failure.' Having failed to disrupt her studying, he had no choice but to play his last card. It would severely damage his dignity as a human, but now was not the time to be picky. 'Let's see if you can ignore this.' Hiiisss. The pristine white bedspread turned yellow. It's a known rule that big and small matters should be tackled simultaneously. Having resolved two issues at once, Hong Woo-jin resolved firmly. 'Alright, let’s go all the way, handle it professionally.' Roll, roll. With five years of experience in familiars magic, he had never deteriorated to this extent. He kept psyching himself up. 'I am a professional, I am a professional, I am a professional...' Shortly after, Jin Ha-yeon noticed the strange smell and turned her head. By then, everything was over. Meow. A kitten covered in waste atop the soiled bedspread. “Eek, Yeoreum!” Startled, Jin Ha-yeon moved swiftly. She stripped the dirty sheets and carefully lifted the kitten by the scruff. “Why did you go here instead of to the bathroom? We need to clean you up, Yeoreum.” 'Yes, head to the door! The door!' The anticipated moment arrived. Although dangling soiled in the hands of a girl not yet twenty, Hong Woo-jin was filled with jubilance. Click. The door opens! The living room unseen since yesterday comes into view! Meow! Meeow! “That’s strange. Why does it seem so happy?” Jin Ha-yeon wondered, puzzled, just as the familiar mechanical sound of a passcode being entered echoed, and the front door opened. “I'm back... what's this?” “Where did you go... what's that?” The siblings exchanged bewildered looks. To be precise, they looked in astonishment at the creatures each was holding. Meow. Meow. Sharing the bewilderment were the creatures as well. 'Is that Hong Woo-jin?' 'Is that the amateur from the Sangdong Guild?' And the thoughts followed. 'Why is he covered in filth?' 'Ah, damn.' It was the moment when the last shred of Hong Woo-jin's human dignity crumbled. “He made a mess on the sheets?” “Yeah. It must have been an accident while I was studying.” Accident my foot, it was entirely intentional. Ha-yeon leaving him in the room all the time made him brainstorm ways to get out, obviously. Meow... The cats, well, now that there were two, they needed names. Anyway, hearing Yeoreum's weak meow, Ha-yeon asked with concern. “It’s been listless for a while.” “Well, I suppose.” The shame must be no joke. Encountering both an industry peer and surveillance target in a mess like that. “Don't worry too much. Cats generally dislike water touching their bodies, don't they?” “Is that so? But it didn’t even resist while bathing.” “Really?” “Not sure if it’s just my feeling... it seems out of it. Maybe it feels sorry for causing trouble?” Our Yeoreum, seems to have entered contemplative mode. I suppressed a chuckle and said. “Who knows. Anyway, what about your sheets? You’ll have to change them, too.” “It’s fine. It wasn’t a person, but an animal, so...” The saying goes that an unintentional action causes trouble like frogs getting harmed by thoughtless stone throws. Exactly the situation. Ha-yeon’s comment became a dagger stabbing someone. Flinch. A kitten, unable to even meow, trembled its little body. On the other hand, the other seemed thrilled. Purr, purr. The black cat rubbed its face enthusiastically against my leg, its sounds of pleasure brightening Ha-yeon’s face with affection. “Where did you get this one?” “At the apartment complex entrance.” “A stray cat?” “Probably. It was alone.” “What? Then its mother might still be around. You should observe a kitten for at least a day before bringing it home.” “An uncle said it’s been crying alone since yesterday.” “Ah, then it doesn't have a mother.” Flinch! The playful purring stopped abruptly. Unbeknownst to her, Ha-yeon had reached an unintended two-kill, and she grinned brightly. “Poor thing. You don’t have a mom either. Don’t worry, from today, I’ll be your mom.” She's my sister, but she has quite a skill of saying cutting words with a smiling face. The black cat seemed conflicted between maintaining professionalism and getting snippy, but eventually accepted this reality. Meow. It was pitiful to see it cozying up to the enemy of its mother. What a harsh reality for a salaryman. Watching this reminded me suddenly of mom. "What about mom?" “No idea. She said she had an important appointment and went out.” “An appointment?” “Yeah, she's been going out often these days.” What's going on? Mom's outings had become frequent lately. Perhaps after quitting work, having some leisure time, she was beginning to explore her own life again? 'Come to think of it, the atmosphere was strange.' She'd often sit as if she had something to say or get startled when spoken to suddenly. It indeed seemed like some change was happening around her. 'She'll tell me when she's ready.' The person I love and trust the most in the world is my mom. As always, there's nothing to do but trust and wait. Of course, at the right time, having conversations and listening to her would be a child's duty. “What are you thinking so much about?” “Oh, it’s nothing. Anyway, aren't you going somewhere?” “Why do you sound like you want me to leave?” “That's not what I meant.” “Hm, suspicious. You’re not planning to bring a girlfriend over, are you?” I wish I had a girlfriend to bring over. Seeing my expression gave it all away, Ha-yeon hesitated and apologized. “Oh, sorry.” “…Don’t apologize. It just makes it twice as pathetic.” “Really sorry.” “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” “Now that I think about it, I need to return some books to the library.” In a flash, she dashed into her room, grabbed her bag, and rushed out in no time. The door slammed shut, leaving the house in silence. 'Digging into a singleton's heart.' While a corner of my chest felt empty, the setup I desired was finally there. It’s an issue that should be dealt with when the family is away, if possible. Meow? Meow. Two cats, one black and one white, began to approach and circle around me. Their eyes were gleaming, and their ears perked up, eager to gather information about me. Ignoring their curiosity, I headed to the veranda. What came into view first was the parking lot filled with hundreds of cars. 'The parking lot is clear.' Before returning home, I had walked around the apartment complex carrying the familiar. To others, it would seem like a leisurely stroll on a nice day, but the purpose was to check the vehicles. The result: nothing unusual. 'Then, it must be in one of the houses.' This confirmed that the surveillance group used newly acquired apartments as their base. I recalled the information I obtained from the real estate office. 'Building 5, Unit 901. Building 4, Unit 302. Building 3, Unit 202.' Coincidentally, all three places were positioned around our apartment, encircling it. From there, they could easily oversee entrances from any window—perfect for surveillance. No matter which of these places they're hiding in, it wouldn’t be surprising. 'The problem is identifying which one they’re in…' They are cautious enough to use familiars instead of magical devices to avoid detection. Approaching recklessly would mean losing them. To ensure a definite capture, I needed to throw a substantial bait. 'Let’s begin.' Shhh, swish. First, I drew all the curtains in the house. Even at midday, the living room darkened, and I fumbled in my pocket. ‘Inventory open. Mana detection device.’ A hunk of metal the size of half my palm fell into my hand. Just as its name suggests, this is a device to detect mana, purchased for a hefty 20 million won from the store. ‘Next step, sweep.’ I carefully searched the house with the detection device. Confirming no mana presence within, I pulled out my smartphone to make a call to someone. Beep, beep, click. The call connected, and the recipient answered. - Hello? I replied. “It's me, Jin Tae-kyung.” Two familiars watched me intently without even breathing. Kim Jun-su woke up and shouted, “They're here, they're here!” Security team members huddled around, writing a report, were startled. “What? Who's here? Our team leader?” “Or could it be…?” The team member hesitated, and Kim Jun-su nodded. “The target. It reeks of fishiness.” “Really?” “Yes. I felt something odd the moment his house was empty and curtains were drawn, and he even used a detection device to check inside.” Not a task a regular C-rank hunter, especially one on vacation, would undertake. Everyone in the room gulped. “So, what then?” “He pulled out a phone and made a call.” “A call? To whom?” “I don’t know.” Kim Jun-su furrowed his brow. “It was short, barely three minutes, but it felt like he was very cautious with his language?” “That’s enough. Report upstairs first, and we’ll pull that guy’s call records.” “Right, so nothing else came of it?” “Why wouldn’t there be? You know what he said?” Clearing his throat, he spoke in a low tone. “'The plan is proceeding smoothly. Yes, yes. The Sangdong Guild hasn’t caught on yet. I have the item safe.’” Listening, the team members snapped their fingers. “This is it!” “Finally caught something.” “Wow, got the chills just now. Is he some secret agent?” Then, quietly listening, Kim Gwon-dong spoke up suddenly. “Jin-su, didn’t that guy mention having some item?” “Good point.” Kim Jin-su smiled meaningfully. “He’s got a USB.”