Chapter – 16…
“Wait a second.”
After quickly parking the car, Yushin hurriedly shoved an in-ear monitor into his ear and activated the channel.
“Explain it properly.”
[This is insane. Insane. Absolutely insane, you crazy meerkat. He was cleaning Yang Dongjun’s room when he suddenly went, “Why the hell is this bastard’s name here?” and then started rummaging around like mad. Then he said, “So this is where he was building a line?”]
Hearing Chamkkae’s report, Yushin flung the car door open and sprinted toward the hospital building.
“You’re sure? What did he base that on?”
[An Iju. Choi Eokgyu. Jo Areum.]
“What?!”
Yushin shouted without realizing it as he reached the elevator.
[You remember, right? They’re all Yang Dongjun’s patients. The meerkat said all their names out loud!]
A groan slipped from Yushin’s lips.
They had staked out the hospital for days, searched it inside and out, and still found nothing. Yet a single police officer had narrowed the net this quickly and identified an insider. It was unsettling.
Abandoning the elevator, Yushin dashed for the stairs.
“How did the meerkat even figure that out?”
[Not completely sure, but it looks like he dug through the trash from Yang Dongjun’s room. Probably… at the waste collection area.]
“Damn it. We should’ve planted a cleaner ourselves.”
Once back in his office, Yushin took a long breath to steady himself.
He checked the watch on his wrist and spoke again.
“Exactly six minutes from now. That’s when Yang Dongjun stops by the residents’ office.”
He hadn’t fully identified Cheonghwa’s mole yet, but Yushin already had the hospital staff’s movement patterns mapped out in his head.
After another steadying breath, he lowered his voice.
“I’m going to hit him. Now.”
[You, personally? All of a sudden? You can’t even fight.]
“I don’t care. I have to try something. If the meerkat squeezes information out of Yang Dongjun, the police will get involved.”
[That would be bad!]
“Exactly. So I have to move first.”
It would take at least ten minutes to get from the waste collection area to the main building’s fifth floor where the professors’ offices were—even at a full sprint.
Which meant the only window Yushin had to choke information out of Yang Dongjun was right now.
[This is driving me crazy. Hold on.]
Chamkkae’s voice rose sharply through the in-ear.
Someone frantically called for Doksu, then several voices overlapped before the situation was quickly summarized.
[Doksu says he can respond.
Security isn’t on shift yet, and Mute is… nearby, but it’ll take some time. Ten minutes. Yeah, about that.]
“Where’s the meerkat right now? Track his route and let’s move as fast as possible.”
[That’s the thing… he’s been running around after swallowing the bug, so the signal’s unstable. I’ll notify you the moment we get a usable movement trace.]
“Okay. Get ready. I’ll signal when I move in.”
Yushin moved swiftly and stopped in front of the mirror.
Neatly combed hair. Large glasses hiding his eyes.
A face he still wasn’t used to stared back at him.
“……”
He took a deep breath.
Then he shoved his fingers into his hair and roughly raked it apart. The tidy style collapsed instantly, messy bangs falling over his forehead.
He removed the glasses and shoved them into his pocket. Next, he pulled on a pair of surgical gloves from the shelf. Finally, he put on a mask to cover his face.
In the mirror stood a man who could no longer be immediately identified as “Professor Min Yushin.”
He checked his watch once more, then began tidying his office.
Keyboard, mouse—every surface his hands had touched. He wiped away fingerprints and shoved the stacks of books into the shelves in one sweep.
Thirty seconds before Yang Dongjun arrived at the residents’ office.
Right on cue, Yushin finished and opened the door.
Click.
The sound echoed down the silent hallway.
Moving quietly, Yushin headed toward the residents’ office. As expected for such an early hour, the corridor was empty.
Halfway there, he reached out toward the examination desk and swiftly grabbed a 5cc syringe and an 18-gauge needle.
With practiced ease, he tore open the packaging and attached the needle. The cap came off, and the syringe barrel filled with air as he pulled the plunger back.
It was the closest thing to a weapon Yushin could manage, given that he was terrible at fighting.
He quickened his pace.
At the corner before the residents’ office, Yushin stopped and held his breath. This was the opposite direction from where Yang Dongjun approached after his morning workout.
Moments later, the squeak of shiny rubber soles dragging across the floor echoed faintly.
Yushin had no doubt it was Yang Dongjun. Then came the sound of numbers being entered.
[Beep, beep, beep.]
[Click.]
The lock disengaged, and footsteps disappeared into the office.
After one last check to ensure no one was around, Yushin followed him inside.
Yang Dongjun stood with his back to the door, placing a cup of instant noodles on the table and peeling back the lid.
Yushin silently shut the door, removed the batteries from the lock, and slid the bolt into place.
Yang Dongjun hummed to himself, completely unaware of what was about to happen. For Yushin, that was something to be grateful for.
Soundless steps carried him closer. The distance closed rapidly—
—and the syringe plunged straight into the back of Yang Dongjun’s neck.
“Hngh?”
The sound of the needle piercing his carotid artery was louder than his gasp.
Yang Dongjun’s suddenly racing pulse surged through the needle and spread across his neck.
The needle had hit the carotid.
As a doctor, Yang Dongjun knew exactly what that meant.
He froze, unable to move, only his eyes rolling desperately in their sockets.
Yushin leaned forward, bringing his face into Yang Dongjun’s line of sight.
“Hi, Dongjun. You know what happens if you move, right?”
“……”
Min Yushin’s low, rough voice drilled into his ear.
A voice Yushin had never once used inside the hospital.
Messy bangs obscuring his face. A completely unfamiliar appearance.
And a needle buried in his carotid artery.
For all those reasons, Yang Dongjun couldn’t possibly identify the man in front of him as Min Yushin from the neighboring office.
Thump.
Thump.
His heartbeat grew faster.
Yang Dongjun’s eyes darted frantically. Afraid of jostling the needle, he whispered.
“Y-you… who are you?”
“Idiot. You think I’d tell you?”
Yushin gave the syringe a slight shake.
“Hk—!”
Yang Dongjun’s reaction was almost impressive.
“Dongjun. What did you give the junkies?”
“……”
“If you don’t want to die, answer fast. I don’t have much patience. This is an 18-gauge, and it’s full of air.”
Yang Dongjun squeezed his eyes shut. Yushin smiled faintly.
Five minutes.
That was the only way Yang Dongjun survived.
Remove the needle without further vascular damage, then apply firm pressure for at least five minutes.
Knowing this, Yang Dongjun trembled violently, unable even to swallow.
“I—I… I didn’t…”
“Cut it. I already know.”
Barely using his vocal cords, Yang Dongjun whispered.
“I—I just… made introductions. Introductions only.”
“To what.”
“A-a PC bang. PC Pop… PC room.”
“What is that.”
“I—I don’t really know… they said to find Luna. Luna… at PC Pop PC—”
“Wait. Shh.”
A gloved hand covered Yang Dongjun’s mouth. Chamkkae’s frantic voice burst through the in-ear.
[MEDS—emergency! Meerkat emergency! Heart rate 120!]
A brief silence fell over the room.
Yushin’s thoughts tangled.
Just moments ago, he’d heard that Kim Cheonga was running. And now, that movement had stopped.
‘His heart rate was stable even while running—so why did it suddenly spike to 120 bpm?’
The most likely reason was that Cheonga was listening to this conversation.
One corner of Yushin’s mouth curved upward.
“Ah, shit. Why is his intuition so sharp? It’s so damn cute it’s driving me crazy.”
“Uh?”
