Regression Guidelines For the Supporting Character-Chapter 90

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"

"...No."

Cha Seohu, who had been eyeing Kwon Taehyuk strangely, finally spoke.

"It seems like no one's inside. I think it'd be best to head out and check the surrounding area."

"The outside..."

Kwon Taehyuk couldn’t easily agree with Cha Seohu’s suggestion.

To be honest, Kwon Taehyuk wanted Cha Seohu to stop looking for Kwak Seunggyu and just get out of there.

Their original goal had been to catch Kwak Seunggyu, but now, with a rift suddenly opening and monsters pouring out, it seemed much wiser to retreat to a safe place while they still could.

"Hunter Cha Seohu."

Given that Cha Seohu had insisted on going after Kwak Seunggyu alone, it was obvious he wouldn’t listen to a suggestion to evacuate now.

But leaving things as they were also wasn’t an option. After a moment of hesitation, Kwon Taehyuk spoke up.

"How about just searching a little longer... and then joining up with the reinforcements once they arrive?" freeωebnovēl.c૦m

"Join them?"

"You know as well as I do that every wave from the rift brings another flood of monsters. Even if things are fine now, this place is going to become incredibly dangerous very soon."

If Kwon Taehyuk's instincts were right, then this rift that had suddenly appeared was at least A-rank. It carried that kind of intense energy, and the number and strength of the monsters were far from ordinary.

"By then, finding Kwak Seunggyu will be impossible anyway. So... give up on him and join the reinforcements. Get out of the front gate of the Royal Palace."

"Hmm..."

"Of course, if this suggestion is uncomfortable for you, I won’t press it, but thinking about your safety—"

"I’ll do it."

Kwon Taehyuk froze at the answer that came out so quickly. He had been prepared to drag Seohu out himself if necessary, so the unexpected cooperation caught him off guard.

As Seohu nodded calmly, Kwon Taehyuk’s face showed mild surprise. Seohu let out a short laugh.

"I'm not trying to be stubborn and make a nuisance of myself. I really was only planning to do a quick search around Main throne hall. Though... I guess even that could be called a nuisance, huh."

"That's not it."

At the firm reply, Seohu met Kwon Taehyuk’s gaze and his eyes curved gently.

"I was willing to take the risk to find Kwak Seunggyu because... the timing of the rift's appearance just felt too suspicious."

"The timing?"

"It happened too suddenly, and the entrance opened way too quickly. That’s never happened before, right? I think Kwak Seunggyu might be involved somehow."

The connection between Kwak Seunggyu, a member of the research lab that conducted human experimentation, and the sudden rift. Kwon Taehyuk realized that Seohu knew more than he was letting on.

"So Kwak Seunggyu did something. And you saw it happen."

It wasn’t something he had intended to keep secret anyway—and he’d need Kwon Taehyuk’s help to find out exactly what Kwak had done. So Seohu nodded calmly.

"I’ll explain in detail later. Let’s head out for now."

"Understood."

Kwon Taehyuk knew they were out of time.

Still, Seohu's demeanor was noticeably softer than earlier, which put him at ease. It felt like his mood had improved, if only slightly.

He was about to suggest they stick close together as they headed out—just in case any monsters were nearby—when it happened.

"...!"

A tremendous chill swept in like a tidal wave.

Kwon Taehyuk instinctively sucked in a sharp breath as his head snapped back like it had been struck by lightning. And then he saw it—a silhouette standing tall in the pitch-black darkness.

As he locked eyes with the figure, a wave of overwhelming fear surged through him. In less than a second, his entire body froze like ice. It was the first time in his life he’d experienced anything like it.

A murderous aura poured from glowing green eyes in the dark, stabbing into his skin. He couldn’t even blink. He knew that if he relaxed even slightly, his throat would be torn out in an instant.

"Huh?"

Just then, a higher-pitched voice than usual interrupted. Seohu’s jaw dropped when he noticed the figure standing near the door, just like Kwon Taehyuk had.

"Kid?"

With a bewildered tone, Seohu turned on his phone flashlight. The beam revealed a young child staring up at him with a gentle expression.

Only then did Kwon Taehyuk escape the unknown terror that had gripped him.

‘What... was that just now?’

He couldn’t tell if what he’d experienced was real or just a dream.

He blinked several times and realized his fists were clenched so tightly they hurt. As he pried open his fingers, his palms were revealed—soaked with sweat from how hard he’d been gripping.

"Cha Sahyeon!"

Leaving the stunned Kwon Taehyuk behind, Seohu quickly ran toward the child.

"Hyuhng..."

Looking like she was afraid she was about to be scolded, Cha Sahyeon hesitated for a moment, then opened her arms and clung to Seohu as he reached her. Her tone, drawn out like a child seeking comfort, matched her actions perfectly.

As Seohu knelt down and embraced her, Kwon Taehyuk slowly tried to calm his breathing.

‘What did I just see...?’

It was a fear unlike anything he’d ever known. Like being a mouse in front of a snake.

He swallowed dryly and studied the face of the child in Seohu’s arms. Those green eyes, still slightly watery. The tiny hands clutching Seohu’s shoulders.

He even checked her energy just in case, but as before, she was only around B-rank. There was absolutely no reason for someone of his level—an S-rank—to have felt such terror.

‘Was it just my imagination?’

Did he doze off standing up and hallucinate for a second? Then who was the one with those terrifying green eyes? That overwhelming presence? And how had this child gotten in here without him noticing?

As the questions raced ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) through his mind, Kwon Taehyuk came to one clear conclusion.

That child... is dangerous.

***

"Cha Sahyeon!"

I didn’t even know what I was thinking as I rushed toward her. She looked like she was about to cry, reaching out her arms with a pitiful expression, and I immediately pulled her into a hug.

Her warm body heat spread into mine, helping my mind finally catch up to reality. And with it came a flood of fury—and disbelief.

"What the hell. How are you even here?"

Maybe she knew she was in the wrong, because she kept clinging to me. I grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her off, my voice sharp. Her green eyes sparkled with hurt.

"To see... hyung..."

"I told you to stay at home. I even explained that today was way too dangerous for me to bring you. So why did you follow me?!"

My voice trembled with the effort of keeping my breathing steady. Sahyeon clamped her lips shut. Her pale cheeks flushed around the eyes, and she looked like she was about to cry.

"I was scared..."

"What?"

"I was scared. I saw the rift open where you were, and I got so scared..."

"..."

I couldn’t say anything. Watching her choke back tears and fumble through her words, all the anger that had surged up vanished in an instant, replaced by a nauseating wave of guilt.

"I... I was scared you’d get hurt again..."

"Enough. Stop."

I pulled her back into my arms and sighed.

With Kwon Taehyuk nearby, it was best not to mention that I really had gotten hurt again. And even though hearing that she’d followed me because she was worried might’ve moved me on any other day... right now, the timing was terrible.

‘This is insane.’

As I gently patted her back to calm her down, I glanced at the system window hovering in the corner of my vision.

[Main Quest: Capture the research lab member hiding somewhere in the venue]

You must apprehend Kwak Seunggyu and uncover the secrets of the lab.

Kwak Seunggyu’s current location: Next to Hall of Pure Governance.

Warning! If the distance between you and Kwak Seunggyu becomes too great, the quest will automatically fail.

Kwak Seunggyu had already left Main throne hall and moved toward Hall of Pure Governance.

That was why I’d accepted Kwon Taehyuk’s suggestion to retreat. It would give me cover to search for Kwak separately under the guise of evacuating.

But I hadn’t imagined Cha Sahyeon would follow me. Please don’t tell me she ran into Kwak Seunggyu. If he saw her...

"Hunter Cha Seohu."

As I bit my lip in growing anxiety, Kwon Taehyuk, who had been silently watching us from behind, cautiously stepped forward.

"If we stay here any longer, it’s going to get more dangerous. Take your sister and let’s go."

When I looked up, Kwon Taehyuk was gazing down at us with a colder expression than usual. More precisely—he was staring at Sahyeon.

So he’d sensed something too. It wouldn’t be hard to guess she had been secretly following me for a while now.

"I’ll escort you to a safe place."

"...Alright."

I had no idea how much he’d figured out, but I still couldn’t fully trust him. I could only hope he’d let this go without digging deeper.

This was exactly why I hadn’t wanted to bring Sahyeon in the first place. I could only hope... he’d turn a blind eye.

[Main Quest: Capture the research lab member hiding somewhere in the venue (Time Remaining: 8 hours 55 minutes)]