Chapter 659

“My daughter-in-law....”

The woman who ran Apocalypse, Han Yohan’s fan account, covered her mouth with her hand.

She had already welcomed Han Yeoreum into her heart as her daughter-in-law. All she wanted was to roll out the red carpet and shower her with flower petals.

Episode 3 hadn’t even finished airing yet, but the battle scene was already getting an explosive response.

Do You Like Springtime's Splendor? @Hiiiii9i

If you make the male characters this opposite in personality, a woman like me is just gonna gobble them both up and say yum.

(Screenshot of Taeo.jpg) (Screenshot of V.jpg)

3,312 Retrits 5,693 Likes

?The joy of having options, mm.

?One's a cocky little shit who's amazing at his job, and the other's calm as fuck but ridiculously strong. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS?

Kim Nobody @kimanydog

Should I call you oppa, husband, honey, darling, sweetheart, baby, cutie, my honey combo darling baby sweetheart?

(Side-profile screenshot of Han Yohan holding a long rifle.jpg)

6,321 Retrits 7,778 Likes

?This fucker slipped something weird in there halfway through.

?@GochonChicken Please never sell chicken to the bastard above again. He disrespected the Honey Combo, and he's an absolutely despicable piece of shit. Be careful. If I were you, I'd file both civil and criminal lawsuits.

?YO WTF

Ppo Junseo @pocketsiszzs

Oppa, I'm sorry, I'm just going for a little walk. I'll come back after one lap, I promise...

(Close-up of Jo Eunnara.jpg)

876 Retrits 1,217 Likes

It was none other than Han Yeoreum who had provided the support that allowed Han Yohan and Jo Eunnara to shine even brighter during the breathtaking battle scene.

“She’s such a good girl....”

Han Yeoreum’s distinctive diction.

The tension was heightened precisely because Han Yeoreum was there to maintain the balance between Jo Eunnara’s frantically moving world and Han Yohan’s silent one.

Her precise communication of the situation, combined with her ability to convey tension through nothing more than her profile.

She showed the emotions that only someone present at the scene could experience, allowing viewers to become completely immersed.

It was the kind of situation that would push even an elite agent watching the operation to the limits of their nerves.

And then someone shattered that tension as though it were nothing.

Jo Eunnara and Han Yohan. Han Yeoreum was practically the one who put the finishing touch on both their characters.

“And the way she looks at Yohan....”

On top of that, Lia rose to prominence through the premise that two men of such caliber were in love with her.

It was the most perfect configuration imaginable for a romance.

“She’s so adorable....”

Having arrived at the scene, Lia glanced sideways at Taeo, who had joined them.

After all, taking on that many people alone was bound to result in injuries.

Sure enough, a long scratch ran across Taeo’s cheek. There was also a bruise on the skin faintly visible above his turtleneck.

Just as her gaze was about to travel down from his neck to his forearm, Taeo spoke.

“Was there really a need to deploy additional personnel beyond the field agents?”

“...Are you talking about me?”

“....”

He looked displeased that Lia had come here.

Having always been welcomed on every operation, she was not accustomed to being treated this way.

“I’m going to make the rounds, so stay here for now. Both of you. Taeo! I’ll take your report while we’re moving.”

The operations officer quickly headed toward the assembled R-1 unit members.

The entire area was a complete mess.

It was full of captured enemies who were practically unconscious. Bloodstains stood out vividly on the floor.

“There’s so much I have to do here, starting with the laptops we recovered... Ha, I guess you wouldn’t know since you’ve only ever worked in the field, but I’m the one who has to review the materials related to the USB Natalie was holding before we can proceed, you know?”

Taeo simply disliked the idea of Lia coming to a place like this, but there was no way she could know that.

“Seriously, I don't like a single thing about you.”

Lia was one of Interpol’s elite.

Reading other people’s psychology was a skill she had mastered so thoroughly that she no longer needed to make a conscious effort.

Which was precisely why she found him even harder to understand.

Because there was something strange about the way he looked at her.

There was no deception in his gaze, from beginning to end.

He looked at her as though she were someone he had cherished for a very long time.

Even though they had barely known each other.

How could she possibly remain unaffected when someone looked at her that way for no apparent reason?

Lia kept finding herself awkward around him.

Unable to understand why he looked at her like that, Lia could never hold Taeo’s gaze for long.

Lia was always the first to look away.

And Taeo was always the one who continued staring at her until the very end.

Eyes could not lie.

The person he had longed for all this time was standing right in front of him. Of course his gaze could only follow her.

His eyes seemed plain and devoid of emotion, but because everyone knew Taeo’s past, the sight made their hearts ache.

-AHH FUCK THIS IS MAKING ME FEEL ALL TINGLY ?????

-It's not even like she's doing anything particularly special acting-wise? But why is Han Yeoreum so good at making you pay attention to her?

?EXACTLY. That shit is insanely difficult.

-???? I LOVE THIS SO MUCH LET'S GO TAEO X LIA

-It's a talent in itself to create this much tension when they barely even talk ?

-Han Yohan, please stop looking at her with those abandoned-dog eyes you've had for years... I can't take this anymore...

It was an insignificant conversation.

And yet a subtle current flowed between them.

The man upon whom Han Yeoreum’s gaze fell became someone special.

Taeo, who had subdued dozens of men just moments ago, could do nothing in response to a single word from Lia.

He simply followed behind her as she walked away, holding the recovered M200 in one hand.

Lia was clearly upset. For every three steps she took, Taeo closed the distance between them with a single long stride.

“I’ll collect those materials and deliver them to you, so you can review them later—”

“Absolutely not...!”

Taeo had been about to tell her to return to the operations room, but as Lia tried to interrupt him, his gaze fell on the back of her neck.

Her nape was damp with sweat.

It was certainly not a condition that suited this weather.

“Wait.”

“....”

“Your condition right now—”

“Yeeeees!”

V came running over, waving at Lia.

“You came because you were worried about me, huh?”

“Who the hell would worry about you? Huh? Does this guy think every operation is a joke?”

“I was sooooo scared... Look here. I got hurt.”

“Where? Where are you hurt?”

Having successfully captured Lia’s attention, V casually pulled her toward him by the shoulder.

“You little shit! It barely grazed your finger! You seriously scared me!”

“I knew Lia was the only one who'd worry about meeeee.”

As though stealing her away from Taeo.

“We’re going to check the basement in a little while. The bomb disposal team says everything looks clear for now. Wanna come with me?”

“The site—”

“Of course!”

Cutting off Taeo before he could stop her, Lia turned her head back.

Her gaze was defiant, as though asking who the hell needed his permission.

But even this time, Lia was the first to look away.

* * *

V walked ahead with a flashlight in his hand.

The operations officer was receiving real-time reports from an agent holding a tablet.

“Don’t go too far. We don’t know what might be in there.”

“I’m so scared I think I’m gonna cryyyy....”

“Stop messing around!”

“Maybe I’d feel better if you held my hand.”

As a man accustomed to close-quarters combat, V had no fear of moving forward.

He walked ahead at his own pace until, at some point, he noticed something.

“Water?”

Splash.

Splash. Splash. Splash.

The sound of water could be heard.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. These bastards have been busy.”

The underground tunnel connected to the harbor.

* * *

“That’s all the PC data we found inside.”

“And?”

“There was a lot of fabric. And leather, too.”

“Leather?”

“All kinds. Cowhide, goatskin, even sheepskin. And all the fabric was black.”

“....”

The commander frowned briefly before making a judgment.

“Sacrificial offerings?”

“They’re a cult, so it wouldn’t be surprising.”

“Transfer everything to headquarters. And Lia.”

“Yes.”

“How long do you think it’ll take to decrypt Natalie’s USB?”

“I’ll compile all the materials we’ve collected and hand everything over by noon the day after tomorrow.”

Lia spoke confidently, deliberately making sure Taeo could hear her.

The commander gave a brief murmur of admiration before turning to Taeo with an order.

“Go to the medical officer and get your injuries treated. And don’t go putting your dislocated shoulder back in place by yourself again.”

“....”

“Honestly, you’re a complete quack. You just fix your body however you please and use it however you like.”

Only then did Lia look at Taeo’s arm.

Thick blood was seeping through the black fabric.

The injury appeared quite severe.

“Yes, understood.”

“Anything else to report? Any other abnormalities discovered?”

“...No, sir.”

“Good. Then get going.”

Taeo saluted without a trace of concern, slung his long rifle over his shoulder, and turned away.

[DRAMA & FILM ACTORS TALK / What do you think of an oppa who worries about his little sister because she broke into a cold sweat when his own shoulder is dislocated?]

Ah fuck, this is poison.