**Inside the car, on the way to HQ.**
A healer sat quietly inside the vehicle — a woman in a white robe. Her hands glowed softly as she worked on Vie, reattaching his severed hands with ticulous care. Once done, we cuffed him.
"We've got no evidence he has a lab using kids as test subjects," Ginto muttered, worry lacing his tone. "What should we do now?"
I paused, sensing sothing off — a wrongness I couldn't place — but shoved it to the corner of my mind.
"Don't do anything," I said, taking a drag from my vape. A cloud of smoke drifted out the window. "I'll take care of it."
"You sure?" Ginto frowned slightly.
"You guys will only ss this up," I replied coldly. "Besides, we have another mission. Just focus on that."
Ginto glanced at Eve, maybe hoping for backup. She rely shrugged. He looked a bit disappointed, then turned to Goo Han.
Goo Han gave a small nod. "Don't hesitate to call us for help."
And that was the end of it. The rest of the ride was steeped in silence.
---
**At HQ.**
Vie and his subordinates were escorted to the interrogation wing. We placed Vie on a chair in the room, then walked into the observation area behind the glass wall.
A few minutes later, Wo entered with a woman in her thirties. She had black hair, brown skin, and wore a crisp white suit. Her face was oval with high cheekbones — clearly from the eastern regions.
She sat across from Vie and gently touched his arm. Her lips moved — likely casting sothing subtle — and Vie stirred.
His eyes opened abruptly. He looked around, disoriented.
"Where... where am I?" His brows furrowed. Then he caught sight of the woman. "Caili? What are you doing here? Wait—am I...?"
He glanced down at his cuffed wrists.
"Get out of these shackles! Now!" His voice exploded with rage as he slamd the table, splitting it clean in half.
Even without his powers, he was still a superhuman.
But Caili remained calm. "Why don't you calm down?"
A soft, translucent wave emitted from her mouth and enveloped Vie. Like magic, the fury vanished from his face.
"I am calm," he said, quieter now. "I just... can't believe this. I fought for humanity, and this is how they repay ?"
"He's an idiot," Eve muttered from behind the glass.
Caili leaned forward, her tone softening. "Humanity is grateful, Vie. You and the other Honors have protected this city through countless battles. We all respect you. I'm sorry it had to co to this."
"Then let go. I'm innocent."
"You're under suspicion of multiple cris — abduction, trafficking, and illegal experints," she said firmly.
"That's bull. You don't have any proof."
"A kid escaped from your facility," she replied. "He told us everything. We even had Clara read his brain to confirm the truth."
At that, my expression hardened. I glanced at Wo.
Vie fell quiet for a few seconds, staring at the floor.
"Putting aside what you did to those children," Caili continued, "we're more interested in the organization backing you." She leaned in. "Help us, and we'll reduce your sentence. But if you stay silent, the others won't be so forgiving."
"...Traitors," Vie scoffed. "All I did was follow their orders!"
"Whose?" Caili narrowed her eyes.
"Why don't you ask your superiors?" he smirked.
Synth did this? I thought to myself.
"They told you to do this? That's not possible." Her voice faltered.
"Ask them yourself if you don't believe ."
Then the door opened.
Two n in black suits entered. One uncuffed Vie. The other stepped forward.
"Vie is innocent," he said, his tone chanical.
"What? He's not! Clara confird it!" Caili jumped up in protest.
"Clara is under arrest — suspected of mory manipulation and abuse of power."
"No! That's impossible! She would never—"
"The decision is final. I'm just the ssenger."
Caili sat back down, stunned.
Vie walked toward the door but stopped before leaving. His gaze was sharp, filled with nace.
"You're lucky you're Chosen's favorite."
Silence settled in the room.
Goo Han turned to . "What now?"
"The mission's over," I said. "Vie's 'innocent.' The real enemy is Synth. There's nothing we can do."
I turned and left.
As soon as I was out of their sight, my face twisted with hatred.
---
**Later, outside HQ.**
"Hey, Sunny, wait up!" Goo Han called out, catching up to .
"Yeah, what's up?"
"You're not gonna do anything reckless, right? I know what happened between you and Synth," he said quietly.
"Don't worry. I won't get myself killed." I gave a faint smile. "Tell Eve not to worry. This kind of thing happens all the ti."
"...Is there really nothing we can do?"
"You shouldn't even *think* about going against them. Live quietly. Let this be *my* fight, okay?" I placed a hand on his shoulder.
He nodded weakly.
"See you later."
---
**An alleyway near a fast food place.**
A holess man was half-subrged in a trash bin, searching for scraps.
I walked toward him, carrying a food bag and an envelope.
"Good evening, Seraph."
He turned around, holding a half-eaten hotdog. His clothes were torn and layered, his beard and hair long and unkempt. He reeked of the streets.
"Sunny! Good evening. What brings you here?" he said, grinning as he bit into the hotdog.
"This is your pay from the last job." I handed him the bag.
"Thanks!" he said with genuine joy, pulling out a box of fried noodles and digging in. The envelope full of cash sat untouched beside him — he was too hungry to care.
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