Jin Muhae descended the sparkling stairs as if hypnotized. One, two, counting the steps in his head, he glanced back—and Joo-o was following without making a sound.His eyes, catching the light, flickered like a toy top. Maybe because Muhae looked up at him, his chiselled features seemed oddly cold.“Keep going down.”Joo-o gestured, as if asking what he was doing. Muhae’s brow twitched briefly, then he turned his head back and continued downward.The stairs stretched on endlessly for at least two or three more flights. At last the two of them discovered a firmly closed entrance.Di-ri-ring-!When Muhae unlocked the lock with his Link Watch, a space long buried in darkness revealed itself before his eyes.Suddenly the surroundings brightened. A vast underground chamber began to hum and slowly rotate.The first thing he noticed was a massive electronic panel occupying an entire wall. It must have just powered on, for its gauge—which showed a percentage at the bottom—was blinking and climbing.Apart from the slightly stale air, the basement was astonishingly clean, betraying no sign of long neglect.“Wow.”Joo-o, who had followed him inside, sighed in wonder. Without realizing it, Muhae nodded slightly.He would never have guessed such a refined place was hidden here. Devices of unknown purpose were mounted everywhere, and comfortable-looking chairs and lounges were arranged at perfect intervals.Only a dried-up plant in the corner hinted at the passage of time. When Joo-o ran over excitedly, the once-rigid stalk crumbled like ashes in his coat’s breeze.―♪♬An electronic chime announced the machine’s activation, and the front panel flickered to life with a scanning screen.A calm sea and an exploding crimson sunset filled the display. The horizon at dusk was breathtakingly beautiful.Natural landscapes—especially ocean views—were a lost heritage for humans in the Blue Energy era.No one in this world anymore ventured beyond the Comfort Zone to sail the seas.“Return….”Muhae muttered the word, and the rippling image shifted. Light faded from the large wall, and all but the necessary panels returned to plain interior finish.Now before Muhae lay only a few icons and a search box for indexing. His Link Watch vibrated, Vrrrr-, as if to remind him it had already synced here.It seemed he could use all the functions he’d operated through the watch right here.“Jin Muhae. Over here.”Joo-o called to the dazed Muhae, tugging at his sleeve to pull him to the side.“Have a seat.”He led Muhae to a plush armchair a few steps back. It faced the wall directly, clearly intended for someone using the screen.Muhae almost ignored him again, but Joo-o’s earnest expression made him obediently sit down.As the soft comfort embraced his spine, a strange possessiveness pressed on his chest, as if he’d just claimed a throne.Muhae crossed his left ankle over his knee and leaned back more comfortably. Joo-o’s eyes, watching him, filled with pure happiness.“It’s exactly the same. I love it.”He didn’t know what “the same” referred to, but he even stomped his heel—like a star-struck fan meeting a TV show celebrity.“So this… was here all along.”This was their hideout—a basement where a few conspirators could exchange ideas and rest.Who would have thought that beneath the residential streets there lay a room sharing the Return system, accessible only to those in the know?It looked like a converted commercial building. The long staircase began not on the first or second floor but on the third, perfectly hidden from outside view.Indeed, as Gureum had said, it was their secret cave. Her promise that they’d be here often echoed repeatedly in his ears.If he’d had the right, Muhae would have stayed here forever. But he was only allowed a few hours in the Jaegang sector.After sunset, he’d have to leave the gate with Joo-o. Unlike his late father, Muhae still bore the shackles of his crime record.For the first time in his life, he felt regret and longing for something he could not possess. He forced his frown down and turned his head—and his eyes met Joo-o’s, who’d been watching him intently.Joo-o’s red eyes curved into a smile. It was a strange, knowing gaze, as if he could read Muhae’s every thought.He slowly scanned Muhae’s neat attire, then raised his eyes as if sensing something.And at that moment—Kiiiiiing-!Kwaaang!A deafening roar shook the ground. The lights flickered madly, vibrating through the room.An earthquake? Muhae shot to his feet—and realized the sound came from outside the building, from aboveground.Wiiiiiing-!Sirens blared throughout the structure, and the basement lights turned red in warning.The wall panels went black, the displays all suddenly off.“Hm.”In a situation that would terrify anyone, Joo-o looked completely unruffled. He tilted his head a few times, as if listening to something far off, then motioned toward the entrance they’d come through.“I’m scared.”At once his expression crumpled with fear. Slow to assess the situation, his panic arrived belatedly—pitiful, really.Muhae grabbed the trembling Joo-o and hurried toward the door.“Get outside first. Follow me.”“O–okay….”Joo-o pressed tightly against his back. As they climbed the stairs, his breaths came in rattling sobs.Afraid he ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ might bolt in terror, Muhae reached back and smoothed Joo-o’s soft hair.Bursting out of the building, they found chaos. People poured out from the park, shouting in frenzy.A child’s cry for a parent faintly reached Muhae’s ears, and his body flinched at the sound.Black smoke billowed from the park—the scene of the incident.“Jin Muhae. Go see.”Joo-o dashed toward the disturbance. Despite Muhae’s wish to stay hidden after a Return mission, he had to chase after Joo-o.Joo-o was unpredictable. He’d promised to stay put several times, yet at every opportunity he’d dart off.Still, there was always a reason behind his actions, and Muhae had never regretted following him.They reached the park’s center, where dark smoke was rising.A crater-like depression in the ground and flames shooting up—it looked as if a small meteorite had struck.Thankfully, the blast hit the dense foliage, so no one above had been impaled by debris, but the spreading fire had sent the citizens into pandemonium.“Mommy!”Only when he heard another child’s wail did Muhae realize the fire wasn’t the only problem.The accident had knocked out all nearby power. The entrance to what appeared to be a park shelter was sealed.People, desperate for air, pressed against the windows. Flames were rapidly eating away inside.Help would arrive soon, given the location, but thick black smoke filled the interior. For some reason the smoke exhaust system wasn’t working, and already a few people were collapsing, choking.Unable to break the reinforced glass, they pounded it with bare hands until it was streaked with blood.Someone hurled a rock, but it clanged off the outer wall and fell to the ground.Thud. Thud. Thud. Joo-o’s heart pounded in Muhae’s arms. Muhae glanced down at him, their eyes meeting again.Joo-o relaxed his grip on Muhae’s arm, as if signaling him to go. Muhae abandoned his plan to leave quietly.He clenched a fist-sized stone in his left hand. Ready—He burst forward, scaling the untarnished structure with one hand, leaping like he’d climbed harsher cliffs while fleeing beasts.“Phew.”By the time he drew a deep breath, he’d reached a second-floor window. Standing on the sill, he slammed the rock against the glass frame.Taang! A short, sharp crack rang out, but the glass held fast. No wonder the insiders hadn’t broken it with a simple blow.Smoke swirled thickly, stinging his throat. Muhae covered his nose with his sleeve and, after a moment, struck the glass again with all his might.He chipped at the edges where the glass met the frame until, finally, a web of cracks spidered across the pane with a snap.“Move back—haah, move back!”He waved off the rushing crowd and kicked the window pane.With a screeching crash, one panel shattered and fell inward.Those inside dragged the fallen to the sill, hoping to let them breathe fresh air, their bodies trembling, gasping.Eeeeeang-!Far off, sirens grew louder. Muhae dropped the stone and wiped sweat from his brow.The rescue team had arrived sooner than expected. He scowled, thinking he might not have needed to make such a scene.“Th-thank you.”But the trapped survivors didn’t seem to share that thought. One of them grabbed Muhae’s hand without hesitation, their eyes full of relief and gratitude directed at the tall man perched on the windowsill.

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