The man’s eyes were a whirlwind of emotions, as though he had just seen a ghost.
“C-Captain Lee Taeseong? Is it really you!?”
His voice trembled uncontrollably.
Who is this? Someone who knows the old me? Judging by his attire, he seems to be an administrator under the tree’s organization.
Taeseong observed the man closely.
A sturdy build, neat appearance.
Short-cropped hair, rigid speech.
His age appeared to be around Taeseong’s, or slightly younger.
Judging from the way he addressed him as “Captain,” it was likely this man had served with him during his military days.
“I’m Lee Taeseong. Who are you? Do you know me?”
Of course, there wasn’t a single trace of recognition in Taeseong’s mind.
“Captain!”
Before Taeseong could react, the man lunged forward and embraced him roughly.
Even Taeseong, who rarely displayed his emotions, was startled by the man’s sudden action.
Normally, his reflexes would have pushed the man away before he even made contact, but the warmth and familiarity in the man’s tone and gaze gave him pause.
“Is it truly you, Captain Lee Taeseong? It’s me, Yu Gi-jun! Sergeant Yu! Y-u G-i-j-u-n! Don’t you recognize me?”
“……”
For Taeseong, it was as if a complete stranger was clinging to him as though they were long-lost family.
He didn’t know how to respond.
Moreover, the man might indeed be connected to his past—a potential lead to the memories he had lost.
“Let go, and let’s talk.”
“Ah, yes, of course!”
Taeseong wasn’t the only one taken aback.
Eunha, observing the situation from the side, turned her gaze to Taeseong, her expression questioning without words.
Her eyes seemed to ask, Do you know this man?
Taeseong shook his head with a bewildered expression, and Eunha decided to simply watch how the scene unfolded.
This is getting interesting.
Yu Gi-jun, who looked as though he had just been reunited with a missing family member, continued with an excited voice.
“When I first got transferred to the unit as a newly-commissioned officer, you guided me so much, Captain.
The military combat skills and survival techniques you taught me back then have saved my life countless times.”
“……”
“The Salamanca operation—the mission to assassinate ‘Don Salamanca,’ the leader of that cartel.
Do you remember it? I still can’t forget that day.
Some intel leaked, and we were stranded deep in enemy territory.
The second team, who infiltrated ahead of us, was wiped out while helping disguised local operatives.
On top of that, our communications with HQ were cut, and everyone had lost hope.
But you, Captain, went alone and brought back that bastard’s head.”
While Gi-jun reminisced fondly about the past, Taeseong was utterly blank.
The more he listened, the harder it was to believe he had done such things.
“I still remember the stunned faces of the DEVGRU guys when they heard about it.
( TL : DEVGRU is also knows as SEAL Team Six, one of the U.S. military’s most elite and secretive units )
I mean, who would’ve thought anyone could survive and return from that hellhole?
Even we had given up on ourselves.
When you came back, even the seemingly unshakeable commander cried tears of gratitude.
It was unreal.”
As he had suspected, this man had served in the same unit, enduring life-or-death operations together.
“After you were discharged, I tried to keep in touch, asking around about you, but no one knew where you were.
It was like you’d vanished into thin air.
I never expected to find you here.
What brought you to this place—”
“I’m sorry, but I have no memories of that time.”
Gi-jun’s eyes wavered.
“No memories…? Are you saying you have amnesia?”
“That’s right. To you, I might be your former comrade, but to me, the past is a blank slate. I don’t remember who I was, what I did, or even how I lived.”
Gi-jun’s face shifted between disbelief and shock before he stammered out a question.
“Captain, what happened to you?”
Taeseong briefly explained his situation.
Listening intently, Gi-jun’s expression changed multiple times as he processed the story.
After hearing it all, Gi-jun muttered bitterly, “A dimensional war… Well, I guess that’s not so surprising in this world.”
Before the conversation could spiral further, Eunha intervened.
“Alright, alright, let’s pause this touching reunion and head inside, shall we?
Didn’t you come here for business with our team, too?”
“Oh, right!
Yes, of course.
Please, after you, Captain.”
Taeseong and his group entered the office.
Inside, Team Leader Taesan and Harin, engrossed in a discussion, turned their attention to the newcomers.
“Lee Taeseong?”
“Team Leader Harin?”
Taesan walked over, his large hand landing on Taeseong’s shoulder as he laughed heartily.
“Perfect timing, Lee Taeseong. We were just talking about you. You really can’t sit still, can you? Ha ha ha! Oh, I heard about your flawless handling of the Epsilon-level entity, the Mangtae Harabeom. I knew it when you didn’t hesitate to cut my arm. You’re something else, truly outstanding!”
“Team Leader Taesan, are you bullying another rookie again? How many times must I remind you? You’re practically a walking weapon. If you’re a Gamma-level manager, act like one! What if it had been another rookie instead of Lee Taeseong? It’s fortunate he could handle it.”
“Regardless, everyone’s fine now, aren’t they? Results are what matter in the end. You still talk too much, Harin. No wonder you’re still single.”
“……”
Harin’s sharp gaze bore into Taesan, who gulped and muttered, “… Ahem. That was a slip of the tongue.”
“Watch yourself. Invulnerable doesn’t mean immortal.”
Taesan, clearly uncomfortable under her glare, shifted his attention to Yu Gi-jun.
“And you are?”
Straightening up, Gi-jun saluted sharply.
“Hello, sir! I’m Yu Gi-jun, an administrator from Team 3. I’m here regarding the Japan dispatch operation.”
Taesan studied Gi-jun’s physique with a pleased expression.
“Well, well, a natural warrior, I see. Are you the one your team leader keeps praising? What’s your rank?”
“Delta, sir!”
Taesan nodded, seemingly impressed, but refrained from his usual antics, likely due to Harin’s presence.
“I heard you volunteered for the Japan assignment. Do you know the risks? The Japan branch is a mess right now, with monstrous entities appearing all over the place. It was already a grim place, but now it’s worse.”
“There’s someone I need to find there,” Gi-jun replied firmly.
Recognizing the seriousness in his tone, Taesan decided not to press further.
“Alright. If your team leader speaks so highly of you, I trust you’ll manage.”
He turned back to Taeseong.
“Lee Taeseong.”
“Yes?”
“Sorry to spring this on you, but I’ve got a new mission for you.”
“Go ahead and speak.”
“Do you remember when I mentioned a team member who was dispatched? Senior Manager Go Yeonghui.”
“Yes.”
“She’s currently dispatched to Tree’s Japan branch. As you might’ve heard, recently there’s been an endless surge of anomalies all over Japan. Due to that, the Japan branch is severely lacking in administrators. Though it’s a different branch, ‘Tree’ is ultimately one organization. When there’s a shortage of manpower in a certain area, they send support in the form of dispatches. Administrators are always in short supply, no matter where you go.”
Taeseong nodded in understanding.
“So, I’d like you and this colleague here to head to Japan and assist Senior Manager Go Yeonghui with her tasks. It seems the workload is far too much for her to handle alone.”
As Taeseong looked at the smiling Taesan, his earlier words replayed in his mind.
—“I am Taesan, the leader of Management Team 4. My rank is Gamma, and as you saw earlier, I’m a returnee from the Martial World. If you have any concerns, speak to me anytime. I’ll help as much as I can.”
It was obvious, even to a fool.
Taesan had made this decision for his sake.
Taking Taeseong’s circumstances into consideration, he had personally created an opportunity for him to meet Sooah in Japan.
“He really is a warm-hearted person.”
Taeseong was someone who settled debts of gratitude and grudges with precision. He would never forget the kindness Taesan had shown him and Sooah.
“This is unprecedented—a newly appointed administrator being dispatched to a foreign branch. But the higher-ups approved it. Thanks to Team Leader Taesan raising a ruckus, of course.”
“Haha! Well, isn’t it all for the best?”
Choi Harin’s grumbling was met with Taesan’s hearty laughter.
“Lee Taeseong, remember this. This mission was made possible thanks to Team Leader Taesan and the upper management’s generosity. The higher-ups have acknowledged your capabilities and made this special decision, so don’t cause any trouble and come back safely. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Taeseong hadn’t forgotten.
She had deliberately withheld some information related to his sister Sooah from him.
“The mission is to assist Senior Manager Go Yeonghui and the administrators of the Japan branch in capturing or eliminating an unidentified entity that appeared in the Aokigahara Sea of Trees. However, the highest priority is the survival and safe return of Management Team 4.”
“Understood. When should we leave?”
Harin shrugged instead of answering.
It didn’t take long for Taeseong to understand why.
“Agent Eunha, have you been to Japan before?”
“Ha… Yes.”
Letting out a sigh, Eunha pulled a brush from her pocket. Taesan grinned with satisfaction.
“As expected of Agent Eunha! You’re always one step ahead. Remember, if I’m not around, you’re the acting team leader. Bring the team back safely as the senior member.”
“…So, you’re saying I’ll be leading this mission?”
“Exactly. Refusal is not an option. The higher-ups have already signed off on it, and I have no authority to change it. Oh, by the way, you’ll be receiving dispatch allowances—double your base salary, I hear.”
“…I’ll go.”
“Take Senior Manager Oh Haeyoung with you. It’ll be a good experience for her.”
Not long after, Oh Haeyoung and Yu Gi-jun returned from their tasks. Hearing about the dispatch mission, Haeyoung’s confusion quickly turned into enthusiasm as she cheerfully exclaimed, “Got it!”
Originally, Team Leader Taesan was supposed to join the mission as well, but Choi Harin had strongly opposed it, citing the manpower shortage at the Korea branch.
Considering that there were only about 300 Gamma-grade administrators in the Korea branch, Taesung figured it would be difficult for Taesan to leave his post.
The Japan dispatch team was finalized.
Eunha was appointed as the temporary team leader.
Taeseong, Oh Hae-young, and Yu Gi-jun joined as team members.
Taesan began explaining the key points and precautions for the mission. Given his personality, the explanation was short and to the point.
“…If you have any questions, ask Agent Eunha. Now, get ready to leave immediately.”
“They’re sending us off right after we return from work, and it’s even a same-day departure? Do they have a private jet ready or something?”
Taeseong had always found Tree’s way of handling things hard to understand.
Thinking it over only gave him a headache, so he gave up trying to make sense of it long ago.
“Team Leader, I’ve only been to Nagoya before. Isn’t the Japan branch in Tokyo?”
“Don’t worry. Team Leader Choi Harin has taken care of everything.”
Choi Harin, who was standing nearby, habitually lit a cigarette and spoke.
“You really are shameless… Anyway, I’ve already sent the documents. I’ve asked our dispatched administrator in the Nagoya area to hand you over. Just wait a bit, and someone will come to pick you up.”
“As expected of Team Leader Choi! Your work is flawless. Safe travels, everyone. If anything comes up, contact me immediately.”
“Yes, yes. We’ll be off now.”
With that, Eunha suddenly took out a sheet of drawing paper and began sketching. While the others looked on in confusion, it became clear that this was not her first time doing something like this.
Eunha’s serious expression as she sketched was unlike anything they had seen before.
“Even an elementary school kid could draw better than that…”
However, her drawing skills were astonishing in their own unique way.
“Is that supposed to be a landscape?”
After completing her sketch, Eunha beamed with pride.
“It’s done.”
Looking at her drawing, Oh Haeyoung asked innocently, “Wow, as expected, Agent Eunha! What’s this? It looks like a bug with lots of legs.”
“…It’s the sun.”
Eunha shot a sharp glare at Oh Haeyoung before turning to Taesan.
“Team Leader, may I proceed?”
Taesan nodded, and Eunha reached out toward the drawing.
Moments later, something extraordinary happened—something unbelievable outside of Tree.
Eunha was sucked into the drawing.
Even Taeseong, usually calm, widened his eyes in shock.
However, the others watched the scene as if it were routine.
Oh Haeyoung and Yu Gi-jun also reached out and were pulled into the drawing.
“What are you waiting for, Taeseong? Aren’t you coming?”
“…”
Finally, Taesung extended his hand, and his entire body was absorbed into the drawing.
