Dinner time.

  Lately, fewer people visited the parks at night. Because of this, it wasn't a bad place to eat alone. The Saleswoman had deactivated her camouflage and was quietly eating a lunch box.

  Convenience store lunch boxes weren't particularly delicious, but today, she felt this cheap taste wasn't so bad. In fact, she was lucky to be able to eat anything at all. Her younger brother wouldn't even be able to taste something like this properly.

  The Saleswoman let out a long sigh.

  What on earth was she doing? Every time she remembered that she was leading people to ruin, she couldn't sleep properly. However, the fact that her brother was held hostage made it impossible for her to do anything reckless. She thought that if hell existed, she would certainly be going there.

  The moon was bright.

  Looking at that moon, she was reminded once again of how full of sin her life had become. She had lived believing that hurting others was unavoidable. Today, she had once again sold a Tool to someone, knowing full well it would cause them to go berserk.

  They would undoubtedly destroy the city soon. For now, they had purchased the Tool for their own desperate reasons—reasons the Saleswoman didn't need to know. Because they bought the cheap version due to a lack of money, they would certainly create clear victims before eventually losing control and tearing the city apart.

  It was a familiar routine. The end of those who succumbed to the whispered temptations of the Saleswoman, hidden by the power of her Tool, was always predictable.

  She couldn't help but feel a pang of conscience every time she saw news of the damage. No matter how much she tried to thicken her skin, it was impossible. The Saleswoman gave a bitter smile. To her, acting like this now felt incredibly hypocritical. It was laughable for someone who would do anything for money to be feeling this way now.

  With those thoughts, she moved her chopsticks to eat. Like most convenience store meals, it was reasonably priced with a reasonable taste. At least it had meat and vegetables, so the nutritional balance was decent enough even for a quick meal.

  Yet, she didn't know how much good it would do her. Those who used the Tools she sold would soon become beings that couldn't even taste food.

  "Phew..."

  Having finished her meal, the Saleswoman sighed. She debated whether to walk around a bit more or just go home and rest, given her current mood.

  The moon remained bright. Seeing it, she stopped hesitating and decided to head straight home. She had worked enough for today. Even if she forced herself to do more, nothing good would come of it. Her brother might be a hostage, but if her own health collapsed, she wouldn't be able to save him and everything would fall apart.

  She had to rest when she could. Normally, at this hour, employees at any other company would have long since clocked out and been enjoying their own time.

  With that thought, the Saleswoman stood up. Thanks to walking all day, her legs were filled with nothing but pain. Stretching, she cleaned up her surroundings. She tossed the trash into a bin and headed home. She didn't know who she would sell a Tool to tomorrow, but for tonight, she planned to forget everything and just sleep.

  Of course, she didn't forget a can of beer on the way back. Perhaps that was the only joy currently sustaining her. With a face that couldn't hide its exhaustion, the Saleswoman staggered toward her home.

  The restaurant was crowded with patrons. As a successful establishment, customers continuously came and went to have dinner. Normally, every table would be packed with guests, but today, one table was reserved. On it sat dishes that were not usually sold at this restaurant.

  The reason was simple: the guest arriving today was no ordinary customer. Min-ah’s parents, the owners of the restaurant, were waiting for their guest. Then, alongside their daughter Min-ah, Lee Young opened the door and stepped inside. Today was the first day Lee Young visited the restaurant.

  "Welcome, dear."

  Min-ah’s mother welcomed Lee Young. Having heard the general circumstances, Min-ah’s mother felt deep sympathy for her. Min-ah’s father felt the same.

  Of course, the story had been slightly adapted.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  A victim of a pseudo-cult.

  Those words were the decisive reason Min-ah’s parents accepted Lee Young. Since it wasn't entirely untrue, it greatly reduced the family's psychological resistance. Furthermore, since Jihyeon had agreed to support her living expenses, Min-ah’s parents were able to take her in.

  Now, Lee Young was able to show a much softer smile than when she first arrived at Min-ah’s house. Immediately after her discharge, she had been seized by anxiety. Min-ah’s mother found that sight very pitiable. Regardless of the details, seeing her so anxious was something she couldn't bear to just watch as someone raising a daughter.

  While it wasn't easy to look after someone amidst the busy restaurant work, Min-ah’s mother had hugged Lee Young the first time she arrived. Lee Young had cried so much at that moment. Having lost everything, she was desperate for human warmth more than anything else. Even if they were strangers, she couldn't express in words how much that pure kindness had comforted her.

  Since that day, Lee Young had become like a member of Min-ah’s family. And today, for the first time, Lee Young had come to the restaurant run by the family.

  "Come, sit. I’ve prepared things we can't usually make at home because the stove isn't strong enough, so eat plenty."

  Min-ah’s mother smiled as she spoke. Lee Young expressed her gratitude for the kindness. However, the moment she saw the dishes prepared before her, Lee Young felt a slight sense of bewilderment.

  Being in her teens, Lee Young was at an age where she could eat anything. In fact, before her fate was twisted, she was a girl who never missed a chance to eat if given the opportunity. But no matter how well one eats, there are limits. The number of dishes prepared before her far exceeded her expectations.

  Of course, she knew it was because the family was eating together, but Lee Young hadn't expected to be so momentarily overwhelmed.

  "You have to eat well after getting out of the hospital, no matter what," Min-ah’s mother encouraged her. Lee Young thanked her and sat down.

  "We’re welcoming a new family member, so eat your fill," Min-ah’s father said with a laugh. In that laugh, there was a hint of bravado used to shake off lingering anxiety. It was natural, considering what they had recently gone through.

  The kidnapping of their beloved daughter.

  And it had happened twice.

  The scars etched into their hearts at those times were beyond words. For ordinary people, even a single kidnapping leaves an unhealable mark. Having experienced it twice, Min-ah’s parents wanted to forget the pain of those times. Perhaps that was why they had prepared such a grand dinner today.

  Understanding that sentiment, Lee Young didn't forget her gratitude, even while wearing an expression of doubt as to whether she could actually eat it all.

  Tears trickled down.

  As if she hadn't expected to eat in such a warm atmosphere again, Lee Young repeatedly wiped away her tears and picked up her spoon.

  If he weren't working late today, he wouldn't be eating something like this for dinner. Seok-yeong let out a sigh at his desk as he unwrapped a burger set.

  He could have eaten at the police station cafeteria, but today he didn't even have time to go there. There was too much work and too much to think about. The burger set he ordered out of necessity fortunately hadn't cooled down too much. This should be enough to fill his stomach for the evening. Enjoying the taste of the still-cold soda, Seok-yeong began his dinner.

  Today, again, the higher-ups showed a strong negative perception of the equipment Jihyeon had made—the kind that could be used without a Tool implant. It was a rejection based on the mere possibility of trouble.

  It couldn't be helped. To implement it, they had to prove its safety. However, the tragedy that occurred when several police officers used Tools without proper equipment had become a trauma for everyone. Naturally, there was a resistance to police officers using Tools. Even Seok-yeong still felt fear regarding this.

  However, Seok-yeong thought there was more to it. There was something uncomfortably suspicious within the upper management. It might be pressure from political interference. Such political meddling, which he wasn't privy to, could happen anytime.

  But no one knew how long that pressure could be maintained. Eventually, if an incident occurred and caused a problem, opinions could change once again.

  Seok-yeong chewed his hamburger while looking at the equipment Jihyeon had given him. The higher-ups didn't like it, but Seok-yeong predicted that this would eventually be mass-produced.

  It was inevitable. They were currently using Tool users who maintained their sanity as "civilian collaborators," but Seok-yeong knew well that this was only a temporary fix. In truth, it wasn't how things should be done.

  Civilian collaborator.

  It sounded plausible. But Jihyeon was a special case; in any other situation, the Tool should have been dismantled immediately and the person made to pay for their crimes. In most cases, they had obtained the Tools by their own will with the intent to commit evil acts. It would be different if the Tool had been forcibly implanted against their will, but even Ha-hyeon was far from that category.

  Criminals.

  From Seok-yeong’s perspective, they were just criminals. Excluding those implanted against their will, they were all criminals. They should be punished according to their crimes, as was right and proper. However, reality was not so ideal.

  "Tch."

  He had changed the menu, but eating while lost in thought made it taste like the same old hamburger. A new menu item should have a different flavor, but once it was in his mouth, it was all the same. Perhaps it was because of the stress. He felt his health might be in danger at this rate.

  However, the current situation was not good, to put it mildly. Seok-yeong sighed at the feeling that something was going wrong. The limits of what a single investigator could do were clear. In fact, what he had accomplished so far was close to a miracle. And that was only possible because he had an unexpected collaborator like Jihyeon.

  Thinking of that, Seok-yeong gave a bitter smile.

  "Hmm... I should finish up and head out."

  With that thought, Seok-yeong finished the rest of his hamburger. The taste was still just the usual taste. Feeling somewhat like he had wasted his money—and knowing it wasn't just a matter of his mood—Seok-yeong began tapping away at his keyboard once more.