Snake Venom Ch 61

Chapter 61

The staff handed Yeonwoo a gun and recited the precautions he already knew. Although even the employee seemed bored with the routine explanation, Yeonwoo listened intently as if it were his first time hearing it.

“Don’t overdo it, just shoot as much as you want”—that was the training volume Cheon Wooshin had set for Yeonwoo. Taking a deep breath, Yeonwoo gripped the pistol with both hands. Using Cheon Wooshin and Jung Suho’s posture as a model, he straightened his back and avoided any careless movement of his limbs.

‘Well, if it’s urgent, you can shoot in any position, but this is the best stance for managing recoil and improving accuracy.’

Since Yeonwoo lacked real combat experience, this process was all the more necessary. Using a gun to protect himself also meant he might end up hurting someone else. And no matter what wrong the opponent had committed, Yeonwoo was highly likely to hesitate. He was both an amateur unfamiliar with shooting and someone who could not handle the cruel power of a firearm.

And though it was a harsh truth, the consequences of that hesitation would fall squarely on Yeonwoo and his team. With that awareness, Yeonwoo trained vigilantly, wary of both the weapon in his hands and himself who wielded it.

Only after completing three full sets with utmost concentration did Yeonwoo step off the range and wipe the sweat from his brow. Even in a barely heated indoor range during the middle of winter, he had broken a sweat from shooting each round with complete dedication.

The result was all bullseyes. Part of it was because he’d found his rhythm, and partly because there had been no unforeseen disturbances or obstacles.

“Are you a former athlete by any chance?”

The staff asked as Yeonwoo returned the gun.

“Uh… no, I’m not.”

“Then did you take lessons somewhere else?”

“No, nothing like that…”

Yeonwoo replied somewhat awkwardly and gave a polite nod. Scratching his head as he turned away, the staff stared after him in puzzlement. A man who hit all bullseyes on his first visit, claiming to have had neither lessons nor prior experience, had simply exceeded the limits of their imagination.

Meanwhile, Yeonwoo couldn’t hide his belated excitement at the unexpected compliment. His chest tingled near his solar plexus, and his steps felt light enough to take flight.

“Are you a former athlete?”

His heart thudded. He’d thought that anyone could reach this level with enough practice. Was that not the case? Was he actually that good? If so, maybe he could even brag a little… A silly smile crept onto Yeonwoo’s face, only for him to suddenly sober up.

He shook his head. This was his workplace, and the only person he wanted to run and brag to was his boss—someone with such extraordinary skill that they could pull this off with one eye closed.

But still, if the range staff said something like that, didn’t that mean he was genuinely good? As thoughts of pride and restraint fought in his head, Yeonwoo’s mind was in overdrive.

Just then, a familiar silhouette appeared in Yeonwoo’s vision. It was Ju Doyoung, just now entering the lobby. From the white plastic bag he carried wafted a sharp, unhealthy smell—most likely a hamburger. It seemed he was grabbing a belated lunch after working alone.

Though Yeonwoo knew Ju Doyoung didn’t think highly of him, Doyoung had also noticed him, and Yeonwoo wasn’t the type to avoid a path just because of one uncomfortable person. In fact, Yeonwoo even quickened his steps and gave a small bow.

“Hello.”

As expected, Ju Doyoung didn’t spare him a glance, brushing past Yeonwoo as if he didn’t exist. He passed by so fast that the wind grazed Yeonwoo’s cheek.

Still, since they were headed to the same destination, their paths inevitably overlapped. Even though Yeonwoo intentionally walked slowly, their routes kept intersecting.

While waiting for the elevator, the ominous and foul aura around Ju Doyoung was almost visible. Thinking he might be the cause of that energy, Yeonwoo felt a bit glum and stood diagonally across from him. Just then, Ju Doyoung muttered to himself.

“Fucking unlucky.”

“……”

Should I wait for the next one?

The thought crossed his mind, but it didn’t matter. Just as people can like someone for no reason, they can also dislike them without cause. Above all, Yeonwoo was born with a bloodline that was bound to be rejected without reason. Changing the prejudice and discrimination that had accumulated over so many years was beyond his power.

Yeonwoo couldn’t tell whether Ju Doyoung’s attitude was simple workplace hazing or a form of personal ostracization, but whatever it was, he had resolved to respect it. So he composed himself again and looked at the display screen. The elevator was just arriving from the basement.

A person stepped out, and Ju Doyoung entered. As he selected a floor and stood in a corner, Yeonwoo also stepped in—into the farthest corner from Ju Doyoung. The doors closed, and an oppressive silence filled the space.

“……”

“……”

At least he hadn’t pressed the close-door button out of spite. Yeonwoo took solace in that small mercy and endured the awkwardness.

The announcement of arrival had never sounded so welcome. Just as the doors were about to open and Yeonwoo was ready to step out, Ju Doyoung shoved the doors aside and stormed out.

‘He must really hate me.’

Deliberately walking slowly, Yeonwoo averted his gaze to avoid even seeing Doyoung’s retreating figure. He didn’t want to get caught in any unnecessary conflict. And he had no desire to curry favor with someone who openly disliked him. Instead, he chose to keep his distance.

To get to the office, he had to turn a corner. Yeonwoo decided to maintain his distance at least until then—but suddenly his eyes widened. Doyoung, who had been striding ahead, had abruptly stopped.

His small shoulders rose and fell as he took a deep breath. For a while, he just stood there in the middle of the hallway, unmoving.

What’s going on?

Because of Doyoung’s sudden halt, Yeonwoo couldn’t move forward or turn back. Just then, Doyoung spun around.

“……”

“……”

You’d think he was shooting lasers with his eyes. As Yeonwoo received Doyoung’s glare, which looked as if it could kill, he idly thought that his skin really did seem to sting a little. Doyoung scratched his neck and averted his gaze.

“I don’t trust demi-humans. Especially mixed-bloods like you.”

Doyoung suddenly said.

“In fact, nobody here really trusts you. So don’t kid yourself.”

“……”

That could very well be true. After all, he was only here because Cheon Wooshin had taken a liking to him. He wasn’t from a prestigious background, nor did he have an impressive resume. The only reason he was part of this mission—one deemed critical to national security—was because of Cheon Wooshin’s trust.

Being a mixed-blood, nearly classified as a dangerous ‘mosaic’ type, was an inescapable reality, a branded scar. Yeonwoo had always been aware of his place. So there was no reason to be shaken by Doyoung’s intentionally hurtful words.

“You know why the chip in your body hasn’t been removed yet?”

He had actually been wondering about that. Yeonwoo looked at Doyoung. Seeing the clarity in Yeonwoo’s gaze, Doyoung twisted his lips in scorn. His eyes were filled with inexplicable rage.

“Before you came, there was another mixed-blood on the team. That bastard betrayed us. Leaked internal intel, and even set fire to the office. We nearly died. The team leader almost actually died. Because of the leak, we were ambushed by hitmen.”

“……”

“And we treated him so well.”

As Doyoung poured out his words like a rapid-fire gun, a shadow flickered across his face. It was the kind of wound only someone you had trusted could leave behind. Still unable to move on, Doyoung continued to breathe heavily for a while.

So that’s what happened. Yeonwoo hadn’t known. He had thought Doyoung’s hatred was one-dimensional, but now he realized it was rooted in real trauma. If there had been a mixed-blood who harmed the entire team—especially if they had been close—that betrayal must have cut deep.

“That half-breed? He’s dead. Because our security got compromised. The team leader took care of it himself.”

Doyoung pointed to his own head. At the same time, Yeonwoo recalled Cheon Wooshin’s warning. It hadn’t been an empty threat after all. Swallowing dryly, Yeonwoo was pierced by Doyoung’s sharp glare as the other ground his teeth and muttered.

“You’re just a tool.”

Yeonwoo silently endured Doyoung’s venomous words.

“Something to use until it breaks, then throw away.”

He was implying that Cheon Wooshin had left the chip in Yeonwoo’s body for the same reason as President Park had.

“So you…”

Doyoung’s rage seemed to be tipping into overdrive, his clenched fists trembling. Perhaps he was superimposing Yeonwoo onto that former mixed-blood. If Yeonwoo said even one wrong word, it looked like Doyoung might throw a punch at any moment.

“If you betray our team leader—this time, I’ll be the one to kill you.”

Looking at Ju Doyoung, who harbored such relentless hostility toward him, Yeonwoo actually felt a bit relieved. It was better to have everything out in the open—then he could face it head-on and try to understand.

“I won’t do that. And though I doubt it’ll happen, if I ever do—you can kill me.”

Yeonwoo’s voice, accepting and kind, was calm and resolute. Caught off guard by such a composed response, Doyoung’s expression faltered. He couldn’t completely hide his momentary panic, and for a brief second, a boyish expression appeared—but it vanished in a blink. He quickly glared daggers again, watching Yeonwoo with suspicion.