Snake Venom Ch 29

Chapter 29

That man was a living weapon—one meant for carnage and bullet-ridden battlefields. And the proposal he had accepted was turning out to be far more dangerous than he had anticipated. Lee Yeonwoo lowered his gaze, trying not to look at the blood-reeking scene before him.

He wondered what Cheon Wooshin would say if he decided to back out, claiming it was too frightening to go through with. Even though he didn’t know the man well, he could predict the response instantly. Cheon Wooshin would likely say, without an ounce of regret, “Go ahead.” Conversely, if Yeonwoo ever failed to meet his expectations, the man would respond just the same.

Although a flood of thoughts swept through him as he felt Cheon Wooshin’s unnervingly resolute aura radiate through his skin, the decision itself was simple despite the inner turmoil.

In any case, he had to keep his wits about him—so he wouldn’t be the first to collapse or be cast aside. Lee Yeonwoo had to fulfill his purpose at Cheon Wooshin’s side until the man’s mission was complete. That was the only way he could walk a safe path and make it back home.

Still, what an intense initiation this was. Just as Lee Yeonwoo was finally calming his startled heart, he heard a metallic click—the sound of a lock being released—right beside him.

He instinctively turned toward the sound. His face, which he had tried so hard to steel, was instantly overtaken by shock. A scent followed swiftly after, making his shoulders tremble.

“…!”

It wasn’t just a smell—it was a sensation, something that struck him with tangible force. Lee Yeonwoo was overwhelmed by a formless power that crashed into his entire body, leaving him nauseated.

‘Ugh, what is this?’

It was pheromones. From the small gap in the now-opened door, a powerful wave of heat-inducing pheromones was bursting out with such force that it made his skin sting.

He had never in his life experienced such intensity. Yeonwoo instinctively covered his mouth and nose. The scent was so thick and cloying that his mind screamed for him to escape immediately.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the presence grew even closer. He clenched his fingers over his nose so hard it felt like his nostrils might twist. When he finally looked up, a sharply defined profile filled his vision.

A man as tall as Cheon Wooshin stood at the doorway, one large hand resting against it. He looked around calmly, though his appearance was slightly disheveled.

This was the third client Lee Yeonwoo had identified, and the direct heir of the Tessa Group. His chiseled nose and long lashes now carried a far more languid expression than when they had first met.

The man turned his head toward Yeonwoo, and the heat of his arousal poured forth like a flood. Lee Yeonwoo instinctively held his breath. He couldn’t afford to inhale any more pheromones. His instincts warned him that doing so would be fatal.

Still, Lee Yeonwoo wiped his face with a trembling hand. His vision was spinning, and parts of his body were heating up, but he forced himself to ignore it. Amid the roiling waves of pheromones, he had caught a hint of that toxic scent he’d been searching for.

He shook his head sharply. He had to pull himself together and check—just once. He had to confirm whether this scent was coming from the man himself or if it had merely mixed into the pheromones in the room. With that resolve, he narrowed his eyes and took in just enough air to make a comparison before sealing his lips shut again.

The man, who had been blankly observing that desperate, pitiful display, showed a flash of surprise in his eyes. As if discovering something unexpected, his gaze sharpened with alarming intensity, focusing entirely on Yeonwoo.

That was when Cheon Wooshin stepped in between them.

“It’s dangerous. Please go back inside.”

The man, now partially blocked from view, looked at Cheon Wooshin. His glare made it clear that he found the interruption annoying, but Cheon Wooshin only stood straighter, shielding Yeonwoo behind him.

“I’ll report to you as soon as the situation is under control.”

The man said nothing, but kept his gaze fixed on the spot just over Cheon Wooshin’s shoulder, where the top of Yeonwoo’s head was barely visible. Despite being told to step back, he instead took a step forward.

“I’m not here for you. Get out of my way.”

His eyes, once sharp and calculating, had gone hazy with lust. His tone, which should have been formal, had turned rough. It meant his beastly instincts had taken over. A half-blooded Alpha in this state was dangerous.

“If you remain outside with the door open, it will be difficult to respond to unexpected attacks.”

The man ignored Cheon Wooshin’s attempt to reason with him. He reached out anyway—aiming to move the barrier between him and Yeonwoo. Just before his hand could touch Cheon Wooshin’s shoulder, the latter grabbed his wrist. Even then, maintaining his courteous demeanor, Cheon Wooshin spoke again.

“He’s not a mating partner. He’s an employee.”

Even if Yeonwoo had caught his attention, he was not a potential mate. Cheon Wooshin made that perfectly clear. Yet the man’s expression said he didn’t care. Instead, he seemed annoyed that Cheon Wooshin had dared to stop him.

“An employee…”

The man muttered. It was as if his mind couldn’t even process the word properly. His eerie amber eyes slit vertically down the center. The deliberate mutation, meant to amplify and emit pheromones without restraint, immediately affected Lee Yeonwoo.

‘Ugh.’

Cheon Wooshin’s gaze flicked backward at Yeonwoo’s visible flinch. The tips of Yeonwoo’s ears were red—that much he caught before the man twisted free from his grip and pushed forward again. Cheon Wooshin frowned and blocked him with a wide sweep of his forearm across the man’s chest. Then he gave a firm shove.

“Back off.”

Click—he cocked his gun, the muzzle now aimed squarely at the man’s forehead.

“…Please take a step back.”

Faced with a clear warning that there would be no more tolerance, the man hesitated, briefly glancing at the gun pointed at him. Tension crackled in the air.

Meanwhile, hidden behind Cheon Wooshin’s broad shadow, Lee Yeonwoo was on edge.

He had heard that purebloods only mated with other purebloods. He never thought a lowly half-blood like him would even catch their eye. So when had it happened—what moment, what part of him had drawn the man’s attention?

Thanks to the booster suppressant he’d taken, even his pheromones were barely leaking out.

Were purebloods just that sensitive? Or was it that during heat, any body—human or half-blood—would do? Whatever the reason, if this whole mess had started because of the man’s blind lust, it could be ended by simply removing himself.

‘Maybe this is what Team Leader meant by the right time to run.’

Just as Yeonwoo was glancing around for an escape route, a rush of footsteps grew louder. The reinforcements who had been called arrived, turning the corner and running toward them.

Among them was the head of the security team. His face was slick with cold sweat, and when he saw Cheon Wooshin, even the blood drained from his face. He sprinted over and pushed down the arm holding the gun before bowing deeply to the man.

“I apologize. We will report back once the situation is under control.”

The commotion distracted the man, and his obsessive fixation on Yeonwoo began to fade, turning instead toward the security team leader. After blinking heavily a couple of times, his rationality seemed to return, and the vertical slits in his eyes faded back to normal.

The man, wiping a hand beneath his chin, now wore an expression that said he, too, was unsettled by what had just occurred.

“It appears I made a mistake.”

At the man’s candid admission, even Cheon Wooshin lowered his guard. Though he remained wary despite the team leader’s efforts to de-escalate, his sharp gaze finally began to soften.

“I, too, apologize for the offense. I will accept whatever punishment is deemed appropriate.”

After all, this was a false identity he was operating under. Feigning remorse, Cheon Wooshin bowed deeply, and Yeonwoo quickly followed suit, his eyes darting nervously.

The mission to stand guard at the entrance until dawn was canceled, limited to Cheon Wooshin’s team. It was said that the mating session—originally expected to last several days—would be cut short. The fact that three tightly guarded checkpoints had all failed suggested further intrusions were inevitable and unstoppable.

Cheon Wooshin brazenly altered the account of events in his report to the security team leader, conveniently leaving out the fact that a gunfight had nearly broken out. In the process, Lee Yeonwoo’s heightened olfactory ability remained completely concealed.

A team dispatched to search the ninth client’s residence contacted them. As expected, the client had already been killed. The corpse’s chin had been cleanly punctured, with the hormone gland destroyed. The pheromones Yeonwoo had detected were the victim’s stolen final scent.

The security team leader, who had managed Tessa Group’s mating seasons for years, said this was the first time something like this had happened. Such a brazen and professional attack had never occurred before. He’d expected things to proceed as usual with the same participants—never imagining someone would infiltrate the pureblood line. He kept wiping his massive chest as if trying to calm himself.

“In any case, thank you.”

If it hadn’t been for Cheon Wooshin—or more precisely, Lee Yeonwoo’s ability—a disaster could not have been averted.

Cheon Wooshin reluctantly accepted the team leader’s outstretched hand, replying coolly.

“If you’re grateful, let us know as soon as you find out who’s responsible.”

“Of course. The victim is at Hansung Hospital’s morgue. The autopsy will also take place there.”

Cheon Wooshin nodded and began composing a message to someone.

“By the way, is your team member alright?”

At the concerned tone, Cheon Wooshin lifted his eyes. Even though he understood the intent behind the question, he feigned ignorance and asked back.

“What do you mean?”