Snake Venom Ch 46

Chapter 46

In this state, even having a tranquilizer gun in hand would be useless.

Gritting his teeth, Lee Yeonwoo readjusted his stance. His gaze, fixed sharply on the sight, gleamed with intensity.

Even as someone conducted tests and derived results, people were dying one after another. Cheon Wooshin’s hourglass was no exception. In fact, side effects that typically surfaced after a year had appeared in Cheon Wooshin in just three months.

If the pattern was slightly different, then the only choice was to adapt to the changed conditions and make use of them. That’s why Seolkyung’s desperate struggle, unable to distinguish targets, seemed all the more urgent. And behind his words—”Since I’m going to die anyway, I might as well try anything”—lay a desperation steeped in a powerful ruthlessness and cruelty.

What Seolkyung was doing required absolute time. That was necessary to catch the culprit and to treat Cheon Wooshin. But no one knew how much time was left. That was why Lee Yeonwoo couldn’t afford to waste even a moment of experience in firing each shot.

Bang! Lee Yeonwoo barely hit the target but didn’t celebrate too quickly. Calming his wildly pounding heart, he took a deep breath. He rolled his shoulder lightly, startled by the recoil, and pulled the trigger again.

The bullet marks landed closer together. Lee Yeonwoo’s expression grew even more serious. He felt like he was beginning to understand what it meant to zero in.

Cheon Wooshin had been the ideal adult Lee Yeonwoo had first encountered. Kind, strong, courteous, and balanced. Someone who cherished his people and took responsibility until the end—a solid presence who not only pulled him out of the gutter but also helped him take root in the world.

That man, they said, was dying from an unknown poison. Though he was enduring with medication for now, over time, even Cheon Wooshin wouldn’t be able to stop the process of losing himself. Eventually, he’d no longer be able to control even his own body and would meet a tragic end.

Did he tell me to practice only enough to protect myself?

Bang! A hole pierced the target—closer to the center now.

No, I wanted to grow strong enough to protect him, even if only for a moment.

Wanting to protect such a strong person might be presumptuous. But I didn’t want to give up without trying. Even if only for a moment. Like yesterday, when Cheon Wooshin weakened against his will, I wanted to grow strong enough to protect him, even if just briefly.

No one knew when or under what circumstances Cheon Wooshin might break down. The stabilizer Seolkyung had given him was a drug that subdued Cheon Wooshin by trading off his life when he turned volatile. If that happened during a mission, Cheon Wooshin—rendered defenseless by the drug—would be exposed to mortal danger. That was why Lee Yeonwoo had to grow stronger. Having seen the snare tightening around the neck of the man stronger than anyone, having stepped into the shadows of their secret plan, and having chosen to fight alongside him as a team.

So now, given the opportunity to hone his strength, Lee Yeonwoo’s job was to absorb every bit of it without leaving anything behind. He didn’t dare ask for anything from the world, but he didn’t want to lose even what had already been given to him.

Lee Yeonwoo’s eyes glinted sharply as he pulled the trigger.

Gunshots rang out in succession.

Lee Yeonwoo exhaled and removed his earplugs.

In the final set, he hit eighteen out of twenty shots. Without a control group, it was hard to say whether he had done well or poorly for the amount of practice he’d had, but compared to when he couldn’t hit a single shot, the progress was remarkable.

Ambition draws power from affection. That’s enough for today—I’ll practice whenever I get the chance. Lee Yeonwoo stepped back from the rail.

His forehead was soaked with sweat from how focused he had been. He wiped it with his sleeve and lifted his head.

Jung Suho was looking at him with pride, his chest puffed out. Beside him, unnoticed until now, stood Cheon Wooshin. It hadn’t been that long since they’d parted, but the surge of joy was overwhelming.

Lee Yeonwoo held back the urge to immediately point to the target and boast. Instead, he repeated silently to himself: That person is not my hyung, he’s the team leader. This is work. He swallowed the childish desire to act familiar or show affection.

‘Team leader! Look at this. I think I might actually have a knack for this!’

Instead of the words that rose to the tip of his throat, Lee Yeonwoo tugged up the corners of his lips into a wide smile.

Cheon Wooshin, who had been silently staring at Lee Yeonwoo’s target, offered not a single word of praise. With a blank expression, he said, “Let’s go,” and led Lee Yeonwoo away.

When they stepped out of the building, the air had turned cold. The sun had shifted. Cheon Wooshin’s low voice came from beside him.

“We’re going to inspect the building we saw on the CCTV.”

Lee Yeonwoo, after scanning the building, asked,

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

“Just the two of us?”

“……”

Then Cheon Wooshin, who had been walking half a step ahead, slowed his pace. His gaze, which had been aimlessly focused on the air, slowly dropped and landed on Lee Yeonwoo. His half-lidded eyes curved gently.

“I won’t ask.”

With that one-line remark, the tall man turned and walked toward the parking lot. Lee Yeonwoo stared blankly after him, dumbfounded. A look of dismay flashed across his face. He hurried after Cheon Wooshin, protesting.

“Team leader, that’s not it! If the two of us go, it’s dangerous—no, not that you’re in danger. I mean, if only the two of us go, then you might be in danger…!”

What the hell am I saying?! Flustered and rambling, Lee Yeonwoo ended up smacking himself on the head.

The point was, who knew what dangers might be lurking in that building? Was it okay for just the two of them to go in? It wasn’t because he was scared of Cheon Wooshin. The thought that he had caused a misunderstanding made his head spin.

While scratching the back of his neck, Cheon Wooshin opened the passenger door.

“The other team members will be covering us from behind.”

The gentle voice eased his churning emotions like magic. Nodding, Lee Yeonwoo got into the seat Cheon Wooshin had opened for him. Cheon Wooshin circled around the hood and sat in the driver’s seat.

“Right now, it’s actually better if we look vulnerable.”

So it had been deliberate. Not knowing that, Lee Yeonwoo had worried on his own, and now his face burned red.

“Normally, I could handle it alone, but I have to stay close to you, Lee Yeonwoo.”

Lee Yeonwoo nodded vigorously.

“That’s right. I’ll do my part diligently.”

The engine hummed and the wheels started to roll.

After driving for half an hour, the road and buildings began to take on a noticeably different atmosphere. The area around Cheon Wooshin’s office was already well-maintained, but this place, being relatively new, carried the fresh feeling of recent construction. The tidy and clean lines of the newly built neighborhood left an impression.

Lee Yeonwoo spotted the convenience store where the man from the footage had bought cigarettes, near one side of the intersection. Cheon Wooshin stood where the man had been and surveyed the view he might have seen. Luxurious homes with identical structures were neatly lined at regular intervals.

While Cheon Wooshin observed, Lee Yeonwoo quietly edged closer. He brushed beneath his nose and drew in a breath.

Seolkyung had said to check at least once an hour, but the more often he did, the more data he could collect. That’s why Lee Yeonwoo took every chance he could to secretly sniff Cheon Wooshin’s scent. The same subtle fragrance from the morning gently flowed into his nostrils.

‘Thank goodness.’

As Lee Yeonwoo secretly exhaled in relief, Cheon Wooshin’s gaze landed on the top of his head.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes.”

Just as he replied and began walking, a sudden gust of wind blew past, and Lee Yeonwoo’s eyes widened slightly.

‘Huh?’

The wind carried a familiar scent. It wasn’t strong enough to pinpoint a direction, but it was definitely the scent of Hepathy. Still, information this vague wasn’t something he could report to Cheon Wooshin.

“Let’s do a full sweep first.”

He would mention it once he had more certainty. Pushing aside his disappointment, Lee Yeonwoo followed behind Cheon Wooshin.

As they entered the building, they ran into civilians. Perhaps because of the academy on the fourth floor, a group of students rushed past them, and as they passed a barbecue restaurant, they encountered a family just finishing dinner. Apparently, this building wasn’t just a disguise in appearance.

Cheon Wooshin, who said he’d start from the top floor, stood in front of the elevator. A young mother and a little girl with neatly combed hair were already waiting there.

Just the sight of the little girl’s head made Lee Yeonwoo’s lips twitch. He liked children. He even did volunteer work at orphanages from time to time.

Lee Yeonwoo looked at the child with affectionate eyes, taking care not to cross any lines. The girl, who had already taken notice of him, made eye contact. To avoid making her feel awkward, Lee Yeonwoo smiled first—and the child smiled back. When she did, the mother beside her also smiled. It was a warm and cheerful moment.

Then, a bit later, another mother arrived and greeted the one already waiting. Just then, the elevator arrived. The mothers and children got in first, and Cheon Wooshin and Lee Yeonwoo entered last.

“Oh, Seonwoo’s mom, did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

It was the kind of opener that made you curious no matter the topic. Though they didn’t try to eavesdrop, being in the same space meant they couldn’t help but overhear.

“They say a Class 3 risk moved into our neighborhood.”

The topic, however, was far from welcome. Internally flustered, Lee Yeonwoo found himself staring at the floor indicator.