I glared at the laptop screen as if pure frustration could intimidate it.
But nothing changed.
No system notification about what I wanted to know. Not even a hint the damn co-author had altered the plot.
Technically, nothing officially had happened.
I closed my eyes for a moment, spinning the pen between my fingers.
The undead dungeon matched my design perfectly—in structure, events, and monsters.
And yet… when I arrived, the path was already open. Everything had been ransacked.
For a moment, I considered natural causes. A glitch…?
Maybe, perhaps, even an unknown NPC or one of the side protagonists…
None of it made sense. Nothing… except one possibility:
Someone knew. Knew in advance, like I did. And had been there first.
And that someone didn't seem to be part of the original storyline.
"This isn't some plot deviation... it's outright theft."
Tomer was supposed to find the Aether first.
She'd stumble into the dungeon weeks later by accident and trip over the loot like loose change under a sofa.
But given the current timeline, she hasn't even come close... meaning officially, the Aether should still be right where it belonged.
Except it wasn't.
I slammed the laptop shut harder than necessary.
Tomorrow is Thursday.
Sven will head out with the Hunting Club as scheduled.
And if all follows the original... he'll completely lose control.
Even with this infuriating setback, I still have wiggle room. I can recover the loss—or at least pry clues from the bastard who dared meddle with my story.
And if my gut's right... I already know who did it.
"Let's see if you're half as clever as you think you are, you thieving snob."
________
Since I wasn't a member of the hunting club, I decided I'd do things my way.
No official invitation, no fancy plans, and no backup groups if needed.
I'd just grab my gear, pretend I was hunting for leisure, and infiltrate the same area where the hunting club would be operating.
I also had to consider the fact that Kim Hajin's Talent could expose me at any moment. Hiding from him was pretty much impossible.
And honestly, I wanted him to notice me. It was easier to make him come to me than to approach him and establish a connection.
In the end, worst case scenario, I'd just observe Kim Hajin and his crew from afar.
Best case, I could intervene, earn some narrative points, or even—with a stroke of luck—identify the Seedbearer.
Maybe then the Main Mission would start to make some damn sense.
[Stealth infiltration, improvised disguise, and suspicious intentions. Yeah. That definitely doesn't look like a stalker.]
The insufferable robot killed my vibe.
"Fuck you, Luxxion," I said. "I'm camouflaging."
[Sure. With black clothes in a sunlit forest, walking alone, glancing sideways every five seconds. You're practically invisible.]
"Disguise is an art. You just don't understand subtlety."
It would never grasp my genius...
Much less the fact that this world's Liam only had black clothes and his Cube uniform in the closet...
[You look like a maniac. That's what you look like.]
"...At least I'm committed to the cause, okay?"
I sighed and adjusted my position.
From there, I could see the group gathering up ahead.
Nayun laughing at something, Hajin with that eternally tired look, and of course, Sven — always beside Nayun, like a classic ass-kisser born to worship someone.
One by one, the other cadets appeared at the designated field.
The girl who positioned herself at the front of the group was confident. Her upright posture and clear voice — though I could only catch bits of what she said from there — radiated authority.
"...be careful in areas with higher mana concentration... avoid straying too far..."
We were in an open area, but the trees and low vegetation helped keep me hidden — at least for now.
That's when I noticed a slight movement. Kim Hajin turned his head, almost imperceptibly, toward Nayun and Sven.
They returned his gaze.
Even from a distance, I caught Nayun's expression: a mix of annoyance and disdain. Nothing out of the ordinary.
But what unsettled me was what came next.
Kim Hajin averted his eyes from them… and locked them directly onto me.
My spine stiffened instantly.
This wasn't a random, distracted glance. It felt like those descriptions where he entered "bullet time"—full of focus. Precision. Intent.
As if he were firing bullets with his eyes.
"..."
[He's using precise visual tracking. You're the target. Likely aided by the Thousand-Mile Eye.]
"Yeah, thanks for the late warning, Sherlock."
Of course he'd spot me eventually.
I just hadn't imagined he'd use his Talent with such intense focus so early, especially before Sven's transformation even began.
But thankfully, the moment dissolved.
"Groups, form up now!" the girl at the front shouted, raising her hand.
The crowd began to shift.
Cadets split into pairs and trios.
Sven and Nayun joined up without hesitation—exactly as it should be.
But Hajin…
He stood alone, just like in the manhwa. Yet hesitated to make his move.
He watched the pair for a moment, his gaze drifting briefly over Nayun.
And then… looked back at me.
We stared each other down for an eternal second.
Without a word, he simply turned his back and headed toward the two.
[Congratulations. Now he definitely thinks you're suspicious.]
"Oh really?" I asked sarcastically. "I thought he wanted to ask me out for coffee."
[Wouldn't be the worst outcome. Better than getting erased by an unexpected headshot.]
I ignored the snark and followed a parallel trail for a few minutes.
Nayun and Sven were just ahead, talking loudly.
"Whoever gets the most kills wins," Sven declared.
Nayun replied with clear skepticism:
"Well, obviously. We already agreed on that over messages."
I recognized the girl's mocking tone even without seeing her face.
I lingered on the outskirts, moving silently, "hunting."
That was the disguise.
If anyone spotted me, I'd just look like a lone cadet trying to contribute to the community.
Who knows how many minutes passed like that. I was chasing away some smaller animals in the meantime.
Until I felt it.
A rustle—too fast to be wind—came from the bushes to my left.
"...!"
[Lifeform detected. Human signature. Approaching at constant velocity.]
My body reacted before my mind could process.
I spun around, senses on high alert.
And there he stood.
Kim Hajin.
He wore the blue-and-white Cube hoodie and standard-issue pants. His messy black hair fell over his forehead.
His face was... common-looking—too common.
The kind of face you'd forget five seconds after seeing it... if not for the eyes.
"Found you."
His voice carried something far heavier than mere acknowledgment.
Following my "why not mess with people" logic, I faked surprise.
Even furrowed my brow to sell the act.
"Huh? Hello to you too, then."
He didn't respond immediately.
Just crossed his arms, his gaze piercing through me like an invisible arrow.
He was analyzing me head to toe.
"What are you doing here?" he finally asked, blunt.
His pupils shifted as if ready to drive the final stake if my answer was wrong.
I sighed and straightened my posture, raising my hands slightly as if saying "relax."
"Hunting."
"Hunting?" he repeated.
And somehow made the word taste sour.
"Yeah, y'know... forest, magical creatures, points. That basic stuff we mere cadets do when we're not fighting monsters," I shrugged.
Hajin didn't laugh.
Didn't even react, really. Just narrowed his eyes.
"You're not from the Hunting Club."
"Not from the Cooking Club either, but I can fry an egg," I shot back, crossing my own arms.
Hajin gritted his teeth. Holding back.
It was pretty damn likely he was annoyed that in the puzzle he'd pieced together so meticulously, there was one piece that didn't fit anywhere:
Me.
"You seem too smart to be 'casually hunting' today of all days."
"Thanks. I try," I smiled, feigning politeness. "But hey, you seem to be following me too. Maybe we're both suspects in a victimless case."
Hajin scoffed, glancing away for a split second.
"What about the Aether?" he fired back suddenly, locking eyes with me fiercely. "Enjoying it?"
Silence hung heavy for half a second.
I arched an eyebrow. "Huh? Is that a pickup line?"
"Don't play with me," his voice dropped half an octave.
Poison laced the words.
I decided to drop the act and cut to the chase.
"Relax, man. It's just some semi-conscious magic liquid that tried to parasite me. Happens to the best of us."
Hajin stepped closer.
"Who are you?" he began. "You're not just some random cadet. Doesn't seem to be in this place by accident. And if you think you can—"
"NAYUN!"
The voice came out of nowhere.
Both Hajin and I froze.
"Would you... go out with me?"
That trembling, desperate, idiotic voice could only belong to one person.
Sven.
I looked at Hajin.
He stared back.
Our eyes exchanged a silent, universal message:
What the actual fuck...?
"...We can settle this later—" I finally said, already turning toward the sound.
Because no matter how ridiculous that question was, I knew:
This was one of the triggers. Shit was about to hit the fan.
And I needed to be there when it did.