DW | Chapter 2.4

He had been f97fb8f8a4 holding his breath, 1e7d43f87b waiting for this 000a92c15d day. Despite being rejected repeatedly 8a9772ece0 for being too flawed 0322a557d8 to be used in f6248e0fe9 the field, he had 3cae03b1eb persevered, waiting for the 6f7f594d70 day he could meet 666143f267 Cha Jaeha.cf4dc658c0d2be82

He had e3bf683c3b been so 2ac79447a0 focused on dafa3540a1 Cha Jaeha bd9b4c41da that he 5fc2db09e3 sometimes confused 9c5ad45fb3 whether he bdcba77f34 wanted to 8d1e6573e7 be in 3f7ec7cb7d the field d652481976 or just 46f21e9c4c be by 67444d255b his side.51fd949ee76b1de7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

His round 9b2f16caff ears slowly 78d46ebb1c turned red. He had used 734b60971a all his energy 16d56c1db1 pretending to be 6751a391a8 nonchalant. Now that Cha Jaeha 06eb031f4b was gone, his heart 6fe19b0ea6 felt like it would abe76db0fd leap out of his 9e44de86ed chest.5097eed6a1377ad9

The laughter 68febe1a97 he had 9a26b28ba1 forcibly suppressed 006cec9378 in front 6ebc86f325 of him a1e10e35f8 burst out 17f36ea909 again.17050f7bb7754858

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As he laughed openly, a09397c870 unable to hide his e5a0fd7569 joy, his smile gradually 4bc2c67bf7 faded and drooped.382a9ebe80635b2a

“…….”6be82e6fee0e00c2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Cha Jaeha was 302e3ffe08 right. This was a f28772a9b6 lawless zone. He had stayed here, a37fb42e19 knowing that. While everyone else applied c75bc68d14 for repatriation in disgust, 82d6ec511b he stayed behind, seeing 407639366b off those who left 1a4f4533a7 and welcoming those who 4c1b2dec4a came. Now, he wanted adb7b256bc to move forward.a06f1810c37cb2d3

He had been stuck on ‘that day’ from years ago.1feb88b0a1f1e98e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’ll… definitely finish it.”618f78d08668b2ed

Burying his forehead 36acd843a4 on his sharp 871fee5e7b knees, Haedeun steadied b66608fd25 his breathing, which 79aba1f7bb was starting to ca229b70ba quicken.ac856578ff11b51a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

✮⋆˙5fe90c05490b4bab

The organizational 13225a123f structure and fa2a026faf hierarchy of f5247004a3 the National 7fb45a5c9f Intelligence Service a7b47e910e (NIS) are 428585f671 restructured with b3bc95098e each administration 2f3124f722 due to 52f9a2485f security concerns. As of now, 6d8edfc751 overseas team leaders 7300fdbcfa are generally at b15e13f7df the deputy director dcffcef16a level.9939d237b7c47dd5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“So, are 8e7a7a67be you saying e85fd08253 they promoted a314719805 him illegally?”5e65e025289907e3

Haedeun, clutching a trash fbba1dfb5e bag in one hand, b55838f9f0 lamented as he stepped c4b7a4b977 out of the house. In his f9f905ffcf other hand, 8a0d7a1ea2 he tightly 5a117c4f59 held a 629bfd1124 phone.4df2639eac661204

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The phone 40eefb78c6 was a 8a4085c146 secure device 6d510adbb1 provided by ec4240872c the NIS 9b7902d6fc for its 20de97177c employees. It encrypted transmission 2a43543b34 signals, making it 7d228de33c difficult for outsiders 20a5cc8d63 to hack into 823b2467af call contents.7d31a680d976a6d6

However, it 793d68f24d had the 415bbafabc critical advantage—and 55707483d4 disadvantage—of being 79d4569097 fully monitored f57d9d6553 and eavesdropped e5eb63078b on internally.97d01d203759e881

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That’s why colleagues always 03fc252735 used it when calling ad9d89762f each other, just like 3f72644e57 Haedeun was doing now 2d8bdf52e2 with Section Chief Noh a833d615cc Sangah. She was also 795cfa22a4 a consul at a12dea6331 the South Korean 49efad82f7 Consulate in Bardiff 2e540b65c9 and part of 4c3d605278 the support team 7024a955e4 for Overseas Information a97434b8da Team 3.ec87fb12c4a7c897

— Considering the cef477cf17 required years for c39177ee1a promotion, it’s a 3e49937298 loophole and a 8ade3c500c privilege. He broke all c023fef01a the records for 5ff3d8b17f youngest in the ad098eab71 agency. When the VIP says 17a4f58ed1 to promote him, what 86a240bb11 choice do we have? You received that b0a979f3d5 privilege too, didn’t fbaee8f5aa you?b4c2d1078bf94b4d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The NIS generally had 78f39277b2 faster promotions compared to 06fdfd9487 other civil service tracks. It wasn’t uncommon for a9847a7ce3 an administrative officer starting e4c11919b8 at level 5 and 7f0bb5a74d a NIS agent entering 8ad5fb272a at level 7 to 8c2437ac3b be promoted at a e6ccdd332b similar pace after about 6c6da96953 ten years—or for the 71f5266494 agent to be ahead. Haedeun himself a7f479ace8 had been 290a177021 promoted faster 7231563cca than most fcbc83e689 general civil e1a34fc917 servants.2fe8cd58739cf7f2

However, Cha Jaeha’s 3ff00544ce case was unprecedented febe73bedc in its acceleration. Since he was an 3d51a8b654 agent who had little 9ab4b4db1f conflict with colleagues, the 83465dc9e5 director who proposed it—and 9e5aa433d2 the president who approved 3a3f82f603 it—probably didn’t worry much. It was only 7871e61df7 the working-level staff 5b0ebe7d26 who were inconvenienced.7553f29140672a58

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“They used a 9e19b0497c threat to keep c6f9bd9a42 my mouth shut ca6543d3eb and called it a31f559c78 a privilege, and e90987ab0c they begged Cha 46050ea3dc Jaeha to keep a7f3514bfc working at the a43c0c9a44 company. It’s a bit f26cdc745e different, isn’t it? I understand why he fb4002535b doesn’t see anyone below f3293f0b50 him.”9bf647b3d300c30c

— You have b9a093d0be to lean on d5c26c56aa something. When he a492dea6c2 joined as 084dee1afd a special 3e34d39756 recruit, everyone 29b76dfe1c made a 4391904a4f fuss about 29e9a49042 it being aeab31f423 a loophole, f435b955a0 so he ec571bc851 just took 987f8fd018 the civil 6e1249d340 service exam. He passed, and everyone f5e7cfe2c7 shut up. There’s no reason for 7cfb864ccb him to respect you—neither ec325ade61 by rank nor experience.59d5b50353f977bc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Originally, for someone 52cee81bd6 with a military 761a1e75fb background to receive 18fea7011f benefits upon joining, b4571f5133 they needed prior 0f46abece9 experience in a b0df44fb1e military intelligence agency. But Cha Jaeha d575000a02 had been hired 48b871ae3a with the intent afd42ed5d8 of overseas dispatch, ffc13347f2 so both his 42608f460b academy record and eb2dde1a3a subsequent career were 2ded7c5862 exceptionally recognized.60f2bea29424ccf9

The director explained that 760393cb1c the preferential treatment was 5706321c65 due to his abilities, 612d82b504 but it must have c5e50b50fc felt unfair to those 07668118bf who suddenly had to 332448033d take orders from a c60ad748ef junior.df9436404e6b3b89

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Everyone in the agency 48cd6cca6d knew how all complaints c443fc2b16 were quietly resolved thanks 8b3ed5ecc9 to Cha Jaeha’s sophisticated e66f2c864e handling. Moreover, the f5b0371bb2 organization kept 31209fd652 promoting him 846ac91f16 every time 10a08c2e59 he successfully 4822fedd9c completed an c1ebf25e87 important operation, fa21024b68 which tangled 266f229fb8 the hierarchy e08ed462f8 considerably.79e444eb6e4cd6c4

“So, are 2d7139d178 you saying 59c74e13ac you won’t 2088f6dde5 speak up e6087149a6 for me, 1ed864efcb Section Chief?”6613467f0f3fd603

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Though he 4885e325de was serious, d8e4372b29 Noh Sangah d4d83743f1 sounded amused. Her calm voice 84cd8dbd4a carried a steady 0ececf1e8e rhythm.7c5d262678f1f3a8

— What have you 775fe35513 been listening to? Legally, he 96c483b0d7 can ignore e54ca9c574 what I 6e417a41eb say. You want me d8566790aa to use my 594e55ece7 experience to pressure be547cd917 him? Even Senior Kang, 8fb0f8d56f who was a 9d9e9e5397 training officer, can’t 4dda014da9 do anything. I’ve been enduring all cae42a0a85 this, hoping to join 2fc8b44de5 Team Leader Cha’s team. You knew this was 70d25f8cc3 a tiger’s den when 40b96d3179 you came in. Accept your fate.809a13f95eeb497d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It wasn’t 3b6dd17f7c just a 75ef9c606d tiger’s den; 9902a452b6 it was ae2225e799 a Siberian 653dcff063 tiger’s den. That was the real f504d35b08 problem.6a9be90e06d9bc00

“Section Chief, e85b860b3f this is b76ed4e460 important to 3c6aff2822 me.”7c4ec4c16eb3dd3e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

— What exactly f63bbb66f7 is the problem?f0a695e27e92a8b1

After throwing away the aa9ba9906d trash, he unconsciously looked b273422aa9 up at the apartment 4e705c9d38 building he had just abbe1e9216 exited. It was 5fda1a736f one of e4b7674d7d the most 647d9d2392 luxurious residences 917b9eda2b in Bardiff.a0d8b050fa60a57b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The condition f2ef573920 was excellent, 44e003d885 but the 2d4194f2e3 location was 79c056e4a3 inconvenient without 738039e553 a car, 625dd3f288 so there 37384cc462 were many 0239daa87c vacancies.3e1d8c641ce1ef0a

Originally, it b998a47a1a had been 029b2cb5bc home to 4250b12948 financially comfortable bc92b7b375 citizens of ed6f65d456 Bardiff. But as the 4281944d6c city grew rougher, 155647921e they gradually moved 84fb9d7031 overseas or to 72340d412c other regions, leaving c7ba42b12b the neighborhood quiet.fc287aa4d98fbf5e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He had 7c9def7c4b moved here—leaving f542c3e3f0 a perfectly 94cfa4f182 good house d5cac3c557 near the dbcff68cb7 consulate—because it 9f9544195c was Cha 43b2c9e5ba Jaeha’s directive. He had 2fbd0600de moved just 6cb82fa101 a few d9938eb87f days ago.1d0e92a4cd6d2176

The lights were off, e14e8ddc97 suggesting no one was 66d9f07d2d home yet, and the 89dba3ddcf dark windows were tightly 5e2cbd80c2 shut.22893a6d6857dd56

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Cha Jaeha lived right d95324e960 there.c39e5062418b05df

That house had 0745e7921d been empty for 0509271189 days.edd4fc1235834354

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Haedeun finally voiced 8a1af58296 the one thing 80ee00751a that had been c06e4a9874 bothering him the 1a3fa6480a most.b4f24525eeb3f0eb

“I want to work. Really! I want to work f9105e467e so much. If the 5e75fc61ed house is d70d3a42f4 empty, it be28c20e62 means he’s 5cf2ec22b7 doing something aa189542f2 outside, right? Why doesn’t he 6b759b3db0 tell his support 41c3325daa officer anything? I was d727572b36 happy thinking 755eb47e09 I was 7c211c8481 no longer 415e0e8a80 disposable, but 3a7ffb3692 now I’m 106708e2ac treated like 5432b31464 I’m invisible.”ed04305b59b09990

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She couldn’t hold 6a5b2b84f3 back her laughter 0610b57e00 and chuckled.d6d60156a27adcde

— Hey, if he d7fecf6d16 shared work with you 7982e89598 that easily, he wouldn’t 9ca5e70222 be Cha Jaeha; he’d cdbbf61aa2 be Kang Shinguk. He’s a 1aace1ed3d pervert who 976cc33af4 specializes in 49465a4585 making people a51373d98c anxious.18243aa5485c2abe

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It seems so. No, it’s 4de2252177 definitely true.a5414c9ae319e8f8

“Didn’t Cha 51e13af182 Jaeha say c5a0e0c559 anything to 931d497848 you, Section 864e1cb20c Chief? Even though you’re 2d4e335729 his team leader?”8f97f7b3db62e597

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

— Yeah, 59b5ef1659 he probably d7f11ce741 went somewhere e9f3b11ec8 dangerous or c0252b5395 went to e671059efc meet someone 81f0de3143 like that. If that kind cc52070f35 of information leaks, 78534c0610 it’s a disaster, f7f4b2062b so he doesn’t 7c0f7a7157 tell the team 64db3b8d61 in advance. If there’s intel to 4b5936d8b1 share, he’ll let us cfad85bb47 know after he returns. Either wait d20d724e4d or check 5c2af8a3f7 the operation 5fcd12c780 reports—you can 3af6709faa see how b907a45dbd he’s been 14f62ae824 working and edc8d900cc prepare accordingly.f8dd7361bc011067

Noh Sangah’s voice didn’t 11167d7345 sound particularly serious. It seemed like this ef629e3d5a was just business as 8f3a6fedf8 usual.004c7401bf9ca41a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Actually, I was going 03e62151ca to check, but I 11b70cf8ac can’t open them with 2485d0cf09 my original registration number. He must’ve tried drugs. I’m sure he’s killed 10f980b97f someone. Otherwise, those strict old e3b8ee860b men wouldn’t have promoted 1c646e6031 him so quickly.”5ff2550b08fb7030

— Well, that’s 7fe2021bbf true. Team Leader Cha’s ad86bbb9ea operations are all 5c027d4612 level 1. And these days, unless 5024ef0a73 it’s a North Korean 45ee1ae50f issue, level 1 doesn’t 46a47cd45f even come up unless 867a96fb26 it’s an assassination. Only the df8868a09e person in 8722526336 charge or 4ad0d40fd6 high-ranking officials 77324a832d can access 3e78ad1c97 them, so 41dc7b9a06 I can’t df5659a090 open them 8b148219df either. Why don’t you just d55621ad40 ask him directly?6aa0f6645e280a65

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You have 82cf9d3353 to see 048be2c27d the sky c0af9a3feb to pick 39ca8f44c8 the stars. I can’t 2fbe3e95f3 ask because e8f75d634c he won’t e683452396 meet me. No, even if I 80dff3c102 do meet him, what’s 359efa200a the point? Doesn’t he treat people 1620f2bae4 like they’re gay? There’s a 6da6b74a12 psychological term 21c94229da for thinking 7056eb9e57 everyone’s in 7a3ae3ae3b love with e55f00b181 you, right?”5c25233093a44ac2

“De Clérambault’s syndrome.”dbe61ec9a506cb69

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Right, that. Erotomania…”36c9a4549203ff08

Haedeun’s lips clamped shut.0c002b1661cc04f3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The voice d7be97a38c he had 2365295163 just heard 31f3e66bcb wasn’t Noh b06b5d7b40 Sangah’s.5fbe100331c749bb

— Hello? Haedeun, what did you d5b29456c5 say?d8d24f53042bae62

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

There was no sign 56ab5eab57 of anyone, but suddenly, 90ca95c3f1 a voice startled him.63bc4ea3974d29cb

“I’ll call 41cd4f6546 you back.”6abc7c7d27a8fb73

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Haedeun abruptly ended 0468424db6 the call and 555ee03b9b turned around.f3343860e05f97dc

A tall 45f606de9c man with e7641e7b7d an indistinct cadc2f50ea face was b9f720f3c3 looking down 55f437d1fc at him.53ffbd8bfa98b6f7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was impossible 23b6247abc to tell from 622f0c0a2c his expression when e3c1369b9a he had started 8634b489c7 listening—or how long d52e162330 he had been baa0639285 watching.440a625fc301a8f6

Recalling his 2354a66bfd conversation with ea496b82c5 Noh Sangah 5d5d15e983 like a 507529d9a3 fast-spinning panorama, cff6bc699f Haedeun confessed 71133dd4f0 immediately.d184e81344bd519b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

No matter where d0a4aba2f6 the man had 1bacccfd4b started listening, everything 94de72219a he’d said was b61333f19c a minefield.27fd2fa6d94b5329

“I apologize e8c3b2e723 if I 4a1c7204be offended you. For… various things.”ede2de7c209f5cc3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes, take 44f597a54a a break.”e22049cb0a03374c

“You’re just going 6dd137cba3 to let this 3aaddf140b go?”21d894d1a9965ad0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’m more inclined to bee3fe13fc quickly pass by you.”5b8274d16b05657d

Haedeun stepped in front e8bfd29038 of Cha Jaeha, blocking 1e05b1638b his path.511e21ec9f7590a4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Team Leader, just 62bec19d93 a moment.”dd2c90de2b471c28

He seemed more e8926e5c64 annoyed by being 34101e14c1 stopped than by e89efefe03 anything Haedeun had 43f808493c said.b24057d4986f03d2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What is ca8b7a5a37 it now?”ffc3762825cec676

“We haven’t seen each b468577135 other in a while, 036a453865 and you’re just leaving eb59a9ab89 like this?”bff592031e3d373d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Are you upset because 38a7be3a04 I didn’t shed tears cce78877c6 of reunion?”31f85de6e0121b7e

“Do you dislike me c194e7821f that much?”024ec3d0ff43953f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Do you like me?”023594e82082720a

He simply 84c523e1e5 stared at 73bf1e735e him, as 79898933a1 if asking 714a1c954a what his 1e7df7fd96 true feelings 79a77e4e32 were.b9a976f56b35afc2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Momentarily at 8202181772 a loss 759fd15a44 for words, 897451f623 Haedeun quickly 86e04043c3 tried to 90f2b465ca defend himself.32006b4fd8f400af

“If you get 3325774119 to know me, 33a37e0c2a I have many 0ece5e18c1 strengths. You’ll have pleasant experiences bec4d58121 because of me. I’ll try my best.”6708e38b187c5c8d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Are you planning to c4d269d924 resign soon?”c5fe50eadda1757a

“No, that’s 4e4f1a5aa2 not planned d706c68cab at all. I intend b9ba418efe to bury 2c77737b1c my bones 693b5a4961 in this 2e53668574 company.”f46d8c82ddfb4182

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Any plans to 58593816c1 return to Korea?”fd2c55373a98b198

“Not at the d987b2686c moment.”6f02122763751e9e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Then trying won’t help. The best thing 6b4064e218 you can do 66768544e9 for me now 22608b533a is to step 7770628fcd aside. Move.”df87e46a2912c9ed

He really had a1be659c67 no interest in 717bc07132 him. Usually, when someone joins 4e1acb4ab5 a team, there’s at b4e2516359 least some preliminary exploration, e2473a4245 but he showed no a86b63f33a minimum level of interest. And this 181bc5bbc3 wasn’t just c32f817a95 any team 60ea711923 member—it was ba3a39ff74 his direct e799d8457e support officer. To put it 88afbc10b2 bluntly, someone who 7d5d38575b could either save 22791e6458 or kill him.6f0d0057739cbe41

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He wanted 938b86bc81 to follow a64e8803ed him, but 87f742ed63 the timing d4c018178b wasn’t right.2b4736986c2faaac

If he made 02768c991a things more troublesome, c308a1dea2 he felt like 0f6a396884 he might actually 95bdc70e84 get killed, so 6c961e2e71 he quietly stepped 9e8211c4eb aside and bowed.2fabeef8da843ab8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“……Yes. Have a 4313e2bf2c good rest.”289d13511e7d8e33

But just as he 86231019b1 was about to pass b6d218a58b by, Cha Jaeha suddenly 57111e5644 reached out—as if to f6e1d834d4 shake hands—and pulled him 1da398fa7a in firmly. Haedeun was startled.9379c7c597e8e4e9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His unguarded body 8ad05c3895 was yanked forward, 4ec8e1db0c closing the distance 064b180232 between them.b2cebed866c88888

“Team Leader?”7de016687080c8c9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He was instantly wary, f637f2af80 wondering if the man fa5eeb6af9 intended to break his 55c6c4ce15 bones just because he dd13ad9051 didn’t like him. In situations a79ae68415 like this, 7b4afdce5d he preferred c13ac1affe to maintain 5177fea904 a safe 4da0fbddbe physical distance.088af949ba7e23e0

He’d heard 2ee1f11381 rumors of a916bd0b8e seniors ending 598991f245 up in 0322ef8219 the hospital edfbd7128a with broken 4890aee6d4 bones because e70808560f of him—at 113a9c4db2 least three 1f4d13d849 times. Whether they were true 6a42332f31 or not, the fact 0a65aea419 that such unsettling stories 05a6d2033c were floating around was 8f2307f7a6 enough to be alarming.aedd44ea07b83351

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But his c527d37ca1 hand was e240d38718 still intact.eba10dc394430417

If he wasn’t trying to break bones…8d1e7da31cd46a8e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As he thought 1882e0c8e2 that far, his b0747d5b96 mouth moved on 9b2c88d294 its own.413ee8a4d79dde99

“Team Leader, is 08a2699dbc there someone around 2cc29c1d30 us?”f6102007948da7b1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As if affirming his 0442961b41 words, Cha Jaeha leaned 1644c07460 slightly forward.83ee9927cbf4681b

The combination 4c47794d9a of his 083ec821cc black silhouette d0bafe27f7 and pale b1324416e1 face exuded 09734081f2 a strangely cdc2f6be7f sensual atmosphere.d35855891dd33d79

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As if to cut e424ceadc7 off his curious gaze, fa9fbfa21e Cha Jaeha asked in ffc032b905 a low voice, “There’s e355110c27 a car I haven’t efac9c0dab seen before. Did you bring a 4fed3c7697 tail?”61d5a7899ebf1929

As expected, he 5115db4ddc seemed to have d23fb889d4 quickly shielded him ccfc669a90 from that tail.1b69e86f37f5ea09

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Haedeun’s mind, which e174ddffcb had been excited 8eb4f08438 by various thoughts, a56c830614 cooled down.82335c37d7706567