SYNO Chapter 30

Day and night, soldiers scoured every corner of the Dependent Nation, searching for him.

Though his face wasn’t publicly known, the news that anyone with a similar build was being subjected to a body search was unsettling.

It was even more maddening that they were searching every single house, or rather, shack, in the Dependent Nation which barely had any proper houses, under the pretense of a census.

He’d heard that several criminals had been caught red-handed during the searches and got arrested.

‘Five of my hideouts have been discovered.’

The net was closing in, and he was running out of places to hide.

Once, he’d almost been caught while sleeping in one of his hideouts when soldiers broke down the door and conducted a forced search.

‘I barely managed to escape by jumping out the window…’

His ankle, twisted during the escape, still ached.

And that wasn’t all.

They were asking around about him, looking for anyone who had heard his name or knew him.

Those deceitful bastards in the Dependent Nation’s criminal underworld were likely to spill any information they knew about him to save their own skins.

If any of the organization members he had worked with said anything careless, the net would tighten even further.

‘It seems they’re already raiding Lucas’ organization.’

Ssangryeong anxiously bit his fingernails. At this rate, he would surely die from stress.

‘Or starve from death.’

He couldn’t even remember the last time he had a proper meal. He had completely cut off contact with Benjamin, so he had no one to ask for help.

So, first, he needed to secure information on the Commander as a safety net. Just in case.

[Well, alright. That’s enough for a trade.]

Ssangryeong’s eyes lit up at the sudden message. As expected, the Prime Information Organization did have information on the Commander.

As another message arrived, Ssangryeong brought his face closer to the screen.

[Make sure you understand that we’re making a big concession, Ssangryeong. There are plenty of people here who are desperate to catch you. Just this morning, we received a request for information about your location. Of course, we said we didn’t know, because we don’t. But you understand, right? Just the mere information that you’re alive somewhere is worth a lot. Keep in mind that we’re doing you a favor. So next time you ask for help, we expect your cooperation. Don’t refuse us so coldly like last time.]

Ssangryeong scoffed.

It seemed they still held a grudge from his previous rejection. But the fact that they were willing to make a deal meant his reputation still held some weight.

[Just give me the information.]

The next reply arrived much faster. Ssangryeong devoured the message as soon as it arrived.

[Commoner from the Home Nation, graduated from Helios University.
And his real name. That’s all we have on Pienne de Laviste.]

Ssangryeong calmly analyzed the information he received. Only elites from the Home Nation could attend that prestigious university.

It was unprecedented for a commoner to rise to the rank of Brigadier General. So, it seemed he had a different name when he was a commoner.

‘Pienne’s real name… This is pretty good information.’

It was because of the Name Object. The names engraved on the Objects were based on “real names.”

If someone operating under the alias “A” had the real name “B,” the name “B” would be engraved on their Name Object.

For this reason, some high-ranking officials used aliases. It was a good way to hide their Object information and protect themselves.

‘But you need the President’s approval for that.’

Since the President wouldn’t grant aliases to just anyone, most people couldn’t use them.

Ssangryeong’s amber eyes, which had been looking at the information casually, suddenly focused on the final sentence.

Then, Ssangryeong froze as he saw the Commander’s real name. His brows furrowed deeply.

[His real name is ‘Tail Venos.’ This is a rare information.]

Ssangryeong’s mouth fell open, as he stared on the screen frozen for a long time. He reread the short sentence several times and swallowed.

He desperately tried to think of a possibility that the information was false, but recalling the Prime Information Organization’s policy of not selling unverified information, he instantly dismissed the thought.

Tail Venos.

He knew that name all too well.

It was the exact name of his destined partner, engraved on his own Name Object.

“That bastard…”

My destined partner?

Ssangryeong squeezed his eyes shut. He swore it was the most shocking thing that had ever happened to him.

‘Pienne is my… my destined…’

The realization made him nauseous. Ssangryeong hurriedly covered his mouth. But since he hadn’t eaten anything, there was nothing to throw up.

“Haa.”

Ssangryeong ran a hand through his black hair, his expression grim, and looked back at the computer screen again. The words, which he’d hoped would disappear, remained clearly visible.

Even the Prime Information Organization, which he should be begging for forgiveness for sending him the wrong information, was silent.

This meant the information he had received was undeniably true.

“Wow, it’s… real?”

He couldn’t believe it.

If there were many people with the same name, he could hold onto the hope that it was someone else, but this damn world didn’t allow for identical names.

It was to ensure the proper functioning of the Name Object system.

Even the people of the Dependent Nation, who lived however they pleased, had to register their children’s names with the government to avoid identical names.

If they were caught using an unregistered name that turned out to be identical to someone else’s, the entire family would face severe punishment.

This created a strange phenomenon.

All the beautiful and desirable names were already taken by the wealthy elite of the Home Nation.

But it wasn’t entirely impossible for a Dependent Nation citizen to have a decent name. They could differentiate themselves with their surnames.

For example, while Malcolm and Robert were common names, their surnames were not.

Malcolm Rover.

Robert Craydo.

Since the criteria for identical names included surnames, it was allowed as long as there wasn’t anyone with the same full name.

‘That’s why my name is something like Ssangryeong.’

A name that sounded rough and vulgar.

Without a surname, this was the only kind of name he could have.

‘Because I don’t have any immediate family.’

Even his missing grandfather wasn’t a blood relative. He was simply a kind person who took him in when he was an orphan.

Ssangryeong lowered his head, dismissing his pointless thoughts.

What was the point of making complicated assumptions?

The conclusion was clear.

There was only one person in the world named ‘Tail Venos’ – the Commander.

‘Tail Venos’ was engraved on his Name Object.

Therefore, the Commander was his destined partner.

“Fucking… shit…”

Overwhelmed by a sudden sense of despair, Ssangryeong’s gaze darted around.

He’d spent his life searching for his destined partner. He needed to know their identity to erase his weakness.

This was a critical issue for Ssangryeong. There were countless people in the world who wanted him dead. He had to erase his weakness quickly to avoid any unforeseen circumstances.

‘My weakness is my missing grandfather.’

If anyone discovered his Object, they would surely use his grandfather as leverage.

If that happened, he would become a slave.

His grandfather’s life was his top priority.

“What am I supposed to do?”

The man who was scouring the Dependent Nation, searching for him, was his destined partner.

Could there be a greater tragedy?

‘The more I try to distance myself from the Commander, the less likely I’ll be able to erase my weakness.’

Ssangryeong rubbed his forehead with his hand.

Was that why?

Was that why the sex he had with Pienne kept replaying in his mind…?

There were many rumors about Name Objects. That sex with your destined partner was the ultimate ecstasy. That it was the peak of pleasure.

That feelings developed faster and attraction bloomed unknowingly, compared with anyone else.

He had dismissed those stories as lies made up by romantics. But the sex he had with the Commander was so good, so perhaps there was some truth to the rumors.

Ssangryeong lay back, defeated.

“Haa…”

He placed his slender wrist over his eyes.

‘I shouldn’t have run away.’

He should have stuck to the Commander’s side, had sex with him dozens of times a day, erased his weakness completely, and then escaped.

Ssangryeong chuckled dryly.

But isn’t he incredibly lucky?

That his destined partner, of all people, was such a good-looking bastard.

“Fuck.”

But what good was a handsome face?

Especially if the man was so… persistent.

Ssangryeong continued to agonize over his situation for several more days, as the net closed in, tightening around his neck.

Finally, a few days later, he made his decision.

Ssangryeong appeared in front of the government building.