??? POV:

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The drizzle scattering like water particles spraying from a humidifier.

My clothes were already soaked, and the swirling raindrops made it hard to even open my eyes, but I forced my eyes open and looked beyond the alley.

The alley shrouded in darkness felt ominous, like the maw of a monster.

"Hyejin, Hyejin, Hyejin. Where did you go?"

The nonchalant voice of a hateful man.

The sound of footsteps running around searching for me echoed here and there on the desolate alley.

"I told you to just sell your horn when I said to, right? This makes things troublesome for us, and you don't get paid, so it's sad."

I steady my breathing as much as I can and wait for an opportunity.

"If you got caught there once, you should have stayed put, but you escape? You'll get a beating. A beating."

I can't let that bastard catch me.

I have to find my sister who was headed to Seoul.

"Hyejin. You don't even know where this place is, do you? You think you can run away? Walk all the way to Seoul from here?"

The guy who always spoke in a meek, small voice, was it all just an act?

Not even a hint of meekness could be felt.

He seemed to be laughing genuinely, as if amused.

"Right, I should tell you this story. That woman who committed suicide. She went to the hospital I introduced and got her horn cut off. Isn't that funny? A woman who acted so proud immediately lost her spirit when her horn was cut off."

Clack. I clenched my teeth tightly.

'He's trying to provoke me. Ignore it,' I kept repeating in my mind.

"Isn't it strange? Just getting the horn on your head cut off makes you go crazy. You'll get to experience it for yourself soon, so look forward to it."

Hiding in the darkness of the alley, I watch for an opportunity.

The moment that man turns around, I'll run the opposite way.

I didn't know where this place was, but I had to get out of here first before thinking about what to do next.

The man passed by the entrance of the alley where I was hiding.

If I stay hidden a bit longer, I can escape!

"Ah! Actually, I knew where you were hiding from a while ago."

I heard a rustling sound right behind me.

Startled, I tried to turn my head around.

Clang.

But before I could even turn my head, a metallic sound rang out from my head.

Suddenly, all the strength left my body, and I collapsed limply onto the ground.

"Ah, now that I think about it, your sister too. She got caught by us just like you. You idiots really are sisters."

With great effort, I looked up to see a baseball bat swinging towards my head, filling my vision.

*** 

Bucheon Research Institute.

The Research Institute built in a corner of Bucheon City.

The long-abandoned Research Institute with not a single person around.

Life began to return to the Research Institute that had been neglected like ruins.

The shabby exterior was restored, and employees appeared.

Revived overnight, some found it strange, but most just thought, 'Construction these days really is fast,' and moved on.

If there was one odd thing, it was that all the employees had gloomy expressions.

In the basement of the Research Institute where this gloomy atmosphere lingered, the director was cheerfully humming while tapping his cane.

Checking each isolation room one by one, the director seemed genuinely delighted.

Golden hearts were hung on the walls like trophies, and one of them melted away with a popping sound.

The director checked it with a dry expression.

"The Institute's discovery was much faster than expected. Well, it doesn't matter."

In the isolation rooms the director looked into, people were packed full.

Humans who had grown Golden Horns.

"We've already gathered enough materials. So, let's prepare for the next experiment."

At the director's command, researchers emerged from the shadows and forcibly dragged out a person who had grown a Golden Horn, taking them somewhere.

"Let's begin our research for the beloved humanity."

But the director's face showed only sadism, contrary to those words.

***

Reaper (MC) POV:

---

Yerin has been ruined.

"Reaper~"

She has no intention of letting go at all.

"Our Reaper won't disappear, right?"

What on earth happened?

When sitting, she would always hug me from behind and bury her face in my hair.

When moving around, she would either carry me in her arms or lift me up.

Honestly, it was inconvenient, but the emotions being supplied were so heavy that I just left her be.

I thought maybe the golden dolls I had discarded did something.

Although annoying, I decided to provide this special service until Yerin returned to normal.

I turned over and hugged her back. It was a special service I would provide only until Yerin returned to normal.

***

Sehee Research Institute Director's Office.

Jungroo and Sehee were sitting across from each other at a desk. Tapping her fingers on the documents, Sehee said, "The maintenance cost for the cute puppy is almost non-existent? At this rate, wouldn't it be better to officially take in the puppy, even if we have to force it?"

"Ever since the gray Reaper 'trained' the cute puppy, it has become docile. To the point where you wouldn't think it's the notorious cute puppy. At this level, it seems the profit would be sufficient even if we force our way to take in the cute puppy."

Jungroo relayed the information with his usual expressionless face. 

"It obeys well even without Reaper?"

"Yes, perhaps out of fear of Reaper, it cooperates well even when Reaper is not around. However..."

"However?"

"This is data measured during the period when Reaper left the Research Institute."

Jungneo handed Sehee a report with simple numbers and attached photos.

"Body length data of the cute puppy?"

"Yes, the puppy's body length started increasing after the gray Reaper completely left the Research Institute."

"What's the problem with that? Wasn't the original cute puppy's body length around 50cm?"

"Yes, it was 50cm when we first took in the cute puppy. After the gray Reaper trained it, it shrank to 20cm. And after the gray Reaper completely left the Research Institute, it grew about 1cm per day."

"Did any problems arise from the increased size?"

"Yes, we confirmed that as the size increased, the aggression increased proportionally. It did return to 20cm as soon as the gray Reaper came back to the Research Institute, but I think it's something that must be considered for officially taking in the cute puppy."

"Well, there was that case with the lizard that Reaper brought. It seems the lizard was abandoned after only 3 days of being brought because Reaper forgot about it. There's no guarantee the same won't happen with the cute puppy."

"Fortunately, Reaper is still maintaining interest for now. Reaper forcibly wakes up the cute puppy sleeping in the doghouse or makes it walk on two legs for no reason."

"It's the first time I've seen Reaper bully an Object like that. Usually Reaper only shows interest initially before quickly losing it. Is there a special reason for the dislike? Come to think of it, Reaper did seem to dislike all dog-like Objects."

Sehee gathered the documents and put them in a file folder before standing up.

"It's not something we need to decide right away, so let's see how long the gray Reaper maintains interest."

And with that, the discussion between Jungroo and Sehee ended.

***

Detective's Junior POV:

---

I was following Senior, who was walking aimlessly.

"Senior~ Can we go back now?"

"If you're tired, go back first. I'll return after receiving a request."

He said he left to find a request, but it seemed he didn't actually receive one from anywhere...

He was just walking around spouting strange nonsense.

He wasn't actively seeking requests nor talking to people, just wandering aimlessly.

Wouldn't it be more likely to receive a request by waiting at the office phone than meaninglessly walking around like this?

But senior just kept walking silently.

He kept walking even as the sun set over the horizon, even after night had completely fallen.

It didn't seem like he had a destination in mind.

Forward, forward. He just kept going forward.

We had left Seoul behind a long time ago.

What kind of request could he possibly receive out here in the middle of the night, in an area with hardly any people around?

Moreover, it was drizzling, further reducing the number of people out and about.

"There's an incident."

Senior said, looking off into the distance.

I witnessed a woman collapsing after being hit by a baseball bat in a dark alley.

"I'll handle this, so please record some footage as evidence!"

I heard Senior's voice, but my head was pounding so I couldn't hear it well.

I took out the familiar tool I had on my back.

A hammer.

I charged out swinging the hammer, feeling its familiar grip.

I think I heard Senior sigh from behind.

***

Yellow Detective POV:

---

Junior sometimes went berserk in violent situations.

When Junior goes berserk, she fights better than me.

Sometimes to the point where I wonder if it's the influence of her Object.

I calmly filmed Junior's rampage from behind. 

The footage clearly captured three men who were trying to kidnap the woman but got startled.

The men all ran away after seeing the madwoman swinging a hammer, hitting walls and flying around.

Junior is scary when she's angry.

Huffing and panting, I left Junior behind and shook the unconscious girl to wake her up.

I showed my business card to the dazed girl who woke up.

"Hello. Do you happen to have any requests?"

The woman took the card with a completely confused expression.

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T/N: Is that really what a person should say when they wake up a dazed girl who almost got kidnapped?