Free Web NovelTime rewinds to just a moment earlier.
Bi, who had been sitting on the bench with Hojin, sensed something amiss and tried to protect him.
But before he could react, something leapt from the bushes and pounced on Hojin first.
“Miyaong!”
“Miya!”
“Miya!”
A mother cat and her litter of kittens.
“Kyaah~!”
The sudden appearance of the adorable feline family turned the area into chaos in an instant. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Moreover, the fact that the one attacked by the cats was handsome only amplified the commotion.
They say a pretty face and kittens can even save the world.
Bi had never been surrounded by so many of the opposite sex in his life.
“Kya! So cute~”
“Can I take a picture?”
“I’ve got Churu treats—want one?”
Even though these cats didn’t belong to Hojin, every young woman first asked his permission.
It felt as if everyone else occupied the same space, and Bi alone was on a different plane. freёwebnovel.com
Here, he was utterly invisible.
And the cats themselves—those insignificant creatures—barely gave him a glance. They clung only to Hojin as if his arms were their true home.
Watching that, Bi felt inexplicably unsettled. He didn’t realize he was gradually being edged out by Hojin.
When he finally came to his senses, he found himself pushed off the bench by the crowd.
“Damn appearance-based worship.”
Tears welled in his eyes, and he lifted his head—just in time to hear Hojin calling for him.
“Galbi. Galbi, where are you?”
It’s not Galbi, it’s Bi, you assholes.
Blaming Lee Roi for everything, Bi ground his teeth and pushed through the crowd toward Hojin.
“Excuse me. Let me through. He’s with me, okay?”
He couldn’t tell if this was a park or an idol fan meeting.
Especially the bobbed-hair girl in the first row!
As he tried to pass, she braced herself and held him back with all her might—so much so that a supposed Awakened like Bi felt overpowered in strength.
When he finally returned to the bench, Hojin was blissfully enjoying his cat therapy.
“Bi, look at this. Aren’t they adorable? Just like our Roi.”
“Hyung, I really—this is a serious question—do you know these cats?”
“No?”
Five cats had claimed Hojin’s lap.
One mother cat purred contentedly under Hojin’s hand, and four tiny kittens climbed over him like they’d never known anyone else.
Bi let out a soft sigh.
If he was going to sort out this situation, the cats blocking his view of Hojin had to go first.
“I’ll help move them.”
It seemed easier to relocate the kittens first, then lure the mother cat.
As Bi reached for a kitten clinging to Hojin’s shoulder—
“Kyah!”
—the mother cat suddenly swung her claws and lunged at him.
“Ugh!”
“Kyaah!”
The effect was immediate.
The crowd surrounding Hojin scattered at once.
But Bi was pinned under the cat’s weight, his clothes tearing to shreds.
“No! No, kitty...!”
Panicked, Hojin scooped up the mother cat.
“Kyah! Kyek!”
“It’s okay, it’s my friend. I wasn’t trying to take your kittens—sorry for touching you without asking.”
As Hojin stroked her back and cradled her, the mother cat quickly calmed.
Those detestable little beasts.
Bi glared at the cat, battered from head to toe.
‘Is this discrimination against humans?’
He couldn’t very well scold a mute animal.
Breathing heavily to quell his anger, Bi looked up to find Hojin’s concerned face.
“Bi, are you okay?”
No—correct that. That was pouring gasoline on a fire.
“It’s not Galbi, it’s Bi! Bi! Bi!”
Bi, who’d lost all composure, snapped his lips shut at Hojin’s startled expression.
“Sorry. I got a bit carried away.”
“No, I’m sorry too... I must’ve mixed up names.”
“Let’s at least move somewhere less crowded.”
“Oh—yeah...! Wait here.”
Hojin anxiously gathered the cats in his arms.
The kittens darted about, thinking it a game, and Hojin’s hands were full.
Bi could only watch. If he reached out again, that mother cat might actually kill him.
Seemingly sharing that thought, Hojin didn’t ask for help. Instead, he studied Bi’s wounds with worry.
“But you’re bleeding a lot... Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll just hit the restroom, then we’ll relocate.”
Hojin, cradling the cat family, smiled gently as though everything were settled.
“So what are you going to do with these cats? Keep them?”
“I’d love to, but my parents are allergic. I thought I’d at least feed them...”
“Huh.”
Bi snorted involuntarily. He’d thought Hojin was decisive—turns out he had no plan, just like Roi.
As Bi stared with disdain, Hojin averted his gaze.
“Fine. I’ll call my cousin.”
“Cousin?”
“She runs a café in Ilsan that doubles as a cat shelter. If you’re okay with it, I’ll send them there.”
✧
After moving to a new spot, Bi slipped off to the restroom alone. On his way back, he found Roi—the lost lamb.
Meanwhile, outside in the parking lot, Hojin waited for Bi’s cousin. Hearing his name, he looked up to a familiar face.
“...Huh? Roi!”
But Roi’s reddened eyes and sour expression told Hojin something had gone wrong.
Given Roi’s skills, Hojin expected him to breeze through prelims. Apparently not.
Seeing Hojin’s concern, Roi felt both relief and a lump in his throat.
But he couldn’t afford to cry—it would only give Bi more fodder to tease him.
So Roi gripped his composure, perched on the curb, and discreetly wiped his eyes.
No surprise, Bi’s mocking voice was right beside him.
“Crying again?”
“Shut up. I’m not crying.”
Just as Roi struggled to steady himself, the oblivious Bi couldn’t help but jab at him again.
“Hyung, I saw someone crying in here on my way from the restroom.”
“It’s not true.”
“Roi cried...?”
“I didn’t cry.”
“Pfft! Didn’t cry, huh? Must’ve been devastated by a prelims wipeout.”
Endure this... endure three times and you could kill a man, damn it!
Roi, ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) stung by “wipeout,” shot upright and shouted.
“I didn’t cry! I said I didn’t! And I passed! I didn’t get wiped out!”
Bi flinched and hid behind Hojin at Roi’s fiery outburst. But his taunts didn’t stop.
“W-what were you even doing then?”
“Looking for you! Duh!”
As Bi prepared to retort, his phone suddenly rang—and he called a temporary truce.
“Hey, one sec. Hyung Taeeon? Yep. Hyung.”
[“Bi, it’s Taeeon. Hojin’s not answering my calls. Are you two together?”]
“Yes. We’re together.”
[“Yeonwoo and I finished, but I don’t think Roi has. Where are you two? We’ll come to you as soon as we meet him.”]
“Lee Roi?”
In that instant, Bi’s gaze flicked to Roi.
Taeeon and Yeonwoo were searching for Roi, and Roi was searching for his hyungs.
So then...
“Aha—”
Bi’s nostrils flared, as if he’d caught a chance to tease.
Just as Roi reached for the phone to snatch it, Bi backed away and tattled to Taeeon.
“He’s here by me—crying on the ground because he lost his hyungs. Wahh~”
“Damn it!”
Unable to hold back, Roi leapt up and charged at Bi.
Lord, I’ve had enough of this one.
✧
[“Blood Fiends Are Also Life”—Awakened Clash at World Cup Stadium Snarls Crowd]
[Violence Among Awakened Rises Yearly—Urgent Call to Strengthen Oversight]
[Blood Fiend Sighting in Sangam? Awakened Dept. Scrambles to Investigate]
└ Guild-types like that are too troublesome to manage anyways
On the day of the prelims, the conversation Roi had misunderstood was actually about an act of violence between Awakened over conflicting views on blood fiends.
He hadn’t felt this anxious when he first arrived in the Wilderness. Taeeon and Yeonwoo’s ambush trauma must still linger.
He’d faced not one but two blood fiends—an almost unheard-of luck—and nearly lost his hyungs. No wonder he’d been out of his mind.
But the most absurd thing was that he’d survived thanks to that ridiculous skill, godslighting.
An even bigger problem was that he was the one who would have to defeat the blood fiend leader.
Technically with his hyungs, but one of them couldn’t even awaken yet, and the other’s whereabouts were unknown.
And Yeonwoo was only rank C.
Even five S-ranks would be barely enough—what could they do with a C-rank in tow?
No, there had to be a way.
He wanted to believe that.
‘If only the Representative had worshipped D.X. instead of M.X., the Wilderness might’ve been beautiful.’
If the former, they’d be off rescuing princesses instead of hunting blood fiends.
But no use regretting now—just thinking of the Shooting Star world view made his heart race. He was so mad.
‘No. Contentment like a river to me. Right now, focus only on meeting Hangyeol hyung.’
Roy placed his hand over his heart and took a deep breath.
A week had already passed since the prelims.
He’d heard more participants passed than expected, and the network was divided.
Holding a second prelim would cost too much, but handling so many on the show might be unmanageable.
They’d send notice by week’s end at the latest, so Roy decided to get on with his plan.
The so-called Skill Unlock Project Plan B!
It’d be ideal to meet Hangyeol by competing on , but prelims proved no easy feat—get cocky relying on rank and you’d be out in an instant.
‘So if I can meet Hangyeol beforehand, I will!’
—Roy’s new plan.
Thorough reconnaissance was essential.
Roy searched Hangyeol’s name on a portal. Next to his striking profile photo appeared his awards and filmography.
But the agency name was...
“First Entertainment...?”
That was the company of Neonova, the rival that’d clung to Shooting Star with endless PR stunts.
“What traitors!”
No place else to go, so they joined First Entertainment?!
“Ha!”
He nearly laughed in shock. If he felt betrayed like this, imagine Junseo.
He couldn’t let it stand.
Roy decided to raid Hangyeol’s agency today.
