Chapter 124.2

Chapter 124.2

“Hey, what happened to your face? Did you get into a fight?”

When Seoryeong visited the team leaders’ hospital room, Ki Taemin, who was peeling an orange, dropped his jaw. Despite her careful entrance at such a late hour, his lively voice immediately cut through the quiet.

“Ah…”

Seoryeong sighed absentmindedly and rubbed her stiff cheek. She massaged her tired neck, trying to shake off her muddled emotions.

“How’s the team leader?”

“…”

Even the simple question felt hard to voice. When she hesitated, the men’s expressions grew tense, as though their thoughts had turned to the worst.

Feeling pressured, Seoryeong hastily explained.

“He underwent a successful surgery and is resting now.”

“Phew! That’s a relief.”

Yoo Dawit ran a hand down his face, wincing as if the movement hurt. His upper body, from neck to shoulders, back, and arms, was wrapped in layers of white bandages, making him look like he was wearing a makeshift cast.

Seeing his state, Seoryeong felt the full weight of the lengths they’d gone to retrieve “Sonya.” A strange guilt crept up on her as she approached them hesitantly.

“Are you okay, though? Didn’t you skip proper treatment because of us?”

Ki Taemin looked her over with concern.

“I finished up quickly.”

She had suffered a mild concussion and a cut on her head, but it felt trivial compared to the others’ injuries.

While she casually ate instant noodles, the team had endured the worst. As she hung her head low, Ki Taemin frowned and threw out a blunt comment.

“Han Seoryeong, have you even slept?”

“…”

She hadn’t slept a wink. Even though the company provided her with a private room, even though she had cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes, sleep had eluded her.

“That crazy priest has had an eye on you since we arrived. Honestly, you should be the one resting, not us. Don’t forget that he dragged you off. That’s no small thing.”

“Yes, I learned a lot from that priest.”

“What?”

“Ah! I mean, I’m fine.”

Although the conversation wavered momentarily, her last words had been sincere. The incident of being confined hadn’t left her with any lasting psychological scars.

But more than that, a sudden thought made Seoryeong flinch as if she’d bitten her tongue.

Isn’t it unfair for him to be searching for his wife now?

How contradictory this felt. After all, I’m clinging to Kim Hyun with everything I have.

Feeling like she’d gained nothing from this turmoil, Seoryeong desperately sought to clear her mind. Then, looking at Yoo Dawit, an idea suddenly struck her.

“Senior, I have a question.”

As if trying to dispel the frustration clouding her thoughts, she deliberately shifted the topic.

“What is a ‘mark’?”

“Hmm?”

Yoo Dawit’s voice was hoarse, barely audible. Known for his solemn and reserved demeanor within the team, he seemed to have strained his vocal cords entirely during the chaotic rescue. His voice was now nothing but a rasp.

Even that alone hinted at the desperation they must have felt escaping the crisis. Her chest grew heavy with guilt once again.

“The priest mentioned something about the mark… the mark of the beast.”

“…!”

Yoo Dawit’s brow furrowed deeply. “Something about Revelation,” she added.

He drew a sharp breath but froze in place, unable to shift comfortably due to his fractured ribs. He suppressed a groan, pain etched across his face.

“It means a mark, basically… but the mark of the beast.”

Yoo Dawit frowned, hesitating as he searched for the right words.

“Hearing that from someone tied to the Sakhalin branch makes it sound anything but ordinary.”

“How so?”

“The ‘beast,’ from a divine perspective, often symbolizes nations or those in power. To God’s omniscient gaze, those who wield authority probably seem like rampaging beasts.”

“……!”

“Ultimately, a mark created by those individuals or forces would signify their influence or control.”

He swept back his long, disheveled hair with a hand.

“It’s a prophecy that some nation or power will distribute such a mark to people. I’ve even thought of it as akin to the badges worn by Nazi party members. Interpretations vary widely. The more the world changes, the more intense the fear surrounding the ‘mark of the beast’ becomes.”

“When barcodes first emerged, religious groups overanalyzed them. The same happened with vaccines. But if there’s one interpretation that encompasses it all…”

Her eyes blinked in surprise as the conversation took an unexpected turn.

“It’s the verification chip—an implantable biometric chip.”

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