Waiting For Your Reincarnation

Thud-! 

The pen rolling in Yeon-young’s left hand fell onto the desk.

 

As the pen fell, so did her concentration.

 

It had been like this ever since the festival with Ryu Won had ended this way, scenes from his memories trailing behind her like shadows.

 

She slumped down on her desk, unable to hide her distress.

 

The monitor glowed brightly with the <Sly Capture Report> window.

 

Whether she was behind on her work or not, Yeon-young could only think of the woman in her memory.

 

‘Who was she?’

 

‘Why didn’t Ryu Won tell me anything?’

 

She didn’t even care that her cheek was crushed by the glass of the desk.

 

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Yeon-young jumped up and put her hands on the keyboard.

 “Come in.” “What happened to your cheek?” 

It was Zhaolin who opened the door to Yeon-young’s office. 

 

The day they fell into the sinkhole, she teleported back to the center.

 

She’d heard rumors that she’d gone straight to the emergency room after returning to the Center, so Yeon-young was reluctant to see her.

 

Inwardly, she felt bad that she’d left the injured woman alone in the sinkhole led by Ryu Won.

 “I just lay down at my desk to think for a while… Just a moment, really. How do you feel?” “What are you talking about? I’m fine now.” 

Yeon-young narrowed her eyes, bracing herself for the scolding that was sure to follow, but Zhaolin didn’t seem to notice.

 

Zhaolin scanned the interior of Yeon-young’s office with a blank expression.

 

It was strange to see her acting so differently. Yeon-young rubbed her red, swollen cheeks nervously.

 

Zhaolin stood a few feet away from Yeon-young as she finished her internal scan.

 

She rummaged through her uniform pockets and suddenly threw an object at Yeon-young.

 

Yeon-young instinctively caught it, but it immediately slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor.

 

On the ground was a red ripe apple.

 “What kind of apple is that?” “You have the speed, but not the strength.” “What?” “Pick up the fruit that fell there and follow me.” 

Zhaolin turned on her heel and walked out of the office as if she had said all she had to say.

 

Yeon-young obediently picked up the apple and followed her.

 

The apple was still warm, as if it had just been picked in the forest.

 “Did you just give it to me to eat?” “Don’t eat it now. I have something for you later.” 

Zhaolin left the hallway and headed for the elevator.

 

After making sure that she got into the elevator with Yeon-young, she pushed the button for the basement floor.

 “The basement level is… Isn’t that the training center?” “How do you know, have you been there?” “Yes, I’m practicing my skills with Mr. Ryu Won… By the way, what’s going on at the training ground? Did a Sly escape there?” “No, nothing is happening.” “Then why are we going?” 

The cheerful ding of the elevator sounded and the automatic doors opened.

 

Zhaolin smiled, the right corner of her mouth lifting slightly. If demons smiled, she wondered, it would look like this.

 “Shouldn’t I repay you for saving my life?” “I see you’re the type to repay a favor with an enemy.” 

Zhaolin walked into the training center, keeping her posture straight and square.

 

The training grounds looked no different than the last time she’d been there.

 

As usual, the guards walked around the field in rows and columns.

 “The locker room is over there.” 

Zhaolin tossed Yeon-young a black garment. It was a sweatshirt, stretchy and airy.

 

Yeon-young pulled the sweatshirt over her body and looked at Zhaolin.

 

She gestured to the locker room with her chin and frowned.

 “I’m going to teach you drills that will help you on the job. We only have time today, so change quickly.” “I don’t mind not being reciprocated.” “I’m not okay with that.” 

Yeon-young didn’t want to go to the locker room. She was tired of being the recipient of something she didn’t need.

 

Her deliberate stalling made Zhaolin’s eyes go cold.

 

Finally, Yeon-young came out with a white flag and changed her clothes.

 

Zhaolin was also dressed and went out to the training ground first. The only difference was that she had a whistle in her mouth.

 “Do you see them?” “The security team?” “That’s right, you can follow them.” “What?” “What are you doing? Move your legs.” 

Zhaolin blew her whistle and began to run, first behind the security team and then in front of them.

 

The security team was surprised by her sudden arrival, but she did not look back.

 

Yeon-young had no choice but to run beside her.

 

One of the guards who had been running in front of them slowed down and ran next to Zhaolin.

 “Senior, we’re just training the kids, what’s going on?” “Junior, can’t you see that we are also training?” “Of course I can see that, but my children can’t run well because of your qi.” “Don’t you think that’s a long excuse, is that what you’re going to use when a snarl breaks into the middle?” 

The spirit that looked like Zhaolin’s Junior grunted as she picked up her pace.

 

With her sports shaved head, she looked docile when she could have been overbearing.

 

Zhaolin picked up the pace and moved from the back of the pack to the front.

 

Yeon-young kept her current pace.

 “If even one person from the guard team passes me, I’ll excuse you from today’s training at my discretion.” “Ugh!” 

Zhaolin’s suggestion energized the guards and they sped up.

 

This forced Yeon-young, who was following behind them, to pick up the pace to keep up.

 

Zhaolin looked back from time to time to check on the spirits following them.

 

None had fallen, but none had passed her.

 

Contrary to her fears, Yeon-Young was in better shape than some of the guardian spirits.

 

Despite her aversion to running, it suited her constitution.

 

Seeing this, Zhaolin sped up at the front.

 “Senior…” 

The junior who had spoken to Zhaolin earlier made a sick sound next to Yeon-young.

 

Of course, it was just a grunt, but her running stance was unaffected.

 “Huh.” 

Unlike Zhaolin who didn’t want to train, Yeon-young felt refreshed after a long run.

 

In case Zhaolin didn’t know, Yeon-young was quite athletic in her former life.

 

In fact, she was a natural athlete.

 

She was so good at every sport she learned that she was always asked if she should turn professional.

 

Of course, she was overwhelmed by the attention and usually quit after a while.

 

Eventually, she settled on early morning running.

 “It’s like eating cake.” 

One by one, Yeon-young passed the security team as she found her pace.

 

One by one, they fell behind her until she was running side by side with Zhaolin.

 

For the first time, Zhaolin smiled with satisfaction at Yeon-young’s performance.

 

After another lap around the track, Zhaolin finally stopped running.

 

Yeon-young pulled her luscious black hair into a bun and enjoyed the rush of exhilaration.

 

The guard team sprawled across the field, gasping for air.

 “Tsk. Koo Ho-young, junior.” “Yes, sir.” “Junior, your team needs to reform, your stamina is low.” 

Zhaolin stared at the faces of the guards with icy cold eyes, as if memorizing them.

 

Ho-young jumped to his feet and reassembled the guard team.

 “I will train them again. Everyone, take your positions.” “In position!” 

Zhaolin handed water to Yeon-young.

 

Yeon-young didn’t refuse her offer. She opened the cap and took a long drink.

 “I like to run.” “Did you bring the fruit?” 

Yeon-young pulled an apple out of her bag and showed it to her.

 

When she looked at it again under the bright light, it looked more like an apple than an apple.

 

It was red with orange spots all over it.

 

Zhaolin nodded and continued.

 “Eat it now.” “Now?” “Why did I tell you to bring it here?” 

Feeling like she would be hit by a fireball if she asked any more questions, Yeon-young took a big bite of the fruit.

 

She was surprised that the liquid flowed like juice without any crunch.

 “Drink it down slowly.” 

Zhaolin seemed to have tasted it before.

 

Intrigued, she bit into the fruit again and water flowed out.

 

What’s more, she felt that her thirst was instantly quenched and her energy increased.

 

It was as if she had returned to the state she was in before running on the sports field.

 “Miss Zhaolin, what is this?” “What should I do if a Snarl comes out of the forest?” “Snarl?” “Yes, I’m talking about a Snarl in the forest. Recite the manual.” “…….” “Why don’t you have an answer?” “Is there such a thing as a manual?” “What the hell did you learn from Ryu Won?” 

Zhaolin’s sudden questions made her mind turn white like a sheet of paper.

 

Looking into Yeon-young’s eyes, Zhaolin rubbed her forehead with her right hand to clear her head.

 “I’m only going to tell you once, so listen carefully.” 

She looked at Yeon-young pitifully and started talking about the manual.

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