The convenience store owner kept staring at Fang like he had picked up some dangerous wild beast from the roadside.
"...Brother, what's your name again?"
"Chung Soo."
The owner nodded awkwardly.
"My name is Park Hyun."
Fang did not care.
He simply looked toward the road where the gangsters disappeared.
"Where do those insects usually stay?"
Park Hyun's expression changed instantly.
"W-Wait... you aren't planning to go after them right?"
Fang looked confused.
"They're coming back anyway."
"..."
"So it's easier to handle it now."
Park Hyun suddenly felt cold sweat on his back.
This man talked about violent gangsters like he was discussing trash disposal.
Before he could stop him, Fang had already started walking.
"Brother! BROTHER!"
Fang waved his hand without turning around.
"Consider this overtime work."
Meanwhile—
Inside a narrow alley nearby.
The three Black Viper gangsters were smoking furiously.
The one with broken wrist kept cursing nonstop.
"That bastard...!"
"I swear I'll kill him!"
Another gangster spat on the ground.
"He looked like some drunk homeless guy but fights like a psycho."
The tallest one pulled out his phone angrily.
"I'm calling big brother."
At that moment—
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Footsteps echoed through the alley.
The three turned around.
Fang stood at the entrance calmly with both hands in his pockets.
The morning sunlight behind him created a strangely oppressive atmosphere.
The gangsters froze for a second.
"Get lost from here insects"
The rage exploded again.
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"
The tallest gangster grabbed a metal pipe nearby and rushed forward.
Fang sighed.
"So noisy."
Bang!!
The pipe flew out of the gangster's hand.
Before he could react—
Thud!!
A punch landed directly into his stomach.
The gangster collapsed while vomiting instantly.
The other two charged together.
One pulled out a knife.
Park Hyun, who secretly followed from distance, almost screamed.
"Knife!!"
But Fang's expression did not even change.
The knife slashed toward him.
Fang tilted his head slightly.
Missed.
"This body is so damn rotten"
Sigh
He grabbed the gangster's wrist casually.
Crack!!
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
The knife dropped instantly.
Fang kicked his leg.
Another crack echoed.
The gangster collapsed crying.
The last remaining thug suddenly stopped moving.
Fear finally replaced anger.
"W-Who the hell are you...?"
Fang looked at him blankly.
"Your bad morning."
The thug turned around and tried to run.
Fang grabbed a broken wooden stick from the ground and threw it casually.
Thud!!
"UGHHH!"
The stick hit directly behind the thug's knee.
He rolled across the dirty alley screaming.
Park Hyun stood outside completely speechless.
This wasn't fighting anymore.
This was domination.
Cold.
Efficient.
Terrifying.
Within less than two minutes, all three gangsters were lying on the ground crying.
Fang crouched beside the tallest one.
"Listen carefully."
The gangster trembled violently.
"If you bother that old man again..."
Fang lightly pressed his broken wrist.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
"...I'll break the rest too."
The alley became dead silent except for painful crying.
Fang stood up calmly and adjusted his sleeves.
Then he looked toward Park Hyun.
"Job complete."
Park Hyun stared at him with open mouth.
"...Brother."
"Hm?"
"Were you in the military or something?"
Fang thought for a second.
"You could say that."
Assassin organization was technically military enough.
Park Hyun laughed nervously.
"...Remind me never to offend you."
Fang ignored him and started walking back toward the store.
Meanwhile—
Inside the apartment.
Seo Yuna sat near the window while staring outside absentmindedly.
Noah was drawing beside her quietly.
But Seo Yuna's thoughts remained restless.
Everything since yesterday felt unreal.
Chung Soo suddenly cleaning the house.
Cooking.
Treating injuries.
Looking for work.
Even his way of speaking felt different.
Yet...
That terrifying pressure around him still remained.
Sometimes when he looked at her—
It felt like being stared at by a predator.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened.
No.
People do not change overnight.
Especially monsters.
Suddenly Noah tugged her sleeve.
"Mom."
"Hm?"
"Do you think dad hates us?"
Seo Yuna froze slightly.
"...Why are you asking that?"
"Because his face always looks angry."
Seo Yuna looked down silently.
Even she could not answer that properly.
Chung Soo before used to look disgusting.
Now he looked cold.
Dangerously cold.
Like someone constantly suppressing violence.
Noah lowered her head sadly.
"But yesterday when I cried... he hugged me."
Seo Yuna's body stiffened.
That scene from last night flashed inside her mind again.
Noah crying in Fang's arms.
And strangely—
Fang comforting her quietly.
No shouting.
No irritation.
Just silence.
Seo Yuna grabbed her own head lightly.
"...What is wrong with this demon?"
At that exact moment—
Bang!!
The apartment door suddenly opened.
Seo Yuna flinched violently.
PTSD instantly triggered.
Her breathing became uneven.
Noah also got startled.
Fang entered while carrying two plastic bags filled with groceries.
Milk.
Eggs.
Vegetables.
Medicine.
Seo Yuna stared blankly.
Then her expression changed instantly.
"Where did you get money?"
Fang removed his shoes calmly.
"Work."
"You got a job in one morning?"
"Yes."
"Doing what?"
Fang looked at her.
"Night shift at department store"
Silence.
Seo Yuna's face turned pale immediately.
Noah blinked innocently.
Fang walked toward the kitchen casually.
"The pay was decent."
"Are you really Chung soo?!"
Fang glanced back.
"Why are you shouting first thing in the morning?"
Seo Yuna became speechless.
This man was answering like a complete psychopath.
Fang started placing groceries inside the refrigerator.
"I bought medicine. Eat after food."
Seo Yuna stared at the medicine silently.
In the past, Chung Soo never even cared whether she lived or died.
But now—
He was buying medicine with his first salary?
Her mind became even more confused.
Fang closed the refrigerator door.
"You are just try to act like you have change now"
Seo Yuna immediately pulled Noah closer protectively.
That small action did not escape Fang's eyes.
His expression became colder slightly.
"...Annoying woman."
Then he walked toward the bathroom.
Seo Yuna kept staring at his back with trembling eyes.
Her instincts were screaming danger again.
This was not normal.
Nothing about Chung Soo was normal anymore.
Fang entered the bathroom and closed the door.
Splash.
Cold water fell over his face.
He looked at his reflection in the broken mirror.
Messy hair.
Weak body.
Cheap clothes.
"...Pathetic."
The former king of assassins was now working night shifts at a convenience store to feed a family that feared him.
Life truly enjoyed mocking people.
Fang wiped his face and suddenly noticed something strange.
His killer instincts were still active.
Too active.
Ever since morning, he had continuously felt like someone was watching him.
That black car earlier...
Those eyes behind the window...
Fang narrowed his eyes slightly.
People with normal backgrounds did not observe others like that.
His instincts never made mistakes.
Someone dangerous had noticed him.
Meanwhile—
Outside the bathroom.
Seo Yuna quietly opened the medicine packet Fang bought earlier.
Her hands paused.
The medicines were expensive.
Far too expensive for someone who just earned one day salary from a normal shift.
She slowly frowned.
"...Where did he really get money from?"
Noah sat beside her while eating snacks happily.
"Mom, dad bought chocolate too."
Seo Yuna looked at the chocolate silently.
In the past, Chung Soo used to steal Noah's snacks for alcohol money.
But now—
He was buying things for her instead?
Nothing made sense anymore.
Suddenly Noah spoke innocently.
"Mom."
"Hm?"
"If dad really changes... will we become normal family too?"
Seo Yuna froze completely.
That single sentence pierced directly into her heart.
Normal family.
Such simple words.
Yet for them, it felt impossible.
Seo Yuna slowly grabbed Noah tightly.
"...Don't hope too much."
Because hope hurts the most when broken.
At that moment—
Bang Bang Bang!!
Someone violently knocked on the apartment door.
Seo Yuna flinched hard.
Her body instantly became tense.
Fang opened the bathroom door immediately.
The knocking continued aggressively.
"OPEN THE DOOR!"
A rough male voice echoed outside.
Fang's eyes became cold.
Seo Yuna's face turned pale.
She recognized that voice instantly.
"D-Debt collectors..."
Bang!!
Another violent knock shook the entire apartment.
Noah got scared and quickly hugged Seo Yuna.
"Mom..."
Fang calmly walked toward the door.
Seo Yuna instantly stood up despite her injured ankle.
"Don't open it!"
Fang glanced at her.
"They'll keep making noise."
"They are dangerous!"
Fang looked genuinely confused.
"Dangerous?"
That reaction almost made Seo Yuna speechless.
Bang Bang Bang!!
"YAH CHUNG SOO! WE KNOW YOU'RE INSIDE!"
Fang opened the door.
Three large men stood outside aggressively.
One of them immediately grabbed Fang's collar.
"You bastard! Ignoring our calls now?!"
Seo Yuna's breathing became unstable again.
PTSD instantly triggered from the shouting.
Her fingers started trembling badly.
Noah hid behind her.
The apartment atmosphere turned suffocating.
The debt collector pointed inside the house mockingly.
"Wow, your wife is still here? I would've run away already."
The other two laughed loudly.
Fang's eyes slowly turned colder.
The man continued arrogantly,
"Listen carefully. If you don't return money in three days, we'll sell everything in this house."
His eyes moved toward Seo Yuna.
"Maybe even your wife—"
Thud!!
The man's words stopped midway.
His body slammed directly into the apartment wall.
The entire hallway shook.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The other two debt collectors froze completely.
Seo Yuna's eyes widened.
Even Noah became stunned.
Nobody saw Fang move.
One second he stood calmly.
Next second—
The man was coughing blood against the wall.
Fang grabbed him by the hair slowly.
His voice became ice cold.
"Say that line again."
The collector trembled violently.
For the first time in years, genuine fear appeared in his eyes.
The pressure coming from Fang felt monstrous.
Like standing before a killer.
The other two quickly stepped back.
"W-Wait! We were joking!"
Fang looked toward them.
"Funny?"
Nobody answered.
Fang released the man roughly.
Thud.
The collector collapsed on the floor gasping painfully.
Fang spoke calmly,
"You'll get your money."
The three nodded immediately.
"B-But three days—"
"You'll get it."
Cold sweat covered their backs.
Something was deeply wrong with Chung Soo today.
The Fang they knew used to cry, beg, and hide.
But this man in front of them...
Felt terrifying.
Fang slowly closed the distance again.
All three instinctively stepped back.
"Now get lost before my mood worsens."
The collectors ran away almost instantly.
Even the injured one crawled up and escaped without daring to look back.
Bang.
Fang closed the apartment door quietly.
Silence returned again.
Then—
He turned around.
Seo Yuna subconsciously stepped back immediately while protecting Noah.
Her face was pale.
Fear.
Confusion.
Shock.
All mixed together.
Fang frowned slightly.
"...Why are you looking at me like that again?"
Seo Yuna's lips trembled slightly.
"T-That wasn't normal..."
Fang walked past her casually.
"Neither is debt."
Seo Yuna stared at his back in disbelief.
This man...
This demon...
Just now, for a brief second—
It truly felt like he would kill someone.
Fang sat on the sofa and closed his eyes.
Annoying.
Everything was annoying.
The crying.
The fear.
The debts.
This weak body.
This peaceful society.
Then suddenly—
His eyes opened sharply.
Killer instinct.
Someone was outside the apartment again.
But this presence...
Different.
Quiet.
Professional.
Fang slowly looked toward the door.
At the exact same moment—
A small red laser dot appeared silently on the living room wall.
Seo Yuna noticed it first.
Her face became confused.
"W-What is that...?"