Jin calmed his nerves. Running into Gabriel was something he could've never imagined. The high-ranker seemed extremely biased against him, so getting caught by him was the worst possible outcome.
Gabriel tightened his grip further. Gritting his teeth in frustration, Jin replied evenly.
"I'm here to pay my condolences. Why else would I be at a funeral?"
Gabriel narrowed his eyes. Jin's words were genuine, even if there was a hint of defiance in his tone. He frowned and looked at Conrad, who was just as surprised.
"You should leave first."
Conrad shot a glance at Jin, who was clearly not comfortable as Gabriel held his shoulder just short of dislocating it. Jin gave him a swift nod.
"Wait outside."
Conrad clicked his tongue, looked at Gabriel, and left the two behind immediately.
Gabriel pulled Jin's body forcefully across the crowd, bringing him to the very back. Most people were slowly leaving, while the rest stayed behind to converse with one another. Of course, only a few among them talked about the deceased person. Gabriel pushed Jin toward the wall and looked around them.
There weren't any people around them, and a wide pillar hid them from the nearest crowd.
"I won't ask again, rookie. What are you doing here?"
Gabriel's cold voice sent a chill down his spine.
Jin rolled his shoulder back and glared.
"What could I possibly be here for? It's a funeral, I knew the person, you should be able to connect the dots."
Gabriel closed his eyes in irritation.
"You… Do you even know what you've gotten yourself into? The Halden Clan is out to get you, and you walk right inside their estate. I don't know if you're brave or just stupid."
Jin replied in a restrained voice.
"I was leaving, until you pulled me back inside."
However, Gabriel ignored his words and continued.
"If it weren't for the guild, these people would've burned your house down by now. It was already hard to keep your identity hidden from them; you just made things harder for me. Do you understand the position you've put yourself in?"
Jin shook his head.
"How do they know where I live?"
Gabriel leaned against the pillar.
"Forget where you live, these guys must already have a few people monitoring your family members. Your entire family is in danger as it is, and here you are, waltzing inside the tiger's den."
Jin was exasperated.
The Halden Clan wasn't merely looking for a scapegoat; they were using him in their larger game against the Hope guild. However, it seemed to be far from the truth. The facade of grief and justice was just that—a facade.
He recalled Conrad's warnings about how the guild had been shielding him from the shadows. It wasn't just about personal safety anymore; his very existence had become a battleground between two powerful factions.
Gabriel looked at him, a glint of boiling anger in his gaze. Sighing deeply, he spoke.
"Let's get out of here. We don't want more people finding out about you."
Holding Jin by the arm, he turned to the corridor leading to the exit. They had just noticed it, but another person was walking toward them. His stride alone was enough to tell Jin that he was another fourth-ranker.
Standing a few steps in front of Gabriel, the man spoke with an amicable smile.
"Well, if it isn't the prodigy of the Hope guild. How long has it been, four years?"
The corner of his lips twitched as Gabriel forced a smile.
"You look… great, Ron."
Ron looked at Jin and said, "Who do we have here?"
Gabriel nonchalantly wrapped his arm across Jin's neck.
"Just teaching a junior how he should behave at a funeral. We were just leaving, though. So, if you don't mind—"
"Lian?"
The voice was low, yet it felt like the person had just announced his name across the estate. Turning around, he saw Celia standing behind them. She seemed completely oblivious to the fact that Jin was basically fighting for his life at the moment.
'Damnation…'
Jin cursed inwardly. Numerous people were still engaged in conversation, but a few heads were turned in their direction, and their gazes were far from friendly. He noticed some of the challengers moving toward them. In a master of seconds, they were surrounded by both sides. Celia's eyes flicked around the crowd as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
Ron's brows furrowed deeply as he spoke.
"What is this low-life bastard doing inside our estate, Gabriel?"
Gabriel pushed Jin back, placing himself in front of Ron.
"It isn't what it looks like. We were just leaving."
The two simply stared at each other.
"Lian? Who's that?"
"Wait. Isn't that the guy who…"
"Heh. Walking in here today, he's done for."
"Oh, I think I've heard of him before."
Lian's name spread among the people like a wave. Even those who didn't know about him stared at him with disgust. Some didn't seem to care at all, while the others found it to be a source of entertainment. The tension was palpable.
Relaxing his stiff gaze, Gabriel spoke firmly.
"You're a smart man, Ron. Let's not blow this out of proportion. It's Sam's funeral—"
A tall woman stepped in front of Ron.
"Don't you dare defile his name."
Another man spoke from their back.
"The gall… wasn't getting Sam killed enough?"
Jin squinted his eyes.
He remained silent. Saying a single word in this situation could lead to his death. Even if he hated it, Gabriel was his best bet out of here. Celia seemed just as startled, but the pressure was too much to speak freely.
Gabriel was doing his utmost to defuse the volatile situation, but his every statement backfired. The challengers crept toward them, forming a tight formation around the three.
"What is the matter, Ron?"
Ron widened his eyes in surprise as he turned back. Standing behind him was a middle-aged woman with an air of authority, her presence commanding immediate attention. She wore a long, elegant dress that flowed gracefully to the ground, and her hair, streaked with silver, was pulled back into a neat bun. Around her, a group of challengers stood in reverence, their heads dipped slightly in a respectful bow.
Ron stepped back, letting her step forward. He shot a sidelong glance at Jin and spoke in a low voice.
"That man there is the one named Lian, Ma'am."
She narrowed her gaze and looked at Jin. His eyes were flat, his hands clasped behind his back. Her eyes drifted toward Gabriel as he blocked her sight.
She stepped forward and said, "Move aside. This matter doesn't concern you."
Gabriel straightened his back.
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Ma'am. This matter is being investigated by the Hope Guild."
Squinting her eyes, Anna let out a sigh.
"You don't have a say in this, Gabriel. I don't think Nathaniel will object to my decision."
Gabriel smiled anxiously.
"Well, I think you should do that first. It was his order to keep the witness alive till the investigation is over. I can't stand down unless I'm ordered to."
Faintly clenching her fists, Anna turned to the crowd behind her.
"Look around you. We aren't your enemies. All we want are answers, nothing else."
Gabriel looked around them. Anna wasn't trying to ease him; she wanted to pile on the pressure. He was already nervous, seeing the dozens of challengers surrounding him in an offensive formation—the chances of him coming out of it unscathed were awfully low.
Jin wiped the cold sweat off his neck.
Even when he was in the middle of countless raging pincers, the pressure back then seemed nothing when compared to this. It reminded him of his past life, the countless times when he had been cornered just like this. Back then, he had Seo to watch his back. Now, he had to make do with Celia and Gabriel, one he had fought alongside once, while the other secretly wanted him dead but not yet.
"If the Clan truly wants answers, they should investigate why two mature nests appeared undetected."
The hoarse voice broke through the silence like a torrent.
A young man passed through the formation and stood beside Gabriel.
Anna's gaze softened.
"Dean… you shouldn't—"
Dean turned his hollow gaze to Jin and said in a low voice.
"Get out of here."
Jin didn't retaliate. He simply hung his head low and left them behind. The formation parted, letting him pass through unharmed. A few whispers reached him, but he kept walking, as if nothing else existed.
Celia watched as Jin left, but she didn't have the authority to speak out. She glanced at Dean's back, her mind telling her to reach out. However, she did not. Clicking her tongue in frustration, she followed the path Jin took and left.
Looking at Anna one last time, Gabriel left as well.
Ron turned to Dean, his jaw clenched.
"What have you done…"
Walking up to Ron, Dean glared at him fiercely.
"This is my brother's funeral. You might be my uncle, but I won't let you turn what's left of Sam into some political spectacle."
Ron frowned deeply as he absorbed Dean's words. Anna looked between them, sensing the growing tension, but before she could say anything, Dean turned and walked away.