It was almost like in the blink of an eye when Lidi felt someone patting his cheek, trying to wake him.
He groaned softly, and the hand that was about to slap his face finally stopped.
“Can you still speak?” The voice was soft, yet carried a cold edge.
For a beastman experiencing unconsciousness for the first time, his rating of the experience was a solid one-star—terrible.
Even though he had regained consciousness, his vision was still blurred, his ears rang continuously, and the dizziness in his head made him feel like vomiting.
“…Who… are you…” Lidi tried to stand, only to realize his limbs were tied to the computer chair he usually sat on.
He was only in his underwear, still reeking faintly of sweat.
Sitting on his desk was a small black-clad figure.
Her body was fully covered in tight clothing, with a hood and mask concealing most of her face, revealing only a pair of blue eyes.
And it was clear she was female—her figure made that unmistakable.
She looked small to Lidi, almost childlike in height, but her elegant curves and the confident posture of sitting cross-legged on his desk gave her an oddly refined presence.
The scene inexplicably reminded him of certain not safe for work videos he had seen before… “You don’t need to know that.
And I’m supposed to be the one asking questions.” The black-clad woman tilted her head slightly, as if evaluating him.
Lidi felt uneasy but forced down the discomfort.
“What questions?” She jumped off the desk and walked in front of him.
“Have you seen what’s inside it?” As she spoke, she casually shook a USB drive—the one that had troubled him all day.
Lidi didn’t know how to answer.
Maybe he had watched too many movies, but his instinct told him that no matter what he said, he might end up sleeping with the fishes.
His expression twisted awkwardly.
The woman—Dawnwalker—watched his face shift like a dramatic stage performance, clearly unimpressed.
“Spit it out.
I don’t have patience.” Lidi swallowed nervously.
“…Yes.
But only part of it…” Dawnwalker leaned in slightly.
“This thing is encrypted.
How did you break it?” Her face suddenly came so close that they were almost nose-to-nose.
The intrusion into his personal space, combined with the fact that he was half-naked, made Lidi extremely uncomfortable.
For some reason, he even caught a faint milky scent from her, which made him instinctively swallow.
“I… I work in programming… Your firewall… isn’t that hard to break…” He tried to sound confident, but his trembling voice betrayed him completely.
Dawnwalker didn’t care about his nervous tone.
“How much did you see?” That question made Lidi recall what he had seen earlier, and his stomach churned violently.
He forced himself to answer.
“…Not much.
But I roughly understand what’s inside.” Dawnwalker stopped probing and touched the earpiece on her side, contacting headquarters, completely ignoring Lidi being right next to him.
“You heard that?
He already saw it.” A female voice came through the communication device.
“Hmm… someone who can break our department’s firewall isn’t ordinary.” “So how should we handle it?” Lidi immediately became anxious.
“Wait, I really didn’t see much!
Even if I tell anyone, no one would believe me!
I won’t say anything, I swear—!” Dawnwalker ignored the blabbing from Lidi and walked to a corner, continuing the conversation.
“Even if he’s useful, you know the situation at HQ recently…” The voice on the other end didn’t finish before Dawnwalker cut in.
“So we kill him?” “…” Silence occurred on the other end of the communication, and Lidi also had a mental breakdown after hearing it.
Kill him?
No way.
Is this actually happening?
“Hey—hey, calm down!
Killing me isn’t a good solution at all!” Dawnwalker slowly turned her head toward him.
A suffocating presence radiated from her.
It was the kind of killing intent that only came from someone who had walked through mountains of corpses.
Lidi immediately shut up, cold sweat pouring down his back.
Satisfied by the silence from Lidi, Dawnwalker turned back to the call.
“Say it.
What’s the decision?” “You’re really cruel, you know that?” The voice on the other end sighed.
“Give him your contact.
If he wants to join us later, you’ll be the one to assess him.” “…Fine.” “Also… once this is done, come back soon.
Nightwalker’s funeral will be held when you return.” Dawnwalker gave no verbal response, as the other party understood her personality and hung up the call.
She turned back to Lidi.
Lidi was already frozen stiff, completely terrified.
From what he had overheard, it sounded like they were planning to eliminate him.
Dawnwalker stepped forward without hesitation, making him panic instantly.
“Wait—wait!
I really don’t know what I saw!
I don’t know who you are!
I don’t even want anything to do with this—!” She moved behind him and began loosening the rope on his wrists.
That only made him more panicked as he kept imagining getting a slit throat.
“I… has anyone once said your scent is kind of milky…” Dawnwalker paused for a moment.
Lidi instantly realized what he had just said and felt embarrassed.
Fortunately, Lidi couldn’t see Dawnwalker’s expression right now; otherwise, seeing her murderous look would have made him wet his pants.
“You’re really rude.” Then she finished untying him.
Lidi felt the restraints on his hands loosen—and instantly felt relieved.
She wasn’t going to kill him.
However, before he could even relax properly, a cold blade pressed against his neck.
“Everything that happened today is not to be told to anyone.
All your actions will be monitored.” Then she placed a black card in front of his eyes.
He didn’t dare reach for it as the blade was still at his throat.
“There’s a contact number on it.
If you want to join us, call it.” The card was pitch black with a silver number printed on it.
“Why do you think I’d want to join you guys?” Dawnwalker released the card, letting it fall onto his lap, and put away the blade.
“Someone like you… will come looking for us eventually.” The pressure on his neck disappeared.
Lidi finally gasped for air.
“What does that even mean?” He turned around wanting more answers— But she was gone.
The room was empty except for him.
Only then did he notice the full state of the room: scattered mess on the floor, overturned clothes cabinet, and a ticking clock pointing to 2 AM.
His hands were free, but his legs were still tied to the chair.
He sighed.
“So fast-talking… acting all mysterious… only half-untying me… the rude one is clearly you…such luck of me” Looks like tomorrow is going to be another exhausting day.