1 Chapter 1

A man clad in a perfectly tailored suit strolled through the expansive, empty hallway, his footsteps resonating with a rhythmic tap, tap, tap on the meticulously tiled floor.

Eventually, he came to a halt before a door. Casting a swift glance at the watch adorning his wrist, he proceeded to knock twice. The deliberate knocks rippled through the hushed surroundings, heightening the suspense that clung to the man. As the corridor fell into a hush, a commanding feminine voice echoed.

"Come in," declared the authoritative voice from behind the door.

Without hesitation, the man seized the handles, gingerly swinging the door open. Stepping inside, he found himself faced with the sight of a woman seated in a cross-legged position.

Straightening himself, he met the woman's gaze, anticipating her next move.

"The next schedule will commence in 10 minutes, Director," he reported stoically.

"Is that so," responded the woman, her fingers dancing over some papers. She then shifted her focus to the man, posing a question.

"What's the content of the next schedule again?" she inquired, expecting a precise response. The man took a moment to formulate a succinct answer before replying.

"The content is to review the evaluation of potential employees for the position of bodyguard, Director," he uttered stoically once more.

Satisfied with his response, the woman nodded, placed the papers on the table, and gracefully rose from her seat.

"Lead the way," she commanded, fixing the man with her piercing gaze.

The two proceeded toward the location designated for the evaluation. Along the way, the woman queried beside her companion.

"Will there be a promising candidate among the evaluators, Team 2 Leader?" she asked, glancing at the man, awaiting his response.

Caught off guard by the question, the man pondered for a moment, his mind grappling with the query, yet failing to produce an answer.

Observing the man's silence, the woman furrowed her brow, abruptly halting her steps, prompting the man to do the same.

"Are you deaf?" she questioned with displeasure.

Bowing his head, the man apologized, "Sorry, Director. I was contemplating your question."

Upon hearing his explanation, the woman crossed her arms and teased playfully, "If it took you that long to answer, I suppose the recruits you found are still mediocre, hmm?"

Remaining bowed, the man refrained from refuting, confirming her correct assumption.

"Hmm, I guessed correctly," she smirked, reveling in her accurate intuition.

"Then, let's proceed to the Evaluation area," she declared, striding towards the destination, with the man following suit, his steps heavy.

Approaching the Evaluation area, the ambiance changed, filled with the sounds of blunt noises, manly shouts, and groans. Within the space, men exerted themselves, beads of sweat rolling down their faces as they navigated an intricate obstacle course comprised of ropes, tires, and platforms, setting a serious tone for the evaluation.

"The Director is coming. Line up everyone!" Shouted by someone in command with a tone of seriousness. 

The men quickly lined up with nervousness in their eyes, tired and anxious for the upcoming evaluation. Standing in front of the door, it felt like an eternity. Thankfully, this stopped when the doors opened, and blinding light covered their eyes, forcing them to close.

As they opened their eyes again, they found themselves looking at the woman. With dark blue eyes, a beauty mark beneath her pink lips, and bob-cut hair that fell past her chin, the recruits were entranced by her beauty, and the atmosphere became less tense.

While this was happening, the woman felt insulted by their gaze, perceiving ruffians rather than professionals. Disappointed, she was on the brink of exploding. Thankfully, the instructor of the place noticed and took charge, exploding in harsh nature.

"Where are you all looking? Look forward! Act professionally in front of the Director!" The recruits held their heads forward, enduring the scolding.

One recruit, however, did not follow the words of his superior, gazing intently at the woman. Murmurs could be heard, but they were indecipherable.

The woman was satisfied with the instructor scolding the recruits but felt a gaze on her. Looking toward the person, their eyes met. Time seemed to stop, and they couldn't break eye contact. The person beside her, Team 2 Leader, noticed this situation, looked at the director, and saw the man looking at her so intently. Well-built, tall, with black hair and eyes, and a handsome and mature face, there was an aura of mystery about him. This all ended with a loud voice.

"Gwan Joon! Where the hell are you looking at? Didn't I tell you to look forward? Give me 20 push-ups now!" The instructor shouted loudly.

Gwan Joon came to his senses due to the sudden interruption and quickly followed the instructor's command, doing the push-ups honestly. The woman Gwan Joon looked at so intently observed him doing the push-ups. Nothing special, she thought, yet curious about why he looked at her. The woman started to pay attention to this man who intrigued her curiosity.

Gwan Joon finished the push-ups with slight difficulty, tired from the intense training before lining up. He stood still, with his fingers faintly shaking. While he looked controlled outside, no emotions could be seen on his face. His mind, on the other hand, was a mess.

"Why is this happening? Why am I here? Why is my name Gwan Joon? Why am I in a training suit? Why is there a floating screen in front of me? Why? Why? Why?" As Gwan Joon slowly lost his sanity.

"Get ready, everyone! I will start the Evaluation in 2 minutes! I repeat in 2 minutes!" The instructor told everyone, and disbelief descended upon the recruits.

"What? We have just finished a set a few moments before, and now you're asking us to do it when we are at our weakest." Someone complained softly, but it was heard by the instructor.

"You there! Do 20 push-ups now!" The instructor pointed at the complainer. The person did his push-ups reluctantly, and after a few, he fainted due to exhaustion and was swiftly taken away.

Gwan Joon had a lot on his mind today. He felt the reality was not connecting properly. He heard a ringing abruptly in his head every second. All he could think was that.

"Why is Shin Jiyeh here?"