Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 97

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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97. Bomb? (8)
“Are you sure you’re okay? Your complexion is way too pale right now.”
Alarmed, Tae-hyun grabbed Ha-jin’s shoulder and examined him. Ha-ru, who had been drifting off to sleep, stirred at the sound and slowly rose, his eyes filled with concern as he looked between the two of them.
“…I just didn’t sleep well. I guess the stress got to me. I’m fine, really.”
“How can I not worry? I just saw you about to pass out.”
“I’m not passing out. I’m really fine—just got a bit dizzy for a moment. I’m okay.”
Despite his words, Ha-jin was still enduring a sharp, stabbing pain that seemed to pierce deep within his body.
He was grateful the room was dark with only the mood lighting on. If Tae-hyun or Ha-ru had seen him under bright light, they would have woken the managers and insisted on going to the hospital immediately.
But right now, the contents of the system window appearing before his eyes were a far greater problem than the pain in his body.
“Or at least take some medicine. Where does it hurt?”
“…Let me sleep first, and if it still hurts when I wake up, I’ll go to the hospital. Deal?”
“….”
“Look, I’m not dying. Just go inside and get some rest. It’s late.”
“Hyung…”
“Once you two head in, I’ll lie right down here and sleep.”
“….”
“For real. I promise.”
Ha-jin deployed all the acting skills he’d honed over the years to reassure Tae-hyun and Ha-ru. Though they continued to regard him with worried expressions, they had no choice but to step aside so he could rest.
The moment Tae-hyun ushered Ha-ru into the room, Ha-jin stretched out on the sofa and examined the system window before his eyes more carefully.
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** Scheduled for quick recovery @?1
If you could provide the correct Korean text, I’d be happy to translate it for you.
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Real pass
I cannot provide a meaningful translation for this text as it appears to be corrupted, contains random characters, symbols, and does not form coherent Korean words or sentences.
The system window, which he hadn’t seen in a while, was corrupted as if its graphics had shattered, with garbled text scattered throughout. Fortunately, despite the distorted characters, he could still make out the critical information.
【Complete the third mission successfully with Lee Yu-gun】
【The system is under attack as it returns】
【Please be careful】
【Recovery expected soon】
And….
【Upon failure, regression probability: 100%】
‘Why? Why this timing?’
If he failed to successfully complete the third stage with Lee Yu-gun, he would definitely regress.
Upon confirming this, Ha-jin felt his heart truly racing now.
‘Think slowly. That bastard definitely said the Chosen Regressor regresses because they want to be happy.’
Unable to bear the overwhelming misfortune that befell their life, they escape through regression, indulging only in happiness they could manage. That was the pattern of the Chosen Regressor that Ha-jin understood.
‘When I first entered Miro, the regression probability was 85%. There was never a separate regression warning while I was dealing with the Executive Director and Han Sung-woo.’
It meant the results Ha-jin had created were satisfactory. But at this moment, for his third mission to suddenly become the price for preventing regression….
‘If I fail this third mission, does that mean he becomes unhappy? To the point where he wants to give up everything and leave now? Why on earth? What does that have to do with me?’
In that moment, Ha-jin felt heat rising in his chest, so he took the deepest breath he could manage to stay composed.
‘That bastard Dol might be pulling some stunt again. Since it seems like the reason Thirteen hasn’t come back is because of that son of a bitch.’
For now, I’d meet Lee Yu-gun tomorrow. And we’d talk.
Whether Lee Yu-gun was the Chosen Regressor or not, I needed to clear up every suspicion about him for the sake of this Quest. Ha-jin forced himself to calm his anxious mind and sought sleep that wouldn’t come easily.
* * *
However, the next morning, Ha-jin couldn’t meet Lee Yu-gun.
“He didn’t come in?”
“Yes, he’s not answering his calls either….”
Lee Yu-gun hadn’t returned to the Dormitory since going out yesterday. Based on the circumstances, it seemed the last contact was when he’d sent Ha-jin the song selection materials.
“Hyung, do you have Lee Yu-gun’s emergency contacts or anything? Family numbers?”
“Well, that’s… I did have one written down, but whether it’s old or was written wrong, the number doesn’t exist….”
The Rookie Development Team Staff member who handled Lee Yu-gun’s care seemed to have no proper understanding of the situation, his eyes darting away evasively. He was the type of staff member who often failed to manage trainees or relay announcements on time, which had caused complaints among the trainees.
‘I need to tell Ji Su-ho to shake things up in the New Talent Development Team.’
How could a staff member not even know the emergency contact information for a trainee under his care? Seeing the staff member look even more flustered than Ha-jin himself, I barely managed to hold back from raising my voice.
The anxiety that I might regress without being able to do anything gnawed at my mind, turning it into complete chaos. Whether the system’s breakdown had damaged the mental care system as well, I couldn’t think rationally since earlier. Ever since waking up this morning, all the memories and emotions from my past life had been mixing together in a jumbled mess.
“Hyung, we’ll search for Yu-gun, so please contact the production crew for us.”
“Huh? C-contact? Me?”
“…We were supposed to film our practice content later, but Yu-gun isn’t here now. Are we filming without Yu-gun? We can’t broadcast it as an unauthorized absence. Obviously, you need to postpone the filming or something. You’re Yu-gun’s manager.”
“Ah, yes. Right, of course.”
I understood he was someone new who hadn’t been here long and was still clumsy with his work, but the current Ha-jin wasn’t in a composed enough state to understand such circumstances one by one.
Barely holding back my physical state, my words came out a bit harsh. Then the staff member, who had been reaching for his phone in surprise, seemed to take offense belatedly, looking at Ha-jin with an aggrieved expression.
“But Ha-jin, those words you just said make me uncomfortable. I’m still an adult and an employee here. Is it right for you to speak to me like that?”
He was not only clumsy with his work but had an even worse attitude. The usual Ha-jin would have apologized appropriately and moved on, but not now. Now wasn’t the time for that.
“Then please do your job quickly. Don’t just stand there like this.”
“What? That’s really disrespectful.”
“Hyung, you left yesterday before we even finished filming and didn’t come back. That’s why Yu-gun went straight out after filming ended and didn’t come back to the Dormitory, and you didn’t even know that. But I haven’t said anything to you about it.”
“….”
“Right now, I have a lot I want to say, but I’m holding back.”
The Ha-jin the staff member knew was always the kind-hearted Ha-jin who treated any employee with a friendly smile and kindness.
So when that Ha-jin approached him for the first time with a terrifyingly hardened expression and a voice lowered to a dangerous pitch, he felt an overwhelming pressure he couldn’t have imagined and instinctively stepped back.
But whether fortunately or unfortunately, Ha-jin couldn’t direct any more anger at the staff member. Si-woo, who had rushed over after hearing the situation, blocked Ha-jin from doing so.
“Kang Ha-jin, calm down. What’s wrong with you?”
“….”
“Eun-chan, take him to the room. Ha-jin’s burning up. He seems to have a fever, so take him there, give him medicine, and let him rest. Hurry.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Won-ho and Do-ha, ask the other members if anyone’s seen Lee Yu-gun.”
“Got it. Do-ha hyung, let’s go.”
“And you guys outside, go to the Practice Room. Don’t go poking around to see what’s going on with other teams.”
Si-woo quickly organized the situation. Of course, normally this should have been the staff member’s responsibility. But the staff member still stood there without saying a word, merely observing the situation.
Eun-chan supported Ha-jin as they left the Practice Room, and Si-woo’s gaze followed them until they disappeared. His eyes, which had turned cold for a moment, quickly softened as he turned to the staff member before him with a gentle voice, placing a hand on their shoulder.
“Ha-jin hasn’t been feeling well since yesterday, and now Yu-gun’s gone missing too—I suppose I’ve been a bit on edge. You understand, don’t you?”
It wasn’t a request for understanding, but a command. Yet the staff member, already intimidated once, failed to catch that subtle distinction. They simply felt reassured by Si-woo’s kind tone and affectionate manner, nodding frantically.
“I’m sorry too, you know. I’ve been swamped with work and missed things… but Yu-gun’s sudden disappearances aren’t new, and honestly, I’m just as bewildered.”
It was nothing but an excuse—and worse, they were subtly shifting blame onto the trainee they were supposed to protect. Si-woo withdrew his hand from the staff member’s shoulder and took a step back. He had always been quick to judge who was trustworthy and who wasn’t.
“Of course, I understand you’re busy. Ah, I’ll contact the production team myself. You must have plenty to do… go ahead and get back to work.”
“That would really help. I’ll look into the Yu-gun situation more carefully too.”
“Yes. Go on in.”
Given an easy exit, they fled hastily. The staff member was only two or three years older than Si-woo, so they were probably terrified that word might reach their superiors and earn them a serious scolding. Si-woo’s expression turned troubled as he dialed someone.
“Team Leader, hello. It’s Si-woo. Yes, something’s come up with our team, so I’m calling urgently.”
The person on the other end of the line was Ji Su-ho, the Team Leader currently overseeing both Miro Maze and the next boy group project.
There’s no reason for me to take responsibility for mistakes that person can’t even own up to.
Si-woo’s expression hardened coldly as he ran a hand through his hair.
* * *
“Hyung, just take this medicine.”
“I don’t have a fever.”
“Take the medicine. You were sick early this morning yesterday too.”
“When did you even hear about that?”
Eun-chan dragged the protesting Ha-jin all the way to his room and finally got him to lie down on the bed. Then, with an extremely firm attitude, he held out a fever reducer and a cup of water. His determination was fierce—Ha-jin wouldn’t take a single step until he took it.
“Si-woo hyung said you had a fever too. He said you were burning up.”
“…That’s not that kind of fever. I just said that because I was so angry and needed to calm down. I’m really fine.”
Ha-jin’s condition had settled considerably by the time they returned to the room. But Eun-chan clearly didn’t believe him. After a prolonged back-and-forth, Ha-jin finally gave in.
“Okay. I’ll take the medicine. After I take it, I’m just going to take a walk around here and come back.”
“Alone?”
“I need to clear my head. If I start feeling worse, I’ll lie down right away, I promise.”
“…Really?”
Only after reassuring the suspicious Eun-chan multiple times could Ha-jin finally leave the room.
“….”
Ha-jin was acutely aware that his mind was currently consumed by a single thought. Regression 100%. Those words wouldn’t leave his head. And on top of that, Yu-gun had vanished.
‘…He hasn’t been caught up in any scandal yet, right? If someone leaks that he left without permission, it could be completely irreversible.’
Ha-jin absolutely had to complete the third mission successfully with Yu-gun. If the fact that Yu-gun had abandoned the group spread across the internet, it would be nearly impossible to turn public opinion around in his favor.
‘I need to find him before this blows up. With a face as distinctive as his, if he gets spotted anywhere…’
Just then, someone grabbed Ha-jin’s shoulder firmly.
“Hyung!”
“…! Oh, Ha-ru.”
Ha-ru, with his tousled hair, looked up at Ha-jin while wearing a yellow hoodie that resembled his own.
“Hyung, are you okay? You were sick yesterday.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Where are you headed?”
“Um, well… to buy ice cream for Tae-hyun hyung. Hyung, want to come with me?”
Apparently unaware of the situation with Yu-gun, Ha-ru mentioned only yesterday’s illness with a worried expression, then cheerfully invited Ha-jin to join in “Operation Ice Cream for Seo Tae-hyun.”
“That ice cream is apparently some kind of limited edition, so they say you have to go all the way past the Major Intersection to find it. It’s a bit far to go alone….”
“….”
“If you’d rather not, I can just go by myself….”
“…No. Yeah. Let’s go.”
As Ha-ru hesitated and took a step back, I nodded impulsively. A walk would clear my head and settle my nerves.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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