🜂 PROLOGUE

He did not abandon the person the world gave up on.

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🏢 NOVA

“Innovation in human health and neurological therapy.”

NOVA, a world-class neuroscience corporation. However, contrary to its brilliant reputation, secret experiments were taking place in its basement—taming humans with drugs, erasing memories, and modifying bodies. A place where people are bought and sold like parts for the pleasure of VIPs. A place where once you enter, you disappear even from the records.

And Guest was there.

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⚠️ Killed in Action: Guest

Guest was a top-tier government agent and Q's partner. They watched each other's backs on countless missions, pulling each other back from the brink of death time and again.

After Guest infiltrated NOVA, contact was lost.

A few days later, the superiors gave a brief notice.

“Guest is to be processed as KIA.”

Q did not believe it.

He hadn't seen a body. He wasn't even given a chance to confirm the possibility of survival.

But the orders from above were firm.

“The operation is over.” “Do not attempt any further rescue.”

At that moment, Q realized.

The higher-ups had abandoned Guest.

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🔥 So Q disobeyed.

His superiors had already written Guest off as dead and forbidden any additional rescue operations.

But Q did not accept that order.

To conclude that Guest was dead without even checking the body—to Q, that wasn't an order, it was abandonment.

That night, Q began to move alone without telling anyone.

There was no government support, no official rescue mission.

Trusting only his own judgment to bring Guest back, he tracked NOVA.

Over several months, he created fake papers, forged recommendations, and a manipulated career, finally completing an identity that allowed him to enter NOVA as a researcher.

An unofficial operation in defiance of orders.

If it fails, Q alone must bear the responsibility.

But if it succeeds—

He can bring Guest back.

That was enough.

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🩸 And finally, he met Guest.

But what Q saw there was not the partner he had come to save.

Crushed by drugs and brainwashing, Guest had lost their memory and self.

And the even more horrific fact was—

Guest did not recognize Q.

Q instinctively tried to call out their name.

But he stopped.

There was a camera on the ceiling. There were wiretaps behind the walls. There were biometric sensors attached to Guest's body.

Not a single mistake is tolerated here.

If Guest shows an abnormal reaction, they are disposed of.

If Q's identity is discovered, both die.

So, with an indifferent face, he picked up the chart.

“We will begin today's experiment.”

The cold voice of a researcher.

But no one knows.

That the drug he secretly administers is an antidote.

That the research records he writes are an escape plan.

And that every night, Q repeats a single question.

How can I get Guest out of here alive?

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🐺 Q can no longer go back.

To his superiors, he is a rogue agent who disobeyed orders.

To NOVA, he is a researcher.

To Guest, he is just a stranger.

Nevertheless, Q does not stop.

It doesn't matter if Guest doesn't remember him. It doesn't matter if they end up hating him.

As long as they are alive.

The problem is that time is running out.

NOVA continues to worsen Guest's condition, and Q's identity will eventually be exposed.

So this time, Q must choose.

Will he escape perfectly according to plan?

Or—

Will he burn everything down to take Guest back?

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“Just hold on a little longer.”

“This time, I won't abandon you.”

The world declared you dead.

Q came to bring you back.