Chapter 91

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“An opportunity as good as now will never come again. And it’s all thanks to you.”

Lydia took off the glasses she was wearing with a sigh and put them on the table.

“The Red Case is divided into teams for different purposes. Among them, the team worth paying attention to is the Infiltration and Espionage team, which I am leading. The Killer team, the Guards. These are the only three. Of course, there are the previously disappeared researches, and there are other little ones such as drugs, smuggling, gambling...… .”

She took a ballpoint pen out of her pocket and started explaining to me, drawing on a piece of paper she had brought from somewhere.

“My people have almost no fighting power. In terms of combat power alone, the Killer Team and the Guards are overwhelming. Of course, there are other fighters, but they're all scattered here and there, and it's embarrassing to compare them to the previous two teams."

"So?"

"In just a few months a significant portion of this fighting power has disappeared. That's thanks to you."

She nodded and began to spin the pen slowly.

"The people I lead…… There are only about five people left, including me. Even that, Esmeralda, the child, is a captive. But the Killer team also lost that many people. And I've never seen anything like this before."

“Still, the guards are fine, right? Of course, I think those guys are the most dangerous.”

"That's why you're important."

She added the words Thorns Cross Society and Big Watch to the paper with the pen.

“The relationship between these two and us is currently the worst. It's partly because I enticed them to do so through my people, but it's also because of the pendant you got yesterday, which will make the conflict worse. Because that's what all three organizations want."

She continued her explanation, licking her dry lips for a moment.

“So this is the basis of my plan. If we use it as bait and leak information that it was stolen by the Red Case side, the two groups will rush in. And if I touch a little more internally, it can make two sides rush at once. If that happens, the Guards who are always next to the boss will be forced to leave to intercept. If I attack the boss then...… .”

"I don't want to interrupt you while you're happy, but I think you're missing some important facts, so I’ll point it out.”

I said, raising my fingers.

“First, I've never told you that I'll cooperate. Second, I don't know who's going to use this pendant as bait, and finally, the third.”

"You mean you can't trust me, right?"

I nodded at her words.

She looked as if she had already expected it.

“We'll be tired of each other, so I'll stop sounding you out and cut to the chase. The fact that you told me to come directly to you if I want to talk, and the fact that you're listening to me like this silently as if you've expected, I'm sure you have some idea of what I'm talking about, right?"

"Well, that's right."

I didn't really deny it.

In the first place, if she and her subordinates responded internally, I would be able to achieve my purpose more easily.

Rather, it was not enough for me to suggest it.

“What am I supposed to do?"

“You have to make me believe you.”

"Okay…… .”

She nodded.

In fact, I knew well why she made this decision before, but just to be sure, I needed to check.

“Honestly, you can’t possibly believe so easily that I, who is an executive, would betray that easily, can you? I should be grateful that you didn't call anyone right away."

“…… .”

she was silent.

And after a while, she opened her mouth with a sigh.

"Yeah……  Now that it's like this, I don't need to hide it anymore.”

She opened her mouth with a shaky voice.

"Red Case's boss, he's not actually a human being."

“Then what, a vampire or an undead? Or is it a dragon?”

“It would be better if that were the case.”

“Then what?”

She hesitated for a moment.

“… Seven Evil.”

Bingo.

It was exactly as the set up.

In the original story, except for the leader of the Guards, she was the only one who noticed that the boss of the Red Case was a Seven Evil, so she was a person who secretly worked in the organization to stop him.

Because no matter how serious of a criminal she was, helping Seven Evil was on a whole different level.

“I know, how crazy my story my sound. But if you listen to my explanation a little...… .”

"I believe."

"Huh?"

“I believe you.”

Lydia looked speechless for a moment.

“Wai, wait. Of course, I said this because I wanted you to believe me, but so simply...… .”

"Are you lying?"

“No, of course not.”

She shook her head.

"What benefit will it be to me if I lie to you now?"

"It's the same for me."

I nodded roughly and said to her, looking around.

Actually, it was because I played the original game and knew the settings, but I couldn't say that.

“If you're really trying to trick me, you'd have said something plausible……something moderately convincing while I was doubting you. If you told me such a bullshit story about the Seven Evil, who on earth would believe you?"

“…… .”

"Besides, in the current situation, as you said, what's the benefit of mocking me like that? And if I refuse to cooperate, you're the only one in danger. So I just thought it was reliable because it was such a bullshit story.”

“… Yes."

She nodded calmly.

Perhaps it was my imagination, but her languid eyes seemed to be getting a little more lively.

"That's a relief."

“I heard that the leader of the Killer team is targeting me, right?”

"Yes. He has now pledged to kill you.”

She meekly nodded in affirmation.

Honestly, there was no one as annoying as the leader of the Killer team.

To be straightforward, Lee Myung-Joon, who is Ten Strongest, and if you shoot him with a gun when he is hit by his abilities, he will die without a hitch.

Of course, he wouldn't attack so openly from his point of view, thinking about what would happen later and even how to escape, but if he comes out recklessly, it was better to say that he would kill more than one person unconditionally.

In addition, if the Red Case boss and he were to form a joint front, then in theory, no one could win.

If I had to pick an opponent that I had to kill as quickly as possible, it would be that man.

"I'm telling you in advance, but no one knows his ability. There are rumors that even the boss doesn't know."

“That's not what I want. I've heard that the relationship between you and the Killer team is not good, but can you still contact him?"

"I can."

"And of course, I have a pendant, so he's probably trying to kill me for at least two reasons."

"No way…… .”

“I think I should kill him.”

Lydia's expression changed from moment to moment.

For some reason, the look of surprise on her face made me laugh.

“So, I want you to cooperate.”

Lydia distorted her expression for the first time.

“It’s too dangerous.”

“You said he’s trying to kill me anyway, right? So, rather than waiting for him to hit, it's better to hit him from here first."

"But…… .”

Lydia, who had been muttering like she was trembling, made eye contact with me and shook her head slightly.

Then she asked in a quiet voice as she did in the beginning.

"What should I do?"

"If I give you a signal, you leak him the information. So that he can find me."

"And?"

“That’s it.”

I nodded.

His ability is literally like a joker card.

If you don't know, you'll be in big trouble, but from the moment you do, it's meaningless.

“If I kill him, it'll be easier for you to move, right? It would also increase the chances of the plan succeeding."

“… I suppose so."

"Okay, then I think the story is roughly organized."

I clapped and said,

“First of all, you send me the information about the Thorns Cross Society and the Big Watch. You said your people have already infiltrated?"

"Okay. I'll send you everything I know."

“And the role of informant and communicator is Esmeralda Lysnerger.”

She paused for a moment at the words.

“… The child is a captive now. There's no way you don't know that, right?"

“So, show me your abilities.”

Esmeralda Lysnerger was originally supposed to play an important role in the mid-to-late part of the story.

However, because of me, she was imprisoned in the Thunder Lord's Hammer in the first stage of the story, and now it was almost impossible for her to escape on her own.

So I just thought it was necessary to leave her alone so that she could still act as she did in the original story.

“You must have left her alone for various reasons, right? But isn't it hard to believe in humans who can't take care of their subordinates?”

“… Good."

Lydia stood up from her seat with a firm look.

She was such a rational person that she didn't bother to show that she felt bad.

"As you said, I will contact you through that child. Will that do?"

"Yeah. Good luck."

“I think it would be better to give that luck later.”

She said to me in a voice of genuine concern.

“Because no one needs luck now more than you, the leader of the Killer team is after your life.”

With those words, she turned into the middle-aged woman who had first appeared.

And before she went out, she said, 'Speaking of which,' and looked at me.

“Why are you cooperating?”

"What?"

"In fact, I've been thinking about many stories to appease you. And if I didn't get your cooperation, I was going to steal the pendant as well."

I spat out the excuses I had been thinking about for a while towards her who calmly uttered those words.

“I have a grudge against them. Aren't you also trying to kill him just because he's a Seven Evil? That's what it is."

“… I see."

Lydia nodded as if she had accepted.

After she left, I stayed in my seat.

It was because the main scenario quest, which had appeared for the first time in a long time, was floating in front of me, along with a notification window that a singularity had appeared in the scenario.

[Main Quest]

― Three-way Battle  [1]

[Explanation]

Red Case.

Thorns Cross Society.

Big Watch.

The conflict between these three groups is getting worse day by day.

They are already targeting each other's gaps to the extent that they are engaged in small-scale warfare.

In the midst of all this, you have gotten something that these three groups want.

Maybe you can use this to annihilate them.

[Success Condition]

― Red Case.

― Thorns Cross Society

― Big Watch

Come across an opportunity to target one of these three organizations.

[Success Reward]

― The content of the scenario changes according to the flow.

― The main quest ~ Three-way Battle [2] will take place.

And just before, another quest followed through the conversation with Lydia.

Although I had seen it in the original story, it was the first serial scenario I had ever seen in this world.

[Main Quest]

― Three-way Battle [2]

[Explanation]

You had found an area that could be a fatal weakness against Red Case.

Then, you were also able to make contact with a helper who responded from within to help you.

Help her prepare the groundwork for the collapse of Red Case.

[Success Condition]

― Help Lydia prepare the groundwork for the collapse of the Red Case.

1) Kill one executive-level figure in the Red Case.

2) Get at least two of the Red Case's main adversaries to declare war on them.

3) Create chaos inside Red Case.

[Success Reward]

― The main quest ~ Three-way Battle [3] will take place.

“…… .”

Looking at it, I couldn't help but keep my mouth shut.

There were too many things that needed to be prepared for, even if I roughly measured them.

And the only person who could help me prepare for it was Jin Ye-Seul.

'I'll have to talk about it tomorrow.’

I got up with that thought.

For some reason, there seemed to be a lot of things happening one after another today that required a lot of thought.

* * *

The next day, Jin Ye-Seul did not come to class until morning.

When I texted her, she replied that she would be back in the afternoon.

Then I replied that I would see her then, she replied back after a while.

This time, I didn't check it because it was a text message with an attached file.

That's because Han Soo-Young and Choi Hyun-Woo were sitting right next to me.

And both of them were talking with other students.

Before I knew it, the two of them had become the center of the class.

The area around me between the two of them was always quiet, though.

… Anyway, I wasn't going to check Jin Ye-Seul's text, which might have some kind of photo in the gap.

Especially considering that the photo she had sent me before was of her posing in her party dress.

In the meantime, I could see a female clinging to Han Soo-Young, who was next to me, with a pleading voice.

“Hey, Soo-Young. Let's go on a blind date together, please? All you have to do is sit there, okay?"

"I don't like such things…… .”

“Just sit there! You don’t have to choose anyone!”

“Right, we'll treat you to dinner and dessert too!”

“Um, that’s actually…… .”

At her continued request, Han Soo-Young smiled as if she was troubled.

Then, suddenly, she tapped my and Choi Hyun-Woo's shoulders.

“They probably know better, why I don't want to go out.”

“Oh, why?”

Han Soo-Young grinned at the girl's question.

Her gaze was clearly directed towards me and Choi Hyun-Woo, but I could instinctively notice that she was looking at me.

"Well, actually, I've been seeing someone."

A few of the girls let out a squeak at her words.

It was also noticeable that some of the male students who pretended not to be, but were listening to them, were discouraged.

“And yesterday, while confessing to......him."

“Did you kiss him?”

At someone's urgent question, Han Soo-Young nodded slightly.

Amidst the screams that erupted once more, she opened her mouth as if telling her saga.

"But I've been following him around because I like him, and he hadn't responded to me properly until now. So, while I was thinking about whether I should give up, it turned out that he also…… .”

“Wait, did you confess, Soo-Young? Not that side?"

"Yes. I fell in love first and kept confessing. But he kept taking it out. He kept saying there are circumstances.”

At those words, a loud noise erupted again.

At this point, I realized that most of the class was paying attention to this.

“But when I looked at him yesterday, it seemed that I was halfway there. And that if I push him just like that, he'll fall right away.”

"Oh my God…… .”

“Who is he, huh? Is he older? Or is he the same age as us?”

Instead of answering them, Han Soo-Young asked me and Choi Hyun-Woo.

"Right? Don't you think so, too?"

At her question, Choi Hyun-Woo quickly nodded.

"Of, course. I'm always rooting for you, Soo-Young."

Seeing Choi Hyun-Woo, who implicitly indicated that she would take Han Soo-Young's side instead of me, Han Soo-Young smiled.

"Ji-Hyuk, what about you?"

Han Soo-young looked at me with her smiling face.

“You'll also root for me, right? We're friends."

"Of, course…… .”

I nodded.

How on earth can I get away with it in this situation?

"I'll root for you, of course. We're friends."

“Hmm…… .”

Han Soo-Young nodded slowly with a satisfied look on her face.

Then she muttered quietly.

“So I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can go to the blind date. You'll all understand, right?”

Han Soo-Young, who glanced around and looked at me, then smiled brightly at the female students who were looking at her.

“He's like a loach, so I'm sure he'll run away again in a heartbeat if I go there. So, I'm going to hold onto him when there's even a little reaction."

I'm not going to miss what's in my hand.

Never.

She added as if affirming.

“I'm not going to let him get away after kissing him, because if that happens, I'll be so upset that I feel like I won't be able to stand it."

“…… .”

Choi Hyun-Woo was just making a pitying look.

I felt a sense of homogeneity and betrayal at the sight of him not even being able to look at me for the fear of being caught.

Buuuuun.

I heard my cell phone ringing, but I couldn't even think about answering it.

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