I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 163 : The Golden Insignia (1)

B&S Group, led by Chairman Hwang Yong-jae, owns top-tier national companies in security, communications, and other fields.

And as long as Hwang Won-jae, the chairman's brother and a key executive there, is also an executive in [Sword of Belphegor].

It wasn't particularly difficult for them to interfere with the communications network between the Execution Force, armed police, and the government.

And now.

[Train containment complete! Six Ma-in including the leader Ko Kyeong-ho have been killed at the scene, and the remaining Ma-in including Jeong Yeongil have all been restrained!]

[Civilian deaths have been confirmed to be fewer than ten, but there are numerous serious injuries......]

Pleasure Killer Kwak Hyeok-jung, realizing that the operation he had orchestrated had clearly failed, couldn't contain his rising anger and went berserk.

"Those fucking idiots!"

Crash!

After breaking the window and smashing a chair, Kwak Hyeok-jung erupted in rage.

"They couldn't even catch those two bastards!"

It was Jeong Su-hyeon again.

He had gone as far as using the major ploy of a train hijacking to kill him, even preparing the pretext of a robbery gang specializing in hijacking.

Yet somehow, the boy not only survived in there but even went so far as to behead Ko Kyeong-ho.

'Jeong Su-hyeon killed Ko Kyeong-ho? That's impossible. I know that man's skills well. He's on a completely different level from young greenhorns like Chu Jinhong who rely only on momentum!'

Since he had no way of knowing what had happened in there.

Kwak Hyeok-jung's curiosity and anger only grew.

"Given the situation, I have no choice."

Suppressing his anger, Kwak Hyeok-jung muttered.

"I'll have to kill that bastard myself."

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"Kwak Hyeok-jung ran off to kill Jeong Su-hyeon?"

The Vampire Queen frowned upon receiving the report from an organization member.

"Why has he gone crazy again? Has he lost his mind to think of charging in suddenly in this situation? And Barrier let him go?"

"Yes. He went berserk, threatening to execute him first if he didn't send him to the coordinates immediately."

"That's crossing the line."

Hwang Won-jae, who had been lost in thought with his eyes closed for a moment, said.

"What an impulsive bastard."

What if he rashly goes to a place now swarming with Execution Force members and gets caught instead, exposing their trail?

"We can kill someone like Jeong Su-hyeon whenever we want. What matters is when and at what timing we kill him. I overlooked his personal grudge in commissioning the hit on Jeong Su-hyeon, but I can't overlook him acting like an unruly colt even in a situation like this."

Hwang Won-jae immediately sent a telepathy to Kwak Hyeok-jung.

[Kwak Hyeok-jung. Come back.]

[Shut up! Don't order me around.]

[The blood has completely gone to your head. If you return now, I won't hold you accountable. But if you refuse, you'll bear all the consequences yourself.]

[I said shut up.]

Hwang Won-jae pressed his throbbing temples with his hand after hearing Kwak Hyeok-jung's response, who had completely blown a fuse.

"Call Ha Jin-su."

If he won't return on his own will, they'd have to drag him back by force.

"That bastard, he talks a good game but I've never seen him successfully complete anything he's been entrusted with."

Ha Jin-su grumbled as he walked across the Catacomb, carelessly tying his Rusty Sword to a string and hanging it.

Come to think of it, didn't he lead and direct the Academy raid only to retreat without killing even one Instructor?

Moreover, in that operation, he lost his younger brother Ha Jin-young.

'They said Jeong Su-hyeon was on his way back from meeting the sword spirit.'

The one burning with murderous intent wasn't that bastard, but himself.

Sighing, Ha Jin-su approached Ultra-Flight Bang Unmin, who had been fidgeting like a puppy that needed to pee.

"Heard the story?"

"Y-yes!"

"Send me right away."

"Understood."

Whoosh!

Ha Jin-su's body was shot like a rocket.

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Ha Jin-su spotted Kwak Hyeok-jung at a point only 4km away from where the train was.

"Kwak Hyeok-jung!"

"Ha Jin-su."

Kwak Hyeok-jung frowned when he saw him.

"Have you come to stop me?"

"You really screwed things up completely. Needlessly messing with Jeong Su-hyeon."

"That's why I'm going to kill him myself!"

"You think you're the only one who wants to kill that bastard? I even lost my brother because of him."

"Then why are you stopping me! If we just crush him like an ant right now, it'll be simple!"

"Because we'll all be fucked if you do that. Isn't that obvious? For fuck's sake, you really need to fix that habit of not thinking things through when you lose your head."

Ha Jin-su drew his sword.

"I don't like how that bastard Hwang Won-jae meddles either. But he's not wrong. How hard could it be to kill a mere seventeen-year-old cadet?"

"That's why I'm going to do it now!"

"The problem is that rushing in to kill him like this will only complicate the situation. From the moment you failed to kill him on the train, you missed the timing to kill him this time."

"......Ha Jin-su."

Exhaling deeply, Kwak Hyeok-jung said.

"I don't deny that your words make sense."

"Right? You understand?"

"But I simply cannot suppress this burning murderous intent rising within me right now."

"Oh for fuck's sake, this stubborn bastard."

As Ha Jin-su sighed and prepared to fight, just then.

"Hmm?"

Ha Jin-su, with his superhuman eyesight, spotted Kang Woojung running across the opposite mountain.

"Wait a minute."

"What is it?"

"That guy. Isn't he from the train? Kang Woojung or whatever."

Following Ha Jin-su's pointing finger, Kwak Hyeok-jung narrowed his eyes and nodded.

"Hmm. It seems so. I heard that he was carrying something that Ko Kyeong-ho was after. I didn't think it was anything special, but......"

"This smells interesting?"

Ha Jin-su grinned.

"Listen. I've got a good idea."

"A good idea?"

"First, I don't really want to fight with you for nothing."

"Then cooperate with me. If we work together, killing Jeong Su-hyeon despite the Execution Force's protection would be as simple as flipping your palm."

"No. I told you earlier. We can kill Jeong Su-hyeon anytime! Right? Aren't you confident about that?"

"Stop your pathetic provocation, Ha Jin-su."

"What I'm saying is don't be so stubborn about killing someone we can kill anytime. Let's be smarter about this."

"What do you mean by this smartness you speak of?"

Seeing his attitude of at least willing to listen, Ha Jin-su grinned.

"That guy looks suspicious, doesn't he? Why were they trying to find him? Why is he, a hunter, running away from the Execution Force?"

"......Hmm."

Kwak Hyeok-jung, who was gradually regaining his senses through the conversation with Ha Jin-su, stroked his chin in thought.

"......Hwang Won-jae sending you was the right decision."

At this virtual acceptance, Ha Jin-su split his mouth into a grin.

"Right? That bastard's brain really works impressively."

It was the moment two vicious trackers set their sights on Kang Woojung.

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Around the same time, the Execution Force members were interrogating the captured Jeong Yeongil.

"Answer. Why did you target Jeong Su-hyeon and Kang Woojung?"

"Kuhuk."

As Jeong Yeongil sneered as if to say he wouldn't tell, the Squad Leader who had been watching with folded arms stepped forward.

"Fine. I expected you wouldn't talk anyway."

The Execution Force members, already at their limit, had no intention of unnecessarily accommodating a Ma-in who had mercilessly slaughtered civilians yet still held his head high.

"Just beat him until he talks. I'll take responsibility."

"Understood."

5 minutes later.

"Aaaaaaaaah! Stop! Please stop!"

Unable to withstand the skilled torture, Jeong Yeongil immediately surrendered.

"A man of weak will."

"Kuuuu, kuuuk."

Jeong Yeongil, out of his mind from the pain of having his vital points electrocuted, drooled.

"Tell us everything, without leaving anything out."

Jeong Yeongil began to stammer out his story.

And.

The full account that flowed from his lips surprised Su-hyeon and the Execution Force members.

"......So in the end, the real purpose behind your train attack was to steal an item called the Golden Insignia that Hunter Kang Woojung possessed? And you also received a request to kill Cadet Su-hyeon in the meantime?"

The Squad Leader verified the information with a serious expression.

"So you were planning to line your own pockets while pretending to cooperate with the Sword of Belphegor."

"Of course. Why would we honor any loyalty?"

Jeong Yeongil smirked.

"Hmm. So there was no hierarchical relationship between you?"

The Squad Leader nodded, noting it as important information.

"So what exactly is this Golden Insignia?"

"......Long ago, there was a legendary organization that dominated Korea's underworld. It had an even greater influence than now, when the Sword of Belphegor and several other organizations operate covertly."

"Hmm. That was already decades ago. So?"

"We were once under that organization's influence too. It was the period when the era of demonic beasts had passed and the struggle between you humans and us Ma-in began. Do you know who the boss of that place was?"

"Chun Gwangmyeong."

"That's right. He was an exceptional man. In the dawn period before the Execution Force was even created, when gangsters, Triads, Yakuza, and others ran wild, he grew his organization with Mafia-like discipline and organizational ability."

Jeong Yeongil's expression was tinged with nostalgia as he recalled the godfather he had admired in his youth.

"After that man died in the struggle against your Execution Force, the organization splintered. But the legend of the secret vault containing the enormous wealth he had accumulated during his lifetime continued for a long time. A vault created by combining the powers of the great magicians and meisters of that era."

"Then."

Su-hyeon, who had been listening quietly, said.

"Are you saying that what's needed to open that vault is the insignia that Kang Woojung possesses?"

"Hehehe, the kid has good instincts. That's right. They say if you place that insignia against his vault, it automatically glows and opens."

While he didn't know through what channels Kang Woojung had obtained the insignia.

The story was that Kang Woojung, having obtained the insignia, had been fleeing to Korea, the country with the most stable public security, using his status as a hunter.

And Ko Kyeong-ho and Jeong Yeongil, pretending to return to and settle in Korea, which had been destabilized by recent continuous turmoil, were actually after the Golden Insignia that Kang Woojung possessed.

"......Hmmmm."

While the Execution Force members fell into silence after hearing this unexpected story.

'Come to think of it, I think I heard something about such a hidden piece.'

Su-hyeon too was now vaguely recalling a memory.

'I think it was almost at the level of a MacGuffin. Looking at it now, I think the timing didn't match because I hadn't had any occasion to be involved in something like this until this point.'

Perhaps if he hadn't been involved, that insignia would have just drifted around somewhere and disappeared.

Or maybe Kang Woojung would have disappeared with it and lived in wealth and glory.

'In that case.'

Su-hyeon thought.

'I can't let it slip by.'

Here's another person.

A new player decided to join the competition for the insignia.

'Above all, I feel dirty about being used if it ends like this.'

Su-hyeon couldn't bear the thought of that.

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Three days had passed since the incident.

Su-hyeon had achieved the tremendous feat of saving numerous citizens and single-handedly killing a high-ranking Ma-in, but.

Due to adult circumstances, unlike the plaza incident, the case was mostly wrapped up by quietly controlling information and secretly receiving a reward and commendation.

Of course, during that time, Su-hyeon had to go through the process of receiving an enormous bombardment of calls, explaining everything individually, and reassuring people.

And finally today.

'......The time has come.'

Su-hyeon decided to begin the operation to track down Kang Woojung and intercept the Golden Insignia.

For that, he first needed one helper, and.

[......Isn't this too reckless?]

That person was none other than Kwon Seung-yeon.

"It might be reckless. But if things go according to plan, it should be fine."

[Hmmmm.]

To Kwon Seung-yeon, who was contemplating, Su-hyeon made an offer she couldn't refuse.

"Let's split the money. Without Nam Tae-hoon, maybe 7:3..."

[Su-hyeon.]

Kwon Seung-yeon interrupted and asked seriously.

[What do I need to do?]

Su-hyeon answered with a smile.

"We're going to the black market."