I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 172 : Request (1)

Time passed quickly, and it was already mid-August with the reopening of school looming just ahead.

The political situation, which had once felt like walking on thin ice every day, had somewhat eased during that time.

People suppressed their fear and anxiety and returned to their daily lives.

And during that period, there was one man who had been frequently discussed among the population.

Jeong Su-hyeon.

One of the three EFAC cadets who had stood at the forefront to protect citizens and stop Ma-in during the Blood Plaza incident, and a 17-year-old top student who had also played a major role in the train hijacking and bank robbery incidents.

With neither his name nor face precisely revealed, everything about the boy remained veiled.

But rumors circulating in anonymous communities quite accurately included the fact that he had defeated Hwang Ji-su, Lee Yu-jin, Seo Jun-seong, and even Min Hae-na, suddenly emerging as the most promising and capable figure.

"......Jeong Su-hyeon's existence has become too big to hide behind anonymity now."

At Instructor Kim Cheol-han's words, Instructor Lee Ho-seung snickered.

"It can't be helped. The Ma-in kids already know all about him, and he's even facing opposition already."

In a way, isn't it a good thing? he said.

"If the existence of such a star-class cadet can alleviate people's anxiety."

"But without a solid background like other cadets, I'm worried we're giving him too heavy a burden."

"Stop it, he'll handle it well on his own."

Lee Ho-seung said.

"And what's there to worry about? Can't I properly take care of my one disciple?"

At those words, Kim Cheol-han also smiled.

"Well, I suppose if anyone dares to touch even a hair on Jeong Su-hyeon's head, Instructor Lee wouldn't let it slide."

"Absolutely."

Lee Ho-seung, who had been shrugging his shoulders, suddenly frowned.

"By the way, that bastard, school's about to start soon and he hasn't come to visit his master even once?"

The guy who even went to see our master after going with Yu-jin?

Kim Cheol-han smiled, seeing Lee Ho-seung's face expressing such sentiment.

"You're quite fond of Jeong Su-hyeon, aren't you?"

"Kid, are you really in a position to say that to me?"

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From the final exams to the end of vacation.

Having obtained new techniques and new items through major incidents, I was repeating daily training to refine my skills maturely while adapting to my increased specs.

I had received the Moonless Sword from Lim Eun-seo, and was taught the technique of Flying Strike by the Sword Spirit.

Rungen's bracelet not only enhances the body's vitality but also stores a certain amount of mana for emergencies.

If I had to put it in terms, it's like a kind of auxiliary battery?

'In more urgent situations, such a provision could save your life.'

If the current me were to fight Min Hae-na from the time of the final exam, my win rate would clearly be at least 6:4, even by the most conservative estimate.

'Could it go up to 7:3? Of course, that's a meaningless assumption since Min Hae-na would have trained during that time too.'

My current combat power already exceeds that of an ordinary Squad Leader.

'But I still have a long way to go.'

Senior Squad Leader, unit deputy leader, unit leader.

There were many steps to climb.

'Besides, when it comes to the 1st Unit, Squad Leaders stronger than me are all over the place.'

The level of the Maker Unit, which gathered only aces, was in another league altogether.

'It's true that I've grown stronger with unprecedented growth momentum. But that's exactly it.'

So I couldn't afford to neglect training even for a day.

Sring.

I draw the Moonless Sword.

Woowung.

Dark sword energy rises over the dark blade.

I swing the sword through the air, now sharper than a razor blade and sturdy enough to cut through anything.

Bwooong!

Flying Strike.

The slash that flew through the air cleanly split a thick steel plate in half.

"Good."

Both control and power are satisfactory.

Attack and cutting power that far surpass bullets.

To be able to use such an attack from a distance.

'It feels like being a boxer who can use a pistol, I suppose?'

With this, my tactics had evolved to the next level.

'Now what remains is... 'that skill'.'

If I could equip 'that skill,' I could gain not only a top-tier movement technique but also a one-hit-kill stake technique at once.

Of course, the points required for such a skill are no joke.

'I still have a long way to go to accumulate enough.'

But the moment I acquire that skill, my power will undoubtedly...

"Hey hey, take it easy. Why don't you ever rest for even a day?"

I turned my head at the sound of Park Mincheol's voice behind me.

"If you don't walk today, you'll have to run tomorrow."

"Good grief, if you say so."

Park Mincheol shook his head.

"I've long passed the level where I can help with your training."

"Well, that's not entirely true."

I deactivated the sword energy and sheathed the Moonless Sword.

"What's the matter?"

"Well, you see."

Park Mincheol's expression grew serious.

"Old Man Jang contacted us."

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Old Man Jang.

A powerful figure who dominated South Korea's underworld.

His main businesses were smuggling, black market trading, and information.

Information means people.

Therefore, finding people was also a specialized field that Old Man Jang dealt with.

And now.

One problem was creating deep wrinkles between Old Man Jang's eyebrows.

"He hasn't returned?"

"That's right."

Old Man Jang sighed at the answer that came from somewhere in the darkness of the dimly lit room.

"That's the fourth one already?"

"Yes."

"This is no ordinary matter."

Old Man Jang tapped the armrest of his chair.

"This time, I even sent two people together. Yet they've disappeared without any news?"

"......"

"Han the director, was it?"

"Yes, Director Han Myeongju."

Han Myeongju.

He was an executive of SS Communications, specializing in multipurpose communication equipment.

And he was having an affair with his secretary who was 17 years his junior.

"Tsk, there are always these kinds of guys wherever you go."

Old Man Jang curled his lip in contemptuous mockery as he flipped through the profile again.

"Utterly useless beings."

Director Han Myeongju, who was being blackmailed by a competing company using his affair with the young secretary as leverage.

Instead of facing disgraceful dismissal and divorce, which would have completely destroyed the life he had built up, he received a proposal to regularly provide the information they wanted.

And of course, Han Myeongju was not someone principled enough to ruin his life for the sake of loyalty to his company.

'If he were, he wouldn't have had an affair while leaving his wife in the first place.'

Old Man Jang clicked his tongue.

"But he really is a pathetic character."

"Indeed."

Han Myeongju even failed to do that properly and ended up having his trail caught by the company.

Thus, on the day he received a summons from the internal audit team who had secured evidence.

Han Myeongju disappeared without saying a word to his family.

As a result, the company side, wanting to handle the matter quietly, contacted Old Man Jang through a secret communication network.

And the situation had now reached this point.

"There's a smell to this."

"Yes. This is not a simple disappearance."

Old Man Jang said.

The skill to hide from trackers, and even to eliminate those trackers.

"Considering the actions shown by this Han Myeongju, it's absolutely not something he could do alone."

"What do you mean by that?"

"There must be someone assisting him. And there must be a backer who sent that person."

"Could it be that competing company after all?"

"If we think simply, that would be right. But, would they need to go that far? Just to protect a mere director?"

"You're saying there might be another reason, or perhaps another backer."

"That seems to be a clearer explanation to me."

"If that's the case, the problem becomes complicated."

"Of course, this is just speculation."

"Who would dare to disregard your insight, sir?"

Old Man Jang, stroking his wrinkled face, made a decision.

"Hmm. Alright. In information, speed is life. With such delays already, my reputation has been tarnished. Now I need to bring out the big guns."

"I will certainly find him and uncover all the truth."

The man, who spoke as if he had been waiting for this, prompted Old Man Jang to smile.

"No need to strain yourself so much. I'll assign you a helper."

"By helper, you mean..."

"Jeong Su-hyeon."

Old Man Jang murmured, sinking deep into his backrest.

"I need to use that kid."

"Jeong Su-hyeon, you say?"

To the somewhat unexpected reaction, Old Man Jang shook his head.

"You saw him too. Even when the entire train became a trap, he survived there and killed Ko Kyeong-ho. He tracked Kang Woojung all the way to the black market, and somehow caused trouble there yet returned unscathed with spoils. Does Jeong Su-hyeon's skill seem ordinary to you?"

"It certainly does not."

"Right. He's not just at a simple cadet level. Looking at his achievements alone, he's already a professional among professionals."

"......You evaluate him that highly."

"Is it hard to accept?"

"No, sir."

"Well, you guide him well on anything he lacks."

"I will do so."

When Old Man Jang closed his mouth, the man did not utter any more unnecessary words.

'I didn't plan to use the debt that kid owes me for something like this.'

Old Man Jang sighed faintly.

But his intuition was warning him that this case would be tricky enough to warrant using Su-hyeon.

'He'll do well.'

The only problem was how to persuade him.

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"So. How was your exploration of the black market?"

To Old Man Jang's question, Su-hyeon answered nonchalantly.

"You already know."

"Haha, is that the bracelet that came out of that guy's vault? Must be disappointing."

"Not really."

Su-hyeon said.

"After all, wealth beyond what one can handle is as good as a disaster, isn't it?"

"Haha."

Old Man Jang laughed with satisfaction.

A man who knows his limits precisely, and daily expands those limits.

'Such a person changes beyond recognition if you take your eyes off them for just a moment.'

Su-hyeon now was a completely different person from when he first visited with Park Mincheol.

"You're truly an enigma."

Old Man Jang stroked his sparse beard.

"The secrets you hold make me curious, but I don't feel the need to forcibly uncover them."

'As they say, he's a man with good instincts.'

Wariness about the secret he held, which probably nobody could know.

It must be such intuition that allows him to reign even in this jungle-like era.

"By the way, would you mind telling me why you called me?"

"Hmm, first, look at this."

Old Man Jang handed over a profile and continued his explanation, and Su-hyeon listened quietly with an inscrutable expression.

"So I want to use you once."

"Since you've helped me, of course I should repay you."

"Well, I'm not necessarily trying to use that as leverage."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Although this case is important, the more I think about it, the more it seems a waste."

"Then what are you suggesting?"

"How about this?"

Old Man Jang said.

"If you handle this matter, I'll give you a different reward. Keep that debt outstanding."

"I don't know."

Su-hyeon folded his arms and said.

"There's not much time before school starts, and my recent schedule has been quite tight. Above all, I'm just a mere cadet, I wonder how much help I could be..."

Seeing Su-hyeon's attitude of playing hard to get, Old Man Jang immediately made an offer without beating around the bush.

"I'll give you 1 billion."

"......!"

Even the normally composed Su-hyeon's eyes widened a bit at that amount.

'Just suddenly offering 1 billion?'

It was too much money to refuse.

"What would I need to do?"

"It's simple, if you call it simple."

Old Man Jang chuckled, as if he had expected this.

"You need to find someone for me."