Chapter 36: Captured

< Chapter 36: Captured (1) >

Choi Ji-hoon was looking at Kang Seo-yul, who was reading the report with a serious expression.

A distorted expression full of disgust.

'...It's natural to feel disgusted as a human being by those pictures.'

That's not all.

For Kang Seo-yul, the pictures written in that report were trauma itself.

It was natural for him to have such an expression.

"Where did you get this?"

A cold voice came out of Kang Seo-yul's mouth.

Originally, the information about this experiment should not have been leaked.

The "Saviors of Truth" had used nearly a thousand children as experimental materials in the middle of Seoul for over ten years.

The government, which could not reveal this fact to the world, had perfectly concealed it.

How well did they hide it, that even Shin Ji-a and Yu Hwa in the original work could not catch a glimpse of it until the middle of the story?

How did Choi Ji-hoon find out about this secret information?

That was the biggest question.

"Secretary Jang told me."

"Secretary Jang? The one who guided me earlier?"

"Yeah."

"...The Suseong Guild also had a hand in covering up the incident. I understand."

Kang Seo-yul accepted it.

Secretary Jang must have been one of the few people who knew the truth of the incident.

He must have reluctantly revealed the information about the Sunshine Orphanage because of Choi Ji-hoon's persistence.

'Was this a butterfly effect caused by Choi Ji-hoon's excessive suspicion of me?'

...It's really disgusting.

Kang Seo-yul roughly threw the report on the table.

"You're right. I'm the only survivor of the Sunshine Orphanage biological experiment."

Sunshine Orphanage.

The place where Kang Seo-yul was presumed to have been born and where he lived until he was 14 years old.

It looked like an ordinary orphanage from the outside, but its reality was an inhuman human experimentation site.

It was a gathering place for trash run by the Saviors of Truth.

"Do I need to tell you what kind of experiment they did?"

Kang Seo-yul said sarcastically as he tapped on the table.

"It's all written here."

"..."

Choi Ji-hoon nodded silently.

There were two main experiments conducted at Sunshine Orphanage.

The first was a genetic fusion experiment between different races and humans.

The second was the System Transcendence Project.

A project that was carried out with the nonsense of overturning the foundation of the world called Status Window.

"I have something to ask you."

"Go ahead."

"Your excessively low stats that don't match your skills are... some kind of side effect of the experiment?"

Kang Seo-yul sighed.

"That's right. I was a subject of the System Transcendence Project."

In the novel [S-Class Status Window], the protagonist is described as the only being in the world without a status window in the beginning.

The reason for that was because of the biological experiment that took place at Sunshine Orphanage.

It was a side effect of that experiment that made the original protagonist have no status window at the start of the novel.

Later, he was influenced by Piale Alo's trait and opened up a higher status window called S-Class Status Window.

That was the story of [S-Class Status Window] in the early stages.

But it had nothing to do with the 'Kang Seo-yul' now.

"I see."

Choi Ji-hoon shook his head with a bitter expression.

In Choi Ji-hoon's mind, Kang Seo-yul was a suspicious existence itself.

From their first meeting to the recent Demon Resurrection incident.

Everything was doubtful.

His worry and jealousy for Ha Si-yeon were also one of the reasons that amplified his suspicion.

But all his questions were answered.

'The discrepancy between his skills and stats is a side effect.'

Other things that he had wondered about were naturally resolved when he connected them with his past.

The demon being sealed away was as Kang Seo-yul said, disappeared after being sealed away by himself.

"I'm really sorry."

As he learned all the truth, Choi Ji-hoon's dark emotions of suspicion and jealousy naturally disappeared.

Only guilt remained for digging into someone else's trauma.

"Why are you like that? You're not like yourself."

Kang Seo-yul snickered.

Choi Ji-hoon is an annoying jerk.

But he's not trash.

He's a jerk with some principles if you will.

"It's done. It can't be helped that you already know. Just keep it a secret."

"Of course."

Kang Seo-yul stretched out his limbs with a relaxed expression.

"Anyway, all misunderstandings are cleared up, right?"

"Yeah."

Kang Seo-yul was not a villain, but a victim of a villain.

"You don't have any plans to take revenge for losing in the ranking match, do you?"

"...I'm not that petty."

Kang Seo-yul snickered.

"Then it's fine. You don't seem like the type to go around blabbering my secret to others."

"I'm not."

Kang Seo-yul smiled playfully.

"I'm glad I didn't get hated by the heir of Suseong Group. What more can I ask for?"

Choi Ji-hoon made a twitchy expression.

"What's with that expression? Why? Are you still uncomfortable with being forgiven so easily?"

"...I won't deny it."

A glint flashed in Kang Seo-yul's eyes.

This was a chance to take advantage of him!

"If you're that sorry, why don't you do me a favor?"

"Anything, just say it."

A glint also flashed in Choi Ji-hoon's eyes.

It was an opportunity to shake off his uncomfortable feelings.

"Can you get me some ancient relics?"

"Ancient relics? What are you going to do with those expensive antiques?"

"Don't ask why. Just tell me if you can get them or not."

Choi Ji-hoon's brain spun like a spinning top.

'Ancient relics are the weapons of different races.'

There was definitely a fusion experiment with different races at Sunshine Orphanage.

Doesn't that mean there are still secrets he doesn't know?

Curiosity raised its head again. But Choi Ji-hoon forced himself to swallow it.

He had already forced someone else's trauma out of him, and it was too much to ask for something else here.

"I can get them."

"Wow. You're really different as a chaebol. You're cool. Ancient relics are not cheap, you know."

"Of course."

Kang Seo-yul exclaimed.

"How many can you get?"

"It depends on how I get them."

"How?"

Kang Seo-yul tilted his head.

"If I use the name of Suseong Group and buy them officially, I can get up to 12 billion won."

"...12 billion won?"

Kang Seo-yul was flustered.

Even if it was the price of misunderstanding, wasn't it too much money?

"That's the amount of money I can move right now with my personal company funds. If I push myself, I can somehow manage up to 20 billion won."

"...You really live in a different world."

Kang Seo-yul's eyes turned round and round.

"But from your position, you probably want to avoid buying ancient relics officially. Right?"

"That's true."

If he buys ancient relics using the company's name, then, of course, there will be a record that he gave the ancient relics to Kang Seo-yul.

This was not what Kang Seo-yul wanted.

"Then we have to use the black market."

"The underground route?"

"Yeah."

The underground route is a back-world sales system that operates for superhumans.

It is said that there is nothing you can't buy if you have money.

"How much can you spend on the under route?"

"About 2 billion won is the limit."

"...That's still a lot, isn't it?"

"Considering the price of the under route, I think one is the limit."

Kang Seo-yul shouted with joy.

"Does it matter what kind?"

"Ancient relics are diverse."

"Um. First of all, it would be nice if there were relics of the dragon race. But that would be hard, right?"

Relics of the dragon race are rare.

There are only a few of them, and they are all bought by the giant country called America and a weirdo called Collector.

There's not much left in the market.

"I'll try my best, but don't expect too much. Any other preferred relics?"

"Second priority is spirits or fairies. If not, elves or... nightmare?"

Choi Ji-hoon hummed.

* * *

"I have arrived."

"Ah, I'm sorry for making you work so hard because of me at this late hour."

The current time was 12:30 a.m., past midnight.

The driver had left work a long time ago, so Secretary Jang, who was called Choi Ji-hoon's personal secretary, took me home. His name was Jang Hyuk-jae, I think.

"I'm sorry."

Secretary Jang suddenly bowed his head to me.

He must have apologized for telling my past without my permission.

"It's okay."

It was not a pleasant sight to see a 60-year-old man bowing his head to me.

"Choi Ji-hoon is like that. He would have kept doubting you if you didn't tell him the truth. It turned out well in the end."

I was very surprised when he handed me the report about Sunshine Orphanage, but it wasn't bad in the end.

I improved my relationship with Choi Ji-hoon, who had the huge power of the Suseong Group behind him.

I also got an ancient relic.

I also paid off one of my debts to Choi Ji-hoon, so it was a win-win situation.

"Thank you."

Secretary Jang's warm wrinkles formed a generous smile. At the same time, he handed me his business card.

"If you ever need my help, please contact me anytime."

Let me correct myself.

It wasn't a win-win situation, it was a win-win-win situation.

Secretary Jang was a core figure of Suseong Group who assisted Choi Ji-hoon's father, the current chairman of Suseong Group.

I got the opportunity to get his help.

This business card might be the biggest reward I got today.

"Oh, by the way. It would be better to keep Mr. Choi's last words in your mind."

My expression became nervous.

"...You mean that nonsense?"

Choi Ji-hoon said this at the end.

One last warning. Si-yeon is mine. Stay away from her.

I never thought I would hear such a line in real life.

I really thought I was going to lose my limbs. Oh, it's still disgusting to think about it.

"Miss Si-yeon has been marked as our daughter-in-law since 10 years ago."

Secretary Jang's eyes glowed with a fierce light.

"...Yes."

The secretary and the owner are the same.

They are a perfect match.

"I don't have much interest in romance anyway."

Romance is a luxury for me right now.

Where do I have the time for that?

"Then, I'll be going back now. Have a good night."

Secretary Jang said that and left in his limousine.

"Ugh. I'm tired."

Maybe it was because I used my brain too hard. I felt strangely dizzy.

I walked into the house with heavy steps.

I should have finished thinking about how to use [Whisper of Fire Spirit] and how to deal with Collector today. But the plan got messed up.

"...I don't know."

I'm too exhausted today.

Let's think about it tomorrow.

Creak-

I unlocked the door and opened it.

A chill ran through my whole body at that moment.

"It seems that you come home quite late."

"!"

Someone's voice rang low in the darkness.

I quickly reached for my waist. But I didn't bring any equipment today. I had no equipment except for [Weapon of Extremes] around my neck.

"I had to wait for three hours because of you."

Did the clouds block the moonlight? A faint moonlight shone on the intruder.

He was sitting on the bed in black clothes and sunglasses.

He also wore a black long coat and other black accessories.

"I'll introduce myself first."

The man smiled gently.

"My name is Hermit. I don't want to, but I'm affiliated with an organization called Saviors of Truth."

"...Hermit?"

A lightning bolt struck my head.

I don't know why the Saviors of Truth appeared here now.

But if he is Hermit, the recluse, there is a way out of this crisis!

I quickly hid my panic and

Smiled arrogantly.

"So what?"

Hermit has a trait called 'Search Eye' that allows him to read status windows.

"Hmm. You suddenly seem to have some leisure..."

Suddenly, Hermit's expression hardened.

"...What is this?"

As expected! My guess was right.

"I asked you what you were here for."

I smiled more arrogantly.

Even if he has Search Eye, he can't see a status window that doesn't exist in the first place.

His trait doesn't work on me.

This not working is important. This is the only way out.

"..."

Cold sweat ran down Hermit's back. He must be confused.

There was only one person who his Search Eye didn't work on until now.

It was 'Unknown', the boss of the Saviors of Truth, who had such a difference in power that his trait didn't work at all.

But now, a second person who his Search Eye doesn't work on has appeared.

What would Hermit think then?

In short, it's this.

"Don't make me repeat myself three times. Intruder."

Right now, I am.

"What are you here for?"

A being equal to that horror 'Unknown'.

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