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As soon as Do Wonwoo was seen at the main gate of the TC Research Institute, the security personnel was dispatched and on the move.

The security guards, with their caps worn tightly on their heads, saw Do Wonwoo and exchanged comms through their devices.

Do Wonwoo was only a graduating high school student but as a representative player of Eungwang High and someone whose mind and body are trained by attacking other worlds, he is a fighter that can decisively turn any battlefield around.

He was wearing civilian clothes and didn’t look like he was armed, but the security guards quietly armed themselves because of the energy that Do Wonwoo was emitting.

However, someone else who recognized Do Wonwoo right away beckoned first.

“Welcome, young master Do Wonwoo.”

Remembering VIPs’ faces and names was one of the basic skills expected from a security team leader, and the skill is useful in preventing troubles.

The security guards silently disarmed themselves at the team leader’s words.

However, even those who recognized Steel Wedge Do Wonwoo were openly acting strange.

Some of the men caught the team leader’s attention.

‘…I announced the arrival of a VIP and yet they’re still holding a weapon item card in their hands.’

The current situation at the TC Research Institute was that some other people were mixed with the security team, at the request of the institute itself.

They were mercenaries recruited at the strong demand of a permanent researcher at the institute.

Those men were yet to disarm themselves, remaining vigilant at the sight of Do Wonwoo.

The team leader felt sick to his stomach.

‘I emphasized so much that they should be careful when dealing with the TC royal family and yet…’

It wasn’t easy dealing with those who held positions of power in the TC Group.

Some of the security guards couldn’t stand the pressure and demand for the job and ended up resigning.

Most of those who lost their heads through the recent internal purge within TC Group were those who were the main personalities in the abuse of power, and there weren’t just one or two people who tried to file cases over the matter.

Although Do Wonwoo was just, no one really knows when a person might change.

Furthermore, he was set to graduate from Eungwang High soon and officially become an adult

‘Maybe young master Do Wonwoo will change after graduation just like the others from his family.’

The team leader did not ask Do Wonwoo whether he had an appointment nor ask where he was going and planning to do.

He only did the minimum security checks required.

After completing the ritual identification process, they confirmed that the man was in fact Do Wonwoo.

The identification card he presented through his device was undoubtedly genuine, and the unique energy waves around him prove that it was Do Wonwoo himself.

The team leader reached out to the gate and gestured for Do Wonwoo to go first, but Do Wonwoo did not move.

“…”

Do Wonwoo glanced at the team leader and looked at the still-armed mercenaries.

His eyes landed on a recorder.

“Was I captured on that recorder?”

The team leader’s face briefly showed shock, but he quickly came up with an answer.

He wasn’t a stranger to VIPs who were reluctant to be photographed or captured by recording devices, and security guards are provided with manuals on how to deal with those situations.

The team leader stammered his memory before bowing his head.

“Apologies for my delay in response. The recorder in front of the main gate of the TC Research Institute is currently storing audio and video in real-time. If you need, I can assist you in deleting those records.”

The process of deleting records is complicated, but it was better than upsetting a VIP.

When the security team leader thought that he should guide Do Wonwoo to a place with no recording devices, Do Wonwoo shook his head.

“No need. I was just asking to confirm.”

Confirm?

What does that mean?

Do Wonwoo’s words bothered the team leader.

He spoke in a similar calm manner that he uses when he’s being interviewed as a player, reciting his thoughts and strategies employed when dealing with an otherworld.

“I’m worried that my actions will be blamed on other people, so I prefer that a recording is in progress.”

Do Wonwoo’s words stopped all the thoughts in the security team leader’s mind.

Fwaak!

In the meantime, a mercenary behind the team leader quickly flew away.

It seemed like he was running away, flustering the team leader further.

‘What’s going on…?’

The team leader was confused about whether he should go after the mercenary first or ask Do Wonwoo what was happening.

And hen…

Fwak! Break!

Sparks began to spread around Do Wonwoo’s body.

The light emitted around Do Wonwoo reflected the shocked face of the team leader.

He rushed to release his energy waves, but it would be quicker for him to directly attack Do Wonwoo rather than defend himself.

Meanwhile, Do Wonwoo jumped high in the air with his energy wave, his arm wearing an insulation supporter.

Fwaaa!

Lightning coming from Do Wonwoo penetrated the TC Research Institute, screams resounding all over the place at the same time.

“Ahhh!”

“Ahhk!”

The sudden discharge of electricity caused the whole laboratory to panic.

But the screams didn’t last for too long.

Do Wonwoo’s lightning technique takes away people’s energy, making them faint quickly.

One moment the TC Research Institute was swallowed by light, and the next second, it fell into darkness as if all electricity had been cut off.

Do Wonwoo stumbled and struggled to catch his breath from the sudden use of skills.

“…I tried conserving energy waves while preparing though. It’s quite difficult.”

The security team leader, who was barely conscious, saw Do Wonwoo as a monster.

Most players can’t produce this much output even if they collect energy waves for their whole lives.

Noticing that the team leader hasn’t fainted, Do Wonwoo walked toward him.

The team leader tried to run away, but Do Wonwoo was already standing in front of him.

“Y-young master…”

“…I knew there would be people like you who aren’t involved.”

Do Wonwoo sighed before activating his energy waves again.

Sparks began to fly once more on the lightning technique supporter worn by Do Wonwoo.

Fwiiijiiik!

“…But I’m not going to go easy.”

Do Wonwoo’s words made the security team leader lose consciousness.

After confirming that the main gate was completely overpowered, Do Wonwoo stopped to wait for something.

After a few seconds…

Emergency power began to operate in some areas through energy waves rather than electricity.

Do Wonwoo used his full abilities and yet an emergency power supply powered by energy waves seems to be activated, confirming the fact that there is important yet secret research being conducted at the TC Research Institute.

“…As expected. There’s an area not shown on the map.”

Do Wonwoo touched the wall and traced where the energy waves were coming from before clicking his tongue.

He leaned against the wall for a while, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

He walked to the stairs and headed to the basement of TC Research Institute.

***

Hwang Jiho’s messages flew in without a break.

His initial report of Do Wonwoo going somewhere quickly turned into an urgent update situation.

Do Wonwoo visited the TC Research Institute alone and started an attack.

[Hwang Jiho] Do Wonwoo attacked the entire TC Research Institute.

It was absurd, but it was entirely possible since it’s Do Wonwoo.

Considering his status and abilities, internal intrusion and wide-area attacks are no problem for him.

It won’t be easy to attack the entire institute alone, but I guess he could do it by gathering his energy and using the highest-rank insulation supporter available.

Hwang Jiho’s updates continued, confirming my theory.

[Hwang Jiho] All the facilities at the TC Research Institute were paralyzed and the security teams were overpowered.

…All that happened within the few seconds difference from Hwang Jiho’s last message!

I had completely forgotten it because of Do Wonwoo’s undesirable appearance, but it was a very student-representative-like move from him to do this — appearing passionately like a manhwa character.

As expected, my character is ugly but he has admirable traits.

However, this situation wasn’t very positive.

No matter what Do Wonwoo does, his energy waves could be completely exhausted in a place where he infiltrated on his own, with demons possibly waiting around.

‘Unlike Shihoo, Do Wonwoo has wider connections and more abilities. If he had a clue, he would’ve followed that lead and investigated things to the end. He must’ve found a reason to carry out such an attack.’

For that reason, there’s a high possibility that the Demon Race is also involved.

I could guess what Do Wonwoo was thinking by doing such a dangerous thing, but I couldn’t leave him on his own.

Even more so when I saw Hwang Jiho’s next message.

[Hwang Jiho] There’s someone after Do Wonwoo.

[Hwang Jiho] I think there will be an encounter soon.

I don’t know how “soon”, but that means we don’t have time to lose.

[Me] Alright, I’m coming.

[Hwang Jiho] …You’re going to the TC Research Institute? Jo Euishin, stay there with your friend.

Hwang Jiho sent more messages after that, but I didn’t check them anymore.

I turned off the hologram and saw Yoo Sanghoon looking at me with a suspicious face.

“…Jo Euishin, what’s going on?”

“Sorry, let’s talk next time. Something urgent came up so I have to go.”

I made excuses and tried to leave, but it didn’t seem to work.

Yoo Sanghoon stood in front of the door.

“Move please.”

“…”

It doesn’t seem like Yoo Sanghoon intends to back down.

Yoo Sanghoon is someone who pretends not to know anything and who doesn’t bother to ask.

I don’t know how to deal with him, so I felt a little nervous.

“That urgent matter. I think it has something to do with me.”

“…”

“You’re not denying it right away. I’m right.”

Yoo Sanghoon spoke in a confident tone.

I regretted not lying right away, but it was already too late.

“Take me with you.”

…Take Yoo Sanghoon to that dangerous place?

I answered immediately this time.

“No.”

“Why?”

“It’s dangerous.”

“But you’re going.”

Our confrontation continued.

This was the first verbal battle between Yoo Sanghoon and me, and it seems like my words aren’t reaching him.

I realized how frustrated Yoo Sanghee must be when they quarrel like this.

Yoo Sanghoon remained stubborn until the end.

“If I use my abilities and light skill, I won’t get hurt at least. Trust me and take me with you.”

I have two options.

One is to let Yoo Sanghoon go with me.

The other is to physically subdue him here and leave on my own.

‘Maybe the second choice is wiser. If Yoo Sanghoon is strong enough not to be overpowered by me, that means he’ll be okay if I let him go with me. If he’s weak and gets overpowered, that means I’m right not to bring him with me.”

It was reasonable to attack Yoo Sanghoon, but my hands weren’t moving according to my will.

Will we still be friends in the future if I make that choice here?

And to think that I’ve wronged him with the Replay function twice before!

It was an incident caused by my ignorance at that time and Yoo Sanghoon said that he forgives me.

I don’t know what would happen now.

Should I trust him and just let him go with me?

Or should I stick to my original plan?

“Jo Euishin…!”

After much consideration, I made a choice.

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