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“Drop your weapons and raise both hands! Quickly!”

With Yoo Sanghee taken hostage, none of us could complain.

I gently raised both hands while Do Wonwoo slowly removed his insulation supporter.

The same goes for Yoo Sanghoon.

Drop!

When the order to raise both hands came up, Yoo Sanghoon threw the demon’s ankle off to the side.

No one was interested in how much force he used to fling the demon’s ankle away even though the demon squirmed his body strangely perhaps from the pain.

But then, the syringe tip slightly brushed Yoo Sanghee’s neck as the researcher’s hand shook from surprise at Yoo Sanghoon’s sudden action.

“…!”

Although the injection wasn’t administered, both Yoo Sanghoon and Do Wonwoo’s expressions became distorted.

Unstoppable energy waves began to seethe from Do Wonwoo and Yoo Sanghoon.

As the unusual energy wave spread, one of the researchers began to shout.

“I-I’ll inject this right away if I sense energy waves!”

Do Wonwoo and Yoo Sanghoon immediately reeled in their energy waves.

One of the researchers had an energy wave detector in his hand.

The researcher shook the detector and pointed at the syringe as if to threaten us.

Yoo Sanghee bit her lips as the little tip of the syringe brushed her skin.

‘…Let’s calm down. Yoo Sanghee will be in more danger if I lose composure.’

I came here knowing that it’s entirely possible that Yoo Sanghee is already taken hostage, but it hurts to see it in person.

However, even Do Wonwoo and Yoo Sanghoon are keeping their cool, so I can’t make a mistake.

I held myself together to think objectively.

‘…They have an energy wave detector. Those researchers don’t have energy or abilities.’

Energy poison doesn’t work on those who don’t have energy.

Its venom cannot be controlled or detoxified, but those who don’t have energy are safe from it.

‘If a regular player or a royal lineage came here, they’d be killed immediately.’

But there are exceptions, one of them is the excellent healer, Yoo Sanghee.

She wasn’t resisting the civilian researchers and is actually keeping her calm.

That can only mean one thing.

‘Yoo Sanghee’s being held arbitrarily.’

I know that because she’s indebted to Yoo Sanghoon’s life, Yoo Sanghee cooperated on things that she didn’t want to.

But why is she risking her life in this situation?

It’s a different story if only Do Wonwoo came, but even Yoo Sanghoon is here.

So why is Yoo Sanghee not resisting?

‘It’s not just indebtedness. It’s possible she’s being threatened.’

What if it’s not “pay us back for your brother’s life” but “cooperate if you want to see your brother alive”?

But I couldn’t think of the details right away.

‘Yoo Sanghee can use her healing powers on Yoo Sanghoon now since his energy waves are active. Just what are they using to aim for Yoo Sanghoon’s life?’

Only one possibility came to mind.

‘…Blackmail.’

Maybe Yoo Sanghee is being deceived.

Just when my thoughts reached that point, I heard someone beside me curse weakly.

It was Yoo Sanghoon’s voice.

“…Damn it.”

Unlike his crass language, his expression remained flat.

Yoo Sanghoon was looking at Yoo Sanghee with the stupidest expression I saw him make.

No, it wasn’t stupid, it was a stunned face.

He must be thinking that it’s his fault that his sister is now in the hands of that researcher.

‘Yoo Sanghoon…’

He blinked a few times and then looked like his spirit returned.

Instead of helplessness, Yoo Sanghoon looked at me with eyes full of anger and faith.

He’s angry at the researchers and himself, but he’s keeping himself together through that faith.

And that faith was directed at me.

‘Yoo Sanghoon believes in me.’

Yoo Sanghoon is keeping it together through his faith in me.

But the other one didn’t look like it.

“I think you know who I am, but you’re still choosing to do this?”

Do Wonwoo glared at the researchers.

The researchers visibly trembled, but since they still have Yoo Sanghee in their hands, they showed off the needle and the energy wave detector again.

Do Wonwoo fully observed and judged their reactions.

“Looking at your expressions, you must have someone you believe in. Someone who’s backing you. That backer doesn’t seem to be here… That leaves me with a few candidates then.”

“S-shut up!”

They’re more afraid that the secret laboratory of TC Research Institute was discovered than seeing Do Wonwoo, the son of TC Group, in this place.

The researcher put the needle closer to Yoo Sanghee’s neck.

The needle pierced her neck for a second before coming back out.

Seeing that, Do Wonwoo clenched his fist hard.

Crack..!

I heard his joints and knuckles suffering from the force he gave.

Do Wonwoo seemed to have given up on taunting the researchers.

“…What do you want.”

“Stay right here! We’re going to go out quietly.”

“Y-you know what will happen if you move or use an energy wave, right?”

There’s an emergency escape route in the underground botanical garden.

I saw it from the information that Cheon Dongha sent.

As always with groups doing dangerous research, a thorough preparation for their safety is set.

Given that one of the researchers was holding what seems to be a bag that contains data chips, they must be intending to kidnap Yoo Sanghee and continue their research.

It became even more obvious when one of the researchers smiled, satisfied that Yoo Sanghee was cooperating silently.

Yoo Sanghoon watched with his mouth closed as if his faith in me didn’t waver.

Step, step.

Yoo Sanghee began to walk among the researchers.

She passed by me, Yoo Sanghoon, the crumpled demon, and Do Wonwoo.

“Why…”

As soon as Yoo Sanghee was close enough, Do Wonwoo couldn’t suppress himself any longer.

“Why… Why aren’t you fighting back?”

“…”

“Those people aren’t players!”

Do Wonwoo’s question was reasonable.

Yoo Sanghee was perfectly capable of overpowering those civilians.

Even a simple karate chop skill is enough to do so.

She can overpower an enemy with her bare hands, and it was ridiculous to see her be threatened by an ordinary person holding a syringe and just comply meekly.

‘…I’m sure Do Wonwoo knows the answer.’

He wants to deny it.

Because Yoo Sanghee is being dragged in front of his eyes.

Yoo Sanghoon looked at Do Wonwoo with sorrowful eyes.

It must be the first time she’s sympathized with him.

“Wonwoo-ah.”

Yoo Sanghee’s sunken eyes looked right at Do Wonwoo.

Yoo Sanghee spoke for the first time, her voice filled with sadness that was suppressed for a long time.

“…Didn’t you know everything already before coming here?”

“…!”

Yoo Sanghee’s words rendered Do Wonwoo speechless.

Her words had many implications.

The two had been friends since they were children, so Yoo Sanghee knows how competent Do Wonwoo is.

She assumed that Do Wonwoo came after he discovered everything.

“This is my choice. I couldn’t save my brother on my own so I borrowed your family’s… I borrowed TC Group’s power.”

A deep remorse enveloped Yoo Sanghee’s voice.

Being someone with a rare ability and talent, Yoo Sanghee drew expectations from people around her.

She wasn’t like her brother, Yoo Sanghoon, who was unhealthy and on the brink of death.

It’s obvious what she must’ve felt as she watched her brother suffer at home.

Yoo Sanghee’s past reminded me of my own.

The younger siblings that I lost.

‘…I would do anything too if it meant saving my siblings.’

There was no one around me who had the power to bring them back, so I was left with no choice.

And unlike Yoo Sanghee who stood by her brother through everything, I couldn’t even be with my siblings when they died.

I can’t dare to say I understand how Yoo Sanghee feels, but I think I would’ve done what she did to save my siblings.

“…Don’t look for me anymore. Please.”

The researchers didn’t interrupt Yoo Sanghee’s words.

The researcher behind her was grinning.

Do Wonwoo looked like he doesn’t know what to say or do anymore.

He was silent for a while, before saying one last thing.

“Please…”

Do Wonwoo bowed his head, begging.

He wanted her to change her mind, but Yoo Sanghee didn’t answer his prayer.

She seemed like she was about to cry when she saw Do Wonwoo with his head down.

“…”

After passing Do Wonwoo, Yoo Sanghee tried to look back at Yoo Sanghoon, but the researchers stopped her.

It seemed like they only allowed the conversation with Do Wonwoo.

“Don’t move!”

“Euk!”

The researcher gripped her roughly and the needle stabbed her neck deep.

The injection wasn’t administered, but it was very dangerous.

Do Wonwoo snapped his head up at the sound of Yoo Sanghee’s scream and looked like he was the one who was stabbed with a needle/

“…Don’t come closer!”

Yoo Sanghee immediately dissuaded Do Wonwoo, who seemed ready to rush in at any moment.

Yoo Sanghee and the researchers gradually increased their distance from us.

The emergency escape route was close to the laboratory, and one of the researchers took out a key card and pressed it to the panel.

Jiiiing!

The researchers entered the emergency escape capsule one by one.

Still wary of our presence, the researcher holding Yoo Sanghee didn’t take his eyes off us as he continuously held the syringe against her neck.

Do Wonwoo, who was yet to give up and obviously looking for a gap, sighed with a nervous face.

“Sanghee-ah…!”

At that moment.

A small wind began to blow from somewhere.

Whoosh…

The air in the underground botanical garden became light as the wind passed.

“…Ah.”

Yoo Sanghoon looked around and exclaimed small.

I was protecting us with Ahn Dain’s Peculiar Constitution from the poison, but the energy poison suddenly disappeared when the wind blew.

From the sudden change in atmosphere, I was sure that the piece I prepared was finally moved.

‘He’s finally here.’

We already knew that Yoo Sanghee was here.

She was on the list of names whose device was tracked.

Yoo Sanghee wasn’t with Do Wonwoo or the other student association members when she came here, so her intention was clear to me from the beginning.

That’s why I already assumed the possibility that Yoo Sanghee was being held hostage.

Hwiii…!

“It detected energy waves!”

“W-where?!”

That person must be within the range of the energy wave detector.

It seems like the researchers knew that the energy waves weren’t from any of us, but they threatened to move the syringe closer to Yoo Sanghee’s neck, pretending to administer the shot.

However…

“I-it’s not moving!”

“W-what the!”

Their hands were paralyzed one by one.

The man used the same skill that tied the feet of the seven fairies under the reign of Seowangmo (Queen Mother of the West) — Mental Technique.

“Looks like I’m not rusty yet. The air was so dirty that I wasn’t sure if it would work. Is it because of the bad-tasting deer medicine I took before I came here?”

The person had his eyes covered.

“I like the way you’re sacrificing yourself for your brother. I don’t have anything to do with you, but I’ll lend you a hand.”

The backup that I called finally arrived.

“You’re… The guy from the Special Luncheon…!”

Do Wonwoo met this person before.

The royal lineage that I called here, the head of the Monkey Clan, finally introduced himself.

“The universe’s strongest, I, Jecheondaesung is here!”

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