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Lunchtime.

Do Wonwoo had to stop by his parent’s house, so he attended school late.

But before he could reach the third year’s area, he ran into someone.

“Hi, Wonwoo hyung.”

It was Cheon Dongha.

He saw a subtle trace of energy waves beyond Cheon Dongha’s semi-rimless glasses.

He seemed to be using it just before they met.

‘Was he waiting for me…’

Cheon Dongha used his ability to check the route where Do Wonwoo walked.

Do Wonwoo got off his airboard because he couldn’t forget his hoobae, one whom he owes.

“Players taking matters into their own hands is strictly prohibited. I thought you wouldn’t be able to come back, hyung.”

Cheon Dongha seemed glad to see him again.

At his words, Do Wonwoo smiled with self-pity.

He returned safely to Eungwang High, but he thought the past couldn’t be restored.

He learned a lot from what happened, and he’s changed.

‘Because of me, Sanghee is… I can’t go back to the way things used to be, especially to her.’

Do Wonwoo put pressure on Yoo Sanghee back at the research institute.

When he recalled that he offered Yoo Sanghee a position at the TC Research Institute, he wanted to strangle himself in the past.

And how he openly expressed his feelings for Yoo Sanghee, ignorant of what happened behind the scenes with Yoo Sanghoon…

“I didn’t mean to make you look like that, hyung.”

Cheon Dongha’s cutting words stopped Do Wonwoo’s thoughts.

Cheon Dongha would always point it out when he acts ugly.

He felt a little bad when he was called ugly, but now he’s grateful to Cheon Dongha that he was able to get through that phase.

Even now, it was thanks to Cheon Dongha that his negative thoughts were kept at bay.

“How’s Sanghee noona?”

“I heard she’s gonna be resting with her family. She won’t attend school until after the CSAT.”

“Then you should send her a gift before the CSAT to cheer her up. Maybe I can give it to her personally.”

The two chatted about the incident.

Although Cheon Dongha didn’t participate in the underground fight that day, he was a hidden contributor.

Through Yeom Junyeol, Cheon Dongha moved busily by providing the underground structure map of the TC Research Institute to the other student council members.

He moved in advance to prevent the TC Group from destroying any evidence as well.

Cheon Dongha asked several more questions about how the case was being handled by the association.

After being bombarded by questions, Do Wonwoo brought up another topic.

“Do you remember when Sihoo was kidnapped?”

“How can I forget that? Is Sihoo related to this incident?”

“I think this situation has something to do with Sihoo from the start.”

The moment when Wu Zhiqi was released from her seal, Do Wonwoo vaguely felt Do Sihoo’s power..

He thought there was no way, but indeed, Do Sihoo was involved with Wu Zhiqi.

Do Sihoo, with permission from Jecheondaesung, personally contacted Do Wonwoo and told the full story of the incident between him and Wu Zhiqi.

After narrating the shocking fact that some royal lineage made him use his light skill to tie up Wu Zhiqi, Do Sihoo asked Do Wonwoo for help.

— Dad said he caught all the kidnappers from that time but… I don’t think so

— I need to look into my kidnapping again. Help me, Wonwoo hyung.

With the release of Wu Zhiqi, Do Sihoo regained his memories of being kidnapped.

Do Sihoo said that among the caught kidnappers, the one who forced him to use his light skill was there.

‘It’s a long time ago so there aren’t many clues. But I can’t let it go.’

When Do Wonwoo told Cheon Dongha about the kidnapping incident, Cheon Dongha readily accepted to help.

“I’ll look into it. It’s been strange in our house lately, so there’s a lot that I want to know.”

Cheon Dongha’s face turned dark.

When the T and C families separated, both families have been acting strange.

Although they were already separated, the Cheon family was still complicatedly intertwined with the TC Group by stocks and management rights.

In such a situation, clashes occurred within the Do family and purges occurred over those who were pro and against the separation.

The Cheon Family has been taking advantage of this to increase their influence over the group.

The two were unsure of exactly how it connected to this incident, but they couldn’t sit idly by.

Before wrapping it up and parting ways, Do Wonwoo mentioned something that has been on his mind.

“About the crow masks…”

The only one that Do Wonwoo couldn’t identify that day…

A sole man with a crow mask different from everyone else’s.

Although the student council members and Yoo Sanghoon were also wearing crow masks, Do Wonwoo still referred to the man as such.

According to Ji Myungsoo, the safety of everyone was ensured by the man in the crow mask.

The man that Yeom Junyeol admired.

Do Wonwoo agreed with that opinion.

The man in the crow mask solved the existence of the unidentified poison, the threat of the researchers, the otherworlds that spawned, and the seal where Wu Zhiqi was trapped.

It was Jecheondaesung who wrapped up the case that day, but even if he didn’t show up, the man in a crow mask would’ve handled it all on his own.

No, maybe it was even the man who called Jecheondaesung that day.

‘When he used the Spiritual Word skill that day, I thought it was Professor Jegal. But at that time, Professor Jegal said he was at school… Just who the hell is that man?’

In addition, the crow mask said he was the one who erased the ability of the illegal admittees.

Detoxification, spiritual word, erasure of abilities… all of those were rare abilities.

It was hard to believe that there exists a player who can do all of those at the same time.

‘There was an article about someone wearing a crow mask in the building where Choi Pyeondeuk went missing. Is it the same person?’

Do Wonwoo tried to use all the information that he knew, but in the end, he couldn’t figure out the man’s identity.

Do Wonwoo was trying to find the words, but Cheon Dongha spoke.

“I have a guess as to who that man is, but I don’t want to say it.”

Cheon Dongha smiled faintly.

“I don’t think my dongsaeng will like it.”

***

The weekend came along with my appointment with Sung Siwan.

That week, our class easy busy preparing for the picnic and the CSAT event, and I helped as much as I could as the vice president.

It wasn’t difficult at all to work with the other kids, but I went through personal hardships.

‘…How many more days do I have to endure this taste?’

Before the weekend, I had to stop by the Hwangmyeong mansion to receive a week’s worth of medicine sent by Hyangrok.

When I received the medicine, I went face-to-face with Eunho.

Eunho seemed very satisfied that Jeokho and I were taking the medicine.

— Euishin hyung and Jeokho-nim don’t know how to take care of their bodies. I hope the medicine can make you two change that.

Jeokho and I had to drink the medicine in the presence of the tigers.

Perhaps because Kim Shinrok was also present, Jeokho drank the medicine with a very resolute attitude.

I, on the other hand, just drank it in agony.

After that, Kim Shinrok spoke.

— I’m ready for the torture. I can go to the garden anytime.

— Jo Euishin and I will accompany you.

Hwang Jiho, who has been laughing to his heart’s content at our agony, spoke as if he had been waiting for Kim Shinrok’s words.

What he said was expected, but someone else said something out of the blue.

— I should go too.

I thought it would be Jeokho who would offer to come with us, but I didn’t expect Baekho-gun to volunteer to go.

Hwang Jiho immediately gave permission, saying that he can do what he wants.

— This is unexpected, Baekho hyungnim. I thought you weren’t interested in things like torture…

Eunho seemed a little puzzled, but in the end, it was set that Baekho-gun would accompany us to the Tiger Clan’s garden.

And so, the weekend schedule became twofold.

One was my appointment with Sung Siwan, and the other was the schedule to visit the garden.

I’d be fine with visiting the garden, but I found some trouble with the first one.

My mood reached hell at the thought of having to meet that Gye Bastard on a good weekend.

‘I’ll just pretend he’s not there. I came to meet Sung Siwan, and Sung Siwan agreed to meet me despite being busy with CSAT preparations.’

I didn’t want to see Gye Idam, but I couldn’t do harm to Sung Siwan.

It might also displease Sung Gukeon.

Sung Gukeon asked for the case of the secret association and sought people who can move within Eungwang High.

There will be no good that would come out if I had strife with other students.

Sung Siwan will graduate soon anyway, so I have no choice but to endure it.

‘If I can’t stand his face, I’ll just call for another battle.’

After the battle with the Gye Bastard, I reviewed the replay and there were many things that I wasn’t satisfied with.

I swallowed my disappointment and decided to look at it positively, thinking that there were still some places where I hadn’t hit him.

I made plans for a future battle while heading to a study room in Jiikhoe Hall.

“…”

When I got near the study hall, I suddenly got a bad feeling.

No wonder, Gye Idam was around.

He was looking at me with a face that looked like it lost a lot of blood.

Why’s he looking at me like that?

“My expression… why are you…”

“What.”

Gye Idam shut his mouth.

Since we were headed to the same place, we had to walk in the same direction.

Luckily, Gye Idam had the sense to walk far away from me.

“Sorry for calling you suddenly on a weekend, Euishin-ah. I’m sure you’re busy with the CSAT event.”

Sung Siwan was already in the study room.

He looked apologetic, but I was the one who should apologize.

“No, I should be the one to apologize. I suddenly broke off our appointment that day. You must be busy preparing for the CSAT, how are you?”

“Yeah, but on the flip side, I can’t study well if I leave this thing unaddressed.”

From what I heard, Sung Siwan is already set to enter a university.

Since he applied for a special screening for players, he’d have no problem as long as he reaches the minimum passing grade for CSAT.

Talking to Sung Siwan made me feel warm, remembering the time when I gave college entrance counseling to a kid that I tutored.

“Oh, you’re here too Idam-ah. Take a seat.”

But when Gye Idam entered the room, the warm feeling quickly burned into ashes.

Breathing the same air as Gye Bastard was unpleasant, but I did my best to manage my expression in consideration of Sung Siwan.

I went straight to the point.

“There’s something else I want to know about the secret association. I think I should go to the secret passageway where the old simulator was.”

The night when I went to the hidden passageway to investigate the secret association.

My Destiny skill was activated, and I obtained clues left by the former Players’ Association head, but I didn’t get all the clues that day.

We came out that day using the “End Simulation” button.

“I want to knock out the boss enemy this time.”

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