Chapter 92

The Association sent an investigation team to the Gugang International Hotel. Officially, their purpose was to review the Gugang Group’s gate-prevention performance and investigate whether the gate would recur. “Excuse me, please let us through.” “Can’t you see we’re busy here? Don’t get in the way.” “......” The investigators' expressions gradually hardened. The Gugang personnel who were inspecting and repairing the damaged buildings kept picking fights with them. As investigators from the Association, they had expected a less-than-warm welcome, but they hadn’t expected such blatant hostility. What gives them this courage? Did the Bow Saint promise to continue helping them? The head of the investigation team frowned. He recalled Jang Baek-San’s statement; the Bow Saint had appeared and helped the Gugang Group... What if he’d decided to back them? That would be troubling news for the Association. The Gugang Group had long struggled to break free from their influence, and they just might with the Bow Saint. There was nothing good about losing a financier. The head of the investigation team, who had been examining the fragments of the gate core, shook off his thoughts and focused. “Huh?” He found something unique about the metal embedded in the fragments. A blade piece? The shape and width of the fragment didn’t match a piece from an arrowhead. Rather, the fragment looked like a piece of a broken blade. “Collect the fragments.” After having his subordinates gather more clues, he was soon convinced. It was a sword, not an arrow, that destroyed the core. He had found it a bit mysterious when he’d heard that the Bow Saint had fired a lightning imbued arrow that was powerful enough to resemble a brilliant thunderbolt. After all, the Bow Saint’s main attribute was wind. Although he also wielded lightning, it wasn’t so potent. Originally, the head of the investigation team had been feeling happy, thinking the Bow Saint had reached a new level, but... This isn’t his handiwork. There was no way the Bow Saint would use a sword as an arrow. Just who was it? How many people in South Korea could imbue a sword with enough lightning power to make it look like a thunderbolt? And then throw it so powerfully that it gave the illusion of being fired from a bow? He could think of no one... A chill went up the investigator’s spine. Gugang... Just what type of monster are you working with? *** -Lion’s Castle is going to hold you accountable for this.You lured out kids from the Shooting Club and intimidated them. After regaining consciousness, Yeon Ho-Ryeong had heard those words from Gu Gang-Seon. He felt agitated just recalling it. “XX! Don’t criticize me!” While screaming insults, Yeon Ho-Ryeong began smashing all the furniture in the room. Lion’s Castle was going to hold him accountable? But he was the damn victim! It was absolutely maddening. The Shooting Club had interfered with the business of Ocean Shipping first, and it was Yeon Ho-Ryeong who’d been beaten to the brink of death after encountering them. How much more did he have to suffer? But the most serious problem was the Ocean Guild. Once Lion’s Castle comes forward, the guild will definitely hear of this. He’d been trying to vent by bullying kids—no, he’d set out to revive his chain store, but he was embarrassed instead. Once this news got out, his position would fall off a cliff in the Ocean Guild. Thinking of his father’s disappointed eyes, Yeon Ho-Ryeong trembled. He almost cried when he thought about being compared to his younger brother again before being kicked to a place even less valuable than Ocean Shipping. “No... I have to handle this somehow... ” In a panic, he grabbed his coat and put it on. His limbs couldn’t move properly due to the symptoms of potion poisoning, but the compulsion to do something weighed on him. At that moment, his phone vibrated on the table. Had Father already received the news? Yeon Ho-Ryeong gulped nervously as he checked the caller ID. Fortunately, it wasn’t his father’s number. But it was an unfamiliar number, making his heart skip a beat. He cleared his throat and answered the phone. “...Hello?” -Do you want me to give you a chance? A strange voice came through. He... Recognized it. “Y-you fucking bastard!!” The voice was smooth and crisp, but there was also a mischievous undertone that boiled his blood. It was as if this person had researched and implemented ways to make people angry for at least ten years. The voice belonged to the boy in the helmet. Recalling that boy, Yeon Ho-Ryeong raised his own voice. “You... You’re a little bastard who cowardly used a spell during a fight! Where are you now, you son of a bitch? As long as I don’t fall for your illusion, I can take you down with one hand! Cough, cough!” -Calm down. If you get excited while suffering from potion poisoning, you’ll cause internal injuries. Why get agitated and suffer a loss alone? “Could you stay calm in my shoes? You son— ” -You can’t do anything if you don’t calm down. “...What?” -If you don’t calm down,what can you do to me without knowing who I am first? “Hah! You think I won’t find out who you are? Do you have no sense of reality because you’re a brat?” -You’re the one without a sense of reality.If Lion’s Castle launches a large-scale investigation, news will reach the Ocean Guild. Are you confident you can handle that? Why was Yeon Ho-Rang, the eldest son of Yeon Ho-Rang, not in the Ocean Guild but acting as the president of Ocean Shipping? Jae-Hyeok was clearly aware of Yeon Ho-Ryeong’s situation. It was easy to infer from Yeon Ho-Rang’s personality, which Jae-Hyeok had witnessed as a child, and from Yeon Ho-Ryeong’s personality, which he’d experienced today. -Your father will be even more disappointed in you. “......” A chill went down Yeon Ho-Ryeong’s spine, and he felt as if his throat had been seized. “Have you been targeting me from the beginning?” One by one, the pieces of the puzzle started fitting together. Why had the Shooting Club of Lion’s Castle suddenly interfered with Ocean Shipping’s business? Was it really a coincidence that the Gugang Hotel had sent a commission request to the Shooting Club, or that the news had reached his ears? The helmet-wearing person didn’t deny it. -Answer me. Are you going to take the opportunity I am giving you? “...Is the opportunity not reporting what happened to Lion’s Castle?” This person had been targeting him from the beginning. Clearly, he intended to keep him on a leash. Yeon Ho-Ryeong knew this clearly and closed his eyes tightly. “I will catch you eventually... Okay, what do you want in return?” *** “They’re back!” “Did the mission succeed? Was anyone injured?” The entire Shooting Club welcomed Jae-Hyeok’s group back from the mission. It seemed many people were worried because of the difficulty of the commission. In particular, Jang Yeon-Ju’s uniform pockets were slightly swollen from all the candy wrappers. It seemed she’d been eating candy nonstop while waiting for their return “......” Rather than reply to the others’ questions, Roh Jun-Yeop looked at Jae-Hyeok, deferring to him. Seeing this, Jang Yeon-Ju’s eyes lit up with interest. Roh Jun-Yeop liked the spotlight; it wasn’t like him to step back. Jae-Hyeok took off his helmet, then his mask, and then his sunglasses before calmly saying, “We all worked together to make it happen. The commission was a success, and we were paid ten times more than expected.” There was a beat of silence. And then— “Wow! I really didn’t think you would succeed!” “You got paid ten times more? How?” “Tell us the story!” The Shooting Club members rushed forward with shining eyes. They couldn’t wait to hear about their colleagues' achievements, who had succeeded in a seemingly impossible mission and made such a huge amount of money. “What happened was Jae-Hyeok... ” “That’s why Jae-Hyeok... ” “So then Jae-Hyeok...” “......?” The name ‘Jae-Hyeok’ was mentioned repeatedly by those who had participated in the commission. And as Jae-Hyeok’s performance was described from beginning to end, the rest of the Shooting Club members gradually started to doubt whether the story was true or a joke. There were so many unbelievable things that they could hardly imagine it. In fact, Jae-Hyeok’s performance was underplayed compared to the truth. Jae-Hyeok had asked his companions not to reveal his use of thunder energy on the sword or his one-on-one victory against Yeon Ho-Ryeong. His companions had fully understood Jae-Hyeok’s request. Any player would want to hide their abilities. Players who boasted of their achievements and leaked their stats or Skills usually died early. It’s a secret that only we share. The twenty-nine Shooting Club members felt closer to Jae-Hyeok because of this and were proud. Seeing them smiling, Jang Yeon-Ju guessed the situation and offered Jae-Hyeok a lollipop. “A gift.” “Uh? Jang Yeon-Ju, what are you doing? The soda flavored candies are ones you never share with others.” “I’m showing some generosity to celebrate that Jae-Hyeok is my friend.” Roh Jun-Yeop was angry. “I don’t remember receiving anything like that?” “......” The rest of the club members looked at Roh Jun-Yeop in bewilderment. When did the two of them become friends? This guy is going to get an earful from Jang Yeon-Ju. The club members who were close to Roh Jun-Yeop shook their heads in pity. “Then, you should get one too.” Surprisingly, Jang Yeon-Ju also gave Roh Jun-Yeop a soda-flavored candy. Roh Jun-Yeop received the candy with a puzzled expression and ate it before murmuring, “...Delicious.” Jang Yeon-Ju and Roh Jun-Yeop—two people who had been bitter rivals since their freshman year—had unexpectedly been reborn as friends. As for the cause... everyone’s eyes naturally turned to Jae-Hyeok. But their gazes were blocked by someone else. A red-haired boy stood in front of Jae-Hyeok, smiling sagely. Baek Do-Jin said, “Ever since I became the acting manager of the Shooting Club, things have only gone well. I guess being the manager of the Shooting Club is my calling.” “Then stay as the manager of the Shooting Club until you die of old age.” “Jae-Hyeok, did you just hear that? Even that bad-tempered Roh Jun-Yeop acknowledges me! You definitely have to take me on your next mission! Does it make sense that the acting manager of the club can’t join a mission?” “Fine. But for the time being, you can’t afford to care about the Shooting Club’s missions.” “Why?” “You’re asking why? Aren’t you going to train with the team?” “Uh? I-I don’t want to... Aaaaaaack!” The club members stared blankly as Do-Jin was grabbed by the collar and dragged out. As second-year students, they knew the significance of Baek Do-Jin’s Mad Dog title: His passion was real. He was a peculiar case where he became more motivated the higher the training intensity. Yet, even he said he didn’t want to train? Just how hard is the training? The Shooting Club members recalled the eyewitness accounts of Jae-Hyeok transporting a charred Baek Do-Jin and a first-year student somewhere. They could help but turn and stare at Roh Jun-Yeop and Jang Yeon-Ju. Please... whatever you do, don’t give Jae-Hyeok authority to train us. Of course, Roh Jun-Yeop and Jang Yeon-Ju did not share their thoughts. If we get Jae-Hyeok to train them... we could also learn. Ignoring the club members' gazes, they left to write the mission report to be submitted to the administration office. ...... Later that evening. [Club Earnings Ranking] 2nd place: Shooting Club. Lion’s Castle was in turmoil.