Chapter 023
Become Overpowered CEO of Hero Clan – 023
It was a multidimensional energy ball.
It was the same magical engineering equipment that I had found useful when I entered the nightmare of the Rift Boss last time. It floated gently in the air, and when I touched it lightly with my finger, it emitted a faint electromagnetic field and displayed the blueprint of Club Sinabro as a 3D hologram.
This ball had the function of both connecting and, conversely, interrupting electricity in the facility. To be precise, it caused errors in the electrical signals, leading to a power outage. I didn’t fully understand the details of the principle.
‘Why is it so complicated to set up like this? I hope it works smoothly this time…’
As I touched the 3D blueprint again, the green hologram turned yellow. I touched the main body with determination.
Ziiiiing – Zap!
‘Whoa… it surprised me.’
The sound of sparks sputtering loudly, and then the fluorescent lights went out. After picking up the energy ball again, I left the restroom. Villain Devil Claw was nowhere to be seen, and it seemed like the entire club had lost power, leaving everything in darkness.
I could hear people murmuring in confusion, wondering what had just happened. If I could escape without being noticed, they would likely chalk up Go Ilwoo’s disappearance to hallucinogenic symptoms and let it pass.
I silently walked through the darkness, following the route I had confirmed on the hologram blueprint. The corridor seemed to be the path the villains used, but as I continued walking and climbed the stairs, I found myself above ground.
I held the Thunderous Fury Sword tightly in case the villains attacked, but fortunately, I didn’t encounter anyone as I exited.
‘Almost there.’
Having safely left the danger zone, I felt a sense of relief. However, I calmly walked to the alley where Go Ilwoo had been kidnapped.
The head of the secret agency was still there, and he had laid down the unconscious Go Ilwoo on the ground before getting into the van.
“How did you do it? It seems like the power was cut.”
“There are various ways. Just keep driving straight and drop me off at Deokchi Intersection. I have some business to attend to.”
“Alright.”
That was the end of my conversation with the head of the secret agency. For the next 30 minutes, there was a quiet silence. I carried my bag with the laptop and got off the taxi on a deserted street.
‘I need to finish this quickly. I want to rest deeply tomorrow.’
I had secured the evidence through hard work, but there was still more important work to be done. I needed to make this explode in a way that would prompt the police or the prosecution to act quickly.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
I arrived at a 24-hour unmanned cafe. There wasn’t a single customer. I ordered an iced cafe latte, took a sip, and sat down in a corner, opening my laptop.
First, I activated an IP bypass program and logged into my fake account email, reviewing the pre-written message.
– Conscience is burdening me, so I’m reporting to you…
–
– Club Sinabro, a subsidiary of Dawn Clan, operated by Innocence Co., has been involved in drug distribution, illegal gambling, prostitution, and more, in collaboration with villains.
–
– Please refer to the attached documents. I couldn’t report this directly, and I’m ashamed to send it to you, but this is a matter of life and death. Please don’t try to find out who I am.
–
– Please help to bring social justice for the weak like me.
–
I polished the lengthy message over five minutes. I took a deep breath and sent the email.
[Sent]
The recipient was a freelance journalist known for their tenacity, strong belief in citizens’ rights, and a track record of exposing major clans multiple times. This anonymous report was unlikely to be ignored.
‘Still, it’s frightening, so they might back off.’
I also sent similar emails to two media outlets and some investigative or public interest YouTubers.
Just like a soldier with a thirst for provocative material, some of them will act quickly, and when they see that the information they thought was exclusive is being exposed, they’ll provide news materials.
‘Tracking back is impossible, and there’s only a few days left to wait.’
Friday night.
I completed the mission safely and got into a taxi with the night surcharge. I had a strong desire to lie on my bed and rest deeply during the weekend.
Vroom…
A stationary front stretching across central Gyeonggi.
The rainy season was about to begin.
People who had canceled their weekend plans were spending leisurely time in their cozy and comfortable homes.
The raindrops, becoming thicker and heavier, struck the dry ground vigorously.
Those whose feet were tied to their homes found various ways to enjoy a sweet holiday, such as playing games or watching variety shows.
On a weekend afternoon when the sound of rain covered the entire city, as if compensating for the fatigue of the past month, today seemed to pass without any commotion or trouble.
[Exposing Club Sinabro]
Around 3 PM, a famous YouTuber’s video was uploaded, but the public didn’t show much interest. It seemed like they were just looking for some interesting material.
The YouTuber had once been popular for his deep voice and eloquence, but he had a history of attacking a specific company for money. As a result, people didn’t trust the content of his videos and were quick to leave negative comments.
[This guy hasn’t learned his lesson yet.]
[He’s making money by criticizing someone from behind the scenes every time…]
[XX, I have nothing to say to you. But you do have talent, and that money is tainted with the blood of those whose lives you ruined.]
Surprisingly, despite the cold response, the content of the video was compelling. Some articles even presented very specific evidence, so the prosecution, in conjunction with the association, quickly announced that they would begin an investigation.
And it set off a flurry of activity.
[‘Shocking Revelations: Drug Distribution, Prostitution, and Illegal Gambling at Club Sinabro’]
[‘Club Sinabro] Revisiting Past Civilian Disappearance Case’]
[Hero Han Seung Tae’s Misdeeds: Did the Police Conceal Them?]
The news poured in, and it took only about three hours for the Club Sinabro case to become a matter of public concern.
Articles exposing the club and videos started appearing consistently, and even reputable media outlets began to report on it.
Some of the articles provided very specific evidence, prompting the prosecution to announce that they would initiate a rapid investigation in cooperation with the police.
What was surprising was that Han Seung Tae was prosecuted the very next day, as it was confirmed that he had colluded with the villain organization.
The news reached Ms. A, who had been suffering from a troubled mind due to the scandal with Seo Eun ha, around lunchtime.
Having overslept and missed breakfast, it was already midday. Ms. A sat on the living room sofa with a sleepy face.
She rolled up her tangled hair skillfully and nodded in satisfaction at the scent of doenjang jjigae wafting in from the living room. She had been drawn to the spicy dish due to her slight hangover.
“Cheonggukjang?” (TN: Food made using fermented soybeans)
“Yeah, I added a lot of green chili peppers.”
“Good, Mom.”
A burst of laughter escaped Ms. A’s lips as she expressed her gratitude for her mother’s thoughtful menu selection.
There wasn’t anything specific she wanted to watch on TV, but she decided to catch up on the news after feeling a sense of unease about not understanding the world’s affairs despite three years in society.
Little did she know she would hear the name of her nemesis in her dreams.
[Next up is the news. Hero Han Seung Tae, the CEO of Innocence, the company that operates Club Sinabro, was⋯⋯⋯⋯]
“… Huh?”
‘What’s this?’
It took some time for her to understand and accept the information. Han Seung Tae, who had unilaterally acknowledged his relationship with Seo Eun ha, was a hero who had acknowledged his relationship with Seo Eun ha at his own discretion. Because of that, seo Eun ha had been labeled as a harsh woman who scrutinized him for no reason.
“Ugh!”
“Why, what’s wrong?!”
Ms. A’s scream brought her mother running. After hearing her daughter’s story, her mother gave her a solid smack on the back for her recklessness.
“This brat! I thought something had happened!”
“Ouch, ah!”
MS. A was in pain but also pleased. If Han Seung Tae were revealed to be a bad guy, Eun ha’s claim that she was unfairly blamed would be accepted with credibility.
MS. A was eager to access the community and check the status of the allied forces’ camp, who were eagerly singing victory songs, and keep an eye on their movements.
But an intense joy surged first, followed by burning anger.
“These bastards.”
She went to the news club that dealt with the denial of Seo Eun ha’s relationship and explored the cyber battlefield from the day before.
Every top comment had hundreds of replies.
[They’re really shameless. What are they trying to do with people’s hearts?]
[That’s right, han Seung Tae was intense. They’re not even dating for real, and he admits it? That’s not the case.]
[Hahahaha… Are they clinging to this so stubbornly? Did Seo Eun ha fall for a womanizer who’s with someone else?]
[What’s stubborn? Is there even one thing confirmed besides the fact that they took a picture together? I’m worried about what these people who are so adamant about blaming others have in their heads.]
[Now, the next is about Seo Eun ha’s clan staff ^^]
Just looking at it, it felt exciting. Most of the comments were traces of sharp opposition between Seo Eun ha’s fans and haters.
“Oh! There’s nothing we can do.”
Ms. A who has lost all sense of humanity dealing with these human animals, happily ate breakfast and decided to quickly heal his heart that had been torn apart for several days.
“That’s right! This is how it should be.”
She enthusiastically joined the criticisms against Han Seung Tae and left messages of support on Seo Eun ha’s recent social media posts, where she got involved with some psycho.
[Eunha! I believed in you!]
[How did this happen? It’s so sad. Cheer up!]
[My heart is breaking…]
[I’ll always support you!]
Ms. A heartfelt message of support and love for Eun ha from fans warmed Ms. A’s heart as well.
However, seo Eun ha, who had been actively communicating with fans on social media, hadn’t posted anything for the past few days.
Ms. A had vague thoughts that maybe her clan was preventing Eun ha from using social media.
If it were the incompetent Harmony Clan, they might not have known to make such a decision…
Ms. A day passed, then two.
Whenever there was a chance, Ms. A would play HMV, where handsome and pretty heroes appeared, hoping for Eun ha to recover quickly.
“… Have you come to your senses?”
She complained to Isaac in a monologue. She had expectations that he would help Eun ha get back on her feet because he had protected the members in dangerous disaster situations twice.
[Awaken- Awaken-.]
“……”
Ms. A touched the screen and repeatedly played the video’s highlights.
She couldn’t help but admit it. There was something impressive about Isaac’s fist-fighting. Even with some CG and booming sound effects, the reversal of a powerful villain being decisively defeated was an impactful short-term impression.
“Hmm.”
She stopped the video by touching the screen again.
At first, she was overwhelmed and filled with admiration, but the more she watched, the stranger it felt.
Especially the last scene where he defeats the blonde villain and stares at the sky.
It could be said that he seemed a bit dense.
As she kept watching, Ms. A, a geek enthusiast, made every effort to find talking points. She had a deep understanding of the heroes in the hero world.
As a result, at some point, isaac started to look like a super handsome guy who wanted to go home quickly and rest, avoiding any social interactions in Ms. A’s eyes!
“As I kept watching, it seemed cute…”
No, what am I saying, cuteness is too much of a stretch.
Ms. A, surprised by her own words, quickly closed her mouth. At the same time, she scrutinized every detail of Isaac’s handsome features.
“Huh……?”
In Ms. A’s daydream, a new hero named Isaac was being reborn.
Swish.
She brought out her tablet and picked up the stylus. Ms. A designer with three years of experience, she decided to enjoy the hobby she had forgotten for a while, ‘drawing fan art’.
It had been a while since she felt like drawing someone. Inspired by Ms. A’s touch pen, it moved briskly.
“Cool…”
Eun ha’s social media notification popped up when Ms. A’s fan art of the hero Isaac was about half complete.
In a week’s worth of posts, there were two photos of Seo Eun ha smiling and one sensational piece of news.
“Weekend Variety Show!?”