Chapter 75

〈Chapter 75〉 Part 1, Chapter 5 (8)

The Great Battle Research Complex.

Located right next to New Seoul, this research complex is the most active site for core studies in all of Korea.

Judging by research results alone, South Korea’s level was among the top in the world. However, whenever a talented individual emerged, other countries would quickly snatch them up.

Foreign nations lured promising researchers with vast funding, leaving only those in Korea who lacked sufficient skill or pursued values beyond money.

For the sake of the nation. Because their loved ones were in Korea. Because they couldn’t speak foreign languages. Or because they sought high positions within the government.

‘Among them are those who have colluded with Sun Icheol.’

Unlike patriotism or practical circumstances, these individuals chose to align themselves with power.

They produced research results that pleased Sun Icheol, which naturally translated into his rising approval ratings.

‘At the same time, it’s the production site for the Pine Tree Squad.’

I trailed behind those carrying sleeping heroes, careful not to alert Light Blade as I suppressed my magic power and chased after the car.

Though they appear human, their true nature is monstrous, possessing abilities far beyond ordinary humans. Chasing a car sneaking through the night was child’s play.

Before long, the car entered the research complex.

‘As expected.’

The car quickly descended into the underground parking lot. While the above-ground facility looks unremarkable from satellite images, beneath lies a labyrinth of research facilities spanning dozens of floors.

‘The dungeon beneath the research complex.’

Mid-story. A scientist studying cubes at the Great Battle Research Complex realizes their danger and attempts to escape.

Just then, our protagonist group encounters this scientist, protecting them while battling the Pine Tree Squad, revealing the existence of cubes and Sun Icheol’s hidden motives to everyone.

In short, the Great Battle Research Complex is the dungeon where the cube’s existence is first revealed in the original story.

‘The scientist who escaped with the cube might be the main heroine, but that’s irrelevant now.’

According to the original timeline, she becomes an adult in 2025. So five years ago, she’d merely be a middle schooler and wouldn’t be found in a university lab. Besides, she isn’t even in Korea at this point.

“Surely someone like Cheon Gaeul won’t suddenly pop out, right?”

“Not now. Let’s focus.”

I slapped my cheeks to refocus my mind. Right now, finding the location of the cube is more important. I hid in the shadow of the building, avoiding the gaze of passing researchers.

‘The problem is infiltrating underground.’

In the original story, the protagonist group avoids direct confrontation too. After all, it amounts to opposing the government and the association.

They sneak past various security robots and surveillance cameras with a small elite team searching for the cube, while the protagonist fights the Pine Tree Squad outside to buy time.

‘So I don’t actually know where the cube is.’

I know the building—it’s where the initial battle took place.

But I don’t know the interior. Only the three who went to retrieve the cube knew the way, and once everything was over, the entire underground collapsed.

‘Fortunately, I know the entry hole.’

Creak. The manhole cover opened, releasing a putrid stench.

“Ugh.”

A mix of various chemicals flowed in the sewage below. An ordinary person would faint just from the fumes.

“I feel so guilty towards Park Ra-on.”

In the original game, I always assigned this underground route to Unsah and Park Ra-on. It caused the least resistance, and any lost favor could be easily restored.

“But now, I guess I won’t have to do that anymore.”

Since I’m doing it myself.

“I’m about to throw up…”

In the dead of night when no one passes, I jumped into the manhole.

“Ughhh!”

Starting off by vomiting.

* * *

Creak.

The wheels of the stretcher cart jolted. A researcher in a white coat panicked and shouted.

“Be careful!”

“Sorry, Senior!”

Another researcher bowed repeatedly, looking as though they had committed a mortal sin. The senior researcher quickly pushed the exposed arm back under the white sheet.

“If even a little of Professor Do’s research material gets damaged, he’ll go ballistic, you know?”

“Sorry. I didn’t sleep last night…”

The junior researcher’s eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging as if they might burst at any moment. The senior researcher wasn’t much better.

Stopping the stretcher cart briefly, the senior blinked tired eyes.

“How many hours did you sleep?”

“Two.”

“Wow, that’s a lot. Back in my day, getting one hour of sleep was already considered a luxury.”

Hearing the senior’s words, the junior researcher’s face turned pale. It wasn’t a grumpy old man’s rant; it was said that researchers used to be exploited so severely they couldn’t even sleep.

Even now, things haven’t improved much. The junior researcher hung their head.

“I really want to join Professor Do’s lab.”

“Agreed.”

Do Sun-jae—though stout in build, possessed immense knowledge and virtue—a professor in hero studies. If it weren’t for his firm personal theories and unfiltered criticisms of the government, he would’ve been called the greatest scholar in Korea.

“Don’t those graduate students in his lab probably rest at home right now?”

“They aren’t graduate students. Where in the world do graduate students come to the lab at their convenience to conduct research and write papers?”

To the researchers, his lab was practically heaven. The senior muttered complaints outside the lab door.

“I really want to sleep properly for a day.”

“If Professor Kang heard that, he’d probably let you sleep forever.”

“True… hey, didn’t you forget to remove the chemical smell? Why does this sour smell persist?”

At the senior’s remark, the junior hastily sniffed their gown.

“It doesn’t seem to be me…”

“Then it must be me?”

The senior frowned, causing the junior to look distraught.

“Either use perfume or change your clothes immediately!”

While the senior scolded the junior, a shadow flickered past the ceiling vent.

“This smell is making me want to vomit.”

The vent rattled.

* * *

‘I almost freaked out.’

There were closed vents along the way that I had to open, and it seems air circulated through them.

‘Not using magic power makes it ridiculously inconvenient.’

Phoenix’s smaller-than-average stature prevents her from getting stuck in the vents, but crawling around with a bent waist for hours is incredibly frustrating.

“Should we just burn everything?”

“…That’s not an option. Why go through all this trouble otherwise?”

The straight-line distance from New Seoul to here is about 15km. If Light Blade ran at full strength, they’d arrive in less than a minute.

Unless we find the exact location of the cube, it’s reckless to move without knowing where it is.

However, there is someone I suspect might be hiding the cube.

‘<Tattooist (文身士)>‘

An S-Rank villain who brands others with tattoos to impose mental restrictions. One of Sun Icheol’s henchmen responsible for producing the Pine Tree Squad. A master of stealth who never reveals his true identity.

‘There must be his workshop somewhere in this facility.’

Heroes who infiltrated the research facility eventually discover the cube. And that location is Tattooist’s workshop where he creates the Pine Tree Squad.

After tracking the researchers throughout the building, I finally found the suspicious workshop.

“Hey, when will Professor Kang arrive?”

“He said to leave it as it is.”

“Then let’s go. Once he starts working, he won’t call us, so let’s catch some sleep.”

The researchers left Lee Giseong’s stiff body on the stretcher and hurriedly exited the lab. I blew away the dust and peered down toward the vent opening.

‘It’s here.’

The research lab visible through the vent gap isn’t much different from memory.

The tattoo parlor-like, sleazy atmosphere of Tattooist’s lab.

Lee Giseong lies motionless on the stretcher. As soon as Tattooist returns, the pine tree brand will be imprinted on him.

‘Then let’s start the preliminary work.’

I subtly released a bit of magic power into the lab. Fortunately, no one’s there. I carefully gathered my magic power.

Like cold-brewing coffee, I extracted my magic power slowly over a long period to avoid detection by Light Blade.

Fwoosh. Mini-Phoenix appeared in the ventilation duct, having shrunk even further in size.

♪♬

Mini-Phoenix slipped into the lab through the vent, hiding among the chaotic clutter.

Having set the trap, all that remains is to wait for Tattooist to show up.

‘Soon. Just a little longer.’

…

‘I’m like Jiang Taigong. I’m fishing for time. Patience is bitter, but the fruit is sweet, right?’

…

‘Is Seoul alright? Ji Hwa seems quite unreliable. And Cheon Gaeul has been sharp lately.’

…

‘Maybe I should just destroy everything here and call Light Blade.’

Hours passed waiting.

Squeak.

Finally, the bite came.

Bubbling. Shadows churned beside the bed visible through the gaps. I quickly held my breath and looked down.

“…….”

Tattooist revealed himself. Just as I transfer consciousness through Mini-Phoenix, he uses his ability to move through shadows to return to the lab.

‘He sure knows how to make himself at home.’

This ability originally didn’t belong to Tattooist. Like Cheon Gaeul copying others’ abilities, Tattooist possesses the bizarre ability to steal the powers of those he tattoos.

Mental restriction, brainwashing, behavioral control, disguise, shadow travel.

All these abilities were stolen while creating the Pine Tree Squad.

Given that he’s helped Sun Icheol for so long, the number of stolen abilities must reach the hundreds.

Thus,

“Shouldn’t we deal with this now?”

My body ignites in flames. Just before transferring my consciousness, I kicked the vent forcefully.

Clang!

The ceiling vent fell to the floor. Tattooist’s head snapped upward.

“…!”

Attempting to flee back into the shadows, Tattooist is intercepted by Mini-Phoenix flying toward him.

Fwoosh. Transferring my consciousness through space, I solidified my hand and grabbed Tattooist by the neck.

“Hrrk!”

Tattooist coughed as his throat was squeezed. His magic power wavered, calming the boiling shadows, and I pulled him up from the floor.

“!!”

Tattooist desperately grabbed my wrist with his hands. Ink flowed from the special gloves on his hands.

“Where to?”

I grinned, lifting him vertically and slamming him onto the floor.

Boom!

Chokeslam. Without mercy, his head hit the ground, causing his hands to convulse. I raised my remaining right hand and gently waved it toward Tattooist lying on the floor.

“Bye bye?”

Simultaneously, a surge of magic power erupted from the hand gripping Tattooist’s neck.

Bang! The magic power inside Tattooist’s body wavered. I pressed my thumb into his neck and injected magic power into his blood vessels.

“Aaaaaaah!!!”

Tattooist screamed in agony as the fire-infused magic power surged through his body, burning away his magic power.

Crack, crack!

Tattooist’s skeletal structure began to twist. With such dexterity that he could alter his own form using his shape-shifting ability, he was resourceful indeed.

But with his magic power completely burned away, his true appearance was revealed. I waved again at the woman staring at me with blurred eyes.

“Long time no see, Chief Officer Auntie?”

Chief Officer’s aide.

Kang Soyeon.

* * *

In the hazy state of consciousness, Lee Giseong recalled that day.

The Seoul restoration operation. The day he was dragged by the Hellhound by the neck. When he thought his life was over, the Hellhound placed him down in front of unknown people.

Shaking his trembling legs, Lee Giseong stood up to face the Hellhound.

– Retreat! I’ll hold them off…

– What nonsense.

A gray-hooded man threw something at the Hellhound. Like a tame puppy, the Hellhound chased after it and disappeared, panting heavily.

A monster performing tricks for a human? Impossible tale. Yet, Lee Giseong survived and learned the truth behind the Seoul restoration operation from the villain organization Blue Wind Sect.

Cube. Villain alliance. Blue Wind Sect. Sun Icheol. Pine Tree Squad.

And the girl who introduced herself as the leader of Blue Wind Sect prophesied as if foretelling the future.

– Aren’t you just going back to New Seoul? You’ll get the pine tree mark on your neck right away. You won’t be able to mention anything about what happened in Seoul.

Naturally, the heroes rebelled. The nation, the government, Sun Icheol insisted it wouldn’t happen. The girl leader made a proposal to Lee Giseong.

– How about some insurance?

The villains also didn’t want the captured heroes to return to Seoul as part of the Pine Tree Squad.

Phoenix handed a small bird to Lee Giseong, the first hostage taken, as a representative. She said keeping the bird nearby would help maintain sanity even if drawn into the Pine Tree Squad.

Of course, he didn’t believe it. He planned to report the truth as soon as he met the chief administrator.

But government officials continuously obstructed them, and the heroes were welcomed by the Pine Tree Squad from the summit of Mount Gwanak.

Ultimately, trapped in a hotel room in New Seoul and injected with needles, Lee Giseong lamented his immobile body.

“I should’ve just followed orders.”

“Isn’t that right?”

“…?”

A voice emerged from his mouth. Strange sounds reached his ears.

Fwoosh.

Lee Giseong felt as if blocked blood vessels in his body suddenly cleared, and he naturally sat up. In front of him stood the girl from Seoul, the leader of Blue Wind Sect.

“Whaat?!”

Startled, Lee Giseong fell back down.

Stunned, Giseong pointed at the girl with his finger, then noticed the woman she had subdued and gasped.

“Team Leader Kang Soyeon?”

“Uh uh!”

The woman with the mask removed and gagged in her mouth was well-known as the Director of External Public Relations for the Hero Association and the Chief Administrator’s aide.

Team Leader Kang Soyeon.

I stepped on Kang Soyeon’s back with my foot and shrugged.

“Well, a spy sent by the association to our country, right?”

Kang Soyeon glared provocatively at me despite the gag.