“Wait just a moment…! Let’s slow down a little…!”
This was an outdoor parking lot set up behind the stadium, secluded and out of the public eye.
There, the drug runner was being dragged along somewhere with his hands bound.
“Where are you taking me? Hey?”
“Just keep moving.”
To either side, the event crew members walked along. They were guards boasting an imposing size in their black suits.
“There’s nothing on me if you search me! I’m just the courier! I swear, all I did was deliver it!”
The drug runner tried resisting, kicking his feet furiously, but it was futile. The crew members ignored his protests and continued dragging him along.
“Come on… Tell me who’s behind this! Where those drugs came from! I really don’t know anything!”
“You telling us won’t help. Go ahead and explain that to whoever’s waiting.”
“Ugh…! Then where are you taking me…! Can’t you at least tell me…!”
It didn’t seem like they were heading to a regular police station. There wasn’t a single police officer, nor even a police car, in sight.
All there was, was an impenetrable darkness.
“Argh… Someone, please, save me…! I beg of you!”
“Boss, this guy’s crying over here…”
“Let him. Looks like he’s having some bad thoughts… Hmph…!”
Kung!
Right then, one of the guards holding the drug runner’s left arm collapsed onto the ground without warning.
“Huh, Boss! Uh…!”
Next, the other guard also fell unconscious, collapsing right where he stood.
“Eh…?”
What had just happened? In the blink of an eye, the two massive men had fallen.
The drug runner, still standing, looked around frantically, wide-eyed.
“Seriously, if you get caught, what are you going to do?”
A bright and cheerful voice echoed in the drug runner’s ears. Soon, a female student emerged from the shadows.
“Y-you…?”
The uniform of Han-yul Military Academy. Additionally, there was a red cross marked on her arm, meaning she was a student of the academy’s Medical Division.
Judging by her effortless takedown of the two men, this female student was undoubtedly an Awakened one. The Medical Division was merely a cover.
“Ho, are you someone sent by Azoth…? There were insiders in the school….”
Azoth. The organization managing the distribution of drugs. In truth, its name was merely a pseudonym, with its real nature unknown even to this drug runner.
“Did you come to rescue me? I thought I was really about to get caught…”
“Rescue you? Who said that?”
“Huh…? You didn’t come to rescue me…?”
Psshwwwwk!
Before he could even scream, the female student flung her arm lightly. Blood erupted from the drug runner’s neck.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Thud!
The drug runner slumped lifelessly to the ground.
This time, it was different from when the event crew members fell earlier. This was a genuine death.
“Don’t blame me too much. I’m doing this not because I want to.”
With the conclusion of the international evaluation match, the school open day came to a successful end.
Though the official event has concluded, the outside still retained a festival-like atmosphere. It might not be until the early morning that the school finally quiets down.
—
Shock of Back-to-Back Losses for US Team… Failed to Win Even One Set
International Evaluation Match Round 3: Shin Yoon-seong vs. Dick Kreider Jr. Cancelled Due to US Team’s Forfeit
Lloyd Hintz Undergoes Emergency Detailed Examination
Why Did Rashid Belkalem Have to Become ‘Kim Dae-sik’?
Still ‘Elite-Class’: Awakened Strongman Kang Tae-hoon Makes a Stunning Comeback After Long Break
—
On the other hand, the main event, the international evaluation match, was abruptly halted after the second round with Kang Tae-hoon’s match. My scheduled third round was suddenly canceled due to unforeseen circumstances within the US team.
There’s no need to explain the reason. Of course, it was Lloyd. When they noticed Lloyd’s abnormal condition, the choice was made to forfeit.
By now, Lloyd must be undergoing tests in the hospital. The fact that he used stimulants will likely be announced soon through their spokesperson.
Now, it seems I don’t need to worry about Lloyd anymore.
“Ah! They said he was the top prospect from the US, so I trusted and bet on him, but this is just pure nonsense!”
After the evaluation match ended, we immediately returned to Yoo Ji-woo’s lab. Yoo Ji-woo was loudly complaining, clearly upset about losing money.
“Are you alright? You didn’t even get to participate in the match.”
Next, Kim Han-bit asked me if I felt disappointed that the planned third round was canceled.
I replied calmly.
“It doesn’t matter. If anything, it turned out to be a gain.”
To begin with, the only reason I decided to participate in the evaluation match was as a promotional tool to sell my student ID.
Even if I had participated, it was obvious I would lose. I simply didn’t have the required skills to compete in an evaluation match.
In a way, Lloyd’s enhancement drug usage saved me from becoming a talking point.
“Hmm.”
By the way, I wonder how many of my student IDs have sold by now?
Although I didn’t participate actively like Rashid or Kang Tae-hoon, I imagine there’s still some demand for mine.
Isn’t it true? Some loyal customers buy the entire team’s uniforms. People who aim to collect all items might also buy my student ID.
How nice if it only reached the 1,000 target for the quest.
Let’s check.
—
Quest: Salesman Extraordinaire
<Sell 1,000 Shin Yoon-seong Student IDs> (999/1000)
Quest reward: <1 SP Point>, <Arna’s full stat increase 3x>
—
“Kim Han-bit.”
“Eh? What?”
“How late does the shop stay open?”
In response to my question, Kim Han-bit checked her smartphone.
“Uh… until midnight, so it closes in about 10 minutes.”
“Damn.”
“Eh? What’s wrong?”
The quest target: 1,000 student IDs, is currently short by just one.
Now I have exactly 10 minutes left to sell just one more student ID.
“Hey, Rock. Didn’t your match end? Why are you exercising again?”
“Huff… Huff…”
“Why are you working out in my lab? I’m already pissed about losing money!”
“Huff… Huff…”
“Get out! All of you, get out!”
There doesn’t seem to be anyone in this lab who will buy my last student ID. Yoo Ji-woo, Rashid, Kim Han-bit — all of them have already purchased it once.
Is there anyone else…?
Bang!
Just then, the lab door swung open, and a male student entered.
Plop!
The student casually flung himself onto the sofa immediately after entering.
Shoes still on.
“What’s this? Why is this sofa so uncomfortable? Did you pick it up from a garbage dump or something?”
Everyone recognized the student who had turned up late at night to the lab. He was the person who had just participated with them in the match earlier.
It was none other than Kang Tae-hoon.
“…”
Everyone stared blankly at Kang Tae-hoon. None of them expected him to come here.
“What? Haven’t you seen a person before? Why are you staring at me like that? Hurry up and close your eyes! Dammit!”
“Whoa… Whoa…”
Before midnight, Choi Soo-eun hurriedly made her way to the shop.
The sole reason for her late-night visit to the shop was to purchase a student ID.
“Give me one student ID for Kang Tae-hoon!”
“Let’s have one for Kim Dae-sik… I mean, Rashid Belkalem!”
Even as the shop was nearing closing time, it was bustling with life. This was thanks to the international evaluation match earlier. The participating athletes’ student IDs were selling like hotcakes.
“There’s no other option but to buy this now…”
The original limited edition IDs she planned to purchase had already disappeared, thanks to the revenue hit from not participating in the culinary competition from the first day.
So now she had no choice but to grab whatever was available in the shop.
“They must not have sold out all the IDs, right?”
Are there any items left?
Choi Soo-eun looked at the central display panel installed in the shop.
—
23:52 Real-time Almost Sold-Out Products List!
Han-yul Military Academy 1st Year Kang Tae-hoon (9349/10000)
Han-yul Military Academy 1st Year Rashid Belkalem (4751/5000)
Han-yul Military Academy 2nd Year Shin Yoon-seong (999/1000)
—
“…!”
The product Choi Soo-eun was looking for—Shin Yoon-seong’s student ID—only had one left. If she failed to buy it now, she would have to wait at least until next year.
Choi Soo-eun headed straight to the counter without hesitation.
“Eh?”
However, her steps halted. She had spotted an unexpected figure.
“Arna…?”
Although wearing casual clothes and a deep cap to conceal her appearance, there was no hiding her distinctive, beautiful figure.
It was clearly Arna.
“What’s she doing here?”
Arna was currently near the counter, fidgeting, occasionally opening her mouth and glancing at the display panel, while nervously scanning her surroundings.
She seemed overly conscious of the people around her.
“Could it be…?”
What brought Arna to this shop at this hour? Choi Soo-eun knew the reason.
It must be to buy Shin Yoon-seong’s student ID. And she chose the closing time when it would be quieter.
However, the shop still remained crowded with people. She had just stood there and taken notice of her surroundings, doing nothing due to hesitation.
What if someone recognized Arna while she was buying the student ID? Especially considering that both students and outsiders were mixed in the crowd.
Arna purchasing another male student’s student ID would surely make prime gossip material.
“…”
At this rate, Arna would either leave empty-handed or make the purchase braving the embarrassment.
There was less than 10 minutes left. Arna had to make a decision.
However.
“I’ll place an order.”
“…”
She noticed it. Arna’s mouth opening like a fish beside her.
Arna must realize by now what I’m about to order.
“Han-yul Military Academy, 2nd Year…”
I’m not as strong as Arna. I’m not an Awakened one, after all.
Neither am I tall or well-endowed like her.
I’m not even popular with people.
Still.
Even a clumsy person like me can surpass someone else in one thing.
It’s courage.
I have the courage to love someone.
“Shin Yoon-seong’s Student ID, I’ll take that.”
