After talking to Joseph, I left the hotel and walked through the nearby park. I had promised to meet with the group including Sujeong. Joseph had something to do and used Stealth again, making him disappear like a shadow. I was reminded of another part of the conversation I had with him.

'That... can I talk to you directly in person?'

'Directly? Do you really want to meet me?'

'Yes. I think I should meet you and talk to you. This is very important to me.'

“...I can't tell anything about him.”

At first, I thought he was just the father of twins who took photos to earn money. However, the more I know, the more secrets I discovered. It didn't mean that the person himself was bad, but it wasn't rea.s.suring that he had something to hide.

“I will bring you to the leader...”

Earlier, he said he was going to tell a very important story and he would also bring the leader of Argos. In the meantime, no one knew the name or the face of the leader. Joseph laughed, saying that I would be the first one to meet him. I didn't like it but in any case, it was a very important story. It was enough if the leader of Argos was revealed.

“The appointment time is four hours later.”

In real time, it was around an hour. I gave him my phone number and said I would call him when I got out of the capsule. I would know once I finished hearing what he wanted to say.

“I said the old man wouldn't die easily.” 

“That's right. I think so as well.”

“Right? Sure enough, Seongchan has a different side.”

“Hey, be quiet. Are you saying that even here?”

The voices of the group members could be heard in the distance. Even at first glance, I knew who they were. At first, it was a conversation between a person called Muksabal and Park Seongchan. The woman nagging at the end was clearly Kim Sujeong's voice.

I walked toward them.

“Ah, Father. Congratulations on entering the finals!”

“Congratulations, Grandfather.” 

Kim Sujeong and Park Seongchan congratulated me first. The others gave a formal greeting while I spoke straight to Seongchan, “Don't worry too much about Muyeol.”

“Are you in contact with him? I can't send a whisper.”

“No, I can't talk to him yet.”

“Hmm.”

I rea.s.sured him, “Based on his expression, it isn't anything to worry about. Don't be so anxious, it is just a virtual reality game anyway.”

“Indeed, you are correct.” Seongchan shrugged casually. He resembled my friend Mueyol and I couldn't help laughing. The little one had turned into a man. The years had pa.s.sed so quickly that I felt sad.

“Father...?” Choi Jeonghyun called out to me from where he was hiding behind Kim Sujeong. What was he doing hiding behind a woman? He should be performing well in front of Sujeong. Tsk.

“Second son, come here.” I beckoned toward him. Choi Jeonghyun came over in a s.h.i.+vering manner. “Why are you doing that? Am I so scary?”

“No, that isn't it... Father, are you really Dark Wolf? Really?”

It turned out to be because of this?

“Yes, that's correct. Why?”

The moment I answered, I took off my mask and threw it into the inventory. I felt it every time I used it, but it was a ha.s.sle to sweat, even if it was a virtual world. My short white hair fell down. I skillfully took out a hair tie and tied it up in a familiar manner.

Choi Jeonghyun was so shocked that he fell down on his a.s.s. “Gasp. Oh my G.o.d! It is real!”

What was with this brat? My question was soon resolved.

“Since some time ago, Jeonghyun has been murmuring repeatedly that he can't believe it. He was very envious after watching the Dark Wolf videos on the community. He said Dark Wolf is cool and he wanted to be like that.”

Kim Sujeong smiled at the collapsed Choi Jeonghyun. I think he was a spoiled child, but he seemed cute in Kim Sujeong's eyes. In any case, I was glad she didn't seem to dislike him.

Jeonghyun exclaimed, “Father, why are you hiding your ident.i.ty? Won't you make a lot of money if you take it off?! Please help me with money...”

I coldly hit Jeonghyun on the back of the head. He was talking like a jerk. Maybe I should just bury him in my front yard. “Shut up. Keep it a secret from the other family members or I will break your legs. Do you know?!”

“Hik?!”

I firmly hit Jeonghyun and told Kim Sujeong, “I have to go because I've made an appointment with someone. Go back to Metheus first.”

“Ah, is that so? It can't be helped. Then we'll go to Metheus first. See you later.”

“Yes, see you later.”

I said goodbye to Kim Sujeong and pressed the log out b.u.t.ton. Choi Jeonghyun was still rubbing his back.

* * *

In a secret hideout in Aren's mansion... 

A few days ago, a man was captured and tied up here where leaders gathered for a meeting. His name was Aidan. He was one of the most influential Merchant King candidates in Fortren.

“......”

It was his rival, Aren, looking down at him. He was looking down at Aidan's miserable face with a complicated expression.

“Ack... release me! Untie me!” Aidan's limbs were bound and he couldn't untie the rope no matter how hard he struggled. Moreover, the ident.i.ty of the man looking down at him from above was Aren. He wanted to escape from this unidentified secret s.p.a.ce.

Then Aidan saw a soldier standing next to him.

'The head of the resistance!'

Aidan could see at a glance that this person's ident.i.ty was Leslie, the head of the resistance group with a large bounty on him. He recalled what had happened before. Aidan had set up an ambush to catch the old man and in the midst of various attacks, a bullet came flying. In retrospect, this was Leslie's specialty, the spiral magic bullet. Now Aren was with Leslie.

“Aren! You were the one controlling them from behind the scenes! How dare you?!”

“......”

Nevertheless, Aren kept staring at him silently. Next to him, Leslie kept calling out to him. “Sir Aren. We have to kill him. He has seen our faces.”

Aren silently turned his head and saw Leslie speaking to him. Leslie's one eye was s.h.i.+ning with madness. In fact, it was the same with Aren. He could understand Leslie's feelings better than anyone else.

'Sarah...'

Sarah, his wife and lifelong companion. Shortly after she gave birth to Helena, she was captured by his father, Adelio. At that time, his father defined the resistance army as rebels and ordered direct suppression. Aren naturally couldn't like the resistance. Helena, born of the two of them, was forced to hide.

Now the main culprit behind such a situation was in front of them. His beloved wife was captured due to Aidan's accusations at the time. Additionally, the culprit who betrayed Aren's father and caused his downfall...

“Sir Aren.” Leslie's hot eyes moved Aren's heart. Aren nodded quietly with closed eyes. “Kill him.”

“...Thank you.”

At the same time, the perplexed Aidan stuttered, “W-Wait a minute. Hey! What are you doing...?!”

Leslie pulled out the pistol hanging from his waist. He took out the magazine clip, took the silver bullet from his necklace and loaded it. He stared at Aidan with murderous eyes. “Aidan.”

“G-Go away!”

“You might not remember, but you said the gun you imported was so amazing you wanted to test it out. Then you killed my wife. Do you remember?”

“H-How would I know?”

“Yes... you can't remember. No, don't remember. It would be worse if that day was left in the head of an ugly man like you.”

Leslie aimed the muzzle at Aidan's forehead, his eye red. How long had he been waiting for this moment? He had glimpsed numerous opportunities to catch Aidan, but couldn't do so because of his soldiers. Now the opportunity had finally come. He got a chance for revenge.

“You don't know how long I've been waiting for this day. Do you know the ident.i.ty of the bullet I just loaded? The three bullets you used to kill my wife were melted and made into one.”

“C-Crazy! Aren! Hey Aren! Don't you need money? Isn't that why you're doing this? I'll give you money. I'll give it all! Or do you want to be the king? Okay. I'll concede! I will concede! So let me go...”

“You are ugly to the end. Fall into h.e.l.l.”

Taaang!

A gunshot rang out and only silence remained. Aidan collapsed with his mouth foaming after being shot in the head. Aren and Leslie looked at Aidan's body with cold eyes. Only the acrid smell from the gunshot was left in the room.

* * *

Around this time, I arrived at the place where I promised to meet Joseph.

“Over here, Elder.” 

In a corner of a secluded cafe, Joseph found me and waved. I walked over there and shook hands with him. Joseph's face was no different from virtual reality. He just looked brighter and cleaner because he was wearing modern clothes. In any case, the first impression wasn't bad.

“This is a new feeling. I am Choi Chuntaek.”

“I know. I am Joseph Lee . Just comfortably call me Joseph. Please sit down.”

He knew my name? It was strange. I had never told him my real name. I thought back, but I really hadn't told him. It was really strange. “How do you know my name?”

“Half of our Argos members are active in reality.”

“What? Then you investigated me?”

“...Well, I won't deny it.”

I narrowed my eyes and glared at Joseph. I never thought he would be doing this behind my back, this snake-like guy. I questioned him, “Why are you investigating an old man who hasn't done anything? Are you a stalker?”

“Hahaha. Do you see me as such a pervert?”

“Aren't you?”

“No.”

“...I see.”

“Hah. It seems there is a misunderstanding.” Joseph smiled and shook his head.

I hadn't come here to talk about this. I was displeased by being investigated and decided to get straight to the point. My face was already crumpled like a rubbish bag. “Why did you call me here? Additionally, where is the person called the leader? Let me see the face of that d.a.m.n fellow.”

“Are you angry?”

“Do I look like it? You rotten guys have been investigating me behind my back. Did I come here for you to tell me this? I...”

Just then, Joseph took something out and placed it on the table. He moved his hand and I saw something familiar. It was a card with three eyes that was the symbol of Argos. I had seen it earlier in the game. However, the number written there was clearly different from what I saw earlier. The card on the table had the number '0.'

“I will introduce myself again. I am Joseph, the leader of Argos.” 

[1] Joseph uses the Western way of saying his first name first instead of his surname