“......”

Lee Geonmyeong silently watched Han Hyeyeon disappear with a blank gaze. His eyes were red. According to Kang Jaeseong's words, he couldn't use any strength here, but I couldn't understand what was happening. Lee Geonmyeong laughed bitterly and his dark red hand returned to its original appearance.

“The replica key has been exhausted with this command. It is useless now. It is all over...”

“I'm asking what you just did!”

I grabbed his collar and shook him strongly before punching him in the face. Lee Geonmyeong's cold eyes met mine. Then he raised the corners of his lips in a sneer and stayed silent. Just then, Kang Jaeseong's voice started to be heard along with a crackling sound.

-...der, Elder. Can you hear me?!

“I hear you. Speak.”

-I was caught off guard! He just used the replica key to order Gaia to self-destruct! At this rate, the core energy in the headquarter's control room will erupt with the power of six nuclear bombs sweeping over South Korea! Other countries will be fine, but South Korea, where our headquarters is located, won't be free from damage!

“A command to self-destruct?”

I paled and made eye contact with Lee Geonmyeong who had collapsed below me. Lee Geonmyeong was surprised to find that I had learned about it and his eyes widened slightly. He murmured, “Is there a helper?”

“Dr Kang Jaeseong, is it true? Is there any way to stop it?”

Lee Geonmyeong looked surprised at the name and was filled with anger.

“Kang Jaeseong! You're alive! Sticking your nose in until the end!”

I angrily kicked him in the head. Lee Geonmyeong gave a small scream before staring at me while wiping the blood flowing from his mouth. I fought with such a Lee Geonmyeong and asked Kang Jaeseong again, “I will ask you again. Is there any method?”

-......

Kang Jaeseong was briefly silent before he spoke again.

-Even with my master key, it will take quite a while to withdraw this command. It is also a problem that there are less than 20 minutes left. The only one who can rescind a self-destruct command is the person who issued the command.

The moment I heard this, I grabbed Lee Geonmyeong's collar and raised him up, screaming at him, “Cancel the command right away!”

“Why should I?”

“It is your end!”

I kept beating Lee Geonmyeong until I was out of breath. Not only did I punch him, but I didn't hesitate to aim gorgeous kicks at him. Lee Geonmyeong continued to rise while bleeding. His face was crushed and his teeth were broken, but he just laughed. I became even angrier. “Don't laugh!”

A 1080 degree turn struck his side. The attack filled with great power caused Lee Geonmyeong's body to float and turn a circle and a half in the air. Lee Geonmyeong fell without any strength, but he still laughed crazily. He was really a maniac.

“Huhuhu. Give up. It is all over now. You will die with me. It is a pity that I couldn't take the other countries with me, but it is fine as long as I can take this one, d.a.m.n country! This is enough! Kuhaha!”

“You crazy b.a.s.t.a.r.d...!”

Lee Geonmyeong was constantly beaten, but he refused to withdraw the command. I was forced to put him down and call for Kang Jaeseong.

“Is there really no other way?”

-There is one, but...

“Tell me. There is no time.”

There were only 15 minutes until the explosion occurred. If there was any way then I had to stop it somehow.

-Please wait a moment. I'll connect you.

After a while, I heard the sound of something being manipulated and then several voices mixed together. The screen in front of me showed Park Muyeol, Mido, and Park Seongchan. There were also Park Maksun and the others. They didn't seem to know what was going on. Just then, another screen appeared next to this one and Kang Jaeseong's voice was clearly heard.

-Fortunately, the connection was successful. I will speak plainly. In 15 minutes from now, there will be a ma.s.sive explosion of power equivalent to six nuclear bombs in our country.

At the same time, a 15 minute countdown appeared in the air. It was the same in the place where Park Muyeol was located and everyone paled and started talking.

“Quiet!” I quickly calmed them down. “Keep talking, Dr Kang.”

-...Now that I look at it, the replica key is completely gone, so it seems that canceling the order is useless. I think we have to use the last method.

“Is the last method using that thing?”

-That's right.

The moment Kang Jaeseong nodded, I had Chunza take out Park Muyeol's white wooden sword. The wooden sword was vibrating and humming as if resonating with the light. It seemed to be announcing the arrival of something.

-Elder Park Muyeol will play an important role. You are the only one there who can use Magic Power Germination. The golden apple tree there is disappearing little by little right now. Do you see it?

-Yes. I can see it. It is definitely disappearing as you said.

-The method is simple. Elder's wooden sword is made from the branch of the golden apple tree. Therefore, you can plant a new tree through Magic Power Germination in the place where the golden apple tree is disappearing. Can you do it?

-I will start right now. Move immediately!

Park Muyeol's screen became chaotic as he ran to the place where the golden apple tree was located in an instant. After a while, the screen showed the remnants of the tree consisting of 1s and 0s scattering into the sky. Lee Geonmyeong screamed like he was in a rage.

“Kang Jaeseong! You are stopping me once again! I will curse you even if I die!”

Kang Jaeseong ignored his words like they weren't worth hearing. There were now less than 10 minutes left. It was both a long and a short time.

-Elder Choi Chuntaek.

Then Park Muyeol's screen turned off and only Kang Jaeseong's screen remained. “Tell me.”

-...Even if the seal is successful, the explosion where you are won't be stopped. This method is just completely shutting down the energy core that is Gaia. Think of it as a type of initialization. To put it simply, Elder over there is in range and... you will die. Your consciousness will hover in a universe of data that is unknown due to the effects of the explosion. In simple terms...

“It's fine. Isn't it dying one way or another? If I can't stop the explosion, then it will be the end. Even if I stop it, I can only die. Am I understanding correctly?”

-...That's right. Will it be okay?

I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them again and nodding. Kang Jaeseong let out a long sigh.

-...I'm sorry.

“What are you sorry for? I'm fine.”

-Park Muyeol has started planting a new tree using Magic Power Germination. Fortunately, the core energy of this laboratory is gradually regaining stability. Perhaps... do you have anything to say to your family?

“Huhu, I don't know. You suddenly asked me to leave a will. I can't think of anything.”

-There is also a recording function. It is better to communicate with a video than a letter. I'm sorry, but this is the only thing I can do.

I shook my head.

“A will. If I leave such a thing, it will just make things harder for my family and Muyeol. It was like that for me when my wife died and left a letter. Ah, that's right. Is my wife in the Underworld okay? I miss her all of a sudden.”

-...I'll connect you. In fact, she had been listening to the conversation.

Suddenly, a screen appeared with my wife's face on it. Her face was covered in tears.

“The situation is like this. I had wanted to stay with you a bit longer. Hahaha.”

I laughed like nothing was wrong and Yoo Seonyeong forcibly smiled with troubled eyes. She was choked up and found it hard to speak.

-...Honey, will we be married in our next life?

I nodded with a smile.

“Of course.”

-I love you. The days I've spent with you were constantly happy.

“It is the same for me.”

Now there really wasn't much time left. There were around three minutes left. Multiple screens popped up and the appearance of other people was seen. At the center was my granddaughter Mido. After a while, Kang Jaeseong spoke.

-Is it really okay if you don't say anything to your granddaughter? This is the only chance to talk. I set them to automatically logout when it is one minute left.

“......”

I silently watched Mido. There was a clear, white smile on her face. She resembled my wife, Yoo Seonyeong, and had always been the driving force of my life. A granddaughter who was worth giving everything for. My blood and my dear love. 

“...I love you. Will you tell Mido that?”

-I'll be sure to tell her.

Kang Jaeseong nodded and Lee Geonmyeong shouted desperately.

“Love! Don't make me laugh. You don't know anything! What type of life I have lived and how I had to send Hyeyeon away! I haven't been able to enjoy such a thing all my life. It has been like this since I was a child. My only love was taken away by a despicable G.o.d while all sorts of ugly humans pointed at her after her death! Just because she was my wife, the wife of a chaebol! Ugly humans will soon fall! Just like me right now! Kuhaha!”

Lee Geonmyeong laughed like he was crazy. 

At this time, everyone on the screen turned white and disappeared. Finally, Mido was gone.

“......”

I closed my eyes tightly before opening again. I stared at the screen that showed the face of my wife, Yoo Seonyeong, who remained by my side. Then I slowly turned back and looked at Lee Geonmyeong with sympathetic eyes.

“...Yes. Maybe so.”

Lee Geonmyeong laughed like crazy. There was madness in his red, bloodshot eyes. There were only 30 seconds left.

“You think so as well? Yes! As expected, you are like me! Kuhaha! We are similar! Eh? We...”

“But.” I cut off his words and slowly backed away with a laugh. “It won't be today.”

At the same time, the countdown reached 0 and the entire world was filled with a white light. I closed my eyes and surrendered myself to the white light.