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It was late in the evening when I returned to my dorm.

I remotely turned on the heater in my dormitory room before I left the mansion, but I might have set the temperature too low.

The air still felt cold.

Only after I placed the paper crafts made by the descendants, those of which I cannot determine if they were tigers or cats, did the heating system seem to function properly.

I should show them how it looks.

I took out my device and sent a few pictures to Eunhos descendants.

Dingdong.

I checked my inbox, and the message I was anticipating was there.

I sent him a message early in the day, but perhaps he was too busy, he only responded now.

[Hong Gyubin] Sorry for the late reply, Euishin-ah.

[Hong Gyubin] Did you contact me after hearing the news?

I was unsure what Hong Gyubin was talking about.

I havent really seen much news about the association.

[Hong Gyubin] Me and my team are removed from all cases involving Namgung Group.

The news was heavier than I thought.

A service company exerting force on Eungwang Nursery, the suicide of Inspector Kim from Gwangil Police Station, the revelation of the Namgung C&T worker during the Playlist finals, and an otherworld simulator found in the underground of a broadcasting station all these were cases related to Namgung Group.

All of which were being investigated by Hong Gyubin.

They mustve found out that Hong Gyubin was Namgung Gyubin. The timing is a bit weird though.

Id understand it if it were during the start of investigations, but investigations by Hong Gyubin were already in full swing.

It wasnt strange that theyd make Hong Gyubin step down, but the problem was the timing.

[Me] Did your birth origin become a problem, Team Leader?

[Hong Gyubin] Hahaha, looks like I dont have to say it. Yeah, I knew youd know it.

Hong Gyubin laughed, but I know he invested blood, sweat, and tears in his work.

Perhaps Hong Gyubin had already profusely protested this.

After all, if he has less work now, then shouldnt he be able to reply faster?

He was probably busy trying to come up with measures and trying to put them into action, though it seems like all his efforts ended in vain.

[Hong Gyubin] Im thinking of what I can do right now. First of all, I should work to support the students involved in the TC case so they can go back to school already.

Hong Gyubin joked that Employee Jung cant concentrate on his work as long as Eungwang High students were in the association.

He seemed to be making the mood lighter, so I decided not to ask any more about Namgung.

[Hong Gyubin] I caught all the mercenaries hired at the request of a permanent researcher at TC Research Institute.

[Hong Gyubin] Theyre mercenaries, so theyre driven by money. They had no reason to be loyal. I guess they want to reduce their sentence.

[Hong Gyubin] And then I found something interesting.

The mercenary who Hwang Jiho had knocked down seemed to have decided to negotiate with the association.

Usually, when this kind of situation occurs, the people who hired the mercenaries opt to pay them more money to keep their mouths shut, but it seems that wasnt the case here.

Though its still possible that those mercenaries were paid to feed false information to the association.

[Hong Gyubin] These are people who were hired to fight against a certain royal lineage.

[Hong Gyubin] They did combat training assuming that theyd have to suppress a master of sticks

[Hong Gyubin] They were ordered to capture them but to exterminate the royal lineage if capturing him was impossible.

The royal lineage seemed to refer to Jecheondaesung.

Those mercenaries were hired to capture him.

They knew Jecheondaesung would come one day to search for Wu Zhiqi. If they caught Jecheondaesung, they couldve used him as another energy source like his sister.

No matter how good those mercenaries were, they cannot possibly catch Jecheondaesung.

But with energy poison present, although it cannot kill him, it impedes the use of abilities.

If it were an ordinary person, theyd lose the function of their brain and arms.

However, on that day, Jecheondaesung and the other royal lineages took an antidote made by Hyangrok.

In exchange for their insides melting, they were protected from the energy poison.

[Hong Gyubin] Those guys were frustrated that the royal lineage wasnt handicapped by the energy poison, and the person used skills other than using a staff.

Instead of Jecheondaesung, the mercenaries faced Hwang Jiho.

Hwang Jiho also uses a staff, an iron rod to be exact, but he always said that physical attacks arent his specialty.

Hong Gyubin mentioned the other cases before wrapping up the conversation.

[Hong Gyubin] RIght now, Im tracking funding going to TC Research Institute. Ill call you when I find something.

[Hong Gyubin] Tell me right away if theres anything up with the professor. And next time when you get an automated message, you can just call me ^^!

Even though he was in such a busy and hectic state, Hong Gyubin didnt forget to ask about Jegal.

I wouldnt have forgotten about it either.

I should only call him if ever Jegal is in danger then?

Year Two Class Zero will release a 3D photobook of Jegal at the Eungwang High Festival, so perhaps I shouldnt talk about that yet.

Hong Gyubin will be busy, so even if I mention this, theres no guarantee that hed be able to go.

The next message I checked was from the group message room of the newspaper department.

[Moon Saeron] Link to the results of my overseas coverage!

[Moon Saeron] Ive covered a lot!

Mon Saeron excitedly revealed her thoughts but later spoke in a rather depressed tone.

She must be bothered that she didnt discover much about Phantom Thief Neon, which was the original purpose of her trip.

[Moon Saeron] But I didnt find out much about Phantom Thief Neon.

[Moon Saeron] With that much want for attention, shouldnt he have made a few more incidents by now? Whys he so quiet?

As expected, the best information source in PMH, Moon Saerons insight was amazing.

But that attention-seeker was in fact causing some trouble.

Hes working with a fellow attention-seeker, with the mission to be in the spotlight of Year One Class Zero.

They repeatedly stalked our class, and they were the culprits who stole the attendance records not long ago.

Im worried that theyd cause more trouble that I wouldnt know of.

[Moon Saeron] Although I failed on the Neon coverage, I met Yeom Junyeols teacher so its okay!

[Moon Saeron] I didnt expect hed come all the way to the newspaper department office though LOL

Moon Saeron attached the full text of the interview conducted.

So Yeom Junyeol and his teacher were in the newspaper department office while I was away?

Yeom Junyeol didnt say anything when we had dinner last night though.

I checked my message room with Yeom Junyeol and found the answer.

[Yeom Junyeol] Euishin-ah, I went to the newspaper department office today. Saeron wanted to interview me and my Dragon Clan teacher so

[Yeom Junyeol] I wanted to introduce you. What a shame. If I knew this would happen, I wouldve told you in advance.

[Yeom Junyeol] Lets meet up when you get the chance.

[Yeom Junyeol] (Stamp)

So Yeom Junyeol was supposed to make a surprise appearance at the newspaper department office.

But even if he had told me in advance, I still wouldnt be able to meet him because I had to go to the Tiger Clans garden.

So this is what he meant when he said hed see me at school

He sent a stamp showing Hongryong with a regretful face.

A similar set of messages arrived, addressing me as That Word and Teacher.

After responding to Yeom Junyeol

I havent taken a picture yet.

I took photos of the three paper tigers that I placed in my room and sent them to Eunhos descendants.

The descendants were happy, thanking me for showing them my room, and I felt sorry for not taking care of them well.

I gazed at the paper tigers in my room for quite a while before opening my device again.

I put in a new device code.

I should contact them.

I called the device code, and after a few seconds of ringing, the other line picked up.

I suppressed my nervousness and tried to speak as calmly as possible.

Hello, I am Jo Euishin. We met earlier today.

I heard an unmistakable voice from the line.

[We heard from Hwangho-nim that you would be calling. Hello]

The couples voices were a little lower.

Maybe they kept wandering in the cold autumn air after they left us.

Imagining them like that, I couldnt find the next words to say.

Would my request be like digging through their wounds for no reason?

I wanted to meet this couple and ask for a favor.

Even if my request is ultimately a stepping stone to catch the Black Screen, I cant say with good conscience that it would be for the good of this couple.

Because even if we stop the Black Screen, it wouldnt return the life of the child that they lost.

The thought of it seems to heat my head, but my fingertips had gone cold.

[Jo Euishin?]

Maybe its because I was silent for too long, but the voice on the other line called for my name.

It sounded like they were worried about me, which only made my fingertips go colder.

I better be prepared if I want to meet this couple in person.

I managed to squeeze words out of my throat.

Would it be possible to meet and talk?

***

The next day.

Although I fell asleep late last night because I met with the tiger couple, I went to school as usual and spent a normal day.

Bang Yoonseob delivered cookies to Choi Younghee just as I ordered him to, but it was sloppy.

Maybe it was too kind to call it a delivery since I heard he only put the cookies in front of the girl before running away.

I wanted to give him that chance to talk with her, but I guess that jerk cant handle it.

And then, after school

Jo Euishin, what the hell are you up to this time? I didnt expect you to call the couple right away.

For similar reasons, Hwang Jiho and I were absent from the newspaper department for two consecutive days.

But todays activities were different from yesterdays.

We werent headed to the bamboo forest but to the Light Skill Research Hall 4 located in Eungwang Highs research center area, Eunyeonggwan.

The couple asked to meet with Kim Shinrok. They said they intend to allow him to torture the bear depending on his behavior.

Are they with Kim Shinrok now?

Hwang Jiho shook his head.

No, they will meet only when Im present.

Just as he said, Kim Shinrok was alone, in the basement of Eunyeonggwan.

I thought Jeokho would be there, but I didnt see him.

No, he might be hiding behind smoke like yesterday.

Kim Shinrok looked somewhat anxious yesterday, a stark difference from his calm demeanor today.

But perhaps hes only putting up a front.

Theyre here.

Ten minutes after Hwang Jiho and I arrived, the couple appeared.

With Hwang Jiho in between, Kim Shinrok and the couple greeted each other.

The couple tilted their heads and stared at Kim Shinrok for a long time.

So this child has grown up like this.

You were so small and immature the last time I saw you

Kim Shinrok was unable to speak.

I hear you have the ability to torture people regardless of their blood.

Thats why Hwangho-nim said he will entrust you with the torture of that dirty bear.

Theres a possibility that this couple would attack Kim Shinrok.

Anyone who knows about the couples history and Kim Shinroks history would think so.

But the couple made an unexpected suggestion.

Torture us from here on.

If you are truly a good torturer, prove it to us.

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