I thought I had slept with the door locked, but, first thing in the morning, I awoke to Seo Dawons smiling face standing beside my bed with a mug in hand.
Seo Dawon said to my frowning face, I have good news and bad newsWhich do you want to hear first? He handed me the mug.
Accepting it with two hands, I noticed the cup contained perfectly heated hot water. After sipping, I replied, Bad news?
I think Kim Sangyoon betrayed us and contacted Bae Jaemin.
..What?!
Thats not bad news; thats horrible news! I lept to my feet in surprise. When I saw Seo Dawons calm demeanor, however, I remembered that he still had good news to deliver. With that in mind, I began to soothe my thumping heartbeat.
Whats the good news? I asked.
Jaemin happened to be out of the Hub, so the two couldnt meet. Seo Dawon smiled wickedly. The grin was so chilling that I unconsciously took another sip of warm water.
.He probably did something to Kim Sangyoon? After half the water in the mug was drunk, I asked, Kim SangyoonYou didnt kill him?
No. We still need him, after all. Afterward, he rose from my bedside and opened the door to the bedroom.
What I saw beyond that door..
MMmph! MMMmMM!!! With a completely purple face, Kim Sangyoon kneeled on the floor.
Imagine waking up to a two-meter-long man kneeling in front of my bedroom door as soon as you wake up.
Seo Dawon calmly drawled, I think we need to educate him a bit before we go to the Dungeon.
As soon as the doorknob turned, Kim Sangyoon immediately raised his head; his lifted face clearly contained overwhelming traces of anger, embarrassment, and fear.
Unlike his aggressive eyes, the Warrior made no aggressive move and did not spit or curse. The muscles worked underneath a frozen face, cramping from the effort.
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Something seemed unnatural, What.. I wondered.
Seo Dawon replied from behind me, Ah. I made it so he couldnt speak temporarily.
..?
Since I brought him in at the crack of dawn, I didnt want to disturb your sleep.
The invisible gag, then, must be one of Seo Dawons skills. The kneeling Warrior couldnt utter a single word and only moaned around his unseen restraints.
It was a bit amusing to see him squirming and flaring his nostrils in vain. Amidst my bleary observations, Kim Sangyoon looked mournfully into my eyes, as if he were begging for some compassion.
I asked, Did you eventually decide to cling onto Bae Jaemin instead?
Kim Sangyoon leapt up, with his knees still stuck to each other, and shook his head from side to side, desperately denying our accusations.
I felt something hard against the small of my back: to refute Kim Sangyoons vehement denial, Seo Dawon poked me with a strange cell phone and placed it in my hands. The cell phones lock screen was a selfie of the captive Warriorthe owner of the cell phone was quite clear.
Kim Sangyoons face paled when he saw the cell phone in my hand. Keeping watch on his bleached face through the corner of my eye, I quickly read through the last text he had sent to [HaHae Bae Jaemin].
[Jaemin-nim, I have some urgent news to deliverit regards the Red Lotus Guild and Seo Dawon. Please meet me in front of [Owls Ghost Ship] normal route entrance.]
Obviously, this text was clear evidence of betrayal. The location of the meet-up was where we had agreed, yesterday, for power leveling.
Mmmh!! Mmmh! Kim Sangyoon kept shaking his body as if he was in a hurry to explain his actions, but, after seeing the text, I lost any crumb of sympathy I had for the man.
So, I ignored him and gazed pleadingly at Seo Dawon.
Rest assured. He hasnt sent the message yet. He said.
I finally released a deep sigh, containing the stress that had been building up this morning.
Seo Dawon continued, For now, just listen to mesince Kim Sangyoon cant see me.
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Seo Dawon explained the events that led to Kim Sangyoons circumstances. Originally, this contract was used to tame intelligent monsters captured by the Tamer class.
In the middle of his explanation, Seo Dawon told me to flick my fingera set punishment gestureat the Warrior. Though I didnt fully understand his instructions and felt a bit uncomfortable with the idea of punishment, I did as he asked.
As soon as I finished flicking my fingers, Kim Sangyoons body suddenly startled to tremble all over. He twisted his body, and choked sounds spilled out of his gagged throat. Something supernaturalinvisibleseemed to be strangling him.
W-What if he dies?
My hands nervously rubbed each other; the shock made my fingers tremble, a mirror image to Kim Sangyoons own struggles.
If you want to stop the punishment, just flick your finger again. Seo Dawon calmly explained, as if he were reading a manual for a new home appliance. I hastily flicked my finger.
With a loud clap, Kim Sangyoons twisting and squirming also ceasedKim Sangyoon cried, but still couldnt move from his kneeling position; unable to change his position, he bent over and tucked his head between his thighs.
Hmmm.. I stared at his weeping back with mixed feelings. This is torture
Theres rewards too. Try patting Kim Sangyoons head, gently.
I looked back at Seo Dawon, suspiciously, but Seo Dawon urged me, Are you going to just drag him along like that? With no other choice, I raised my hands over his bright red hair.
After stroking his hair twice, I quickly pulled my hand back and observed him. AndI made eye contact with Kim Sangyoons bloodshot eyes.
His gaze looked strangely hazy. His was not an expression of someone who had just endured painful torture but looked, instead, like he had taken recreational drugs. I retreated a few steps, disgusted.
Seo Dawon continued, voice laden with an unusual steadiness, A submission contract literally compels the subject to obeyThey will fear disobeying commands and experience the joy of obedience. After using the punishment and reward commands a few times, the subjects will get used to the contract.
..
What do you think? Effective, isnt it?
Of course, it was impressively effective.
It was horrifically impressive.
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Seo Dawon didnt seem to notice my haggard expression and encouraged me to train Kim Sangyoon using the reward and punishment commands. Why dont you try it two more times?
Ha
I refused to follow his suggestions and closed the bedroom door with trembling hands. Seo Dawon and I were left alone in my room; he stared at me, mysteriously.
How did you know Kim Sangyoon betrayed us? I asked.
.Well, I downloaded a program I had since long ago onto Kim Sangyoons phone. I could keep an eye on him and his activity through his phone.
Had he messed with the phone while Kim Sangyoon took his shower.?
I nodded at Seo Dawon in lieu of an answer. Seo Dawon continued, Then, I sent Bae Jaemin and Lim Jisoo a message from an unknown sender. About sighting Lim Jisoos brother outside the HubAh! I managed to contact my former client and received his help. I didnt reveal that Im Seo Dawon, but the client had sent me a number to callfor any favorafter I fulfilled their request.
Thats why Bae Jaemin had left the Hub in such a hurry this morning. I tried to suppress my complicated feelings and looked up at him. ButWhy didnt you say something to me.
Ah, of course I would normally let you know all this.but your acting was so bad.
..
Kim Sangyoon needed to be fooled by you as well. He needed to feel as if you 100% believed in himThats why I didnt inform you of my plans.
I couldnt really deny his words, so I eventually decided that I couldnt really blame Seo Dawon for our current crisis.
Soon, I began to grow angry at Kim Sangyoons deception. Sangyoon, you punkWere all those tears yesterday nothing but smokes and illusions? We even gave you a skill!
I truly believed the sincerity of his desire to kill Ahn JoosungI guess he was method acting. He should have been an actor instead of a UserDamn it.
I was tricked when I asked him if he wanted to kill Ahn JoosungAh, so annoying.
He might have changed his mind after he returned home. Seo Dawon saida paltry effort to appease me with his soothing smile.
TL: Remember when Dawon said that rankers are a bitquestionable? In ammoral fights like this, MC really does feel like the shrimp in a whales fight. Thanks for reading! Ill have a bonus chapter (so two chapters?) tomorrow (hopefully)!
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