Lim Hye-Sook crossed her legs and smiled, shining with seductive beauty. Who would ever believe that she was a wrinkly old woman a second ago?

“Your father, Kronos—”

Gi-Gyu interrupted her, “Please wait.”

“What is it?” Lim Hye-Sook’s voice turned a little cold. Was she angry because Gi-Gyu interrupted her? Or did she realize what Gi-Gyu was thinking?

Acting curious, he asked, “How did you change your appearance like that?”

Lim Hye-Sook’s face crumpled into an ugly frown. She understood what he was trying to do. “You’re afraid. You don’t want to hear about your father, right?”

Gi-Gyu didn’t deny her accusation, and her frown disappeared soon. He was indeed curious about her quick switch, but he also knew that didn’t take priority right now. The reason he asked such a silly question to interrupt her was…

‘I remember it very clearly.’ He remembered how his father looked at him like it was yesterday. It was also why he never asked his mother about his father. He resented his father for abandoning his family. Honestly, Tae-Shik was more of a father to Gi-Gyu than Kim Se-Jin. So, Gi-Gyu accepted Tae-Shik as a potential suitor for his mother.

Gi-Gyu looked down at his watch, the only thing his father left him.

‘But he’s still my father…’ 

Did his father love him at all? This thought, or hope, was the sole reason Gi-Gyu held onto this watch. He had thought he was ready to hear about his father, but perhaps he had thought wrong. His heart pounded wildly, and there was nothing he could do about it.

“Haa…” Lim Hye-Sook sighed. She no longer looked annoyed as she spoke calmly, “I understand how you must feel, Young Man. But, how much do you know about Kim Se-Jin?”

It was strange to hear a beautiful young woman speak like an elderly.

Gi-Gyu replied, “Not much.”

“So you don’t know anything?”

“All I know is that he was one of the forerunners, and his name was Kim Se-Jin. He was my mother’s husband and my father. And that he died in an accident.”

“Hmm…” Lim Hye-Sook rested her chin on her hand and asked, “Are you sure you're ready to hear this story?”

Gi-Gyu hesitated.

***

“Haa…” a man sighed while sitting on a bench near the KPA headquarters in Gangnam.

All the worry and anxiety had made Sung-Hoon look older than his age. He kept shaking his head as he swore, “Dammit.”

He couldn’t help looking around with suspicion as if he was being watched.

“What should I do?” Sung-Hoon seemed torn because of what he had seen inside the Gangnam Gate.

‘Ranker Kim Gi-Gyu… The way he looked was…’ Sung-Hoon contemplated in concern. He had already reported what he witnessed to Tae-Shik. But…

“Haa…” Sung-Hoon sighed again as he wondered aloud, “Should I report it to the president as well?”

He kept biting his fingernails. Normally, he wouldn’t have to make a separate report to Oh Tae-Gu after reporting to Oh Tae-Shik. This was because it was part of Oh Tae-Shik’s duty to relay all important information to the president. However, things went a bit differently whenever Gi-Gyu was involved. For some reason, Tae-Shik rarely reported anything involving Gi-Gyu to Oh Tae-Gu.

‘And the president gave me a separate order…’ Sung-Hoon thought with a frown. Tae-Shik had assigned Sung-Hoon Gi-Gyu’s secretary, but Oh Tae-Gu had summoned him not long after he began working for Gi-Gyu.

Sung-Hoon remembered well the secret mission the KPA president gave him.

“If you see Player Kim Gi-Gyu acting strangely, you must report back to me in person.” Oh Tae-Gu had made a strange request; at the time, Sung-Hoon didn’t overthink it. After all, the president gave him this order, so Sung-Hoon didn’t even think to question him.

But as time passed, Sung-Hoon learned more about Gi-Gyu and…

‘He’s dangerous.’ Indeed, Gi-Gyu was a threatening figure. And Sung-Hoon instinctively knew that if he told President Oh Tae-Gu about what he saw, Gi-Gyu would be in danger. Sung-Hoon didn’t know what to do.

“And whether I tell him or not doesn’t even matter. He probably already knows.” Oh Tae-Gu was the president of KPA, so he had to have other sources of information. This was especially the case since many players had witnessed what Gi-Gyu did inside the Gangnam Gate.

So, did it mean that Sung-Hoon didn’t have to report anything?

“No.” Sung-Hoon knew better. If he didn’t report to the president, he would get into trouble. Since not reporting was similar to disobeying the president, Sung-Hoon could even fall in danger. In the best-case scenario, he would be suspended or fired from the association.

In the worst-case scenario, he could…

Shiver.

Sung-Hoon trembled in fear. The president of the Korean Players Association was a dangerous man. Apart from being the KPA’s president, he was also Asura—a high ranker and the head of the association’s secret army Grigory.

“Haa…” Sung-Hoon needed to make his decision quickly.

***

“Tsk.” Lim Hye-Sook clicked her tongue in annoyance. She was still waiting for Gi-Gyu to make his decision. She thought he visited her because he was ready to hear about his father, but she apparently thought wrong.

‘Kronos…’ Lim Hye-Sook thought with uncertainty. This was the code name of Gi-Gyu’s father, Kim Se-Jin. The things she knew about that man was information she could only tell the young man before her.

Unfortunately, Kronos’s son, who had his own secret, wasn’t ready to hear what she had to say. Finally, Gi-Gyu lowered his head and murmured, “I’m sorry.”

On the one hand, Lim Hye-Sook felt frustrated; on the other hand, she understood why this was so hard for Gi-Gyu. He had suffered trauma that involved his father, so it made sense that he was having difficulty overcoming it.

“I understand,” Lim Hye-Sook replied and nodded. “Then why don’t we talk about something else today?”

Gi-Gyu looked up at her in confusion.

Lim Hye-Sook smiled and continued, “Don’t you have other things you’re curious about? We don’t have to talk only about your father. I’m sure you have some questions for me.”

“For example”—Lim Hye-Sook seductively crossed her long legs again—“Why I live looking like an oldie? You must be curious, right? Or perhaps you want to know the secret of my youth?”

Lim Hye-Sook was a temptress. Lou seemed annoyed as he muttered,

-Bitch. If she looks like this, why does she bother looking so wrinkly? And why did she even bother with the show? Tsk. What a dumb woman.

Gi-Gyu didn’t acknowledge Lou’s comment since he didn’t care about what Lim Hye-Sook looked like. “I’m sure you have your own secrets you like to keep, Advisor Lim Hye-Sook.”

“Hmm… I was only joking. You took it too seriously.”

“I’m sorry,” Gi-Gyu apologized.

Lim Hye-Sook laughed and replied, “Well, no need to apologize.”

It was time to get some useful information, so he asked, “What I really want to know about is the changes. My recent changes, to be exact.”

Gi-Gyu’s eyes didn’t waver as he continued, “And I would also like to know about the seal.”

The sharp and clear look in his eyes was an abrupt change in his demeanor which surprised Lim Hye-Sook, but she didn’t show it.

‘Huh…’ The player in front of her no longer looked like a fragile young man who couldn’t overcome his trauma.

‘I suppose this is what he wanted,’ she thought secretly. She realized that it wasn’t Gi-Gyu’s fault for not being able to overcome his trauma. Perhaps the kind of trauma he suffered wasn’t something one could overcome.

Lim Hye-Sook decided not to push him anymore. The best she could do right now was answer any questions he had to the best of her abilities.

“That’s easy enough to do.” Lim Hye-Sook smiled and rose.

A moment later, Lim Hye-Sook stood right in front of him. They were so close that Gi-Gyu could feel her breath.

She slowly touched her chest and whispered, “Don’t worry. I won’t bite.”

***

After thinking long and hard about it, Sung-Hoon finally stood up. He looked a little less burdened, indicating he had made a decision. The other association agents were like passersby, going around him. Honestly, he shouldn’t have wasted his time contemplating for this long. The association was still swamped with much work related to the several unratable gates. Nothing was resolved yet, and tension remained in the air. But Sung-Hoon couldn’t help worrying about other things.

‘But this is just as important.’ Sung-Hoon thought. He was dealing with the most powerful players in the world. These people could destroy or save humanity. Some might believe he was wasting his time worrying about it, but Sung-Hoon disagreed.

Step.

Sung-Hoon walked a little faster. No one paid any attention to him as he entered the main association building. He continued to walk without hesitation. So many people walked by around him, but Sung-Hoon didn’t even notice them. He had a clear destination in mind.

“Excuse me,” Sung-Hoon finally stopped and greeted. He introduced himself, “I’m Heo Sung-Hoon, and I’m from the gate maintenance department run by General Manager Oh Tae-Shik.”

“Of course. What can I do for you?” the secretary asked.

“I’m here to see the president.”

***

“Ugh!” Lim Hye-Sook gasped. She had lived longer than most, so she believed nothing could shock her now. But right at this moment, she couldn’t help being impressed. Actually, it was more astonishment than anything.

‘It’s dark.’ she wondered. It was dark, as if no ray of light had ever reached this place. It was what she imagined the end of the world might look like.

A place where nothing can survive.

A place no light can enter.

A place filled with only endless darkness.

She couldn’t breathe when miraculously, she saw a small light beam. Lim Hye-Sook headed toward it as if she believed it could save her.

And…

“Ack…!” Lim Hye-Sook screamed.

“What’s wrong? Gi-Gyu asked as he watched her grab her chest and gasp.

She silently began to back away from Gi-Gyu, who just looked at her innocently. Fear gripped her, and she couldn’t meet his gaze. Slowly, she stepped away from him, hoping he wouldn’t notice. But of course, she had no such luck.

“What are you doing?” Gi-Gyu asked in confusion. Lim Hye-Sook couldn’t believe she thought she could escape him when he was standing right before her eyes. It just showed how shocked and scared she was.

Plop.

Lim Hye-Sook plonked on a chair. She wasn’t sure if she stumbled and fell onto it or if her body chose to sit. Looking worried, Gi-Gyu asked, “Is it… that bad?”

Gi-Gyu knew his body wasn’t in good condition. Lim Hye-Sook had saved him once in the gate, so he hoped she could tell him what was wrong and how to fix it. But, the way she reacted was unexpected.

“You…” Lim Hye-Sook finally opened her mouth and shrieked, “What are you?!”

She screamed, and her voice carried so much magic that the whole room shook. A commotion could be heard from outside the room. Gi-Gyu suspected the Gypsophila Guild members were on their way here.

“What are you doing?” Gi-Gyu asked in confusion.

“It’s too late…” Lim Hye-Sook looked lost as she whispered, “The seal is already broken.”

She spoke so softly that Gi-Gyu could barely hear her.

***

Knock, knock.

“It’s Heo Sung-Hoon. May I come in, President?”

Sung-Hoon opened the door to Oh Tae-Gu’s office.

SoSam: Lim Hye Sook crossing her legs seductively… Quite traumatizing, considering she is my gran's age.