Chapter 432: Trust and tests (11)

Support Ex-Rank

During the sports exchange exhibition with the Military Academy, the Demon Race tried to assassinate Do Wonwoo using Do Sihoo’s light skill.

That’s when I heard from Jang Namwook about his light skill — a chain made from energy waves.

Although he can materialize a chain and can attack someone with it, its attack power is considerably low.

That’s why Jang Namwook said it was more of a “capturing” skill than an attack skill.

‘Don’t tell me it was Do Sihoo’s light skill that bound Wu Zhiqi!’

If Wu Zhiqi had the same powers from the myths and legends, she could easily subdue Do Sihoo and his chains.

But if the Demon Race lent their hands in the middle?

On top of that, Wu Zhiqi has a negative experience with the concept of chains.

‘According to the legends, some fisherman once came across Wu Zhiqi coincidentally. But…’

Wu Zhiqi was sunk under the river and tied to chains and irons.

And then one day, Wu Zhiqi resurfaced, an event triggered by her being discovered by a fisherman.

The fisherman reported to Choju’s governor about his strange experience while fishing.

The governor ordered several fishermen and fifty cows to pull Wu Zhiqi out of the water.

The Ha Dynasty ended early, and the king who suppressed Wu Zhiqi had already disappeared.

When she resurfaced, only ordinary men and cows were before her.

But Wu Zhiqi didn’t get the freedom that she wanted.

Being tied with chains to the bottom of the river, Wu Zhiqi has submerged once again.

‘Do Sihoo’s light skill is optimal for keeping Wu Zhiqi. It can’t be a coincidence.’

Do Sihoo, a man who is obsessed with water yet almost died several times while practicing how to swim.

A man who gets easily seasick.

I couldn’t stay still when I remembered Do Sihoo and his connections with water.

“I’ve done what I can do now.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Just in time, Wu Zhiqi’s treatment seems to be over.

Jecheondaesung wanted to hear from Yoo Sanghee details of what happened to his sister, so the two exchanged device codes.

Do Wonwoo would’ve said something ugly if it were a usual situation, but he kept his mouth shut.

It’s not that he’s intimidated by Jecheondaesung, but it seems like he realized that he wasn’t in a position where he has to look ugly to Yoo Sanghee anymore.

I wasn’t the only one who thought so seeing that Yoo Sanghoon and the other student association members glanced at Do Wonwoo too.

I spoke to distract Do Wonwoo’s attention and organize the situation.

“The Players’ Association will be coming here soon. A professional player team from the association will prioritize attacking the otherworlds, but an executive would come and investigate this research institute soon.”

“I’ll take care of that. You guys can go back.”

Do Wonwoo replied bluntly.

He must want to take responsibility for everything that happened here.

Of course, I didn’t want to leave Do Wonwoo here and let him do that, but it seemed like the best course of action.

‘We’ll have to step down just as Do Wonwoo is saying. We can’t help Do Wonwoo any further with our presence here. I’ve set up some measures for now so I have to check how things are going and think about what else I can do…’

At that moment, someone stood in front of Do Wonwoo.

“I’ll stay here.”

“…Sanghee-ah.”

Having just treated Wu Zhiqi, Yoo Sanghee’s body condition deteriorated a little, and the scratch on her neck from the syringe was obvious.

Yoo Sanghee looked around the destroyed institute and Jecheondaesung who was still holding Wu Zhiqi.

The scratches on her feet were gone and her complexion improved, but Wu Zhiqi was still unconscious.

“I was fooled by those garbage people and did something I shouldn’t have done. I shouldn’t have cooperated with experiments that I don’t know what—”

“Why is that your fault!”

Yoo Sanghoon cut off Yoo Sanghee with a loud voice.

I know Yoo Sanghoon usually speaks comfortably with his sister, but I didn’t think he’d talk to her like that.

‘I understand how he feels, but I don’t think he should raise his voice here…’

He’s wearing a different mask and kept a distance from the student association members, but shouting here would reveal his identity and make those measures useless.

Now the student association members know that Yoo Sanghoon is here.

But the smart student association members feigned ignorance.

Instead, they joined Yoo Sanghoon in refuting Yoo Sanghee’s words.

“That’s right, it’s not your fault that you were fooled.”

“It’s those fraudulent people’s fault, not yours.”

“Those trashy people are under our group. That’s why I am the one responsible here.”

Do Wonwoo and the student association members dissuaded Yoo Sanghee, but she persisted to stay until the end.

“It will be revealed that I was going to this place anyway. I want to cooperate with the association’s investigations.”

Yoo Sanghee has already made up her mind, and we can’t do anything now to persuade her to do the opposite.

There are many ways to cover up Yoo Sanghee’s participation here, but I don’t think she would accept it.

I felt upset that I have to leave Yoo Sanghee and Do Wonwoo in a place like this.

“Someone is coming. You better leave if you wish to avoid the commotion.”

Jecheondaesung looked up and spoke.

With that, Ji Myungsoo also stepped down.

“Let’s go guys.”

“But…”

“Let’s leave this to those two.”

Yoo Sanghoon expressed great dissatisfaction with Yoo Sanghee staying here, but he stepped down, perhaps realizing that he can’t do anything more to persuade his sister and that his presence here would only complicate things.

I spoke to appease Yoo Sanghoon and reassure the others.

“Cheon Dongha will come here. He said he would gather reliable people. He’ll help fix this situation.”

The Cheon-side itself of the TC Group isn’t trustworthy, but we can at least trust Cheon Dongha.

At the news that Cheon Dongha would be coming, Yeom Junyeol and the other student association members left with relief.

However, I can’t return to the dormitory yet.

‘I still have somewhere I need to go.’

I have to address the clue left by the Destiny skill.

I turned on my device to check the location and was about to use a transportation skill when…

“I see you’ve finished up before I could come.”

Hwang Jiho, who was in his 20’s appearance, stood in front of me.

Behind him was an otherworld gap that had just disappeared.

Fwaaa…!

I saw a team of players dispatched by the association too, and a notification on the success of dealing with the otherworlds was heard on my device.

Looking at the notification, I saw that Hwang Jiho was the first to finish attacking an otherworld.

It seems like the two otherworlds were still being dealt with.

‘…He dealt with it much faster than I expected!”

Wasn’t the rarity of the otherworld he attacked too low for him?

No, the rarity of all three otherworlds was the same.

Hwang Jiho in his 20’s, despite just having attacked an otherworld, didn’t look fatigued at all.

The only thing different about his appearance was the two unbuttoned buttons around his neck.

“Where are you headed? I’ll accompany you this time.”

He seemed to know that I had no intention of returning home yet.

***

Do Sihoo dreamed of the moment he was abducted as a child.

It was when he got into a car that usually picked him up from swimming classes.

Do Sihoo felt that something was wrong.

The car was the usual car that he rides, but the faces of the bodyguards and the driver were all different.

They looked similar to their usual faces, but he knew they were different.

—Ahjussi, who are you?

Surprised by Do Sihoo’s question, the men glanced at each other and gave a gibberish excuse.

They said that the usual driver went down with a cold, and the other bodyguards were off to family events.

‘If I got off the car then, maybe things would’ve been different.’

Instead of doubting the people in the car with him, Do Sihoo was more worried about those that were gone.

The moment he turned on his device to send a message to his usual driver who “went down with a cold”, Do Sihoo fainted.

The moment he looked away, the people in the car took the opportunity to attack him.

When Do Sihoo opened his eyes again, he was somewhere unfamiliar.

‘I’m kidnapped…!’

Do Sihoo grasped the situation.

He decided to hold his breath and pretend to be unconscious.

In the event of a kidnapping, his first priority should be to survive, followed by calling for help.

Do Sihoo tried to figure out where he was just as he was taught without being caught by the kidnappers.

When he opened his eyes and looked around, the first thing that he saw was a huge tank.

The tank contained a lump of iron and something that was bound in chains.

‘What is that…?’

Do Sihoo tried to look at it directly, but he had to close his eyes right away.

He heard someone coming his way.

— Report the current situation. How do we control ‘this’?

— It’s safe as long as it’s kept in the sea or the river. But if we keep it in this artificial tank, it’ll notice that it’s in one if the tank gets hit accidentally. I’m sure it’ll run wild like a ghost.

‘This’ seemed to refer to the thing inside the tank.

Do Sihoo pondered on what he had seen and heard.

‘The thing inside the tank was calm. That must mean that we’re either in the sea or the river!’

Do Sihoo had issues with the sea, but being the son of the King of Ships, he diligently studied everything related to ships.

Do Sihoo judged that they were in a ship right now, and that the ship had a tank directly connected to a river or a sea.

He desperately tried to infer the model of the ship by looking at the decorations on deck.

However, perhaps he was thinking too much or the kidnappers were really just sharp-witted, Do Sihoo was discovered.

— You’re awake. Let’s get this done.

Someone forced his body up.

Do Sihoo felt the pain from his wrist being snatched roughly, but he endured it and closed his eyes.

‘…I can’t open my eyes yet!’

The first hostage that is killed is the one who has seen the kidnappers’ faces.

He desperately closed his eyes as he recalled that lesson.

— You’re wise. I was going to blind you if you had opened your eyes.

It seems like Do Sihoo did the right thing.

It was harder to fight the psychological fear than the pain in his left arm.

However, it seems like the people around him had no hesitation in hurting him.

‘But there must be a reason why they’re not killing me right away!’

Do Sihoo was terrified, but he held onto that thought.

— Is it done?

— Yes, I’ve removed the association’s light skill seal.

Do Sihoo’s left wrist felt like it was burning from the pain, but he listened closely to their words.

He wanted to check his right wrist at that moment, but Do Sihoo closed his eyes tightly.

— Do as you’re told and we’ll send you back to your family safely.

Do as I am told?

Do Sihoo listened carefully.

In the event of a kidnapping, he was taught to do what the kidnapper told him to do.

It was usually the act of calling relatives and asking them for ransom.

However, the kidnapper asked for something unexpected.

— You’re going to use your light skill.

Come to think of it, the kidnappers mentioned a ‘light skill seal’ earlier.

He thought that it was meant to scare him.

Unsure of the kidnappers’ intention, Do Sihoo was confused.

Nevertheless, the kidnapper’s demands continued.

— Seal the presence in front of you with your light skill.

Support Ex-Rank