[Things are in chaos.]
While observing the situation inside the hotel from a distance, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the utter mayhem unfolding in the hotel’s first-floor lobby.
[That Gunggi, she’s completely thrilled.]
[It’s because she’s not stepping up as an ability user. She hasn’t committed any cris, so what’s the big deal?]
The woman who accompanied to the hotel, Seong Ji-eun, casually pointed toward Yun Hye-ra, who was surrounded by a crowd.
[From the flight’s entry procedure onward, there’s not a single thing they can criticize. Even if they review the CCTV footage, there’s no issue. Handling situations like this without leaving a trail is the specialty of the Brewers.]
[I owe them, it seems.]
[What do you an, “owe them”? It’s all part of the project. It’s not like she’s doing it because she hates it. This is a rare chance for her to flaunt herself legally in front of people.]
As Seong Ji-eun said, Yun Hye-ra was boldly holding her ground against the reporters rushing toward her, resembling a general valiantly defending their territory.
“Why have you co here on behalf of the Company? Are you from the Secret Society?!”
“The Secret Society? What an odd claim. I have absolutely no connection to any villain organizations.”
“But Gunggi is…”
“Just because soone’s ability is similar, are they treated as the sa person? Honestly, I want to sue that Gunggi person for defamation. Soone out there is using a face, appearance, and ability similar to mine. How frustrating. I’m just an innocent Arican citizen.”
With an unchanging expression, Yun Hye-ra shalessly distanced herself from Gunggi, leaving the reporters visibly stunned.
“But…you are Gunggi…”
“Do you have any evidence? If you’re making baseless accusations, you’ll have to face legal consequences, Mr. Son Dong-hyun of Haegneul Daily.”
“A-ah, no, I an… Are you saying you’re not Gunggi?”
“Yes, I’m not Gunggi. To reiterate, I’m just the ‘Red Rider.’ That’s all.”
There was nothing anyone could do.
There was no evidence to definitively prove that Yun Hye-ra was Gunggi.
Even with suspicion at 99%, neither the Korean governnt nor the Hero Association could dare issue a warrant against an executive of the Company.
“Alright then, let ask you, Red Rider Yun Hye-ra of the Company. Are you here to commit a cri?”
“Oh dear, what an aggressive accusation. A cri? I’m simply here to acquire the Phoenix Feather as a representative of the Company.”
“You’re not here as a representative of the Secret Society?”
“Hehe. I’m representing the Company. Please don’t make repeat myself.”
The Secret Society, Yi Maengmangnyang.
The Korean Hero Association might label it as a “villain organization,” but publicly, it’s rely a large organization of ability users.
“And about the Secret Society—can it truly be called a villain organization? Isn’t it only Korea that officially treats them as such?”
“The Secret Society is nothing more than a terrorist group of ability-using villains operating globally, including in Korea.”
“Exactly. It’s a villain organization, but it has no relation to us.”
“The President of the Company is the Chief of the Secret Society, isn’t she?”
“Oh my, such harsh words. Are you suggesting that the so-called Chief outranks other executives or affiliate chairpersons in our group? That’s completely untrue.”
The Secret Society oversaw nurous organizations, including those that could operate legally without causing external issues.
“Our Company is rely a business-oriented group moving in accordance with capitalism. We’ll do anything profitable. That’s why we’re spreading across the Aricas.”
For instance, there’s the massive group known as the Company, based in the U.S.
So, what exactly was this Company?
A colossal group that dominated the electricity, telecommunications, oil, healthcare, transportation, steel, and food industries—not just in the U.S., but across North and South Arica, effectively ruling the entire Arican continent.
-If Korea has Haegneul, then the Aricas have the Company.
In terms of capital size or the number of people associated with it, the Company boasted an overwhelming scale.
Had Haegneul not had the “Korean Peninsula premium,” it wouldn’t have dared to think of standing shoulder to shoulder with the Company.
-Isn’t the computer manufacturing sector dominated by soone else?
-That company even moved its headquarters to Korea, and a start-up under the Company is now dominating the U.S. market.
-Still, they’ve got experience. That company controls 99% of the computer market.
-As of 2025, it’s almost a 1:1 competition with the Company. They’re rumored to be using alien technology.
As various Arican companies established branches in Korea and even relocated their headquarters there, the Company expanded by filling the void left by these emptying groups.
There was a rumor that behind the chairpersons of the Company’s subsidiaries was the so-called “real chairperson.”
“Have you ever seen the chairperson yourself? Is that person the sa as the Chief of the Secret Society? If you have official docunts, bring them.”
Even the presidents or chairpersons of the Company’s subsidiaries rarely t the chairperson directly, though they often encountered the four executives.
The Company governed and managed not only the U.S. but the entire Aricas.
Recently, they had even extended their reach to Europe, demonstrating a chillingly expansive approach. In essence, the global economic structure could be said to revolve around Korea’s Haegneul and the Aricas’ Company.
“You can’t cover the sky with your palm.”
“Anyway, we’re not the Secret Society. Bring legal grounds and concrete evidence. Of course, if you dare to pursue the Company’s executive with baseless warrants… you’ll have to handle the aftermath yourselves.”
Yun Hye-ra chuckled softly, exerting pressure on those around her.
“After being hit hard once before, you’ve been cautious. But shall we give you another chance to ‘justify’ yourselves?”
“Urgh…!”
In Korea, the Company was treated as virtually equivalent to the Secret Society and was closely monitored. However, the Company ensured that when they entered Korea, they made no foolish moves.
At least on the surface, they remained untouchable, leaving no loose ends to exploit.
Indeed.
If Yun Hye-ra stepped forward not as Gunggi but as an S-class ability user and one of the Company’s executives, there was no legal way to punish her in Korea.
“Let reiterate, I’m just here to purchase the Phoenix Feather, that is, to participate in the auction. It’s about ti I head to my room, so could you step aside?”
“One, just one more question! This will be the last!”
“Sigh. What is it now?”
“Do you have any guesses as to why the Secret Society is interested in the Phoenix Feather?”
“Who knows? I’m not part of the Secret Society, but…”
Yun Hye-ra shrugged with a sly smile.
“Even if it’s the Secret Society, wouldn’t they want to secure as many Phoenix Feathers as possible? Hehe.”
Yun Hye-ra winked as she passed through the reporters and approached the hotel staff to complete the check-in procedure.
“Damn it, this is absurd…! What is the Hero Association doing?! A villain from the Secret Society is walking around in plain sight like this.”
“Hey, watch your words. You might get sued. Neither Haegneul nor the governnt will protect you.”
“Even if I get sued, I’ll just pay so settlent money…”
“They’ll sue you in the U.S. Can you handle that?”
“Tsk.”
The disgruntled onlookers were left with no choice but to keep quiet.
“A world where villains walk around openly with masks on—what a dystopia! Damn it, what is the Association doing, letting this slide?”
The reporters’ gazes shifted subtly toward the heroes.
“Snow White! What do you think?!”
“About what?”
“An S-class villain is openly staying at the hotel…!”
“If she claims she isn’t, what can we do? Are you suggesting we attack her?”
Facing a barrage of questions, Baek Seol-hee replied to the reporters with a cold expression.
“She said she’s with the Company, so she’s not a villain. If she engages in villainous behavior, record it and send the footage. I’ll personally arrest her, assuming she’s the Secret Society’s Gunggi.”
“What…!”
“Arresting or detaining soone without evidence is a violation of both international and Korean laws.”
Baek Seol-hee, along with two other S-class ability users, cautiously approached Yun Hye-ra.
“Ms. Yun Hye-ra.”
“Oh my, hello, Snow White. Hello to everyone else, too. Have you had lunch?”
“Keep this in mind. The reason we’re not arresting you isn’t because we lack the power to do so, but because we lack the justification—at least for now.”
“Hehe, so you’ll move as soon as evidence arises?”
“Of course.”
Yun Hye-ra turned her gaze toward Baek Seol-hee, who issued the warning.
Receiving her signal, I ascended to the rooftop of the outdoor parking lot and aid a heavy sniper rifle at Yun Hye-ra.
[Are you going to fire at full power?]
[Moderately.]
I aid the rifle at Yun Hye-ra’s lower body—specifically at her ability’s weak point—and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The gunshot rang out, shocking everyone in the hotel. However, before the bullet could reach Yun Hye-ra’s lower abdon, it was consud and disintegrated by the crimson flas that flared up around her.
“Oh my, the Secret Society’s Goblin is attacking . Isn’t he over there?”
“Tsk, pursue him!!”
Other Hero Association agents spotted and rushed over, but I imdiately vanished into spirit form.
“Damn it, the Goblin disappeared again!”
“Do they take us for fools…? Who wouldn’t see through this staged act?!”
Yes.
This was all a staged performance.
But the truth didn’t matter.
“‘Yun Hye-ra of the Company, attacked by the Secret Society.’”
If Yun Hye-ra were Gunggi, why would the Secret Society’s Goblin target her?
“Sigh, to think the Goblin would target , a villain ant for execution. How unfortunate. I’m just…”
She smirked.
“…guilty of adding pineapple as a pizza topping.”
“…Such ridiculous lies in such an obvious play…”
“Well, isn’t it? If this is an obvious play, that is.”
I cautiously approached Yun Hye-ra in spirit form and joined her in the elevator.
“Even in Korea, they won’t resort to pinning so strange criminal acts on .”
Clunk.
The doors closed.
“Surely, the Korean governnt wouldn’t stoop to staging sothing as childish as this. Hehe.”
Yun Hye-ra winked at over her shoulder.
“As if they’d go so far as to stage an attack by a Secret Society hitman to prove that soone from the Society isn’t from the Society. That’d be more childish than an elentary school play~.”
As if speaking to the CCTV, Yun Hye-ra muttered mockingly, as though directing her words at soone else.
“Anyway, I’m not Gunggi.”
The Company.
It was just the Company.
Reviews
All reviews (0)