Black Online

The sky had turned dark outside of Megaworld, but it was hard to see, as some apartments didn’t have windows facing the city.

Fang Raon’s new apartment was just like that.

He was lying on the bed with naked Chaewon snuggled up next to him, covered with a blanket, and looking half-asleep.

Not quite asleep, but looking like she was trying to get some shut-eye.

"What’re you thinking?"

She asked curiously.

It was usually a sign that Raon was thinking about something when he was just staring at the ceiling like an obsessed daydreamer.

"Nothing really..."

Raon said.

"About your father?"

Chaewon asked.

She could tell that he wasn’t being completely truthful and saw his brows crease slightly, affirming her suspicions.

"Before his death, my father did something that I hate him for. I am also concerned that what he did will come to bite my family in the ass."

Fang Raon said.

With that, he was talking about the hackers, who knew about Aizen, and thus, they could be a threat to the Fang Family.

"What did he do?"

Chaewon asked.

"A bad thing."

Fang Raon said.

It was obvious to her that he didn’t want to say anything more about the topic, and while she didn’t like being kept in the dark, she had a feeling that it was something very serious.

’Father isn’t a fool. He must’ve had a way to deal with the hackers after they had finished their usefulness.

’There is no way he would’ve kept them around, especially with Rain Online around the corner, when Fang Family’s involvement in the game would come to light.

’Reality First would try to target the Fang Family and my father.

’I don’t want to think about what my father would’ve done, but I have a really good guess what that might be.’

Fang Raon thought with a dark look.

He then looked at Chaewon, kissed her on the forehead, and said, "Get some sleep," before he put on some clothes and left the room.

He took his phone with him, and he quickly dialed Sebastian’s number and then sat down on the couch.

Ring~! Ring~! Ring~! Ding~!

"Master?"

Sebastian’s voice came in a hurry.

It sounded like he was sleeping, which was why it took him a while to answer the call, as he tried to sound like he was fully awake.

But there was some heavy breathing on the line that gave him away.

"Hello, Sebastian. Have there been any strange calls coming in lately? For Aizen especially?"

Fang Raon asked.

"No, I don’t think so, master."

Sebastian said.

’That must mean he must’ve been using burner phones. They must’ve gone through all of Aizen’s things, so they must’ve found something.’

He thought.

"Have you found any burner phones or anything like that?"

"...Actually, we did find one from the garbage can. It was snapped in half. We couldn’t access the data on it."

Sebastian said.

’That means the hackers don’t have a way to contact anyone anymore. I don’t have their number either. I cut the relationship with the Rain Family, so we aren’t part of the Rain Online either.

’We should be in the clear, but what if those hackers are looking for Aizen for more hacked game cards?

’They should know that Aizen is dead by now. The whole world knows. What will be their new move?

’I don’t think they will just lie down.’

Fang Raon thought.

In that moment, he thought about what they could be wanting next and came to a quick conclusion.

’They will want money. They will blackmail us. They must’ve taken some proof that father was helping with game cards.

’Father must’ve known but didn’t care, as he was planning to kill them all along. He has a way to silence them quickly.

’Those hackers must be staying in one of the safe houses that father arranged for them, but I have no way of finding that place.

’Anyway, even if I find it, what should I do? Kill them too?’

Fang Raon massages his forehead.

In that moment, he retrieved his laptop from the room, went back to the living room, and opened it on the table.

He typed in the "Reality First" website, and since their stunt in the Black Online, they’ve become even more notorious than before.

But these days, it was just mocking messages in the forum, as everyone was making fun of them.

After all, they lost the war.

’They must be in a very bitter mood. They’ll lash out with that anger. They will milk the cow that is Fang Family until nothing is left.

’I won’t allow that.’

Fang Raon’s eyes turned slightly scarlet-red, and then, he found a way to contact Reality First through an email.

He wrote a message and sent it to them.

’I sent a message, acting like I also want to work with them and that I worked with Aizen, and I have a way to get more of the game cards.’

Fang Raon thought.

He used it using code words that Reality First would understand, as he couldn’t risk being too obvious about his true intentions.

Some other people might be reading these messages. Police especially.

’Now I have to just wait for them to answer back and arrange a meeting with them. Then I’ll get rid of the problem.’

Fang Raon closed the laptop.

In that moment, Chaewon looked at him from the doorway of the bedroom, the blanket barely covering her bare self.

"Honey, let’s go sleep."

She said with a sweet smile.

"Yeah."

Fang Raon smiled, took her hand, and walked to the bed, where they lay down together and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

...

Somewhere in the world, Reality First Base.

"What... in the world?"

A man looked at the email on the computer. He read it through a couple of times. Then he searched the name on the email.

"Fang Raon... the new head of the Fang Family."

His eyes shone, and then he ran past several members of Reality First, who looked to be bored out of their mind.

They wanted nothing more than to leave this safe house.

"Boss!"

The man ran inside James’ bedroom, where he was currently on the bed with a naked woman, doing something explicit.

"What?"

James looked towards the door with annoyance.

"I think you need to see this."

The man said with a serious look on his face.

James groaned, put some clothes on, and followed the man while saying, "This better be worth it, or you’re in trouble."

The man didn’t answer to the threats. He wasn’t scared. He knew this was very much worth it.

They reached the computer. The man sat down. James just looked from the side at the computer with arms crossed.

"A message came from the Reality First website. It is from Fang Raon. After Aizen’s death, he was appointed as the new head of the family.

"He wrote a somewhat cryptic message that took me a couple of times to decipher, but he is definitely offering more hacked game cards for us!"

The man said.

"What?!"

James turned the monitor to him and read through the message a couple of times and also understood the hidden messaging.

"Fang Raon... What do we know about him?"

"Nothing. There are few things I found about him from Black Online forums, but I don’t know if it’s the same person.

"His real-world trace is nonexistent. There are stuff about Anna, Raikou and Raizen, but him... It’s almost like he popped out of thin air."

The man said.

"Aizen must’ve made him the head of the family for a reason. He must be as sick of an individual as he is.

"It looks like he also has something to gain from downfall of Black Online, just like his father did. They must’ve been working together all along.

"However, he didn’t have our phone number, so had to contact through the website instead."

James said.

"What do we do?"

The man asked.

"He must be aware of this place location. See the last line of the message. He is basically asking for a meeting in the safe house."

James said.

"How does he know that we are in one of the Fang Family’s safe houses?!"

"Because Aizen told him. He asked for a meeting out of respect for our group. I guess he wants to keep this partnership going longer."

James said with a smirk.

"This is good. All these losers that have been laughing at Reality First... will suffer when the Black Online is back in our hands!"

The man smiled evilly.

"Arrange a meeting in here. Tell him to bring more of those hacked game cards. If he doesn’t, he might as well not come at all."

James said.

The man quickly typed a reply. Using also code words and such. Then pressed send.

"EVERYONE!"

James shouted, and the members of Reality First flocked to the room after hearing the sudden shout.

It hadn’t been a good time for them since their defeat in the war.

"Reality First is not done yet. Prepare yourself. The second phase of the war is upon us!"

James grinned.