Chapter 94
Jang Seok-yoon looked out the window.
Outside the office of the Agency, the scenery was always the same.
Since this wasn’t the main headquarters, the view he was used to seeing wasn’t there.
Nevertheless, Jang Seok-yoon could easily recall what he had always looked at.
Currently, parts of the main headquarters were destroyed, so they were temporarily using the Gyeonggi Regional Office building in Gwacheon.
The destroyed main office was scheduled to be restored as soon as possible through Samra’s technical advice.
In addition, they were simultaneously working on repairing the buildings destroyed by Representative Cha and Je Hyeon-oh, deleting the memories of civilians, and controlling information.
As the Agency’s workload increased significantly, Samra’s workload also rose to a murderous level.
It was a level of overwork that no human could have possibly handled.
Because Samra existed to perform parallel computations on hundreds of tasks at once, the Agency was able to hold out through this terror attack without taking a major hit.
That wasn’t all. If Samra stopped, problems would immediately arise in the defense against the Trials.
Representative Cha likely knew this, which was why he tore down the Agency building but left Samra without significant damage.
Jang Seok-yoon pulled his gaze from the window and turned around.
His eyes met Samra’s, who was standing in a poised posture.
Even at this moment, while standing there to report to him, Samra was processing various tasks.
"Samra"
Jang Seok-yoon looked into the hologram-colored eyes and asked.
"Do you have any dissatisfaction with my decision?"
An Al shouldn’t have subjective emotions, but at this moment, he couldn’t help but ask.
"I do not."
Samra continued in a dry voice.
"The previous opinion was merely a suggestion based on the judgment that your actions, Commissioner, could provoke unnecessary backlash from Mr. Han Goyo."
"I trust you, Samra, but when it comes to Trainee Han, I have no choice. Are you losing your objectivity, Samra?"
Samra showed a uniquely favorable reaction limited to Han Goyo.
Because of that, Samra’s judgment was being partially excluded in matters related to him.
Samra did not reply, but Jang Seok-yoon continued.
"And since Lt. Col. Je explicitly described him as a ’clue’... Samra, for my part, I must secure Trainee Han at all costs."
It wasn’t just Han Goyo’s ability to close Trials; there were simply too many things tied to him.
For Jang Seok-yoon, he was someone who could never be let go.
That was why he dug into the part where Han Goyo was likely the weakest.
The reason he initially formed a one-month team was not just for closing Trials.
When Han Goyo was brought to the Agency under suspicion of being a national disaster, Jang had received a report about him.
Name: Han Go-yo (24 years old)
1. Personal Details and Background
- Birth: From ’Onbyeol Orphanage.’ Legal guardians unidentifiable (no known kin).
- Childhood and Adolescence: No noteworthy actions or problems.
2. Major Career
- Joined a professional e-sports team and made official debut at age 19.
- Left a historical record in the esports world by achieving undefeated championships and a Grand Slam in every tournament entered during an active period of about one year.
- Contract termination and retirement due to injury.
3. Subsequent Trends
- From retirement until now (approx. 4 years), zero external contact and secluded within residence.
- Notable points regarding former teammates who belonged to the same team as Han Goyo.
Growing up in an orphanage, forced retirement due to injury, and a subsequent life of seclusion.
One could tell what would be desperate for a twenty-four-year-old kid just by looking at a few lines of a report.
Based on the idea that Han Goyo must be affiliated with the Agency, he formed the team and gave him time to become attached.
With the intuition of someone who had seen all kinds of people for a long time, he was certain.
Han Goyo would never be able to abandon the Special Task Force.
"Isn’t the most important thing that Trainee Han remains at the Agency by any means? Even if I have to use petty methods."
"It’s what you want too, Samra."
Samra stared into space instead of answering.
Knowing this was what Samra did when processing important information, Jang Seok-yoon waited.
"Commissioner."
Soon, Samra slowly lowered its eyes to look at Jang Seok-yoon.
And Samra made a statement that Jang Seok-yoon had not expected at all.
"It appears Mr. Han Goyo is planning to contract with Pasung."
"...What?"
Jang Seok-yoon’s face hardened in an instant.
"Currently, Mr. Han Goyo is using Bureau Chief Ham Ji-wol’s device to contact Director Mok Sae-hwa of Pasung. I have wiretapped the call, and Mr. Han Goyo has conveyed to Director Mok Sae-hwa his desire to contract with Pasung."
Jang Seok-yoon was also aware of the friendship between Ham Ji-wol and Mok Sae-hwa.
The confusing part was how Han Go-yo managed to take Ham Ji-wol’s phone.
He had seen with his own eyes the moment Han Go-yo broke down mentally.
It was intentional, so he had deliberately chosen cruel words.
Jang Seok-yoon had brought in suitable candidates to the Agency using similar methods before.
Since they would inevitably move to whoever offered better conditions even if bound by good terms, he shook them mentally to bind them to the Agency.
He was a youth in his early twenties with no proper social experience.
He thought that after putting on that much pressure, the boy would surely sign the Agency contract on his own...
For Jang Seok-yoon, who thought things would proceed easily, it was a massive blunder.
However, he soon calmly organized his thoughts.
’There is no way Han Go-yo would abandon the Special Task Force.’
He didn’t know how he had persuaded Ham Ji-wol, but he was clearly making a clumsy move.
"I should go see Trainee Han right now."
Samra, who had been staring into space again, lowered its gaze.
"I do not recommend it. The call has ended, and Director Mok Sae-hwa has contacted Representative Cha. It is predicted that Representative Cha will visit Mr. Han Goyo’s hospital room within the next minute."
"Ha."
Jang Seok-yoon let out a short, hollow laugh.
There was nothing good about showing Representative Cha the sight of him forcing a contract on Han Goyo.
"Samra. What should I do?"
Samra always made the best judgment for humanity as an Al.
Whether to accept that judgment was decided by Jang Seok-yoon, but he was actually relying on Samra for many things.
Samra replied with an expressionless face.
"I recommend negotiating with Representative Cha of Pasung, rather than Mr. Han Goyo."
MO Director Mok Sae-hwa°
That was how Mok Sae-hwa’s contact was saved in Ham Ji-wol’s phone.
The unusual name made me curious about the relationship between the two women, but I immediately cast the curiosity aside.
Anyway, the further I stayed away from Ham Ji-wol, the better.
With a pounding heart, I pressed the call button.
The call connected immediately, before the dial tone could even ring.
- Chief Hammm!
I almost dropped the phone at the voice full of aegyo.
I held the phone politely with both hands and said.
"Director Mok. This is Han Goyo."
- ...Go-yo?
Mok Sae-hwa called my name as if she couldn’t believe it.
- Is it really you, Goyo? You didn’t like, cut off an arm for Chief Ham, did you...?
She asked how on earth I got to use Ham Ji-wol’s phone, sounding horrified at what an enormous price I might have paid.
An arm for using a phone. Suddenly, settling it with 400ml of blood felt like a very reasonable purchase.
I informed Mok Sae-hwa that my arm was perfectly attached.
Then I asked if I could meet Representative Cha in person because I wanted to discuss a contract with Pasung.
Mok Sae-hwa immediately let out a cheer. Even through the phone, her joy was vividly felt.
-Of course! I’ll send the Representative right away!
Both Mok Sae-hwa and I knew that Representative Cha was currently detained at the Agency.
But we both acted as if that was nothing.
Mok Sae-hwa hung up the phone hurriedly before my mind could change.
- Just wait a moment, Goyo.
After ending the call with Mok Sae-hwa, I really waited for ’just a moment.’
Not long after, the hospital room door slid open with a clatter.
Even as I was startled by the act of throwing the door open without a knock, I realized who it was.
’He’s here already?’
Since the building the Agency originally used was damaged and they were temporarily staying in a new building, security was bound to be weaker than before.
Samra probably helped to some extent, but I still didn’t expect him to arrive at this speed.
In fact, before calling Mok Sae-hwa, I had already contacted Representative Cha with Samra’s help.
The call with Mok Sae-hwa was a smokescreen to show the Commissioner.
Representative Cha had agreed to hear my proposal in detail, which led to him coming to find me in the hospital room.
I speculated on the reasons why he could come so quickly.
’Did he knock out all the Agency soldiers on his way? Oh, or is it the Cognitive Interference Mask?’
He could adjust the level of cognitive interference, and if he turned it up to 100%, his presence would disappear entirely.
I hoped he would show me how to do that just once later.
Hiding my noisy inner thoughts, I, as the nominal patient, sat on the bed and greeted the guest.
And I delivered the most polite and plausible greeting I had agonized over until he arrived.
"Thank you for coming, Representative Cha."
I tried to control my expression, but I was worried if my eyes were full of affection.
I had already shown my favor too suspiciously before, so I was trying to be careful from now.
Representative Cha was still in his tracksuit.
However, the headphones he had been wearing around his neck were gone; it seemed they had been confiscated when he was caught by the Agency.
’He probably put the Daeil Yeorae in his inventory.’
Instead of greeting me back, Representative Cha pulled over a folding chair and sat next to the bed.
It was the same spot where Commissioner Jang Seok-yoon had sat, which made me feel a bit strange.
Representative Cha, with his arms crossed, stared at me silently.
Looking at the white mask, I recalled what I had heard from Samra.
I heard that because I coughed up blood and fainted on the spot, Je Hyeon-oh and Representative Cha immediately called a truce.
Even if Je Hyeon-oh did that, I never thought Representative Cha would quietly allow himself to be caught by the Agency.
Did he think he had to save me first?
’No, rather than that, it’s probably because he can’t have a corpse sign a contract.’
I corrected my thoughts in a more realistic direction and opened my mouth.
"The proposal I gave you."
"How’s your body?"
I was so surprised that I stopped talking automatically. I immediately doubted my ears.
’Did he just ask about my health...?’
As I sat there with my eyes wide at the unbelievable situation, Representative Cha leaned back in the chair.
With a creaking sound, low words followed.
"Are your eardrums blown?"
I replied immediately.
"They’re fine. Oh, both my eardrums and my body."
And I corrected my thoughts in a realistic direction again.
’It’s because I have to be healthy to sign the contract.’
Thinking back to the body, mind, and soul abandonment contract I saw briefly then, it seemed right.
Having convinced myself, my heart grew peaceful... then.
"You act like you’ve known me for a long time."
I tensed up again at Representative Cha’s subsequent remark.
To the man looking at me sideways with his hands in his windbreaker pockets, I quickly flashed a business smile.
"It’s because you are so famous, Representative Cha."
"For that to be the case, you were quite passionate."
"That’s..."
I thought I had hidden it, but it seemed obvious after all.
Representative Cha asked back as if he would split me with the Daeil Yeorae if I acted even slightly suspicious.
"That’s?"
"Actually...I!"
Inevitably, I threw out a lie that was closest to the truth.
"As soon as I saw you, Representative Cha, I became a fan at first sight! Because you’re so cool."
Representative Cha said nothing.
It felt like he was letting it slide because it was a bit absurd, but he didn’t seem to dislike my comment.
’He seems to secretly like being praised...’
Anyway, since the atmosphere wasn’t bad, I simply brought up the main topic.
"As I proposed, I would like to draft a ’Temporary Manpower Dispatch Agreement’ with Pasung."
1. I agreed to be dispatched for Pasung 5 times for Representative Cha.
2. I declare my intention to contract with Pasung to Commissioner Jang Seok-yoon.
3. Use Samra to lure the panicked Jang Seok-yoon into negotiating with Representative Cha.
4. Representative Cha, in exchange for stepping back so Han Goyo can contract with the Agency, demands exemption from punishment for this terror attack and a ’Temporary Manpower Dispatch Agreement.’
At this time, the contents of the agreement will proceed as I agreed in step 1.
5. After the agreement between Representative Cha and Jang Seok-yoon is drafted, I contract with the Agency.
I’m going to be at the Agency for a long time, so there’s no point in being excessively antagonistic toward Jang Seok-yoon.
If it proceeds this way, Jang Seok-yoon and I won’t have a major conflict, and Representative Cha will also be exempt from punishment.
’As for the compensation for the damage to the Agency, the wealthy Representative Cha will handle it himself.’
Also, by firmly showing other possibilities to Jang Seok-yoon, who is certain I will contract with the Agency, I can negotiate conditions in my favor.
’From then on, I’m the one in the driver’s seat.’
As the Commissioner of the Trial Response Agency, a situation is created where Jang Seok-yoon must treat me with respect instead of threatening me.
And the dispatch agreement wasn’t a bad condition for me, as I needed to enter as many Trials as possible because of the Epic Quest anyway.
Even if the Special Task Force continues to exist, it would be difficult to enter 7 Trials in 2 months, so I planned to enter using Pasung’s power.
However, Representative Cha was the most important part of my plan.
"The condition is that I will enter and close Trials that Pasung wants. How does a total of 5 times sound to you?"
I was worried if he would readily agree to the agreement.
As I waited anxiously for Representative Cha’s words, he brought up an entirely different story.
"The last day of the broadcast."
Representative Cha, who had been sitting loosely, leaned toward me and asked.
"The one who was talking to the Creator, that was you, wasn’t it?"