Each One's Plan
"Looks like the goods arrived right on time."
A modulated voice leaked from the man wearing a mask embossed with a spider. "This is something even hard to get on the mainland. And considering the academy fleet's security isn't a joke, I'd appreciate it if you took that into account."
The man in the center of the three facing the spider mask replied. He too hid his face with a full-face helmet like one used for riding motorcycles.
"Let's check the payment first."
The masked man obediently set the suitcase he was holding on the ground and stepped back five paces. When the helmeted man nodded toward it with his chin, the man on the right opened the bag, checked the contents, and nodded.
The signal that the other side had brought the promised payment.
The last member of the group opened the backpack he was wearing and pulled out a ceramic flowerpot from inside. It looked like nothing more than an ordinary pot filled with dirt and pebbles. But the way the man handled it was as cautious as if it were a bomb.
"Your competence makes me bow my head in admiration. Who would've thought you'd manage to smuggle this into the academy fleet. It's a shame we could only get one."
"Sneaking goods past Argo's surveillance isn't easy. And sealing it so whatever's inside can't escape? That's no small feat."
"Fair enough. If you're saying that much, it's not just whining—it's the truth. Unless you're trying to inflate the price unnecessarily."
"You're the ones who set the price."
"Oh right. My bad. Well, we still need two more. Once we have them all, I'll throw in a bonus."
"We'll handle it within a week."
"Good. Contact me each time one arrives."
"Of course. As you know, it's sensitive to shocks. If you drop it on the way back—"
"Won't happen."
The men finished the deal, each grabbing their goods and money before heading back the way they'd come.
"So that's it."
Gemma's vision flowed into my head through shared senses. What Yeom Jin-gwan had bought for a fortune was a small flowerpot. Obviously not your average item. In the game, those pots placed by Yeom Jin-gwan all over Argo caused absolute chaos. Back when I played as the protagonist, the story progressed from their perspective, so I never knew exactly what mess he pulled off at school. But this time, I've got it pinned down.
<What the hell are those guys? Their aura feels off...>
Gemma, who had slithered up next to me under the car at some point, asked.
<They smell like ancestor spirits, like you and the other Argo students, but something's different.>
"You're impressive yourself. Figuring that much out already."
I was genuinely amazed at Gemma's sharp senses.
"You've got questions, but save 'em. I'll fill you in while we tail those guys."
<Wait, aren't we tailing that Yeom Jin-gwan punk?>
"We see him at school every day."
I crawled out from under the car and bolted in the opposite direction from where the spider-masked Yeom Jin-gwan had vanished.
-Tap tap!
With Gemma's presence-blocking ability active, even in Spirit Descent state, chasing the target made almost no sound.
<There.>
About five minutes after hiding behind cover and tailing the three men, they split off in different directions, fast.
"Mark that one."
<Got it!>
-Tssst!
Spirit Descent at max output. I kicked off the rickety villa window frames one by one, leaping up to the rooftop. Careful not to let my shadow hit the man sprinting down the sidewalk, I bounded from roof to roof, sticking close.
Them splitting up wasn't because they spotted the tail. Just criminals being cautious, covering for contingencies.
<That guy's fast as hell, and he's not even in Spirit Descent...!>
Tailing the black-clad man wasn't easy. Sure, my stats were still low, so I couldn't fully handle the Master Thief's Movement trait, but even accounting for that, his moves were beyond normal human.
Gemma and I had to chase this guy dodging through redevelopment zones—routes with no or few cameras—for a solid ten minutes.
"Whew. Midnight workout under the moon."
Only after the target stopped did I catch my breath. Mission accomplished. I confirmed him entering a rundown commercial building, then bailed quick.
<Then why bother coming if you're just gonna bail?>
Once I descended to safety and released Spirit Descent, Gemma asked with a what-the-hell face.
"Tonight's just about pinpointing the safe's location. Plenty of time left."
<Ah, they said two more deals, right?>
"Yeah. Better to hit 'em all at once."
Gemma nodded with a grin.
<So, what are those creeps up to anyway? They look shady as hell. Bad vibes.>
"You've heard of 'em. Bastards."
<Wait, those assholes are here?!>
As expected, Gemma freaked, having a hunch.
"Why not? Plenty of money to be made here too."
Bastards. Plural of bastard, illegitimate child, mongrel... It's a common insult, but in this world, it carries a different weight. Infamy, specifically.
<Dad always said never get tangled with those guys, no matter what.>
Gemma grumbled, face scrunched up.
Bastards: the international crime syndicate even the legendary thief Xavier Belmont wary of. At this point, only me and their client know they've set up a branch on the academy fleet.
<No idea what they sold, but it feels dangerous. What's the plan?>
"Thwarting Yeom Jin-gwan's terror plot early just raises alarms."
<Fair point.>
"To smoke out the bastard who fooled Ms. Je-in and his other accomplices, we hit him after he really gets moving."
That way, I snag some crumbs in the chaos too.
<You're making a total villain face right now, you know?>
"Don't wanna hear that from a thief."
Not wrong, though. When Yeom Jin-gwan—puppet of his backers—kicks off the terror, I'll hijack the plan for max gains. Not just cash, but connections and new power.
"Watch. Things are gonna get fun."
I ignored Gemma's suspicious stare and headed into the apartment entrance.
"Once you've mastered Spirit Lord Transformation, you can fight low-grade vengeful spirits on equal footing. But—"
Tuesday morning. Theory class was still a total snooze. Building on yesterday's erosion barrier protocols, it covered how high-grade vengeful spirits had intelligence like any ancestor spirit—plus horrific malice. Advanced theory and strategies started in second year, so the textbook stuck to safety rules.
I checked the chat and turned my head. Mun Hee-jeong was pointing at the book propping up my arm.
"...Ah."
That's when I realized the other book I'd hidden under the textbook was fully exposed. The biography of Gosanja Kim Jeong-ho, creator of the Great East Map.
I thought I'd hidden it well.
Mun Hee-jeong pouted hard, jabbing her finger at me and U Hyo-chung in turn.
We both spammed apology emojis in the chat at the same time.
Meanwhile, Gemma, bored without a chat partner, was eyeing Mun Hee-jeong's profile.
<Ooh, she's got some real development there. Rare for East Asians.>
-Twitch. The moment my eyes met Gemma's grinning face, Mun Hee-jeong shuddered slightly.
<Little makeup and she'd pop right off. Clean skin, so go for that transparent tone—>
Mun Hee-jeong looked burdened by Gemma's stare but lacked the guts to call out someone else's ancestor spirit. She tugged her collar and shot me an SOS glance.
"Cut it out. You're coming off like a creepy uncle."
<Just offering makeup and style tips. What's it to you? Man, you're surrounded by hotties. Jealous af. Even this one's original—>
I ignored Gemma's nonsense and flipped the page. Class ended, time to head home.
The morning class rep vote wrapped quick. Only two candidates, including Yeom Jin-gwan. He'd already schmoozed the others, so he won class rep. Minus Im Yeon-jeong's vote for herself, it was unanimous—everyone knew who voted for whom.
"Kim Taeyang, right? Thanks for the vote."
"Uh, yeah. Sure."
Even greeting outsiders like us warmly? Guy's working that friendly image hard.
...Won't last. Tail shows in days.
<Way slimier than he looks.>
Gemma watched his retreating back with disgust, then glanced at the windowsill. There sat the pot from last night. Yeom Jin-gwan's "class cleanup" gift that morning.
<Planting time bombs among the kids who trusted him with their votes.>
"Be nicer if it was actual explosives inside."
Not a bomb. Way worse. Homeroom teacher hammered the danger in class.
"Let's roll."
I said bye to my two groupmates and left the classroom. Club promo week started today. Heard pitches in the gym at lunch, but I knew where I was going from the start.
Up to Park Myeong-gwan's second floor, straight to the Map-making Club room. Opened the door.
In the cramped space plastered floor-to-ceiling with old maps on walls, ceiling, windows: a petite glasses girl with waist-length hair sat alone.
"Oh, hi? Here for the signup sheet?"
She spotted my newbie name tag, waved shyly.
"Yes. Kim Taeyang, Class A."
I read the name on her tag and smiled faintly. Mun Hee-jeong called it out, but reading that bio in class wasn't pointless.
This girl before me? The human GPS who'd keep anyone from getting lost, even in Yeom Jin-gwan's worst school nightmare.
"Nice to meet you. Kim Yun-ju."
"Looking forward to it, Sunbae Yun-ju."
Descendant of Gosanja Kim Jeong-ho.