Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Alleyway
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An Seong-hwan, the college student hacker, helped edit the self-defense training video.
The next day, Yoon A-reum uploaded it to Internet Nutube.
Comments started pouring in right away.
The martial arts forums also lit up with links to the video. Reactions there were different.
Yoon A-reum squealed with delight as she watched the comments flood in.
"It's blowing up! It's blowing up! My channel's going viral! Hey, you see? It's spreading to other boards too!"
They were at the PC bang. An Seong-hwan shushed her.
"A-reum, people are staring."
"You embarrassed by me like this?"
"Yeah."
"Now that you mention it, me too."
She quietly took her seat.
The next day, an event was held at Korea University in downtown Seoul.
This wasn't a college festival. It had a pretty academic vibe. But it wasn't heavy or overly technical either.
The venue was a large indoor auditorium, not outdoors.
There was entertainment in the middle, like a Ppf Girls performance. So not just students but nearby residents showed up too.
Ultimate Fist trainee Min Young-hee had come with Park Sun-gi to see the show when she spotted him.
"Sun-gi, what're you doing here?"
Park Sun-gi shrugged.
"Day off and bored."
"Yeah right. You're here for Ppf Girls."
Park Sun-gi shot back.
"And you? Angel Warrior Squad your target?"
"I just had nothing better. You know I don't usually chase performances."
"Liar. Stalking baby chicks?"
Min Young-hee bristled.
"Stalking? You mocking my pure fandom right now?"
"Mine's pure too."
Ironman Qigong headquarters chief Lee Tae-seong was there too. As he looked around campus, he said,
"Back when I went here, I'd drink on the grass by that clock tower all the time. Can't do that anymore, huh."
Design team member Cha Ji-hee replied,
"When I was here, nobody drank there. And with bars around, why bother?"
"Cheap. Back in my day, students were broke. We'd buy booze and snacks and drink there."
Cha Ji-hee blinked.
"Wait, you were broke, Chief?"
Lee Tae-seong was the son of the Ironman Qigong company president.
"I had money. My friends didn't."
"Wow, the rich kid vibe is even..."
"That's enough."
At the company, he was the chief. Outside, he was just a senior alum from the same department. An ancient one she'd never even seen during her student days. She couldn't push too far.
"Right, you had your reasons."
Cha Ji-hee hadn't come with Lee Tae-seong. She'd arrived as one of the presenters, then got roped in when she ran into him.
Lee Tae-seong suggested,
"Wanna head to the venue together?"
She didn't want to hang with her boss even after work.
"I've got prep meetings first. Sorry."
"Ah, okay."
Yulmyeong Bio president Kwon Dong-jin arrived with Kwon Soo-yeon.
Kwon Dong-jin asked,
"You sure you're okay?"
Kwon Soo-yeon suffered from Kaitiger Syndrome and wasn't in great health.
"Took extra painkillers. Doesn't hurt much now."
Lee Yeon-ji and Kwon Soo-yeon had the same condition but wildly different symptoms.
Lee Yeon-ji lived normally with no pain. But pre-surgery, she could've dropped dead without warning.
Kwon Soo-yeon lived with constant agony. But sudden critical turns were less likely.
She'd doubled her painkillers to attend because, as a PhD candidate, she was presenting her led research at the event.
Kwon Dong-jin said,
"Soo-yeon, I'll find a cure somehow. Hang in there a bit longer."
Kwon Soo-yeon gave an awkward smile.
"I'm fine, really."
Kwon Dong-jin knew she wasn't.
'At an age to enjoy everything life offers... Why my daughter...'
Until days ago, hope was near zero.
Now, not a lifeline, but a thin thread had appeared.
'If I convince Manager Lee Jung-ho and Dr. Noname for the surgery, my girl can live.'
He hadn't told Kwon Soo-yeon. The procedure was secret, and dashed hopes would crush her.
"Just trust me. I'll save you somehow."
That was all he could say now.
The Ppf Girls slot was mid-event. School scheduled it late so people wouldn't just watch and bail.
Maknae Choi Ji-hye, the high schooler, said in the waiting room,
"This place looks amazing today. I wanna go here for college."
Leader So Ji-young teased,
"Our maknae's acting like Seoul unis are a joke? You even study?"
"Uh... My friend's top of the school. Maybe beg for her spare points?"
"That'd work?"
Na Gang-in arrived at Korea University too.
"I graduated from here, you know. Means I was pretty smart."
- Records say so, but realistically, impossible. You're Strategic Special Forces, Earth Union.
"Slight chance it's not Earth Union?"
- Unlikely.
"Ji-in's so firm on this stuff."
Na Gang-in knew he was tied to the Earth Union.
No current tech could make an Implanted Combat Support AI like Jeon Ji-in. And he'd woken in Strategic Special Forces uniform.
"Let's go watch the show."
Na Gang-in headed to the venue.
The AI Jeon Ji-in marked the path.
- Guiding route.
Na Gang-in picked another.
"Nah, this way's got an alley shortcut."
- Agent, how'd you know?
"Huh? Just did."
Na Gang-in walked on. A narrow passage appeared between buildings.
- No path here on map. How'd you know it's faster?
"Dunno."
- Any memories?
"Nah. But hey."
He'd mentioned that slim chance for a reason.
"Been feeling this since arriving. School's weirdly familiar."
- Records might be real.
"What about the 60-year gap?"
- Unknown. Our situation defies analysis.
As he walked the alley,
"Same here. No clue what's going on."
Mid-alley, a corner.
Suddenly, AI Jeon Ji-in warned.
- Person approaching around corner. Collision imminent.
Warning hit right before turning.
Na Gang-in rounded it and collided straight-on with Kwon Soo-yeon coming the other way.
She startled at the sudden face, stumbled. She'd fall otherwise.
Na Gang-in grabbed her arm and shoulder, steadying her.
'Way too light. Extreme dieting?'
Once balanced, she clutched her chest, panting.
"Ah, thanks. Almost fell..."
She looked up, gasped.
"Oh? Na Gang-in?"
Na Gang-in froze. He whispered,
"Ji-in, someone I met before?"
AI Jeon Ji-in remembered everyone he'd spoken to. Even no-talk sightings like Jackal or ghost incidents stored faces.
- No direct contact. Glanced in passing maybe, but then she wouldn't know your name.
"She knows me? Check my contacts."
- Minimal personal data remains.
Play it natural. Na Gang-in released her shoulder, casually raised his right hand.
What's our deal? Casual buds? Formal?
Seemed same age. He grinned awkwardly, tossed out,
"Haha, hey?"
Kwon Soo-yeon beamed.
"Wow, been forever. Over two years, right?"
Na Gang-in rolled with it.
"Yeah. How've you been..."
She didn't look great.
Na Gang-in whispered,
"Ji-in, she looks rough for dieting."
AI had no diagnostics, but could gauge soldier injuries or fitness.
- Health poor. Suspect malnutrition.
Na Gang-in asked Kwon Soo-yeon,
"You eating okay?"
Kwon Soo-yeon smiled bitterly.
She couldn't eat properly. Kaitiger hit her gut too. No painkillers, even water hurt.
"Doing fine."
Na Gang-in asked AI,
"Ji-in, casual speech seems right?"
- Yes. Reaction natural.
"Dunno who she is, so what to say?"
- No info. Leave area. Alone means more talk.
"Good call."
Na Gang-in and Kwon Soo-yeon exited the alley onto the main path. Auditorium ahead.
Ultimate Fist trainee Min Young-hee spotted Na Gang-in, approached.
"Oh, didn't expect you here."
She quickly scanned Kwon Soo-yeon.
"Who's this? How do you know her?"
Kwon Soo-yeon answered,
"Gang-in's a friend."
"Ah, friends, got it."
Na Gang-in got his info.
"Friends, yeah."
- Expected from her reaction.
"Said you had zilch earlier?"
- Was analyzing.
"Sure."
Min Young-hee knew Na Gang-in founded Ultimate Fist but not personal deets. She said,
"You an alum?"
Kwon Soo-yeon caught the rival glint in Min Young-hee's eyes. Cautiously,
"So, what's your thing with Gang-in... Girlfriend?"
Min Young-hee grinned wide.
"Does it look that way?"
Na Gang-in cut in,
"No. Absolutely not."
Min Young-hee tsked lightly, explained.
"Tch. I'm learning from Instructor Na."
"Huh? Instructor?"
"Well..."
Ultimate Fist was niche.
She hesitated.
Kwon Soo-yeon jumped in,
"Instructor? Like inner power training?"
"Inner power?"
"I tried a bit from Gang-in back in the day."
Na Gang-in was stunned by Kwon Soo-yeon today.
He whispered to AI,
"Did I train inner power?"
- Unknown.
"Earth Union have that?"
- Impossible.
"Right? But I'm strong."
- Not inner power. Earth Union body enhancement tech. Plus my combat support. You're supposed to be.
"Then what's this inner power talk?"
Min Young-hee fielded it.
"Instructor Na trained inner power? That's the strength source?"
Kwon Soo-yeon chuckled, waved it off.
"Nah. Tried what he said, zero effect."
"Ah, figures?"
"Thought he was hitting on me, using inner power as excuse."
"Inner power as a pickup line? Weak."
"Wasn't just inner power. One day he drew a huge magic circle on the athletic field with white powder."
Min Young-hee wasn't shocked. Inner power flopped already. Magic circle same.
"Magic circle too? Results?"
"Nada. I even helped draw it."
"More stuff?"
"Stacked pipes into a pyramid. To gather solar energy. Big enough for a person inside."
"Don't we use magnifiers or panels for that?"
"Obviously common sense."
Memories flooded Kwon Soo-yeon.
'Was fun back then.'
She laughed happily.
"And Gang-in once... went ley line hunting..."
Kwon Dong-jin searched for Kwon Soo-yeon.
"Where'd she go? Body's not up for wandering."
Easy find. She'd ducked into the alley and emerged.
But her face was different.
Smiling.
Kwon Dong-jin watched fondly.
"Been ages since I saw my girl smile."