Chapter 9
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Genius Programmer Chae Yu-na
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Next day, 4 a.m.
A man sat hunched over, his unwashed hair greasy and matted together, staring repeatedly at footage from four monitors.
His bloodshot eyes and the heavy dark circles beneath them spoke volumes about the exhaustion weighing him down.
Kang Jung-hu, Security Team Leader at GK Bio 4 Research Center.
Right now, he felt like he was sitting on a bed of nails.
"This is driving me insane... really..."
He let out a quiet sigh and took a sip of the bitter coffee that was almost gone.
Laden with extra caffeine, his Americano was overly bitter, forcibly keeping his drowsy mind awake.
"What time is it now...?"
He hadn't even gone home. It had been a full 24 hours since he'd rushed to the company at dawn to investigate the incident.
The loss of a "specially managed entity"—just thinking about its value made his head spin.
A body that had astronomical amounts of money poured into it, meticulously fine-tuned by countless personnel working through the night.
"A body like that, stolen in a single night? By an outsider?"
He shook his head, denying the possibility.
The tech support idiots were claiming some nonsense about an "external intruder stealing it," but to him, that was utterly ridiculous.
He'd reviewed the CCTV footage all night, and no one had left. The external cameras hadn't detected any comings or goings.
The internal CCTV showed nothing but the usual lab scenes.
"Those useless tech support bastards— they should just do their own damn jobs...!"
If it weren't for the tech support team's screw-up causing several security personnel's vacations to overlap, the test subject never would have gotten out.
Normally, with full staffing, at least two people monitored the lab at all times.
For all he knew, it hadn't even left the premises. Based on the evidence so far, it was as if it had evaporated into thin air.
"...It could be internal corruption in our organization." On the contrary, he was focusing on the possibility of a traitor within.
It was a test subject body of astronomical value. From what he knew, even a single drop of blood from that so-called "perfect body" held immense worth.
The idea that someone inside had deliberately siphoned it off and covered it up felt far more plausible to him.
"Damn it, if our security team gets blamed for all this...!"
It was a responsibility he couldn't bear. It wouldn't end with just him as Security Team Leader—the entire team he cherished would be held accountable.
With a low, angry voice, he recalled Park Chairman's secretary chief, who had been raging like a madman.
That man with snake-like eyes, glaring as if he wanted to kill someone.
"...I can't just die like this."
Feeling chills creep up his back, he dialed the most capable woman he knew.
"So, you're saying you need my help, Security Team Leader Kang Jung-hu."
Kang Jung-hu was afraid of the woman before him.
"...Yes, that's right."
Chae Yu-na.
Korea's top hacker.
GK Group's Chief Information Security Officer.
And just 24 years old.
Ever since she was a 16-year-old high school girl, she'd spectacularly breached GK Group's servers, flaunting her talent.
Though her brilliance shone through, her skills were still immature back then, and she got caught. GK Group gave her an ultimatum.
Face prosecution or join the company. Choosing the latter, she started as an intern in the IT department.
It took just eight years for that underage security team intern to rise to the top IT executive position in the group.
She'd proven her worth by thwarting countless cyber attacks on GK Group and safeguarding critical secrets from leaks.
A sharp nose bridge. Eyes that seemed indifferent and aloof, yet pierced right through you. A childlike, innocent smile that made her look like a fairy from a storybook.
But to those who knew her well, she was anything but a fairy.
Her superiors had one by one been exposed for corruption by some "anonymous source" or left due to "personal circumstances that couldn't be disclosed" over the past few years.
No matter how great her achievements, such abnormal promotions wouldn't have been possible if they were still around.
'It's said she orchestrated it all.'
A ambitious witch who climbed by stepping on those above her.
He wasn't sure if getting involved with her was the right call, but she was the only one with the skills to help him now.
Sensing his blank stare on her face, perhaps, Chae Yu-na smiled brightly and readily agreed to help.
He hadn't expected her immediate yes, but securing her cooperation quickly was a relief. This issue needed resolving as fast as possible.
He shook her offered hand, but a nagging unease lingered in his mind.
No clear evidence, but somehow... a gut feeling that this whole affair was going to go terribly wrong.
'Must be my imagination.' Shaking off the anxiety, he stood and guided her to the scene.
More than half my life had been filled with boredom.
It didn't take long to realize everyone around me was an idiot beyond imagination.
I felt like the only one living in slow motion in a world of sluggards. Why did it take seeing something once several times to memorize it?
Why repeat the same lessons over and over?
Why couldn't these morons grasp something so simple?
I didn't show my disgust outwardly. At least, not since middle school.
I'd learned young that openly despising idiots led to bad outcomes.
It was sixth grade when I'd mocked one dumb kid for months, only to get punched by him in a rage.
I'd just stated the obvious, yet he resorted to violence? Incomprehensible, and no one took my side.
It made sense, really. I couldn't truly befriend apes so inferior to me.
Still, I wanted to punish the moron who'd threatened me. Right, make him... a friend.
Winning over idiots was simple. Objectively, I was stunningly beautiful, and plenty of chimp-like kids wanted to be my friend.
A few exchanged glances and short chats were enough to build a pack craving my friendship.
I spread rumors among my simian followers that "that kid" was bullying me.
In the end, with an innocent face streaming tears, I got him forcibly transferred.
It was an amusing experience, but revenge was tedious, and I hated repeating tedium.
So until high school, I faked smiles and kindness to fool the numerous morons.
With my appearance that won hearts, mingling just enough with the dimwits was easy—and beneficial.
But the boredom persisted. No growth came from conversing with such lowly crowds.
In my monotonous high school life, hacking brought new stimulation.
It satisfied my intellect craving novelty, with so much to learn, and testing my growing skills was thrilling.
Breaching security others painstakingly built was pure fun.
It felt like crushing inferior systems with my superior ability.
Higher, to greater heights.
Even higher.
Each better security system I shattered made me feel my status rising.
My blazing arrogance soared endlessly, until I breached what I shouldn't have.
A portion of GK Group's servers. I forced my way in somehow, but immature trace-cleaning got me caught.
'Heh, back then, I was truly, truly scared...'
For the first time, I faced consequences for my actions.
Jail? Juvenile hall? Months with the dumbest of morons?
With no choice, I promised to use my talents for GK.
At first, I really tried working diligently without trouble. But the inefficient hierarchy and idiotic boss were unbearable.
A pig awarding better evaluations to bootlicking incompetents over me.
"Security chief," my ass. Couldn't even manage his own SNS. I hacked his phone and threatened to expose his affair.
Frantically rutting like a monkey in heat.
I couldn't comprehend someone ruining their life for base lust.
A pathetic existence yielding to lowly "sexual desire."
His begging desperation was truly pitiful.
Soon, I claimed his position with my "fair evaluation."
Everything back in place, a comfortable fit. A bit crooked method, but efficient for reaching my level.
Somewhat illegal, but highly effective.
...After that, it was more of the same. Clearing out idiots got me to my fitting spot.
'But... stopping here feels a bit unsatisfying.'
I wanted to take everything from GK Group's eldest daughter, Kang Su-ah.
Always obsessed with higher, better life, a mere Chief Information Security Officer couldn't satisfy me.
'GK Group CEO, Chae Yu-na...' The thought alone sent thrilling shivers through my head.
'Nice ring to it...'
To get there, I'd need various aids.
Gaining favors from GK's key figures was preparation.
'Lucky me...' Kang Jung-hu, Security Team Leader, was one I'd targeted for recruitment.
I'd prepared to force a "need" on him if necessary, but by some stroke of fortune, he contacted me first.
'Su-ah, your company will be mine...!'
Burning with ambition, Chae Yu-na began investigating the incident at the 4 Research Center.
Unaware of how this would change her...