Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 052
Chapter Title: Min Chae-ryeong's Weakness
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⚔ STATUS ⚔ Name: Ahn Su-ho Gender: Male Height/Weight/Age: 182.3cm / 77.8kg / 24 years old Occupation: Academy Guard Affiliation: Green House Security Force Special Countermeasures Division Superpowers: Black Smoke (D), Mana Absorption (A) Stats
⚡ Strength: D+* 💨 Agility: C+* 🛡️ Endurance: D ✨ Magic Power: C 🎯 Technique: C 🧠 Will: E 🍀 Luck: B* 1. [Skill: Academy Guard] effect: Luck rank increases by 1 within academy grounds. 2. [Breath of the Pole Star] equip effect: Strength and Agility receive plus modifiers. 3. [Skill: Academy Guard] Guard Rate accumulation grants stat points. (Remaining stat points: 1) The status window floating before my eyes.
Seeing the new third message that had appeared below my stats, I invested the point into Luck without hesitation.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Using 1 stat point on Luck.] [Luck rank rises from C to B.] [[Skill: Academy Guard] effect: Luck rank increases by 1 within academy grounds.] [Current Luck rank is A.] Luck rank A. In the standard ABCD ranking system, it's the highest rank, and even if there's an S above it, it's the second highest. Even with clichés from hunter stories extending to SS or SSS, it's by no means low.
Unlike Strength or Agility, Luck doesn't show intuitive changes when its rank rises. Before that, it's impossible to even know how the Luck stat affects my life.
Even so, there were two reasons I invested my first stat point into Luck.
The first was the damn penalty from the guard skill.
If I refuse a current student's "polite request," my Luck rank drops.
The system decides what counts as a "polite request." In other words, it's up to that bastard Blissful Heavenly Demon. If he decides to screw me over, he could label every trivial demand as a polite request and drag my Luck stat down to rock bottom.
Even with a base C—B rank inside the academy—my life so far couldn't exactly be called lucky.
So, what kind of life would unfold if my Luck dropped below C, say to D or E?
"......I don't even want to imagine it."
That's why I raised my Luck stat first. Not for some uncertain merit, but to prepare for potential crises ahead.
That was the first reason for raising Luck. And the second was...
"......Me, seriously. Who the hell brings watermelons as get-well gifts? Two of them, no less."
Before diving into the dangerously reckless thing I was about to do next, to scrape together even a shred more luck.
"One from Kang Ha-neul, the other from Chae So-yeon."
Min Chae-ryeong, frowning as she peered into the fridge, widened her eyes in surprise.
"So-yeon makes sense, but why did Kang Ha-neul go out of her way to bring a watermelon?"
"She said her parents often bought them for her when she had a cold as a kid...... Apparently, watermelons are good for patients."
"I see. And So-yeon?"
"......Because she likes watermelons."
"Didn't know that. Come to think of it, she does often buy watermelon smoothies."
As Min Chae-ryeong put away the fruit drinks she'd brought into the fridge, she offered me one.
"No, thanks. I'm good."
Drinking it now might just make me hiccup. I shook my head, and Min Chae-ryeong took out just one for herself before sitting in the chair by the bed.
"When's your discharge?"
"Day after tomorrow. My condition's normal now, so I'll head straight to work that day."
"No need to push it. It's Thursday anyway, so take the rest of this week off and start next week. The work doesn't grind to a halt without just you. Besides..."
Min Chae-ryeong slurped from the glass bottle, then narrowed her eyes. As if carefully choosing her next words.
"You did great in a lot of ways this time. Consider this my personal reward."
"......What about Kang Ha-neul?"
"She rescinded her withdrawal and officially reenrolled the day before yesterday. She's diligently attending classes now. Mission accomplished. That covers for last time's slip-up."
"Why."
A creeping tension made me swallow hard for a moment. I briefly considered not asking, but shook my head.
This incident involved Na Ju-yong, a villain from the original story. So I had to clarify how Min Chae-ryeong was involved—and what her stance was.
"Why didn't you explain anything to me?"
"Explain what?"
"You just told me to stop Kang Ha-neul from withdrawing. If you'd warned me about the attack risk or given details on the background, I could've handled it more effectively."
"I didn't anticipate the attack either. How could I explain what I didn't know?"
'She's playing innocent, as expected.'
It was obvious evasion. Even Iliana had figured it out in a day—there's no way Min Chae-ryeong hadn't. Her rushed business trip to Ye-il was undeniable proof.
Yet her denial meant the background of this incident was something she didn't want me to know—or shouldn't let me know.
So, if...
I pressed relentlessly on that point, what reaction would she show?
"You didn't know either?"
"Right. I was shocked too. Luckily, you happened to be with Kang Ha-neul and avoided disaster—"
"Then why the business trip to Ye-il?"
"What?"
Min Chae-ryeong's expression stiffened momentarily. But she quickly regained composure and smiled back sweetly.
"Ye-il's scholarship foundation approached Kang Ha-neul for scouting purposes. Withdrawal or not, she's still our academy student. I couldn't just sit by while they openly tried to poach top talent, could I?"
"But that's not Security Force business. Yet you went to Ye-il anyway—didn't you have another purpose? For example..."
Min Chae-ryeong's feigned calm face hardened again. Her gaze—icy cold—pierced my brow.
"......For example, you judged that Ye-il Group was approaching her for illegal multi-ability research. That's why you went to Ye-il, right?"
"............Ha."
Min Chae-ryeong let out a hollow laugh at my firm question. The last traces of pretense vanished from her face.
"How did you figure that out? It's classified—only known to those in the know."
"That's not the point right now."
No need to reveal my sources. I couldn't give her any material to judge me with.
"As I said earlier, why didn't you tell me everything? If you were assigning me the mission anyway, you could've shared all the relevant details."
"......"
"Team Leader. I nearly died. For real."
Four fractured ribs, partial kidney and spleen rupture, internal bleeding in the digestive tract, bruises and minor fractures all over my body.
The police arrived quickly and rushed me to the hospital just in time. A little later, and even a superhuman like me could've died—especially with my Endurance stat at basement level.
My complaint was justified. Yet Min Chae-ryeong's surprise came from never expecting me to voice it.
Because the complaint required understanding the full context.
"Of course, you had your reasons for hiding things. It might put you in a tough spot if I found out. But Team Leader, from the moment we decided to hide Ji Ye-won, weren't we already in the same boat?"
Hiding a Dawn Corps member is high treason. With a crime that big shared between us, did she really need to withhold info? Our bond wasn't that tight yet, but I emphasized it anyway.
"I'm not saying you had to tell me every little thing. Just the bare minimum—at least enough for me to know the risks and prepare. Was that so scary? Do you think I'd run off now and report your illegal dealings?"
"......I get you're upset, but ease up? You're starting to sound insolent."
"You know it. I'm aware I'm being cheeky. But I'm so frustrated I have to say it."
-Thump. Thump. Thump.
My heart raced. Chills prickled wherever her gaze swept. She exuded an overwhelming presence, an aura that demanded it.
"I need to know why I nearly died. Even if just to vent my frustration."
But I had to push through on this today. If not for her misjudgment nearly killing me, when else could I seize the initiative in a conversation with her?
If she opened up, great. If not, I'd drag out max info. Even a clue would help when tailing her via Iliana later.
"......If you truly can't trust me, fine. Don't tell me. But."
I locked eyes with her straight on. I'd vented enough grievance. Time to offer a proper deal.
"We're already in the same boat, so no need to probe each other suspiciously. If you want me as a long-term subordinate, not a disposable pawn, show me that trust. I'll repay it."
It sounded like an emotional appeal, but it was far from it.
Your secret—I could uncover it if I wanted. So reveal it yourself here. Then I'll work for you sincerely.
A straight-up deal. I figured Min Chae-ryeong had a high chance of accepting. I'd already proven my info-gathering through our talk.
"......Not telling you about this incident's background was..."
Min Chae-ryeong, pondering my offer, finally parted her lips slightly.
"You're right. I wanted you clueless about it. Giving you even a scrap could've let you probe my sensitive spots—like now."
"......Then why assign me the mission at all?"
"If Kang Ha-neul withdrew, I'd lose the pretext to block Ye-il's approach. Separate from my showdown with Ye-il, I needed someone to persuade her. You seemed perfect. Smart enough to buy time, even if you couldn't succeed."
That judgment backfired spectacularly. Min Chae-ryeong clicked her tongue softly after adding that.
"Didn't expect you'd figure this much out with zero info. Ye-il's multi-ability research isn't something average intel uncovers."
Her prediction was spot-on. Even Iliana only sensed a link between Scholarship Officer Kim Yo-han and Director Na Ju-yong—nothing on the multi-ability research. That was solely from me reading the original novel.
"Separate from Ye-il, I have my own ties to multi-ability research. That's why I wanted to stop Kang Ha-neul's withdrawal too. Couldn't let a valuable sample get snatched."
So Min Chae-ryeong was targeting Kang Ha-neul in her own way.
"Then you hid the full story from me because..."
"I didn't want you knowing I was involved in multi-ability research."
That answer made me think, 'No kidding?'
Multi-ability research was illegal, banned by the state. Naturally, she'd hesitate to let others know her involvement.
But hadn't we already shared worse crimes? We'd helped Dawn Corps member Ji Ye-won—and I even knew about executive Yu Hyun-ho's hideout.
When I pointed that out and asked why hide so extremely, Min Chae-ryeong nodded readily.
"Sure, we share various crimes, but this one's tied to shadows far deeper than those petty ones."
"......Pardon?"
I couldn't process it for a second. What could be more illegal than hiding a Dawn Corps executive?
"What, is the government running state-sponsored multi-ability research?"
"Who knows. It's more sensitive than that. At least to me."
A fact more sensitive than hiding a Dawn Corps exec or government illegal research.
I had no clue what it could be. I just waited for her to speak.
But Min Chae-ryeong stared blankly before slowly shaking her head.
"Don't pry. You'll get hurt."
"......You're dangling it like that but won't spill the core?"
"Yes. For your sake."
Min Chae-ryeong suddenly overlaid her hand softly on the back of mine. Her strangely cold skin sent a sharp tingle across it.
"I told you—this incident's background is extremely sensitive to me. If it came out, everything I've built—status, connections—would crumble. My biggest weakness, you could say."
"Your biggest weakness......you say?"
"Yes. My reverse scale, too."
Min Chae-ryeong tightened her grip on my hand. Not painful, but firm enough to feel the pressure. A silent warning.
"It won't happen, but if—just if—you somehow uncovered that weakness in some unimaginable way. I'd eliminate the threat, by any means."
"......Sounds like you'd kill me."
"I might kill you. Or something even more effective than mere death."
I couldn't imagine anything more effective than murder, but if she said it, it must exist.
'Didn't expect it to be this serious.'
I'd figured she was hiding something shady, but not that it'd be her "reverse scale."
Unexpected harvest—or mortal peril?
"Then why tell me this?"
"You've already sniffed it out. And wisely proposed this deal before digging recklessly."
That's why the warning. Min Chae-ryeong stated firmly.
"I'll apologize for this incident. I'll compensate suitably for nearly getting you killed. So don't dig further. You wanted trust? This warning is it. I trust you'll heed it—that's why it's just a warning. If not..."
She'd sever my hands and feet with something worse than death. At her blatant threat, I shrugged and replied.
"Would I? I won't dig into you anymore."
"Good. Smart choice."
It wasn't a loss anyway—the timing to tail her wasn't ripe yet.
No, it was a huge gain. Knowing her biggest weakness tied to Kang Ha-neul and multi-ability research.
Assuming she was telling the truth.
"......Feels like our bond's strengthened a bit."
"Depends on you. Whether we become inseparable partners or mortal enemies at each other's throats."
"I'd never hold a knife to your throat, Team Leader."
At least not yet.
As long as Min Chae-ryeong was useful and not a threat to my life, I'd remain her loyal subordinate.
But if, near or far in the future, she became a threat to my life...
'I'd have to oppose her, like it or not.'
I might have to fight Min Chae-ryeong someday. With that thought, I quietly checked her status window in a low voice.
-Ding!
⚔ STATUS ⚔ Name: Min Chae-ryeong (Ch. 52) Gender: Female Height/Weight/Age: 171.9cm / 54kg / 27 years old Occupation: Academy Security Team Leader Affiliation: Green House Security Force Special Countermeasures Division Superpower: Absolute Defense (A) Stats
⚡ Strength: A 💨 Agility: A 🛡️ Endurance: A ✨ Magic Power: A 🎯 Technique: A 🧠 Will: A 🍀 Luck: A Skills
1. Close Combat (Common. A) 2. Eloquence (Rare. A) 3. Intimidation (Unique. A) A A A A. Stats plastered entirely in A ranks—an absurdly monstrous lineup.
Unlike me, who scraped into Special Countermeasures with artifact-boosted barely-passing stats, her status as team leader was flawless. I was left awestruck.
'Facing her as an enemy would be a real headache.'
I hoped that future never came. I forced a smile at Min Chae-ryeong, who smiled back.
We exchanged those fake smiles for a while.
Two days later.
Discharged from Green House District Hospital, I headed straight to find Kang Ha-neul.