"Plan?"
“Plan?” Yeo Min-seo tilted her head.
Right after the gymnasium explosion, she had been roaming the school with Ma Yu-hyeon, assessing the situation and cleaning up the mess. And she had been racking her brain for solutions to the incidents. Up until just before entering the principal's office, she had been trying to devise a way out of this chaos.
But no plan came to mind.
After agonizing over it for a while, Yeo Min-seo finally gave up. There were too many incidents, and each one was too tough for students to handle alone. No matter how hard she thought, she couldn't find a way through with her own head.
“……Tell me, then.”
Yet here was Do Seon-woo, who had just heard the rundown, already claiming to have a full plan. She couldn't believe it. If anyone else had spouted that nonsense, she would've dismissed it outright. But coming from Do Seon-woo, it was worth hearing out.
Do Seon-woo rubbed his newly reset shoulder and looked up at the chairman.
“First, Chairman, you need to drive out the mercenaries camped at the school gate. Vice principal, please issue an evacuation order via broadcast.”
“……What kinda bullshit is that? You think those mercs'll just pack up if we ask nicely? Evac orders won't mean jack right now!”
“Shut up and listen.”
When Yeo Min-seo cut in, Do Seon-woo shot her a sharp glare. His tone was ice-cold and clipped. Yeo Min-seo flinched, her eyes dropping to the floor for a split second before snapping back up. The fact that she'd cowered even briefly pissed her off, and she opened her mouth.
“……Yeah, sure. Go on.”
“Chairman, how long do you think it'll take to chase off the mercenaries?”
Do Seon-woo ignored her completely and asked. Kim Chang-won tilted his gaze downward thoughtfully, swallowing a hum.
“……Depends on the situation. If fighting's unavoidable, at least thirty minutes, I'd say.”
“Let's budget an hour to be safe. Vice principal, can you swap the afternoon class bell for an evacuation broadcast?”
“Probably…… yes.”
“Alright, so the evacuation alert will ring across campus in about an hour. By then, Chairman, you'll have cleared the mercs and secured the exit route. Next……”
“Why not secure evac first, then have the vice principal broadcast? Why make it so complicated?”
Ma Yu-hyeon asked. Do Seon-woo shook his head.
“They could seize the broadcast room and block it. Better to do it preemptively.”
“You think Satanists would go that far?”
“Satanists cut external comms first thing before starting this mess. Worst case, the booth's already taken.”
“Mm…… okay!”
Ma Yu-hyeon nodded, convinced. Do Seon-woo continued.
“And Ma Yu-hyeon, Yeo Min-seo—you two stick together like before and search for the missing.”
“Do we have to pair up?”
Yeo Min-seo had planned to anyway—it was the smart, safe move. But for some reason, she hated agreeing with him outright and shot back.
Do Seon-woo stared blankly into space with unfocused eyes, muttering.
“Together, you can spot taxidermy dolls on sight. Sucks if you rescue a 'missing' person and it's a stuffed corpse.”
“……Fair enough.”
Yeo Min-seo nodded reluctantly. His plan wasn't perfect, but it was the best they had. That stung her pride all over again.
Do Seon-woo paused there, falling silent. A heavy quiet settled over the principal's office.
“……You two came from the gymnasium?”
“Huh? Yeah.”
Yeo Min-seo answered reflexively to his question. Before she knew it, she was caught in his rhythm.
“Seen Jeong In-ah there?”
“Who's that?”
Ma Yu-hyeon asked with a dumb look, like he'd never heard the name. Yeo Min-seo furrowed her brow, digging through her memory. Do Seon-woo pointed to his hair.
“Brown curls, kinda short, round face……”
“Oh! Yeah, I think so. Cute one, right? Tried talking to her last time, got ignored.”
“Don't care. Did you see where she went?”
“She bolted first during the explosion? Barefoot, even.”
“That's…… a taxidermy. Probably.”
“Huh. Then nah, no clue.”
Ma Yu-hyeon shrugged. Do Seon-woo bowed his head, rubbing his dry face with a troubled expression. His lips trembled faintly. He finally lifted his head with a sigh, face calm once more.
“Fine…… Lastly, I'll handle finding and killing the Satanists.”
“What? Sounded decent at first, but now it's pure bullshit. How're you finding them? How killing them?”
Yeo Min-seo snapped. Do Seon-woo fixed her with unfocused, piercing eyes.
“Why would I tell you? No guarantee you're not a Satanist.”
“You fucking psycho. By that logic, what if you are?”
“You'd better shut your mouth. Keep spewing crap.”
His voice was utterly frigid. Yeo Min-seo's face twisted.
“You little shit, watch your mouth…… You gotta explain the most important part! Without it, why the hell should we follow you?”
“Hey, hey, chairman's here—easy on the swears……”
Ma Yu-hyeon tried reining her in, but Yeo Min-seo had lost it.
“'I'll handle it'—anyone could say that crap. That's your big 'plan'—”
“This only works if I keep it to myself.”
Do Seon-woo cut her off.
“Oh yeah? What makes your genius plan so secret it only works if you're the only one in on it? Dying to know.”
“Then stay curious.”
He stood, saying it. Yeo Min-seo let out a hollow laugh. Revulsion surged in her throat at his brazenness. But as he strode toward her with menacing steps, she swallowed her curse and clamped her mouth shut.
She forced her gaze up, fighting the urge to look down. Do Seon-woo loomed over her with cold, chilling eyes.
“Don't wanna believe me? Don't. No reason you have to follow my lead.”
“……”
“But believe me anyway. Do what I say.”
His tone was unyielding, firmer than usual—almost overbearing. His eyes brimmed with conviction, his humorless face icy.
“I'll find the Satanists and kill them.”
Vow or pledge, it lacked backing. He hadn't explained how he'd find or kill them. Yet his words carried strange conviction. His expression and delivery radiated unshakeable certainty. He clearly had something in mind.
But no one could guess what.
What the hell is Do Seon-woo thinking……
Everyone in the room wondered, but no one dared ask. A thick silence hung amid their bated stares at him.
One honest opinion: there's no such thing as a 'plan that only works if I know it.' I haven't even pinned down who the Satanist is, let alone planned how to kill them. All I know for sure is tracking and killing will need voodoo spells and Loa powers. But with Yeo Min-seo, Ma Yu-hyeon, Kim Chang-won, and the vice principal around, I can't use them. So I bullshitted with that vague line to buy time alone.
[You've gotten really good at lying.]
Legba chuckled dryly. I wanted to snap that daily lies wouldn't improve otherwise, but no chance with those two nearby.
“Where's the chairman's office?”
“Upstairs.”
Ma Yu-hyeon asked; Yeo Min-seo grumbled back.
“Anti-magic mask in there. Use it on the fence—no, won't work. Can't detect black magic materials…… Still, grab it just in case.”
That was Kim Chang-won, right before heading to the gate. We decided to snag the mask first—big difference between zero black magic immunity and partial.
We reached the chairman's office. Ma Yu-hyeon glanced around.
“Where'd he say?”
“First drawer…… Here.”
Scrrraaape!
Yeo Min-seo yanked it open, rummaging. Quick hands, but she soon tilted her head, frowning.
“What? It's gone?”
“Gone?”
Ma Yu-hyeon sidled up.
“See? Empty.”
She jabbed at it. He pawed through, ending up frowning too.
“Seriously gone? Chairman lying?”
“Maybe he's the mastermind.”
“Satanist took it, probably. What kinda dumbass theories……”
I couldn't help snorting at their nonsense. Ignoring me, they kept digging, then gave up and headed down the hall.
“Do Seon-woo's right. Satanist swiped it? Smarter than we thought.”
“Blocking entrances first? Read Sun Tzu or something. Taxidermy distractions too.”
“……Sun Tzu what?”
“Oh, you wouldn't know…… Nothing, just a thing.”
Ma Yu-hyeon brushed it off. Yeo Min-seo glared suspiciously. I had no clue either. He narrowed his already thin eyes, smirking.
“……Sun Tzu, Sun whatever—who cares. Anyway, we hunt Gabriel and principal, you snag the Satanist.”
“Yeah.”
“How you killing 'em?”
No answer. Never deeply planned it. Focus on finding first; killing later. Loa powers vary by weather and terrain anyway—planning now's pointless. Plus, full moon tonight.
Thud.
Descending silently, Yeo Min-seo nudged my shoulder.
“Hey, one question.”
Before I could reply:
“You handle finding and killing Satanists—fine. But you know who?”
“Few suspects. Narrow it down.”
“Who tops the list?”
“You.”
Honest answer; she gaped in disbelief.
“Basis? Too personal grudge?”
“No grudge. Gu Jun-hyeok's suspect too.”
“Gu Jun-hyeok? ……This guy's for real?”
She squinted at me, doubting I'd suspect him at all.
“What's the issue?”
“Parents both high clerics. Mom's ex, but still.”
“……”
I barely knew. Vague sense his mom's mentally ill. No clue on dad's job—never cared. How'd she know?
“No address changes lately, nothing suspicious—”
“How do you know all that?”
She whipped her head away, obvious panic. She knew his family history, address—intimately. Not close to him; where'd she get it? If investigated, screams Satanist. Normal students don't, can't.
She hesitated, then:
“……Public interest, unavoidable info access…… That stuff.”
“Public interest? What bullshit—”
Boom. Boooom……
Gunfire echoed, trailing ominously. We froze; chill silence fell.
“……What the?”
Yeo Min-seo scowled out the window. Breath caught. Icy chill crawled my spine. Throat parched, headache throbbed.
“Paladins here? Been ages since that sound.”
Ma Yu-hyeon grinned casually. His nonchalance creeped me out. Not live rounds—rubber or tear gas, heavy and dull. Early Holy War, paladins used non-lethals on Voodooists to avoid needless kills.
But more died from rubber bullets. Aimed at heads.
Young me huddled in the wardrobe, hearing those thuds through the window, Voodooist screams. Parents calling—no answer. Door meant muzzles on me. I wished to melt into darkness. Like mist.
“Hey, you okay? Sweating buckets.”
Ma Yu-hyeon pulled me from the memory—ironically, Leviathan leader who slaughtered innocents. His fake concern sickened me.
Don't show it.
“……Hot in here.”
“Not really?”
Yeo Min-seo eyed me. Not hot yet. I wiped sweat casually.
“I overheat easy.”
“Oh! Me too. Getting warmer lately.”
Ma Yu-hyeon beamed agreement. Felt off. Then Yeo Min-seo crouched, peering over the railing.
“……Quiet.”
“Why? Something?”
“Shut it, you dumb fuck……”
Ma Yu-hyeon glued beside her curiously. She hissed curses. He finally shut up.
Silence hit; she stared down like a predator spotting prey.
Clack, clack, clack……
“……Coming up?”
Ma Yu-hyeon wiped his smirk. Suspicious footsteps ascended slowly toward us.
(To be continued)