Chapter 65
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: The Watchers
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Right the next day.
Kangyul finished breakfast and headed out of the house.
He felt a slight thrill since it had been so long since he'd visited Midas Corporation.
"Can we see Jeria there too?"
But even more excited than Kangyul was Park Jeong-a.
Jeria had originally been in special effects makeup, but after signing with Midas, she'd stepped into the world of beauty vlogging.
Her makeup skills were downright cheat-level, and her looks were stunning, making her explode in popularity with women.
'She would've become a famous YouTuber anyway, even without Midas.'
"The studio's out on the edge of the grounds. She'll probably be filming there too. You want to check it out?"
"Of course! Might as well while we're here."
Park Jeong-a was thrilled at the prospect of seeing Jeria's filming site too.
"What's that about? I wanna stay home and game!"
"I wanna rest at home."
Only Deokyul and Jiyul were pouting and grumbling.
"If we go, there'll be Midas A gamers you guys like. Still hate it? Should we head home?"
"Huh? Really? Then I'll come too!!"
"...Is Honggyu there too?"
Jiyul, who favored shotguns, had a unique fondness for Im Honggyu.
Im Honggyu had retired from pro gaming, so it was hard to see his face in videos anymore.
"Of course. Im Honggyu's there."
"Then I'm in too! Hehe."
The family car glided smoothly out onto the road.
Mandarin Hotel.
Baek San-gang sat in a chair, listening to So-yul's report.
"North Korea's been acting strange lately. Seems like they're desperately searching for someone. They've asked us to block the NIS's line of sight."
"And the price?"
"A list of politicians who've done deals with the North."
"Pfft, just dead weight anyway."
Baek San-gang muttered a low, scornful laugh.
But he knew full well how powerful a weapon that list would be in his hands.
After a brief moment of thought, he made his decision.
"Just for one day."
The new government's NIS director wasn't deeply connected.
'Though I hear his son's been suffering from that new designer drug.'
Baek San-gang picked up the phone right beside him.
"It's me. I've got a small favor to ask..."
A few phone calls later, the deal with North Korea was sealed.
"Orders from above. Execute the mission today."
"...Today? Isn't that too soon?"
"It's the Party's command. If they say do it, we do it. Didn't you say you wanted to rotate back North?"
Yi Jung-hyuk nodded at his comrade's words.
"Perfect then. The target's just a kid anyway—no heavy lifting."
He had the target's file memorized backward and forward by now.
But there was still one thing that didn't make sense.
"Comrade Park. Mind if I ask something?"
"What?"
"The target. Any idea why the Party's after a kid like that?"
The man called Comrade Park glared at Yi Jung-hyuk with sharp eyes.
"You questioning the Party now? Been down South too long—your brain's gone rotten with capitalist rot?!"
"N-no, that's not... I just..."
Yi Jung-hyuk tried to defend himself desperately when the bathroom door burst open.
A bear of a man glared at them and let out a heavy sigh.
"Damn it. Park, Lee—you slacking off again? Think we don't know you're skipping out with bathroom excuses every time?!"
"Chief, it's not like that. Haha. This guy's just dying for a smoke..."
Surprisingly, Comrade Park threw Yi Jung-hyuk under the bus to save his own skin.
The site chief glared at Yi Jung-hyuk for a moment, then beckoned him outside.
"Get three bags of cement done by morning. Got it?"
"Th-three bags?"
"What? Don't like it? Then go home!"
Comrade Park glanced at the scolded Yi Jung-hyuk, then scurried back to the site.
'...That motherfucker!'
"I'll do it."
Yi Jung-hyuk put the muscles from his military training to work mixing cement on the day labor site.
He even gave up his breaks and barely finished by mid-afternoon.
"Alright, good work today! Everyone grab your pay!"
The site chief handed out daily wages to those who'd worked.
Yi Jung-hyuk stood among them.
"Prakamuk! Good job today! Work that hard and you'll make bank!"
"Thanks!"
The workers each got between 120,000 and 140,000 won—a pretty good rate.
Yi Jung-hyuk watched the site chief expectantly.
"Sigh. You too, Lee. Good work."
Yi Jung-hyuk's beaming face froze the instant he checked the envelope.
There was only 60,000 won inside.
"Chief! I think you gave me the wrong one. It's just 60,000."
"Huh? 60,000? That's right. You skipped out today. That's generous already."
"No way! That's too much!"
"Too much? Then don't skip! You fucking commie bastard!"
Thwack!
The chief slammed down hard on Yi Jung-hyuk's hard hat.
Yi Jung-hyuk was seized by the urge to lunge and snap the old rooster-neck's throat.
With a single move, if he wanted, he could crush that scrawny old man's windpipe.
But doing that would blow not just this mission, but all his infiltration efforts in the South.
Tremble—
Clenching his fists, Yi Jung-hyuk thought of his family and somehow suppressed his rage.
'...Damn it! I'll endure for the Party's sake!'
Plus, the Party had cut mission funds lately, citing tough times.
They were ordered to self-fund operations.
Every penny counted right now.
"Count yourself lucky!"
Yi Jung-hyuk spat sharply and stormed out.
Kangyul and his family headed straight to the eighth floor upon arriving at Midas Corporation.
Unlike the quiet past, the office was packed with people.
"Madam, you're here."
Jang Deokcheol had come out to greet them ahead of time.
He gave Kangyul a light nod, mindful of the eyes on him.
Kangyul scanned the office and approached a familiar face with a grin.
"Im Honggyu!"
"...President!"
Im Honggyu shot up from his seat to greet Kangyul.
"Not here as president today—just visiting. Where's Kim Min-a? I don't see her."
"She's at the studio filming for Meerkat. Hope you've been well."
"Same as always. Hey, my brothers are here—show 'em around the seventh floor."
Im Honggyu glanced at Jang Deokcheol.
Jang Deokcheol nodded and gestured outside.
Only then did Im Honggyu's face light up as he led them out.
"...Whoa! It's Im Honggyu! Im Honggyu!"
Jiyul bounced around excitedly, even more thrilled to see him in person.
"Call him Honggyu hyung."
"Yeah! Honggyu hyung! Honggyu hyung!"
"Haha. Your brothers are all so cute."
Im Honggyu took the brothers down to the seventh floor.
A bunch of familiar faces were there.
Jang Seongtae and Lee Jaeyoung, plus even Once Na, who'd been opponents before.
"Seongtae, three heading that way. Handle 'em."
"Wait, B's just me—how am I supposed to cover all that?"
"Can't handle that much? I could've blocked it."
"You're a sniper, hyung!"
They were so engrossed in the game they hadn't even noticed Kangyul and the brothers arrive.
They bickered, but their teamwork was solid.
'That's why they'll sweep the tournaments.'
The 'Midas A' clan wasn't just practicing—they were filming too.
These were videos for the pro gaming team channel.
Lots of fans preferred watching the players banter over the gameplay.
'Especially the Once Na and Jang Seongtae duo—hilarious.'
While Lee Jaeyoung and Tteutteutteut handled things quietly, those two were like Tom and Jerry.
Jang Seongtae played the picked-on Jerry, but he had his zingers.
"Huh? What? When'd you get here?"
Only after the game ended did they spot Kangyul and Im Honggyu.
"Honggyu hyung slacking off to game again? Uncle Jang'll chew you out like last time."
"...This time the president himself sent me down. It's legit game time."
Once Na jumped up and strode over to Deokyul.
"Kangyul. Time for payback from last time. One round."
"...I'm not Kangyul hyung. I'm Deokyul."
"Oh, right?"
Once Na turned and reached for Jiyul.
But Jiyul shook his head and hid behind Im Honggyu, sensing something off.
"Ahem. They're so alike... Let's do one!"
Once Na finally thrust his hand toward Kangyul with a shout.
"It's been forever since I gamed—have some mercy."
"No dodging with that. A match is a match!"
"...Sigh. How about a team match? Kangyul team vs. Once Na team, single round. Deal?"
"Sounds good!"
Once Na grinned confidently.
Kangyul picked Jang Seongtae, Im Honggyu, and Tteutteutteut.
Once Na took Lee Jaeyoung and some new teammates Kangyul didn't know.
"A-supply rush, five-round single elim. If I lose, I'll treat the filming crew and team to dinner."
"Deal! Loser pays!"
The filming crew and staff were thrilled.
Whoever won, dinner was on.
And a bonus match between retired Kangyul and Once Na?
It was bound to blow up on YouTube.