Chapter 179

Chapter 179: The True Culprit (1)

Translation: godtl

The World Awakened Federation.

An organization established by world leaders and player factions representing various nations.

From enacting Awakened Laws to designating Villains and managing Outbreaks.

An institution that wields global influence over all matters related to the Galaxy Arena.

Today, the Federation's conference hall was filled with...

"Now that everyone is present, let us conclude the agenda we discussed yesterday."

...an unusually solemn atmosphere.

And for good reason.

"The disciplinary measures regarding South Korea's Ranker—the Iron Wall Saintess, Lee Yu-jeong."

This was the day they would decide the fate of no ordinary player, but an actual Ranker.

Beep.

At the center of the circular conference hall, the holographic image of a graceful beauty materialized.

Beside her, detailed information was displayed in English—the Federation's official language.

"As you all know, Lee Yu-jeong is currently accused of murdering a non-Awakened individual."

The moment the moderator finished speaking—

"Accused? Isn't it confirmed that she killed someone?"

An East Asian man seated at the front raised his hand.

On his desk lay a nameplate bearing a red flag intertwined with a dragon emblem.

"I heard she even confessed to the murder herself, no?"

"I concur with China's representative. If the party in question has admitted to it, calling it an 'accusation' seems inappropriate."

A blond man sitting nearby nodded in agreement.

Beside him—

"Pakistan also agrees with China and Russia's stance."

"Serbia concurs as well..."

One after another, representatives from various nations voiced their alignment.

In response—

"My apologies. Let me rephrase that."

The moderator gave a slight bow and corrected his statement.

"We shall now proceed with the final deliberation and verdict regarding Lee Yu-jeong's punishment for the murder of a non-Awakened individual."

"What more is there to deliberate?"

The Russian representative shrugged as he glanced around the room.

"She killed a non-Awakened out of personal vendetta—her own grandfather, no less."

"Didn't everyone review the footage yesterday? She marched straight to the chairman's office without a shred of hesitation."

"Even through the screen, her ruthlessness was palpable."

A chorus of agreement rose from the representatives.

Most were the same ones who had demanded the correction from "accusation" earlier.

Finally, the Chinese representative, who had been quietly nodding, delivered the decisive blow.

"First, designate Lee Yu-jeong as a Villain, then administer the appropriate punishment. That should suffice."

The atmosphere swiftly shifted toward branding Lee Yu-jeong as a Villain.

Then—

"You all seem rather hasty."

A deep baritone voice resonated through the hall.

Seated at the very front, alongside the other representatives—

"Designating someone as a Villain is no trivial matter. Shouldn't we follow proper procedure before rushing to a decision?"

—was a bald, middle-aged Black man.

On his desk lay a nameplate adorned with the Stars and Stripes.

"Marcus, what do you mean by that?"

When the Serbian representative pressed him—

"Exactly what I said. Classifying someone as a Villain is tantamount to branding them a global enemy. Such matters must follow due process."

Marcus responded with a genteel smile.

The Pakistani representative's face twisted into a scowl.

"She already confessed, didn't she? On top of that, Lee Yu-jeong is a Ranker. The criminal risk she poses is substantial!"

"I'm well aware of the dangers posed by crimes committed by Rankers. In fact, no nation understands that risk better than the United States."

"Well... that's true."

The Pakistani representative hesitated momentarily before nodding.

The most notorious Villain organization in the world—Desperado.

The incident that catapulted their infamy to its peak was none other than—

"These are Ranker-level Villains who didn't hesitate to terrorize the White House, no?"

—the White House terror attack.

The global shockwaves it sent were unprecedented.

It remained one of the largest incidents since the World Awakened Federation's inception.

Precisely because he knew this—

"Yet you still insist on discussing procedure?"

The Pakistani representative couldn't maintain his earlier hardline stance.

"Speak freely. Though, isn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it something we can even joke about now? It came up on a talk show just yesterday."

Marcus chuckled heartily as he tilted his head.

"However—"

Then, his tone shifted.

"Just because the risk is high doesn't mean we can disregard procedure. This is about officially recognizing someone as a global enemy, isn't it?"

Marcus spoke with calm, businesslike eyes.

"I agree. Besides, Lee Yu-jeong was quietly detained by regular police, wasn't she?"

"Correct. If she were truly a Villain, the death toll in Korea wouldn't have stopped at just Lee Sun-cheol."

"Frankly, even her confession raises many doubts."

"Exactly. From the very start, it makes no sense that she openly revealed all her movements on CCTV."

"Unless she'd given up on life entirely... But Lee Yu-jeong is a Ranker and the sole heir to the Seongsam Guild, isn't she?"

"Precisely. Being part of the absolute elite in either capacity—why would she have any reason to abandon her life?"

The surrounding representatives chimed in one after another.

And then—

Beep.

Bleep.

One by one, green lights illuminated above the seats of representatives who had remained silent until now.

A signal of agreement with the current opinion.

A rough estimate showed the number had already surpassed half.

At this—

"W-wait, no!"

"Why is everyone suddenly like this?"

"Just yesterday, the atmosphere was all in favor of designating her as a Villain, wasn't it...?"

The representatives from Russia, Pakistan, and others who had supported labeling Lee Yu-jeong as a Villain began murmuring quietly.

The Chinese representative, Wei Anhong, who had been standing still with his arms crossed, slightly furrowed his brow and asked,

"Ultimately, isn't this all speculation? Where is the proof that Lee Yu-jeong won't commit further crimes?"

"This morning's report stated she's been transferred to the custody of Korea's Association."

"Marcus, let me remind you again—she is a Ranker."

"I'm aware. And so is the person in charge of Korea's Association. China knows full well what kind of man the Iron Wood King is, don't you?"

"...We know him very well."

"If you know him well, then shouldn't we proceed according to procedure?"

Marcus smirked slyly.

Wei Anhong bit his lip slightly before letting out a sigh.

'Of all people, he had to bring up Kim Mu-yeol...'

The Iron Wood King, Kim Mu-yeol.

Everyone here knew that the Korean Association President had close ties with China—more precisely, with the Continent Guild.

With Kim Mu-yeol now brought into the conversation—

'If we push further, it'll only look like we're disregarding him.'

Continuing to argue here would be no different from dismissing Kim Mu-yeol's influence.

Especially since, though not publicly known—

'First with Kang Hwa-wi, and now... Ever since that failed assassination attempt, they've been keeping their distance from us...'

Recently, the Continent Guild's interactions with Kim Mu-yeol had noticeably dwindled.

'Even the Fist King is paying attention to improving relations with him.'

Even Jong-ri Chu, the master of the Continent Guild, was closely monitoring the need to mend ties with him.

Under these circumstances, Wei Anhong couldn't afford to undermine Kim Mu-yeol's prestige.

'That damn sly bastard!'

Though inwardly cursing, Wei Anhong had no choice but to nod outwardly.

"Very well. Let's proceed according to procedure."

"As expected, you're a wise man. Then, Mr. Chair? Shall we proceed accordingly?"

Marcus grinned and looked at the chairperson.

"Understood."

And so, the final vote on Lee Yu-jeong's Villain designation—

"With a majority opposed, we will conclude the matter regarding Lee Yu-jeong."

—ended with a majority vote against it.

As the World Awakened Federation's meeting concluded—

"Marcus. Good work today."

"Likewise, Andrea."

After exchanging brief farewells, the representatives began leaving their seats.

Having been seated at the innermost part of the circular assembly hall, Marcus was among the last to exit.

Wei Anhong was no exception.

Which was why—

"Just what are you scheming, Marcus?"

—Wei Anhong could finally ask.

"Hah! Mr. Wei, what do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. The matter regarding Lee Yu-jeong."

The sole issue Marcus had opposed him on today.

From the very beginning, Marcus—or rather, the United States—had frequently clashed with China since the Federation's inception.

But—

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

This time, he couldn't help but question it.

And for good reason.

"Just yesterday, you were in favor of designating Lee Yu-jeong as a Villain, weren't you?"

Up until yesterday, Marcus, representing the U.S., had supported labeling Lee Yu-jeong as a Villain.

And it wasn't just Marcus.

"Canada, Europe, the Middle East—even Japan. They all changed their tune, didn't they?"

The day Lee Yu-jeong's case was brought up.

With the exception of a few countries including Korea.

Nearly all representatives had tacitly expressed approval for designating Lee Yu-jeong as a Villain.

It was only natural.

"Wouldn't her disappearance benefit you as well?"

"Now, now! Mr. Wei. That's going too far."

Rankers stood at the pinnacle of Players.

In other words, they could be considered the highest caliber of human resources a nation could possess.

If such a Ranker were to be eliminated.

Naturally, the power of that nation would inevitably weaken.

Just like—

"Since it's just the two of us, let's be honest, Marcus. Compared to its performance in the Galaxy Arena, isn't Korea growing far too powerful now?"

—much like how nuclear stockpiles had been measured before the advent of the Galaxy Arena.

"Lee Yu-jeong is currently one of the hottest Rankers in Korea. If she were to disappear, you wouldn't have anything to lose, would you?"

"Mr. Wei. We exist for the sake of world peace. As a member of the Federation, such remarks are..."

Despite Marcus's solemn mediation.

"Moreover, isn't this a justified execution? I can't help but wonder why you suddenly changed your mind."

Wei Anhong cut him off and spoke without hesitation.

Marcus, who had been silently observing Wei Anhong for a moment,

"It seems you didn't receive the call."

bared his teeth in a grin.

"...What do you mean by that?"

Leaving behind those cryptic words,

"I have an important meeting to attend shortly. I'll take my leave now."

"H-hey! Marcus!"

With a casual wave, he exited the conference room.

A faint glimmer of amusement lingered in his double-lidded eyes.

'Looks like the countries that opposed the Villain designation earlier didn't receive the offer. Well...'

No wonder they had been so vehemently against it.

The corners of his lips curled up on their own.

Marcus, smiling to himself, headed straight to his office.

But his joy wasn't solely due to the successful resolution of the matter.

'Given her personality, she's probably already arrived by now.'

Just as Marcus had anticipated.

"You're here."

As he opened the office door,

a stunning woman with sleek office attire, neatly tied-back blonde hair,

and a cold demeanor adjusted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her thin-framed glasses to greet him.

"Ah. Olivia. You must be incredibly busy. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by."

"I happened to have some free time. I also wanted to express my gratitude."

At her words,

"Hah! No wonder they call you the legend of the recruitment division—your words are as sharp as ever."

Marcus burst into hearty laughter.

"Do you think I don't know the temperament of the famous Winter Queen? You must have come to personally confirm whether things went smoothly, didn't you?"

"Well, that too, among other things."

Olivia didn't even attempt to deny it, prompting Marcus to laugh uproariously again.

He then asked,

"Was I really that untrustworthy?"

"You've represented the U.S. since the Federation's founding. How could I dare think such a thing?"

"Hah! Compliments from a beauty are always delightful. In fact, I anticipated your visit and reserved a fine restaurant. How about it?"

With a playful wink,

"Sharing a meal while we discuss matters at leisure?"

He had the audacity to propose an after-meeting outing to the Winter Queen.

"I have preparations to make for my reward now."

Without the slightest hesitation, Olivia

"Since it seems you've handled things well, I'll take my leave."

completely and utterly shot him down.

[Shocking! Chairman Lee Sun-cheol's Murderer—Not Lee Yu-jeong?]

[Association States 'High Possibility Lee Yu-jeong is Not the Culprit']

[Then Who is the Real Killer? Chairman Lee Sun-cheol's Murder Case Begins Full-Scale Re-investigation!]

[Why Did Lee Yu-jeong Confess to the Murder? Questions Arise]

A flood of articles poured onto various news portals.

And that wasn't all.

[Over 70% Oppose! Lee Yu-jeong is Not a Villain]

[World Awakened Federation Opposes Lee Yu-jeong's Villain Designation?]

[Lee Yu-jeong's Innocence Gains Credibility with the Federation's Decision!]

['Lee Yu-jeong is Our Nation's Precious Talent, We Will Never Abandon Her'—Association President Burns with Resolve]

The world's attention was fixed on whether Lee Yu-jeong would be designated a Villain.

As news spread that the motion had been rejected with over 70% opposition—

-What the hell is even going on?

Online communities, both domestic and international, were in an uproar.

And as Si-mun observed this entire situation unfold—

'Everything's proceeding as expected.'

A faint smile played on his lips as he absentmindedly scrolled through his phone.

'Almost no opposition articles either. Well, considering what happened to those who stood against us last time...'

The factions that had stirred controversy and manipulated public opinion—primarily the Scorpion Guild and the national Platinum division—had been thoroughly purged following Vice Guild Master Kim Jong-jun's confession video.

Especially the media. Though it wasn't obvious on the surface, given his uncle Kim Mu-yeol's temperament, he would have made sure to finish them off completely.

Which meant—

'No one in their right mind would dare publish opposing articles now.'

Even if they wanted to sway public opinion, no one would have the guts to openly question the narrative or publish dissenting pieces.

Of course, humans were creatures of forgetfulness. Given enough time, they'd eventually raise their heads again.

'But I'll deal with that when the time comes.'

With a swift motion, Si-mun pocketed his phone and resumed walking.

"Hyung. How the hell did you pull this off?"

A crisp voice stopped him mid-step. Si-mun turned around.

"What do you mean?"

"The World Awakened Federation. What did you do?"

Kim Si-hyeok stared at him with wide eyes, alternating between his phone and Si-mun in disbelief. His shock was understandable.

"What kind of strings did you pull to get a 70% opposition vote from the Federation?"

Kim Si-hyeok had just seen the same news article Si-mun had been reading.

Park Jin-uk, trailing behind them, was no different—but he already knew the details, having carried out Si-mun's instructions himself.

Si-mun glanced briefly at Park Jin-uk before answering.

"I just seasoned them properly with a Growth Buff."

"...The World Federation gets 'seasoned' by a Growth Buff? Since when was that a thing?"

"Well, it depends on the chef."

"......"

Si-mun shrugged lightly.

"You know, I've always thought this, but you have a way of making insane things sound completely ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ordinary, hyung."

Kim Si-hyeok shook his head with a wry chuckle.

Si-mun raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, Kim Si-hyeok. Was that a compliment?"

"Obviously!"

"Good enough."

With a playful smirk, Si-mun turned back and continued walking.

After a while, he stopped in front of a door marked by police tape—yellow lines starkly drawn across the entrance.

"We've been expecting you."

Two men in suits, likely Awakened, stood beside the door and bowed respectfully.

"We received word from the Association President."

"Feel free to investigate as you wish."

The Association personnel removed the police tape and even opened the door for him.

"Thank you."

Si-mun gave a brief nod before stepping into the Seongsam Guild's chairman's office.

True to its status as a crime scene, yellow evidence markers were scattered throughout—but nothing more.

The scene had been preserved perfectly.

Though, in truth, there wasn't much to preserve.

"Clean."

There was no real damage to the scene—just the chairman's head cleanly severed.

Si-mun walked toward Chairman Lee Sun-cheol's desk—more precisely, toward the white chalk outline marking where his body had been.

The luxurious chair was stained with dried blood, and beside it, a circular outline marked where the head had rolled.

'This must be where the head fell.'

Si-mun's gaze naturally shifted to the opposite side of the room.

A massive window, left slightly ajar, came into view.

'Just as I thought.'

His eyes gleamed.

Si-mun began tracing a path from the headrest of the chair through the air, slowly making his way toward the large window.

Watching this, Kim Si-hyeok frowned.

"Hyung. What are you doing? Did you already figure something out?"

Si-mun reached the window and—

"Yeah."

Tap.

He nodded and knocked on the half-open window frame.

"Exactly as I expected."

The moment he said that—

Whoooosh—

A sinister, dark-purple energy surged through the air Si-mun had traced, connecting all the way from the window to the headrest of the chair.

"Th-that's—!"

"The Void?!"

A perfectly straight line of Void energy.

Kim Si-hyeok and Park Jin-uk gasped in shock.

[The Constellation Black Goat's eyes widen in disbelief. "That's the goddamn energy of that chaos bastard?!"]

Along with the shock of an utterly unexpected presence.

[Constellation Black Goat's eyes widen in disbelief: That's the energy of that damned chaos bastard?!]