Chapter 46: Choi Min-seo slip of the tongue when she brought Pestam

Kang Yerin opened the file she had discovered, and the following introduction was written inside:

•Expected Reclassification Chart After Limit Break

Application point: After the third scenario begins

In other words, after the fall of the Galactic Empire

Note: Absolutely do not apply in advance

“What? Something like this can cause such a big change?”

Kang Yerin couldn’t comprehend the contents written there.

“What does it mean that changing the unit will make someone stronger…? Is it the system’s enforcement?”

Other files were filled with similarly cryptic terms. Kang Yerin instinctively realized that these files contained

countless secrets.

Her chest began to ache again.

Every file had a similar final modification date. It was right before the Dark Kingdom’s downfall.

Jeong Uiseok had always been a man solely focused on fighting for peace.

These files confirmed that fact.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Realizing how long he had been fighting alone, and how oblivious she had been to his suffering, made her want to

tear at her hair in frustration.

“He wasn’t influenced by villains.”

It was the other way around.

Even after despairing over heroes, he still wanted to protect peace, so he had no choice but to resort to a last

measure.

Because that was the only way to defeat the Galactic Empire.

“…I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Uiseok.”

What could he be feeling right now?

Would it be disrespectful to even imagine?

After losing everything, even the person he loved, what could possibly drive him to keep fighting for the world?

Kang Yerin was awestruck by his superhuman mental strength, feeling a sense of reverence toward him.

And the more she thought about it, the more she wanted him.

No, it didn’t matter if she couldn’t have him.

Even if she could simply protect him, that would be enough.

At this moment, she just wanted to meet him, to talk to him.

What could she do?

“…I’m a hero.”

Slap!

Kang Yerin slapped her own cheek to clear her mind.

There was only one way to prove it.

Shin Yookyung, Ji Sehwa, and Choi Minseo—they couldn’t be relied upon any longer.

If no one else would do it, she would.

A hero… I will fight the Galactic Empire. I will win.

That was the only way to prove herself.

As Kang Yerin continued to compile the files, a new scenario began to form in her mind.

Then, while reviewing the data, she saw a title that triggered a specific memory.

[Required Purity of Festam for Galactic Empire Conquest]

‘It’s not a drug! It’s a weapon! A trump card to take down the organization of evil!’

‘The organization of evil has just been defeated. What exactly do you mean by that?’

Jeong Uiseok had said that on the Dark Kingdom’s ship.

At the time, everyone had assumed the only evil organization was the Dark Kingdom, dismissing his words as

nonsense. Even Shin Yookyung had rebuked him in agreement.

However, Jeong Eui-seok already knew about the Galactic Empire.

And the file name confirmed it.

Pestam.

Jeong Eui-seok hadn’t purchased it to use as a drug.

Though he wasn’t sure how to use it, he was certain it was a weapon that could counter the Galactic Empire.

“Good grief…”

Kang Yerin once again realized the depth of her own foolishness.

Pestam. Where is it now?

The association leader had definitely entrusted its management to Choi Min-seo. Kang Yerin immediately sought out

the leader.

“Pestam? Why do you need that all of a sudden? It’s locked up in the most secure weapons base. Only Min-seo and I

have access to the vault.”

“Take me there. Right now!”

Together with the association leader, Kang Yerin headed to a base a few blocks away.

They went deep underground and arrived at the vault.

Once the association leader finished the security authentication, a thick iron door slowly opened.

And then—

“What…?”

The association leader let out a dumbfounded gasp.

The vault was empty.

They received a message and hurried to an abandoned warehouse, only to find a 20-ton truck inside.

“Eui-seok oppa!”

Choi Min-seo ran toward him with a bright smile.

The entire situation inside the abandoned factory had been recorded on CCTV. Those thugs were nothing special, but

to kill them all without hesitation…

Well, he’d always been merciless toward enemies.

“I-I brought your stuff, oppa! I did well, right?”

Her expectant eyes looked up at him, eagerly waiting for praise.

Disgusted, Jeong Eui-seok ignored her and approached the container to check its contents first.

When he opened it, the container was filled to the brim with raw, solid Pestam, packed tightly like hard plastic.

He stepped inside to verify that Choi Min-seo hadn’t swapped anything out.

Some of it had been removed — about fifty kilograms were missing.

It must’ve been the amount she used for herself.

Greedy, as always.

“How is it? I brought it all, just like I promised! Surprised?”

Choi Min-seo’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, filled with excitement.

Jeong Eui-seok put on his mask and stepped out of the truck.

He tapped his ear communicator twice.

His subordinates began to emerge from underground, swiftly moving to load the Pestam.

“Huh? W-wait… What?”

Choi Min-seo glanced around, confused.

She hadn’t yet grasped the change in situation.

“Min-seo.”

“Y-yeah…?”

“It’s time for you to leave.”

Jeong Eui-seok crossed his arms and made the declaration.

Choi Min-seo blinked, as if she had misheard him.

“W-what? Oppa? What did you just say…?”

“I said, get lost. We’re done here.”

“Huh? N-no! Why would you say that? I did what you asked! I deserve praise!”

“How shameless. Did you forget what you did to me?”

“Forget? What do you mean? I didn’t do anything…”

“Lua.”

At his command, Lua — who had been among the subordinates — lightly fired a shot of dark matter straight into

Choi Min-seo’s brainstem.

The effect was brief but intense.

The dark matter forced Choi Min-seo’s emotions back to reality.

“Ugh… Ugh…?”

The memories she had unconsciously believed to be true were stripped away.

She reprocessed them as mere recollections.

The events of the Dark Kingdom War were confirmed as reality.

The incident at the banquet hall resurfaced in her mind.

The first time she encountered the pink mist.

The illusions she had seen.

“No… No… No, no, nooo!”

Choi Min-seo collapsed on the spot, sobbing.

She clawed at her head, then covered her mouth with her hands, but she couldn’t hold it in. She retched and vomited

everything from her stomach.

“You… It was you. That day… It was you.”

Choi Min-seo slowly turned her head toward Lua.

Lua removed her mask and gave Choi Min-seo a sweet smile.

“Hello, GreenNature. I’m Agent Shin Min-ah from the Secret Service.”

“You… You…!”

Choi Min-seo began to tremble violently, on the verge of a seizure.

Jeong Eui-seok walked over to Lua and spoke.

“Don’t hate her too much. Lua is now my most treasured disciple.”

Choi Min-seo’s face darkened as she heard those words.

“W-what? Oppa?”

Jeong Eui-seok pulled Lua closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and lifting her thigh to cradle her in his arms.

“You still don’t get it? Lua is the greatest talent I’ve ever discovered. Comparing her to the likes of you would be an insult.”

“L-lies… You always said… I was the best.”

“That was the biggest lie of my life. Do you know how exhausting it was to encourage pathetic people like you?”

From within Jeong Eui-seok’s arms, Lua pulled out another mask and fitted it halfway onto her face.

She smiled mockingly at Choi Min-seo.

Choi Minseo finally realized what that mask was.

“Dark Matter?”

“Now do you believe what I said? Lua surpassed all of you, who have trained for three years, in just two weeks.”

“That’s impossible. You’re… Vengeance?”

“Yes. You’re slow to catch on. That’s why you’re always called that.”

I gave her a sly grin.

“Failure.”

“No, no! I’m not a failure!!”

Choi Minseo’s scream grew louder. She began scratching at the concrete floor, her fingernails gradually turning red.

“No, no, right? Oppa. Ui-seok oppa. You praised me. You acknowledged me. You said I was needed.”

Choi Minseo crawled toward me, clutching my leg and clinging to it.

“I-I made mistakes, but now I know. I can exist because you’re here, oppa. I need you. You can’t do this to me. I can’t

live without you. Please, don’t.”

She looked up at me. Even with her lavish designer clothes, her tear-streaked, pathetic face couldn’t be concealed.

“I-I’ll do anything. Please, don’t. Teach me again. Show me. Praise me. Tell me I’m the best.”

“Anything?”

Choi Minseo nodded vigorously, tears flying with the motion.

“Anything, huh.”

Under the assumption of absolute obedience, she could be useful. I could plant her as a Trojan horse within the

Association or use her as a combat asset in the organization.

But her unstable mental state posed a significant risk.

And the thought of constantly having to deal with her wasn’t appealing.

Since Red Dragon’s alliance with Zeorgius was already public knowledge, letting her go wouldn’t cause much trouble.

“I-I’m sorry, oppa. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Choi Minseo apologized, but it didn’t stir any emotions in me.

“I was jealous of you, oppa. It must’ve been too hard for me. I was always in the background, and you didn’t look at

me like you used to. No one called my name, and yet the cameras only focused on you. People only called for you.

And you even had a girlfriend. I was so envious.”

Thinking back, the ones who truly intended to kill me that day were Shin Yu-gyeong, Ji Se-hwa, and the Association

president.

Although Choi Minseo and Kang Yerin had gone along with the plan, they didn’t seem to know the full extent.

Choi Minseo quickly accepted the situation at the end, though.

The fight against the Dark Kingdom had been tough, no doubt.

She must’ve been under immense psychological pressure.

Not that I intended to forgive her.

But perhaps it was time to stop punishing her out of sheer decency.

“I’m sorry for everything, oppa. I was wrong—for what I did to you, for not trusting you.”

I lowered my head and extended my hand to grab her shoulder.

“And… I’m sorry for what happened to Somin unnie.”

…

What did she just say?

“What?”

“Huh?”

Choi Minseo’s face was filled with confusion.

“Hey.”

I grabbed her by the collar and lifted her off the ground.

“Say that again.”

“N-no. Wait. Oppa didn’t kno—ah, no, I didn’t mean—”

Smack!

I threw a punch with all my strength, sending her small frame flying into the wall.

“Ahhhh, no! Please, no! I told them not to! I said it might kill her, that it wouldn’t be fun—”

“Hey.”

I walked over and grabbed her by the hair.

“Choose your words carefully from now on.”

And I made one decision.

“This might be your last will and testament.”

I would annihilate the Dragon Lord Squad completely.