C354
On the sofa, Ahn Roh Man watched Cale, Alberu, and Rosalyn, offering Rosalyn an Americano.
“Thank you. Did you make the coffee yourself?”
“You’re welcome. It’s my only pleasure.”
Ahn Roh Man looked away from Rosalyn and observed Alberu and Cale, who declined the coffee, before sitting down on the sofa. His gaze, from the seat of honor, stopped on Alberu.
‘Next time, you won’t be here.’
Ahn Roh Man won’t be in the next presidency. Seeing Alberu utter those words, Ahn Roh Man blurted out:
“When did you plant someone here?”
Wow.
Ahn Roh Man shifted his gaze at the low sigh. Rosalyn, who had made eye contact with him, smiled slightly.
“The coffee is delicious.”
Then, she continued speaking fluently:
“It seems the President likes to get straight to the point, doesn’t he?”
Ahn Roh Man replied with a smile:
“Is that bad?”
Rosalyn raised the cup, smiling:
“I like it as much as this coffee.”
At that moment, Ahn Roh Man wondered who the woman in front of him was. Or rather, he had wondered about her identity since she entered the place with Alberu and Cale. But now, the feeling that this person wasn’t easy to deal with had turned into a need to know her identity.
“Han Taek Soo.”
However, the moment that name came out of Alberu Crossman’s mouth, Ahn Roh Man had to look away. He stared intently at Alberu’s relaxed face looking at him.
Young.
He definitely looked younger in person than in pictures.
“Ah.”
Han Taek Soo, honorary president of Transparent Corporation and the most likely presidential candidate for the next election. The moment that name came out of Alberu Crossman’s mouth, there weren’t many reactions Ahn Roh Man could have.
“You figured me out.”
Ahn Roh Man’s posture, with his hands raised as if he had lost, still seemed relaxed, despite his words. Even with a smile on his lips, he seemed quite calm. The person facing him was Alberu. Alberu’s mouth opened.
“You received a royal mission, didn’t you?”
Silence fell.
- Human, human!
And Raon, who had become transparent and was in that space, spoke to Cale.
- Human, you look very comfortable!
Of course.
Cale didn’t respond to Raon’s words, which seemed so obvious.
‘With the Crown Prince and Rosalyn here. What am I doing interfering?’
This image, where everything is fixed without him having to say anything.
‘Ah, how comfortable.’
Cale felt comfort for the first time in a long time. That comfort was due to the fact that there was ‘nothing bothering him’.
‘Yes.’
I like this favorable board.
Cale watched the scene in front of him attentively. The smile disappeared from Ahn Roh Man’s mouth, and Alberu smiled even more brightly. Although they were silent, many things were happening in that place. The weight was tilting more and more towards Alberu’s side.
‘That’s it.’
The weight tilts towards where we want it, and the situation follows us. Until now, Cale had thrown himself into situations that had presented themselves, rather than creating them, and he had changed the situation by becoming the weight himself.
‘That’s not my specialty.’
Actually, creating a favorable board, adding weight, and making the situation naturally tilt towards our side. That was the way of doing things that Cale liked.
“…I’m thirsty.”
The moment those words came out of Ahn Roh Man’s mouth, Cale spoke.
“Shall I make you a cup of coffee? I know how to do it.”
A breathless laugh. Ahn Roh Man leaned back on the sofa.
“I also received a royal mission, that is, a mission from the king.”
He admitted it, and Alberu received his words calmly.
“It was too obvious that you had your own plans.”
“Ha, ha-”
Ahn Roh Man let out a laugh and asked:
“So, are we enemies now?”
Alberu answered that question.
“More than enemies, we will be close allies.”
Ahn Roh Man’s eyebrows rose slightly, and Cale playfully hit Alberu’s arm.
“Oh, Your Highness, if you talk like that, you’ll get confused.”
He smiled kindly and then turned to Ahn Roh Man:
“We have the same enemy, don’t we?”
Ahn Roh Man’s mouth opened.
“Right. Transparent Corporation.”
With an enigmatic smile, Ahn Roh Man ran his hand through his hair. Drops of sweat had already formed on his forehead. However, as if he hadn’t noticed, he spoke calmly:
“So, you must help me. To bring down Transparent Corporation in the real world, after leaving RMPAG, we must first prevent Han Taek Soo from becoming president. That is, I must become president, right?”
A mischievous smile spread across Ahn Roh Man’s lips.
“…I wish I could say that.”
His smile turned bitter.
“Bringing down Transparent Corporation and me becoming president are separate matters.”
Advisor Mary said that if they eliminated Transparent Corporation or if they performed in the New World, there would be chances for him to become president. But Ahn Roh Man didn’t believe her.
“Of course.”
Alberu continued calmly:
“You’re a sun that’s fading.”
It was the right answer.
“Whatever it is, someone will appear to replace Han Taek Soo, and your position will be in danger. People will forget about you.”
“That’s right. After all, I’m the proof of the past war.”
Ahn Roh Man knew his situation perfectly. He was already a boring existence. Even a hero is forgotten when people get used to him.
“So you’re thinking of retiring?”
“I’m considering it.”
Alberu mocked Ahn Roh Man’s response.
“Brother, do you believe that?”
“No.”
Cale shook his head immediately. He asked Rosalyn:
“Do you believe it, Rosalyn?”
“No.”
She shrugged.
“Although I don’t know much about this place, from what I’ve heard, it seems there are two options that Ahn Roh Man can choose right now. Eliminate the Transparent Blood Family or take control of the New World.”
“…Although you say you don’t know much about this place, it seems you see everything.”
Rosalyn looked at Ahn Roh Man as if it were obvious, responding to his words.
“Eliminate your enemy or take their territory. It’s the basics of war, right?”
War.
Ahn Roh Man stopped at those words.
“Why? Isn’t it a war?”
“…Right. It’s a war.”
This is also a war.
At that moment, Alberu spoke.
“You already knew, why are you pretending not to know?”
“…!”
Ahn Roh Man’s dark eyes turned to Alberu. The fairytale prince, with blonde hair and blue eyes, said cheerfully:
“You’re thinking of eliminating Transparent Corporation before your term ends, right? You must have something prepared during the three presidential terms you’ve had, right?”
Ahn Roh Man’s pupils sank deep. What he had prepared without Advisor Mary knowing. Alberu continued speaking calmly:
“And whether you betray me or take what’s rightfully mine, you’ll do whatever it takes to gain power within the New World.”
Oh!
Cale clapped exaggeratedly, expressing his admiration.
¡Plop!
Cale said with a mischievous smile, amidst the joyful sound:
“You intend to eliminate your enemy and take their territory!”
He gave a thumbs up.
“Really, President Ahn Roh Man is an incredible person!”
Advisor Mary. She said that if he chose one of the two options, Ahn Roh Man would have chances. But Ahn Roh Man wasn’t a person who clung to chances. He was a person who went towards a sure answer.
“…”
He calmly observed the three people who saw him so well and opened his mouth.
“It seems you have a lot of experience in winning wars.”
And the three responded with their own smiles. Cale was the one who opened his mouth at the end of the smiles.
“How do you plan to eliminate Transparent Corporation in the real world?”
“…….”
“Do you have evidence of corruption that you’ve kept?”
Transparent. They said it was now a transcendent company. A place that’s beyond nations. To take over that place, you need justification, either moral or legal, in any direction. If they attack and end up being attacked, it would be problematic.
“And you have a backup in the New World, right?”
At some point, Ahn Roh Man had told Cale and Alberu.
‘Someone helped me become number 1 in the rankings.’
That entity was the AI that his parents had created.
‘That AI is my friend and my brother. It was born a year before me, should I call it older brother?’
For Ahn Roh Man, that AI was like an older brother.
‘That AI was hiding in the game. Of course, I had given it most of its functions to Transparent Corporation, as if they had taken them away. Transparent Corporation didn’t even know it existed. That guy hid and waited.’
And Alberu had never really met that AI. Ahn Roh Man had carefully concealed the AI’s identity.
‘Yes, I’ve met it.’
He had encountered the AI, wrapped in a robe, and from a distance.
Cale asked Ahn Roh Man about that AI. He wanted to know his backup. And there was a mission he had been given to find that AI. Also-
‘It’s a variable.’
It was one of the daggers that Transparent didn’t know about and that was pointed at Transparent Corporation. He needed to know about its existence.
“Wait a moment.”
Ahn Roh Man looked at Cale, as if he were stunned.
“Aren’t you revealing too much of my cards?”
It was a light tone, almost a growl, but there was a cold dagger hidden.
“Of course, I’ve already lost, in a way.”
There was a reason why he had been talking so tamely until now.
“Your strength, which bursts into this place without me knowing. And the information about the current situation.”
Strength and information.
He realized that his opponent might not be inferior in these two aspects.
“Still, why are you only revealing my cards?”
Cale laughed at those words. At that moment, Alberu said:
“I always feel that way when I meet our brother.”
- It’s true! The Crown Prince is the one who gets it right the most!
Cale tried to ignore those words with indifference. But as always, he couldn’t ignore Alberu Crossman’s words.
“We’ll reveal our cards.”
Since they had decided to come to this place with confidence, Cale and his group had decided to reveal their cards.
‘Is he talking so tamely?’
The moment Ahn Roh Man harbored doubts inside him, Alberu said calmly:
“Sun Corporation. That company is mine.”
Strength, information, and now, money.
“……!”
Ahn Roh Man’s eyes widened. Sun Corporation, also known as ㈜ Sol. It was a very big hand, to the point that even companies borrowed money from that company in relation to investments. They said it was like an endless sea when it came to money.
‘He says he owns that place?’
Bum, bum, bum.
Ahn Roh Man’s heart was beating hard. It was information too sweet to simply distrust those who spoke so tamely.
“And the Seventh Evil is my backup.”
“What?!”
At that moment, Ahn Roh Man couldn’t hold back. He stood up abruptly from his seat. He lost his composure for a moment and asked Alberu:
“How is it possible that the Seventh Evil is your backup?”
How is it possible?
“Do you want to hear more?”
Alberu asked calmly, and added:
"But, don’t you think I’ve shown too many cards?"
He demanded Ahn Roh Man.
“You reveal yours too.”
I’ve revealed two, so you must reveal two as well.
- Human, human!
Raon spoke to Cale.
- But the Crown Prince hasn’t said everything! Sun Corporation, to be exact, is the God of Sun’s, so our backup on Earth is the God of Sun, right?
Raon was smart.
- And the Seventh Evil isn’t our backup, the Crown Prince’s backup is the Human, who is the Most Evil! The Seventh Evil, the Third Evil, and even the Eight Evils, the Human will dominate them all!
He was really smart.
- Anyway, it seems to favor us, so I’ll keep quiet!
Wow. Raon is really smart.
Cale and Rosalyn simply smiled and remained silent. The three of them were the same.
“Ahn Roh Man.”
Alberu’s eyes were full of enthusiasm. Ahn Roh Man remembered his youth when he saw his expression. Although he behaved with ease and pretended to be kind, his inside was filled with a relentless desire, like in his youth. He saw that enthusiasm in Alberu. A young, fiery man, similar to him in his youth, who burned with passion.
“New World, you know.”
Alberu spoke with quite a bit of sincerity.
“We’re going to conquer it..”
New World, a world much larger than Earth, several times larger. Alberu Crossman spoke too naturally about conquering that place.
“…….”
Ahn Roh Man couldn’t say anything when he saw it. He felt strange. The undeniable passion emanating from him kept provoking Ahn Roh Man.
“Ah.”
Ahn Roh Man sighed. And he blurted out:
“Stop acting.”
At that moment, Alberu sighed.
-It doesn’t work, huh? Young, passionate.
He seemed calm, as if he had never been passionate, and exuded confidence. In fact, that attitude gave Ahn Roh Man confidence.
“Ha, ha, ha-”
Ahn Roh Man laughed and opened his mouth. He also had to reveal his cards, since the other had revealed two.
“In the past, a rumor circulated in the underworld.”
First.
“Every two months, people enter Transparent Corporation’s research lab en masse. But they can never come out.”
People who go to Transparent Corporation disappear.
“It’s a rumor that actually appeared and disappeared in the past. But I started investigating.”
The dagger that Ahn Roh Man had prepared for Transparent Corporation. He revealed that first. Now, second. My backup.
“After the update, I’ll become the Crown Prince.”
“…!”
This time, both Cale and Alberu were surprised and looked at Ahn Roh Man.
“My backup is the Emperor of the Eastern Lehnti Empire of the New World.”
The three powers, the five medium powers, and the ten weak powers. One of the three powers of the New World, the Eastern Empire.
“And he’s my older brother.”
The AI that’s hiding as an NPC. The Emperor of the Eastern Empire of the New World was Ahn Roh Man’s backup, the number 1 in the rankings. Also, it was the dagger that Ahn Roh Man had been preparing for ten years alongside his older brother for the New World.
“After the update is finished, I intended to start my own war.”
Ahn Roh Man’s plan. It was bigger than thought. Cale thought for a moment.
Ahn Roh Man, who had been preparing a dagger that the enemies, Transparent Corporation or the Transparent Blood Hunters, didn’t know about. And Cale’s power.
The common point of these two things was that they were ‘unknown’ to the enemy.
Cale turned his head. He made eye contact with Alberu. Rosalyn also looked at him. Cale nodded his head to the two and said to Ahn Roh Man:
“Three powers.”
The three powers, the five medium powers, and the ten weak powers of the New World.
“Let’s make it two powers.”
Cale extended his hand towards Ahn Roh Man. It was a handshake to propose a deal. They weren’t companions to share their backs, after all.
