"Hey, you're blocking the way, move!"
Suddenly, the voice of a girl with an annoyed and arrogant tone echoed behind the two boys. They turned around to see who was speaking to them with such irritation.
Three girls in the same school uniform were standing behind them. Behind these three girls, two strong-looking women in bodyguard suits watched the boys keenly.
The girl who spoke was in the middle. She had black hair and a slender figure; however, her pretty face was marred by the bored and disdainful look she was giving them.
"Jun-Hee, you know you shouldn't be disrespectful to people" - the blonde girl next to her, as beautiful as the first, scolded the black-haired girl.
"But Seo-Lin! They're blocking the way, standing there like idiots at the entrance to the parking lot. Just because they beat that idiot Gunner in a fight doesn't mean they can do whatever they want. Right, So-Mi?"
Jun-Hee spoke again with her sharp tongue.
"Sorry for what she said. We're just joking" - the blonde girl named Seo-Lin smiled and apologized.
"Come on, we'll be late for Miss Hong's class" - the third girl, Jun-Hee called So-Mi, finally spoke. Like the other two girls, she was also charming. She had tanned skin and almost white hair.
"Oh, sorry" - Ijin gestured apologetically and moved aside. Robert didn't say anything, he just kept watching them.
Specifically, the notifications the system was giving him.
Ding, ding, ding
[Congratulations on meeting a main character: Cha Jun-Hee from 'Beautiful New World', you have gained 1 additional point.]
[Congratulations on meeting a main character: Jin Seo-Lin from 'Beautiful New World', you have gained 1 additional point.]
[Congratulations on meeting a main character: Ahn So-Mi from 'Beautiful New World', you have gained 1 additional point.]
Both Robert and Ijin knew about them beforehand because Captain Kang had given them a list of the school's 'VIP' students, those with connections to high-ranking politicians or major businessmen.
Among all these students with impressive backgrounds, Cha Jun-Hee and Jin Seo-Lin were among the most important, as their father was none other than Cha Doo-Chul, the old magnate who owned Uju Corp, one of the largest corporations both nationally and internationally.
This company was on par in power with the SW Group, which belonged to Shin Yuna's family; the Sunshine Corp conglomerate, which was controlled by Anna Jin, the woman hiding under the guise of a simple housewife; and the H&H Group, a large conglomerate specializing in manufacturing, construction, and hospitality, among many others.
"Right... I haven't been to that woman's café in several days. I wonder how that kid Kang Seth is doing," Robert murmured to himself as he recalled Anna Jin.
However, what our protagonist found interesting was that these three girls belonged to the same story, explaining their apparent friendship. From what he could read, the timeline was somewhat altered, similar to the case with Anna, Sophie, and Mía.
[Cha Jun-Hee - Human Race: In the original story, she is one of the main antagonists. Because she is the legitimate daughter of the owner of Uju Corp, she fights for control of the company with the rest of the characters. During school days, she was on good terms with her half-sister Seo-Lin, but when she discovers her father's fetishes with Seo-Lin's mother, she begins to mistreat her. She hates men because she considers them stupid.]
[Age: 18 years old; HP: 10; MP: 00: STR: 08; AGI: 10; VIT: 10; INT: 15; PERC:00]
[Jin Seo-Lin - Human race: In the original story, she confronts her half-sister Jun-Hee for control of Uju corp. She was born to one of her father's sex slaves, so she considered herself a bastard. She was a very kind girl with a charitable soul during school, but the mistreatment of her half-sister forced her to become a competitive and cunning woman.]
[Age: 18 years old; HP: 10; MP: 00: STR: 09; AGI: 10; VIT: 10; INT: 18; PERC:00]
[Ahn So-Mi - Human race: She is a woman of foreign origin, from South Asia precisely. During her school days, she suffered from abuse because of her skin color, but it was Seo-Lin and Jun-Hee who avoided this, the three of them becoming very good friends with her. However, when Jun-Hee began to mistreat Seo-Lin, under pressure from her, she decided to go along with her and also began to harass Seo-Lin, which she regretted in the future.]
[Age: 18 years old; HP: 10; MP: 00: STR: 10; AGI: 10; VIT: 10; INT: 13; PERC:00]
'Phew… it seems like this trio of friends and half-sisters had a complicated past, huh?' - Robert thought to himself with a hint of irony. 'But it seems they are still on good terms.
Robert realized that, as the system mentioned, they had been very good friends, but there was a trigger that fragmented their friendship. And that trigger was one of them discovering their father's possible sexual fetishes, which he had kept secret.
However, what Robert knew immediately was that he couldn't ignore this fact, as the world's story was configured at this point. It was very obvious that Robert needed to intervene and prevent that separation.
The question now was, how the hell would he do it?
The three girls walked past. Just then, the blonde gave Robert a curious look, smiling slightly. Likewise, the girl named So-Mi tried to steal a few glances at him.
'Oh… here's something we can exploit'
While Robert mused mentally, the three girls entered the school.
"Ah… such beauty… a blonde who seems very curious, an exotic girl with tanned skin, and a beautiful girl with black hair and a sharp tongue… you know, sometimes I need reminders of why I should attend school"
After a moment of silence, Robert draped his arm over Ijin's shoulder and spoke with a sigh as he watched the three girls disappear into the crowd.
"God… you're a hopeless case" - Ijin shook his head - "Be careful, you know which families they come from. Don't go causing a big problem."
"Hey, relax, I'm just trying to tease you" - Robert smiled.
Ding, dong, ding
The school bell rang, signaling the start of classes.
"I think we'll continue talking later. I'm heading to my classroom, and I suggest you do the same" - Taking advantage of the distraction caused by those girls, Ijin also returned to the school.
"Hey, hey, wait! You're supposed to tell me how things are going with Yuna" - Robert started raising his voice to call his friend and follow him, but Ijin moved away faster down the halls.
"Robert? What's up?"
Suddenly, a girl's voice called from behind, causing Robert to stop calling his friend and turn around.
"Ah, nothing, just something I needed to discuss with Ijin. Good morning, ladies"
It was Mía, Sophie, and Anna who had arrived together.
"Hi Robert" - Mía greeted, moving a little closer to Robert than the other two girls.
"Hello, Robert! You seem very energetic this morning" - Anna greeted with her characteristic enthusiasm.
"Good morning" - Sophie's greeting was brief and almost lifeless, but it no longer had the annoyed tone she usually used with Robert.
"Tch, that guy made me walk for nothing and didn't tell me how things are going at SW. He'll pay for this" - Robert muttered - "Well, we'd better go in; class is about to start."
"You mean, we'd better go in so you can sleep through the whole class, right?" - Mía spoke teasingly.
"Hey, you too?"
Amidst the laughter of the three girls, the four of them entered the school.
A few meters away, on the sidewalk in front of the school, three figures stood watching the school entrance. They were a woman and her two children, a boy and a girl.
"Oppa, were you called to this school to study?" the girl murmured as she curiously scanned the surroundings. "It seems extremely expensive for smart people, and you're always immersed in gaming machines."
"Jin-ah, we've already talked about this, don't tease your brother," the girl's mother corrected her daughter. "Believe it or not, Jin-woo is very smart."
"Yeah, sure, whatever you say, Mom," the girl replied sarcastically. "I've never seen him so interested in going to school... Oh? Don't tell me this is where your runner friend studies?"
"You have quite the imagination. Use that brain of yours to learn things in school," Jin-woo ruffled his sister's hair.
"Hey! Look, Mom, he messed up my hair!" Jin-ah complained as she fixed her hair.
"Alright, you two, stop making a scene on the street. Jin-ah, you said you'd behave if you came, so stop bothering your brother. Jin-woo, stop messing with your sister, understood?"
"Hai" x2
Jin-woo smiled at his sister's comments and his mother's words, as these were the most enjoyable moments of his life. But deep down, he knew that things weren't entirely right.
Despite his smile, his gaze was fixed on someone.
'I found you'
.................
(South Korea – Unknown Location)
Beep, beep, beep
In the center of a modern laboratory, a young man with red hair lies on a metal stretcher, surrounded by a complex network of machines and high-tech equipment.
The room, illuminated by cold, white lights, is dominated by a sterile and aseptic atmosphere, with walls of stainless steel and tempered glass.
The young man was unconscious, but his face reflected a grimace of pain that pierced through his apparent lethargy.
His arms were extended to either side, each connected to multiple IV lines administering a strange yellow substance.
The clear plastic tubes intertwined over his skin, carrying the serum from several bags suspended on nearby metal stands. The substance glowed faintly, emitting a golden light as it flowed into his veins.
Around him, monitors with touch screens displayed graphs and real-time data, recording his pulse, blood pressure, and other vital signs. The rhythmic beeping of the cardiac and respiratory monitoring machines created a technological symphony, a sort of soundtrack for the young man's suffering.
In a corner of the room, a set of glass flasks and test tubes rested on a worktable, containing different chemicals labeled with cryptic codes.
A large cylindrical machine, probably an MRI scanner, stood in the center of the room, emitting a soft hum as its flickering lights traced patterns on the opposite wall.
Several people dressed in full-body biohazard suits moved with meticulous precision within the laboratory, their white, sterile suits contrasting with the metallic shine of the surroundings.
The face masks with transparent visors hid their faces, and latex gloves ensured no direct contact with anything in the environment.
They moved back and forth, checking the monitors surrounding the red-haired young man, their eyes keenly watching every fluctuation in the data displayed on the screens. The lights from the monitors reflected on their visors, creating a spectacle of flashing colors on their faces.
One of the scientists leaned over the young man, carefully adjusting one of the IV lines. He watched the flow of the yellow liquid intently, ensuring it was being administered correctly.
Meanwhile, another team member was drawing blood samples. With quick, skilled hands, they inserted a needle into the boy's vein, filling several test tubes with the dark red liquid, which they swiftly handed over to a colleague.
The colleague then approached the large machine resembling a scanner and placed the sample inside. The machine began to spin, separating the components of the blood for more detailed analysis.
From above, behind a large observation window situated on an elevated platform within the laboratory, two figures were attentively watching the procedure below.
They were Lee Byung-hong, the director of the NIS, and to his left was a woman who had the appearance of a scientist.
"The subject G-16 seems to be responding better than we anticipated" - the scientist said, shifting her gaze between the tablet and the laboratory - "It appears this candidate wasn't as disposable as I initially thought, but the levels of pain the subject is showing are concerning. We still haven't managed to completely stabilize the nervous system's response"
"How much longer do you think we can continue this procedure before the subject reaches a critical point?" - asked Director Lee, his eyes fixed on the red-haired boy.
"I'd say we have a few more hours before we need to reevaluate the situation. The vital signs are within acceptable limits, but we need to be cautious. If everything goes well, I estimate it will take a little over a month before he can be put into action"
The old spy continued watching while he stroked a kind of golden medallion he held in his hand. The surface of the medallion was covered with very strange and complex patterns. These patterns seemed to be a mix of sacred geometry and arcane symbolism.
Interwoven lines, spirals, and geometric figures formed a labyrinthine design that appeared to change shape slightly depending on the angle from which it was viewed.
Some patterns resembled ancient alchemical symbols, while others looked like runes from a forgotten language. In the center of the medallion was a small translucent crystal. This crystal had a faint yellowish glow, emitting a soft, pulsating light that suggested the energy contained within.
"Perhaps with this, we can initiate the second phase of Geomeun Yongdae. Of course, that's if this kid manages to survive for at least a year… I will be out of communication for an indefinite period, so take care of the entire project, Dr. Park. I expect good results"
"Leave it to me, Director" - the woman called Dr. Park responded firmly.
Director Lee stopped looking through the glass and turned around. At that moment, two men who had been hidden in the shadows appeared and flanked him, positioning themselves behind him.
The scientist remained looking towards the laboratory, watching as the process was completed. She soon lifted her gaze slightly and saw that there wasn't just one laboratory visible through the glass, but many more.
Hundreds of laboratories, each with a subject undergoing the same experiment!
............
Deep in a mountainous region, there was a military base that appeared like any other. However, it was merely a facade for one of the bunkers used by the NIS for its research area.
The mentioned bunker, constructed with thick reinforced concrete walls, was buried deep underground. The lighting was dim, provided by rows of fluorescent lights on the ceiling, creating a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere.
The walls were covered with dark gray metal panels, and the floor was smooth cement, slightly damp due to inadequate ventilation.
Throughout the bunker, there were several robust cages made of reinforced steel. Each cage had thick bars and electronic locks, designed to contain even the strongest and most dangerous creatures.
The cages were arranged in orderly rows, allowing easy access and supervision by the staff.
Grrrrr!
Howwwwl!
In some of the larger cages, one could see supernatural wolves. They were enormous, with glowing eyes that reflected an unsettling intelligence.
They howled chillingly, their sounds reverberating off the bunker walls, filling the air with a constant sense of threat.
Bzz!
Bzz!
In other cages, there were huge insects, ridiculously oversized for their species. They had hard, shiny shells with segmented legs ending in sharp claws.
Their compound eyes glowed in the darkness, observing their surroundings with quick and precise movements. Some of these beasts slammed against their cage walls with force, creating a deafening noise.
In contrast to the ferocious creatures, some cages contained beautiful and exotic species.
There were birds with bright, multicolored plumage, winged creatures with translucent wings that looked like they were made of crystal.
There were also cat-like animals with golden fur and emerald eyes, moving gracefully despite their confinement. These creatures exuded an air of majesty but also deep sadness.
It was quite a supernatural spectacle!
Near the cages, several people dressed in military and security uniforms were observing the beasts.
Some had expressionless looks as if they were already accustomed to seeing these types of creatures. Others, however, looked suspicious, and some even showed a hint of fear. Yet, there was one among them who had a strange look of satisfaction.
One group belonged to NIS agents, with Director Lee himself present alongside his bodyguards. The other group consisted of civilian individuals.
"So, what do you think of the new product, Mr. Cha?" the NIS director spoke with a slight smile on his face. "I told you it would surprise you."
"Well... hahaha, this is something beautiful, Director Lee!"
The person who responded enthusiastically was Cha Do-Chul, the CEO of Uju Corp, who was accompanied by his security group.
Accustomed to dealing in various national and international mineral substances, Cha Do-Chul's company served as a commercial intermediary for deals with international buyers willing to pay top dollar for the rarities offered by the NIS, as well as a means of transportation.
Thanks to these types of transactions, Uju Corp had risen to become one of the largest conglomerates in the country, achieving significant power not only economically but also politically.
However, when the old Director Lee told him there was a new business opportunity where they could make a lot of money, Cha Do-Chul never expected it to be this.
"And? Do you think you can help me organize an auction with your contacts overseas?" - Director Lee spoke.
"Of course, I can do that. I assure you people will go crazy when they hear about this... but it will take me some time. I need to carefully select the right people to enter this place" - Cha Do-Chul replied.
The CEO of Uju Corp still couldn't believe that the fateful storm from a year ago had brought such exotic and extraordinary things. The old man had a bitter memory of that time because he had to sacrifice a beautiful flower due to the circumstances.
But now was not the time to dwell on trivial matters. Right now, Cha Do-Chul was more interested in the supernatural beasts in front of him, especially the largest and most ferocious ones.
"Well, do it in whichever way you find appropriate, Mr. Cha. Now tell me, for this job, what can I assist you with?" - the old fox smiled as he spoke.
"Well, as you know, in recent years many gangs have emerged in Seoul, stirring up trouble once again like they did years ago" - Cha Do-Chul continued.
Cha Do-Chul was no fool. He was excellent in business, but the events happening in the city were not something he could solve simply with bribes or politics.
These gangsters were not normal people to be reported or arrested; they were individuals who, at a certain point, became beasts of pure power who could crush anyone who stood in their way.
However, without some method to control them, Korea would become a land ruled by the law of the jungle. It was known to very few that there were even more terrifying beings who could control all these powerful criminals.
From what Cha Do-Chul knew, only two people in all of Korea had that capability: the Director of the NIS and General Commander Kim.
How did they do it? The old CEO of Uju Corp didn't know, and he wouldn't try to find out under Director Lee's watchful eye, as it would be a death sentence.
"I know this might not seem important to you, but I don't want a repeat of what happened years ago with the Sunshine Group. Now, a company called HNH Group has emerged based on the growth of these gangs, so I would like your help in controlling them"
For those present, Director Lee remained smiling as he listened to Cha So-Chul without any issue, but his bodyguards noticed a slight furrow in the old man's brow when he heard mention of the Sunshine Group.
Among all the street fighters of the past, those who once called themselves the "kings of Seoul" or on the other hand, those who claimed to belong to the "generations" of fighters, there was only one woman whom Lee Byung-hong could not control or even suppress.
She was the same woman who controlled the Sunshine Group from the shadows, and who had recently thrust her son into the spotlight by naming him director of the company.
"Oh, so the new Kang Sun is already vying to position himself as the king not only of the underworld but of the commercial and business world as well. I won't be able to communicate with you for a while, Mr. Cha, but I'll see to it that someone takes care of your matter. Remind me, what was that person's name?"
Cha So-Chul grimaced in displeasure, as it was obvious that Director Lee already knew about this and was merely toying with him. It was clear that this old fox kept an eye on everything happening in his country.
This damned demon watched from the shadows, waiting for the rest to kill each other. Cha So-Chul knew that, if he wanted to survive, he needed to be on good terms with Director Lee to receive his support.
"It's the director of HNH Group, Charles Choi"
*END OF THE FIRST VOLUME*