Chapter 144

I froze, clutching my phone.

In reality, only a few seconds had passed.

A static glitch flickered across the screen, and the messages began to erase themselves.

They vanished in a flash, until the entire chat thread with Reporter Sa Gongyeon had disappeared.

Staring at the empty screen, I hurriedly took out the phone Samra had given me.

I was about to ask him right away if he knew Reporter Sa Gongyeon from Day News, but I paused.

There was no way Samra hadn’t searched through my phone.

Samra had already thoroughly scoured all my personal information from the moment I was first dragged to the TRA.

If he had seen Reporter Sa Gongyeon’s messages, he would have undoubtedly conducted an investigation regarding them.

However, the fact that there had been no mention of it until now meant Samra was unaware of it.

All electronic data existing on Earth was practically Samra’s property.

It was illogical to miss a message transmitted through the communication network.

Just like the Creator Samra is currently tracking, it was highly likely that this was a problem involving Outer Gods.

‘Is Reporter Sa Gongyeon of Day News also connected to Outer Gods?’

Given that she mentioned the title ‘Little Lamb,’ there was no other answer.

A chill ran down the back of my neck.

My retirement coincided with the time the Trial Meteorites fell to Earth.

However, Reporter Sa Gongyeon began contacting me immediately after I retired.

It was highly probable that she had known me since before then.

In other words, it meant there was a Outer God that had been watching Earth and me even before the Trial Meteorites fell.

Since when, exactly?

Why me of all people?

My mind felt like it was being violently jumbled by confusion.

‘First, I should tell Samra.’

It seemed it might help in tracking the Creator.

I composed my ragged breathing. It was information that was difficult to handle, but I was able to remain more composed than I had anticipated.

Je Hyun-oh’s declaration that he was “not infected” felt like a preventive shot.

Thanks to that, my mind began to function rationally.

Suddenly, the name “Day News” struck me as familiar.

The newspaper the butlers in Clean3 had shown me, and the one I found in CallOVo, were also called “Day News.”

In CallOVo, Black Block-ssi had helped me through the “Life Advice” section of Day News.

‘Come to think of it, since when has Black Block-ssi been watching me?’

It was probably since I closed DeZonDeal.

[■■ ■■■ is watching you.]

Come to think of it, this was also strange.

How did he notice my existence and keep an eye on me? Especially since he called himself a fan every time he contacted me.

It seemed to have a connection to the situation unfolding now.

‘Should I make a call via Interstellar Communication to ask?’

After all, he said it was okay to make a collect call.

However, I soon gave up on the idea.

I might unnecessarily raise his expectations regarding a sponsorship contract by communicating with him.

It seemed best to avoid associating with a pervert as much as possible.

In any case, I couldn’t afford to waste any more of Je Hyun-oh’s time, which was worth more than gold.

I took a deep breath and gathered my belongings.

I packed just a few clothes into a large sports duffel bag and put my old cell phone in as well.

Even after packing small items like my seal, bankbook, ID, and cards, the bag was still spacious.

Since there was nothing else to pack, I just needed to go visit CEO Cha in the hospital.

But I… kept hesitating.

I couldn’t bring myself to leave, as if I were tied up with a rope.

I lingered aimlessly in the bedroom before finally heading to the living room.

Je Hyun-oh happened to be standing in front of the display cabinet, so I thought it was a good opportunity and asked him for a favor.

“Could you help me for a moment? I’d like to take the cloth off this.”

Since he was a human, he was in the perfect condition to help me.

With Je Hyun-oh’s help, I lifted the cloth covering the display cabinet.

And for the first time in four years, I faced the glass display cabinet.

Inside the large cabinet, which reached from floor to ceiling, were stored gifts and letters received from fans during my career as an pro gamer.

I took in the gifts one by one: paintings, character dolls, keyrings, photo books, and so on.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at some of the gifts, like a doll modeled after the champion character I used to play, or a photo that superimposed my childhood face onto an athlete’s uniform.

Everyone else must have forgotten them, but I was the only one still clinging to them, harboring lingering attachments.

Then I should have at least looked at them proudly, but I was too scared to do so, so I kept the cloth covering them.

I intended to finally sort them out this time… but it seemed I wouldn’t be able to.

I wanted to remember them, even if it was just for me.

‘Can I take everything with me?’

I had no idea if there would be enough space in the new accommodation.

If it was the size of the room in the quarantine room I used to stay in, it certainly wouldn’t fit.

If it didn’t work out, I figured I would just have to leave it here and keep paying the rent.

As I looked inside the display cabinet, I discovered an item placed in the very bottom corner.

It was the championship ring I had received at the last competition.

I had thrown away all the trophies and plaques, but I had kept that one after much deliberation.

However, I felt I could finally throw it away now.

I opened the cabinet and took out the ring. Its heavy weight felt like it was pressing down on my hand.

I held it for a moment, then threw the box and the ring into the trash can.

I felt Je Hyun-oh staring intently at me, but I pretended not to notice and slung my duffel bag over my shoulder.

"I think we can go now."

I was about to leave first, but I stopped short of grabbing the front door handle.

I stood frozen in place in front of the entrance.

Long fingers gripped the back of my neck.

I flinched in surprise at the light grip, as if carefully controlling the force.

I looked up at the owner of the hand. Dark purple eyes were staring back at me.

Only then did I realize that my breathing sounded strange.

My body was trembling slightly as well.

I pressed my hand firmly against my chest and caught my breath.

Once I calmed down, I belatedly noticed the gaze observing me.

It was an eye that seemed to be gauging something.

I felt like I had made a slight mistake.

What Je Hyun-oh wanted was a strong being to enter <Zero> with him.

Recalling his preference for the young god, I opened my mouth as calmly as possible.

“…I forgot something, so I’ll just grab it and come out.”

I went back to the bedroom, put on a baseball cap and a mask, and stepped out.

A familiar sense of stability washed over me as my vision was obscured.

I was finally able to go outside. Having been at the TRA for so long, it seemed I had definitely lost my sense of reality.

When I stepped into my studio apartment, I felt as if I had woken from a dream.

Fidgeting with the brim of my hat, I wanted to return to the TRA as soon as possible.

Closing the front door and leading the way down the hallway, I asked.

“Lieutenant Colonel Je. Is it alright if we walk to Paseong? I have something to buy on the way.”

Mok Saehwa had sent me the location in advance. The excuse was a hospital visit, but the designated meeting spot was, as if it were only natural, the Paseong headquarters.

It wasn’t that far from where I used to live.

Since it was about a 20-minute walk, I suggested walking to buy a hospital gift as well.

It meant leaving the car behind.

I figured if I asked the TRA, they would take care of collecting the car left in front of the apartment building.

I wanted to take a taxi on the way back.

Just as I was about to turn around because I hadn’t received a reply from Je Hyun-oh, my bag strap was tugged.

Since I was carrying it diagonally, my body swayed.

Taking a step back, I looked at Je Hyun-oh with a puzzled expression.

“Goyo.”

“Yes.”

“Can you walk?”

“Huh? Of course…”

Je Hyun-oh scanned me with his eyes. I continued speaking, still dazed.

“…I can walk…?”

His gaze turned to the hat and mask I was wearing, and then back to my eyes.

“Alright, then.”

Then, letting go of the bag strap with a casual flick, he said.

“Walk.”

I replied “Yes” and hurried my steps, afraid he might change his mind.

As I walked down the street, I suddenly realized that it had been a very long time since I had walked like this.

This was because I usually only went back and forth between my studio apartment and the nearby convenience store.

And after joining the TRA, I had only been wandering between my room and the Trial sites.

I glanced at Je Hyun-oh, thinking he might be feeling similar.

He seemed somehow on edge.

It wasn’t outwardly obvious, but having become so accustomed to reading his moods, I got that impression for some reason.

Was he bothered by the crowds?

I kept an eye on Je Hyun-oh as I hurried my steps and quickly bought the get-well gift.

Once I bought the gift, Je Hyun-oh, who had remained silent until then, spoke for the first time.

“Are you buying that?”

“Yes. I think this will do.”

It might not be the most suitable get-well gift, but I was sure CEO Cha would like it.

Je Hyun-oh seemed to approve of my choice as well.

I tucked the large box under my arm and headed back toward Paseong.

While buying coffee and dessert for Mok Saehwa and Seo Moonchan at a cafe near Paseong, I subtly asked Je Hyeon-oh if he wanted some coffee, but once again, I only saw his ^^ face. While waiting after making the payment, my phone started buzzing.

‘Samra said he’d block spam messages.’

Curious, I turned on the screen and my eyes widened.

Kwak Hanmuk had created a group chat.

Amidst the flood of messages, I quickly typed a message myself.

Je Hyun-oh was sitting loosely in the chair opposite me.

As if his human hands were still awkward to him, he was tapping the table with his fingers moving like metal.

When I sent the cafe name and the link to the address, Kwak Hanmuk was silent for a moment.

I had braced myself for a massive barrage of menu orders, but an unexpected message came back.

Does that mean he doesn’t want any…?

After hesitating, I sent a message saying, "Yes, understood."

Je Hyun-oh carried the coffee and dessert.

I arrived in front of the Paseong building earlier than the scheduled time.

Just as I was thinking I should make a call, my cell phone rang.

—Goyo-nim! Where are you?

“I’ve just arrived.”

—I’ll be right out. I’ll send Director Seo. Please wait in the lobby!

I entered the building, took off my hat and mask, and put them in my duffel bag.

I was waiting briefly while looking around the lobby when…

I saw a luxurious sedan stop in front of the Paseong building.

Glancing casually through the glass doors, I found myself looking at some unexpected figures.

A woman with medium-length hair and a young woman with a glamorous appearance stepped out of the sedan.

As soon as my eyes met the woman entering the lobby, I hurriedly bowed to greet her.

“Good morning, Chairman. It has been a long time.”

It was Kang Cheonseo, Chairman of Cheongang, and her granddaughter, Kang Byeokrin.

Kang Cheonseo, who had been conversing with someone who appeared to be her secretary, widened her eyes and shouted.

“Look who it is! It’s Goyo.”

She approached me with a broad smile.

“It’s been so long, hasn’t it? I was a bit hurt, Goyo.”

Kang Cheonseo stood in front of me and pretended to sigh.

“After I lent you the ‘Good-Looking’ item, you should have come to return it yourself. Instead, you just sent the item back without a word.”

In the past, I had visited Chairman Cheongang’s residence to receive item support for our attack on Clean3.

It really was my fault, but there had been so many incidents since Clean3.

There was simply no time to visit Cheongang. Besides, the TRA wouldn’t have given permission anyway.

“I’m sorry. I really should have visited you sooner…”

“It’s fine, really. I’ll keep an eye on Goyo. But you have to come back for a meal sometime. I can’t give you an allowance, so the least I can do is feed you. By the way, what’s that box you’re carrying?”

“It’s a get-well gift for CEO Cha.”

As soon as she heard my words, Kang Cheonseo burst out laughing, and Kang Byeokrin looked at me with bewildered eyes.

“Ah, this is hilarious. You won’t be bored if you’re next to Goyo.”

After laughing heartily, Kang Cheonseo soon shifted her gaze to the side.

She looked at Je Hyun-oh, who was standing there expressionless without saying a word, let alone offering a greeting.

I expected her to say something like, “Who is that stiff friend next to you?” but surprisingly, Kang Cheonseo said nothing.

She just watched for a moment, as if finding it interesting, and that was it.

“Rin.”

Kang Cheonseo spoke with a playful smile to Kang Byeokrin, who had frozen in place, her face flushed.

“You should greet him. We ran into Goyo by chance like this!”

“Was it really chance, Chairman Kang?”

A cold, mechanical voice interrupted.

CEO Cha walked slowly across the lobby.

I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

I had worried despite knowing better, but as expected, he looked perfectly fine.

CEO Cha, wearing only a mask without headphones or the Daeil Yeorae, was dressed in a suit.

The tailored suit fit perfectly along the solid shoulder line, without a single loose thread.

While his appearance seemed impenetrable, as if not even a blade could find a gap, he had left the top button of his shirt undone rather than fastening it all the way to the collar.

He seemed to be wearing a suit instead of his usual tracksuit, likely because he had an appointment to meet Kang Cheonseo.

It was fascinating to see him in the prison warden’s uniform, but seeing him in a suit for the first time gave me a completely new feeling.

Looking at CEO Cha, I felt a strange sensation all over again.

I didn’t know CEO Cha’s exact age. I merely assumed he was older than me.

This was because, having watched him for a long time, I had often seen him appear more mature than me.

Just like now.

However, there were rare times when I thought he looked about the same age as me or even younger.

‘Even in the game, he never revealed his age.’

And we had spent so much time together. Anyway, today, CEO Cha was unmistakably an adult.

CEO Cha gave me a glance.

He stared at me for quite a while. For some reason, it felt as though he, too, was confirming that I was alive and breathing.

Then, he looked at Je Hyun-oh and openly showed his disbelief.

It seemed he recognized Je Hyun-oh even though he was in his human form.

Je Hyun-oh just stood there, as if he couldn’t be bothered to react.

It was fascinating to see CEO Cha and Je Hyun-oh facing each other while wearing completely different attire than usual.

Since we are outside the Trial, a clash seemed unlikely, but… Still, I watched with a sense of unease.

Fortunately, CEO Cha turned his gaze away without a word, and his eyes landed on Kang Cheonseo.

“You arrived way too early, even earlier than our scheduled time.”

“Why, you don’t like it?”

Kang Cheonseo looked up at CEO Cha and smiled.

“CEO Cha, you broke down my door and barged in last time, too.”

…It must be a metaphor, right?

It was too aggressive for a metaphor, so I was getting a little nervous, but Kang Cheonseo nonchalantly linked her arm with mine.

“Let’s discuss our meeting today with Goyo as well. Shouldn’t Goyo know about it by now?”

“Chairman Kang.”

“Oh, my old legs are aching. CEO Cha, how long do you intend to keep us standing out here?”

And as she said that, she held me even tighter.

When CEO Cha still didn’t react, she just started rambling on to me as she pleased.

“Goyo. Do you know Geumcheon?”

Geumcheon was the most notorious of the criminal organizations formed by Adaptees.

These guys, who had spread across the globe, committed all manner of crimes, including the smuggling of Trial items.

Illegal underground finance utilizing Trial Items and Adaptees, lobbying and contract killings targeting political and business circles, human trafficking of Adaptees, and so on.

The scale of these crimes was so widespread that the TRA sometimes had to cooperate with Interpol.

“They say those guys are targeting our Cheongang. I’m so scared I can’t live. I immediately asked CEO Cha for help, but last night Rin received a strange message.”

A reporter had contacted them out of the blue, claiming to provide information about Geumcheon.

“A reporter named Sa Gongyeon, was it? I’ve never heard of her. Does CEO Cha know anyone like that among the Adaptees?”

Sa Gongyeon…?

Just as I flinched at the unexpected name…

“I don’t know her as an Adaptee.”

CEO Cha looked at me and spoke indifferently.

“But I do know her as an NPC.”

i really hope the author is enjoying their chatfic…really…it’s so annoying to do html for…

i’m glad ceo cha is back!!