Even if I Make It Roughly, Ex-rank Items Continue to Accumulate - Chapter 76
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Even Hastily Made Ones Keep Stacking Up as EX-Rank (76)
Please Reconsider
The people who had been shocked by the barrier’s incredible performance slowly began reading through the message.
After a moment, they started speaking up one by one.
“What is this thing?”
“Isolate Barrier? I think I’ve heard of this before?”
“Me too. This is, um, where was it? Some university professor made this… Damn, where was it?”
The participants had forgotten all about frantically running for their lives just moments ago. Their curiosity as researchers had momentarily made them forget even the fear of death.
“Ah, I remember! Indian Institute of Technology!”
“Indian Institute of Technology, you mean where Professor Sandip Malhotra is?”
“That’s right. And this barrier was probably developed by that Professor Sandip too?”
At one researcher’s words, everyone’s gaze turned in unison.
Sandip Malhotra.
He had been hiding under a research desk in an awkward position, and when he suddenly received this unexpected attention, he stood up looking bewildered.
“…Me?”
He seemed quite flustered as well.
His pupils shook violently beneath his disheveled white hair.
“I, I didn’t do this!”
Though he said this, the gazes remained fixed on him. What was this all about? Sandip repeatedly waved his hands in denial.
“I’m telling you it really wasn’t me! Besides, didn’t you see the message?!”
“Message?”
“What message?”
“Yes! Look, it says ‘Modified Artifact’ right here!”
“Hmm, now that you mention it…”
“Ah.”
Additional modification by the creator.
The participants who remembered there was such a message in the latter part finally withdrew their gazes.
However, there was still an unresolved question.
“Then who is it?”
“Right…?”
Meanwhile, Lee Si-hyeok, who had been quietly watching from a distance, turned his head to look at Professor Hong Yong-jin.
“…”
Ever since Lee Si-hyeok had thrown off his ‘Choi Hyeok’ mask and revealed his true identity, the professor hadn’t said a word.
He was just glaring at Lee Si-hyeok with his mouth tightly shut and eyes wide open.
Though his build was much smaller compared to Lee Si-hyeok, tremendous energy was radiating from him. His skin felt prickly as if from anger, and for some reason, Lee Si-hyeok even felt intimidated.
Indeed, it was an aura befitting his reputation.
But there was no need to be discouraged. Lee Si-hyeok gazed at the professor for a moment, then brought up the topic he had been thinking about.
“Professor. I have something to tell you.”
* * *
A little later.
While the people gathered in one place were observing the barrier and investigating the identity of the barrier.
“…You bastard, are you insane?”
A heavy voice flowed from a corner of the research lab.
“Did you really think this through before spitting out those words?”
It was a quiet yet majestic voice. Though it was clearly spoken softly, it clearly pierced everyone’s ears in the noisy space.
The participants’ attention turned toward that direction.
There stood an elderly man of small stature and a taller young man facing each other.
“Isn’t that… Professor Hong Yong-jin?”
“Why is he suddenly acting like that?”
They couldn’t help but be puzzled. Everyone was trying to uncover the truth behind the terror attack, so why were those two suddenly fighting? Could it be that the person standing in front of the professor was the culprit…?
“…Wait. That person looks somehow familiar.”
He wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
The gathered group. Then the group next to them. And beyond that, everyone in the research lab simultaneously thought of one person.
“L-Lee Si-hyeok?!”
Shock swept through the crowd. It was natural. Lee Si-hyeok, the EX-rank Awakened. Hadn’t the last time he appeared been at the Expo?
Quite a long time had already passed. Just when it seemed he might be forgotten, he had suddenly revealed himself.
Moreover, judging from the current situation, he seemed to have a relationship with Professor Hong Yong-jin.
“Then… does that mean that person called Choi Hyeok was actually Lee Si-hyeok…?”
“Wow, now it makes sense.”
The first session and the second session. And even the boldness he had shown against Ray Wen before that. All of it made sense in an instant.
They wondered why he had participated while hiding his identity, but what did that matter?
Everyone began listening intently to the conversation between Hong Yong-jin and Lee Si-hyeok while holding their breath.
“…”
In the midst of this, Lee Si-hyeok was quietly staring at Professor Hong Yong-jin while feeling countless gazes. Then the professor frowned deeply once again.
“Is your mouth just for decoration? If you heard me, at least give me some kind of answer.”
“…Didn’t I tell you once before? When we first met.”
Lee Si-hyeok smiled bitterly.
“If any incident were to happen at Eterion in the future. At that time, I asked if you could unconditionally take my side.”
“So you’re planning to pull off such ridiculous nonsense? Believing that I’ll support you?”
“No. It’s not exactly like that.”
“Ha! Then what?”
“Telling you first, Professor, is a kind of courtesy. I plan to proceed with my plan regardless of whether you try to stop me or not.”
“…Tsk, you’re completely insane.”
Just moments ago, Lee Si-hyeok had told Professor Hong Yong-jin that he had installed Terminal Pulses, that is, bombs, in Eterion’s buildings.
And that he planned to detonate these bombs to stop the current situation.
However, since he hadn’t mentioned anything about Pyo Jae-hwan or past incidents, Professor Hong Yong-jin was angry like this.
In a way, it was no different from a terror threat.
‘…Is this enough?’
Lee Si-hyeok glanced away to check a drone flying in the sky.
He could see a camera blinking red beneath the drone.
A live broadcasting camera drone.
In fact, when chaos had unfolded earlier, only that one drone had remained intact. It had to be that way, because the broadcasting equipment still used the communication network that had been installed previously.
In other words, it used electricity, not mana.
People were probably watching this scene through the broadcast right now.
‘As the host said before the start, the entire process would be broadcast live.’
And as planned, after confirming the drone, he seemed to have properly captured people’s attention. The drone that had been staying with the gathered participants was now filming only this location.
Lee Si-hyeok felt it was time to get to the main point.
“Anyway, I have absolutely no intention of being persuaded by you. So if you want to do it, figure it out yourself…”
“Professor.”
In a low tone, Lee Si-hyeok interrupted Professor Hong Yong-jin’s words.
“What now?”
“Do you remember what you told me recently? You said you held a professorship at Eterion Magical Engineering Academy until a few years ago.”
No answer came, but he continued speaking.
“Well, since you told me directly, I don’t think there are any incorrect parts. Then let me ask you one more question.”
“…”
“Then do you also know about the student disappearance incident that occurred in Special Experiment Building No. 2 when you were working there?”
At that moment, bewilderment appeared in the professor’s eyes, which had been consistently silent. Questions replaced the anger that had filled his face.
“How do you know about that…?”
“I’ll explain that separately later. I apologize, but please focus only on my questions for now.”
“…I know. Ha, how could I not know. It happened among the students I was in charge of.”
“That’s right. The survivors of that accident are even here together in this Eterion. Isn’t that so?”
Together? The watching participants murmured among themselves.
Professor Hong Yong-jin glanced at Yoon Seo-jin, who was crouched in a corner trembling, then clicked his tongue.
“You know quite a lot.”
“Professor, I’ll ask one last question.”
“Speak.”
“Then do you know about the cause of the disappearance incident? And who’s behind it?”
“…What?”
Professor Hong Yong-jin seemed quite flustered. He blinked and asked back as if wondering what he was talking about.
“What do you mean behind it? The investigation is already complete. A magic power rift that occurred during a reckless experiment. That’s all there is to it.”
“Have you never once thought there might be another cause to that incident?”
“I’ve thought about it… a few times. But that’s the end of it. You seem to be seriously mistaken about something – this is Eterion.”
He shook his head back and forth.
“The finest specialized academy that prioritizes only student safety above all else under thorough security. There’s absolutely no way an incident rather than a safety accident could have occurred in such a place.”
Absolutely. Hearing those words, Lee Si-hyeok swallowed a bitter smile inwardly.
‘Well, that’s understandable.’
In a way, thinking like this is natural. As the professor said, Eterion boasts tremendous security enough to make ‘student safety’ their motto.
But what if the cause isn’t external, but internal?
What if the one controlling that thorough security is actually at the very top of the academy?
Finding out the truth would be nearly impossible.
Even for the renowned Professor Hong Yong-jin.
Moreover, even Lee Si-hyeok would have taken quite a long time if not for Bae Jun-wan that the Snow Flame Empress had provided.
“Tsk tsk. No matter how fondly I regarded you, I cannot tolerate a plan to detonate a bomb within the academy.”
At the word bomb, gasps could be heard from the surroundings.
“Of course that would make things easier. But the academy is a place for students. It’s not too late even now, so let’s find another way…”
Not too late. Lee Si-hyeok checked the time on his smart watch.
‘About 5 minutes left.’
The situation so far had only been a ‘practice stage’ for Pyo Jae-hwan. That meant the real plan hadn’t even begun yet.
There was no time. Lee Si-hyeok slowly shook his head.
“Professor. I won’t say anything more.”
“What?”
“See for yourself. And after you properly learn about all the incidents, then.”
Under dozens and hundreds of gazes, Lee Si-hyeok’s eyes shone calmly.
“Please judge again.”
About 2 minutes remaining until the second attack.
Lee Si-hyeok activated the artifact he had grabbed at the last moment before leaving the dormitory.
At the same time, whooooom!
“…!”
Past memories began projecting into everyone’s minds.
* * *
An apartment in Seoul, South Korea.
“Whaaaat?!”
Song Chae-ah, who had been rolling around on her bed, sat up with her mouth agape. Thunk! She hit her head on the ceiling of the bunk bed, but didn’t care at all.
The cause was the smartphone she had been looking at.
[Breaking) Global Artifact Seminar final session to be broadcast live]
[Author: Anonymous
This isn’t clickbait for real;;;
In case you don’t believe it, below is the notice posted on the Association homepage.
(Photo)]
[Upvotes 1,932 / Downvotes 7]
Opening the Global Artifact Seminar to the public? And as a live broadcast no less? It was unbelievable.
Her eyes quickly scanned the comments.
〔Comments〕
[ㅇㅇ: Why is this serious?]
[123123: No way, it’s actually real lol]
[Korea’s Artifacts Amaze the World: So this post was true. I was also surprised the moment I first saw it. How could the Association make such a bold decision…]
“No way. This is real?”
Among the other comments, the one left by Korea’s Artifacts… that is, ‘Arti-nationalism’ caught her eye.
This person, while verbose with unnecessary words, was someone who thoroughly verified the authenticity of such clickbait posts – truly serious to an excessive degree.
And such a person had directly commented that they were surprised?
“Cra, crazy.”
This had to be real.
Song Chae-ah hurriedly went to the Association homepage to verify it herself, and soon found out that the final session would start in about 10 minutes.
Thump thump!
Her heart was beating like crazy. As someone walking the path of Magical Engineering, she had admired many engineers.
And now she could directly see them all gathered in one place.
‘Well, not directly but through a screen…’
It was similar to the anticipation of seeing all the heroes from numerous superhero movies assembled in one film.
And that wasn’t all?
Song Hyeon-gyu, Song Chae-ah’s younger brother, had earnestly told her recently. That he would participate in the seminar as a member of the Ether Society club.
“Hyeon-gyu, that kid. I should see how he’s doing.”
As an older sister, she couldn’t just let it pass.
On one hand she was envious and jealous… but still, hadn’t Lee Si-hyeok said something?
Rather than approaching too seriously, you should also know how to enjoy it to some degree.
‘By the way, didn’t Lee Si-hyeok participate?’
When the internet was heated over the seminar invitation list, she didn’t think she had seen him even once.
Swallowing her inner disappointment, Song Chae-ah sat at her desk. Holding popcorn and cola in each hand.
Soon after, the broadcast began through YouTube Live.
At first, the host introduced the ‘surprise rule’ of live broadcasting.
[The host talks way too damn much lololol]
[Author: Factos.
If you agree, please give me a recommendation lol
[Upvotes 39 / Downvotes 39]
〔Comments〕
[ㅇㅇ: That person is just doing their own thing too, so why are you like that?]
[123123: Honestly, it’s kinda boring lol]
Song Chae-ah, who had been quietly listening to the host’s explanation, carefully pressed the upvote button.
It was when the explanation was about halfway through.
“Huh…?”
Suddenly the host’s microphone broke.
But that wasn’t the end of it.
Noise spread to the surroundings, and all sorts of equipment began to malfunction. Eventually, shocking incidents occurred one after another, including a crane crashing down.
“What, what’s happening? Why is this happening?”
The live chat reactions were no different.
Viewers continuously spamming question marks in confusion.
The popcorn bag fell with a thud from Song Chae-ah’s frozen hands.
“If this continues, Hyeon-gyu will…!”
She began to worry about her younger brother Song Hyeon-gyu. However, the camera unfortunately kept showing other places.
As she watched with burning eyes and an anxious heart, a familiar silhouette suddenly caught her eye.
‘…Sister Seo-jin?’
It was Yoon Seo-jin, whom she had met at the Expo not long ago.
But strangely, she was crouched in a corner of the research lab with her face buried in her knees. Why was she like that? She was even trembling from her shoulders down to her entire body.
At the Expo, she had seemed like a reliable older sister…
While thinking that, she was earnestly rolling her eyes to find her younger brother when it happened.
“…?”
Suddenly, a mana wave emerged from somewhere, and a protective barrier was deployed throughout the entire research lab.
The situation was completely resolved before there was even time to feel puzzled.
[ㅇㅇ: What was that just now?]
[Producer Joa: Did I see that wrong?]
[ㅇㅇ123: ?????]
However, shortly after, something even more unexpected occurred.
While the participants were investigating the barrier, the camera suddenly turned toward voices heard from the opposite side of the research lab.
[Producer Joa: Wait, isn’t that Lee Sihyuk?]
[┕ Factos.: ?]
[┕ ㅇㅇ: ?]
[┕ Korea’s Artifacts Amaze the World: ?]
[┕ Vegetable Song: ?]
Now she had even missed the timing to be surprised.
Song Chae-ah forgot about searching for Song Hyeon-gyu just moments before and watched the live stream with her mouth agape. She was so focused that her face seemed ready to be sucked into the monitor.
‘L-Lee Si-hyeok participated? Hiding his identity like last time?’
Meanwhile, the broadcast continued.
The famous Professor Hong Yong-jin and Lee Si-hyeok stood facing each other, seemingly engaged in some kind of argument.
“…What are they talking about? And what’s this about past incidents?”
What kind of incident had occurred at Eterion?
Then, when talk about the ‘mastermind’ behind the incident came up, she felt it becoming even more intriguing.
Lee Si-hyeok probably didn’t know it himself, but there was something unique about his way of speaking.
When he needed to get straight to the point, he would dive in directly, but when he needed to draw more attention, he would expand the introduction.
A way of speaking that made others have no choice but to listen attentively.
Even ArtiNet, which would go crazy over any stimulating incident, was quietly listening to Lee Si-hyeok’s words at this moment.
And soon his final words flowed out.
—When that time comes, please judge for yourself.
Ding!
But as soon as his words ended, why was there a cheerful notification sound ringing in her ears?
“What’s this?”
Was she mistaken?
However, as if to prove she hadn’t heard wrong, a message window suddenly appeared before her eyes.
[‘Pale Artist’ invites you to the World of Forgotten Memories.]
[If you enter this world, you will be able to directly witness the truth behind the tragedy that occurred at Eterion Magical Engineering Academy in the past.]
[※Warning! Depending on the viewer, you may experience discomfort. Careful consideration is required.]
There was no detailed explanation, but she immediately understood what this was.
‘Could this be what Lee Si-hyeok was talking about?’
The chat window was scrolling at an insane speed, as if all the live viewers had seen the same message.
Song Chae-ah also swallowed nervously while looking at the blinking message.
[Do you accept?]
[Y / N]
After a brief moment, she immediately pressed the accept button.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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