TRPM 323

chapter 323

Due to the globally cast spell, the world situation shifted rather abruptly.

Cheonma and the sorcerers following him… and, according to Yeon Mirae, the Oracle and the Grand Sorcerer, who were presumed to have come to Korea with Cheonma, hurriedly returned to China.

In addition, information came in that the heads of various associations around the world were holding an emergency meeting via video conference.

Finally…

[Richard, the chairman of the World Awakened Association, will hold a press conference immediately after the meeting ends. Many journalists have been gathered here. It is assumed that this means the outcome of the meeting, whatever it may be, will be publicly announced at this event…]

Even the press conference being broadcast live in real time.

I could roughly guess what Richard intended to announce.

Most likely, he would reveal the identity of the one who cast the spell affecting the entire world.

‘And that identity is very likely the organization on Mars.’

I hadn’t traced the spell’s traces back to its origin, but it was highly probable that the entity behind it was an organization with many affiliated sorcerers.

There’s no concrete proof, so I can’t be certain—but that’s just my assumption. Richard, however, likely had evidence about the organization. Among his acquaintances, there would be sorcerers, perhaps not at the level of a Grand Sorcerer, but skilled enough to easily trace where the spell originated.

‘This meeting is probably about determining how much information about the organization should be disclosed.’

At the very least, some information about the organization would be revealed. That would help calm people around the world who were anxious due to the global spell.

‘The only concern is that several associations still have spies from the organization embedded within them…’

The airborne drops and doppelgangers deployed by the organization during the emergence of the corrosive dungeon, and the zombie incident in Chicago that Sophia—risking her life—helped prevent, were all instances of organizational infiltration.

Although many spies and subordinate groups had been eliminated by Richard and the Awakened, along with Albatross PMC, it doesn’t mean every spy was discovered.

“… It’ll be fine.”

Richard is a strong man. Even before I began my activities, he was considered one of the world’s strongest, alongside a very small number of figures including Sir Sergey from Russia.

‘Besides, if needed, he wouldn’t hesitate to do illegal things with Albatross PMC.’

… Honestly, I also engage in illegal acts, but I don’t believe in sacrificing a few for the majority. Richard and Albatross PMC operate with that philosophy.

‘… Why am I even making excuses?’

Anyway.

“When will the meeting end?”
“I don’t know. Wasn’t the meeting that Geonwoo used to attend supposed to last a few hours? Though it got cut short for some reason.”
“What kind of meeting is this anyway?”
“……”

I was watching the press conference on TV when I noticed some kids next to me talking.

“… More importantly, why are you guys here?”

I had planned just to watch Richard’s announcement from home, yet somehow the boys from my class had shown up. I couldn’t turn them away during vacation, so I let them in.

“Why? Weren’t the four of us supposed to go to the PC room today?”
“But Geonwoo said we need to watch the press conference, so we’ll wait until it’s over.”

… Oh, that’s right. Honestly, I’m not really interested in games, but since they wanted to hang out together, I had promised.

‘Hmm…’

The meeting seemed to be taking longer than expected.

It wasn’t a negotiation; they were just discussing how much information about the organization should be disclosed. Yet the meeting was dragging on…

‘It started at 2 a.m. Korean time, so it’s been going for over 8 hours already, hasn’t it?’

It was understandable that the meeting was long—it was not a trivial matter.

“Ah, whatever. Hey, let’s just go to the PC room.”
“Huh? Really?”
“You said you wanted to watch that, right?”
“Wasn’t it important?”

The kids looked a little surprised at my words, but I nodded.

“Waiting would take all day. Honestly, it’s fine if we watch it at the PC room.”

I could just play games while streaming the press conference on my phone. Even if I missed something, I could always watch it later.

“Great! Let’s go!”
“Which PC room? The original one or the newly opened one?”
“The original one’s fine. I have about 8 hours charged there.”
“The new one supposedly has better computers…”

I turned off the TV and got up, listening to their discussion.

[The organization that cast the large-scale spell, once called Oracle, has committed crimes including human experimentation, trafficking, large-scale abductions, and terrorism. Especially crimes related to mutants, chimeras, and doppelgangers have mostly been caused by this organization…]

“… Wow.”

At the PC room with the kids, I focused on my phone while playing games.

The PC room was noisy, and I had headphones on, so I couldn’t hear Richard clearly—but the subtitles provided the summary.

‘Wow, he’s revealing all of that?’

I was shocked by the subtitles. They listed all the crimes I knew of, including support for the doctor researching mutants, the terrorist incidents in Sydney and Chicago, and even crimes I hadn’t known.

‘… The organization was behind all of that?’

The large-scale hostage situation at a local supermarket when I was young. The organization was behind that.

The British Museum terror attack when I visited for Arthur and Rachel’s wedding. The organization was behind that, too. Well, that one I had suspected.

And there were many more.

“Wow… I didn’t realize they did so much.”

Richard listed globally famous incidents. Unless it was solely caused by the Black Mist, the organization was directly or indirectly involved.

‘Did he just attribute some of Albatross PMC’s deeds to the organization?’

It made sense—one of the reasons he instructed Maurice to form PMC was to tarnish Oracle’s image.

“Hey, Geonwoo! Ahead! Ahead!”
“Got it.”

While thinking this, I used the mouse to attack enemies on the computer screen. Multitasking wasn’t a problem.

Ah!

“Ah…”

Just as I thought it was nothing, my character died.

‘Hmm… I guess I was too exposed.’

In reality, I have excellent senses and would never be ambushed, but my character doesn’t.

“Oh, Geonwoo died.”
“I saw it coming when you went ahead alone.”
“Of course.”
“… Sorry.”

Since I moved without cover, my character became a target and died—it was expected.

‘Since I’m dead, I might as well focus on the press conference.’

I glanced at my phone. Richard had finished listing the organization’s past crimes and was now announcing how the association would respond.

[The organization once called Oracle now has its headquarters on Mars and the Moon. So we cannot act against them immediately, but based on data registered in the Awakened system, a space shuttle capable of reaching the Moon and Mars is being constructed.]

… Data in the Awakened system?

Ah.

‘For some reason, Oracle sent materials to the Shinsegyo, where my mother is. Sophia then registered that data in the Awakened system.’

Of course, the data included the technology for the space shuttle used by the organization. Using that, building a shuttle to the Moon or Mars isn’t impossible.

‘Even if we reach the Moon or Mars safely, there will be problems.’

The organization likely has defenses to stop unauthorized access to the Moon or Mars. The shuttle could be destroyed. Of course, Richard seemed to have a plan for that.

[Once the shuttle is complete, I will personally lead the elite Awakened to the Moon and Mars. My defensive magic is strong enough to withstand most attacks.]

The subtitle appeared and disappeared.

Hmm…

‘Looks like I’ll be one of those elite Awakened…?’

Since Richard himself would lead the operation, he’d gather the world’s strongest, and I’d naturally be included. Fine by me—I also want to deal with the organization personally.

The problem…

‘Not just me… Cheonma and the Grand Sorcerer might be included.’

Cheonma, though slightly below Sir Sergey or Richard, is the strongest in China. The Grand Sorcerer is said to be the best among countless sorcerers.

‘The problem is they’re aligned with Oracle.’

Oracle now opposes the organization but also stands against me. Richard knows this, too. Naturally, they should be excluded from the operation…

‘But my gut says Richard will include them anyway.’

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Richard probably thought the same, planning to bring them along. I just hope they don’t interfere.