◈ Chapter 47. But, hiding is useless (1)

Korean Times.

The reporter, Jung Man-seok’s fingers danced on the laptop.

Tick, tick, tick!

I didn’t have any expectations.

Who was Lee Ho-yeol?

I’ve seen a lot of players, but this is the one whose behavior is the most unbelievable! First of all, his personality was notorious in the newsroom.

Getting an interview with him was like picking out stars in the sky.

You can feel the life in his cold eyes.

It’s not a concept, it’s the truth…….

I feel like I’m crawling into a slaughter house.

” ……What if he magically buries me for being rude?”

I couldn’t help but be genuinely worried.

I couldn’t help but worry because the question was ridiculous even for me.

Even if it came from the top.

It was like asking him to openly side with the Shinhwa Guild.

“Lee Ho-yeol will give you an answer. Really.”

But it’s a shame to be a professional.

Jung Man-seok approached Ho-yeol with a pounding heart.

He asked the question.

Please, don’t bury me.

He begged desperately.

And then.

“It’s a jackpot. The jackpot……!”

What is this?

It was Lee Ho-Yeol, the man from heaven, agreeing to an interview.

It wasn’t even a short answer.

It was a very sincere answer by Lee Ho-yeol’s standards.

Jung Man-seok couldn’t help but do a shoulder dance.

Tak, Tak, Tak!

“I didn’t think you’d be so open about it.”

There was no hiding.

And don’t roll your eyes.

Just a reporter taking notes.

Jung Man-seok was honest and a bit excited.

‘……Does it feel like something is falling off your stomach?’

How many reporters, including himself, have suffered?

For the past few days, I thought my fingers were rotting from writing the Shinhwa Guild article I didn’t want to write. Ho Yeol took a swipe at the culprit.

Suddenly, the dancing fingers stopped.

“But what’s that?”

Stand in front of me.

So far, so good.

But he had all the power.

Jung Man-seok asked just in case.

“…… No way. You don’t have that power, right?”

Privileges.

A feature that is activated for players who own a territory.

It was a word that was only used when Arcana was a game.

Because it had never been possible for a player’s land to be updated in real life.

I’m sorry.

Jung Man-seok shook his head.

If only he had defeated the great evil, the Seven Sins of Greed, by himself.

“No matter how you look at it, that doesn’t make sense.”

No matter how good he was, he wouldn’t have the connections or influence to gain a position of authority in the Yusra Kingdom.

Jung Man-seok tried to guess what he meant.

“Well, King Hakuna and Friend, is that what you mean?”

That was more likely.

Anyway, that wasn’t the point.

Jung Man-seok unwrapped his stiff wrist.

“Whatever it is, this is a big scoop.”

And an exclusive.

No need to worry about anyone else getting it.

I’ll have to use it with all my heart to thank Ho-yeol.

Jung Man-seok’s fingers were about to move again.

Ziying─

His phone vibrated.

It was the department head.

This must be what it’s like to be a senior manager.

“Hmph.”

Jung Man-seok cleared his throat and touched the call button.

Then he heard an urgent voice.

-Reporter Jung, have you talked to Lee Ho-yeol?

Did you even meet him?

I’m sure you got an interview with him.

Manseok Chung answered lazily.

“Yes, I talked to him.”

The reporter’s reaction was strange.

-Really? You met so quickly? Are you doing an interview? Are you close to Lee Ho-yeol? If so, you should change your story right away! Don’t ask about the Shinhwa Guild!

“……Yes? What, what? Throw out what?!”

Wait, this is an interview I risked my life to get.

Jung Man-seok was on the verge of tears for a moment.

I don’t know if he knows what that feels like.

He was on the verge of tears.

-What’s up, Man-seok? Didn’t you check the video that just popped up?

“……?”

I asked.

With that, Jung Man-seok quickly checked his Dantalk room.

There was a link to NetTube.

It was a video released by Gaon’s side.

“?”

The video showed the kingdom of Yusra appearing in the world.

“……Isn’t that what you were just saying?”

There was the truth of the day.

* https://pindangscans.com

A world-class message to all players.

[Someone had uncovered the secret of the Yusra Islands].

[The ancient kingdom of Yusra has been revealed].

That someone was Lee Ho-yeol!

The video released by Gaon showed the battle between Lee Ho Yeol, the Great Evil, and the Seven Sins of Greed.

The introduction to the video.

The sense of intimidation displayed by the Great Evil was overwhelming.

Nam Tae-min and Leonie can’t even resist.

-The devil is a pain in the ass in that condition?

-He’s thinking about his level. He’s level 650.

Yes, he was a level 650 demonic monster.

No matter what rank I was, I couldn’t deal with it.

It wasn’t that Nam Tae-min or Leonie were weak.

So the impact of the next scene would be even greater.

It’s as if they overcame their condition effortlessly.

Ho-yeol advancing towards the great evil.

At the same time, the angle of the screen returning.

-What is this?

-How can he be okay? I don’t know;;

-You’ve just released Lee Ho-yeol from his condition, right?? ㄷㄷ

As if that wasn’t enough, Ho-yeol opens his mouth.

Nam Tae-min and Leonie were also out of it.

Ho-yeol’s voice was captured in the video.

[You don’t have to, I’m here].

The comments left on that part of the video were hard to count.

-3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50! 3:50!

-No doubt about it, Homen

-Why are you finally revealing this to me, you bastards?

When I first heard it.

It was a natural thing to say.

The dramatic situation actually enhanced the flavor of the line.

If it wasn’t for Ho Yeol, Nam Tae Min and Leonie would have been killed.

So yeah, that was a great performance.

But it’s what happens next that’s unbelievable.

When they came face-to-face with Ho-Yeol, the beast became agitated.

[You, who are you? How can you……?]

And so began the demon hunt.

Yes, it could only be described as a hunt.

It was a one-sided battle.

A colorful magical feast that filled the screen.

-Here it comes. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ.

-Wait, what’s that shiny thing?

-It looks like a bullet…… No, what is this?!!

-Suddenly it became an arrow???

I can’t even describe it in words.

That split second.

Some people have replayed the scene dozens of times in slower speeds, but the conclusion they come to is the same.

-Just Homen

As Nam Chul-min proclaimed.

It’s a level of magic that can’t even be analyzed.

[It doesn’t make sense. Why would I do that to a human……?]

I couldn’t even fight back.

Muttered evil, seven-sin greed.

Eventually, he made a cowardly offer.

[Yes! Yes! Make a deal with me, and I’ll give you all of this if you make a deal with me. Don’t you see, this glorious golden palace will be all yours!]

Yuck.

There were quite a few mouths watering there.

The offer was too good to be true.

But Ho Yeol’s answer was firm.

[Your appearance is ugly, foolish demon].

As if it wasn’t worth the trouble.

A cold voice.

That was the end of the battle.

[Save me! Oh, I don’t want to die yet……!!]

The seven deadly sins of greed, begging for life.

Ho Yeol’s words were true.

A great evil.

In front of Ho Yeol, he was nothing more than a lowly demon.

There was no mercy.

A silver dagger in his hand.

A blade.

Ho Yeol immediately struck the beast in the neck.

-…… Mr. Wu. Is the movie over already?

-No! Don’t turn it off yet, there’s more of the cookie!

-What, now that I think about it, isn’t that Hakuna? That’s King Yusra.

The king of Yusra, freed from the grip of evil.

Ho-yeol places a crown on the head of such a king.

[Time to make amends, nameless king].

At the same time as Ho-yeol’s last line.

The subtitle pops up like the end credits.

[Someone has unlocked the secrets of the Yusra Islands].

[The ancient kingdom of Yusra is revealed].

-Wow, this place is good at editing.

-I’m going to change my pants first.

-I just don’t want to waste any of Lee Ho-yeol’s lines.

-Ho-yeol? Correct it to Mr. Ho-yeol right now.

-If you’ve been editing this and haven’t released it until now, I’m sorry.

The ripples spread beyond NetTube to the rest of the world.

Breaking news is basic.

There were even stations running emergency programming.

“Didn’t I tell you that Lee Ho-yeol was definitely the top ranker who didn’t disclose the information, and here’s the video proof!”

Of course, it was all about Ho Yeol.

But even after the video was released.

The mystery around Ho Yeol only increased.

“But no matter how much I analyze the battle video, I can’t figure it out! I can’t even guess his class. I’m pretty sure he’s a mage…….”

“At least level 500. No, I don’t think it can be more than level 550.”

“I’m starting to understand your argument that you kept it private because you didn’t want to draw attention to yourself with your ranking. You defeated a great evil, you made history, and you didn’t reveal it until now?”

So I had to ask.

Why was this video released at this point?

Was it a joke, or did they really put a lot of effort into editing?

The answer is.

Really unexpected for anyone.

It came from a daily newspaper in South Korea.

──────

[Exclusive] Lee Ho-yeol, “The authority of the kingdom of Yusra rests with me… Don’t bother hiding, don’t play dumb… If you want something, show up in front of me.”

──────

At least the people of South Korea can’t help but notice.

The article’s comment section exploding in real time.

Yes, it was a declaration of war.

-Wow, I never thought I’d see this coming.

-Shinhwa politicians are going to get their asses handed to them.

-At the end of the day, I’m not sure what to make of it.

-They have such a big picture and that’s why they released the video instead.

-If this isn’t a hero, what is?

The shinhwa of the chaebol guilds and vested interests.

Toward those who offended him.

The same old, same old declaration of war.

*.

Shinhwa Group, the number one and number two chaebol in South Korea.

Seoul Deluxe Miss Hotel, one of the symbols of the Shinhwa Group.

A private room on the top floor.

There were two men and women who shouldn’t be together.

Of course, it’s just that they’re in the same room.

Although it was only a man lying in bed, alone.

“It’s funny how drunk you look in a lucid dream.”

Baek Yi-Seol, Master of the Shinhwa Guild.

She looked at the man, who must have been drunk on an ecstatic dream.

“Where’s your initial momentum, fool.”

In the throes of pleasure, unable to distinguish between dream and reality, he would throw everything away for himself. Fame, family, even life itself. Thrown away.

“Like those fools.”

Huh-

Baek Yi-Seol snorted, but only for a moment.

The energy that escaped from the man’s body flowed into Baek Yi-Seol’s body.

Baek Yi-Seol’s pupils instantly turned black.

Zizik─

Seoul Deluxe Miss Hotel, one of the best hotels in the world.

Among them, this was a private room that was secretly operated for VIPs.

Considering the level of care, a flickering light bulb is unthinkable.

So the meaning of the crackling light bulb was simple.

“At this rate, it won’t be long before I become a high-level demon.”

Baek Yisool was possessed by a demon.

Baek Yi-Seol looked at the window.

Not the Han River beyond the window.

She saw her reflection and spoke to it.

“How about it, do you think you’re getting closer to your goal, my dear?”

Long, white fingers stroked Baek Yi Seol’s face in the window.

The seductive voice continued.

“Of course, it may not be the way you thought it would be, but so what if you regret it, it’s not something you can do anything about now.”

The corners of the mouth turned up.

The smile was unmistakably the devil’s deception.

“Still, it’s only a matter of time before I take it down.”

With the energy absorbed, the job was done.

Baek Yi-Seol strode out of the private room.

The assistant followed.

He spoke in a panicked voice.

“Mr. President, have you seen the article?”

“You mean the interview with Mr. Lee?”

“No, I’m sorry, I was just wondering if you were aware of …….”

As soon as we entered the private room, he went to sleep.

Baek had enough time to check the breaking news on her smartphone.

The assistant was stunned by Baek’s reaction.

” …… I can’t believe you knew about this. Don’t make a mistake.

Everything about the Shinhwa Guild.

Even the secret meetings, including today.

A crisis that could be exposed to the world.

But Baek Yi-Seol didn’t feel the slightest bit shaken.

“Thank goodness it’s not Mr. Leonie.”

“……?”

“This could have gotten very tiring.”

Baek Yi-sul’s words deepened the secretary’s suspicions.

Baek Yi-sul patted her cheek.

“Don’t worry.”

“Dae, CEO……!”

“I’m always indebted to you.”

I’m sure you’re wondering.

She couldn’t possibly imagine that she was a demon, a succubus, and right now she didn’t even realize that she was the victim of a nightmare.

Yes, it wasn’t just the secretary.

From government officials with bad beds.

Businessmen, supernovas, and even rankers.

Countless victims of nightmares have fallen victim to the White Theory.

No, it gave the mid-level demonic succubus confidence.

“You single-handedly defeated a great evil?

Even if it were true, it wouldn’t matter.

‘Hmph. I guess I lacked the qualities of a great evil.

Lee Ho-yeol, as long as he is a man.

He can’t be free from his own temptations.

Baek Yi Seol removed his hand from his assistant’s cheek.

“Since you asked me to reveal myself, I have no choice but to do so, but how far do you want me to reveal myself? Should I choose a more daring outfit than this?”

Baek Yi-Seol’s eyes crinkled.

“Make sure you clear your schedule for tomorrow.”

Lee Ho-yeol, I will go to the Kingdom of Yusra to meet him.

Baek Yi-seol. No, the succubus was dreaming.

“What’s a superior demon, maybe I can become one!”

The place he was headed for.

Unaware that it was the realm of his nemesis.