Chapter 443 - Side Story: Lily Of The Valley (17)

"Wow..."

Halfway up the mountain.

Looking at the scenery spread out below her, Lee Seol-ah murmured in admiration to the man beside her.

"...You really did a spectacular job here."

"Haha..."

What lay beneath them was a mountain range that looked as if it had been bombarded with missiles.

Among those cratered mountains, only traces of partially destroyed buildings remained to prove that a laboratory had once existed somewhere here.

Yes. This was the place where the Han-eun Group branch that had kidnapped Seo-eun last night was located.

...And it's also where I went berserk to get Seo-eun back.

The result was this shattered mountain where those bastards had been hiding.

Association employees were bustling around investigating the area.

"But... I'm truly amazed this time. Da-in, I had no idea your power was this extensive."

As they looked down at the scene from above, Lee Seol-ah muttered in surprise.

"...I didn't know I could use this much power either."

I slightly lost my mind after seeing Seo-eun kidnapped, so I might have gone a bit overboard.

After all, I teleported all over the mountain range from where the location tracking was cut off until I found this hidden laboratory.

I simply answered like that, then teleported with Lee Seol-ah to the vicinity of the partially destroyed laboratory.

Approaching the Association team leader who was diligently investigating the scene among the partially destroyed Han-eun Group branch, I asked a question.

"So, have you found anything?"

"Ah, Egostic, Ms. Lee Seol-ah. Perfect timing. Take a look at this."

The Association team leader led us to a relatively intact building and began explaining.

"First of all, as expected, most of the information is encrypted and inaccessible. What little remained was immediately deleted by them when you, Egostic, attacked this place."

"I see, and what about the prisoners we captured?"

"...They're still keeping their mouths shut. When we try to administer truth serum, they use their abilities to take their own lives."

"Huh."

I sighed at those words.

Yes. From the previous broadcast station incident to this attack on the Han-eun Group branch, all surviving Han-eun Group employees were moved to prison for investigation.

And... there had been no results.

They absolutely refused to talk, and if forced, they would die. It was questionable whether ordinary corporate researchers or villain minions could show such determination. They were even slowly wasting away, making it impossible to do anything.

It was almost like...

"They're like cult followers."

Lee Seol-ah nodded, voicing exactly what I had been thinking.

Yes. It was behavior reminiscent of blind faith.

How on earth did those people at Han-eun Group end up like that?

"Well, we haven't been completely without results."

After explaining this, the team leader entered the (relatively) intact building and spread out the files they had investigated.

"First, importantly, we've discovered the location of their headquarters."

"...! Really? Where is it?"

"Well, you should read this. It's quite unusual."

I received the file and, after reading the contents, my face hardened.

There was a lengthy description about their headquarters.

To summarize...

"...The headquarters exists in a dimensional overlap phenomenon, so it can only be entered on special days...?"

"Dimensional... overlap? Da-in, do you know what this means?"

I shook my head at Lee Seol-ah, who was frowning as she read the document.

Dimensional overlap. I have no idea what that means.

The only thing I can guess is... that the Moon God governs such spatial matters. So roughly speaking...

'Kim Sun-woo of Han-eun Group. Has he dabbled in moon magic too...?'

The more I thought about it, the more my head throbbed.

Was Han-eun Group really such an influential villain organization in the original story that they could reach the origin of the world? No, they were clearly just the boss of Phase 1 out of 4 phases.

How did it end up like this?

"...The headquarters is located in the southern mountain range, and the entrance will open next Monday. We should attack then."

"...I see."

Well, it doesn't matter.

If it comes to this, everything will be settled next Monday. When that day comes, everything will be decided.

And according to what Seo-eun told me after her rescue about her conversation with Kim Sun-woo:

'Kim Sun-woo told me to come to the headquarters. To stop him there. He said he would reveal all the truth...'

Kim Sun-woo had already anticipated that we would discover the location of the headquarters and come.

So I shouldn't let my guard down.

He's definitely preparing thoroughly. He's probably prepared for our visit as well.

What exactly is he planning?

Artificially mass-producing ability users, kidnapping Seo-eun—what is he aiming for? If he's really aiming to conquer the Republic of Korea, why tell us to come to the headquarters?

I couldn't guess anything. It wasn't in the original story.

That's why I continued to go all out.

I gave up relying on the original story and dealt with Han-eun Group trusting only my own strength.

And finally, will everything be revealed next Monday?

As I was holding the file and pondering, the team leader, who had been standing on the side, cleared her throat and continued speaking to us.

"Also, Egostic, Ms. Lee Seol-ah. There was a term that appeared repeatedly in the titles of undecipherable files and throughout the laboratory."

With those words, she showed us text written on a fragment of a broken blackboard.

I frowned as I read it.

"The Icarus Project..."

Icarus.

One of the stories from Greek mythology.

The story of a man who, longing for the sun, flew toward it with wax wings only to fall to his death.

Did they name their current project after this myth?

Mulling over that name, I spoke to them.

"I understand. Please let me know if you find any additional information. I'll be going now."

"Oh my, Da-in. Are you leaving already?"

"Yes. I think I need to prepare in advance."

"Certainly... Then I'll tell Ha-ru what we've organized. You must be tired after being up all day since yesterday, so get some rest."

"Yes, thank you."

"And also... Seo-eun must have gone through a difficult time, so comfort her well."

"Haha... I will. Take care, Team Leader."

"Yes, Egostic. Have a safe trip home."

With those final words, we parted, and I returned home.

As for Seo-eun... she seemed deeply shocked, but I managed to comfort her last night until she fell asleep.

The house security is tight, so she won't be kidnapped again.

"....."

I gritted my teeth again at the thought of that kidnapping.

Thinking about when Seo-eun was kidnapped made my blood boil. It's surprising I didn't completely destroy the Han-eun Group branch when I found it. Actually, come to think of it, did I destroy it all...?

Anyway, I was thinking about this as I entered the house.

Is Seo-eun still sleeping? With that thought, I opened the door to her room, but...

"She's not here."

For a moment I panicked, but then I reconsidered.

If she's not here, then probably...

With that thought, I teleported to the basement.

What I saw upon arriving at the training room was:

"Haa... haa... Oppa, you're back?"

It was Seo-eun, training alone in her suit.

She stopped training and came down to the ground when she saw me.

...Even though it hadn't been a day since she was kidnapped, she was already training. I was at a loss for words.

"...Oppa? Did you find out anything?"

"Huh? Oh, right."

Regaining my composure after seeing Seo-eun drenched in sweat, I explained the information I had learned.

That the Han-eun Group headquarters is located somewhere formed by some dimensional something.

That a connecting passage to that place will open next Monday.

After hearing this, Seo-eun nodded and replied.

"I see... Then I should prepare in advance too."

She spoke with eyes full of determination.

...Seeing her unyielding stance, with absolutely no intention of staying away from Han-eun Group, I sighed and asked.

"Seo-eun... Don't you think about not going? Honestly, that place is too dangerous."

At my words, Seo-eun's face hardened as she shook her head.

"No. This is my business. It's my enemy, and the abilities of those who were my friends are being desecrated. I must, absolutely must... see the end with my own hands."

I quietly nodded at her resolute appearance.

...Yes. Her mind can't be changed now. If I leave her behind, she'll probably follow forcibly. It's better for me to stay by her side and protect her more thoroughly.

"...Alright. Let's go together."

"...! Yes, Oppa!"

Right. Stardust will be with us too, so there shouldn't be any problems.

If Stardust and I handle it quickly, it should be fine.

"....."

Even as I said that.

Somehow.

I had a feeling that this invasion of the Han-eun Group headquarters would become Seo-eun's story.

Anyway, time flew by quickly after that.

The Association held meetings day after day to discuss how to invade and prepare for the headquarters.

Seo-eun trained every day and spent time modifying her suit.

The weekend passed in an instant.

And finally.

The fateful Monday dawned.