Vol 5 Chapter 61

Although the department seemed extremely lax with numerous part-timers coming and going, in reality, no department was as strictly managed as the GM Management and Operations Department. They had even installed security tracking programs several times stronger than those in the VT Program Development Department, which was considered the core department of the game, but few people knew about it. It was all under Yoon Seok-ho's orders.

Mugeon read through the report with a shocked expression.

"Is this... really true? If the last time information was extracted is estimated to be the 18th, that's just a week ago, isn't it?"

"It seems they've become overconfident in their abilities, thinking they won't get caught after trying a few times. Since we know that no GM department member has quit since the last extraction date until today, there's a high possibility that the culprit is still here."

"Then... does that mean we don't know how much information has been taken?"

In response to Mugeon's perplexed words, Yoon Seok-ho displayed a strange smile and wiggled his fingers resting on his knee.

"Of course we can know. Actually, I've known about this for a month but waited until today. Why do you think I did that?"

"Pardon?"

Even Nam Mugeon, whose head had grown quite thick lately and who had been talking back to Yoon Seok-ho at every turn, couldn't help but be dumbfounded at these words. Knowing about a spy and leaving them be, could that be said in one's right mind?

"In fact, all the data they took are just impressive-looking garbage. Completely useless to us, but the kind they can't help but misunderstand. We've specially installed such a function in the security programs on the GM department's computers."

"Ah, so... that's why..."

As Mugeon barely managed to calm his shrinking heart and sighed in relief, Yoon Seok-ho continued with a mischievous expression.

"So I waited appropriately and laid out bait a week ago, which was the last time. A particularly convincing one at that."

"What do you mean by convincing?"

"'Inspection log of operator access capsules installed in the GM department.' It could essentially be considered data on THE MIST's capsule technology."

"What?!"

At that moment, Mugeon understood for the first time what it meant for the sky to turn yellow. If what he had just heard was true, it was dangerous enough that even the branch manager might have to take responsibility and step down if things went wrong. While the capable Yoon Seok-ho might be fine, Mugeon was someone who would be in a very difficult situation if he were fired now. Where could someone like him, whose only strength was diligence, find another job like this?

He had just thought that he might finally be able to settle down and be with his beloved sweet honey angel... His future looked bleak, and his lover's voice echoed in his mind.

"Oppa. My mom said to bring over the person I'm dating if I have one. How about next month?" How about...? How about...?

'Aaaaah!'

"...That's why I called you."

"Aaaah...! ...Pardon?"

"What's this? Were you in the middle of a one-man show?"

Yoon Seok-ho frowned. Mugeon could only break out in a cold sweat, unable to answer properly. He wanted to run out without hearing anything more and just work as an ordinary employee. Perhaps seeing him as somewhat pitiful, Yoon Seok-ho showed an uncharacteristic kindness by repeating himself.

"The fish finally took the bait we laid out then, yesterday. It wasn't very surprising since it was the fish we expected. Anyway, now that things have turned out this way, we should start moving too, shouldn't we? That's why I said I called you."

"Ah..."

Yoon Seok-ho flashed a charming eye-smile at Mugeon, who was responding stupidly.

"So, from now on, go out and find that guy. I'll send you the report you just saw on a VT Disk later. Of course, don't approve any resignation requests from part-timers in the GM department in the meantime. You have that much sense, right? I'll give you two weeks."

"How can I do something like that alone! There's not just one or two people in the GM department, is there? And I have to do my work too..."

"That's why I told you to keep a close eye on your subordinates usually. How you find out is up to your discretion."

"That's absurd! I'm not even that close with the employees... Ugh!"

Mugeon, who had been desperately making excuses, suddenly jumped up and turned off the screen, almost stumbling backward in surprise at Yoon Seok-ho's approaching shadow. Yoon Seok-ho, with a serious face, slowly bent down to bring his face close to Mugeon's ear, pulled the back of Mugeon's head, and quietly opened his mouth.

"I heard you're quite popular in the company, so don't lie and bring them in two weeks. If not, the consequences... you know without me saying, right? I'm talking about your So-young. Didn't you say you were going to have a meeting with her parents next month?"

"How did you...!"

"Well. I wonder how I knew?"

After blowing a puff of laughter into Mugeon's ear, who was terrified as if he had seen a ghost, Yoon Seok-ho passed by him, opened the door, and left.

For a moment, Mugeon shuddered miserably from the ticklish sensation in his ear caused by the blown air, but soon came to his senses and rushed out of the conference room following Yoon Seok-ho.

"Wait a minute! That, that was a secret between So-young and me, how on earth..."

Yoon Seok-ho raised the corner of his mouth, hearing the noisy voice behind him.

"You've been talking back a lot lately, but you'll be quiet for a while now."

Now all he had to wait for was the whereabouts of the fish swimming as far as the line allowed, unaware it was caught on the fishing rod, and the identity of the harmless spy Mugeon would bring in two weeks.

Even after returning home, Je-hwan's last words kept echoing in Kapros's mind.

"I'm inevitably human too... and such words seem to hurt."

Who would have known that the situation would turn out like this when he first saw him waiting on his way back from the hospital today?

Would it have been better if they hadn't met today?

However, he really couldn't have imagined that Jeong Seung-jo would come all the way here. Although he pretended to come to return the item he had left behind, in reality, it must have been for that one whispered sentence at the end. The dark warning not to try to meet anymore.

Jeong Seung-jo and Kapros had only met once now, but all that remained for each other was a deep wound added to the scars from three years ago. Still, Kapros couldn't give up because he still had things he wanted to hear from him, but he couldn't help feeling difficult every time he saw Jeong Seung-jo.