Vol 6 Chapter 52

"Didn't you say about a month ago that their bio readings were consistently unstable?"

"Ah... regarding that, fortunately they've since stabilized. That user seems to use a broader range of brain functions during game connection compared to other users, even normally."

"A broader range of brain functions...?"

Though Mugeon thought that would suffice, Yoon Seok-ho, upon hearing those words, seemed to feel somewhat dubious as he twitched his eyebrows several times while muttering, before returning his expression to normal.

"Yes. I understand."

"Ah, yes. Then, may I take my leave now..."

"You may go. However, I hope you'll act with more caution than usual regarding what we discussed here. Now that we don't know where that spy is hiding... you know."

Yoon Seok-ho emphasized his final words more meaningfully than usual. Mugeon understood their meaning well. There was only one reason why Nam Mugeon, who was neither particularly obedient to superiors nor possessed any outstanding abilities, could work on confidential matters close to Branch Manager Yoon - it was his character of maintaining loyalty once pledged.

Unlike his usual grumbling attitude toward Yoon Seok-ho, Mugeon bowed his head straight with a stern face.

"Of course, I'll be careful."

After leaving the Branch Manager's office, as Mugeon rode the elevator down, he thought about the spy from the CCTV footage he had just seen. Though he had reluctantly taken on the spy detection work because of Branch Manager Yoon, Mugeon had never thought he would truly fail to catch them.

It was quite shocking this time, as he had only seen successes in tasks that the clever Yoon Seok-ho had said he could do, after laying sufficient bait. On the other hand, it was frightening that among the operations management department people, who all seemed like good people, there was someone harboring such blatant malice and selling information to other companies.

'Just who could it be...'

While the man in the CCTV appeared to have a thin but healthy build, nothing else could be confirmed about his hairstyle or face. Branch Manager Yoon had said the man was neither a new employee nor a veteran. But was that really true?

How many people in Korea could break through the security of the operations management department's control main computer so easily? It was hard to believe that someone talented enough to make unlimited money just by entering any company was merely selling information here. No, perhaps "merely" wasn't right? In some sense, infiltrating Saturn, which boasted top security, and extracting information like a ghost without being identified could make them a specialist in crime.

Though fortunately all the information taken so far and this time had been only the loose fake information prepared by Yoon Seok-ho, Mugeon couldn't dare imagine what ripples would occur if others learned about the internal hacking.

And what about Saturn's U.S. headquarters, which was watching for an opportunity to bring down Yoon Seok-ho? If this news got out, Yoon Seok-ho could face a new crisis at any time.

Thinking about this, Mugeon realized for the first time that Yoon Seok-ho was truly working alone in a dangerous position. Though he always made jokes with a slick expression and spoke nonsense, Mugeon already knew overwhelmingly well through many incidents that he was actually incredibly intelligent. Sometimes even those slick jokes seemed possibly fabricated rather than genuine.

Despite saying he had been outmaneuvered by the opponent, Yoon Seok-ho showed almost no agitation and calmly entrusted the spy elimination to Mugeon. To him, who was barely working in the operations management department, rather than the many more elites in the company.

'Whew, I really have been entrusted with a dangerous task.'

Though Mugeon sighed, he felt something like emotion welling up in his chest. The meaning of being trusted must have been that he had been helpful so far anyway.

'Right. Let's work hard and try to catch even a small weakness of the suspicious person.'

As Mugeon, filled with rare enthusiasm, stepped out of the elevator that opened with a ding at his destination, he found operators with their usual half-ruined appearances gathered here and there taking breaks. Looking at the time, it was already lunch hour.

'Looks like they're resting after eating.'

By the way, why did everyone look so pitiful once they entered this department? Though he wasn't much different, seeing the young subordinates with dark circles under their eyes and rough skin made his heart ache anew.

No wonder rumors circulated convincingly that there were no office couples in the operations management department.

"Oh, Director Nam! You've been somewhere?"

Just then, an employee mixed among the huddled group waved and greeted him.

"Yes. Have you all already eaten?"

"Haha. Yes. Time for a break now. Are you heading to the capsule room already, Director Nam?"

Since most work in the operations management department was done in-game, the office contained only access capsules instead of desks or chairs. That's why employees called the operations management department office the capsule room.

"I suppose I should. Is no one there right now?"

"Not quite, the duty officers monitoring user situations should still be there. Well then, good work!"

"Yes. See you later."

Mugeon passed through the large offices and entered Team 3's capsule room where he spent most of his day. The operator capsules arranged in rows looked like communal graves, making his mood sink when he came during such quiet times.

In the center of the capsule room, a large hologram monitor split into dozens of screens was monitoring THE MIST users' situations in real-time, and several people who had been chatting there jumped up to greet him when their eyes met.