“Hmm... they’re a little late.”

“I know, right? By now, we should’ve heard from them……”

“Could they have failed?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Chen Kun was tidying up a hotel room that had served as their temporary operations room, alongside his companion.

Though it was unlikely, they were erasing anything that could be used as evidence in case the Korean government discovered their activities.

To that end, Chen Kun and his colleague had even used a one-time item called Infi Mask.

Infi Mask was a type of elixir that altered one’s appearance for 12 hours upon use.

The price: 900 million won.

Though prices had skyrocketed in this era, it was still an enormous amount for a single-use item.

However, if it reduced the risk of being identified by Korea’s facial recognition software, the high cost wasn’t unreasonable.

“Hey, Chen Kun.”

Chen Kun, who had been feeding collected intel into a shredder, turned his head.

“You know those incidents in Japan?”

“The missing Awakened cases?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“There’s this weird rumor circulating in Japanese political circles—that the imperial family had them eliminated.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“It’s not impossible. The Emperor’s second son is an S-rank Awakened, after all.”

“How would an S-rank take out Ichiro, who was SSS-rank, and Meisa, who was SS-rank?”

“What if he had help? Like Eisuke.”

“Hmm.”

“You know the guy—every time he’s in the media, he rambles on about Japan reclaiming its past glory.”

“That’s true, but… Eisuke’s been missing for a while now. And if there were signs of something like this, the Japan branch would’ve reported it.”

“You’re well informed.”

It wasn’t Chen Kun’s colleague who said that.

Startled by the unfamiliar voice, Chen Kun spun around. The voice’s owner stepped forward and said,

“The missing Eisuke couldn’t have done something like that.”

“How did you find this place?”

“A creepy guy showed me the way.”

“Creepy… guy?”

“Ah, wait a second.”

The voice’s owner—no, Seo-jun—waved his hand. Suddenly, a subspace appeared.

“...!”

Chen Kun’s eyes widened.

That wasn’t some subspace artifact.

Subspace artifacts usually emitted detectable pulses—pulses that could be seen with the naked eye.

But the subspace in front of him now held no such presence. Only an endless abyss stretched out before them.

That alone was shocking, but the surprise didn’t end there.

“Cough!”

Seo-jun reached into the pitch-black subspace, and someone came stumbling out, coughing.

And that person was someone Chen Kun recognized well.

“Instructor?”

“Kuh… Chen Kun.”

“What in the world is going on…?”

“Let’s deal with that guy first—then we’ll talk.”

Snapping out of his daze at his companion’s words, Chen Kun pulled out a weapon from his inventory window.

The weapon, named Gujeolpyeon, was Chen Kun’s main weapon and a rare-grade item provided by the Red Fang.

Each time it was swung, there was a 15% chance of activating a skill called “Thunderstrike,” which nullified the target’s physical defense.

In addition, during combat, it granted a 60% increase in physical defense and a 200% boost in skill power when used in conjunction with specific skills tied to Gujeolpyeon.

True to its name, Gujeolpyeon was difficult to wield, but not for Chen Kun.

He handled it with skill and ease.

“Interesting weapon.”

Recognizing its attributes, Seo-jun looked intrigued.

So far, the only items he’d seen were things like rings enchanted with translation magic or cheap scrolls.

This was his first time seeing a weapon-type item, so naturally, it piqued his interest.

“Hoo…”

His attention was drawn not only to Chen Kun’s weapon but also to the item wielded by his companion.

That companion had drawn a massive shield. A large bossed center marked its design, from which an eerie energy emanated.

Meanwhile, Chen Kun swung Gujeolpyeon.

Whirrrr!

As a flail-type weapon, Gujeolpyeon flew in an unpredictable arc, targeting gaps in the opponent’s defense.

An ordinary Awakened might have faltered at the unfamiliar motion of a cold weapon—but not Seo-jun.

Swish!

Instead, he calmly wrapped the swinging Gujeolpyeon around his arm. Then, using brute strength, he yanked Chen Kun toward him.

“...!”

Dragged helplessly, Chen Kun glared at his companion with wide eyes.

“Li Wei!”

Li Wei, holding the shield, charged at Seo-jun. Just before impact—

Spikes suddenly protruded from the shield.

Thunk!

Feeling a solid impact through the crook of his arm holding the shield, Li Wei was confident his attack had landed.

His shield possessed an effect called “Hades’ Spikes.”

While not especially threatening on its own, if the spikes pierced a target, it induced unceasing bleeding.

“Watch out!”

But just then, Chen Kun’s sharp scream rang out toward the self-satisfied Li Wei.

Crash!

Clang!

“……”

Li Wei couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

It shattered. His shield had been smashed to pieces. In that surreal moment, Li Wei wondered—

“Is this even possible?”

Theoretically, it shouldn’t have been. That shield was a unique-grade item known as the “Shield Containing the Essence of an Ancient God.”

It hadn’t been rated unique due to its abilities or effects.

Its strength alone was enough. No Awakened’s skill had ever left even a scratch on it.

In fact, like quicklime that hardened over time, the more the shield took hits, the stronger it became.

And yet…

It was destroyed.

Stunned only for a moment.

Rage surged in Li Wei.

It was an item that had been with him for seven years. It had protected him on the frontlines, and it had protected his comrades.

He was boiling with anger at the opponent who had destroyed such an item.

At some point, Li Wei, holding his spear, charged in.

No—he tried to charge.

“……!”

Li Wei was flustered. He was sure he was moving his body. His senses, too, felt as though he was moving.

But in reality, his body wasn't moving at all.

Like a statue, frozen in place with his spear poised, Li Wei stood still as Lee Seo-jun glanced at him as if there was nothing more to see and first examined Gujeolpyeon.

Lee Seo-jun, checking over the various aspects of Gujeolpyeon, seemed completely defenseless. Even so, Chen Kun couldn’t carelessly act.

System cannot be recognized.
System cannot be recognized.
System cannot be recognized.

The moment Lee Seo-jun picked up Gujeolpyeon,

a clear voice rang in his ears. It was a voice that felt oddly familiar to Lee Seo-jun.

A few months ago, when he was returning to Earth.

It was the voice he heard just as he passed through the dimensional gate. Back then, it didn’t say “cannot be recognized,” only repeated the word “error.”

‘They really went all out.’

Clicking his tongue, Lee Seo-jun turned to Chen Kun.

“Gasp!”

“You're Chen Kun, right.”

“…….”

“Speak. Why are you targeting Kim Chul-jun?”

Even while trembling in fear, Chen Kun scoffed.

“To die beneath the Five-Starred Red Flag is an honorable death. You won’t get the answer you seek, so go ahead and kill me.”

“You're saying the same thing.”

Lee Seo-jun glanced toward Yan Junling, and his eyes momentarily turned black. Amazingly, Chen Kun suddenly became compliant.

“Now then, why are you targeting Kim Chul-jun?”

To Lee Seo-jun’s question, the now-docile Chen Kun replied in a dry tone.

“There was an order from above.”

“Central Administration?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know why the Central Administration is targeting him?”

“Because they judged he wouldn’t be swayed.”

“Hmm. Then tell me everything else you know.”

Lee Seo-jun leisurely sipped his coffee as he listened to Chen Kun's answers.

“It’s the same.”

He had wondered if this Chen Kun guy might have information different from Yan Junling’s, but that wasn’t the case.

The same was true for the one called Li Wei.

Lee Seo-jun threw both Chen Kun and Li Wei into the subspace. The last one left was Yan Junling.

As their eyes met, Yan Junling immediately dropped to his knees.

“P-please spare me! Please……”

Yan Junling, who had undergone special training in Hongbang and eventually served as an instructor training Hongbang operatives.

He was now begging for mercy so pathetically it made his previous career seem meaningless.

Of course, this wasn’t because Yan Junling had a weak will or spirit.

It was because subspace was a place that could gnaw away even strong minds and wills.

A void without time or space.

One might think such a place would feel peaceful, precisely because there was no time or space. But that would be a mistake.

Because time does not exist, even fundamental value ceases to exist.

And because space does not exist, everything becomes unknown. One can move their body, and yet paradoxically, it feels as if they're bound and unable to move at all.

This is akin to the absence of “being-there.” Being-there refers to existence. But when that vanishes, the value of existence is lost.

And yet one's awareness remains. The conflict between these two creates a dissonance that cannot be endured with mere will or mental strength.

“Please, please spare me. If you just don’t send me back in there… I’ll do anything you ask. Please show mercy, I beg you……”

The coldness he had shown before Ryu Chang, and the caution he had shown before Chen Kun, were nowhere to be seen.

Now kneeling before Lee Seo-jun, Yan Junling was not a Chinese operative of Hongbang with a national identity, but merely a weak human being.

And Lee Seo-jun chose to show mercy to this weak human.

“Alright.”

“R-really?”

“Are you saying you don’t believe me?”

“N-no, thank you! Thank you, sir!”

Just as he was overcome with gratitude—

Yan Junling's body was slowly sucked back into subspace.

“S-sir! Didn't you say you would spare me!”

As Yan Junling cried out in confusion, Lee Seo-jun shrugged.

Subspace doesn’t necessarily mean death, after all.

Celestial gods do not feel fear. Fear, after all, is an animalistic response. And celestial gods do not fall into the category of animals.

But Kadalan was terrified. This was not the instinctual fear felt by living beings.

It was fear born from the realization that an omniscient celestial god like himself could no longer control the situation—or had come face to face with the unknown.

There was no trace of Meruths. As if she had been completely annihilated……

“She’s been erased.”

Kabenian, who had crossed over to Earth alongside him, felt it as well. But his expression showed indifference.

“Yoshiro.”

“Yes!”

“From now on, you’ll take Eisuke’s place as the leader of the Hexagram.”

“I will do my best!”

“Then I’ll return later.”

Kabenian, spreading his wings, gave Kadalan a questioning glance.

“Kadalan, you're not coming?”

“……Meruths has vanished. Doesn’t that concern you at all?”

“Pylon’s gone too, right?”

“…….”

“They probably conducted an unauthorized experiment. If it had succeeded and gained recognition, they would’ve secured more standing. Why should I care about the disappearance of some reckless fool?”

“……Understood.”

“You're staying?”

After hesitating, Kadalan opened his mouth.

“……I’ll investigate a little more before returning.”

“I won’t stop you. But don’t do anything foolish like Meruths did.”

“Yes.”

Kabenian’s form soared into the air and soon disappeared.