Chapter 130
Secret organizations had similar systems in many ways. They guarded their secrets through strict doctrines, created punishments and rewards to control their agents, and kept them constantly occupied so that they had no time to question anything. For instance, being in this organization caused an adrenaline rush in the agents, and the Second Virtue used honey traps.
“Please choose the girl you like, and tell me the number.”
The guide was a woman giving off an ‘office lady’ vibe, and she handed me a booklet that looked like a pamphlet from a model agency. It was filled with pictures of more than a hundred women, and their body size, age, and personality were written next to each one. I closed the booklet and stared at the woman.
“Do you have any preferences?” she asked as if she couldn’t believe that I still had not chosen one. I pointed at her.
“Angela, can I choose you instead?”
She widened her eyes and smiled. That happened the first night that I infiltrated the Second Virtue’s group.
***
Her fake name was Angela, and I had brought her into my bed since she was the first pre-Awakened I had met here. Therefore, I put some effort into her by satisfying her urges over mine. Her moans were so loud that armed guards had come into my room to check.
“I feel like all my fatigue is gone.”
Her flushed face was full of satisfaction, and she looked at me nicely without any pretense. She smoothed my chest with a hand and leaned her face on me. I massaged her shoulder to further relax her.
“Are you like me?”
When the warm air still lingered between us, she mentioned it first.
“Let’s call it ‘us.’ Yes, I’m the same as you,” I replied.
“I honestly thought I was a freak at first, thinking that I got a mental disease from the computer games,” I added.
She answered, “That’s pretty reasonable, and most of us would’ve thought that way. Until they joined our group.”
“That’s what I’m curious about. What is the CEO trying to do by gathering people like us? Our capabilities aren’t that big of a deal,” I said.
She responded, “You don’t know that yet. There are various abilities, and when our powers come together, they create a great synergy.”
“For example?” I asked.
“Leonard Lee’s…”
“Call me ‘Lee,” I interrupted.
“You only got insignias from boxes.”
Angela’s hand trailed to my chest near the insignias.
“There is a thing called ‘skill.’ Insignias are only for one use, but skills are permanent. But it’s impressive that you got five insignias in a row,” she added.
“Why? I still don’t understand…” I continued pretending that I didn’t know anything.
“We don’t get that many quests. If you want more boxes, you would have to…”
She left her words hanging and changed the topic.
“Have you heard anything else from Michael?” she asked.
Michael was the Fourth Virtue’s name.
“No,” I answered.
She said, “Michael will teach you one by one starting from tomorrow.”
“Why don’t you teach me now? I’ll find out tomorrow anyway.”
I got on top of Angela’s body.
“Oh my!”
She let out a surprised laugh. When her giggles turned into moans, her eyes became warm.
“You’re even more beautiful from this angle,” I said.
She replied, “You don’t need to flatter me. I’m sure you’re already getting lots of attention from the CEO.”
“No, you’re actually really pretty. The reason why I was traveling Europe was to find a woman like you. Well, it was an unexpected surprise, but I’m glad that I found you.” freewebnovel .com
I lay down by her side again and said while looking at the ceiling, “Although I came in voluntarily, I’m scared. I wonder if I made the right decision.”
“Everyone would be. I was like you until last year, Lee. We are good people. Do I look like a bad person?” she asked.
No, you are just a stupid naive girl.
Being naive was one of the worst things ever in my past life. fre ewebno vel.com
“People can change anytime according to their goals, and I’m afraid of that, Angela. Think of what happened in New York last month. Thousands of people were injured or killed. I can’t believe that the CEO is gathering us with good intentions. Am I weird?” I questioned.
She replied, “No, that’s natural. You’ll find out soon.”
“That’s the problem. I need a valid reason that can convince me to be faithful to your group, whether it’s fake or real.”
Then, a word came out of her mouth.
“Dungeon.”
“Dungeon?” I asked.
“It’s scheduled for next week.”
***
I tried hard to blend in with the Second Virtue’s group. I constantly interacted with people who could speak English like Angela and worked hard at marksmanship practice, which was useless in dungeons. The training instructor gave me a thumbs-up, saying that I was born to be a soldier. Everyone’s attention began to be directed toward me, but I was still a loner who had just joined the group a week ago.
“You’re either unlucky like me, or a liar.”
One day, the Fourth Virtue spoke to me.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“How can you have five insignias but no skills?” He stared at me.
Then, he turned his gaze to the sparring rings where the other pre-Awakened were competing. I recognized a familiar face, and he used to be an S-class hunter and guild leader under Revolucion in the past. However, right now, he was weak and awkward.
That was why the group prioritized gun training over skills with inconveniently long cooldown times. This made it obvious that they had never entered a dungeon, just as how the Second Virtue had no records related to dungeons.
“When will I be able to meet the CEO? It has been a week since I followed you here,” I said.
“He’s a meticulous guy,” the Fourth Virtue replied.
“Stop treating me like an outsider. When will you start treating me like one of you?”
“No, you’re already a member of our group. Study German before you find a target to blame. That way, you’ll be able to blend in better,” he said bluntly.
“I can speak three languages, English, Korean and Japanese. Isn’t it too much to ask me to speak German?”
“You don’t need to practice marksmanship anymore, so just do something with the language. I know you are smart,” he replied.
“If you do, please let me see the CEO.”
“You’ll see him one day when the time comes. Why are you whining like a child?” He frowned.
“I’m not here to make money. It was because of the new world you told me about, but looking at how things are going, I don’t think I’ll be able to see a dungeon soon. Isn’t it this week?” I asked.
He asked, “Was that the reason?”
“Then what else would it be?”
“...The CEO will decide, so keep your mouth shut and wait,” he said.
Ever since I entered the mansion, the Second Virtue had not shown up. It wasn’t because he was conscious of me. Apparently, I had infiltrated when they were busy planning their first dungeon attack. According to Angela, the Second Virtue must have taken a few of the Awakened to inspect the dungeon. He wasn’t stupid enough to step directly into an unidentified supernatural space. The Second Virtue called me the night after he came back to the mansion.
The First Evil was such a narcissistic person even though he was ugly, but the Second Virtue was different as he had been born into a long-established family and received superior DNA from his parents. He must have failed to assess the dungeon, but that didn’t lessen his looks. He nodded, and the armed bodyguard standing behind him moved toward the door.
“Please understand. I’ve heard about you, Leonard Lee, but it took me so long to welcome you properly. Hello, my name is Joshua.”
He stretched out his hand for a handshake. There were two F-class rings on his hand, and they were shabby compared to the past when he was covered in S-class items. It was highly probable that he had not gotten his major skill, ‘Osiris’s Domain’, yet.
That skill was an amazing one.
I grabbed his hand and his grip was so weak, like a civilian in terms of muscle strength. I had an urge to reveal myself, grab his neck, and tell him to obey me. I would be able to teach him the laws of our world like that. I replied with a smile, “Please call me Lee.”
“How’s your life in this group?” he asked.
“I love it, especially at night.”
“Haha. I try to give my people ample rewards for keeping you here. But I heard that you refused the money, right?”
He must have already investigated me, my fake family, and the companies that my fake parents owned. There was not a single truth in it as everything was imaginary.
“Since you refused the money, how can I compensate you? I’m quite concerned about it,” he said.
“I just want to see the new world. I know it’s a dungeon and that we will enter soon. Please let me in. I’m ready,” I replied.
“Come here,” He beckoned.
When I approached him, he pulled out six profile documents. Two of them didn’t have skills and stats written on the paper, and the other four belonged to civilian mercenaries. The Second Virtue began stamping a large seal on each paper.
「Missing」
Distinct red letters were embedded in the files.
“Dungeons aren’t just a new world full of rewards. Maybe the dungeon…is hell,” he said.
In the past, he was always full of confidence, but he was now daunted.
“What happened?” I asked.
“I was about to tell everyone. I’m going to tell you guys every single detail from the dungeon and let you decide. You can make your choice then, too. Let’s go.”
He got up.
We arrived at the dining room, and the entire group of pre-Awakened were gathered there. The scene reminded me of the time when I went to spy on Revolucion’s guild meeting. The huge rectangular dining tables were filled with rows of people, and the Second Virtue sat at the head where he could see everyone at one glance. I sat at the bottom. He spoke in German, and people began muttering as soon as he concluded his speech. Then, the Fourth Virtue came toward me.
“The CEO said that the advance party of six members entered the dungeon, and things happened within ten minutes. The dungeon entrance shut down, so he doesn’t know if they are still alive or dead,” the Fourth Virtue explained.
“Okay,” I replied.
“He wants us all to enter to at least save the six. He’s planning to join us this time, so it’s time for you to decide,” he added.
Then, he continued while staring at me fiercely.
“Are you a coward or not?”
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