The hospital emergency room was, as always, crowded with people. Lying in a bed amidst the distinct smell of disinfectant and the constant bustle of people was a bizarre experience.

  The dissonance of agonizing sounds—from those whose lives were in immediate danger to those whose condition was less severe—was a chilling symphony, yet it served as a signal that one’s own senses were still intact.

  Within that chaos lay Eun-yeong, Sang-il’s older sister. Lying in bed waiting for her turn, she stared blankly at the ceiling.

  What had happened today was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.

  She had returned home briefly after class and before heading to her part-time job, only to witness such a scene and be gripped by terror in the face of unexpected violence.

  As a result, she missed her shift today. But now was not the time to worry about such things.

  The man who had rescued Sang-il from the pyramid scheme told her that while she might look fine on the outside, she needed a thorough examination just in case.

  Eun-yeong simply agreed without a word. Yet, at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder why she had to suffer like this.

  Looking back, this year had been filled with nothing but misfortune.

  She had been briefly happy to hear that her younger brother, who was an outcast due to his poor social skills, had made a new friend. But that "friend" turned out to be a deceiver who lured him into a pyramid scheme.

  She had tried to find her brother after that, but it wasn't easy. She didn't even know the name of the company, and the anxiety she felt was beyond words.

  Fortunately, it seemed the world wasn't entirely filled with bad people, as someone had saved Sang-il. She never imagined that same person would look after her as well.

  Was his name Jihyeon?

  Eun-yeong liked that name for some reason. He didn't look very old, but his composed attitude made him seem more like someone who had weathered many storms rather than a typical college student.

  She knew well that even if they didn't date, such a person would be an immense source of strength in difficult times.

  Eun-yeong prayed in her heart that Jihyeon would stay and help her until this ordeal was over.

  "But why did they come to our house..."

  Eun-yeong muttered as the thought suddenly occurred to her. A typical pyramid scheme wouldn't go this far to threaten someone who had left.

  If there were debts, they might come to collect, but her brother had no debts. Unless he had taken a loan from sharks—which he insisted he hadn't—there was no reason for them to show up.

  So why did they come?

  One question led to another. It wasn't something to be dismissed as just a scary incident involving a violent pyramid scheme.

  Though they weren't wealthy, Eun-yeong’s family didn't live an unhappy life.

  Her brother’s lack of social grace was a minor grievance, but it certainly wasn't a reason to be exposed to such brutal assault just because he had been briefly involved in a pyramid scheme.

  Her mind was in turmoil. She had no idea what to do.

  "Ah..."

  As her thoughts tangled further, a headache set in. It seemed Jihyeon hadn't told her to get checked for no reason.

  Eun-yeong quietly closed her eyes and waited for the medical staff to arrive.

  The investigation was over.

  Jihyeon’s parents always disliked it, but regardless, Jihyeon visited the police station again today.

  Usually, he came as a victim, and today was no different. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, but his mother’s voice over the phone was still trembling with worry.

  But this time, he was the victim of an assault case.

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  Jihyeon vowed to claim proper compensation. In a line of work like this, wasn't it fair to earn a bit of pocket money this way?

  His lawyers would likely handle the details. Fortunately, the Boss seemed to know many competent lawyers specialized in these matters. Requesting their help would be enough to clear up the annoying administrative details.

  However, this wasn't the end.

  While the assault case itself might be settled this way, Jihyeon was looking beyond that.

  Jihyeon was well aware of the circulation of tools from the other world. Usually, they were limited to things that neutralized CCTVs or counters to detect such devices; nothing beyond that circulated among criminal organizations.

  Instead, tools capable of drawing supernatural power were strictly and secretly circulated only within pseudo-religious cults.

  They used those tools to rally followers and conduct unknown experiments, but they kept their use strictly within their own control.

  While threatening, their actions were far from the indiscriminate use of power, and Jihyeon believed the nature of these religious groups provided at least a minimum safety net.

  However, this incident was proof that such tools were now being distributed to violent criminal organizations as well.

  There was no need to explain how dangerous that was. How far removed was the word "restraint" from a criminal organization?

  They would not hesitate to flaunt their power, only to eventually be consumed by uncontrollable strength and cause a major catastrophe.

  No one could predict what kind of results that would bring, or imagine how many people would be hurt.

  It was like the indiscriminate release of untethered power. It was only natural to fear the consequences.

  Of course, Jihyeon had no intention of checking other regions. Even if he had the authority, Jihyeon was currently just an ordinary college student.

  He had no desire to take on tasks he couldn't handle.

  However, Jihyeon realized he would have to respond much more sensitively to events occurring around him. It was a tangible threat, after all.

  Someone—he didn't know who—was distributing more and more tools. Jihyeon still didn't know what their purpose was.

  Sitting on a bench and drinking vending machine coffee, Jihyeon could only sigh at the mounting frustration.

  He decided that within a few hours, he would organize the data and deliver it to the police, the prosecution, and the media. He was alone, but the story would change if public authority became involved.

  It might not lead to a dramatic shift, but they could do what he couldn't do alone. For now, it was a time to do something, and Jihyeon intended to do exactly what he could.

  With the hope that his surroundings would become at least a little safer through these actions, Jihyeon stood up.

  What needed to be done was now clear.

  It would take time, but he had to hurry. With that thought, Jihyeon headed home.

  Opening his eyes under an unfamiliar ceiling, Cheol-min felt dazed. He remembered doing something before losing consciousness and ending up here.

  But what was he doing that landed him in this place?

  Cheol-min shook his groggy head, trying to piece together his memories. But a sharp headache irritated him, and he felt his anger rising again.

  Yet, despite his uncontrollable rage, Cheol-min felt that now was not the time to run wild.

  He was in a hospital. However, it was a facility equipped with wire mesh like a detention center, likely designed to restrain dangerous individuals.

  It was probably a facility built due to recent drug addicts. Cheol-min let out an absurd sigh, never imagining he would be in such a place.

  But he wasn't alone. Reacting to his senses, which were much sharper than usual, Cheol-min turned his head to survey his surroundings.

  He felt it.

  A gaze was fixed on him—a cold gaze filled with a desire to expose everything about him.

  And at the end of that gaze were fully armed police officers. They were likely waiting for Cheol-min to wake up for questioning.

  One investigator and backup police for emergencies. Cheol-min almost felt honored by their presence. He never thought he would be treated like such a high-profile criminal.

  Simultaneously, Cheol-min realized just how much trouble he had caused. The faint fragments of memory clouded by the headache slowly merged into one, reminding him of everything.

  "Tch..."

  Cheol-min stood up irritably. The police immediately tensed up, ready to move at any second.

  Considering what Cheol-min had done when he was completely consumed by rage, their reaction was only natural. Excluding the police, just how many people had he beaten?

  Nearly all the subordinates he had brought along had fallen by his hand. They likely wouldn't be able to move properly for a while. Consequently, Cheol-min’s own hands were not in normal condition either.

  Still, the power of the tool was remarkable; he could already move his hands. He thought his bones would be fractured at the very least, leaving his hands unusable for months, but the recovery rate was astonishing.

  "Are you on drugs? How on earth can someone beat people like that?"

  A blunt question was thrown at Cheol-min. It came from the investigator who had come to question him.

  Cheol-min knew his face. He and his father’s subordinates had already dealt with him several times.

  "If you make me mad, I can beat anyone, can't I? It's the fault of those who provoked me."

  Cheol-min spoke with a sarcastic tone. The tool was still attached to his body. They had likely knocked him out with a Taser, but importantly, it seemed they hadn't touched the device.

  Cheol-min considered that a stroke of luck. If the tool had been taken away, he wouldn't even be able to dream of escaping. But through the strength flowing into his hands, he knew.

  He was ready to run wild at any moment.

  Of course, he didn't even want to think about the aftermath if he rampaged here. Nevertheless, his temper was slowly simmering, suggesting another explosion might be imminent.

  "Do you even realize that not a single one of the subordinates you beat is in one piece?"

  The investigator asked back, sounding incredulous. But that didn't interest Cheol-min at all.

  Instead, Cheol-min slowly prepared to strike. The investigator’s voice continued to grate on his nerves, so he felt he had every right to be angry.

  And a moment later, Cheol-min walked out. Behind him, the collapsed police officers lay in a wretched state.