The classroom was noisy again today. As usual, during breaks, the boys gathered to do something while the girls nearby shook their heads, casting looks bordering on contempt.

  But the boys didn't care. Instead, they tapped away at their smartphones, spewing all sorts of profanity. To them, nothing else was worth their attention. They were enthralled, lamenting and raging in a strange fever. In their own little world, they were caught in a whirlwind of emotion.

  Of course, this had nothing to do with Jihyeok. He knew what they were doing, but he had no desire to join in. It was only natural. What they were doing was gambling—smart-phone gambling. To Jihyeok, it was nothing but a fool's errand.

  Yet, the group gathered there, indifferent to their family's financial situations, were dead serious. They were so absorbed that they didn't even realize their path was skewed, and no one dared to point it out. Jihyeok ignored them, having grown accustomed to the sight. The boys in this class were divided into two groups: those who gambled and those who didn't.

  Jihyeok was on the side that didn't. It made sense. After seeing a classmate commit suicide due to gambling debts right before his eyes, anyone would have to be insane to still want to do it. For Jihyeok, it remained a trauma. He would never forget the sense of unreality he felt the day they sent his dead friend away.

  Of course, not everyone felt like Jihyeok. Ironically, the most enthusiastic gambler in the group was the very one who had first discovered the dead friend's body. Though he had received counseling for the shock, it seemed that was separate from his addiction. Jihyeok let out a heavy sigh at the sight.

  The strange fever began to dissipate as the rounds ended. It was Jihyeok's cue to get up and leave before things got annoying. He stepped out of the classroom without hesitation. If he stayed, he'd be pestered by guys asking to borrow money—guys who would lose tens of thousands of won and never pay it back. The number of victims was growing, and a subtle wall had formed between the groups. Leaving was the smart choice.

  "Damn it... where's everyone going?" one of the losers shouted. Once the gambling ended, only rowdiness remained. There was nothing to gain from getting involved with them. Since there were CCTV cameras, they wouldn't resort to theft, but the situation still left a bitter taste in his mouth. Just having such people in his class was exhausting.

  "Phew..."

  Jihyeok walked the hallways until the bell rang. Like many other students, this had become his new normal.

  "Hey, I heard that place lends money at a low rate..." "How much?" "I forget exactly, but..."

  The snippets of conversation from students in other classes reached Jihyeok’s ears. It seemed some were even touching private loans. There was no reason to care about people ruining their own lives, Jihyeok thought, as he turned to head back.

  That was when he heard it.

  "Supposedly they teamed up with someone who uses a 'strange power'? That's how they got so much cash, so they're lending it out cheap..."

  Strange power.

  Jihyeok reacted instinctively to those words. This was something his brother might find interesting. He had no intention of talking to those guys, but the information stuck. Just then, the bell rang. Class was starting. Jihyeok returned to his room and focused on the lesson as if nothing had happened.

  Classes ended, and Jihyeon headed straight home.

  Since the day he struck down the monster, the massive police crackdown had largely settled the incidents related to tools. It was rare now to see major accidents involving tools in the headlines. While they weren't entirely gone, they were usually at a level that could be neutralized with a Taser.

  Jihyeon wanted to enjoy a bit of leisure. His official status hadn't been fully established yet, and he wanted to earn his degree before starting to make real money. The difference between having a college diploma and not having one was often negligible, yet sometimes it made all the difference in the world. Since the police understood his status as a student, it wasn't bad to take advantage of some flexibility.

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  Of course, starting next semester, he planned to switch as many classes as possible to online lectures. Except for exams, he wanted to distance himself from campus life. He knew he would become incredibly busy soon, so he needed to create more free time.

  He imagined his future path would be something of a semi-public official or a private investigator. From saving people to handling dark affairs, he had found that variety suited his aptitude. He had learned the hard way that a "normal" life was now impossible. Realizing just how powerful his ability to use tools was, he had no intention of letting it go to waste.

  "Ah... I wonder what's for dinner..."

  Jihyeon had returned to a very ordinary routine. It was only a brief peace, but he intended to enjoy it. After arriving home, he washed up and prepared for dinner. His mother was already cooking, and the house was filled with a delicious aroma.

  "Brother, you're home? Can I talk to you for a second..."

  Jihyeok approached Jihyeon cautiously. Seeing his brother's uncharacteristic behavior, Jihyeon smiled and asked what was wrong. Whenever Jihyeok had something to say in private, it usually involved a favor. Jihyeon listened intently.

  "So, there are kids gambling at school, and they're using private loans... and the loan shark supposedly handles some kind of 'strange power'?"

  Jihyeon summarized Jihyeok’s somewhat disjointed explanation. By glancing at his internal "information," Jihyeon was able to piece together the situation roughly.

  "I just overheard it, but I thought you might care. And after everything that’s happened lately, I’m kind of scared... what if the loan sharks come to the school?"

  Jihyeon nodded. Jihyeok knew well that things got resolved when he asked his brother. Hadn't Jihyeon taken care of the punks who targeted him? To Jihyeok, Jihyeon—who had solved all their family's hardships—was a fixer in the truest sense.

  "I see. Hmm. Well, I can look into it or ask someone I know to handle it. By the way, are there really that many kids gambling? We had them in my day, too."

  Jihyeon spoke dismissively, but Jihyeok only gave a bitter smile.

  "But why are you telling me? I'm not some professional fixer," Jihyeon teased. He found it a bit strange that his brother was bringing this up when there wasn't even a direct threat yet.

  "That person on TV... it was you, wasn't it?"

  Jihyeok finally voiced the suspicion he’d been holding. Jihyeon just laughed.

  "Huh? TV? What are you talking about?"

  Jihyeok pressed further. "You've completely changed since you were hospitalized. And the person fighting that monster on TV was wearing the same clothes you have."

  Jihyeok looked straight into Jihyeon’s eyes.

  "Was I? I don't know," Jihyeon said playfully, ruffling his brother's hair. "Don't say such useless things. No matter what I do, I'm still your brother, isn't that enough?"

  Jihyeon smiled.

  "You're always like this," Jihyeok grumbled, but Jihyeon replied with an unbothered expression.

  "I'll put in a word with someone I know. I’ve met a lot of detectives recently while hanging around the police station."

  Jihyeok recalled that his brother had indeed been frequenting the police station lately. It seemed his connections were growing through those visits.

  "Good grief..."

  Watching his exasperated brother, Jihyeon headed to the kitchen. It seemed a new task had surfaced. It wouldn't make him any money, but he had to listen to a request from his beloved brother. Hoping his brother wouldn't find out his true identity just yet, Jihyeon began helping his mother prepare dinner.

  Teenagers are so easy to fleece, the loan shark thought with a laugh. Their stupidity—biting onto a loan just because the interest was slightly lower than others—was enough to make him chuckle.

  Since all the organizations except the Boss's had been wiped out recently, his work had actually become easier. He looked at his bodyguards and smiled. When the gangs were active, they interfered with the daily loan business constantly. It was so bad he used to do nothing but curse. But now that they were gone, it was an opportunity for people like him.

  Fortunately, before entering this business, the loan shark knew a few people who made adult games. Teaming up with them, he could make as much money as he wanted. He could easily ruin those blinded by gambling who touched private loans. Of course, the trick was to bleed them just enough to stay under the legal radar.

  He was confident in his control. And if anyone tried anything funny, his bodyguards would handle it.

  "It's become so much easier to make money, hasn't it?" the loan shark asked his subordinate.

  But the subordinate said nothing. He simply kept typing away at the computer, focused on his work.

  "Ah, how boring. I wonder if it was a bit much."

  The loan shark looked at the box in his coat. It was an object used to control those who used tools—an improved version, at that. Through it, he had recruited several people who still had functioning brains. Just feeding them was enough. As long as he gave them an appropriate tool and regulated them with the control device, they were perfect.

  He had already built a small kingdom. Others wouldn't even dream of this. No one would expect a business to run this efficiently.

  "Enough small talk, back to work. Why play when you're surrounded by such boring people?"

  The loan shark stood up. His subordinates, with their hollow eyes, continued to focus solely on their tasks.