The atmosphere at the university was strangely electric. It was only natural, considering something both terrifying and absurd had occurred.

  What else could one say after witnessing a group of thugs swarm in, only to suddenly faint of their own accord and be carried away?

  From the students who were at the scene to those who heard the news from friends, everyone found the incident fascinating. Since even those who saw it with their own eyes couldn't believe it, one could only imagine how those hearing the story felt.

  As a result, the topic was everywhere. It felt like a small festival. People talked about it wherever they went, sharing videos someone had filmed and enjoying the spectacle.

  However, Jihyeon did not get swept up in the excitement. Instead, he remained silent.

  Until Sang-il called, Jihyeon intended to forget about the incident entirely. He simply thought there was no need to speak of something that wasn't exactly a pleasant memory.

  While the students around him were in full bloom discussing today’s events, Jihyeon acted as if it had nothing to do with him. Since he usually ate alone anyway, this behavior didn't seem out of place.

  Ironically, because he sat quietly, Jihyeon ended up overhearing a great deal.

  Most students were likely spinning ridiculous nonsense based on their own meager imaginations. Listening to them and laughing internally could have become one of the small, secret pleasures of Jihyeon's daily life.

  In fact, how many times had he laughed to himself while listening to students let their imaginations run wild with impossible theories?

  However, a single phone call changed everything.

  When he picked up, Sang-il’s trembling voice revealed that Jihyeon’s actions had caused a much greater impact than expected.

  "I-I saw the b-broadcast. And I g-got a t-text from Cheol-min. He said he’s going to k-kill me..."

  Sang-il’s voice was thick with terror. As Jihyeon searched for new information, he realized that things had become tangled in a very strange way.

  "I’m coming as soon as my class ends, so no matter who comes, do not open the door. If you open it, you’re in big trouble. Just hide and act like no one is home."

  Sang-il said he understood and hung up. He would likely follow Jihyeon’s instructions to the letter.

  Still, Jihyeon was worried. With an hour left until class finished, he could only hope that nothing would happen in the meantime.

  "Damn it... This should have just blown over..."

  Jihyeon cursed the man named Cheol-min. He knew that no one in a high-ranking position within a pyramid scheme was sane, but even so, Cheol-min was crossing the line.

  The man was abnormal.

  Initially, Jihyeon hadn't paid much attention since his only goal was to bring Sang-il back, but looking back at the information now, he felt his skin crawl.

  Thanks to his powerful father, Cheol-min didn't have a criminal record, but the trouble he had caused over the years was extraordinary.

  Furthermore, looking deeper into his profile, he was nothing short of human scum.

  It was only natural to sigh after reviewing the data. It was clear that Cheol-min would cause an incident simply because he couldn't control his own temper.

  However, Jihyeon couldn't move immediately. With class time ticking away, he could only pray for it to end quickly.

  If he didn't care about getting his diploma, it would be a different story, but Jihyeon had no intention of dropping out.

  He didn't want to waste an entire semester. He sat through the lecture, maintaining his caution.

  But that didn't mean he intended to give up on surveillance. Keeping one hand in his pocket, he connected himself to his phone, preparing for any possible situation.

  "Damn it..."

  Not long after connecting his consciousness, a curse escaped Jihyeon’s lips in a low whisper.

  He couldn't read any information from the CCTVs that had captured the man named Cheol-min. What that implied was crystal clear.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "This has become difficult..."

  An otherworldly tool.

  In a sense, Cheol-min also possessed the beginning and the end of all these incidents. Because of this, confirming information about him was limited to seeing only what already existed in the physical world.

  But Jihyeon was worried about something else.

  Ordinary people often found themselves unable to control their emotions once they got their hands on a tool.

  Just as it had been with the Apostles, it wasn't strange for a perfectly normal person to turn violent.

  The display at the university today was a textbook example. However, if Cheol-min—who already couldn't control his inherent violence—obtained a tool, there was no telling what kind of madness he would unleash.

  And yet, Jihyeon couldn't move.

  That fact made Jihyeon feel irritated and anxious. To him, class was merely a matter of checking attendance and filling days for a diploma.

  He needed to hurry for much more important matters. The only silver lining was that they shouldn't arrive before he could move.

  Nevertheless, he had a sinking feeling in his chest, an intuition that things were going south.

  That mad dog would surely hurt many people. Thus, Jihyeon watched the clock, waiting impatiently for the end.

  Finally, the class ended. Thinking it was a blessing that he had no more classes today, Jihyeon quickly packed his bag.

  Then, without a moment's hesitation, he began to run. If he hurried, he might arrive just in time. Praying that nothing would happen until he got there, Jihyeon sprinted forward.

  Sang-il was at a loss after seeing the broadcast. His body shook with fear, and sweat poured off him like rain.

  The broadcast showed only a blurry, pixelated screen, but Sang-il recognized them instantly. He knew exactly who they were.

  The pyramid scheme—no, to be precise, the gangsters who owned the pyramid scheme company. They had definitely come looking for Sang-il. And they would do anything to get him.

  Sang-il couldn't even breathe properly just imagining what that "anything" might be. A desperate fear that he might die dominated his mind.

  That was why he called. He thought that one person, Jihyeon, might surely take his side.

  Fortunately, he answered. And he said he would come as soon as class ended. Sang-il wanted to beg him to come right this second, but he couldn't bring himself to say it.

  He knew well that no matter how difficult his situation was, pestering someone like that was a breach of etiquette. Instead, he made sure there was no sign of life inside the house, just as Jihyeon had instructed.

  He had even put his phone on silent.

  Sang-il prayed that nothing would happen until Jihyeon arrived.

  But when the sound of footsteps reached him, his heart began to race. If it were just the footsteps of one or two people, he wouldn't be this terrified.

  But the footsteps belonged to many. Moreover, the rowdy nature of the sound told him this was definitely not a good sign.

  Sang-il covered his ears with both hands. He prayed for it to be nothing.

  But fate did not grant his wish. The intruders arrived as if to sweep Sang-il away like a tidal wave.

  BANG BANG BANG

  "Get out here, you brat! Come out now!"

  The shouting voice was filled with rage. If he went out, they would surely never forgive him.

  But if he didn't, the door to Sang-il's house would not remain intact.

  "It'll be troublesome if people come. Just take it easy..."

  THUD

  It seemed someone had tried to stop Cheol-min. But with the sound of someone being struck, the person trying to intervene fell silent.

  "You bastard... do you want to die?"

  Cheol-min’s voice overflowed with uncontrollable rage. He had to do whatever he wanted, and he could never tolerate anyone blocking his path.

  "What is going on in front of someone's house!"

  It was then. Sang-il’s older sister, seeing what was happening in front of the house, shouted in shock. She looked very startled by the men in front of her, but she stood her ground and spoke up.

  "What? Are you the owner here?"

  Cheol-min asked, his tone unpleasant. A hint of cruelty was hidden in his voice. Sang-il's sister seemed frightened by the tone, but she shouted back, refusing to back down.

  "What are you doing in front of our house?"

  Sang-il's sister asked again, her voice trembling. But Cheol-min didn't answer.

  Instead, he resorted to violence.

  "Hey, what are you— GAH!"

  The subordinates seemed flustered by the violence directed at Sang-il's sister. No matter how you looked at it, this was crossing the line by a mile.

  Normally, they should have intimidated the opponent with words and slowly cornered them. Resorting to violence against a target's family in this manner was just giving the opposition leverage.

  But Cheol-min, who had already lost his mind, seemed to have none of that in his head. He was only thinking of venting his anger.

  He naturally couldn't forgive anyone who talked back to him. Cheol-min swung his fist directly at the man who tried to stop the violence against Sang-il's sister.

  The other subordinates didn't know what to do. If he weren't the Big Boss's son, it might be different, but it was impossible for them to act against Cheol-min, who would in a sense become their leader in the next generation.

  However, if things continued like this, it would be a problem either way.

  This was an apartment complex.

  It was only natural that people would call the police because of the noise. Even now, the sound of a security guard coming up could be heard.

  No matter how much of a thug someone was, they couldn't live their lives completely ignoring the police. Even the most reckless individuals had to back down once the police arrived.

  Nevertheless, Cheol-min was rampaging. If everything turned into a mess, no one would benefit.

  Yet, there was no one who could stop him now that he had lost his mind. The subordinates remained silent at the sight of their colleague being beaten just for saying something sensible.

  The noise created by the violence continued for a while. Sang-il didn't dare to step outside.

  All he could do was huddle in terror, trembling violently and making no sound. The fear that he might actually die if he went out kept him paralyzed.

  The memory of being held captive just a few days ago eroded Sang-il’s courage. He couldn't even think straight. Trembling was all he could manage.

  That voice.

  Every time Cheol-min’s voice reached him, all that remained was the terror shaking Sang-il. Like an awl piercing to the deepest core, that voice continued to push Sang-il into agony.

  "That's enough. I've called the police."

  It was then.

  Another voice was heard. It was a voice of salvation, signifying that the only hope to settle the situation had arrived.