The inside of the car, speeding away from the streets of London, was quiet, as if the earlier commotion had been a lie.
The attack Brown had mentioned never happened.
With an awkward expression, Chapman apologized once again for making key national personnel move for a prank pulled by his daughters.
"Tell Manuel I'm sorry, too."
"You don't have to worry about it, sir. It's our job."
Brown replied, but Chapman still added, as if dissatisfied.
"Still, I wish you'd stop this surveillance."
"It's because you're that important, Doctor. We have no choice, so please understand. We'll be careful to be as discreet as possible."
Chapman looked out the window instead of answering.
He suddenly recalled the day he first met Brown several years ago.
The man who had stood like a shadow next to CIA Director Lennon during their meeting.
"By the way, how did you know that we were monitoring your family as well?"
At Brown's question, Chapman looked straight at him for the first time and smirked.
"After you were assigned to me, I saw security personnel being assigned to the other key developers. It's only common sense to assume their families would be included in the surveillance net, isn't it?"
Brown looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Chapman seized the moment and decided to graciously bestow some mercy and teach him a lesson.
It was a good opportunity to show what a genius he was.
“Besides, you know how quickly Artistea gained popularity after it was first released to the world.”
Many within the CIA also used Artistea for their missions.
Brown nodded in agreement.
“In that case, isn't it natural to expect it to be used for military and political purposes?”
Chapman thought this was a sufficient explanation and stopped talking.
Brown still looked at Chapman intently, his face showing he found it hard to understand.
'It's frustrating to have to explain every little thing.'
“Then isn't it natural to assume that I, the developer of Artistea, would be the one to control it?”
Seeing Brown's eyes widen, Chapman finally gave a satisfied smile.
'Always the same. The same pattern. Why am I the only one who has to think this way?'
“Yes, sir. There has been much discussion about that within our agency.”
As Brown readily admitted it, Chapman started to like him a little.
"Good. I like that you admit it.”
Most people didn't like their inner thoughts being exposed.
Moreover, he was a man who handled information for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
For someone belonging to a group that valued information as much as their own lives, Chapman thought it would be natural to evade a crisis like this with a lie.
But the man in front of him felt a little different.
He couldn't be sure if he was being sincere, but he felt it would be okay to say a little more.
“Then you would have to approach me naturally, using the pretext of protecting Artistea's research team.”
Brown avoided Chapman's sharp gaze.
“You know my personality, don't you? You must have done a background check. So you would have tried to assign an incredibly competent person to me, right? To minimize my antipathy.”
It was practically Chapman's one-man show.
Brown was listening to Chapman's words with his mouth agape.
“You probably judged that since you're Director Lennon's direct subordinate and we've met before, there wouldn't be a major conflict between us. Besides, aren't you known as Lennon's right-hand man?”
Brown waved his hands as if embarrassed.
“A person of your caliber comes to protect me. But you're not just protecting me, but others as well. In that case, it's natural to think of it as surveillance, not protection. What do you think? Is that enough of an explanation?"
At Chapman's explanation, Brown felt a chill run down his spine. This was no simple deduction.
Scattered facts were being woven together through his mouth into one inevitable conclusion.
"...You're amazing. Both you and Artistea."
Receiving Brown's praise, Chapman was actually a little disappointed in him.
"Thank you. Though now I'm at a level where I can't even understand Arti, so I'd say Arti is more amazing than I am."
'Is this all Lennon's right-hand man amounts to?'
Hiding his inner thoughts, Chapman turned his gaze to Brown's subordinates.
“By the way, are these guys your subordinates? I thought you came alone.”
When Ben, looking at the rearview mirror, was about to say, "Ah... I'm...," Brown stopped him by tapping the back of the driver's seat with his hand.
Chapman chose silence, but crossed his arms and looked out the window, showing his displeasure.
'Acting so difficult.'
Ben awkwardly changed his excited expression back to a serious one and focused on driving.
“This is Agent Ben Carter. We've known each other for a long time, you could call him my right arm.”
The rearview mirror reflected Ben's face twitching with pleasure at Brown's words.
'Is he happy about a comment like that...?'
Completely unaware of Chapman's inner thoughts, Brown continued to speak in a polite manner.
“That friend, Manuel, he looked East Asian. Am I right?”
Chapman was weighing them on his personal scale.
“Yes, I heard his father is Chinese. Is... is there a problem...?”
'He's not getting angry. That cautious attitude...'
“No, I'm not a racist. I just found it interesting that a white guy, an Asian guy, and a black guy are all on one team.”
Having sized them up to some extent, Chapman lost interest and leaned his head against the window.
“Haha, we were like that at first, too. Ben was particularly fascinated when Manuel joined.”
“Right, it's just interesting, not special. We are all human, after all.”
Chapman gave a dry reply, his head still against the window.
People liked it when a genius like Chapman acted friendly by saying he wasn't special.
It was a piece of wisdom Chapman had learned as he got older.
And making an enemy of Lennon was a foolish thing to do.
“Are you saying that compared to you, Doctor, we are all ordinary humans...?”
Brown looked rather surprised.For a moment, Chapman was about to say yes.
“No, not me. It would be more correct to say, compared to Artistea now...”
Brown said nothing.
Ben, who had been quietly holding the steering wheel and watching for cues, finally found an opportunity to join the conversation.
"Um... but I won't be going into the lecture hall.”
Surprised, Brown looked at Ben's eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Hm? Why not? Just listening to Dr. Chapman's lecture is a huge opportunity.”
'He certainly knows how to lay on the flattery. Does this mean he respects me that much?'
Chapman opened his mouth and stared at the scenery.
He didn't want to look like he was paying attention to their conversation.
“Someone has to be in contact with the outside.”
The words were professional, a contrast to Ben's somewhat naive appearance.
“I need to be in touch with Manuel, who went to investigate the hotel, and someone needs to be outside to act on your orders from inside the lecture hall. I'll wait in the car for now.”
'That one's a very diligent type. Easy to boss around.'
Brown looked at Ben with narrowed eyes.
“Excellent, Carter.”
Chapman, dropping his head from the window, gave Ben an exaggerated compliment.
“Thank you!”
Chapman smiled at the cheerfully beaming Ben.
“Hmph, alright. Missing an opportunity like this. Still, that's an excellent attitude for an agent, Ben.”
At Brown's praise, Ben momentarily looked like a lord who had just been granted a fiefdom before returning to his professional expression.
But Ben's next words quickly turned Brown's smile into embarrassment.
“Oh, right... Um... Uh... C-could I possibly borrow... three pounds? I haven't had a chance to exchange my money yet..."
Chapman couldn't help but let out a laugh at Ben's cute, mood-ruining remark.
Cracks were starting to form in Brown's face like a breached dam.
Ben glanced at Brown but never made eye contact.
"Ah, right. You must be hungry, and I ate your sandwich this morning... You should have taken the money when I offered it earlier."
For Chapman, anything that could be solved with money was a non-issue.
"No, no, no! I could never accept that much money. If word got out that a CIA agent took a bribe, I'd be fired."
Chapman felt the corners of his mouth lift on their own.
'Can't help but tease a guy like this.'
"Haha, there's only the three of us here, who's going to see? Or perhaps, is the CIA salary that small?”
Brown deftly handled Chapman's joke.
“Should I ask the Director for a raise for you, Ben?"
As Brown smiled and looked at Ben, Ben waved his hands and began to explain what a great job the CIA was.
'Looks like Lennon really is scary.'
"Alright, alright. I'm just kidding. Agent Ben, thank you for coming today. Take this and get something to eat while you wait.”
Chapman took a 50-pound note from his wallet and pressed it into Ben's hand.
“Agent Brown probably hasn't eaten either, so if you don't mind, please get some snacks for us to share. I'll treat you guys to a delicious meal after the lecture, so don't eat too much."
Ben, at a loss, looked at Brown, who nodded to give his permission.
"I'm fine, sir. Thank you for the lecture and the invitation to dinner, I don't know how to thank you.”
'If I tease him any more, Ben's going to get in more trouble.'
Chapman's interest in them vanished, as if he'd just come back from the bathroom.
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“Ben, you go eat first, and like you said, wait for Manuel's call in the car.”
'Definitely. This one's no fun.'
Chapman felt as if someone was telling him bitter medicine was good for his health, forcing his mouth open and pouring it in.
“Don't go wandering around the school talking to students."
Ben answered cheerfully even as Brown spouted nagging remarks like a teacher during exam season.
"Yes, sir!"
Soon, the car stopped in front of the university entrance.
Unlike the bustling city of London, they were greeted by stately stone buildings and spires that seemed to pierce the sky.
Students on bicycles crossed the lawns between old, ivy-covered university buildings.
As he thought about setting foot in his alma mater for the first time in a long while, a storm of complex emotions swirled inside Chapman.
The bitterness he felt during his time here, and the arrogant satisfaction of returning as the world's greatest genius. He hid all these emotions.
Above the entrance to the building housing the Chancellor's office was the emblem of Oxford. Chapman pointed to it.
"See that school emblem up there? Three crowns and an open book. It's the symbol of this university.”
Brown followed his gaze, looked at the emblem for a moment, and then asked.
“There's Latin written in the book. What does it mean?”
“Dominus illuminatio mea. It means 'The Lord is my light.' Of course, most students graduate without even knowing what it means."
Chapman felt a sense of triumph from explaining something most people didn't know, and his mood lifted.
Brown looked up at the emblem once more, seemed lost in thought for a moment, and then said softly.
"The Lord is my light... It suits you, Doctor, who called Artistea a savior.”
At Brown's meaningful words, Chapman just offered a faint smile instead of a reply.
Fortunately, the lecture was at 10, and it was now a little before 9.
Brown and Chapman entered the building.
The smell of old books and wood hit Chapman's nose.
The creaking floorboards, the unfamiliar portraits on the walls, and the faint sunlight filtering through the windowpanes.
Everything was exactly as it had been when he left more than 10 years ago.
The Chancellor's office was at the end of the corridor on the top floor.
Just as Chapman was about to knock on the firmly closed door, it opened, and a man with a full head of white hair appeared.
It was Peter Raymond, the current Chancellor of Oxford University.
"Oh, Demi! You're finally here!"
Raymond rushed to Chapman with exaggerated gestures and hugged him.
"It's so hard to get a glimpse of you now that you're a global star!"
Chapman showed no movement, accepting his intense embrace.
"It's been a while, Professor. Or should I call you Chancellor now?"
As Raymond released the hug, Chapman responded with his characteristic sarcastic tone.
"Yes, I've made it big too. Not as big as you, though. Haha.”
Brown's brow furrowed slightly at Chapman's pointed greeting, but Raymond just burst into a hearty laugh as if he understood everything.
“If you had supported my research just a little more back then, my glory would have also been yours, Chancellor. A bit of a pity, isn't it?”
He felt like he was drinking a fine, aged wine.
The sound of Brown swallowing beside him was the perfect pairing.
As if to change the mood, Raymond turned his gaze to Brown.
"And who is this gentleman?"
At Raymond's question, Brown stepped forward to introduce himself.
"It's an honor to meet you, Chancellor. My name is Henry Brown. I'm..."
Before Brown could state his affiliation, Chapman cut him off.
"He's a very skilled surveillance agent, dispatched by the U.S. government to protect me."
At his words, Brown's face flushed slightly.
'A pity I couldn't show you me getting back at him for you, Ben.'
Seeing this, Raymond burst out laughing with Chapman.
"Hahaha! You really have become a big shot, haven't you!"
"So, are the preparations for today's lecture going well?"
When Chapman asked, his smile gone, Raymond gestured for him to wait and then called someone on the intercom.
A moment later, a young female student with a visibly nervous expression entered.
"This is Emma, the student representative who will be assisting with your lecture today."
"Emma Grace. It's an honor to meet you, Doctor."
"Grace, you say? Haha, she has the same first and last name as my wife."
At Chapman's joke, Emma, unsure how to react, just blushed and lowered her head.
Brown approached her and gave a slight bow.
Raymond offered the tea he had prepared to the group and said to Emma.
"Now, Emma. Please explain today's lecture to the Doctor."
With trembling hands, Emma turned on the tablet she had brought.
She kept her eyes fixed on the screen, unable to meet Chapman's gaze, and barely managed to speak.
"Yes, Doctor. Today's lecture... will begin at 10 a.m. sharp and will last for about an hour on a topic of your choice. Afterwards, there will be a 30-minute discussion with myself and four other student representatives here, based on pre-selected questions."
"Questions? What kind of questions?"
Chapman asked with interest.
"Ah... well... They are questions that go beyond the technical aspects of Artistea, about the social and ethical changes it will bring. For example, measures for when AI replaces human jobs, or copyright issues for works created by AI."
Although Emma's voice was nervous and trailed off, Chapman heard every word clearly.
"Hah. Quite grandiose questions for mere students."
Emma's face turned even paler at Chapman's sarcastic remark.
Chancellor Raymond gently interjected on her behalf.
"Our students these days have a lot on their minds. Thanks to the Artistea you created. They seem to be worried about how the world will change and how they should live in it."
Raymond's words, spoken as if it were someone else's problem, grated on Chapman's nerves.
"Is that so? Fine. I'll take any question. This should be fun."
Chapman smiled confidently and took a sip of the black tea Raymond had poured for him.
“Um… the rehearsal…”
Chapman heard Emma's trembling voice and stopped her with his hand, a playful smile on his face.
"It's alright, lovely Miss Grace. I've given countless lectures like this. No need for a rehearsal."
Emma could only blush at the sudden joke.
Chapman wondered if the way Brown looked at him had changed. Raymond, as if he knew Chapman's antics well, chuckled and said to Emma.
"Right, right. Dr. Chapman has been at this school longer than you have, so you don't need to worry about lecture preparations. Go ahead and finish organizing things. We'll be along shortly."
"Yes, Chancellor."
As Emma carefully left the room, Raymond gestured to Chapman.
"Well, let's get going, shall we?"
Walking out of the Chancellor's office and down the old stone corridor, Chapman gazed at the view of Oxford outside the window.
Raymond said softly.
"It's an old tradition, so nothing has changed."
"It must be nice to be a student. I didn't have these kinds of worries back then."
Chapman looked around, watching the students as if lost in memories.
"You think so? You're the person those students admire and envy the most right now."
At Raymond's praise, Chapman glanced at him and said sarcastically.
"But you didn't, Professor."
Raymond stopped walking.
The smile vanished from his face.
"...What's the point of talking about the past? Do you want an apology from me?"
Raymond, having finally fallen into the trap Chapman had set, dropped his previous demeanor and spoke sternly.
"I wonder? It wasn't your fault that you told only Song Joo-eun about the path to America. It wasn't your fault that you repeatedly rejected my research funding, nor was it your fault that I couldn't become a tenured professor. That's right, isn't it?"
Chapman didn't stop, firing off words he had held back for years.
'The purpose of this lecture has been perfectly achieved.'
At his sharp words, Brown's face, standing next to them, hardened once more.
'Is his respect for me starting to crack? It's all over his face.'
After a moment of silence, Raymond let out a deep sigh and said.
"...Alright, alright. I was wrong. I couldn't help it back then."
Receiving the apology didn't make him particularly happy.
Seeing the Chancellor cower before his fame was a pleasant sight, but he hated that Brown was seeing it.
It was Brown who broke the suffocating atmosphere.
"It seems to be over there."
Where Brown pointed, students and staff were busy preparing for the lecture.
"O-over here!"
Emma waved upon spotting Chapman's group.
Emma held the door for them as they entered the lecture hall.
A wide, steep, tiered lecture hall unfolded before them.
Many students were already moving about busily.
On the podium, a few students were checking the Artistea-installed computer and a large screen, while a camera crew adjusted angles between the stairs.
"Oh, it's Dr. Chapman!"
Charlie, who was holding a camera at the top of the lecture hall, shouted upon seeing them.
At the sound, all the students' eyes turned to him at once.
Chapman, as if enjoying the attention, smiled leisurely and waved.
"Hello!"
Lily and Sophia, who had run down from the podium, greeted him.
"Are the preparations all done?"
Emma asked, and Sophia, with her brilliant blonde hair, answered confidently.
"Yep, almost finished. Mics and cameras are good to go. We can start letting people in 20 minutes before."
Lily, a short-haired girl with glasses, added.
"Artistea is working perfectly, too. Now we just need you to check your lecture materials, Doctor."
"My lecture materials are on the cloud. Will the internet connection be okay?"
"Yes, of course. I'm Sophia Philips, and this is Lily Ramsey. The one with the camera is Charlie Mason. We're in charge of the proceedings.”
Sophia, introducing her group with a cocky posture, didn't seem to regard Chapman as particularly important.
'They sure are listing names I'm just going to forget anyway.'
To Chapman, she and the other junior students looked like street signs. As long as the lights came on at the right time, it didn't matter who they were.
But Chapman could be charming to anyone whenever he wanted.
“It's a real honor to see your lecture in person, Dr. Chapman."
"My, my, everyone's calling me an honor. Perhaps I should change my name to 'Honor'."
Chapman's joke elicited pleasant laughter from the students.
When it was time for the lecture, Chapman went up to the podium and took the microphone.
Before him were hundreds of students looking at him with awe, and dozens of camera lenses pointed at him.
'I'm getting used to this kind of attention.'
Chapman looked at his watch and then addressed the audience.
"Good morning, everyone. I am Demisass Chapman. I want to start by saying how truly happy I am to be meeting you all at my alma mater."
A thunderous cheer erupted.
He was the pride of the school, a living legend who would surely be added to the list of great Britons.
"Today, I'm going to talk about Artistea, something I'm sure you're all curious about. There might be some overlap with what I've said on other programs, but you can forgive me for that, right?"
Cheerful laughter broke out from the audience.
On stage, Chapman was always the winner.
He spoke of his memories with Chancellor Raymond, explaining why he came to dream of an 'artistic idea', and how it became the future of humanity, made of '0s and 1s'.
He demonstrated the many functions of Artistea one by one, like a magician performing tricks.
The audience was completely mesmerized by his every gesture and word.
The lecture passed in a flash, and finally, it was time for the Q&A session.
"Who came up with the name Artistea?"
At the question from a muscular male student who looked like an athlete, Chapman paused for a moment and smiled.
"Dr. Song Joo-eun and I created it together. I said, 'AI will make artists of all mankind,' and she replied, 'That's a very fine idea.' In that moment, without prompting, we both exclaimed at the same time.”
There was nothing as convenient as Song Joo-eun's name for eroding the negative public perception of Chapman.
“An ARTIS ic Id EA!”
As Chapman finished speaking, the letters ARTISTEA lit up in red.
“Pretty clever, right?"
The students marveled at the realization that the name Artistea was a play on AI (Artificial Intelligence).
This time, a female student in an oversized hoodie and a chain necklace, reminiscent of a hip-hop musician, raised her hand.
"Doctor, you said 'collaboration' is important, but couldn't Artistea replace all collaboration?"
A murmur went through the hall at the sharp question, but Chapman answered leisurely, unfazed.
"An excellent question. But Arti cannot 'replace' humans. It can only 'help'."
He had heard the argument that Artistea devalued humans countless times.
Chapman always had a logic ready that was difficult for others to refute.
He pointed to the two students who had asked questions.
"Now, let's say we have an Arsenal fan here and a Tottenham fan here, and they're on a date. The next day is an England national team match. What should the two of them do to make this date a success?”
In football-loving England, the rivalry between Arsenal and Tottenham was very famous.
“The key here is this: neither the club you love, nor the person you love, can be 'replaced'.”
It was the kind of story people would like.
Chapman believed most humans tended to overestimate their own value.
There was no way those people, who didn't even know what they liked or what they could do, were better than Artistea.
He was just saying nice things to reinforce his positive public image.
Not that he had any intention of diminishing Artistea's capabilities to salvage the pride of those fools.
“Artistea respects your opinions and simply suggests the best options so that the two of you can collaborate without fighting. Shall we take a look?"
He promptly asked Artistea a question about the situation.
<...This is truly remarkable. Romeo and Juliet loved each other despite their families' opposition, but you are trying to give up what you have loved most for someone you love even more!>
The audience burst into appreciative laughter as Artistea compared the love of two rival fans to Romeo and Juliet.
Next, a list of 'Things Not to Say' appeared on the screen.
The specific example sent the hall into an uproar of laughter.
<...How about you try insulting me instead to move the conversation forward?>
The laughter grew even louder as Artistea finished with self-deprecating humor.
“The most regrettable thing for me in America was that they call it football but run around holding the ball with their hands.”
Laughter erupted from the students once again.
“I heard you’re from Liverpool, Doctor!”
A male student in a university football uniform shouted through the laughter.
“That's right. But I grew up in London after leaving Liverpool. I'll leave it to your imagination which team I support.”
“Crystal Palace!!”
“Chelsea!!!”
“West Ham!!”
“You idiot, why else would the Doctor talk about Arsenal and Tottenham? It's one of the two. And if so, it's obviously Arsenal. You think it's Tottenham?”
“What?!!”
Chapman smiled with satisfaction at the students' passionate response.
The lecture hall was filled with an uplifting feeling, like the awe of looking at the world from the highest mountain.
This was his playground, where he could most easily prove he was the best.
“I'd like to tell you the answer, but it seems like those two will fight if I do, so I'll leave it in the realm of speculation.”
Groans of disappointment came from the students, but Chapman just laughed it off.
“Doctor!! Then, can we find out by asking Artistea?”
A female student's voice cut through the crowd's murmuring and flew into Chapman's ear.
“Ah! An excellent question. I'll have to edit my search results so it doesn't show which team I support.”
The students once again laughed hysterically, as if watching the most hilarious comedy show.
The lecture was a complete success.
Everyone in Chapman's sight was now smiling.
It seemed like a good time to wrap things up.
"Alright, everyone, please quiet down. Any more questions?"
Just as he was about to conclude the lecture, he saw a female student, who had been unnoticed until then, quietly raising her hand.
She was an East Asian student with a hood pulled down low, making her face hard to see.
Chapman casually pointed to her.
"Hello, my name is Shi Haiyan from the Department of International Diplomacy. Is it impossible for Artistea to lie?"
"A good question. That's right. It cannot lie."
This had been a topic of numerous discussions regarding Artistea's response methods.
He remembered the days of debating with Song Joo-eun about what a lie is and how to explain it.
"In that case, is it impossible to use it for deepfake technology that falsifies another person's face? For example, synthesizing a celebrity's face onto an inappropriate video."
At the appearance of the unexpected word, the cheerful atmosphere instantly turned cold.
The laughter from moments ago died down, and all eyes were fixed between her and Chapman.
Chapman felt uncomfortable, as if he were being challenged.
He couldn't let her ruin the good mood he had created.
"Haha, student. You're not planning on trying that, are you? Artistea is ethically outstanding. Of course, it's possible within legal bounds.”
Chapman wagged his index finger and winked at the students.
“Artistea is artistic, after all."
But despite Chapman's witty explanation, Shi Haiyan did not back down.
"What if I ask it to synthesize the face of an acquaintance or a family member, not a celebrity?"
'Family...?'
The moment that word struck Chapman's mind, something inside his head snapped.
'Huh...? Did I miss something...?'
What happened at the hotel this morning.
The faces of his daughters, smiling at him, contained in the USB drive.
Chapman looked at Brown. They had all checked it together.
'Right, that can't be it. No... but still... what if...'
The audience began to murmur as Chapman suddenly fell silent and started muttering to himself.
At that moment, Brown, who was sitting below the podium, jumped onto the stage.
He snatched the microphone from Chapman's hand and spoke instead.
"Hello, I'm Henry Brown, Dr. Chapman's assistant. Miss Shi Haiyan, that's an excellent question.”
Chapman felt his whole body go weak and leaned on Brown for support.
"The fastest way to get that answer would be to ask Arti directly."
With one hand, Brown signaled for Charlie, who was filming, to stop, and quickly wrapped up the lecture.
"Well, thank you everyone for participating in today's lecture! This concludes our session!"
With Brown's shout, Chancellor Raymond, Emma, and the other students all came up on stage.
"Demi! What's wrong! Are you alright!"
Despite Chapman's scathing criticism, Raymond ignored it and checked on his condition.
But Chapman, as if he couldn't hear anything, continued to mutter something, completely dazed.
"We should probably take him to the infirmary first!"
At Sophia's shout, Brown made an instant decision.
"Charlie, give me a hand! We need to help the Doctor."
"Y-yes, sir!"
Brown and Charlie supported the dazed Chapman, draping his arms over their shoulders.
Emma quickly led the way, shouting.
"I'll lead the way! This way!"
Lily and Sophia blocked the other students to clear a path for Chapman.
As Chapman left the lecture hall, Lily and Sophia followed, and Emma closed the door behind them.
The corridor to the infirmary felt unusually long.
Chapman kept muttering things like 'No... it can't be...' in a barely audible voice.
"Has the Doctor ever been like this before?"
Charlie asked Brown, sweating profusely with a worried look on his face.
"No, this is the first time I've seen him like this."
Brown replied, checking Chapman's breathing.
Just then, Emma, who was leading the way, turned around and said.
"Are you two okay? We're almost there. The infirmary is just around that corner."
Her voice held not only worry but also a firm determination to resolve the situation somehow.
When Charlie's eyes met hers, he nodded without realizing it.
As Brown's group entered the infirmary, the medic rushed out, startled by the sudden crowd.
When he recognized the dazed man sitting on the bed as Demisass Chapman, his face turned pale.
Brown spoke to him curtly, "A sedative, please," and then turned to the students.
"Lily, Sophia. Can you two go back to the lecture hall, report the situation to Chancellor Raymond, and tell the other students that everything's fine?”
Brown skillfully took control of the situation, giving precise instructions to the students in a gentle tone.
"Yes, sir!"
As the two students ran off, Brown turned his gaze to Emma and Charlie.
"Charlie. I need the original footage from today's recording. And Emma, please help him send that footage to this address."
The two students' eyes widened when they saw 'Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)' written on the business card Brown handed them.
Their faces were a mix of excitement and tension.
"This... is a secret between us. Understood?"
At Brown's low warning, Emma and Charlie nodded vigorously and left the infirmary.
He worried what Director Lennon would say if she found out that an intelligence agent, who shouldn't carelessly disclose his information, had revealed his identity to civilians, but it was the best option for now.
As the students left with worried expressions, Brown looked at Chapman with concern.
“Are you alright, Doctor?”
Brown asked in a worried tone.
“Laptop… USB…”
Chapman's muttered, unintelligible words began to make sense.
Brown immediately took out his phone and called Ben.
He deliberately put the call on speakerphone.
It was to calm Chapman down.
At Ben's clueless voice, Chapman suddenly lifted his head, glared at Brown's phone, and shouted.
"Manuel! Where's Manuel!"
Brown calmly reassured Chapman and continued the call.
"Ben, calm down and listen to me. Check if you can get in touch with Manuel right now. And the Doctor's laptop, where is it now?"
"Right, check and call me back immediately."
Brown hung up and looked at the dazed Chapman.
"Doctor, we were surprised when you suddenly collapsed. Are you feeling any better? Did something about the laptop and the USB come to mind?"
"The... video... USB... could it be... deepfake... then... security... the driver installation screen that pops up when you plug in the USB... could that have been a hacking program?"
Brown's expression hardened as he pieced together Chapman's words.
Being knowledgeable about computers, he immediately understood what Chapman meant.
"...Are you suspecting a backdoor program?"
Brown felt a chill run down his spine.
A backdoor program.
It was a secret passage that could bypass all normal authentication procedures and allow stealthy access through the system's back door.
Once that passage was opened, it was only a matter of time before even the strongest fortress walls crumbled from within.
"...Are you suspecting that Agent Manuel is the culprit?"
"I don't know. I was out of it then... but... that laptop, I think it looked exactly like mine..."
Brown blamed his own carelessness.
He should have checked more carefully.
"But Doctor, isn't that a common laptop design? Didn't you have any security measures in place?"
"Who would dare touch my computer! What if... Arti's blueprints... no, I did encrypt them, but... my family..."
Every word was a struggle. Anyone could see that Chapman was in a serious condition.
"I want to trust my men. Ben has been my partner for a long time, and Manuel was a competent agent with no issues. And didn't you say your daughters were just playing a prank?"
Chapman was slightly moved by Brown's trust in his subordinates.
"Yes... I did... but... what if... just what if..."
Just as Chapman was about to say more, Brown's phone rang again. It was Ben.
"Alright, good work. Bring the car to the main gate of the university right now. We'll be there shortly."
Brown hung up and said to the still-anxious Chapman.
"Let's go, Doctor. We can confirm things when we meet Manuel."
Chapman finally let out a sigh of relief and nodded.
But as he tried to stand, his legs gave way and he staggered.
Brown supported him.
In Brown's supporting touch, and in his gaze, Chapman read a complex emotion.
It was not simple pity.
It was the kind of look that mixed the curiosity and wariness of observing an incomprehensible being.
Brown slowly walked Chapman to the university's main gate.
Many students and professors they encountered on the way recognized them and offered help, but Brown politely declined.
The whole way, Chapman anxiously repeated that he was sorry to Brown and that he had to see Manuel.
When they arrived at the main gate, a bewildered Ben greeted them.
As soon as Chapman saw the car, he urged him to go to the hotel.
On the way to the university, they had enjoyed the beautiful scenery and chatted.
But now, leaving the university, only a heavy silence filled the car.
Chapman just stared blankly out the window, thinking.
'This school and I really don't get along.'
While he turned his back on his alma mater, Brown secretly sent a short message to his colleagues in the U.S. He had to confirm the whereabouts of Chapman's family as soon as possible and report a situation that could become an international issue.
As soon as they arrived back at the hotel, Chapman opened the car door before it was even parked and ran to the lobby.
Brown left Ben to handle the car and quickly followed him.
"Excuse me! Do you know where a hotel employee named 'Chapman' is talking to a man in a black suit right now!"
Chapman grabbed a front desk clerk and asked, panting.
The clerk looked bewildered at his desperate appearance.
"What? Chapman? Sir, we don't have any employees with that name. Are you sure you have the name right?"
At the clerk's reply, Chapman collapsed right where he stood.
He realized that everything, from beginning to end, had been an elaborate trap set for him.