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At the laboratory affiliated with the Player Association Satellite Management, an hour after the alarms went off.
The satellite map linked to the Moon Palace was still painted red with warning messages and dangerous areas.
The situation improved compared to when the alarm first sounded, and the frequency of otherworld alerts was reduced.
The otherworlds were steadily being cleared.
Although it was a little later than usual, more teams participated in the fight after hearing media reports and getting contacted by the association.
However, as the attacks continued, players consumed energy waves and got exhausted.
‘It’s a relief that the frozen otherworlds only appeared around Eungwang High. It would’ve been bad if the energy poison spread elsewhere.’
Im Jihwa, the team leader of the satellite management team, sighed with relief as she checked the battlefield.
She couldn’t say that out loud and let Song Daesok hear, as the young student would make a fuss, saying “What’s the relief? Geurin is still inside!”
But from the team leader’s perspective, there was no other emotion to feel but relief.
As she checked the message from the carrier pigeon, Im Jihwa felt a strange sense of incompatibility.
She immediately talked to one of the researchers.
“Please organize a list of teams that participated in the attacks so far.”
“Yes ma’am!”
Soon, a hologram appeared in front of Im Jihwa.
After seeing the list sent by the researcher, Im Jihwa was sure.
As an employee of the association, she was well aware of the exchange and hostility between major player teams.
‘Most of the professional player teams making news of victory are in friendly relations. They’re all near Eungwang High.’
The three teams confirmed to target otherworlds near Eungwang High were Red Lion, Lake of Eternity, and Han River Cycling Team.
Each professional player team has a different size and branding, but most of the teams on the list had ties to those three teams.
They have often collaborated or have personal relationships such as academic ties between members.
But it wasn’t just their connection to the three main teams.
‘Satelite reception isn’t good, and communication problems have occurred in the association and media outlets. There should be fewer people on duty since it’s Christmas Eve, but…’
The teams responded as if they had been waiting.
The same was true of the three major teams that were waiting near Eungwang High and responded right away.
Im Jihwa wondered if the three main teams’ masters predicted this situation.
However, Im Jihwa refuted it to herself.
‘Maybe it’s just a coincidence? Red Lion is there to see Yeom Junyeol and Kwon Jein is there as an honorary teacher. Song Manseok sunbaenim could be there to see Geurin’s exhibition.’
Im Jihwa recalled that the team masters of those teams moved with their members even during the festival.
Looking at the situation, there seem to be more team members present than during the festival, but it could still be a coincidence.
‘Yeah. And if those teams knew, they couldn’t have let these things happen to the students.’
If the teams knew about this mess in advance, they would’ve evacuated Eungwang High students.
In particular, Yeom Bangyeol of the Red Lion wouldn’t have left his son unattended in Eungwang High if he knew that something dangerous was about to happen.
Im Jihwa’s doubts dropped quickly.
Even if someone else gets the same doubts as Im Jihwa, they’re bound to not pursue it since it makes sense that those team masters are present to see their relatives inside the school.
All of this was the result of Jo Euishin’s plan, something that Im Jihwa couldn’t have known.
‘It’s a coincidence and luck that a quick response was possible, but the crisis occurring doesn’t seem like a coincidence.’
Im Jihwa took her eyes off the list and was lost in other thoughts.
The communication failures, the occurring otherworlds, and other phenomenon couldn’t have been coincidental.
Multiple otherworlds occurring could disturb radio waves and result in communication failures, but there were many things strange that bothered Im Jihwa.
‘Maybe it’s Eungwang High that they’re aiming for, whoever is behind this.’
After all, it’s Eungwang High’s boundary that had a problem and the otherworlds occurred near the school’s entrances.
But Im Jihwa had another thing on her mind.
‘This much work and they’re only aiming for Eungwang High?’
Though, of course, Eungwang High was no ordinary school.
It is the best player-specialized school, and there is a royal lineage that operates it.
Looking at each person in the school makes it seem worth it, but in the bigger picture of things, it’s still just a school.
Im Jihwa’s thoughts deepened.
“I have something to say.”
After a long time, Song Daesok opened his mouth to speak.
The student was about to head straight to school after noticing the abnormalities, but he calmly returned to his seat when he realized that the Han River Cycling Team was on the move.
He left the fighting to his grandfather, and Song Daesok decided that he’d do what he could do best.
Since he sat down, Song Daesok has used all the programs he developed to examine Eungwang High.
“I analyzed the convection current and flow around Eungwang High with a simulator, but I found something strange.”
Song Daesok floated a simulation program that display the results.
He explained without any consideration to his listeners as he cited complex figures and data, but the researchers and Im Jihwa managed to understand.
‘He means there’s a big error between the predicted and observed values.’
Song Daesok’s explanation was summarized briefly as follows;
The flow of heat passing through Eungwang High is very different from what’s actually happening.
The wind seems to move slowly only inside Eungwang High.
One researcher was convinced, but he still refuted them.
“Isn’t it an error caused by a problem with the school’s boundary?”
“This is how it looks like if that assumption is made. If you look at the graph’s z-axis…”
Song Daesok explained in length again as if he were talking to himself.
He paid more attention to his answer this time since it was a question raised, but the researchers couldn’t understand him.
Only after Song Daesok finished speaking did Im Jihwa begin to understand.
“Based on Daesok’s calculations, the time inside Eungwang High is flowing ten times slower.”
“Yes, exactly! It fits perfectly with the space-time distortion observed in otherworlds of SSR-rank and above.”
Frustrated by the other researchers not getting it, Song Daseok welcomed Im Jihwa’s words.
He felt up because what he wanted to communicate came across, but his expression soon darkened.
At the end of Song Daesok’s gaze was the analog clock hanging on the wall of the lab.
The clock pointed to more than an hour since his phone call with Min Geurin was cut off.
‘If it’s as Daesok says, the people in Eungwang High experienced ten hours already…!’
The urgency to normalize the boundary and speed up the rescue emerged again, but the association only had a few cards left.
Im Jihwa seriously considered whether to summon her strong dongsaeng Im Yeonhwa who was on a business trip abroad.
Im Yeonhwa must’ve heard the news by now.
“The space-time distortion of SSR-rank otherworlds tends to open up when it’s targeted. They can get rid of the source of power which is equivalent to the floor enemy or boss there!”
“Did you observe the supposed source of that power?”
“It’s still unclear… There’s a cloud in the sky quite far from the surface…”
Song Daesok rambled, unsure of the cloud that was covering Eungwang High from view.
According to him, something big could be happening inside the school, but they have no idea what’s going on inside.
What Song Daesok saw was the miracle made by Yong Jegun, but it was impossible to know for sure from the outside that it was the Cintamani.
At that time, a researcher who was supposed to work outside but was summoned by Im Jihwa urgently returned to the laboratory.
“Team Leader Park must be out of his mind!”
The researcher spoke with a huff as soon as he came in.
The other researchers lamented at the mention of TL Park.
“The situation’s a mess, but he’s brought outsiders into the association.”
“Outsiders?”
Im Jihwa asked back as she held her sigh.
From the researcher’s tone, the outsiders didn’t seem to be related to this incident or visiting the association on official business.
TL Park used the otherworlds occurring outside as an excuse to bring in outsiders.
“The association building is designed to be an emergency shelter, but there are many other shelters around here. There must be a lot of room there, but…”
“Who the hell did he let in? Some high-ranking people?”
“I don’t think so.”
The researcher made a definite conclusion.
“The outsider is TL Park’s girlfriend. I got a glimpse, and she’s pretty enough to take out someone’s soul.”
***
Mt. Cheonik.
Ten hours passed after the incident broke out, but it was still bright.
Although the surroundings were dark because of the clouds and the dense trees, it was much brighter than a usual night.
Since the sun was still up outside the school, it was only natural that it was still light.
Still, the sense of incompatibility was strong.
Since it was still bright, I moved carefully so that I wouldn’t be seen.
‘The clan head of the Long Tail is still here somewhere. If my predictions are right, we won’t bump into each other now, but I have to be careful just in case. There’s a possibility that enemies wandering around the school could come this way.’
After returning to the Jiikhoe Hall with Class 3-0 and the Jiikhoe members, I succeeded in quietly leaving thanks to Professor Ham Geunhyung’s help.
Left alone, I’m on my way to the target place, wearing a crow mask just as I promised to Sidelentium.
‘It’s been ten hours since it snowed. The cold air didn’t penetrate the school as much in PMH, so it would’ve been harder to maintain the snow.’
They may be confused as things aren’t going as planned, but their faith in Black Screen still seems to be intact as snow continues to fall outside the miracle created by Yong Jegun.
I waited for the people behind the snow to weaken.
Because of Yong Jegun’s miracle, the people fighting in and out of the boundary used up their power.
Thanks to everyone’s performance, I was able to save my strength.
There were a few times when I almost used my power, but each time, the people who appeared helped and overcome the crisis.
‘After stopping the snow, I’ll do whatever the silver hero asked me to do…’
While thinking of my next moves, I reached my destination.
Cheondansu.
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