Ch.3232. El-Rena’s Irritation

I walked out of the quarantine zone with Lu-a, and we decided to stop by a certain place.

It wasn’t far. The orphanage.

“What? Is this really it?”

Lu-a looked puzzled. The orphanage was located in a secluded area, slightly uphill from the lake.

The building wasn’t small, but its exterior was worn down—a place whose purpose couldn’t be determined just by looking at it.

“It’s so run-down.”

“That’s what makes it authentic.”

I approached the building, climbed up the railing at the back, and gestured for Lu-a to follow. As she climbed up after me,

her expression changed when she looked through the window into the interior.

“Wow.”

Unlike its abandoned exterior, the inside was clean and modern. It was no less impressive than any high-end private elementary school.

“It’s a place with many children. If the exterior looked luxurious, it would easily become a target for crime. In a city like this, it’s deliberately designed to be inconspicuous.”

“I see. Do you know the director?”

“A little, from before.”

“Hmm.”

While Lu-a was looking around, her eyes met with a child’s. She was startled, but the child happily ran toward her, pressing a palm against the window.

Lu-a hesitated for a moment before placing her palm against the child’s through the window.

It was time to head back. As we watched the sun slowly descending, Lu-a spoke up.

“That child had such tiny hands.”

“Of course they would.”

“…Want to compare yours with mine, Geo?”

“What for?”

“Just do it.”

Lu-a held out her palm to me. Was this another competition? I extended my palm in front of hers. Lu-a pressed her hand against mine.

“It’s big.”

“I suppose so.”

Lu-a wore a curious smile and stood like that for a while.

“This counts too, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just talking to myself.”

Lu-a flashed a toothy grin, then spun around and started walking.

◈ ◈ ◈

“Reporting from Genmur Corporation. Fourth quarter sales are expected to close with a 22.7 percent increase compared to last year…”

“Reporting from Yggdrasil Corporation. The affiliate listing has been perfectly executed as per your instructions, Chairman. The parent company’s stake is now…”

A massive conference room. Everyone seated at the table was an executive over 50 years old.

These people in premium suits were all CEOs of major corporations—VIPs who would receive special treatment wherever they went, the highest echelon of society.

Yet all of them showed visible tension on their faces. They wiped sweat with handkerchiefs, drank water repeatedly, and fidgeted with their fingers.

They took turns giving presentations one by one. After each presentation concluded, the person seated at the head of the table would give a slight nod. Only then would the presenter breathe a sigh of relief.

“R-reporting from Smart Drain Corporation. Sales decreased by 42 percent compared to the same period last year, but this is due to the impact of technology investments since the beginning of the year. Development will be completed by the second quarter of next year…”

“Wasn’t it scheduled for completion in the third quarter of this year?”

The CEO of Smart Drain Corporation swallowed hard. The figure at the head of the table quickly scanned through the documents.

“As of this moment, Smart Drain Corporation is expelled from L Corporation. Terminate all funding and recover the investment.”

“Ch-Chairman! Please!”

The CEO of Smart Drain Corporation fell to his knees right there. It was a death sentence. In an instant, his company was finished, and he was destined to be buried under a mountain of debt.

He was dragged away by guards before he could even beg properly. None of the other CEOs spared him a glance. They knew well that if they upset the chairman, they would be next.

“Next.”

A cold voice that pierced everyone’s heart.

In the current era, where government authority had gradually diminished due to the Hero Association, villains, and the subsequent war with the Dark Kingdom,

the queen of the business world was effectively ruling this country. Everyone had to grovel before Yoo Cha-mi, the chairwoman of L Corporation.

After the year-end reports finally concluded and Yoo Cha-mi left the conference room first, the CEOs let out sighs of relief.

“Immediate execution if results aren’t delivered.”

“Can’t be helped. We’re all subsidiaries of L Corporation. We’re dead without their funding.”

“I don’t know how long we can hold out. It’s been four years since Chairman Yoo took office, and even though she’s the former chairman’s granddaughter…”

“That’s what makes her scarier. Originally, she had no succession rights as an illegitimate child with no proper lineage.”

“She rose to the top purely on ability, breaking through all the family infighting…”

“We just have to endure. This city runs on money anyway.”

After exchanging a few words, the CEOs rose from their seats. Today again, they exhaled what remained of their souls and shortened lifespans with each breath.

Yoo Cha-mi walked down the corridor after leaving the conference room.

“We’ll escort you.”

Two men in suits attached themselves to her side and walked with her. Heroes in suits. Both A-rank.

They were idiots forcibly assigned by the Association President who wanted to establish connections with her.

They were crew members of Green Nature, if she recalled correctly.

Suppressing her rising irritation, Yoo Cha-mi entered the VIP elevator. It was refreshing with glass on all sides.

Seoul came into view at a glance.

The tallest building in the city. The very symbol of wealth and power.

As the elevator descended toward the ground,

Yoo Cha-mi witnessed the clouds in the sky splitting apart.

“Oh?”

It was a disgusting sight.

Combat monster soldiers were jumping to the ground from a Galaxy Empire assault airship that appeared suddenly.

And it was happening right above her head.

“Chairman! It’s dangerous!”

“We’ll protect you!”

The two heroes blocked Yoo Cha-mi’s path from both sides. As if such close proximity would have any effect in this cramped elevator.

Yoo Cha-mi wasn’t foolish enough to not realize they were pressing against her with impure intentions.

Finding it repulsive to even breathe in their exhalations, she opened her fan to cover her mouth. Her irritation finally reached its threshold.

“You two, what are your names?”

“Ah, A-rank hero, Water Master!”

“I’m Sand Bomb!”

The men turned to Yoo Cha-mi with silly grins, forgetting their escort duty. Yoo Cha-mi shook her head.

“No aesthetics in your names. Enough. Now, ‘burst.'”

Splash!

Blood spurted from the temples of the two heroes.

Two corpses collapsed, decorating the elevator walls with red paint.

Yoo Cha-mi activated her facial recognition interference equipment and began unbuttoning her stained suit coat one by one.

Beneath it revealed a violent figure in a neat uniform.

Yoo Cha-mi, no.

E.lena licked her lips.

“How dare they turn my nest into a filthy mess.”

Her eyes reflected light contempt.

“‘Shatter.'”

The elevator glass broke apart. E.lena jumped outside without hesitation.

Gravitational acceleration enveloped her. Violent wind shot through her ears.

Just before gravity and concrete would tear her soft flesh to pieces.

“‘Decelerate.'”

Her body slowed down. She landed on the ground as lightly as a feather.

E.lena looked at the monsters with her long eyelashes lowered.

How disgusting.

I promise.

Not a single one will enter this place. I will take all their lives right here.

As she was about to speak those words—

Boom!

Something fell in front of her, raising a cloud of dust.

“Apocalypse.”

[REV■■ATIO■]

“War’s crimson.”

[■E■LUM■UBER]

The red dragon that appeared instantly began bursting through the monsters.

“Geo, you’re too excited! We should fight together!”

“Haha. We’ve been idle for days because of that damn sloth, so let me have this much.”

Dark Matter and Vengeance members landed next. They began enthusiastically exterminating the monsters as if E.lena wasn’t even there.

E.lena looked up with an unpleasant expression. There was static noise in the clear sky.

‘Optical camouflage? On a ship that size?’

Optical camouflage was still in development among all L.Corporation subsidiaries. Even then, it was only sized for suits. Not even at the practical application stage.

How could a fledgling organization like Vengeance have such technology?

E.lena was concerned.

‘To catch my attention like this.’

It was extremely vexing how he dared to invade her thoughts so freely.

Gerogius.

What exactly was that man who had been an eyesore since their first meeting?

“Geo.”

E.lena decided to bestow her grace.

She called Gerogius calmly.

However, ignoring E.lena’s call, Gerogius remained focused on hunting monsters.

E.lena crossed her arms and tapped her high-heeled foot impatiently.

“Hey, Geo!”

Only when she raised her voice did Gerogius turn his head.

“Hmm? It’s E.lena. Ah. So this is where it was. L Corporation headquarters.”

E.lena was getting increasingly irritated.

Why did this man speak as if he knew everything?

The Skylens Project, into which she had poured everything.

The Galaxy Empire that was supposed to invade on day 30, not day 50.

Even his tone suggested he might know her identity as Yoo Cha-mi, the chairwoman of L Corporation.

Though many organization executives and company officials knew about the close organic relationship between the Holy Tree and L Corporation.

“Come here. I have something to ask you.”

“I’m busy now. Make it quick.”

Gerogius stood before E.lena. He still had that large, sturdy physique.

“How did you know about the Galaxy Empire’s invasion date?”

“Is that all you want to ask?”

What an irritating man. E.lena raised the corner of her eyebrow.

“Judging by that expression, I guess not. Don’t worry. From what I see, the Skylens must be here, and you came out to protect it. Vengeance was planning to handle all the monsters anyway. Leave it to us.”

E.lena didn’t like having to use her brain resources to understand Gerogius’s true intentions in this situation.

Because the Skylens wasn’t here at the headquarters building.

Yet Gerogius spoke fluently as if he had read that too.

“It’s not here? Well. I don’t know everything. I only know what I know.”

He was becoming increasingly infuriating. E.lena wanted to subjugate him.

“Geo. ‘Kneel.'”

E.lena waved her fan at Gerogius and commanded with her “Word Authority.”

But.

“……”

Gerogius remained standing firmly in place.

“I’ll be going now.”

Watching Gerogius’s back as he rushed toward the monsters again, E.lena made up her mind.

“Geo. I will definitely kill you myself.”