Chapter 120.1

Chapter 120 – Rule 31: The Leader Restores Order in Academy City (22)

Central Tower, deep underground.

Lee Jung-mi, along with the remaining members of the Do-hwa Group, were fleeing with the Head Principal, who was in pain, and the unconscious Son Ye-seo.

‘Regrouping quickly is the best way to help Se-Ah.’

The Head Principal was in a state of urgency.

‘We need to get through here quickly, or the escape route might be cut off… Otherwise, we’d have to wait until the battle ends and pass through the exposed, wasteland-like Center Area. If that happens, we won’t be able to evade Ahn Woo-jin…!’

They had to get through the escape route quickly.

They simply didn’t have the confidence to escape while avoiding Woo-jin.

As they ran, aided by the Do-hwa Group members—

“Where are you rushing off to?”

Inside the escape route.

A girl in a straitjacket, having regained the use of her limbs, blocked their way.

Behind her was a mechanical wall, sealing off the entire escape route, one they had never seen before.

The Head Principal scowled fiercely as she recognized the familiar girl.

“Moon Chae-won… Why are you here…?”

“The Disciplinary Committee Leader of Ahsung High wiped out all the dangerous people here~ So I just waltzed in~.”

Moon Chae-won, who was blocking the escape route, giggled playfully.

“But wow…! Head Principal, what happened to you!? You got completely trashed! So, this is what happens to you in the end, huh? Oh, our master must be thrilled! Ah~, I’m starting to really like Ahn Woo-jin…!”

“Moon Chae-won…”

“This is the underground escape route, right? Whew, it’s so deep down here; I was quite impressed! If Woo-jin managed to pull everyone in this far, it would’ve been a disaster, don’t you think?”

“…Move aside.”

“Oh, come on. Can’t you see what’s blocking the way behind me?”

“You… you were just disposable trash from the start…!”

Clang!

Suddenly, the bodies of the Do-hwa Group members, except for Lee Jung-mi, began to swell.

Red magical armor appeared, encasing their bodies.

They glared at Chae-won with feral eyes, growling like beasts.

“Please calm down, Head Principal. We will protect you.”

Jung-mi stepped forward and spoke.

“Moon Chae-won. If you don’t move, we will kill you.”

“You guys… You’re not ordinary humans. That magic isn’t even yours, is it?”

Chae-won smirked.

“The ones fighting outside are completely controlled by that black-haired girl, becoming stronger but turning into mere puppets. You guys aren’t quite there yet, huh? So, you’re weaker?”

“Even so, you cannot defeat us.”

“Yeah, yeah. No more talking, then. So…”

Shiiing.

Chae-won waved her hand in front of her face, and a visor formed over her eyes.

Magic surged, forming mechanical armor around her body. As she assumed a combat stance, a mechanical spear appeared in her hand.

“Let’s enjoy this.”

The smile that had been on Chae-won’s face twisted.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.”

She recalled the desire that had consumed her when she nearly died at Woo-jin’s hands.

— ‘You want revenge, don’t you?’

Just as Woo-jin had said.

Brutally killing the Head Principal.

That hidden desire had sustained Chae-won’s life.

‘My life is truly disgusting. Truly worthless.’

Chae-won let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Woo-jin’s face suddenly came to mind.

She didn’t like him; she even hated him.

But he was a strange man who stirred her heart.

She could now fully understand why Kim Dalbi and Oh Baek-seo were so captivated by Woo-jin.

If she had loved someone like him, maybe her filthy and pathetic life could have felt a little more beautiful.

‘What am I even thinking?’

Chae-won shook off such foolish thoughts and reminded herself of why she was here.

She couldn’t let the Head Principal pass.

The Head Principal’s destination was where Woo-jin was.

‘Hey, Ahn Woo-jin. I’ll make sure the Head Principal doesn’t get through, so rest easy.’

Chae-won decided to stake her life and her desire on Woo-jin.

“Moon Chae-won!!!”

The Head Principal shouted, his face red with fury.

“Hehe!”

Chae-won grinned widely and charged toward the Do-hwa Group members.

Meanwhile, in the Inner World.

“Huff, huff…”

Geumyang and the Golden Sheep of Gravity were standing before the massive Human Tree, which served as the fuel for Se-Ah’s power.

“That thing is really tough!”

Geumyang shouted in frustration.

No matter how much force they exerted, the giant tree wouldn’t budge.

They could only damage the human figures forming the tree trunk, which just left them feeling worse.

[There must be a core somewhere sustaining this tree.]

“You think I don’t know that? But I have no idea where it is…!”

Long, grotesque creatures tried to interfere with Geumyang and the Golden Sheep of Gravity. But with a mere gesture, the Golden Sheep unleashed gravity, slamming the creatures into the ground.

As even stronger gravitational forces descended, the ground warped, shattering the monsters into pieces.

“We don’t have time. We have to do something…!”

Just then.

Step, step.

Someone in a hooded robe began to approach.