Chapter 14: There Was More Than One Spy

Chapter 14

“People know that guy for scouting talent suitable for his program all over the place, right?”

Indeed, some of the players appearing on the Colosseum program were picked up by a team of professional scouts, including Representative Baek, who went out and found them himself. The occupations of the players they brought in were very diverse. Not only experts in combat but also survival specialists, professional athletes, and even awakened serial killers were sometimes hired from other countries.

There had been controversies, but as the program became a hit, they quickly subsided.

“If they can bring a serial killer onto the program as a player, why not these boys here?”

“Ah, but these boys here are a bit… they’re practically amateurs…”

“Well, the players appearing on the Colosseum usually can solo at least D-rank dungeons, they’re monsters.”

The Colosseum, South Korea’s top program and famous worldwide, had very high standards for its players, befitting its fame. Even if this fight club gathered only the monstrous minors, it was nothing compared to the Colosseum, teeming with monsters.

Of course, there are exceptions.

“But what if it’s Kim Jinsung or Go Junkyung?”

A VIP guest mentioned the two exceptional individuals.

“Those two would definitely make it in the Colosseum. Actually, if you look at the comments during the matches, everyone seems to have a similar opinion.”

“Hmm…”

“Honestly, even if they’re not the top level in the Colosseum, they won’t be at the bottom, I can guarantee that.”

As his acquaintance couldn’t argue and fell silent,

Baek Jun was sitting in the top seat guided by Representative Jo, listening to various explanations.

“That’s all for the explanation. If you need anything else, just press the bell here.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Not at all! Enjoy your time!”

As Representative Jo bowed politely and was about to leave the VIP seating area,

“Representative, Representative.”

Another report came through the ear monitor from the employee at the main entrance.

Representative Jo brought the microphone to his mouth with a puzzled look.

“What? Didn’t we finish receiving all the VIP guests?”

– Well, the vice-master of Dream Gold, Lee Dong-shik, has just entered.

Representative Jo frowned.

Why is this guy here again? He’s not even a VIP!

“Hey, friend!”

Lee Dong-shik was seen approaching from the corridor, calling out cheerfully.

Seeing Representative Jo’s sour face, Lee Dong-shik asked with a smirk.

“Why do you look like you’ve eaten something bitter at the sight of me? Today I’m here purely as a spectator, not for business.”

“You’re full of it. You never come when I invite you, and now suddenly?”

“Ah, today’s different! Today might be the day Kim Jinsung loses, right? Got any seats left?”

As Representative Jo glared at Lee Dong-shik, he shook his head and gestured to one of the nearby employees.

“Someone find him a seat.”

“Yes, please follow me.”

One of the employees stepped forward and Lee Dong-shik followed him.

As Lee Dong-shik walked away, Representative Jo shouted after him.

“I’m busy today! Don’t want to see your face after the match!”

“Got it, take care!”

Once Lee Dong-shik was out of sight, he whispered to the employee guiding him in a low voice.

“Representative Jo didn’t catch on to your identity, did he?”

“No. Only Shin Young-taek was exposed.”

“Good.”

Shin Young-taek was a new spy roped in for a unilateral operation by the clan master, Yang Joong-geun.

As long as the employee who had been in contact with Lee Dong-shik from the start was not compromised, tomorrow’s operation would face no issues.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes. All surveillance systems near the underground secret passage have been disabled.”

“Good. The operation starts at 10 a.m. tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

“And this.”

Lee Dong-shik took out a small paper bag from his pocket and handed it to the employee.

The employee checked the contents of the bag.

“It’s a potion.”

“It’s from the master. Give it to Go Junkyung. Can you do it?”

The employee nodded, understanding the intent.

“It’s possible, but Representative Jo might notice during the match that the potion has been consumed. As you know, he has a keen eye…”

“What does it matter? He’s going to die tomorrow anyway. In our clan, the master’s word is absolute. Just do as you’re told without question.”

“Understood.”

“And make no mistakes tomorrow. Did you know that Shin Young-taek was thrown alive to a pack of monsters today as food?”

Lee Dong-shik continued in a low voice, looking at the employee whose eyes were trembling.

“If you don’t want to end up like Shin Young-taek tomorrow, do well. Whether you become monster food or the second-in-command of the fight club depends on it, got it?”

“…Yes.”

“Then go.”

The employee, with a bowed head, turned and walked down a side path. Left alone, Lee Dong-shik moved towards the outskirts of the stadium, not the inside.

‘I need to familiarize myself with the location of the secret passage.’

Lee Dong-shik hadn’t come to the stadium to watch the match today.

5 minutes later.

Inside Go Junkyung’s personal waiting room.

“Ha, hahaha.”

Unbeknownst to himself, laughter burst from Go Junkyung’s lips as he checked the contents of the paper bag.

It was a potion.

The most effective of all combat drugs, the potions.

And not just one, but three!

“Muscle enhancement potion, stamina potion, and even an adrenaline potion!”

Amazed, he immediately uncapped each one and downed them in one shot.

Then, notification windows popped up in front of his eyes.

Your strength temporarily increases by 50%.

Your stamina temporarily increases by 50%.

Your agility temporarily increases by 50%.

“Hahaha! Haha! Hahahaha!”

Seeing the notifications, Go Junkyung laughed loudly in the room.

His most important physical stats for the match had all significantly increased, and thanks to the awakening agent he had received from the employee earlier, the symptoms of the Enuko disease had also temporarily disappeared.

‘With this, I can more than just beat Kim Jinsung!’

Just moments ago, he was filled with anxiety and fear, but now he was 100% confident.

He was eager to pour out all this vitality surging through his body onto Kim Jinsung right away.

“When does the match start before the effects wear off?”

Thud!

Just then, a dull sound came from the TV hanging on the wall.

Go Junkyung turned his head and saw a player in the stadium bleeding and collapsing.

[Park Seongtae down! Park Seongtae down! It’s the third time already!]

[Park Seongtae is in a major crisis! Is this going to be a huge upset?]

As the commentators exclaimed, Park Seongtae’s condition was indeed much worse than his opponent’s.

Seeing him stagger to his feet, Go Junkyung smirked.

“It’ll be over soon.”

Judging by his condition, it looked like he wouldn’t last more than 5 minutes.

“Ugh— Damn it…!”

***

Park Seongtae got up from his spot, cursing as he felt tremendous pain in his left knee and ankle every time he moved.

Both areas had been attacked by the twins the night before.

‘Damn, if only my body was in normal condition, I could’ve taken this guy down…!’

Gritting his teeth, Park Seongtae assumed a fighting stance again.

He raised his left arm above his head and only jabbed with his right arm, a purely defensive posture that was uncharacteristic of the usually aggressive fighter Park Seongtae.

But he had no choice.

‘I can’t swing my left arm at all.’

His left wrist was also fractured due to the twins’ attack the night before. He had forcibly joined the bones using mana before the match, but by the 4th round, his mana was depleted.

The left arm, which could no longer attack, was now only useful for guarding.

The problem was that his opponent standing in front of him was Lee Cheoljin, a strong fighter ranked within the top 20.

One of Go Junkyung’s gang, he had noticed Park Seongtae’s condition and was relentlessly attacking the injured areas.

Crack!

“Ugh!”

Park Seongtae visibly staggered after taking another low kick to his left leg.

Then, to avoid further attacks, he had no choice but to limp backward again.

As Park Seongtae continued to be pushed back, the crowd went wild.

“He’s being pushed back! Pushed back!”

“Keep pressing him! I want to see an upset for once!”

While everyone was excited, there was one person whose expression was not so pleased: Representative Jo.

“Hey, Park Seongtae’s name wasn’t among those injured by the twins yesterday, was it?”

“No, boss.”

“Then why does he look like that? He’s clearly not in a normal condition.”

Representative Jo, who had been watching Park Seongtae for a long time, noticed right away that he seemed to be in discomfort.

Daejoon looked troubled by his words.

“Maybe there was a problem during sparring? I mean, I saw on the CCTV that he was sparring too hard until just before bedtime yesterday…”

“That’s not what I’m asking, man!”

Raising his voice, Representative Jo glanced around at the other spectators and then lowered his voice again.

“…Anyway, you’re saying it has nothing to do with yesterday’s incident?”

“Yes, boss. That’s for sure.”

After hearing the answer, Representative Jo didn’t ask any further and turned his head back towards the stadium.

‘Phew, I thought I was caught.’

Daejoon, who breathed a sigh of relief internally, also looked back at the stadium.

He quietly curled one corner of his mouth up as he watched Park Seongtae, who was cornered and taking punches.

‘That guy was rude to me from the start. I didn’t like him since the day he threw a fit about being assigned to Room 100.’

This was the reason he hadn’t told Representative Jo the truth. Because Park Seongtae had been on his bad side from the first day, he hadn’t been excluded from this PPV despite being severely injured to the point of affecting his performance in the match.

As a result.

Thump!

“Wowwww!”

“He’s down again!! He can’t get up this time!!”

Park Seongtae, who had been one of the most spirited boys in the waiting room recently, was now on the brink of his end.

[The match is over! The referee raises Lee Cheoljin’s hand!]

[Lee Cheoljin has taken down Park Seongtae, causing the biggest upset of this PPV!]

With the commentators’ excited voices, the TV screen was filled with the image of Park Seongtae, bloodied and unconscious.

Kim Jinsung, with an expressionless face, was looking at it when the door opened, and Daejoon entered.

“The match is starting. Come out.”

“…Yes.”

Kim Jinsung answered and turned to walk straight towards the door.

After confirming that Kim Jinsung was surrounded by employees and heading to the stadium, Daejoon entered the room and looked around.

‘Here it is.’

He picked up the awakening agent on the desk, and his expression immediately hardened.

‘It hasn’t been drunk…?’

Unlike Go Junkyung’s empty bottle of awakening agent, Kim Jinsung’s bottle was still as full as when it was first delivered.

This news quickly reached Representative Jo’s ears.

“He didn’t drink it?!”

“Yes, boss.”

“What the hell is this guy doing…!”

Representative Jo started to shout but then checked the reactions of the surrounding spectators.

He closed his mouth and glared at Kim Jinsung, who had just entered the stadium, as if he wanted to kill him.

‘Why is this usually obedient bastard acting up today?! Does he really want to die in the ring today?!’

As he was internally shouting, the stadium announcer called out loudly.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the main event is about to begin, the championship match between the champion Go Junkyung and the challenger Kim Jinsung!”

The crowd filling the stadium responded with a thunderous cheer.