Chapter 76.2

Chapter 76 (Continued)

“You’d be lucky if you only get dismissed.”

Woo-jin’s abuse of authority in this incident was severe.

Deploying the disciplinary committee forces, including the Grenade Troop, in another jurisdiction.

Operating the disciplinary committee activities in another jurisdiction.

Carrying out a large-scale operation without reporting to either Mayeon High or even Ahsung High’s Student Council.

Given the magnitude of this incident, it was likely Woo-jin would be branded as a ‘disciplinary committee leader with poor law-abiding spirit’ and removed from his position.

However, Woo-jin showed no particular reaction.

He had already prepared for this.

“…Tch. Pretending to be calm.”

The squad leader muttered quietly.

He had hoped to see Woo-jin, the disciplinary committee leader of Ahsung High, look disheartened, but that expectation was shattered.

“Hmm?”

At that moment.

Vroom!

Another vehicle from the Mayeon High disciplinary committee arrived on the scene, kicking up dust. The members of the Mayeon High disciplinary committee were startled and halted their actions to salute the vehicle.

A male student with brown hair and a female student stepped out of the vehicle. The male wore the armband of the disciplinary committee leader, and the female wore the armband of the vice leader on their left arms.

Mayeon High Disciplinary Committee Leader, Lee Jae-ho.

Vice Leader, Shin Ga-yeon.

“You’re here, Leader!”

The squad leader greeted Jae-ho with a stiff posture.

Jae-ho adjusted his glasses and looked around. He noticed the Ahsung High detachment being arrested and the severely injured Woo-jin and Baek-seo.

“Sigh.”

Jae-ho bowed his head and let out a deep sigh.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

He kicked the squad leader’s shin.

The squad leader let out a sharp cry, bending one knee. His face showed that he was barely enduring the considerable pain.

“What were you doing until I got here?”

Jae-ho looked down at the squad leader with a cold expression.

“Y-Yes…?”

“Have you forgotten the primary rule of the disciplinary committee?”

“No, that’s not…!”

“I order the disciplinary committee to release the restraints and quickly transport the most severely injured to the hospital! Have the healers provide emergency treatment!”

The disciplinary committee members responded with “Yes!” and released the handcuffs.

The squad leader was left bewildered. Jae-ho spoke again.

“The first priority for the disciplinary committee is the casualties. Moreover, they captured the Great Villain, one of Neo Seoul’s biggest threats. They didn’t cause any significant damage to the city. The injured are in serious condition. In this state, there’s no risk of them fleeing. It’s also highly contradictory to think that those who went to such lengths to capture the Great Villain would destroy evidence. So… Is it really reasonable to prioritize arresting them, squad leader?”

“But they…”

“Let me guess. You have personal feelings involved, don’t you?”

“…….”

The squad leader’s reasoning was not wrong.

It was legal.

Various judgments could be derived from it, and until just moments ago, it was the squad leader’s prerogative to make those judgments.

However, the disciplinary committee operates under a strict chain of command.

No matter what judgment the squad leader made, he couldn’t go against the legal and reasonable orders of the disciplinary committee leader.

The squad leader’s voice grew faint.

“…No, sir.”

“Do not let your emotions cloud your judgment.”

“Yes, sir…!”

Jae-ho clicked his tongue and started to walk away.

* * *

“…….”

“…….”

I was being transported to the hospital in an emergency vehicle.

A healer from Mayeon High had provided first aid, so I hadn’t lost consciousness.

Moreover, with the Mayeon High disciplinary committee guarding me, there was no danger. I felt reassured.

However, there was one thing that made me uncomfortable.

“A late question, but…”

I looked at the person sitting next to me.

“Why are you here?”

The leader of Mayeon High’s disciplinary committee, Lee Jae-ho.

For some reason, he was in the vehicle with me.

After the healer finished administering first aid, Jae-ho had sent him to the passenger seat, leaving us alone.

“You sent your vice leader to Baek-seo… Why are you giving us so much attention?”

It was unsettling.

“Hmm, there’s no need to thank me.”

Jae-ho adjusted his glasses with a sophisticated air.

“I just judged it to be the right thing to do….”

“No, it’s annoying.”

“Hmm, if you insist on thanking me… What?”

Jae-ho was flustered, and a vein popped on his forehead. His hand, adjusting his glasses, trembled slightly.

“Ahsung High disciplinary committee leader, you really don’t know how to express gratitude, do you…!”

“Why did you help us?”

“?”

“We aren’t exactly on friendly terms.”

During the first semester exchange, we had arm-wrestled each other while growling like enemies.

Even when we met at the campsite, we never built any good memories. We were too busy glaring at each other.

So, it was puzzling.

Why did he scold his subordinate, who was hostile to Ahsung High, and help us?

“…….”

Jae-ho looked out the window. The following vehicle was carrying Oh Baek-seo.

“It didn’t feel like someone else’s problem.”

“What?”

What was he talking about from the start?

“I can see it from your pathetic state. Something happened to your vice leader, and you did everything you could to save her, didn’t you? You moved discreetly to avoid our interference.”

“Yeah…, there’s no point in hiding it now.”

“If Ga-yeon had faced trouble in your jurisdiction, I would’ve reacted the same way. I would’ve lost my mind.”

Come to think of it….

In a way, we were the only ones sharing each other’s secrets.

It seemed that strangely enough, this had created a bond of empathy.

‘That’s creepy….’

Jae-ho adjusted his glasses once again.

“In the end, you also captured the Technomancer. That’s undeniably a public good. I don’t know what punishment you’ll receive for this, but at least we won’t pursue the jurisdiction issue from our side.”

“Isn’t trespassing in another academy’s jurisdiction not a matter of prosecutorial discretion?”

I knew it was regulated to maintain order in the Academy City.

So, no matter what Mayeon High decided, I would be punished.

“At least, there won’t be a trial for that issue.”

“That’s definitely a big relief.”

The sensitivity of the jurisdiction issue often led to trials.

The parties to the lawsuit would be the academies, and they would be in trouble. That’s why Ahsung High and Mayeon High had a strained relationship due to several disputes over jurisdiction.

If there was no trial, the severity of the disciplinary action might decrease. Ahsung High could cover it up.

If I could highlight the unprecedented achievement I had made, I might be able to negotiate somehow.

“That’s appreciated…. But, there’s something.”

I looked into Jae-ho’s eyes.

“That can’t be the only reason, can it?”

I couldn’t believe he’d help me just because he empathized with me.

The Jae-ho in the original story I knew liked to flaunt his knowledge and was the complete opposite of the flower-brained president of Mayeon High. He thoroughly calculated gains and losses.

Though he wasn’t an unscrupulous or selfish person, he must have had some expectation from me.

Jae-ho paused for a moment and then crossed his arms. He looked down at me with a serious expression.

“Who is targeting you?”

Indeed.

From the beginning, Jae-ho had been trying to grasp the essence of this incident beyond the immediate situation.

“I can’t tell you that. I have reasons.”

“So there is something. No matter how notorious the Great Villain is, the idea of a villain targeting the vice leader of Ahsung High’s disciplinary committee, especially someone like Oh Baek-seo, doesn’t make sense.”

‘It’s only natural for him to think that.’

The idea of a criminal targeting the vice leader of a major academy’s disciplinary committee was very irrational.

Especially someone as renowned as Oh Baek-seo?

No matter how formidable the Great Villain was, targeting Baek-seo would inevitably create a huge stir.

Unless someone much stronger than Baek-seo, like a Goliath, was involved, it would be hard to justify this situation.

But the only adversary was the Technomancer, Moon Chae-won.

In other words.

Jae-ho seemed to have inferred that someone stronger was involved in orchestrating this incident alongside the Technomancer.

‘Thinking like that, he could consider that even officials from major academies aren’t safe.’

He would have to consider the possibility that Shin Ga-yeon, the vice leader of Mayeon High’s disciplinary committee, could end up like Baek-seo someday.

‘So when he said it didn’t feel like someone else’s problem, it wasn’t just empathy.’

Finally, I understood what Jae-ho meant. He had been envisioning a disturbing scenario.

“Who are you fighting against?”

Jae-ho asked sharply.

Revealing the secret was dangerous. But, there seemed no reason to hide it from him.

I pointed upwards.

“Pfft.”

Jae-ho chuckled and closed his eyes.

“I see…. You were hogging all the fun.”

“If it looks fun, I recommend you change your glasses first.”

“This incident may have involved illegal actions, but your rightful activities as a disciplinary committee will be recognized. Post facto, there’s a regulation that allows recognizing the legitimacy of another academy’s jurisdiction invasion if there are special circumstances. The authority naturally lies with me as the disciplinary committee leader. That way, the Technomancer’s custody will legally belong to Ahsung High.”

“…And what’s the price?”

It was clearly a give-and-take situation.

Jae-ho adjusted his glasses again and spoke.

“When the time comes to catch those wretched top brass, you will let me join. That’s my condition.”

“…….”

I widened my eyes slightly at the unexpected answer.

Lee Jae-ho.

Nickname, Dark Strategist.

He had enough power to be given a nickname.

If he offered to cooperate, there was no reason to refuse.

However.

“Why take the risk?”

“Because that’s what it means to be a ‘disciplinary committee leader.’”

“…….”

For some reason, I accepted that answer.

But it was so cringeworthy that I had to think for a moment about how to react.

“…….”

“…….”

Silence followed.

The atmosphere became awkward, and Jae-ho still held his glasses with his fingers, maintaining his pose.

“…Respond, Ahn Woo-jin.”

At his words, the earlier conversation replayed in my mind.

Suddenly, chills ran down my spine.

“Oh, that’s creepy….”

“What’s creepy!?”

The night was growing late.

______________

Rate us on Novel Updates to motivate me translate more chapters.