Chapter 87.1

Chapter 87 – Rule 28. The Leader Suspects Suspicious Members (1)

Neo Seoul’s hottest news often revolves around Se-In High School, where the protagonist, Lee Taesung, attends.

Despite being a well-secured major academy, Se-In High School constantly experiences incidents. If it were a series of small events, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but each one is significant.

Events include carefully orchestrated dark arts, the activation of forbidden black magic, and attacks from groups hostile to Se-In High School.

Whenever such things happened, Se-In High students would band together to overcome these crises.

It’s like a continuous series of events straight out of a movie, drama, or comic book.

The main stage of the storyline.

The focus of this world is naturally where the protagonist resides.

Therefore, incidents at other academies tend to get overshadowed.

Only when Ahsung High School’s Disciplinary Committee Leader Ahn Woo-jin destroyed Anomia, when a necromancer from the Six Sinners appeared at Ahsung High, or when Ahsung High captured the Technomancer from the Six Sinners, did it barely draw comparable attention.

Since Se-In High captivates public attention like a solid breakwater, Student Council President Han Baek-hyeon found it convenient to conceal information spreading on the internet.

Like the fact that Ahn Woo-jin of Ahsung High had awakened spatial abilities.

Of course, it was impossible to completely block the information from leaking, but this level of control was commendable.

He intended to protect that information at least until Ahn Woo-jin could defend himself and his comrades.

“One might say it’s presumptuous, but is it alright to go this far to accommodate the Disciplinary Committee Leader?”

One day, the secretary asked, to which President Baek-hyeon responded while processing paperwork, almost offhandedly.

“This Disciplinary Committee Leader is exceptional. I must protect him for the sake of my achievements, at least while he’s in office.”

“But, if you go as far as to oppose the Federal Council….”

“And I can’t tolerate anyone messing with my people, including Ahn Woo-jin and you.”

Baek-hyeon’s eyes burned with determination. He pointed to the shining Student Council President badge pinned to his shirt collar.

“That’s the weight I place on this badge. It’s beyond just my achievements.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“No, it’s not fine. I just hope Ahn Woo-jin handles the incident properly.”

Baek-hyeon silently prayed, ‘Please,’ to Woo-jin.

***

The Ahsung High School Disciplinary Committee held a welcoming party for the new members.

Everyone was dressed in black uniforms with Disciplinary Committee armbands on their left arms.

Among them, Kim Yeon-hee quietly tore into a chicken thigh with her hands in plastic gloves.

The new members were so noisy it hurt her ears. She didn’t mind them; the problem was the occasional male students who approached her.

“Hey, I haven’t seen you before.”

A sleek-looking male student sat next to Yeon-hee and started a conversation. His entire body radiated romantic interest.

He was the fifth one already.

“What’s your name?”

“…Chicken.”

“Chicken?”

“Do you prefer the tender meat like thigh and wing meat or the dry breast meat?”

“Huh? Suddenly?”

The male student gave a meaningful smile as he looked at the thigh meat in Yeon-hee’s hand. Thigh meat was tender.

“I prefer tender meat….”

“Then go away. The tender meat is mine.”

“?”

The male student, baffled by the context, soon realized his mistake.

‘I messed up…!’

He felt like a job applicant who had given the wrong answer in an interview.

“No, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t trying to steal your food….”

“I don’t eat with people who share my chicken preference. Didn’t you hear me tell you to go away?”

“…….”

Through the round lenses of Yeon-hee’s glasses, her pink eyes exuded a chilling aura.

“Oh, okay…. Enjoy your meal.”

The male student, worried about starting a conflict, left in a hurry, looking bewildered. He then started telling his friends, “What’s up with her?”

They talked about getting rejected by Kim Yeon-hee, which soon turned into an in-depth discussion.

“A guy and a girl both liking tender meat doesn’t work out. They’d struggle when ordering a whole chicken.”

“No, if they both like tender meat, they can order a combo. It’s actually a benefit.”

“But combos are more expensive.”

“Then we need to consider which brand offers the most value.”

It sounded like a debate from a textbook.

Yeon-hee ignored them and continued eating her chicken.

Then, she overheard a conversation that caught her attention.

“I actually joined just to see the Disciplinary Committee Leader! He’s handsome, charismatic, and has taken down those infamous villains…! He’s like the protagonist of a comic! It’s hard to believe someone like him exists!”

“Yeah, the Leader is amazing…. I almost had a heart attack when I passed by him. He’s so cool…!”

The surrounding male students brushed off the girls, who were fawning over the Leader, with goosebumps on their arms.

‘They’re talking about Woo-jin…?’

Yeon-hee leaned in, her body moving involuntarily to eavesdrop on the girls’ conversation.

It was an automatic reaction.

“I didn’t think much of him at first, but I saw him fight Shin So-rang once.”

“Oh, the Sindo-rim Swordmaster?”

“Yeah. I fell for him then!”

“Kyaa!”

“Fell for him” usually means feeling attracted and becoming a fan. It’s a term often used for celebrities.

The girls giggled, while the surrounding male students shook their heads and moved away.

“So, I also saw the Disciplinary Committee Leader once…! Huh?”

“?”

Yeon-hee suddenly found herself standing close to the girls talking about Ahn Woo-jin.

The girls stopped their conversation and stared at her.

“Oh.”

Yeon-hee realized the situation and let out a gasp.

“Do you have something to say?”

“How did this happen…?”

“Oh, we know! You got pulled in by talk of the Disciplinary Committee Leader.”

The girls laughed. They assumed this because of the Disciplinary Committee armband on Yeon-hee’s arm.

The sense of belonging easily broke down their wariness.

Yeon-hee was startled and waved her arms.

“No, I just…!”

“It’s okay! Come on, come on!”

As one of the girls next to her hooked an arm around hers and tried to pull her in,

Thud!

“Huh?”

Yeon-hee reflexively shook off the girl’s arm.

The girls were taken aback by Yeon-hee’s sharp reaction.

Silence filled the air between them.

“Uh, hey…?”

“This is….”