Chapter 132
I felt that way with the regression. Maybe it’s an opportunity to prevent the death of my parents.
So, I was looking forward to a reunion with my deceased parents while visiting the house where I used to live.
But the results were unexpected.
There was an aunt I didn’t know where I lived, and there was no trace of the ‘student’ Kang Tae-min, the me before returning.
Everything was the same, but only me was missing. I didn’t know the details, but I guessed that it had something to do with regression.
After that, I focused on my work. I taught students, prevented them from becoming villains, and prevented disasters based on the information I knew.
But I didn’t look for ‘parents’.
Since I didn’t have the old me, I assumed that my parents wouldn’t have met each other either. Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to see it.
However, thinking that the two of them could be starting a family separately made my heart complicated.
So I decided to just be satisfied. Back in the past, since I’m gone, you two wouldn’t have met each other.
I tried to dismiss the unforgettably terrible memories I had as my own nightmares.
Just as I was given a new life, I thought you two would have a new life.
But when I heard Rex’s story, anxiety overtook me. Just like before the return, I thought they might have targeted my parents.
Originally, it was before I was still awakened and before my parents passed away, so I was able to stop it.
In addition, it was judged that Rex could also be caught.
By the way.
“… Um, are you sure about the names, ages, and faces of the two people you’re looking for?”
“Yes.”
Miss Backdoor frowned and tilted her head. I showed her not only the personal information of her parents, but also the busts to confirm their faces.
But she shook her head.
“It is strange. Since they are ordinary people, in fact, there is nothing to worry about the cost, and since there is enough information, it can be identified right away.”
She closed her eyes again and trembled as if giving strength. However, the results were not different.
“… These people are not trading.”
“What does that mean?”
At my question, Miss Backdoor hesitated for a moment. However, he took a short breath and said.
“It’s either one. Either the information is wrong or it doesn’t exist.”
“… what?”
Of course, there was nothing wrong with my information. Then it’s the latter… .
“already… You mean he died?”
Something could have gone wrong with my disappearance.
Could it be that the predestined death came more quickly because the parents stopped seeing each other? Rather, it was easier to handle, so was the ‘selection’ work carried out at an early point?
My head got complicated.
However, Miss Backdoor cleared my mind at once.
“No, I don’t mean that. Even the dead I can find.”
“then?”
“At least, the person who matches the information you provided does not literally ‘exist’.”
It was as if my brain turned white in an instant. If this is sorted out, it will be sorted out.
But it wasn’t hard to accept. Because I already knew the disappeared existence.
What this means now is clear. It meant that it wasn’t just the old ‘me’ that disappeared along with the return.
But why?
If the cost of returning was the extinction of existence, isn’t it right that only ‘I’ should disappear? Why did my parents even disappear?
Any hope of ever seeing my parents again was gone. Question marks popped up on the white paper in my head.
“customer?”
Miss Backdoor returned me, who was weighed down by doubt, to reality. I took a deep breath and cleared my mind.
“If you don’t mind, could you tell me why you’re looking for these people or any other information? Just in case, I used a pseudonym or lied about my age… .”
“No, that is enough.”
It was something you should know someday. I just found out at an unexpected time.
… I decided to accept that.
* * *
the day after the press conference.
Kang Tae-min visited the president’s office.
Seol Gyu-jin greeted him with a satisfied face.
“Welcome to.”
“I see you quite often these days.”
“It must be because we have so many things to be thankful for.”
Bae Seung-ju was also seated next to him. When the three of them settled down, Seol Gyu-jin took his luck.
“What you said at the press conference had quite a stir.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, the public opinion that slandered Kang Tae-min has completely reversed.”
Q-Tuber and the media, who slandered Kang Tae-min’s absence without any grounds, faced a backlash.
It was thanks to the fact that Kang Tae-min was carrying out other missions, the support of the strongest people, and the active voices of those who had been favored by Kang Tae-min.
In addition, as they were only aiming for views with stimulating videos and articles, other problems emerged and rapidly fell.
Bae Seung-joo, on the contrary, had a cooler expression on his own.
“It was difficult to deal with because they cleverly evaded the law, but people turned their backs on themselves.”
“Even the general manager knows a little bit that the law isn’t omnipotent anymore.”
Seol Gyu-jin said with an empty smile. Then Bae Seung-joo coughed and shook his head.
“It was a part that had nothing to do with the law. Because interest has prospered, it is ruined by interest.”
It hasn’t completely changed yet. However, Seol Gyu-jin was quite happy with his change.
Maybe that’s why I was relieved for a while?
“hehehe, isn’t it cool inside? How much my daughter hates them… .”
Seol Gyu-jin laughed and spoke, but quickly shut his mouth. Bae Seung-ju secretly looked at Kang Tae-min.
‘It would be strange not to ask here.’
It was a fact he already knew, but Kang Tae-min pretended not to know and looked away.
“… Did you have a daughter?”
“Uhm, yes. That is… .”
Seol Gyu-jin blurted out his words with a slightly embarrassed expression. In fact, the fact that such a slanderous video exists was not from Bae Seung-joo, but from Seol Ga-eun.
– No, Dad. Why are these people only doing this to our teacher Taemin?
She was a daughter who often watched Q-Tube, and she herself said that Kang Tae-min carried out a separate operation.
‘It’s clear that my daughter has feelings for Mr. Kang.’
‘We’ in front of titles, and a particularly sharp attitude. Seol Gyu-jin could find out who his daughter had feelings for.
However, it was difficult to reveal the father-daughter relationship right away. That’s what Seol Ga-eun didn’t want.
“Do not worry. I won’t ask about your personal history.”
Fortunately, Kang Tae-min changed the subject first. Seol Gyu-jin cleared his throat in relief.
“Yes, definitely. Anyway, back to the main topic. This seat is not only for Mr. Kang Tae-min, but also for you, the general manager.”
“… Are you talking about that?”
Bae Seung-joo’s eyes widened as if he hadn’t expected it. Seol Gyu-jin met Kang Tae-min’s gaze for a moment and shook his head.
“That’s right. About the warning about the Chimera situation this time, and about the informant who gave me the location of Torso.”
Kang Tae-min acted paying attention with a serious expression. The informant is Go Jung-hwan, who worked as a spy, but he has not been able to reveal his existence yet.
‘As a spy, the fewer people you know, the easier it is to work.’
Perhaps Rex might contact Go Jeong-hwan.
In preparation for that time, it was better to limit the number of people who knew he was a spy to the four people from the Subspace Conference.
So, there is only one person to be mentioned this time.
“Didn’t I say that my alter ego died before? In fact, I have been in contact with the benefactor who disposed of him.”
It was the iron man, Kang Tae-min.
Seol Gyu-jin summarized the incident at the time and explained it. Bae Seung-ju’s expression became very serious.
“A iron man in a suit, indeed.”
“Really?”
“Actually, Emperor Chang… .”
Bae Seung-ju recalled the explanation he had heard from Ju Tae-ji. It happened while Ju Tae-ji was chasing Jang Seung-ho, the enemy of the children’s couple and Ju Da-hyun’s uncle, on the roof of the Spiral Guild building.
“At that time, you said that there was a person chasing No-Name. But he was also wearing a suit… .”
“No, why didn’t you report that?”
“Well, I forgot about it because I didn’t show up after that.”
Bae Seung-ju also had room for excuses. What happened after that?
Seol Gyu-jin shook his head.
“If you were really chasing No-Name, then it must have been no coincidence that you reached Hands.”
“I didn’t know that I would have even contacted the president of the association.”
“He seems to be quite informed.”
Kang Tae-min, who had been listening silently, brought the topic back to normal. It was his own story in the first place, so it was also a fact that he already knew.
“Yes, that’s right. It was he who pointed out Mr. Kang as the right person. Of course, I made my own judgment, but I couldn’t find any reason to refute it. Besides that… .”
Seol Gyu-jin talked about the ‘debt’ he paid back to his benefactor. However, most of them said that the favor was not repaid because it was the right thing to do.
“Was it his intention to release Hwang Ye-ri’s wanted list?”
“I think it was the right time.”
“… But it’s hard to fully trust him. If you’re proud, there’s no reason to hide your identity, right?”
Bae Seung-joo said that and looked at Tae-min Kang asking for his consent.
But before he could open his mouth, Seol Gyu-jin refuted.
“That’s because the head of the headquarters puts too much emphasis on principles. Think back to the cataclysmic period. Revealing your identity is not a good thing.”
“President, this is not a cataclysmic time. The world has changed, but hiding your identity is annoying.”
“No matter what, there is a burden.”
“Isn’t it a responsibility to shoulder that burden? It seems to me that they will not take the blame if the information is wrong.”
The two faced each other tightly.
“I will raise my hand to the president of the association.”
Kang Tae-min’s answer made the two men’s expressions very different.
“Also… !”
“No, sir?”
“As you said, the world has changed. But the laws and regulations are not keeping up with the changes.”
Taemin Kang said in a calm voice. Seol Gyu-jin added that he was right.
“Chief, the fact that I did not accept your resignation letter is similar. Sometimes breaking the laws and rules helps people better.”
“However… .”
Bae Seung-joo hesitated, then shut his mouth and lowered his head. Kang Tae-min could feel his values wavering.
‘As expected Seol Gyu-jin is changing him.’
Bae Seung-joo, an obsessive fundamentalist before returning, was fading. It was the change Kang Tae-min was hoping for.
“Don’t worry. I’m not blindly trusting his information. I’m just saying this because I think it’s something that shouldn’t be hidden. Because I believe in you that much.”
“… All right.”
Bae Seung-joo soon gave up his opinion. Taemin Kang smiled lightly.
“Looks like a conclusion has been reached. However, there is something I would like to ask of you separately.”
“Please?”
Taemin Kang nodded.
He came here for a different purpose.
* * *
After a turbulent weekend, it was a weekday again.
The students of the special class gathered together with puzzled expressions.
“… It was obviously closed.”
“Why are we gathered?”
There were no deaths from the Chimera avalanche, but the city was left with distinct scars.
Noblesse Academy was one of them. The building was damaged and inevitably the school was closed until repairs were made.
“But there was a rumor that the collapse of the building was not the chimera’s fault, but the principal’s fault?”
“What do you mean?”
“The principal destroyed it because he didn’t want to work.”
“Ah, does that make sense?”
“No, I said there were people who saw the vice principal getting angry.”
“How could the vice-principal be angry with the principal? Even if you just listen, it’s a master piece, but what?”
While the students were chatting, Kang Tae-min and Lee Lua arrived. Upon discovering the two, the students lined up in a quick manner as if it had happened at some point.
“Everyone is present.”
Kang Tae-min quickly scanned the students and nodded. Irua stood behind him, expressionless.
“As you know, the academy is currently closed. However, classes in special classes do not stop to such an extent.”
Some students shouted ‘Why?’ inwardly, but no one dared to say it.
“Today, I’m going to make up for the previous school trip.”
“ok?”
However, the students couldn’t stand the words that followed. The student who made the noise immediately shut up, but everyone’s eyes widened.
“At the time, I expected you to pass at least half of it, but it seems I overestimated you guys. Still, with the efforts of the burden teacher, all of them passed, so I will pass.”
At those words, Irua’s expression flashed with pride for a moment. It was literally so fleeting that no one noticed.
“So, think of today as a full-fledged school trip in which all the special class members participate.”
No student was happy with Kang Tae-min’s words. Not only the students who experienced the underground, but also the rest who received the story.
‘But why is the meeting place… .’
‘I hope this time… ?’
They had half-faced faces, not knowing what expression to make.
It is also the place where they gathered.
“I already took permission.”
Because it was the headquarters of the association.
“You guys have acquired temporary security hunter qualifications from now on.”
Respect and appreciation for goodwill.
Kang Tae-min wanted to make people feel it not only with his head, but also with his body.