EX rank supporting role’s replay in a prestigious school-Chapter 1053: Tiger Trap (7)

"Star's eye? Ah, it's the eye of the nameless supernova, so it must be the star's eye. But is that person really not charmed by the fox?"

Arihara Tomoaki, who had been focused on dealing with the fox, finally turned his attention toward me.

I could have answered bluntly that I wasn’t charmed, but I didn’t want to answer while Kozuka Yashiro was still conscious, so I remained silent.

After the struggling Kozuka Yashiro’s face was covered with lotus petals and his movements completely stopped, Renjoin Karen spoke.

"I explained that the scent of the lotus would prevent the fox’s scent from enchanting people, but it seems Arihara-kun doesn’t believe it."

"I can’t believe it after seeing those fools praising the lady in front of the lotus decorations."

"Those lotus flowers weren’t grown to emit fragrance, but to be shown and heard. Thanks to that, I’ve seen and heard many things."

Was Renjoin Karen using the lotus decorations to gather information?

My mind flickered through countless knights who had dealt with the lotus incarnation.

The pictures also included prominent figures who had proudly displayed decorations given to them by Renjoin Karen herself.

If what she just said wasn’t just a passing remark, then Renjoin Karen must have gathered a massive amount of information.

It was probably because of this that she was able to target the fox and the manipulator at the perfect moment.

It was surprising that Renjoin Karen was such a powerful individual, but it was even more surprising that she revealed the nature of her abilities right here.

Arihara Tomoaki, also seemingly in disbelief, stared at Renjoin Karen with his mouth slightly open.

"...Are you okay, Ishin?"

Unlike the other two, Hirano Seiji asked with a somewhat uneasy expression.

I had briefly considered pretending to be charmed by the fox to test their reactions, even thinking of tricking the manipulator into tearing the lotus petals like a madman, but I decided against it.

If I pulled such a trick here, I doubted Arihara Tomoaki would let me off easily.

Besides, I didn’t want to make Hirano Seiji suffer more, so I answered honestly.

"Yeah, I’m fine."

"Thank goodness...!"

Hirano Seiji visibly sighed in relief.

In contrast, Arihara Tomoaki asked with a sarcastic tone, "So, what were you doing here then?" But instead of me, Renjoin Karen answered first, "Wouldn’t it be the same goal as ours?"

Maybe it wasn’t exactly the same goal, but it was close.

There were many things I wanted to ask those three, but to accomplish my objectives, there were things I needed to do right away.

"I’m fine, but we need to deal with the manipulator first."

The manipulator, who had been struggling to open the device swallowed by the lotus in the corner, flinched.

While Kozuka Yashiro was struggling, the manipulator was trying to take care of his own device.

It was a disgraceful sight, but even if the manipulator helped, nothing would change.

"These things here are for the Hojo family as gifts. I can’t let them go."

"I’ve written so many flattering articles for you, how can you do this in my hideout!"

"I know. That’s why I’m making you pay for spreading those filthy rumors."

Renjoin Karen’s tone was dignified and graceful, but it carried contempt for the manipulator.

Once Renjoin Karen revealed her true abilities, there would be no need to flatter or elevate anyone, so the manipulator’s actions behind the scenes were nothing but a dirty move.

Just as Renjoin Karen was about to cover the manipulator’s face with a lotus petal, the manipulator threw an item.

Bang!

The item turned out to be a flashbang.

The brightness became blinding, but it wasn’t enough to completely steal the players' vision.

"The item’s level and movement were so sloppy that I just let it slide. Did anyone's eyes sting?"

"Not particularly."

"Seems like you’ve forgotten that this is my hideout!"

After throwing the flashbang and being ignored, the manipulator shouted in frustration.

He had reached the wall at the innermost part of the steel door.

In the middle of the wall, which was covered by a hologram and hard to see, there was a red button.

It seemed that the manipulator had prepared another device in case the original one failed.

"Ah, that’s it."

Renjoin Karen stopped moving the lotus petals.

Her attitude suggested that it didn’t matter whether she stopped the manipulator’s actions or not.

Arihara Tomoaki openly scoffed, and Hirano Seiji sighed briefly.

It seemed like the three of them knew what that was.

It might have something to do with why they had been leaving the manipulator alone all this time.

"Damn it!"

After seeing the reaction of the Japanese players, the manipulator cursed angrily and hit the red button with his fist.

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But nothing happened.

In the silence, the manipulator kept trying to press the button on the wall, but to no avail.

Renjoin Karen spoke.

"The detonator and explosives were found by Arihara-kun. He took care of everything before the rush."

"They were pretty well hidden. But still, my ability is optimized for finding and detonating explosives."

Was there something like that in this building? The manipulator had tried to activate it?

It seemed like he was trying to self-destruct, but something felt off.

If he had really planned to die here with all of us, the manipulator would have spat out mocking words or laughed maniacally before dying.

But the manipulator had been struggling awkwardly until just now, acting desperate.

"What nonsense! A detonator? Explosives? There’s no way there could be such things here..."

The manipulator’s words suddenly stopped.

Perhaps he had realized where the explosives came from, and his face turned pale as it was visible beneath his hood.

"It’s a lie, a lie. This doesn’t make sense. He wouldn’t have left something like that here. These bastards are trying to sow discord."

Muttering to himself like a machine gun, the manipulator repeated incomprehensible words.

But the noise didn’t last long.

Just as the lotus petals covered the manipulator’s face, he collapsed to the floor.

It seemed like the situation here had been resolved, but doubts began to grow.

‘Something’s off. That coward must have left an escape hatch or warp device in the hideout. But someone must have swapped it with a self-destruct mechanism and placed explosives. And behind all that... it must be ‘him.’’

This place was double-layered to disguise itself as a commercial building, and while it looked ordinary on the outside, the materials were strong in case of an attack.

If an explosion went off inside, the outside would remain intact, but the inside would be blown apart.

If things had gone according to my plan, the manipulator would have tried to escape halfway, and the detonator would have gone off, blowing up the entire building.

Everything inside, including the evidence.

I might have been injured along with Kozuka Yashiro, but all the evidence and the manipulator would have been gone for good.

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Additionally, the fact that I had the strength to survive that explosion would have been revealed to the mastermind.

I would have shown my identity to both the mastermind and the fox without gaining anything.

But Renjoin Karen was an unexpected variable. Neither the mastermind nor I had predicted her, and our plans had completely intertwined.

Renjoin Karen subdued Kozuka Yashiro in an instant, protected all the evidence, captured the manipulator, and Arihara Tomoaki was the one who found and removed the explosives first.

‘The mastermind had prepared such measures against me. In that case, they must have plans for Huang Jiho too.’

I needed to confirm Huang Jiho’s situation immediately.

While urging Baek Ho-gun in my head to pass the information to Eun Ho and Huang Jiho, it was then.

"Who’s that?"

"That person, he’s the one I saw in the simulator...!"

"A distinguished guest has arrived. Are you well?"

Without a sound, Baek Ho-gun appeared in front of us.

Hirano Seiji, who had seen Baek Ho in the simulator, was astonished, and Renjoin Karen, true to her lotus incarnation, recognized the mythological clan’s figure.

‘It’s really Baek Ho-gun.’

Though we were close to Eungwang-gu, technically, this was still outside it.

I didn’t immediately understand why the mythical beast was here.

No, there had been times when Baek Ho-gun left the sacred area before.

The fact that there were mythical beasts and protectors in the sacred area meant a lot of things.

If a protector was needed to watch over the mythical beasts, it meant they could escape.

So, right now, the white tiger was essentially an escaped prisoner.

"Go back to Eungwang-gu immediately."

I could hear Hirano Seiji drawing in a breath.

It seemed like what surprised them more than Baek Ho-gun’s appearance was how I was treating this mythological clan’s figure.

But that wasn’t what mattered right now.

If Huang Jiho recognized Baek Ho-gun’s escape, he would have to use the protector’s power to suppress the mythical beast.

Baek Ho-gun didn’t move as I instructed. Instead, he spoke his piece.

"The avatar of Huang Ho has stopped."

Before Renjoin Karen entered the manipulator's hideout.

Huang Ho had been moving further and further away from Eungwang-gu.

He was now heading towards a region where Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, and North Chungcheong Province all meet, a difficult area to navigate.

As he neared his destination, Huang Ho's discomfort grew, and the sensation of his avatar slowing down was evident.

I had experienced that sensation recently.

‘When my true body leaves this land, I felt like this. It wasn’t as unpleasant then, but the divine grace of the heavens faded, making it harder to control the avatar.’

But now, Huang Ho was not heading toward the borders.

Although he was moving away from Eungwang-gu, the location he was heading to was closer to the center of the Korean Peninsula.

The feeling of crossing borders made Huang Ho think of Jo Yi-shin.

Jo Yi-shin had outright disliked it when Huang Ho crossed borders.

It had been like that when he went to China on an assignment, when he flew to England to celebrate a birthday, and even in the Dragon Palace, where he had been repeatedly warned not to cross borders.

‘And Jo Yi-shin was wary of the Three Knights’ Oath being ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) able to manipulate intelligence. He warned me that they might have been meddling even in Korea... no way...’

While using Huang Jiho’s avatar to look around, a familiar face, though unclear, appeared for a brief moment and then blurred.

Huang Ho tried to send a message to Eun Ho through the avatar of Huang Yoo-ho, but the avatar wasn’t responding.

It was more difficult to share and manipulate the avatar’s senses than when he was abroad.

Now, the only thing Huang Ho could move freely was his true body.

"We’ve arrived."

A knight from the Land Tremor, who hadn’t noticed Huang Ho’s anomaly, said cautiously.

They knew Qing Ho’s body was right in front of them, but they couldn’t act on that knowledge.

Huang Ho spoke with a heavy face.

"Go."