Translator: Pai_

"......."

The suspect was utterly expressionless.

A textbook southern complexion.

Even if someone drew his portrait on a wanted poster, the only response would be, 'Hm? There are at least three guys who look exactly like this in my neighborhood alone', and that would be the end of it.

His facial muscles were unnervingly still, preserving his ordinariness with ironclad discipline.

There existed exactly two professional fields where this kind of ordinariness was, paradoxically, treated as an extraordinary talent. One was the oblivious protagonist of a romantic comedy.

-Passerby 198: 'I just want to get inside the Royal Capital already.'

-Passerby 198: 'I'm going to kill as many as I can.'

The other was a bomb terrorist.

Su-ho glanced sideways at the Prophecy Newspaper's Customer Satisfaction Survey once more and was certain. That man was the terrorist.

From this point on, he would have to skillfully cast a line and divert the other man's attention.

Su-ho made his move.

"Hey, you there, sir!"

Passerby 198's shoulders flinched.

But he did not snap and detonate any explosives. The gatekeeper's call had been directed at someone else entirely.

"Huh? Wh-what is it, my lord?"

The man one step ahead in the inspection queue, a completely unrelated third party, a cart driver, nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Is this really an order placed by the Adventurer's Guild? Eyeballing it, the cargo looks suspiciously heavy. Heh. You didn't stuff personal goods in with the guild shipment to sneak them through, did you?"

"No, no, goodness gracious. Why would you say such a thing, my lord? That's absolutely unthinkable."

"......."

Silently, Passerby 198 watched the exchange at the front of the line with sunken eyes.

But Su-ho easily guessed that behind those eyes, a complex calculation was underway.

"My lord, what with the world being so dangerous these days and you working so hard, please, at least take this....... It's just a token of my gratitude."

The cart driver, an innocent third party, had no idea about the battle of wits playing out beneath the surface between the gatekeeper and the suspect. He simply went along with the usual routine and discreetly produced a coin purse.

Su-ho played along like a pro, smoothly receiving the other man's move.

"Oh my. You really didn't have to. Now you're making me feel bad."

"Oh, please, why would you feel bad? You're so busy every day doing the kingdom's work. People like us, we can go about our lives in peace because gatekeepers like you, my lord, are guarding the gates for us."

"Big family at home?"

"Oh, absolutely. Honestly, kids these days eat so much. It's hard to get by on what we used to earn......."

"Then you'd better hurry along and feed that family. I've been holding up a busy man. Go on, get moving. You're clear!"

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you! Blessings upon you!"

The cart driver bowed his stiff back a few times like he was doing stretches, then passed through.

"......."

Passerby 198 watched every moment of that exchange as well.

Expressionlessly.

-Passerby 198: 'This kingdom is truly disgusting.'

Beyond that blank face, the surface thoughts whispering ceaselessly could be read by Su-ho with a quick glance down at the Customer Satisfaction Survey.

-Passerby 198: 'I've prepared enough bribes.'

-Passerby 198: 'The tariff at South Gate seems reasonable.'

-Passerby 198: 'I want to kill them.'

-Passerby 198: 'I can't get caught.'

Fortunately, the suspect had no idea he was under suspicion.

That was exactly what Su-ho wanted.

Now, even if he nitpicked this or that, the other man's train of thought would be led to conclude, 'This gatekeeper is just trying to squeeze me for a bribe.'

"Next!"

"......."

"Halt!"

Clatter, thud. The bomber set down his handcart.

Su-ho approached with a deliberately casual expression. At last, the distance between him and the culprit narrowed to within a single step.

"Sir. Where are you coming from?"

"I've come up from the Namu Marquisate, my lord."

"Hand over your documents."

"Yes, here they are."

Su-ho made a show of reading the documents in a thoroughly trivial atmosphere. As the distance closed, a rank, musty stench wafted fr⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠om the inside of the culprit's outer garment.

'He's deliberately trying to numb people's noses.'

This was a meticulous terrorist. Either that, or an agent dispatched by a meticulous organization.

Su-ho pretended to flip casually through the documents, making frequent eye contact with the suspect.

"My friend. That cart of yours is pretty beat up."

"......."

"Look at this wheel. If it breaks down, you'll be stuck in the middle of the road unable to budge. Heh. As it happens, a directive came down from the road management office over there. Told us to watch out for carts that are too run-down."

"......Is that so."

"Yeah. See, it's not just your problem if that happens. It backs up the whole road, the whole road."

Su-ho strolled around the handcart this way and that.

The way he poked at the cart with the tip of his spear, thwack, tap, for no good reason... he was the very picture of a corrupt gatekeeper fishing for an excuse to shake someone down.

"I know a good carpenter. Want me to introduce you? If you go there, he'll fix up the wheels, the whole cart, good as new, real cheap."

"......."

Passerby 198's brow furrowed.

He had shown no emotion whatsoever until now, but apparently having someone poke around his cargo was not to a terrorist's liking. He stepped between Su-ho and the cart.

"I was just thinking I needed to stop by a repair shop. It's reassuring that you'd introduce one for me, my lord. This is my first time in the Royal Capital."

"Oh, is that so? Then you absolutely should get that referral. I'm a local myself, and let me tell you, the people in this city are ruthless. The moment they figure out you're from out of town, they'll fleece you down to your last coin."

"Thank you. Here's a referral fee, my lord."

"Oh my, my."

Su-ho accepted the coin purse while pushing the stack of documents back to the other man.

Naturally, this left the man temporarily occupied with both hands full.

With the culprit right under his nose in that state, Su-ho made a grand show of shaking out the coin purse and counting the coins one by one.

"Wooow, well, well. I should really be putting in more effort."

"It's just a token of gratitude for always working hard for the kingdom......."

"Thanks, appreciate it."

Thump. Su-ho pla⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠ced a hand on the culprit's shoulder.

"Southern folks really are generous."

With a slightly brazen grin.

At the same time, the hand on the shoulder seized the man's neck. In one swift motion.

"......!"

Su-ho's follow-up was faster than the man's shock. Wham! A powerful strike drove into the terrorist's abdomen. Inside his clenched grip, the man's throat trembled with a strangled gasp.

Su-ho's violence was merciless. Without pause, he hammered the man's jaw. Once, twice, crack! The sensation of something crumbling under his fist. The man's jawbone, most likely.

-Passerby 198: 'Ah.'

-Passerby 198: 'My little brother.......'

The light of reason vanished from the man's eyes in an instant.

He crumpled and lost consciousness.

It had all happened in a matter of seconds.

"Wh, what?"

"Hey! Over there!"

Some of the bystanders who had been peacefully waiting in line were startled by the sudden violence. A gatekeeper had just beaten a man senseless out of nowhere; of course they recoiled in shock.

'Did that take care of all of them?'

Su-ho did not let himself get swept up in their reactions.

'This is someone brazen enough to plot a bombing in the Royal Capital. He even forged documents. The odds of him being a lone wolf are vanishingly small.'

His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings without rest. He pulled the Prophecy Newspaper from inside his shirt, readying himself to analyze the bystanders' thoughts at any moment.

'If it were me, I'd never send someone alone. Never.'

'There's a high probability an accomplice is here!'

Sure enough.

Among the bystanders lined up at his father Mun Geum's checkpoint, one person was spotted frantically rummaging through a cargo wagon.

Su-ho focused on that individual and checked the Customer Satisfaction Survey.

-Passerby 195: 'This is bad. We've been found out.'

-Passerby 195: 'I need to detonate now.'

Slowly, the new suspect drew out a staff. Several keywords flashed through Su-ho's mind in an instant.

Staff. Mage. Ranged magic. Explosion.

Su-ho immediately pointed in that direction and shouted.

"Si-ah!"

There was someone who had been waiting for that very call.

His younger sister Mun Si-ah had already had her bow at the ready from the moment chaos erupted at the adjacent checkpoint. She was a step behind Su-ho, but she too had identified the suspicious figure.

"It's a mage!"

"......."

Whish, the bowstring released.

Only the follow-through lingered in her hands. Si-ah simply loaded the next arrow with cold efficiency. The skill of an archer who had been raised from childhood under the full weight of her family's expectations carved a seam through the air.

"AAAAAAGH!"

The arrow struck the mage's shoulder. There was no need for a second shot. The man dropped his staff in sheer agony.

Si-ah shouted.

"Dad! Subdue him! Now!"

"Wh, what? Oh!"

"Just subdue him already! Hurry!"

Mun Geum was bewildered, but he followed his daughter's orders without hesitation. He couldn't begin to understand what was going on, but the moment a combat situation arose, you moved under a single command.

While their father subdued the mage and Si-ah kept watch in all directions, ready for any additional accomplices to emerge...

"Hrgh!"

Su-ho was already running, hauling the handcart behind him. The moment he saw the arrow hit the mage, he had taken off at a dead sprint without looking back.

'I can't leave this sitting in the middle of the checkp⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠oint!'

Magic was real in this world. Now that he knew the terrorist wasn't a lone wolf and that they'd even deployed a mage, he couldn't afford the slightest complacency.

Who knew? There could be a failsafe, a spell rigged to detonate automatically if a magical signal wasn't sent at set intervals!

"Everyone, out of the way! That's an order!"

Su-ho always used polite speech while on duty, but in an emergency like this, there was no room for courtesy.

At the gatekeeper's roar, the bystanders who had been diligently standing in line stumbled aside with confused noises, quickly clearing the path.

Su-ho's movements were swift.

He himself did not realize it, but a faint, intangible force was infused in his every stride.

It was none other than the change wrought upon his body by the Magical Elixir he had absorbed previously, the Elixir of Purification, now manifesting its effects.

"Hrrrrgh!"

Thanks to that, even when a wooden palisade blocked his way, he hefted the handcart clean over it. The strength was tremendous.

At the far end of the checkpoint was an open lot. Enclosed by palisades on all sides, he dropped the handcart there with a thud and immediately backed away to secure distance.

"Everyone back! Everyone back! Get behind, get behind!"

The citizens murmured but obeyed Su-ho's commands. Having just witnessed a man get pummeled and another struck by an arrow right before their eyes, their survival instincts had kicked in.

"S-Su-ho."

Having subdued and restrained the mage, Mun Geum came running over. Uncles and aunts, various relatives of the gatekeeper clan, were also scrambling to gather.

The relatives looked ready to skin Su-ho alive if he didn't produce an explanation for this pandemonium immediately.

"What on earth is......."

At that moment.

KAB⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠OOOOM!

The thunderous blast swallowed the question mark on his father's face. With it, a gale tore through the relatives' hair, and screams from the crowd, whose orderly queue had been scrambled into chaos, were buried under the noise.

The handcart had been reduced to kindling, its original form barely recognizable. Black flames erupted from the open lot, half-destroying the surrounding palisades as they blazed.

When the explosion subsided, a brief, stunned silence hung in the air.

"Wh......, wha......."

"Nobody move!"

Su-ho's shout cut through. The crowd, on the verge of descending into panic and fleeing, snapped their attention to him at once.

He shouted quickly, precisely, and clearly. Over and over.

"From this moment, anyone who moves without authorization will be arrested as a traitor! The checkpoint has been attacked! From this moment, anyone who moves without authorization will be arrested as a traitor!"

Treason.

Hundreds of people in the crowd froze at once.

Over that frozen hesitation, another voice layered itself.

"Everyone, sit down where you are!"

It was Si-ah's voice. She raised her bow openly and barked with commanding force. Her tone was nothing like her usual self.

"Sit down where you are! You! Why are you standing? Sit down! You want to be charged with treason, you bastard?!"

"N....... no, sir! I'm sorry!"

"Shut up! Everyone, quiet! Sit, you bastards! Sit!"

The air before the gate turned menacing in an instant.

The crowd's panic, which had been massive enough to cause a stampede, lost its momentum in a heartbeat and collapsed where it stood. Newcomers arriving from further down the road were diverted and kept separate.

Silence fell in every direction. The only sounds that remained were the murmur of the guards atop the wall and the crackling of burning palisade wood.

His father's face was frozen as well.

"Su-ho. This is......."

"It was an attack by someone. The mage you subdued earlier is an accomplice caught in the act. Please take command of the other adults, Father. The Guard will be here soon, so handle them when they arrive."

"R-right. I will."

Coming to his senses at last, Mun Geum began issuing orders to the other gatekeepers of the clan. There was a response protocol built precisely for situations like this.

When a gate was attacked or under threat of attack, the gatekeepers were empowered to enforce the strictest measures. With the threat of an explosion proven right before their eyes, every step of the procedure was carried out lawfully.

"What in the world just happened......."

"At least nobody got hurt, right?"

"How did that boy know?"

The relatives who had initially glared at the clan's illegitimate child as if they wanted him dead now wore entirely different expressions. Even while controlling the crowd, they kept stealing glances his way, lips moving wordlessly.

Everyone understoo⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠d.

Mun Su-ho had just earned a merit no one could deny.

"Whew."

The man himself, however, paid no attention to the relatives' stares. He was busy wiping the sweat from his forehead.

'The Royal Capital Guard will be swarming here any minute now that they've seen the explosion.'

And that was only the beginning. The Special Task Force, far more powerful than the Guard, would be dispatched as well. His liege, the Obsidian Baron's household, would certainly react with alarm too.

'Nothing is over yet.'

That was right.

The explosive had been safely dealt with, but the shockwaves from that explosion were only just beginning.

Feeling his heart pounding with adrenaline, Su-ho sat down on the chair in front of the checkpoint booth.

Below was the Prophecy Newspaper he had dropped on the ground while running earlier. He picked it up and read. To verify whether this incident was truly finished.

【Correction of False Report!】

「Prophecy Newspaper, October 18th edition, front page.」

「Regarding the report that 'Yesterday morning, an unidentified agitator secretly planted explosives on their own cart. The resulting explosion and fire at the checkpoint killed the perpetrator instantly at the scene.': we offer our sincerest apologies to our subscribers.」

「Upon further investigation, it has been confirmed that while the explosive did detonate, no innocent casualties occurred.」

「We hereby correct this false report.」

"Mm."

Su-ho nodded. A satisfying result.

Changes had also occurred on the flyer that was always delivered alongside the Prophecy Newspaper.

【Your actions contributed to the correction of this report.】

【As a token of gratitude, a reward will be delivered!】

Su-ho's eyes widened slightly at the text printed next.

The returns were far greater than he had expected.

【You prevented full-body burns to Family Newsletter key Source Mun Si-ah: Subscription Points +50】

【You prevented psychological trauma to Family Newsletter key Source Mun Si-ah: Subscription Points +30】

【Family Newsletter key Source Mun Geum narrowly avoided being stripped of his current position: Subscription Points +60】

【You prevented the destruction of checkpoints at the workplace of all blood relatives who are Sources for the Family Newsletter: Subscription Points +30】

【You prevented a massive decline in the reputation of South Gate, the workplace of all blood relatives who are Sources for the Family Newsletter: Subscription Points +30】

【You prevented the political downfall of all blood relatives who are Sources for the Family Newsletter: Subscription Points +100】

Line after line scrolled down.

The text in the advertisement column finally came to a stop.

【Current Subscription Points: 305】