Chapter 90.2

Chapter 90.2

Lee Wooshin let out a cold chuckle, his frosty gaze piercing through her as if he could see right through her thoughts.

Seoryeong swallowed nervously and tried to maintain a nonchalant expression. As she silently endured the mounting pressure, he tilted his chin slightly, as if granting her some leeway.

“Then, summarize it for me. Let’s hear this briefing.”

“…!”

Seoryeong’s face brightened instantly. She hurriedly downed a glass of water and her eyes sparkled with eagerness.

“While my target is the Deputy Chief, I won’t go after her right away.”

“And why not? By the way, are you planning to tell your husband about our kiss?”

“…!”

The unexpected question lodged in her throat, rendering her momentarily speechless. It was so abrupt that she wondered if she had misheard him.

After briefly tilting her head, Seoryeong casually continued.

“The Director of Cyber Operations from the Ministry of Defense will be attending this time. So I think–”

“I don’t understand why you’re so determined to hold on to your husband, Han Seoryeong.”

So she didn’t mishear. Seoryeong decided to act like someone with a clogged ear.

“If I attack the Deputy Chief directly, it’ll only raise her guard. That’s why I plan to use something else–”

“Are you into polygamy or something?” Lee Wooshin interrupted her once again.

“I’ve outlined everything here. If you handle the preliminary work, Instructor.”

“Then Kim Hyun will be at a disadvantage. I’m the one who’s survived purely on my body up to now.”

Ignoring him was the best strategy. Stay calm, stay calm, Seoryeong bit her lower lip, silently chanting to herself.

Just as she was about to continue, doing her best to ignore the smirking man in front of her, she hesitated. Where was I again…

“Haa…”

She had lost her focus completely. Frustrated, she slammed the table and stood up. Just as she took a deep breath to speak, his voice, firm and certain, hit her like a nail.

“You don’t need to step in, Han Seoryeong. I can handle this alone.”

His face, turning the conversation around with shameless ease, was flawless, without a single blemish.

“This plan is too much trouble. It’ll be easier if I handle it.”

“How do you plan to catch them?”

“I’ll just set up a meeting, pick them up, and put them in the car.”

“Phew!”

His casual boasting was beyond unimpressive. It was downright disappointing. Even in a moment like this, Lee Wooshin was still treating the situation lightly, playing around.

I’m the only one taking this seriously. As her face darkened, Lee Wooshin suddenly sighed and pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose.

“Alright, let’s say we catch them according to your plan. But you’re missing one crucial detail.”

Her gaze shifted downward.

“The interrogation location. Somewhere hidden, where you can take your time and vent your frustrations without getting caught.”

“I’ve already prepared that.”

“Where?”

Seoryeong simply returned a mysterious smile to his raised eyebrows.

The day of the event was now just around the corner.

***
Final Hall, 5th Floor, Seoul Grand Hotel. Quantum-Resistant Encryption Symposium.

“In today’s world, computers and keyboards pose as much of a threat to national security as guns and bombs. The battlefield of our era is no longer the dusty ground but an intangible space. If we fail to adapt to this constant shift and remain stuck in outdated frameworks…―”

A man with neatly pressed military attire, three-star epaulets on his shoulders, and graying hair stood at the podium, delivering his opening remarks.

A member of Blast Agency’s domestic security team stifled a yawn and stood up straight, trying to maintain his posture.

This academic competition, running for three days, attracted graduate students, esteemed professors, and researchers. All of them listened attentively to the Commander of Cyber Operations’ speech with composed expressions.

The security guards, standing with impassive faces, occasionally exchanged glances with their colleagues, quietly signaling “all clear, all clear.”

One man, standing in a zone with a clear view of the Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), kept a close watch on her. Deputy Director Joo Seolheon was scheduled to give a speech next, and she held her script tightly until the last moment.

“….”

The man straightened his posture with a hint of irritation. Despite conducting a thorough equipment check with the facility team early in the morning to prevent any accidents, his skepticism remained.

Having once served in the Blue House security detail, he knew the vulnerabilities of such events all too well.

He had once thought, while watching the pot-bellied head of security, that no matter how elite the security team was, their lack of technical knowledge about equipment made it possible for anyone with ill intent to deceive them.

Preventing everything was impossible.

The key was quick reflexes.

―”Stand by. The lights in the venue will be turned off soon. Do not leave your positions.”

―”A-2, confirmed.”

―”A-3, confirmed.”

“A-4, confirmed.”

The security guard shook off his useless thoughts and responded promptly.

Soon, the interior lights dimmed, and a video began to play on the large screen via the projector. It was a promotional video summarizing the symposium.

Just as the words “Sponsored by the NIS” appeared and faded from the screen.

―”Uh.”

An unusual sound echoed faintly through her earpiece.