I Became the Academy’s Kibitz Villain - Chapter 232: The Secret Society Prepares For Every Situation (2)

Three hours later, at the Thailand Hero Association Phuket Branch.

“Nice to meet you. Jeonguk Heungdowang.”

“It’s been a while, Laplace. Is this the first time since the A-class rank 1 inauguration ceremony last year?”

“Yes. I didn’t expect you to come without warning. Any issues in Malaysia?”

“Even in my absence, ‘Khmer Xes’ is guarding it. I’m here on vacation.”

“If you had given us a heads-up, we would have arranged protocol at the airport or the border.”

“I wanted to travel quietly. That’s all.”

A stifling conversation ensues.

Those observing nearby only exchange glances in a meeting room tense as a thin sheet of ice.

Laplace smiles, but his eyes are hardened.

Jeonguk Heungdowang, dressed in a single suit, blatantly presented herself as a tourist.

The confrontation between the two A+ ranked individuals involves not just personal charisma but also magical power, and those in the seminar room hope someone will accidentally open a door.

“I’ll cut to the chase. Why are you in Phuket?”

“Directly answering: for travel. That’s it.”

“Is that the real reason?”

“Then I’m here for travel. Do you think I have another purpose?”

“If you were really here just to travel, wouldn’t you have ignored the uproar at Pupatpong?”

“Could a hero ignore villains taking hostages and causing chaos? Is there a reason needed to save people?”

“We could have subdued them.”

“Well, it’s too late once hostages are harmed. Odd feeling, saving people and subduing villains and still being scolded. Did you film a movie or something? It doesn’t seem so.”

Both knew each other’s true motives but continued to attack verbally.

They simply smiled at each other, but Laplace was the more frustrated.

“Fine, I welcome your trip to Phuket at this time, which coincidentally is not known to the Hero Association or the government of Malaysia, not even to the Autonomous Region of Vietnam.”

“I didn’t expect a welcome, but thank you for giving one.”

“By the way, have you arranged a place to stay? Should I book a 5-star hotel for you?”

“I came to enjoy the night; that won’t be necessary. I’ll just walk around and enjoy the night air of Phuket.”

“Do you think that makes sense?”

“Oh, why wouldn’t it? I’m just following my heart. Is there a reason I shouldn’t be in Phuket?”

Jeonguk Heungdowang just grinned.

The situation was frustrating for Laplace, while Jeonguk Heungdowang was the picture of composure.

Clearly, the justification was on Jeonguk Heungdowang’s side, not Laplace’s.

“I’m just a tourist, with no visa issues, here to save people while touring. Oh, the citizens might get excited seeing me. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my identity as hidden as possible. Heh.”

“You’re only making me worry more with such talk. Be careful. There’s intelligence of mysterious figures roaming around Phuket. Anyone could disappear suddenly.”

“Phuket’s security must be really poor then? Thanks for the concern, but I can protect myself. May I go now?”

“General Jeokrang will be arriving soon. Surely you’re not planning to stand him up?”

“……Hmm.”

Jeonguk Heungdowang’s eyes slightly furrowed, but she soon shrugged.

“Well, I might as well have tea in the meantime.”

“Yes. Please don’t go anywhere, wait here. I’ll have the tea ready soon.”

Laplace stepped outside, and Jeonguk Heungdowang leisurely gazed out the window of the seminar room.

From afar.

Responding to the gaze she felt, she lightly formed a V with her fingers.

Accommodation.

Pretending to be newlyweds, we turned on the TV as soon as we entered the room.

On the TV, Jeonguk Heungdowang waved a V sign towards a drone camera.

It’s a hero’s greeting to the Thai citizens, but she was actually sending a signal while pretending to greet.

“Brother, it seems I won’t get any help. Laplace has tied my hands, hasn’t he?”

“That’s right. There are rumors that General Jeokrang in Bangkok is heading to Phuket.”

Major players were gathering in Phuket.

Officially, Jeonguk Heungdowang was here on vacation, so she couldn’t assist in this operation.

“Ugh. She’s quite good at fighting. I hope there won’t be any major incidents.”

“I feel the same. I’d rather not fight with the hero who uses the title of ‘Vietnamese Admiral’ as his alias.”

If we engage them, it must be against them as ‘heroes,’ and naturally, they must confront the Secret Society’s villains with all their might.

That’s how heroes cooperating with the Secret Society operated.

They attracted public attention to facilitate easier movements for the Secret Society, but once it surfaces, heroes must fight against them.

So that the public might think, ‘How could Jeonguk Heungdowang cooperate with the Secret Society after fighting them to the death?’

“Tran Hung Dao has drawn enough attention. Now, Mr. Nguyen?”

[Yes.]

I spoke to Nguyen, who was staying in the next hotel room.

The walls are thick, but to an ability user with enhanced hearing, walls weren’t much of an obstacle.

“The Secret Society will move. From the moment you called us, the operation was ‘confirmed,’ and all that’s left is to set the timing and place. We’ll decide the timing, but you can choose the location.”

[…Which of the two islands should we attack first?]

“Yes.”

Was it the island of the succubus?

Or the sanctuary of the gods?

The order didn’t matter much, but the scale and nature of the damage would vary significantly.

“The Secret Society does not hesitate to shed blood. We’ll minimize the bloodshed, but I won’t make idealistic promises that no one will be left to die.”

[……]

“Remember, those you reach out to are people who will stop at nothing for world peace. So, what will you do? Will you cancel the contract?”

[If I stop here…]

“Then the director and I will just enjoy our trip in Thailand and leave.”

Bluntly speaking, what happened was up to this country and Nguyen, not us.

The Secret Society could always uproot the darkness over this country in another way.

It’s just that right now, the general director was on a sabbatical for a year; ‘purifying’ a country was not a big deal.

[If I stop now, all sorts of atrocities will still be happening on that island.]

“Yes. Blood is still being spilled right now.”

[…I’ll do it.]

“Good choice, Nguyen. With our support for your decision, we’ll start our preparations immediately.”

I lightly knocked on the wall.

“Operations will commence at … o’clock. Until then, there’s only one thing you need to do.”

[Just tell me. Right away-]

“Set an alarm and go to sleep.”

[…Excuse me?]

“Don’t stay up worrying unnecessarily. Or should I come and put you to sleep myself? One hit with a baseball bat and you’d be out.”

[Oh, no need. …I’ll rest on my own.]

“Good. Then don’t leave the room until operations begin.”

I pulled out my Goblin Bat and tapped the wall lightly.

Soon, a thin barrier of magical power spread across the wall leading to Nguyen’s room, and I turned towards the bed.

“Brother, he definitely won’t be able to sleep, will he ?”

“He must be nervous.”

“Not in that sense.”

Yun Hye-ra sat on the bed and waved at me leisurely.

“Due to the noise of creating an alibi next door, I doubt you’ll be able to sleep.”

“…I’ve put up a sound barrier with magic, so it should be fine. And…”

I stroked Yun Hye-ra’s hair with my hand and leaned over her.

“I have no intention of letting others hear your moans carelessly.”

“……Heh.”

Starting now.

We would create an alibi.

Midnight.

“Listen well. These Secret Society folks, they target the time when humans are most vulnerable.”

Agent ‘K’, under Laplace, handed guns to the suit-wearing Kosians following him, advising them.

“Laplace said that the woman, Tran Hung Dao, coming to Phuket isn’t a coincidence. We must find the missing Nguyen and, at the same time, locate the Secret Society agents Nguyen called. Check the list again.”

The faces and locations of “people from Korea who arrived within the last three days,” identified through hotel booking apps, card terminals, and CCTVs, appeared on the Kosians’ screens.

“We will now inspect all their places of stay, and immediately raid if something’s off. Understand?”

“”“Yes!”““

“Then, the first one.”

Led by Agent K, the Kosians entered the hotel.

The hotelier ignored them as if they were invisible, and the agents began checking room doors.

“……R Hotel, all clear. What about you?”

[No issues here. Oh, there was something funny. Heh.]

“What is it?”

K’s anger rose at the other team member’s words coming through the radio.

“What is it? You must report even minor issues.”

[A Korean couple here is very patriotic. Wow, it’s my first time hearing a woman moan to death.]

“…Nonsense. During a mission.”

[Hey. It’s getting louder now, wanna listen?]

“…….”

K perked up his ears.

And.

“……Isn’t that woman dying?”

[Right? Heh. Should we grab the man and throw him on that island?]

“We can’t touch the Korean couple; it’s too risky. …But slip a business card under the door anyway.”

[I already did that. Sigh. Anyway, no sign of those Secret Society bastards. Are they really here?]

“They are.”

Thump, thump, thump.

The creaking of the bed through the radio was distracting, but the agent decided to focus on the mission.

“They’re terrorists. They must be preparing for something somewhere for a terror act. We must find them. For Laplace.”

[Of course.]

Screeech.

“……Tsk. Poor souls. Couldn’t go to Ulleungdo or Jeju, ended up in Phuket.”

The night deepened.

The search continued past midnight, but the agents couldn’t find even a hint of the Secret Society’s ‘toe’.

And.

At 4:33 AM.

The alarm went off.