The Academy Geniuses I Raised and Dressed-Chapter 159 : Chapter 159: Leaving Gwangcheon (2)

I was eating a reheated lunch box when Kim Sang-sik stepped out of his room.
“…”
He stared at us blankly, today dressed not in his usual suit but in a tracksuit.
“Teacher, you’re awake.”
I smiled and greeted him.
“Ah, hello, Teacher,” Lumina said, jumping up to bow. Seo Yui followed with a polite nod.
Meiling barely dipped her head—so slightly it was unclear if it was even a greeting—before turning her eyes back to her food.
Kim Sang-sik rubbed his eyes, then looked again at us gathered around the table.
“…Why are you here?”
“We ran from Forward.”
The moment I mentioned Forward, his expression changed.
“Explain what happened.”
I nodded.
I told him about Sunday’s forced abduction by Black Hound and the back-to-back “special assignments” only our squad had received. As I spoke, his face grew darker.
“I see. That does sound like something Forward would do. I’m glad you’re safe, but…”
He bit his lip, regret showing on his face.
“…So what’s your plan now?”
But then he smoothed his expression, asking calmly.
I recalled his words: that he could no longer be our teacher.
“Since you’re marked by Black Hound, entering another academy won’t be easy,” he said.
“You’re right. So for now, we’ll stay here and wait for the right moment.”
“The right moment?”
“Yes. The moment the real fight against Forward begins.”
“And when will that be?”
The question came from Jodie, who had half-risen, her face fierce.
Lumina flinched, shoulders trembling.
“Calm down, or you’ll lose control,” I warned.
“….”
Jodie bit her lip, then sat down again.
“The first priority is completing preparations for magic stone power. The Mayor is handling that. All we have to do is wait.”
“I see. And what’s the secret of magic stone power?”
“I can’t give details, but in short—it requires a different kind of energy than what we Hunters use. And a special device as well.”
“…I see.”
He didn’t press further.
“But the city doesn’t have the resources to build such facilities.”
“No. Eventually, a corporation will have to be involved. The Mayor probably already has someone in mind.”
He would choose Porter.
Crystal might be faster and more reliable, but relying on them would risk a second monopoly.
Kim Sang-sik nodded.
“And you’ll need justification to take Forward down.”
“I think we’ll have more than enough justification.”
I nodded.
There was already the threat and violence I’d exposed on the broadcast.
The corruption in Gwangcheon I had ordered Lee Hanye—possessing Principal Im Seongyeon’s body—to investigate.
And right beside us were Jodie and Kim Sang-sik’s past, another Achilles’ heel.
Even the Valhall incident could be brought back into play.
But Forward’s greatest sin had not yet been revealed.
Once it was, humanity itself would be branded guilty.
That truth would require much more preparation to uncover.
“Teacher, do you still have the Doppelgänger’s Mirror?”
He nodded and opened his inventory, showing me.
“The Peacekeeping Force inspected my belongings but didn’t realize what it was, so they returned it. I told them it was a unique item that could scare monsters in a dungeon.”
I nodded.
“But why do you need it…?”
“Do you remember what I said before? That we must find out which of Black Hound was responsible.”
I avoided mentioning his ex-lover, since my squad didn’t know his past.
His face hardened.
“Yes. I remember.”
“We’ll need the Mayor’s approval, but I’d like you to use it to infiltrate Black Hound.”
“…So that’s why you said you had all the materials ready.”
“That’s right. And Black Hound will attack City Hall soon.”
“What?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“What do you mean, Yein?”
Kim Sang-sik, Meiling, Lumina, and Seo Yui all asked in shock.
Only Jodie remained quiet, seemingly lost in the flow of conversation.
“After today’s broadcast, Black Hound must have started investigating our whereabouts. But with the Peacekeeping Force’s help, we reached the safehouse. That in itself will give them proof. No matter how they search, they won’t find us—so they’ll conclude it’s because of the Peacekeeping Force.”
“….”
Kim Sang-sik listened, mouth half-open.
“Black Hound will believe we’re working with the Peacekeeping Force, or more accurately, with Mayor Cheon Jiweon. Given their size, they’ll assume the Mayor is using us. So they’ll shift their target. And since their men are imprisoned at City Hall, they’ll head there.”
“It’s a strong possibility they’ll suspect the Mayor,” Kim Sang-sik admitted
“But they can’t just attack City Hall openly. Forward and Black Hound are powerful, but picking a fight with the Mayor outright is reckless. And if their men disappear from City Hall, it’ll point straight back to Forward.”
“Exactly. That’s why they’ll wear a mask.”
“A mask?”
“They’ll disguise themselves as Cosmos.”
“Cosmos? You mean that terrorist group?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“Remember the Porter Department Store incident? Cosmos was completely crushed by the Mayor then. Black Hound will stage the City Hall attack as Cosmos seeking revenge. They might even join forces with Cosmos outright.”
Kim Sang-sik’s face showed disbelief.
“Why Cosmos?”
“Because they have ties.”
“Ties?”
“Why do you think Cosmos targeted a place like Porter Department Store? It was to pave the way for Forward’s new shopping complex. They’re planning to challenge Crystal’s Hunter Mall on their own.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Someone from Forward Merchandise’s item division approached me once. Well, technically, they approached a friend of mine, but I heard their plan for the new mall.”
“But how do you know for sure that Cosmos and Forward are linked…?”
“The same way I learned about Jodie and your past, Teacher.”
When I said that, Kim Sang-sik fell silent.
“We’ll work out the details of infiltrating Black Hound after speaking with the Mayor. It might be easier if some Peacekeeping Force members join rather than sending you alone.”
“…Alright. Understood.”
He nodded.
“Gathering intel on Black Hound is what I’ve wanted all along. I’ll just follow your lead.”
“Thank you.”
“What about me!?”
“Eek!”
Lumina shrieked at the sudden outburst.
Turning, I saw Jodie staring straight at me.
“Why aren’t you giving me anything to do?”
“…Do you really want to know the reason?”
Jodie nodded quickly.
Then I had to be blunt.
“Because of your arms.”
“…!”
She clenched her teeth.
“Even if you use the Doppelgänger’s Mirror, your real body won’t change. If you act even slightly unnatural, they’ll notice. For you, infiltration is impossible. And there’s no guarantee you won’t lose control when standing face-to-face with Black Hound. But don’t be discouraged.”
I smiled.
“Your time will come. There’s a place where your power will be needed. I promised, didn’t I? Trust me.”
“….”
For a moment, she looked like she was about to lunge at me. But slowly, her expression softened, and finally she let out a deep sigh.
“Fine… I’ll wait.”
“Good. Thank you.”
“…You really are better than me.”
Kim Sang-sik muttered softly.
“Teacher, you should eat too.”
“Oh, right. Sang-sik, want me to heat up a lunch box for you?” Jodie asked.
“Yes, please.”
Just then—
Ring! Ring!
The sharp sound of a phone rang out.
We all turned toward the source.
It was coming from the receiver on the wall.
“That’ll be the Peacekeeping Force,” Kim Sang-sik said.
“I’ll answer it.”
I walked over and lifted the receiver.
“Hello?”
[Oh, Yein. It’s me.]
Cheon Jiweon’s voice.
[Have you eaten?]
“Yes, just now.”
[Good. The lunches might not be to your taste, but bear with them for now. Anyway, perfect timing.]
“Sir?”
[I called because I had something to tell you. Since you picked up, I’ll say it directly.]
“What is it?”
[You know of Riyu Homar, don’t you?]
“Of course.”
The Sage of Amethyst.
A level 87 powerhouse.
And until just a few days ago, chairman of the HAUT executive committee.
[He asked me about Gwangcheon’s winning team.]
I stiffened.
“He asked you about us?”
[Yes. He and I are old acquaintances. But he doesn’t know we’re working together. He simply assumed, after seeing that broadcast, that I would protect you.]
“I see.”
I had no right to complain. Even though the Mayor told me not to spread word about magic stone power, I had already told Eleanor.
[And he said that if you ever needed help, he would lend his hand.]
“He did?”
[Yes. We’ll discuss more when we meet. I also have things to say to you personally.]
That worked out well—I had plenty to say too.
[The Peacekeeping Force will come for you at three o’clock.]
“Understood.”
The line disconnected.
I set the receiver back and turned to the others, relaying what the Mayor had said.
“Riyu Homar? Why would that old man help us?” Meiling asked, face full of disbelief.
“We’ll find out when we meet him. Teacher.”
I looked at Kim Sang-sik.
“The Doppelgänger’s Mirror. I’ll borrow it for now.”
“Alright.”
He pulled it from his inventory and handed it to me.
We waited in the safehouse until exactly three o’clock. With a
beep
, the front door opened.
“Hello~!”
I almost screamed.
Jang Hayun burst in with a huge grin, one arm raised high.
“Here to pick up the rebels of the century! Let’s go!”
“….”
I fought the urge to ask for someone else and walked to the door with the others.
“Hm hm~.”
As we stepped into the corridor, she hummed a tune.
“Captain Lee Seon isn’t with you today?” I asked, clinging to a thin thread of hope.
“He had other business this afternoon. Why? Ohhh, is it because you want to use this chance to get closer to me~?”
I’d asked precisely because I didn’t want to hear nonsense like that.
“No. I just asked because I usually see the two of you together.”
My voice came out flatter than I intended.
“Hm? Is that
really
all~?”
I resisted the urge to smack her and kept walking—until something felt off.
I turned my head. Almost at the same time, Jang Hayun did too.
Lumina, Seo Yui, and Meiling had all stopped, staring at me with odd expressions.
“What’s wrong? Did you see something strange?” Hayun asked, glancing around.
But the three said nothing and simply resumed walking.
When we reached the car outside, I froze.
The girls had suddenly clustered around me.
“What are you waiting for? Get in already,” Meiling said curtly.
Seo Yui had already opened the rear door and was looking straight at me.
“Right. Okay.”
I slid into the far side of the back seat, and the three flowed in around me, quick as the wind.
“Huh? No one’s riding shotgun?” Hayun asked from the driver’s seat, glancing back.
But once again, the three stayed silent.
“Hmm. Guess everyone’s in a bad mood. Well, with all that’s happened, who could blame you. Alright then, let’s hit the road~!”
She chattered to herself as she started the car.
As expected, the ride back to Seoul was filled with her endless questions.
But before I could answer, the girls—especially Meiling—cut her off with short replies every time.
‘So they don’t like Jang Hayun either.’
Thanks to that, the ride to our destination was far more comfortable than I’d expected.
Though I still couldn’t figure out why they kept shooting me such sharp looks.
(End of Chapter)