I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 289

No matter how much Corporation Alpha Male pondered it, he could not figure it out. So, he asked, “What is it?”

“I can see that you’re ignoring it, whether unconsciously or consciously.”

“...”

‘Really? Am I that inadequate?’ Corporation Alpha Male was bewildered.

“You need to figure it out yourself. It’s important after all,” Chul-Soo said.

Corporation Alpha Male desperately tried to recall what he was ignoring. ‘I am Corporation Alpha Male. In my final moments, I must die honorably, looking my best.’

However, he could not figure it out.

After a considerable amount of time had passed, Chul-Soo said, “Do you really not know?”

“I don’t. Please tell me. What is the value I am forgetting? What am I ignoring? What is the knowledge that will protect my honor?”

“You have to acknowledge that I am the strongest among all Streamers.”

“What?”

‘Did he go through all this trouble just to hear that one statement? Coming all the way to Arvis, knowing that Lady Harkoen is targeting him? Is he insane?’

Regardless of Corporation Alpha Male’s feelings, Jin-Hyeok was serious. Jin-Hyeok was fine with Players provoking him and ambushing him. However, he could not tolerate the spread of false information, claiming someone else was the strongest Streamer.

Jin-Hyeok had one demand.

[I have been arrogant. Kim Chul-Soo is far stronger than I am.]

He wanted Corporation Alpha Male to acknowledge that.

“Now, I ask again. Who is stronger, me or you?”

“You are stronger.”

“Do you officially acknowledge it?”

“Yes. You are much stronger than me.”

“Good.”

Corporation Alpha Male found himself inadvertently looking into Jin-Hyeok’s eyes. ‘He is definitely insane. This guy is without a doubt, mad.’

At that moment, he did not realize the oddity of why he, despite being over Level 300, could not defeat Chul-Soo.

“That’s enough. You can leave now,” Jin-Hyeok said.

Corporation Alpha Male felt uneasy again. “Are you sparing my life?”

“Yes.”

Initially, Jin-Hyeok had considered killing Corporation Alpha Male. However, Han Sae-Rin had persuaded him to do the opposite.

“Keeping him alive will make things easier for you, Chul-Soo.”

“Why?”

“Think about it. He’s the second strongest among the Streamers. Anyone who wants to surpass you has to go through him first. You don’t want to waste your time fighting weaklings, right? Let Corporation Alpha Male handle the weak ones. I think he will stop most challengers anyway.”

“So... they have to get past him before challenging me. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Exactly!”

“Hm...”

Truthfully, Jin-Hyeok did not mind much even if weaker Players came at him.

“And dealing with those weaklings could distract you from focusing on your livestream, you know?”

“Fair point.”

Thanks to Sae-Rin, Corporation Alpha Male was able to survive.

***

Lady Harkoen sprang up from her seat in a fit of anger. “That idiot!”

According to her common sense, Corporation Alpha Male was supposed to die.

“Why is Chul-Soo sparing him?”

Corporation Alpha Male had to die for the Levina Mineral Powder hidden inside his body to activate. The powder could exert its effect only by consuming a person’s life. According to her plan, Corporation Alpha Male should have died there.

“All that effort to brainwash him for nothing.”

Harkoen had brainwashed Corporation Alpha Male, implanting in him the belief that since his Level was now over 300, he could confidently defeat Chul-Soo.

Harkoen bit her lip in frustration. As the situation in the arena deviated further from her plan, her misguided desire for Chul-Soo only grew stronger. The sight of Chul-Soo, captured on the screens of many Streamers livestreaming the arena, was breathtakingly beautiful. He seemed like a treasure she could not afford to lose.

“I must have him!” she yelled and threw the water glass on her desk. The glass shattered with a clang. Only then did she realize Hyde’s absence. If Hyde had been here, the glass would not have broken. He always managed to catch whatever she threw, after all.

“How could you do this to me, Hyde?” Slapping him had been a mistake. She had been furious at that time. “But still, how could you betray me? Since childhood, I have followed you like you were my father.”

The absence of someone who had been by her side for decades suddenly made her lonely. She even reminisced about the happiness of her childhood.

“I miss her pure soul. I loved her very much.”

Hyde’s words somehow made sense to her now.

“Yes. I will turn that child into a doll and keep her forever. Just as she once was, pure and innocent.”

Those words did not upset her. As a doll collector, she could understand Hyde’s sentiment. “What really upsets me is that my chamberlain is not by my side!”

It was not the first time she had slapped him. She had done much worse before.

“Just because I slapped him and said he was fired... How could he leave the mansion and abandon me?” Harkoen sat down in a chair, covering her face with her hands and sobbing. She felt overwhelmingly lonely.

After a while, someone handed her a handkerchief.

“Thank you, Chamberlain.” She grabbed the handkerchief and looked up sharply. “Chamberlain?”

“I knew you would be crying.”

Sae-Rin had predicted correctly. Hyde had not betrayed Harkoen.

“In the end... I suppose I must indulge the whims of a lady who whines like a child, just like old times,” Hyde said as he patted Harkoen’s back. “I have perfectly deceived Chul-Soo, my lady.”

Though he was reluctant, Hyde had to fulfill Harkoen’s wishes. “Before long, you will have Chul-Soo.”

***

Having braced himself for death, Corporation Alpha Male dusted himself off and stood up. ‘To think I would survive like this...’

Since he had acknowledged his defeat, he harbored no further regrets. He extended his hand to Jin-Hyeok. “I felt the significant gap in our abilities. I will not challenge you for a while. Until I am worth— ARGH!”

Corporation Alpha Male collapsed before finishing his sentence. After gasping for breath for a few seconds, he died right there on the spot. There was no time to react.

Jin-Hyeok frowned and scanned the surroundings. ‘An Assassin?’

He vaguely identified the direction of the attack. It seemed to be a rather special kind of attack, tailored for Corporation Alpha Male, like a custom-made poison. Indeed, Jin-Hyeok had sensed the killing intent at the moment of the attack.

‘I managed to activate Absolute Barrier, but...’

Naturally, Jin-Hyeok assumed the attack was meant for him. So, he had cast Absolute Barrier around himself, not expecting Corporation Alpha Male to be the target. However, people assumed that Jin-Hyeok had killed Corporation Alpha Male.

“Waaaah!”

Loud cheers erupted. The crowd was excitedly shouting about justice being served and how Chul-Soo had taught Corporation Alpha Male a lesson.

‘Who is it? Who killed him?’ The answer was not hard to find, as a voice echoed in his head. ‘What is this?’

[Muren, 37th Street, corner of the alley, the house with white bricks, meet here.]

[Muren, 37th Street, corner of the alley, the house with white bricks, meet here.]

[Muren, 37th Street, corner of the alley, the house with white bricks, meet here.]

Jin-Hyeok instinctively realized something. ‘Wow, this seems like some kind of brainwashing!’

It was not a poison but some substance that attempted to brainwash him.

‘But when did they do that to me?’

It seemed to have happened around the time Corporation Alpha Male had died. Jin-Hyeok could not be sure of the exact details. However, he was engulfed in a serious internal conflict.

‘Should I act as if I have been brainwashed?’

Before his regression, he had encountered many who were brainwashed. Some of the villains he faced were also brainwashed. For now, Jin-Hyeok softly muttered to himself, “Muren, 37th Street...”

Soon, the voice in his head disappeared.

***

The fans of Chul-Soo, affectionately referred to as Chul-Soo Landers, did not particularly care about what Jin-Hyeok did; they adored him regardless. Currently, they were ecstatic, proclaiming, ‘As expected, our Chul-Soo is so decisive! He possesses such firm charisma!’

Had Jin-Hyeok decided to spare Corporation Alpha Male, they would have equally cheered, ‘As expected, our Chul-Soo is overflowing with mercy!’

This incident significantly increased the influx of young male viewers on his livestreams.

-As expected, Chul-Soo knows how to grab our attention!

-God Chul-Soo. This is so satisfying!

-This is how you teach someone a lesson!

The livestream was quite successful, but Jin-Hyeok was deep in thought that night.

He asked Sae-Rin, “It was definitely some sort of brainwashing. But then it suddenly disappeared. Why is that?”

“Maybe it’s set to activate sporadically. If it was too obvious, it could have been problematic. It must be a highly advanced ability. But that aside, you are going to that place, right?”

“I have to.” Suddenly, Jin-Hyeok realized Sae-Rin had changed.

‘If it were the Sae-Rin before my regression, she would have nagged me about being too reckless.’

In fact, Jin-Hyeok had prepared a thorough excuse.

‘I guess they know I am immune to poisons below the level of the Snake King. So, they did not use poison. But it seems they don’t know I possess Imperial Resilience. That’s why they attempted such obvious brainwashing. This means they are not that meticulous. I have not officially declared I possess Imperial Resilience, but anyone who closely analyzes my Play would have noticed. So, their trap will not be that meticulous either. What do you think? With this reasoning, It’s okay to march in there, right?’

He had planned to say this, but the current Sae-Rin didn’t nag him; instead, she asked him if he was going to that place as if she expected him not to disappoint her by saying no.

“How can I naturally act as if I have been brainwashed?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“For that, we need to figure out what you have been subjected to. It seems related to Corporation Alpha Male’s death. Maybe it’s some sort of brainwashing powder that activates upon his death.”

“Is there such a thing?”

“I don’t know. I’m just speculating.”

Then, there was a knock, not on the door, but on the window. When Jin-Hyeok opened the window, a man in black tights and a mask appeared before him. He took off his mask in front of Jin-Hyeok.

“Hyde?” Jin-Hyeok said.

“Yes, it’s me. I had to come in this state because I am being tracked. I am still being pursued and do not have much time. Listen carefully. As you might have guessed, Corporation Alpha Male was killed by Harkoen.”

“Harkoen? How?”

“She used a substance that turns into a deadly poison upon coming into contact with the powder inside Corporation Alpha Male. It’s a bit complex, but think of it as a form of alchemy. As I mentioned before, Harkoen is an exceptional Alchemist. Your body has absorbed the Ludon Mineral Powder, which is like a drug that induces brainwashing.”

The powder that Jin-Hyeok had inhaled was actually named Levina Mineral Powder, and Hyde had intentionally said an incorrect name.

“Harkoen will likely lure you into a trap. The powder is going to slowly eat away your mind without making it too obvious.” Hyde took a leather pouch out of his pocket. “It would be wise not to go since it’s a trap... but I know you will go anyway. If you are going to that palace, take this with you. It will surely help.”