The Spoon Villain Is Obsessed with the Hero Again Today

The Tomb Raider (4)

♬─

It was around early evening when a call came in for Son Iseo.

At first, he intended to ignore it since it was an unknown number. But the ringing persisted, forcing him to answer.

─Son Iseo, the high school dropout hunter. Why are you ignoring my calls?

And wouldn’t you know it, it was Shin Yunseong.

How did he get my number?

─I’ll get straight to the point. I’m requesting a one-on-one match.

The purpose of the call was simple. A request for an evaluation match.

─Coincidentally, I have some pent-up feelings for you. I’m giving you a chance to release those feelings through this evaluation.

From Son Iseo’s perspective, there was no reason to refuse. A chance to plant a fist in the face of Shin Yunseong, who constantly taunted him for being a dropout.

Naturally, he accepted the request.

─Then, 1 a.m. I’ll be waiting at the Academic Exhibition Hall.

With those words, the call ended. Son Iseo eagerly awaited the arrival of dawn.

And as the promised hour approached…

“Seriously! Who in the world holds an evaluation match at this hour!”

Only now did Son Iseo realize he had messed up the timing.

“And why the Academic Exhibition Hall instead of a perfectly good outdoor training ground! I can’t fathom the reason!”

It wasn’t just the time. The location felt strange too. He was about to have an evaluation match in a place completely unrelated to combat.

“Ugh…! I don’t care…! It’ll work out somehow…!”

Nothing mattered. He’d rush anywhere if it meant repaying the humiliation he suffered in the student cafeteria.

“Haa…”

Before he knew it, he had arrived at the Academic Exhibition Hall. The surroundings were quiet. As it was late, there wasn’t a person in sight.

♬─

Then the smartphone chimed. Son Iseo checked the incoming message.

[Behind the Academic Exhibition Hall. G.]

Fighting in front of the building, so brazenly, wasn’t quite the thing, after all. Seemed there was a suitable spot around back.

Without a shred of doubt, Son Iseo rounded the building.

“What is this. No one’s here.”

It was a wide open field. Shin Yoonseong, her intended, was nowhere to be seen. Only a small box sat forlornly, all by itself.

About the size for a cat to curl up inside.

♬─

Again, the smartphone chimed.

Son Iseo let out a little shriek of annoyance.

“Ugh, seriously! If you’re going to be late, just say so! No need to drag things out like this!”

The reason for all the constant texts was obvious, wasn’t it? Trying to buy time, any way he could, because he couldn’t make it on time.

Still, she decided to read the message.

[Accidentally left the box. Bring it to me inside the Academic Exhibition Hall instead.]

“Huh?”

She’d expected just some excuse, but no. This time, there were instructions to bring the box inside the building.

More than that, seeing the box left here meant he’d already arrived, didn’t it? Could he be inside the exhibition hall?

“Always acting so smart, then leaving things behind. Total idiot, isn’t he?”

Regardless, she decided to take the box with her.

“Ugh! How can it be so heavy! Did he put bricks in here or something?”

It was meticulously sealed with tape, so she couldn’t see what was inside. Son Iseo hugged the box to her chest and stepped into the Academic Exhibition Hall.

“Ugh!”

Thump!

No sooner had she entered the building than she set the box down. No point in carrying it any longer when all it did was make her arms ache.

“Wow… it’s huge….”

The Academic Exhibition Hall was quite large. It held many fascinating technological displays and numerous papers written in English.

But it wasn’t just a long line of things she’d never seen before. There was something familiar to Son Iseo as well….

It was a maseok.

“Ha!”

Her hand flinched, startled. No time to stand here, lost in thought.

She needed to find Shin Yunseong.

“Seriously, where is he!”

He picks the time and place, then doesn’t even show his face.

Surely he wouldn’t chicken out like this?

*Thump-thump-*

Footsteps echoed through the academic exhibition hall. Seemed her appointment, Shin Yunseong, had arrived.

Gonna give him a piece of my mind, for sure.

“Huh…?”

But the figure standing before her wasn’t Shin Yunseong.

It was some unfamiliar male student.

“To think someone would visit the exhibition hall so late. How curious.”

“…”

The male student greeted Son Iseo with a smile. But Iseo didn’t return the pleasantry. Instead, she backed away, wary.

Her mother always told her to be careful of men who acted overly friendly for no reason.

“Ah, I’m Baek Seonwoo, a trainee here. You’re a trainee too, aren’t you? Ms. Son Iseo?”

“Huh? You know me?”

“Of course. Who among the Awakened doesn’t know Son Iseo of the Hyungwang Battle Team 1? You’re quite famous.”

“Famous…? Me…? Hee, hee hee….”

Just a moment ago she was shrinking back, but now she was grinning foolishly.

She knew she was doing well, but she never imagined she was *this* popular.

“What brings you to the exhibition hall, Ms. Son Iseo?”

“Oh, right!”

She almost forgot why she’d come.

Iseo glanced around, then asked Baek Seonwoo.

“Hey, aside from me, haven’t you seen anyone else? An annoyingly good-looking guy should have been here!”

“I’m afraid I haven’t. I haven’t seen anyone else but you.”

“Huh…?”

What? No one else? Then where was Shin Yunseong?

He calls her all the way to the exhibition hall, then disappears? Does he even *want* to fight?

“Eek. Already it’s gotten this late.”

Baek Seon-woo checked the time and hurried toward the exit.

“Ah, right.”

He stopped midway. Then, he spoke to Son I-seo.

“Perhaps, are you interested in a mana stone?”

“A mana stone?”

“Yes, Basago’s mana stone is on display at the far end.”

Baek Seon-woo gestured toward the interior of the exhibition hall.

“….”

Basago. It was a name Son I-seo knew well. She had almost faced him this past summer.

“Since you’ve come all this way, I recommend taking a look. It’s exceedingly beautiful, you see.”

With those words, Baek Seon-woo departed the exhibition hall. Now, only Son I-seo remained in that place.

“A mana stone….”

Curiosity piqued. What form could it possibly take? Son I-seo moved in the direction Baek Seon-woo indicated.

Sssssh─

In the distance, a stone emitting a dark crimson light came into view.

That… is Basago’s mana stone?

“Woah….”

Her mouth hung open without her conscious command. It was shining more brilliantly than any mana stone she had ever seen.

The energy itself felt deeply ominous, but she couldn’t deny the fact that it was beautiful.

“If I had participated in that battle….”

Then, by now, the mana stone would be under the control of Hyun-gwang. Not in some school like this… .

*Kwaang*─!

“Kyaak…!”

It was then. An explosion erupted within the quiet academic exhibition hall.

It was an immense roar, enough to make her heart drop.

“W-What, what was that all of a sudden…!”

Son I-seo tore her gaze from the mana stone and looked around.

Where did that sound come from?

*Pung*─!

*Boom*—!

The explosion wasn’t a one-off. It happened again and again.

The trouble didn’t end there. Fire broke out as well. Flames began to crawl across the floor.

At this rate, all our precious technical creations would be consumed.

“aaagh…! F-Fire…! Fire…!”

Without a second thought, Son Yi-seo decided to find the fire hydrant first. The fire alarm would be there.

*

“Huh?”

It was the next morning. Yoo Ji-woo, searching for something in the lab, tilted his head, perplexed.

“Has anyone seen my gunpowder box that was here?”

Despite Yoo Ji-woo’s query, the lab personnel acted as if they hadn’t heard. Each of them was simply focused on their own tasks.

“These guys, really….”

In the end, Yoo Ji-woo decided to ask each one individually.

“Kang Tae-hoon. You haven’t seen my gunpowder box, have you?”

Kang Tae-hoon was, as usual, engrossed in his smartphone game. He answered from where he lay sprawled on the sofa.

“Why are you asking me? What would I even use gunpowder for in the first place?”

True enough. What reason would Kang Tae-hoon have to use gunpowder? Yoo Ji-woo conceded the point.

He turned his gaze towards Rashid this time.

“Rockhead, you?”

“Oh.”

Rashid shook his head, indicating he didn’t know. Afterwards, he continued with the workout he was doing.

“Hmm. Then….”

Finally, Yoo Ji-woo’s gaze landed on me.

“Shin Yoon-sung.”

“Hmm. I have no idea.”

I replied quickly, feigning ignorance.

The truth was, I’d used that gunpowder box just yesterday. Not a little bit, but the entire thing, consumed.

“That’s strange…. It couldn’t have just vanished…. Did we have a thief in the lab or something?”

If Yoo Ji-woo were to find out about this, he’d be furious.

It probably wouldn’t end with just a *samseon ganjajang* this time.

*Clack!*

Right as I was hunting for the gunpowder stash, the lab door swung open. A student from one of the other labs was paying a visit.

“Hey, Yu, Doctor Yu! You wouldn’t happen to have seen a Z1-504 from our lab, would you?”

“Huh? What’s this? Your lab got hit too?”

Looks like a theft occurred in another lab besides mine.

For the record, I didn’t touch anything from the other labs. Just the gunpowder, that’s all. This wasn’t my doing.

“It was for a presentation at the upcoming conference! What am I supposed to do now?”

“Did you check the CCTV?”

“Turned it inside out! But not so much as a mouse has been caught on it, you know?”

If I were to try and steal something from another room, I’d be caught on CCTV in a heartbeat. A complete stranger waltzing in, I’d be suspect number one.

That’s what made Yu Jiwoo’s lab comparatively easy to break into. This place? People are in and out of here all the time. With a bag, you could take anything.

“Is this student Yu Jiwoo’s lab?”

It was then. Another guest arrived. This time it was someone from the school administration. And behind them, detectives.

“Huh? That’s me, Yu Jiwoo? What’s going on?”

What business could the police have, coming all the way to the lab? Yu Jiwoo’s eyes widened as he stepped forward.

*Clack!*

In that instant, cold steel cuffs snapped around Yu Jiwoo’s wrists.

A detective spoke.

“You are under arrest for illegal possession of explosives and suspicion of planning a bombing.”

“Huh? What are you talking about? Illegal explosives? A bombing, what is that?”

“You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”

The police then hauled Yu Jiwoo away.

“Hey, hey…! Let go…! What are you doing…! Why are you dragging away an innocent person…! I didn’t do anything wrong…!”

Yu Jiwoo stamped his feet and struggled fiercely. But it was no use. What could he do with such a small frame?

“Are you student Shin Yunseong?”

Next, a detective approached me.

Here it comes. I nodded.

“During the investigation, we uncovered evidence suggesting you were involved in the crime with Yu Jiwoo. Do you happen to know someone named Son Iseo?”

Looks like Son Iseo is being questioned too. Must have spilled the beans about moving the crate under my instructions.

Well, that was all to be expected.

“Let’s go talk inside, then.”

Thankfully, they didn’t handcuff me. At least I wasn’t ending up like Yoo Jiwoo.

“Hey, call me when you get out. I’ll bring some tofu.”

Kang Taehoon grinned as I was led toward the station.

Some friendship, that was. To call that *thing* a friend.

“…”

What.

Not that *I* should be talking, considering I used Yoo Jiwoo as bait.