Gwang Ik Gong was dead.

Therefore, a successor was needed to replace Gwang Ik Gong.

Someone who, just before being killed by a villain, instinctively thought "Save me, OOO" and could think of someone other than Gwang Ik Gong.

However, it was not easy to find such a successor, someone who could replace the position of the 'untouchable hero' that was Gwang Ik Gong.

Gwang Ik Gong was not only incredibly strong, but the sense of justice he displayed was more excellent and magnificent than anyone else's.

But could a figure who had always been a perennial second-in-command replace the position of number one?

This question arose, and one work showed the answer to this question.

The second-in-command was always challenged.

And the second-in-command, who tried to follow in the footsteps of number one, could not maintain the prestige of number one even after becoming number one.

Gwang Ik Gong was invincible.

The number one, the world's strongest hero, must never be defeated.

A hero who was not defeated by anyone, thus giving hope to all humanity.

-Gwang Ik Gong has arrived!

Even if villains rampaged on the other side of the world, the arrival of the world's strongest hero instilled confidence that the incident will be resolved.

But what if we assessed the current state of the seven S-rank heroes in Korea?

There's no need to speak of the others; even Snow White - Baek Seol-hee - could potentially replace Gwang Ik Gong.

-If Gwang Ik Gong is dead, then who is the next strongest?

-There are several candidates, but in Korea right now, there's Snow White.

-Snow White. Indeed, if it's her, she could aim to be Korea's strongest hero.

Her abilities were getting stronger every day, and if she focused a bit more on improving her abilities, she could become the guardian of this country in a different sense than Gwang Ik Gong.

-But hasn't Snow White never won against Goblin?

Here's where the problem arose.

-Can she definitely win if she fights Goblin?

-Gwang Ik Gong never fought Goblin either, so isn't it unknown?

-Hey. If Goblin could beat Gwang Ik Gong, he would have fought and won already. And he would have conquered Korea.

That's not the case.

The reason Goblin spared Gwang Ik Gong was that he was planning to launch bird missiles against the meteor that summoned the meteor.

-Even if they kill Gwang Ik Gong, the Secret Society can conquer the world, so why keep him alive until now?

The reason the Secret Society spared Gwang Ik Gong was to prevent the hassle that could arise from the great chaos in the world if Gwang Ik Gong were eliminated.

The world with Gwang Ik Gong was more peaceful than the world without him.

Gwang Ik Gong, the Secret Society, and Baek Seol-hee all knew that.

-I'm going to get pregnant.

But Baek Seol-hee was different from Gwang Ik Gong.

-While Gwang Ik Gong can serve the country by working hard for about an hour, I have to be a non-combatant for 10 months.

She was a woman, wanted to have children, wanted to be a mother, and chose to love one man.

-Surely you don't expect me to replace Gwang Ik Gong, right? As an ability user, I might manage somehow, but I'm a woman. I have to give birth. If I end up having a child in my late 20s or even 30s, will you take responsibility?

Strictly speaking, the constant pressure to date, marry, and have children led to the rebellious and illicit pregnancy, but no one could blame Baek Seol-hee.

-You all told me to have children, so I tried, and now you want me to replace Gwang Ik Gong? If I can't get pregnant or something goes wrong during childbirth, will you take responsibility?

No one could speak harshly to Baek Seol-hee.

-Rather than becoming the world's strongest and a symbol of peace, I want to be a mother to a child. Oh, no, I'd prefer triplets or maybe three siblings.

If Baek Seol-hee said no, it was no, and the reason was with her.

-Still, as a patriot....

"I'm saying I'll be patriotic, so why is it a problem? Isn't childbirth the true way to be a patriot in this low birthrate era?"

"Still...."

"Not even the president can interrupt my maternity leave."

Such a situation would unfold.

"...This is my opinion on Seol-hee noona's current state. In other words, Seol-hee noona cannot replace Gwang Ik Gong right now."

Of course, this was Gwang Ik Gong's assumption about the future.

Baek Seol-hee might not react like this, but if she had a child, she would change her life for the child.

"Whether it's the Sephiroth Knights or whatever, it's good to train Gwang Ik Gong, but at some point, a real next generation who can replace Gwang Ik Gong is needed."

Therefore, they must be trained.

"Women have the variable of pregnancy, but men don't."

Among the ability users, they need to train someone smart and dedicated to the country like Gwang Ik Gong.

"I hope you train a man rather than a woman."

"......."

"Brother, it's not that you prefer women over men, right?"

I failed to manage my expression at Gwang Ik Gong's suggestion.

"The reason the world's strongest needs to be a man is not for any other reason, but because they are relatively free from maternity leave. It's better for the mother to be with the child in the early stages."

Gwang Ik Gong's Confucian view seemed somewhat valid.

"The mother raises the child at home, and the father works as a hero outside. Naturally, a mother's heart leans more toward the child in the early stages; it's only natural."

"So you're saying women should stay home and watch the kids?"

"It's not a sexist remark; I'm saying this considering the future matters with Seol-hee noona."

Gwang Ik Gong pointed to his large phone in front of him.

"Think about it. If you train an ability user, would it be more convenient for you if it's a man or a woman?"

"From my perspective...."

"A woman, right?"

"Well."

To put it bluntly, I found women more comfortable.

"Baek Seol-hee, Yumir, Yoon Iseon. Just with these three, you've already proven your skills in nurturing female ability users. Seol-hee noona has adopted Goblin's combat style and even mastered her cloning technique, and Yumir is learning Gwang Ik Gong's techniques. Not to mention, you raised Yoon Iseon, who was an A-rank, to S-rank."

Talking with the women, I made them even stronger.

"Is it just those people? Even the executives of the Secret Society developed new abilities under your influence, and they seem to have learned from each other through skill exchanges. Didn't Gungi nuna also learn Yumir's teleportation?"

"Doul learned it too."

"I thought that noona's skill was just high-speed movement, but she mastered teleportation as well. Anyway, look at this. You can teach female ability users better than anyone else."

"Didn't you want to nurture male ability users?"

It seemed like he wanted me to focus on raising female ability users specifically.

The inconsistency implied that there was a connecting solution.

"So, I want to make a proposal."

Gwang Ik Gong drew a picture on the table.

"There's no rule that says only one person should consult under the name of Gwang Ik Gong. You and I can consult together using this app."

"What is it?"

"[Geumbit Narae]."

An app with Gwang Ik Gong's golden wings spread out on both sides.

"Regarding the registered ability users here, Gwang Ik Gong will consult on their abilities."

"......."

"I'll mainly handle the consulting for the registered people. You should focus on female ability users, especially those who could become S-rank. I don't care if it's a man or a woman, but ideally, care for the male ones too."

"So."

Now it was clear.

"While taking care of other people's abilities through this app, you want me to pick the promising ones and make them S-rank?"

"Yes."

"And for that, you'll give me a 200 billion won down payment plus extra allowances?"

"Yes."

"Do I look that easy?"

"Brother."

When I sharpened my tone, Gwang Ik Gong lowered his voice and pointed below.

"This proposal is not for you."

"...What?"

"It's for the chairman, who will always be watching over you and knows this situation."

"......."

"I won't mind if you recruit the people you make S-rank or S+ into the Secret Society. Just make sure to increase the S-ranks significantly, to the point where Taejo gets pushed down to around 30th place. Or make an S-rank detector as good as Taejo."

"Huh...."

Half a year.

It had been nearly half a year since Gwang Ik Gong died.

"Why are you doing this now?"

"Because you've changed too."

"What?"

"You were somewhat hell-bent on killing everyone last year. But now, you're quite different."

"...Different?"

"Yes. You could say you've found a reason to protect the world. And you've shown it through your actions."

Gwang Ik Gong stared at me.

"Even a dark hero is still a hero. Isn't that right?"

"...I guess. But I'm a villain."

Not a hero.

A villain.

"Aren't you someone who speaks pleasantly like this? Are you okay with it?"

"It's fine. When there's someone offering a carrot, there should also be someone wielding a stick."

"Bad cop, good cop strategy, huh."

Good cop was obviously Gwang Ik Gong.

Bad cop was obviously me.

"If you provide feedback on strengths, I'll point out the weaknesses."

"Right. If I'm Gwang Ik Gong, then you become 'Heuk Ik Gong.'"

"......."

A chill ran down my spine momentarily.

"Brother. If this works out well, your chairman will be very pleased."

"Ha... Hey, Kim Jin-ho."

I picked up Gwang Ik Gong's smartphone.

"Do you think I'd do such a bothersome thing just because I get paid and the chief likes it? Too bad."

"......What?"

Gwang Ik Gong's face turned to confusion.

As if he heard an unexpected answer.

"Are you rejecting it?"

"Listen carefully."

Holding the smartphone, I aimed it at Gwang Ik Gong.

"I don't discriminate against men in this matter."

I didn't only raise women.

"Who should I start with? Taejo? Cheok Jun-kyeong? Tushin? Or Gwang Ik Gong? Okay, let's start with you."

Never.

"Your golden wings don't swing at all."

"...Is this the start of the consulting?"

"Yes. First."

I put down Gwang Ik Gong's smartphone and pressed my Taeguk Watch.

"Let's get the dual employment permit first."

"......."

"What? Why? I'm an employee. Isn't it natural to get the chairman's permission before proceeding with the project?"

==Chapter 283: Your Abilities Don't Swing At All (2)==

-Go ahead. Any money you earn from your side job, use it as your pocket money.

She accepted Gwang Ik Gong's proposal.

Issues related to server problems, communication issues, and so on would be handled by Gwang Ik Gong.

"Teacher, is this the app?"

Yumir showed interest while browsing through the smartphone under Gwang Ik Gong's name.

Especially, while looking at the UI of the app called 'Golden Wings', she showed great interest in the Golden Wings project.

"With just this, the number of S-class heroes will increase, and there will be more righteous heroes."

"For now."

The increase in the number of heroes that the Secret Society had to deal with was a problem for later, but for now, it's definitely a good thing to have more capable and righteous heroes.

"It's like having more people like Nguyen in Thailand. Previously, we just waited for them to get stronger on their own, but now we can guide them directly."

"Hmm... Can I try it too?"

"It's not even up on the app store yet."

"Can't you share the APK file? It's not like I'm asking anyone else, I'm asking as Solar Platina."

"Do you have any concerns?"

"Yes. I have concerns about my abilities."

Yumir took out her smartphone, and I helped her install the app on her phone.

"Create an account, register as a member... Ah."

"What?"

"You need to register with a Hero Association ID...."

We hit a snag from the start.

"If I register with my Yumir ID, I'll be classified as D-class, right?"

"That's right."

"But if a D-class hero starts consulting with S-class heroes, everyone will think it's strange, right?"

"Basically, the Q&A is one-on-one, but if someone looks into the database, they'll think it's odd."

Since we're discussing things in the world of light, Yumir has to talk about her D-class concerns at least in the app.

"Why don't you just ask directly? What's your concern?"

"It's about winning against the Patriot Master with patriotism."

"There's no such thing. You just have to gain experience to improve your skills."

"Then can I try it now?"

"Go ahead. But I have work to do, so I can't focus."

"It's fine. The good thing about being an ability user is that you can do patriotism and ability research at the same time."

Yumir immediately grabbed her Taeguk watch and smartphone, then pulled my wrist as she threw herself onto the bed.

Creak.

The bed sheet went down momentarily, and Yumir climbed on top of me, placing her arm on my chest as she started pressing on her smartphone diligently.

"This feels really strange. We're looking at each other like this, but there's a smartphone between us."

"You're doing it now."

"Teacher, you're holding your smartphone too."

"Well, it's my job."

I turned the screen.

On the screen that looked like an administrator's account, the information of the members who joined the app started appearing one by one.

"...What is this? They're all S-class."

"Since messages were sent under Gwang Ik Gong's name, they all joined."

This was the power of Gwang Ik Gong.

"When Gwang Ik Gong says he'll provide ability consulting to S-class heroes, at the very least, they have to join to avoid offending him."

"These people still don't know that Gwang Ik Gong is dead, right?"

"Yeah. ...But it's hard to look at you like this. Mir, let's change positions."

Yumir got up, and I sat against the headboard of the bed.

Yumir came and sat in front of me, and I reached out and held my smartphone in front of her.

"This way we can look at it together."

"Doesn't it hurt your neck to put your head on your shoulder and look?"

"If you come down a bit more, it should be fine."

"Umm... Maybe it's better to just be comfortable."

"I'm okay with anything, but it seems like you're already comfortable."

"Hehe."

Yumir pulled my knee, creating a support for my arm, and I placed my hands on her thigh and knee while continuing to operate the smartphone.

"Ah, I want to consult about my concerns. I hope Black Wing responds."

"...It seems I can create an ID with the administrator account, write down the ID and password."

"Oh, really. Wow, Gwang Ik Gong is amazing, creating such convenient features. Then the ID is...."

StarPlanet74

lwisymr69@@

"...What's this lw?"

"Legal Wife."

"Fine, do as you please."

I had no intention of interfering with the ID and password.

As soon as Yumir created the ID with the administrator account, she joined immediately and entered the Golden Wings app to write her concern.

"Want to learn duplication?"

"I want to do duplication play like Seol-hee unnie. Unlike Seol-hee unnie, who just used duplicates as a background, I'll be different. Hehe."

"Did Seol-hee talk about it?"

"She bragged a lot. Showing off what she filmed and provoking me."

It seemed that they became closer than I thought.

It was ironic that they were having an affair with a married man, but since the cheating man was me, I decided to just go with it.

"Just set up the camera and record it."

"It won't work. If you record it with a camera, it won't capture the right feel. It needs to be shaky and have the camera pointed like someone else is recording to feel alive. It should make the viewers feel like they're the ones holding the camera, right?"

"So you want to learn duplication too?"

"Yes. If I learn duplication, I think I can win against anyone in the Patriot Front. Hehe. And I can definitely get Seol-hee unnie's attention too."

It's good that Baek Seol-hee and Yumir were getting along well.

"So what's your answer?"

"The first option is skill exchange. You learn duplication in exchange for teaching the other person a skill they want."

It felt meaningless to write this down since I was reading her concerns, and replying to her concerns seemed pointless since Yumir was watching.

"If you teach Baek Seol-hee a skill she's interested in, she might teach you the duplication ability. Look at this."

Ding

The administrator app alerted me.

"Baek Seol-hee also wants to learn teleportation."

"Hmm... What will you reply to Seol-hee unnie?"

"I'll give her the same answer I gave you."

I replied exactly the same way.

Teaching the person who wanted to learn duplication the know-how and learning teleportation from them.

"What if they say they don't want to teach? What will you reply, Teacher?"

"I'd say they're not desperate enough and to ask again when they are."

If she truly wanted teleportation ability,

"By the way, does Seol-hee unnie know who this Ilchim Gap is?"

"Seol-hee knows."

"What about Iseon?"

"I haven't told her yet."

Beep

Yoon Iseon posted her concern.

"...Hehe."

Yumir just laughed while licking her lips after seeing her concern.

"Iseon had these thoughts?"

"......."

"Teacher, what's your reply?"

"If it's not a question about abilities, it's hard to give a proper answer, but I'll have to say something."

I whispered lightly into Yumir's ear and bit her ear gently.

"Stop putting red medicine on your friend's fan heart."

"Ah, ouch."

"Can't you see? Read it yourself."

"Don't put your ear to it...!"

"I'll stop if you read it."

"Ugh, my friend keeps trying to give me red medicine, what should I say...!"

"Cut it out."

"Aw...."

Yumir pouted as soon as I moved my mouth away.

"I'm just trying to let Iseon experience something good."

"Is that a good thing?"

"How good it is to have a romance with Do Ji-hwan while being patriotic."

"Are you trying to have an affair with the Goblin too?"

"It's not an affair. They have different charms. It's like eating cream pie pure or with toppings. Eating half pure and half with toppings isn't an affair."

"Am I a cream pie?"

"You share the delicious part. Ah, cream pie is more on my side... ouch."

I pulled my smartphone and tapped Yumir's forehead once.

"Stop talking nonsense."

Ding

A new alert sounded.

This time, it was a question from someone I hadn't expected at all.

"It's Baridegi? I didn't think she'd be interested in this."

"Gwang Ik Gong is like a bamboo forest. If you ask Gwang Ik Gong, you expect understanding."

Baridegi's question.

-My brother is frivolous. How can I make him mature?

"She's quite kind, considering she treats him like a brother."

Given her birth and background, it didn't seem that way, but as twins, she seemed to take good care of him.

"...Oh, the reply is up."

"Gwang Ik Gong's answer. It's great. Very standard and exemplary."

I didn't read it.

Summarized in three lines: cherish your only family, he cares about you a lot inside, I'll talk to him separately later, so keep an eye on him.

"What does Black Wing say?"

"......."

From the perspective of someone who knew the original work,

"Armored Taejo acts like a fool but isn't really one."

"......What?"

"He's still young, but in novels or comics, there's often a character like that."

A goofy character.

A frivolous character.

They build such an image publicly but were very serious behind the scenes.

"Like how I seem like just a parachute teacher but am actually a Goblin, Armored Taejo is similar."

"......No way."

"No way. Mir, didn't you say this was a bamboo forest where only Gwang Ik Gong's secrets are shared? Secrets not known to anyone but Gwang Ik Gong."

"...Shouldn't I not be seeing this, Teacher?"

"No. You need to see it too."

Since she's the protagonist, she shouldn't lose her mind and throw a meteor later.

"The person in question just posted a question. And... it's the perfect question."

"...No way."

Yumir's expression hardened as she read Taejo's question.

"Is this really a question from Taejo?"

"Yes. It's a side of Taejo that he doesn't show even to his sister, Tae Irin."

It's a side he only shows to Gwang Ik Gong, perhaps Taejo's 'true self.'

Taejo's question was simple.

-Three days ago, I discovered a gold mine in the old North Korean land, and the Chinese and Russian guys caught the scent of gold. It looks like S-class traitors might come out. Can you join this time?

"He's not just a bright kid."

"Uh, well...."

"Just think of it like that. The closest comparison would be, yes."

A National Intelligence Service black (hero) agent.

"If Tae Irin is a white agent, Taejo is a black agent."

==Chapter 284: Your Abilities Don't Swing At All (3)==

At that moment, in the small conference room of the Busan Hero Association.

"Hey, everyone...."

The seven S-Class heroes gathered in the association, under the president's instructions, were all focused on their smartphones.

Normally, there should be eight S-Class heroes, but one seat was always vacant.

Always.

"So, how are Gwang Ik Gong's responses? Do you like Golden Wings?"

A moment of silence ensued.

Despite being assertive S-Class heroes, no one spoke easily about Golden Wings, an ability consulting app developed by Gwang Ik Gong.

"...Well, it's okay. It's been a while since Gwang Ik Gong kindly explained things like this."

Baek Seol-hee was the first to speak.

The president silently sighed in relief and gestured for Baek Seol-hee to continue.

"Gwang Ik Gong's words may not be the absolute truth, but they are close to the right path. Personally, it was a great help. I could approach my concerns from different perspectives. However...."

"However?"

"The answers coming from this Blackened Gwang Ik Gong concept are a bit harsh."

Baek Seol-hee, who had put down her smartphone, began to openly express her frustration.

"The concept of being blunt, factual, and offering unsolicited advice seems rather strange. It feels like someone else is speaking."

"Right. When I asked if this was necessary, Gwang Ik Gong insisted on including this feature."

The president displayed some data on the TV screen.

"Feedback can't always be positive. Good feedback involves pointing out flaws and leading towards betterment, not personal attacks."

"Even if the feedback is sharp?"

"Gwang Ik Gong deemed it necessary and included the feature. I respect his decision. If he thinks 'Blackened Gwang Ik Gong' is needed, there must be a reason."

"President, do you trust Gwang Ik Gong completely?"

Cheok Jun-kyeong asked, looking at his smartphone.

"Did Gwang Ik Gong really make this app?"

"Are you doubting it? The answers don't seem like him?"

"No, the answers are precisely Gwang Ik Gong. The concept of Blackened Gwang Ik Gong is new, but... never mind. So, will Gwang Ik Gong continue to act as an ability consultant for now?"

"Yes. Isn't it beneficial?"

It was beneficial.

Everyone fell silent again.

"...It is, but sometimes one harsh truth can outweigh a hundred compliments if you hear it from Blackened Gwang Ik Gong."

Baek Seol-hee shook her head as she tapped her smartphone.

"No matter how much you lock it before opening, when you see the warning pop-up, you get curious and open it. And then you get hurt by the blunt truths."

"Seol-hee, were you hurt? What did you ask?"

"That's private. If it's something you can easily tell others, it's not something you'd ask Gwang Ik Gong about in the first place."

Baek Seol-hee waved her hand, looking around.

"It seems like everyone got their answers. Is this the end?"

"For now. If everyone's okay, we'll continue the Golden Wings consulting and gradually expand the participants. However, future participants will be extremely limited."

The president pointed to the screen as the S-Class heroes either listened or ignored him.

"It looks like a pyramid scheme, but the structure is similar. Each of you will find one or two people. You don't have to. But it would be nice if you recommend those you think could become S-Class."

"So, Golden Wings is...."

"It's a kind of 'S-Class Club.'"

A group that only S-Class or potential future S-Class heroes could join.

"Golden Wings can only be downloaded and joined through your recommendation. You have to give them a referral code, and Gwang Ik Gong has to approve it for them to join."

"President."

"Yes, Tushin. Do you have a question?"

"Why not make it public to everyone?"

Several heroes smirked at Tushin's innocent face.

"If it's a good app, introducing it to others could benefit everyone."

"Does Gwang Ik Gong answer everyone individually?"

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Not everyone will accept the answers as they are. President, may I speak?"

"Go ahead."

Nje raised his hand.

"Accepting Gwang Ik Gong's advice is fine, but some may see it as unsolicited advice. Whether it's good or bad, speaking from another's perspective isn't always right."

Noje threw his smartphone forward in a sarcastic tone.

"No matter how great Gwang Ik Gong is, he can't meddle with other people's abilities arbitrarily. Is he omniscient? No, he's not."

"Did you receive an unpleasant answer? Why are you so annoyed?"

"Tushin, Noje is irritated because of the harsh truths."

Cheok Jun-kyeong laughed, causing Noje to scowl immediately.

"What? Are you done talking?"

"You're upset because Gwang Ik Gong hit the nail on the head. You want to argue, but you can't because it's true."

"Are you provoking me? Ah, did you also get stung by Gwang Ik Gong? Seems like you opened Pandora's box and got a harsh response from Blackened Gwang Ik Gong?"

"......."

Cheok Jun-kyeong's smile froze at Noje's words.

"What did you ask? I can share. I asked how to acquire Seol-hee's cloning ability. Want to hear the answer? He told me to research different approaches because her ability and mine are different. I asked for methods, but he hasn't replied yet. What did you ask?"

"......."

"Look at this. You're poking without being able to answer. Why? Are you mad? Want to have a go? I'll flatten you like last time."

The atmosphere was gradually becoming tense, but the president just scratched his cheek.

"Why do those two fight every time they meet..."

"Are you asking because you don't know? That person-"

"Stop it, Yoonji."

As Baek Seol-hee's voice carried mana, the atmosphere in the conference room instantly calmed down.

"Jun-kyeong, don't take out your bad mood on others. If Gwang Ik Gong upset you, why are you taking it out on Noje?"

"......."

"If you have a complaint, why don't you fight Gwang Ik Gong instead? Or should I handle it?"

"...No, it's fine."

Cheok Jun-kyeong lowered his head but still couldn't shake off his bad mood.

"Uh, everyone? We're not here to fight; we're here to exchange skills and opinions for a good cause..."

"President. The intention is good. The process is good too. But."

Cheok Jun-kyeong tapped his smartphone with a sharp voice.

"A person who hasn't shown his face for almost half a year suddenly does this. Can we really trust it? Is it really Gwang Ik Gong? Or is it the government employing people to do something?"

"......."

"Isn't the government using this to indoctrinate people through the responses?"

"Cheok Jun-kyeong, watch your mouth."

Tae Irin, who had been silent, stood up.

"Are you saying the government is playing games with Gwang Ik Gong's name? If they did, the president would be the first to oppose it."

"...Hmph."

"Even if you don't trust the government, it's not good to doubt everything. Something starting with good intentions, do you have to spoil it from the start?"

"......."

Cheok Jun-kyeong looked around, but no one responded to his words.

"I'm not saying this for other reasons. Good intentions? I acknowledge that. But is this really Gwang Ik Gong?"

"Cheok Jun-kyeong."

"Here, who has seen Gwang Ik Gong's face in the past three months? No one, right?"

No one answered.

"If it were Gwang Ik Gong, he would have explained this directly, not introduced it through the president. He didn't even attend the events in May; Seol-hee did everything. Honestly, I have a suspicion in my mind."

"Are you asking if Gwang Ik Gong is alive?"

"......."

Cheok Jun-kyeong stared at the president with a tense face.

Everyone else also looked at the president, who closed his eyes heavily.

"Gwang Ik Gong is..."

"He must be alive. Who else could provide such professional answers?"

Taejo slowly opened his mouth.

"You have paranoia. Do you think the political world is hiding Gwang Ik Gong's death?"

"Have you seen Gwang Ik Gong?"

"Why would I? There hasn't been any national upheaval. If there had been, our great Gwang Ik Gong would have judged it wasn't worth stepping in."

"Why are you like that too?"

Tae Irin snapped at Taejo.

"What kind of answer did you get?"

"Oh, just."

Taejo looked at his smartphone and chuckled.

"I suggested having a patriotism party with beautiful women from China and Russia in a mountain villa, but he told me to do it alone."

"......."

"He said to call others if necessary."

Everyone fell silent.

"Oh, my."

Taejo shrugged as he threw his smartphone forward.

"He doesn't know the joy of patriotism and lives like an orchid. Why worry about whether he's alive or dead? He'll appear like light to save the country when it's on the brink of collapse."

"......."

"Yawn. President, can I leave now?"

"Yes. But... that... take it easy."

"Oh, don't worry."

Taejo made a mock slicing motion across his neck and smirked.

"I'll be thorough with contraception."

"Teacher, so this man, his promiscuity..."

"Oh, that's his personality. He likes patriotism."

"......."

"But he uses even that."

Ding.

An alarm rang.

"...Ha."

"Look at this."

A reply was posted.

-Can you recommend someone to invite to the patriotism party?-

==Chapter 283: Your Abilities Don't Swing At All (2)==

-Go ahead. Any money you earn from your side job, use it as your pocket money.

She accepted Gwang Ik Gong's proposal.

Issues related to server problems, communication issues, and so on would be handled by Gwang Ik Gong.

"Teacher, is this the app?"

Yumir showed interest while browsing through the smartphone under Gwang Ik Gong's name.

Especially, while looking at the UI of the app called 'Golden Wings', she showed great interest in the Golden Wings project.

"With just this, the number of S-class heroes will increase, and there will be more righteous heroes."

"For now."

The increase in the number of heroes that the Secret Society had to deal with was a problem for later, but for now, it's definitely a good thing to have more capable and righteous heroes.

"It's like having more people like Nguyen in Thailand. Previously, we just waited for them to get stronger on their own, but now we can guide them directly."

"Hmm... Can I try it too?"

"It's not even up on the app store yet."

"Can't you share the APK file? It's not like I'm asking anyone else, I'm asking as Solar Platina."

"Do you have any concerns?"

"Yes. I have concerns about my abilities."

Yumir took out her smartphone, and I helped her install the app on her phone.

"Create an account, register as a member... Ah."

"What?"

"You need to register with a Hero Association ID...."

We hit a snag from the start.

"If I register with my Yumir ID, I'll be classified as D-class, right?"

"That's right."

"But if a D-class hero starts consulting with S-class heroes, everyone will think it's strange, right?"

"Basically, the Q&A is one-on-one, but if someone looks into the database, they'll think it's odd."

Since we're discussing things in the world of light, Yumir has to talk about her D-class concerns at least in the app.

"Why don't you just ask directly? What's your concern?"

"It's about winning against the Patriot Master with patriotism."

"There's no such thing. You just have to gain experience to improve your skills."

"Then can I try it now?"

"Go ahead. But I have work to do, so I can't focus."

"It's fine. The good thing about being an ability user is that you can do patriotism and ability research at the same time."

Yumir immediately grabbed her Taeguk watch and smartphone, then pulled my wrist as she threw herself onto the bed.

Creak.

The bed sheet went down momentarily, and Yumir climbed on top of me, placing her arm on my chest as she started pressing on her smartphone diligently.

"This feels really strange. We're looking at each other like this, but there's a smartphone between us."

"You're doing it now."

"Teacher, you're holding your smartphone too."

"Well, it's my job."

I turned the screen.

On the screen that looked like an administrator's account, the information of the members who joined the app started appearing one by one.

"...What is this? They're all S-class."

"Since messages were sent under Gwang Ik Gong's name, they all joined."

This was the power of Gwang Ik Gong.

"When Gwang Ik Gong says he'll provide ability consulting to S-class heroes, at the very least, they have to join to avoid offending him."

"These people still don't know that Gwang Ik Gong is dead, right?"

"Yeah. ...But it's hard to look at you like this. Mir, let's change positions."

Yumir got up, and I sat against the headboard of the bed.

Yumir came and sat in front of me, and I reached out and held my smartphone in front of her.

"This way we can look at it together."

"Doesn't it hurt your neck to put your head on your shoulder and look?"

"If you come down a bit more, it should be fine."

"Umm... Maybe it's better to just be comfortable."

"I'm okay with anything, but it seems like you're already comfortable."

"Hehe."

Yumir pulled my knee, creating a support for my arm, and I placed my hands on her thigh and knee while continuing to operate the smartphone.

"Ah, I want to consult about my concerns. I hope Black Wing responds."

"...It seems I can create an ID with the administrator account, write down the ID and password."

"Oh, really. Wow, Gwang Ik Gong is amazing, creating such convenient features. Then the ID is...."

StarPlanet74

lwisymr69@@

"...What's this lw?"

"Legal Wife."

"Fine, do as you please."

I had no intention of interfering with the ID and password.

As soon as Yumir created the ID with the administrator account, she joined immediately and entered the Golden Wings app to write her concern.

"Want to learn duplication?"

"I want to do duplication play like Seol-hee unnie. Unlike Seol-hee unnie, who just used duplicates as a background, I'll be different. Hehe."

"Did Seol-hee talk about it?"

"She bragged a lot. Showing off what she filmed and provoking me."

It seemed that they became closer than I thought.

It was ironic that they were having an affair with a married man, but since the cheating man was me, I decided to just go with it.

"Just set up the camera and record it."

"It won't work. If you record it with a camera, it won't capture the right feel. It needs to be shaky and have the camera pointed like someone else is recording to feel alive. It should make the viewers feel like they're the ones holding the camera, right?"

"So you want to learn duplication too?"

"Yes. If I learn duplication, I think I can win against anyone in the Patriot Front. Hehe. And I can definitely get Seol-hee unnie's attention too."

It's good that Baek Seol-hee and Yumir were getting along well.

"So what's your answer?"

"The first option is skill exchange. You learn duplication in exchange for teaching the other person a skill they want."

It felt meaningless to write this down since I was reading her concerns, and replying to her concerns seemed pointless since Yumir was watching.

"If you teach Baek Seol-hee a skill she's interested in, she might teach you the duplication ability. Look at this."

Ding

The administrator app alerted me.

"Baek Seol-hee also wants to learn teleportation."

"Hmm... What will you reply to Seol-hee unnie?"

"I'll give her the same answer I gave you."

I replied exactly the same way.

Teaching the person who wanted to learn duplication the know-how and learning teleportation from them.

"What if they say they don't want to teach? What will you reply, Teacher?"

"I'd say they're not desperate enough and to ask again when they are."

If she truly wanted teleportation ability,

"By the way, does Seol-hee unnie know who this Ilchim Gap is?"

"Seol-hee knows."

"What about Iseon?"

"I haven't told her yet."

Beep

Yoon Iseon posted her concern.

"...Hehe."

Yumir just laughed while licking her lips after seeing her concern.

"Iseon had these thoughts?"

"......."

"Teacher, what's your reply?"

"If it's not a question about abilities, it's hard to give a proper answer, but I'll have to say something."

I whispered lightly into Yumir's ear and bit her ear gently.

"Stop putting red medicine on your friend's fan heart."

"Ah, ouch."

"Can't you see? Read it yourself."

"Don't put your ear to it...!"

"I'll stop if you read it."

"Ugh, my friend keeps trying to give me red medicine, what should I say...!"

"Cut it out."

"Aw...."

Yumir pouted as soon as I moved my mouth away.

"I'm just trying to let Iseon experience something good."

"Is that a good thing?"

"How good it is to have a romance with Do Ji-hwan while being patriotic."

"Are you trying to have an affair with the Goblin too?"

"It's not an affair. They have different charms. It's like eating cream pie pure or with toppings. Eating half pure and half with toppings isn't an affair."

"Am I a cream pie?"

"You share the delicious part. Ah, cream pie is more on my side... ouch."

I pulled my smartphone and tapped Yumir's forehead once.

"Stop talking nonsense."

Ding

A new alert sounded.

This time, it was a question from someone I hadn't expected at all.

"It's Baridegi? I didn't think she'd be interested in this."

"Gwang Ik Gong is like a bamboo forest. If you ask Gwang Ik Gong, you expect understanding."

Baridegi's question.

-My brother is frivolous. How can I make him mature?

"She's quite kind, considering she treats him like a brother."

Given her birth and background, it didn't seem that way, but as twins, she seemed to take good care of him.

"...Oh, the reply is up."

"Gwang Ik Gong's answer. It's great. Very standard and exemplary."

I didn't read it.

Summarized in three lines: cherish your only family, he cares about you a lot inside, I'll talk to him separately later, so keep an eye on him.

"What does Black Wing say?"

"......."

From the perspective of someone who knew the original work,

"Armored Taejo acts like a fool but isn't really one."

"......What?"

"He's still young, but in novels or comics, there's often a character like that."

A goofy character.

A frivolous character.

They build such an image publicly but were very serious behind the scenes.

"Like how I seem like just a parachute teacher but am actually a Goblin, Armored Taejo is similar."

"......No way."

"No way. Mir, didn't you say this was a bamboo forest where only Gwang Ik Gong's secrets are shared? Secrets not known to anyone but Gwang Ik Gong."

"...Shouldn't I not be seeing this, Teacher?"

"No. You need to see it too."

Since she's the protagonist, she shouldn't lose her mind and throw a meteor later.

"The person in question just posted a question. And... it's the perfect question."

"...No way."

Yumir's expression hardened as she read Taejo's question.

"Is this really a question from Taejo?"

"Yes. It's a side of Taejo that he doesn't show even to his sister, Tae Irin."

It's a side he only shows to Gwang Ik Gong, perhaps Taejo's 'true self.'

Taejo's question was simple.

-Three days ago, I discovered a gold mine in the old North Korean land, and the Chinese and Russian guys caught the scent of gold. It looks like S-class traitors might come out. Can you join this time?

"He's not just a bright kid."

"Uh, well...."

"Just think of it like that. The closest comparison would be, yes."

A National Intelligence Service black (hero) agent.

"If Tae Irin is a white agent, Taejo is a black agent."

==Chapter 284: Your Abilities Don't Swing At All (3)==

At that moment, in the small conference room of the Busan Hero Association.

"Hey, everyone...."

The seven S-Class heroes gathered in the association, under the president's instructions, were all focused on their smartphones.

Normally, there should be eight S-Class heroes, but one seat was always vacant.

Always.

"So, how are Gwang Ik Gong's responses? Do you like Golden Wings?"

A moment of silence ensued.

Despite being assertive S-Class heroes, no one spoke easily about Golden Wings, an ability consulting app developed by Gwang Ik Gong.

"...Well, it's okay. It's been a while since Gwang Ik Gong kindly explained things like this."

Baek Seol-hee was the first to speak.

The president silently sighed in relief and gestured for Baek Seol-hee to continue.

"Gwang Ik Gong's words may not be the absolute truth, but they are close to the right path. Personally, it was a great help. I could approach my concerns from different perspectives. However...."

"However?"

"The answers coming from this Blackened Gwang Ik Gong concept are a bit harsh."

Baek Seol-hee, who had put down her smartphone, began to openly express her frustration.

"The concept of being blunt, factual, and offering unsolicited advice seems rather strange. It feels like someone else is speaking."

"Right. When I asked if this was necessary, Gwang Ik Gong insisted on including this feature."

The president displayed some data on the TV screen.

"Feedback can't always be positive. Good feedback involves pointing out flaws and leading towards betterment, not personal attacks."

"Even if the feedback is sharp?"

"Gwang Ik Gong deemed it necessary and included the feature. I respect his decision. If he thinks 'Blackened Gwang Ik Gong' is needed, there must be a reason."

"President, do you trust Gwang Ik Gong completely?"

Cheok Jun-kyeong asked, looking at his smartphone.

"Did Gwang Ik Gong really make this app?"

"Are you doubting it? The answers don't seem like him?"

"No, the answers are precisely Gwang Ik Gong. The concept of Blackened Gwang Ik Gong is new, but... never mind. So, will Gwang Ik Gong continue to act as an ability consultant for now?"

"Yes. Isn't it beneficial?"

It was beneficial.

Everyone fell silent again.

"...It is, but sometimes one harsh truth can outweigh a hundred compliments if you hear it from Blackened Gwang Ik Gong."

Baek Seol-hee shook her head as she tapped her smartphone.

"No matter how much you lock it before opening, when you see the warning pop-up, you get curious and open it. And then you get hurt by the blunt truths."

"Seol-hee, were you hurt? What did you ask?"

"That's private. If it's something you can easily tell others, it's not something you'd ask Gwang Ik Gong about in the first place."

Baek Seol-hee waved her hand, looking around.

"It seems like everyone got their answers. Is this the end?"

"For now. If everyone's okay, we'll continue the Golden Wings consulting and gradually expand the participants. However, future participants will be extremely limited."

The president pointed to the screen as the S-Class heroes either listened or ignored him.

"It looks like a pyramid scheme, but the structure is similar. Each of you will find one or two people. You don't have to. But it would be nice if you recommend those you think could become S-Class."

"So, Golden Wings is...."

"It's a kind of 'S-Class Club.'"

A group that only S-Class or potential future S-Class heroes could join.

"Golden Wings can only be downloaded and joined through your recommendation. You have to give them a referral code, and Gwang Ik Gong has to approve it for them to join."

"President."

"Yes, Tushin. Do you have a question?"

"Why not make it public to everyone?"

Several heroes smirked at Tushin's innocent face.

"If it's a good app, introducing it to others could benefit everyone."

"Does Gwang Ik Gong answer everyone individually?"

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Not everyone will accept the answers as they are. President, may I speak?"

"Go ahead."

Nje raised his hand.

"Accepting Gwang Ik Gong's advice is fine, but some may see it as unsolicited advice. Whether it's good or bad, speaking from another's perspective isn't always right."

Noje threw his smartphone forward in a sarcastic tone.

"No matter how great Gwang Ik Gong is, he can't meddle with other people's abilities arbitrarily. Is he omniscient? No, he's not."

"Did you receive an unpleasant answer? Why are you so annoyed?"

"Tushin, Noje is irritated because of the harsh truths."

Cheok Jun-kyeong laughed, causing Noje to scowl immediately.

"What? Are you done talking?"

"You're upset because Gwang Ik Gong hit the nail on the head. You want to argue, but you can't because it's true."

"Are you provoking me? Ah, did you also get stung by Gwang Ik Gong? Seems like you opened Pandora's box and got a harsh response from Blackened Gwang Ik Gong?"

"......."

Cheok Jun-kyeong's smile froze at Noje's words.

"What did you ask? I can share. I asked how to acquire Seol-hee's cloning ability. Want to hear the answer? He told me to research different approaches because her ability and mine are different. I asked for methods, but he hasn't replied yet. What did you ask?"

"......."

"Look at this. You're poking without being able to answer. Why? Are you mad? Want to have a go? I'll flatten you like last time."

The atmosphere was gradually becoming tense, but the president just scratched his cheek.

"Why do those two fight every time they meet..."

"Are you asking because you don't know? That person-"

"Stop it, Yoonji."

As Baek Seol-hee's voice carried mana, the atmosphere in the conference room instantly calmed down.

"Jun-kyeong, don't take out your bad mood on others. If Gwang Ik Gong upset you, why are you taking it out on Noje?"

"......."

"If you have a complaint, why don't you fight Gwang Ik Gong instead? Or should I handle it?"

"...No, it's fine."

Cheok Jun-kyeong lowered his head but still couldn't shake off his bad mood.

"Uh, everyone? We're not here to fight; we're here to exchange skills and opinions for a good cause..."

"President. The intention is good. The process is good too. But."

Cheok Jun-kyeong tapped his smartphone with a sharp voice.

"A person who hasn't shown his face for almost half a year suddenly does this. Can we really trust it? Is it really Gwang Ik Gong? Or is it the government employing people to do something?"

"......."

"Isn't the government using this to indoctrinate people through the responses?"

"Cheok Jun-kyeong, watch your mouth."

Tae Irin, who had been silent, stood up.

"Are you saying the government is playing games with Gwang Ik Gong's name? If they did, the president would be the first to oppose it."

"...Hmph."

"Even if you don't trust the government, it's not good to doubt everything. Something starting with good intentions, do you have to spoil it from the start?"

"......."

Cheok Jun-kyeong looked around, but no one responded to his words.

"I'm not saying this for other reasons. Good intentions? I acknowledge that. But is this really Gwang Ik Gong?"

"Cheok Jun-kyeong."

"Here, who has seen Gwang Ik Gong's face in the past three months? No one, right?"

No one answered.

"If it were Gwang Ik Gong, he would have explained this directly, not introduced it through the president. He didn't even attend the events in May; Seol-hee did everything. Honestly, I have a suspicion in my mind."

"Are you asking if Gwang Ik Gong is alive?"

"......."

Cheok Jun-kyeong stared at the president with a tense face.

Everyone else also looked at the president, who closed his eyes heavily.

"Gwang Ik Gong is..."

"He must be alive. Who else could provide such professional answers?"

Taejo slowly opened his mouth.

"You have paranoia. Do you think the political world is hiding Gwang Ik Gong's death?"

"Have you seen Gwang Ik Gong?"

"Why would I? There hasn't been any national upheaval. If there had been, our great Gwang Ik Gong would have judged it wasn't worth stepping in."

"Why are you like that too?"

Tae Irin snapped at Taejo.

"What kind of answer did you get?"

"Oh, just."

Taejo looked at his smartphone and chuckled.

"I suggested having a patriotism party with beautiful women from China and Russia in a mountain villa, but he told me to do it alone."

"......."

"He said to call others if necessary."

Everyone fell silent.

"Oh, my."

Taejo shrugged as he threw his smartphone forward.

"He doesn't know the joy of patriotism and lives like an orchid. Why worry about whether he's alive or dead? He'll appear like light to save the country when it's on the brink of collapse."

"......."

"Yawn. President, can I leave now?"

"Yes. But... that... take it easy."

"Oh, don't worry."

Taejo made a mock slicing motion across his neck and smirked.

"I'll be thorough with contraception."

"Teacher, so this man, his promiscuity..."

"Oh, that's his personality. He likes patriotism."

"......."

"But he uses even that."

Ding.

An alarm rang.

"...Ha."

"Look at this."

A reply was posted.

-Can you recommend someone to invite to the patriotism party?-