The next day, I carefully packed the newly completed gold pieces into a zip bag once again and hailed a taxi with Dong-sik.
By coincidence, it was the same driver as yesterday.
"Young men, heading to the same place again?That neighboring city isn't cheap by taxi.What's so urgent that you're going two days in a row?"
"Haha… something came up that we absolutely have to handle there today as well," Dong-sik replied smoothly.
Before long, the taxi arrived in the neighboring city.
We paid 50,000 won and got out.
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
Together, Dong-sik and I entered the same commercial building as yesterday.
The office on the fourth floor.
The yellow sign with large red letters greeted us again.
[Gold Purchase Exchange – Highest Prices for Gold, Silver, and Other Precious Metals]
When we opened the door, President Kim was waiting—along with the same two burly men.
"Well, well. You came again.Dong-sik, where did you even find someone this valuable?"
"Haha. We've been friends since childhood, President Kim."
"I knew it.I've always felt luck around you—money luck, especially. Heh."
President Kim turned his gaze to me.
"So. You brought it again today, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Don't worry about cash. I've prepared plenty.How much did you bring this time?"
I took out the zip bag from inside my jacket.
"About the same as yesterday."
"…Is that so?"
His expression changed.
The moment I saw it, chills ran down my spine.
Every instinct screamed the same warning.
This place is dangerous.
"…I see.Then it's clear now. Boys."
At his signal, the two large men moved quickly behind us.
They shouted.
"Come out, all of you!"
The office door burst open.
More than a dozen men rushed in, each holding wooden clubs or steel pipes.
Dong-sik forced an awkward smile.
"P-President Kim… what is this?Is this… security because the gold amount is too large?"
President Kim looked at Dong-sik with amusement.
"Dong-sik. Since we go way back, I'll guarantee your safety—if you cooperate."
"…What?Then what about Si-woo's safety?"
Ignoring him, President Kim approached me.
The fake smile vanished, replaced by a brutal expression.
"Kid.The gold you brought yesterday and today—this didn't come from your house, did it?Be honest."
I was stunned.
"Why so quiet?Mute?Do you think I've spent my whole life handling gold and can't tell?That's unprocessed ore.Where exactly are you getting 99% purity gold in bulk?"
I was cornered.
Because this was true.
The gold I had brought was not processed.
It was pure, raw gold, created through alchemy.
Anyone experienced with gold would recognize it instantly.
And the logical conclusion was obvious.
That much raw gold could not exist inside a private home.
It had to come from an untouched gold vein somewhere.
And when people reach that conclusion—
They threaten.
They coerce.
Because humans are creatures blinded by gold.
History was proof enough.
At that moment, my phone vibrated.
I snapped out of my panic and pulled it out, ready to dial 112.
But instead of a call screen, a message appeared.
[System Message: The identities of the hostile entities have been identified.I will explain in detail…]
I read it all.
This was bad news.
But at the same time—
It might be good news.
Before I could react, President Kim snatched my phone and slammed it onto the floor.
CRACK—
"Trying something funny?You're not taking one step out of here until you talk!"
But it didn't matter.
I had already read the message.
System Log
[System Message: Warning.Suspicious activity targeting Hyun Si-woo detected.]
"…Suspicious activity?"
[System Message: Correct.A large-scale security attack was conducted against your smartphone today.]
"Hacking? Like the ransomware before?"
[System Message: The nature of the attack differs.Total number of intrusion attempts today: 193.]
"…That's not normal."
[System Message: The attack originated from the Republic of Korea's National Intelligence Service.They are currently tailing you at all times.Exercise caution.]
Normally, I would have been shaking.
The National Intelligence Service.
The most terrifying organization in the country.
They were tailing me.
They had attempted to hack my phone hundreds of times in a single day.
Why?
…Could it be?
Because of the day the quantum computer hacked government and financial systems?
Had they traced the attack back to my house?
Was the quantum computer not as untouchable as I thought?
But right now—
This could be used.
If you can't avoid it, use it.
I suddenly shouted at the top of my lungs.
"Help!!They're trying to kill me!!Please help!!"
Dong-sik panicked.
"S-Si-woo! Stop it!You'll get us killed!"
President Kim strode toward me and swung his fist.
THUD.
My vision exploded in white.
I collapsed onto the cold concrete floor.
Pain spread across my face and body.
"You crazy bastard.You think you can pull tricks here?You need a beating to behave."
Dong-sik shouted.
"President Kim! What are you doing?!I didn't know you were this kind of person!"
President Kim glared at him.
"Dong-sik.I said I'd spare you because of old times.Keep talking and I'll dump you both in the ocean with concrete shoes."
"…Kill us?"
"Exactly.Tell me where you got that gold, or I'll torture you until you beg for death."
Just hearing it made my blood run cold.
Then—
The door burst open.
An unexpected visitor stormed in.
"Freeze!National Intelligence Service! Hands up!"
As expected.
When a surveillance target is about to die, intervention is inevitable.
President Kim sneered.
"NIS?Normally I'd be shaking, but right now I'm blinded by gold."
The agent flashed his ID.
President Kim scoffed.
"You come alone?We could take you down right here."
The room turned murderous.
Clubs and pipes were raised.
Then—
The agent laughed coldly.
"You street thugs never learn."
"…What?"
"You think I came alone?My partner's outside.Before entering, I already requested backup from nearby police stations."
Sirens wailed in the distance.
Growing closer.
"Go ahead.Attack a National Intelligence Service agent in the line of duty.I'm curious how many years you'll all get."
President Kim clenched his teeth.
He knew.
It was over.
President Kim was dragged away in handcuffs, screaming.
"Officers! This man is the real criminal!He knows the location of a massive gold vein and is trying to monopolize it!"
"Shut it and walk."
The NIS agent approached me.
"Hyun Si-woo.I'm with the National Intelligence Service."
I pretended ignorance.
"H-How do you know my name?"
"My apologies.You are currently a key person of interest in the nationwide cyber terrorism incident that occurred six days ago."
"…What?"
"A search warrant for your residence is being executed as we speak.Afterward, you'll need to accompany us."
My heart dropped.
I had left the quantum computer powered on.
If they discovered it—
The state would seize it without hesitation.
Even a 1% chance of reverse-engineering its technology would make this country a superpower.
But—
I needed that computer.
I needed to save my father.
Then the agent's phone vibrated.
He listened, then said:
"We seized your desktop computer.As for the old computer on your living room table—it appears broken.No power, no functioning parts.Is it decorative?"
Broken?
No internal components?
What?
I answered instinctively.
"Yes… it's just decoration.It's not a real computer."
"I see.We've also confiscated your phone for forensic analysis."
They treated me like a suspect.
But—
How?
I had clearly left the quantum computer on.
And yet it appeared nonfunctional?
With no components inside?
It made no sense.