wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
Kang Juho headed to the bulletin board before approaching the counter.
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The stamina training center had four floors.
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The 1st floor was where you could receive training quests.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
What about the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors?
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‘So it really is a training facility.’
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There was an explanation posted on the board about each floor.
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There were three types of training.
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All upper floors (2F, 3F, 4F) were for physical training.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
This meant there were three types of quests.
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‘Pretty standard.’
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
The number of available quests varied by city.
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Some intermediate centers had five quest types, others only two.
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Kang Juho checked the quest types per floor.
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‘Running, Endurance, Carrying…’
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After confirming, he headed to the counter.
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“May I help you?”
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
The NPC at the counter, Idram, greeted him as soon as he arrived.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
“I’m here for stamina training.”
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“That’ll be 30 gold.”
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Training wasn’t free.
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You had to pay a fee every time you accepted a quest.
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And you couldn’t cancel quests freely either—cancellation triggered a 24-hour cooldown.
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So even if you got a bad quest, it was better to just do it.
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“Here.”
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Juho handed over the 30 gold.
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“Please head to the 2nd floor.”
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Idram gave him a wooden token with the number 2 on it.
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[Training Quest: Stamina has been created.]
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Upon receiving the token, the quest activated.
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Kang Juho looked at the message.
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‘Second floor… that means Running.’
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He frowned slightly as he started up the stairs.
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Running wasn’t hard—just time-consuming.
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So out of all the training types, he’d hoped not to get this one.
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Once he reached the 2nd floor, he handed his token to the man guarding the entrance.
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The man stepped aside and let him in.
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Juho checked the quest window:
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〈Training – Stamina〉
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Achieve the following condition:
- [Running: 0 / 4000m]
- Quest Reward: +1 Stamina
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4 kilometers.
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In VR, full-speed running was possible.
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Your fullness gauge dropped quickly, but food could replenish it.
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Still, the Blacksmith class wasn’t fast.
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Even running full speed, he wasn’t that quick.
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Juho began running on the track.
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Not long after, he completed the 4km.
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[Training Quest: Stamina completed.]
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[Stamina increased by 1.]
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With the quest done, he returned to the 1st floor and approached the nearest counter.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
“May I help—”
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
“I’m here for training.”
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“30 gold—”
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Before the NPC could finish, Juho handed over 30 gold again.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
“Please head to the 3rd floor.”
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The NPC gave him a token with a 3.
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[Training Quest: Stamina has been created.]
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With the token in hand, Juho smiled as he walked.
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The 3rd floor training was Endurance—taking hits and surviving.
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Unlike running or carrying, Endurance could result in death, since you actually lost HP.
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So it was the hardest of the three.
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Even so, Juho smiled for two reasons:
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First: It didn’t take long. Just survive for a set number of hits or time.
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〈Training – Stamina〉
- [Hits Taken: 0 / 100]
- Reward: ???
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Only 100 hits—much faster than running.
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Second: It increased resistance.
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‘I hope I gain some physical resistance this time.’
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In higher-tier training centers, elemental damage (fire, water, etc.) appeared.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
But for intermediate centers, it was only physical.
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Getting hit here could boost his Physical Resistance.
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Since he hadn’t taken much damage while hunting (thanks to Hammer of Fury), this was a good chance.
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Juho arrived at the 3rd floor and handed his token to the entrance NPC.
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The NPC stepped aside.
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“If it feels dangerous, go to the healing magic circle at the entrance to recover your HP.”
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“Got it.”
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Once inside—
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Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
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He heard heavy thuds.
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Balls were shooting from a hole in the left wall and slamming into the right.
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Juho grabbed his shield and stood with his back to the right wall.
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Ting! Ting! Ting!
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He moved along the wall, blocking balls with his shield.
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[Training Quest: Stamina completed.]
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[Stamina increased by 1.]
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Less than a minute later, he was done.
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Way faster than running.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
His HP barely dropped thanks to high defense and shield mitigation.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
‘If I get Endurance repeatedly, I could finish in no time.’
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
He had planned for 2 days to complete the center.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
But if he got mostly Endurance quests, he could finish in 1 day.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
“May I help—”
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“Training.”
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Before the NPC could even finish, Juho handed over gold again.
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“Please head to the 2nd floor.”
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Juho’s face twitched slightly.
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‘Another running quest.’
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
[Training Quest: Stamina has been created.]
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He opened the quest window.
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‘Well, at least it’s 3km this time.’
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It wasn’t always 4km. The distance varied randomly.
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‘I’ll just do it tomorrow.’
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
He’d planned to do more, but running again made him change his mind.
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Juho logged out at the stairs, exited the capsule, and walked to his computer.
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“……?”
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He paused.
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A memo was sitting on his desk.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
He picked it up.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
“The eldest young master wishes to have lunch with you tomorrow.”
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‘Didn’t I say I’d be busy for a while…?’
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He muttered with a frown.
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He had told his older brother Kang Seoho that he wouldn’t have time recently.
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‘No… actually, it’s better to meet now.’
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If Juho finished his stamina training early, he’d have to wait for Seokju, who was doing wisdom training—which took longer.
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It was best to meet now while time was free.
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‘What’s this about…?’
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He moved the memo aside and opened the guild chat.
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“…!”
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He froze.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
Something had happened.
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Until now, everything had gone smoothly.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
But today…
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– Jang Sungjoon: I got PK’d. Sigh…
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‘PK’d? Sungjoon did?’
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It wasn’t just the fact he got PK’d.
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Sungjoon was a calm, quiet guy—non-confrontational.
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He wasn’t the type to cause trouble.
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‘Why him?’
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Juho scrolled further.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
– Jang Sungjoon: We were fighting an elite. Got ambushed from behind.
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– Jang Sungjoon: It was Kim Jun, Jang Junhyuk, Seo Jinyong, Choi Yoonseul, and Jung Hayeon.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
– Jang Sungjoon: Cheonseok didn’t die, thankfully. But I did, so I’ll be a bit late rejoining.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
– Kim Cheonseok: Sorry, man…
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– Jang Sungjoon: No worries. I’m just glad you made it. Go do your training in the meantime.
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
– Kim Cheonseok: Okay.
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Juho scowled.
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‘Kim Jun, Jang Junhyuk, Seo Jinyong, Choi Yoonseul, Jung Hayeon…’
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
He memorized the names of the ambushers who killed Sungjoon and stole the elite monster.
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***
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Meanwhile…
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At Jaeyeol Bio, the holding company of Jaeyeol Group, Executive Director Kang Seoho checked the time.
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‘Time to go.’
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It was almost noon.
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He stood, and his secretaries stood with him.
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“Go ahead and call it a day. See you all tomorrow.”
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Seoho got into the car waiting outside.
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The driver, already briefed on his schedule, took off.
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Looking out the window, Seoho thought:
wVVOUTIlBtyEueOzQTWFQIAtADafTBEUhAMZwUsbNpBZjAdilRAbhFQeQtEXxit
‘What is Father thinking?’
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The succession process, once progressing slowly, had recently stalled.
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‘Did Juho change his mind…?’
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Their father, Chairman Kang Junseok, had gathered all three siblings—Juho, Seoho, and Seoyul—and asked plainly:
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‘Does anyone want to inherit the group?’
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Juho and Seoyul had refused—they had other aspirations.
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Thus, Seoho became heir without resistance.
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‘But Father did say we could change our minds.’
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The succession wasn’t finalized.
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Chairman Kang had left the door open.
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‘Did Juho decide to come back into the fold?’
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Maybe this sudden lunch was to talk about that.
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“We’ve arrived, Director.”
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Seoho snapped out of his thoughts at the driver’s voice.
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He stepped out and saw a familiar face.
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“Mr. Yang! Long time no see.”
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“Good to see you again.”
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After exchanging greetings with Butler Yang, Seoho asked:
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“Where’s Juho?”
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“He’s in the study.”
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“I’ll head there then.”
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Seoho made his way to the study.
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Knock knock. Click.
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He opened the door and smiled.
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Juho was staring at his computer screen.
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“Been well?”
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“Hey. You’re here?”
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Juho stood and sat down on the sofa.
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“So, what’s this about? Thought you were busy.”
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Both of them were swamped with work.
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So Seoho showing up out of nowhere raised questions.
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Without mincing words, Seoho went straight to the point:
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“The succession process has been suspended.”
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Juho looked up in shock.
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“Huh? Why?”
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