Chapter 21: Underground Media & the Narrative War
That night, the secret room hidden behind Daehan International School's library was far from quiet. Laptop screens lit up with network maps, social media graphs, and a large folder titled: "Operation Truth."
Inside the room, Gevran, Han Jimin, Kaeyan, Kasang, and several members of their silent defenders network sat in a circle. In the center, a student in a hoodie pressed the Enter key.
> "Welcome to our own media," the student said. His name was Ryeon—a tech specialist once bullied for his speech stutter.
On the screen appeared a clean and elegant website:
daehantruth.net
"Starting today, we fight narrative with narrative," said Gevran. "But with facts, verified voices, and stories this school tried to bury."
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First Mission: Expose the Student Council's Fake Reports
Kaeyan uploaded the first article: "Timeline of Last Semester's Disciplinary Report Manipulation."
Kasang added a satirical cartoon: Min Hyuk holding a mirror labeled "Reputation," unaware his face had morphed into a little devil.
"This one's definitely going viral," he laughed.
Jimin posted an opinion piece:
> "Elite schools aren't just for the rich, but for those who know how to think."
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Elsewhere in the City – Min Hyuk's Office
Min Hyuk threw his tablet onto the couch. "What the hell is this stupid website?!"
His aide replied nervously, "They've got real data. Some alumni are reading it... even sharing it."
Min Hyuk narrowed his eyes. "Then we take the spotlight back."
He stared at the security camera in the corner.
"Call my uncle at the news station. Time for counterattack mode."
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The Next Day – Trending Topics
#DaehanStudentForum
#GevranTruth
#DaehanLeaks
#StudentsStrikeBack
The website daehantruth.net reached over 1 million readers within 48 hours. But at the same time, anonymous accounts began spreading baseless rumors about Gevran—accusing him of "attention-seeking" for future political gain.
"Someone's getting nervous," Ryeon commented.
Gevran gave a faint smile. "Good. That means we're disrupting the system."
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At Home – Night
Yi-Ana poured tea for Gevran.
"Are you sure you're strong enough to take them on?"
Gevran stared at his buzzing phone screen.
"If I back down now… everyone who dares to speak after me will go silent too. I have to keep going, Mom."
Yi-Ana nodded. She knew her son was no longer the timid boy haunted by trauma. He had become a leader in a world built on injustice.
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End of Chapter 21:
Gevran wrote in his nightly journal:
> Today, we won in numbers. But they still hold the main stage.
If the system refuses to listen, then we must become a voice too loud to ignore.
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Late Night – Server Room of Daehan
Inside a locked utility room in the sub-basement of the school, a quiet hum surrounded the data servers. But tonight, someone was there.
A girl in glasses, uniform blazer over a hoodie, typed rapidly while glancing at the rotating cameras. This was Jae-rin, another Silent Defender—Daehan's ghost in the machine.
She whispered into her comms, "Ryeon, I've patched the mainframe. They can't block our domain anymore… for now."
Ryeon grinned on the other end. "Daehantruth.net lives another day."
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Meanwhile – Private Chatroom: "The Ivory Circle"
In a digital chatroom secured with old money and political favors, several anonymous users exchanged furious messages.
> User_Patron7: "This is unacceptable. If this spreads to national media…"
User_Halberd4: "Min Hyuk, deal with this. You're supposed to control the narrative."
User_Mask3: "If Gevran continues, we'll have no choice but to activate the scholarship clause. Expel him."
Min Hyuk typed back slowly:
> "Leave it to me."
Then he clicked on a file: "Operation Character Collapse."
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Next Morning – School Hallways
Flyers appeared across campus: poorly photoshopped pictures of Gevran, fake headlines, exaggerated rumors.
But something unexpected happened.
Students laughed.
"Seriously? These memes look like they were made by a grandpa," Kaeyan snorted, peeling one off.
Kasang added, "Their Photoshop skills just raised our popularity."
Han Jimin walked past a group of juniors filming a TikTok with the caption #FakeNewsFails.
> "Narrative warfare?" Jimin muttered. "They just handed us a bigger stage."
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Media Lab – Team 8-1-9 HQ
Jae-rin projected analytics on the screen. "Site traffic spiked again. After they attacked Gevran's image, people started defending him."
Kaeyan nudged Gevran. "You just got your first fan club."
Gevran rolled his eyes. "God help me."
Kasang turned serious. "But this means war's gone public. They'll dig deeper next time. Families. Past. Secrets."
Han Jimin looked at Gevran. "You sure you're ready?"
Gevran's gaze hardened.
> "They want a character collapse? Fine. Let's give them a character evolution instead."
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End of Chapter 21: Closing Scene
A notification blinked on Ryeon's screen. An anonymous tip submission titled:
> "I was part of the founding group that created the Student Council's hidden fund system."
Attached: a partial recording. A voice… one they recognized.
Min Hyuk's uncle—the journalist.
Everyone stared in silence.
Ryeon looked up.
> "Looks like the empire's starting to eat itself."
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