Chapter 24: Secret Meetings & Whispers in Shadowed Halls
First Week as Student Council President
Gevran stood in front of the student council room, now entirely his domain. A new plaque read: "President of the Student Council: Gevran Yi Jido." But the mood was far from celebratory.
"Everything looks normal," Kaeyan said, handing over the weekly activity list.
"But I smell something weird," Kasang muttered, closing his laptop. "There's missing data on the school server. The kind usually accessed by the previous president… now it's locked down."
Han Jimin raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure it's not just a new protocol?"
"No," Kasang said seriously. "I checked the metadata. There's activity from a 'ghost user.' No ID logged in the system. Whoever it is… they're not an ordinary student."
---
Back Hallway of the Old Building – Midnight
Gevran walked alone, following coordinates sent by the mysterious sender—leading him to the rarely used back hallway of the old building.
There, he found something.
A hidden metal door with a triangle symbol in the center. When touched, a mechanical click echoed... and the door creaked open slightly, revealing a secret room behind it.
Inside was a round meeting table… with empty chairs and a single large monitor that lit up automatically.
On the screen appeared the words:
> "Welcome, Student Council President. Welcome to the real game."
---
The Next Morning – Student Council Room
"Hyung, where were you last night?" Kaeyan asked.
"A hallway. A door. A warning," Gevran replied briefly, pouring himself a coffee.
Kasang stared at him. "You sound like a character from a noir film now."
Gevran gave a faint smile, then looked at the three of them.
"We need to form a core team. Not just for school events. But to survive."
Han Jimin added, "Let's call it… The Shadow Council?"
"No," Gevran said quietly. "Let's just call it: Team 8-1-9."
Kasang nodded in understanding. "The date the open forum began. The day we rose."
---
Chapter 24 Closing Scene:
As they locked the student council room, a hidden security camera recorded everything from the upper corner. Someone was watching the feed… from a concealed location.
The faint voice of an old man echoed:
> "The boy has begun to move. It's time… activate 'Student Zero.'"
---
Later That Night – Gevran's Room
Gevran stared at the encrypted flash drive he found in the hidden room's drawer—marked only with the initials S.Z.
He plugged it into his offline laptop. No files. Just a single program that required a password.
He hesitated. Then typed: 819Rise.
The screen blinked.
> Access granted.
Dozens of hidden school files unfolded before him—records of manipulated grades, surveillance footage, even blackmail data. At the bottom, one last folder: "PROJECT: STUDENT ZERO"
But before he could open it—
His screen flickered.
Lines of code raced.
An incoming message appeared.
> "Gevran Yi Jido. You've seen too much."
His laptop shut down by remote force—completely fried.
---
Early Morning – Rooftop Meeting
Team 8-1-9 gathered on the school rooftop under the cloudy dawn.
"I've confirmed it," Han Jimin said grimly. "The 'ghost user' isn't just some rogue student. It's tied to a deeper network. Possibly alumni… or even teachers."
Kaeyan glanced at Gevran. "That flash drive?"
"Gone. But I remember the contents," Gevran said. "And one thing stuck out. A student tagged S.Z.—'Student Zero'. File encrypted beyond anything we've seen."
Kasang clicked his tongue. "And someone didn't like you seeing it."
"Which means," Gevran said, "we hit a nerve."
---
Underground Gym – Secret Duel
In a hidden part of the old gym, Cain Seo-Jun sparred with a masked student—fast, brutal, merciless.
The masked one barely dodged Cain's final strike.
Cain smirked. "They'll be forming their little 'Team 8-1-9' soon."
The masked student didn't reply—just adjusted their gloves.
From the shadows, the same old man from the surveillance room spoke:
> "Student Zero has awakened. Let them believe they're building a resistance.
We… are preparing for war."
---
Final Scene – Assembly Announcement
The intercom buzzed across campus.
> "Attention all students.
A mandatory assembly will be held tomorrow.
Topic: 'Reform or Rebellion – The Role of Student Leadership.'"
In the crowd, Gevran narrowed his eyes.
Han Jimin whispered, "They're baiting us."
Kaeyan smirked. "Then let's bring the fire."
Gevran cracked his knuckles.
> "Then let the shadows know… we don't just play the game.
We rewrite it."
---
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