Chapter 46 – Stare Duel & The Start of the Campus Cold War
The second week of classes.
Gevran entered Global Leadership and Diplomacy.
The course name sounded elegant, but the atmosphere? More like a battlefield.
As he opened the classroom door, his eyes immediately locked with Cain Seo-Jun's.
Front row, relaxed, hand resting on the table.
His gaze practically said, "Welcome to my territory."
Professor Jeong—a former South Korean ambassador—walked in with a diplomatic smile and piercing eyes.
"There will be debates. Analysis. And of course… clashing egos."
Jiwan leaned over and whispered to Gevran,
"Translation: we're about to watch people faint from ego fractures."
---
Once the discussion started, Cain raised his hand first.
"In my opinion," he began, "a strong country isn't the one with the most weapons, but the one that makes other nations depend on it." He looked straight at Gevran.
"For example, family business influence in diplomacy can be stronger than military force."
All eyes turned to Gevran.
He smiled slightly, then raised his own hand.
"If a country depends on a single family, that's not diplomacy. That's monopoly in disguise."
The room went silent… then erupted in applause.
Professor Jeong chuckled softly.
"The discussion has only just begun, but I can already tell… this is going to be a very interesting semester."
---
Outside the class…
Cain approached Gevran during the break.
"Smart. But be careful. Politics isn't just about debate. It's about controlling who speaks… and who stays silent."
Suddenly, Haesung appeared behind Cain.
"If we're talking about silence, you've been talking a lot."
Jiwan chimed in, "And if you're trying to control people, maybe try controlling your breathing before preaching about power."
Meanwhile, Mi Yong was filming everything from a distance, adding the caption:
"Campus drama episode 1: Who wins? Mr. Political or Mr. Witty?"
And Eunwoo?
Busy taking a selfie with Cain in the background, posting on IG:
"Don't let this toxic boy hit your FYP."
---
Final scene of Chapter 46:
Cain stood in the middle of the campus garden, gazing up at the Seoul sky.
"If they think this is just a rivalry… they don't know the power behind the name Seo."
Meanwhile, Gevran and his crew sat in the campus café.
"I don't think our enemy is just that guy," Gevran said quietly.
"It's the entire system he brings with him."
Jiwan raised his coffee.
"Good. I was getting bored of peaceful life."
The campus gang war… had just begun.
---
Later That Night — G-Force Dorm HQ
The group gathered in a messy circle, surrounded by open laptops, chicken takeout boxes, and Mi Yong's conspiracy-style wall of gang politics.
Eunwoo tapped on the digital board. "Cain's playing chess. We've been playing street UNO. We need a strategy shift."
Haesung, arms crossed, added, "He doesn't just want to beat us. He wants to discredit us before we even become anything."
Jiwan leaned forward. "Then let's force his hand. No more waiting. We hit back with speed, story, and SeoulPot."
Mi Yong grinned while projecting an image on the screen. It was a mock-up of SeoulPot's Phase One Campaign:
Pop-up event footage
Behind-the-scenes founder interviews
A teaser: "Built by misfits. Backed by madness."
"We drop this on Thursday morning, right before the economics debate," she said. "We let them try to talk legacy while we show future."
Gevran watched the screen, then nodded.
But just as the team was about to break, the dorm power flickered—then cut out entirely.
Total blackout.
Phones buzzed at once.
An anonymous message popped into everyone's inbox:
> "You're not the only ones who know how to play with systems.
– A"
Everyone turned to Mi Yong.
"A for Archers?" Jiwan asked.
Mi Yong's face was serious now. "Either that or they're just alphabetically dramatic."
The emergency lights buzzed on dimly.
Gevran stood, eyes sharp.
"Let them try. Let them pull every dirty trick. We're not here to be careful—we're here to be legendary."
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of campus…
Cain Seo-Jun stood before an underground data room with two suited students behind him.
"Did they take the bait?" one asked.
Cain smirked. "Hook, line, and ambition."
Then he pressed SEND on another encrypted message:
> "Phase One: Divide them from within.
Phase Two begins soon."
---
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