***

A pair of hazel green eyes watched along with the confounded CEO at the security footage, showing nothing but static or still images of the fences. 

"I don't understand, I thought you said that there was something on here for me to see?" Ryo questioned, checking the main board. 

"I'm sorry, sir, but I wasn't the one on duty last night," the employee said, letting the CEO take control over the recorder. 

Ryo wore a thoughtful expression on his face before placing his hands on his hips and looked over to Miss Kumiho, who gave him a pleasant smile. 

"Was my report not sufficient enough, sir?" she asked innocently, but Ryo narrowed his eyes at her a moment. He had read the report she wrote him. All fences supposedly worked efficiently and there were no bugs detected in the system. Ryo knew that this was an outright lie. Maybe the footage didn't show anything remotely interesting, but he knew that there were kinks in the system. What bothered him the most now was why a confidant of the founder of E.T. Corp would lie to him. What was she hiding? What was it that he didn't know? Was she operating under Mr. Yok's orders or was she sabotaging the company independently? 

"Hm," he mused to hide his agitation. "It's a little strange," he started, moving away from the monitors. "I could have sworn that the call I received last night sounded important. Why would the security guard ask me to come down to see some footage of nothing?" he questioned out loud, looking at Miss Kumiho. 

"Perhaps he wanted to tell you that everything was working accordingly, sir. I truly wouldn't know," she answered steadily, her face a perfect smiling mask. 

"And you didn't see anything out of the ordinary?" Ryo drilled. Maybe accidentally on purpose hit the erase button while you were at it? 

Miss Kumiho hummed while she smiled. "If I had, sir, I would have of course immediately told you." 

Yeah, right, Ryo thought to himself before he nodded amicably at her. "Yes, thank you," he looked at the screens one more time before nodding to himself. "Well, I suppose I should head back to other matters then." 

"Very good, sir. Should I okay the fences to be distributed to parts of the island? I'm quite sure that the farmers of Hanwol would be more than happy to receive them. The morning newspaper has reported another case of senseless butchering of poor chickens, and, perhaps more important than that is the fact that people are starting to wonder when E.T. Corp will offer their help. We wouldn't want negative publicity, would we?" 

Ryo controlled his expression when he heard Miss Kumiho speak like that and he turned to face her. "I assure you that when the time is ready, I'll fulfill the promise that was made to the people of Hanwol, but only when I think the systems are ready. And, don't think me rude, Miss Kumiho, but did I not tell you that if you have any other interests than the Yggdrasil project, to ask me and I'll give you a report? You seem very invested in the other projects we have running here, while I do believe that it isn't really your place to meddle with it," he said straightforwardly, his hands folded calmly behind his back. He didn't like how she was an emotionless mask. Nothing seemed to throw her off balance. Ryo briefly thought how it was a very inhuman characteristic of her.

"Forgive me, sir. Old habits and all that. I used to take care of all proceedings in the head branch of the company. I'm not very used to focusing on just one project," she explained, but Ryo was wary of everything that came out of now. "Is there a reason why finalization of the security systems are being held back, sir?" she then asked, and Ryo resented it that she had every right to do so, considering that she would be able to immediately update Mr. Yok.

"I don't believe the system is ready for use just yet," Ryo didn't elaborate any further. He was surprised that when they walked towards the elevators, Miss Kumiho recovered another thin glass tablet and handed it to him.

"Mr. Yok asked me to give you this. I believe it's further instructions that ties in with the Yggdrasil project," she told him right off the bat. "It is a shame that I will have to report to him that the new security system won't be ready for it," she mused, to which Ryo lifted an eyebrow at her.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think that was a threat, Miss Kumiho," Ryo said, pressing the button of the elevator to the common offices before punching the level to his office.

"It's good you know better then, sir," she answered sweetly. "Are we not going to the research facility, sir?"

"No. There's some paperwork I'd like to finish first so I can focus on the Yggdrasil project. You're free to make use of one of the offices to report to Mr. Yok. There's really no need for you to follow me around everywhere, Miss Kumiho. I'll give you a sign when I get started." The elevator doors opened and Ryo waited for her to get off on this floor. She smiled again at him, Ryo blinking briefly when he thought there was a strange sheen in her eyes that glimmered at him, before she got off. 

"Very well, sir. I'll be waiting for your call." 

"Anticipate it," Ryo greeted. As soon as the doors closed he heaved a sigh, relieved to be alone. That woman seemed to be following him every step of the way and he didn't like it. He understood that she might feel a bit pressured for being the sole mediator between him and Mr. Yok, but hovering around him all this time? Unnecessary, he thought, suspicious.  

While he was riding the elevator to his office, Ryo stopped it and entered a code to reboot it. Instead, he pressed the floor to the biotech department. His head started aching when he stepped out of the elevator and headed towards Dee. The young scientist was surprised to see him and quickly got to his feet. There was another researcher there this time, who quickly followed Dee's example, but Ryo only graced him with a nod. 

"Dee, can I talk to you a moment?" he asked. 

"Oh? Yes, of course, sir," the younger man said, the two of them walking off to a secluded room. "If this is about the security system, I haven't been able to work out the kinks just yet, but I have been able to take the nets off," he blurted and Ryo nodded to his words. 

"Good to hear, son, but there's actually another thing I wanted to ask you," he spoke in a hurry and it must've been his nerves, but Ryo was whispering. Dee, immediately understanding the situation, nodded and checked around the room to make sure it was private. 

"Anything, sir," he whispered back in a very serious manner, which Ryo couldn't help but appreciate. 

"Were you aware that the security systems had cameras installed on them?" 

Dee blinked his eyes a moment. "Cameras, sir?" 

"They're apparently live-feeds that are recorded along with the security footage down in the basement," Ryo briefly explained. "My question to you is whether it's possible for someone to tamper with that footage. Have you any knowledge on this?" 

"Ah, well, depending on the level of security and encryption on the data itself, I suppose it would be rather difficult for anyone to just tamper with such footage, sir. Unless you've clearance or know what you're doing. Might I ask why you're asking me this?" Dee asked, unable to hide his curiosity. 

"Just wondering whether it's possible for someone to delete footage without leaving a trace, that's all." 

"Would someone tamper with E.T. data, sir?" Dee asked, apparently quite shocked at the thought alone. 

"There's always that possibility... I know I ask a lot from you, Dee, but you seem like a good man to me," Ryo continued speaking in a hushed voice. "Do you think that you could check the security database to see if there's anything odd? See if it's been tampered with somehow?"

"Ah, yes, I could always check, sir. But the fastest way would be for me to use the main computer for that." 

"No, I need you to do it with the computers you have available here. You think you can manage that?" Ryo looked at the younger man and saw the hesitation. "You won't get into trouble," he assured. 

"It's not that, sir, it's just-, well, you're asking me to hack company property," he winced a little when he said it. Ryo chuckled and gave the youth a good-natured smack on the shoulder. 

"You're not going to stand there and tell me that you don't know how to hack a computer, do you? Come on, I wasn't born yesterday," he jested and Dee chuckled. 

"Actually, I know precisely how to hack computers, sir, the problem is, is that I'm prohibited to do so according to the state of law," he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "If anyone finds out, I'll be in real trouble." 

"Ah..." Ryo bore a smile on his face, but the look of disappointment was obvious. He couldn't ask the kid to risk federal punishment just because he was having a suspicious hunch. There had to be another way. 

"But, I do know someone who's good with computers as well. He's a friend of mine, works at the local high school as a part-time teacher, and he's active in the flora and fauna center upstairs. We could ask him, I'm sure he'll want to help," Dee beamed a radiant smile at him and Ryo grinned back. 

"Great, let's go find him then," he told him. Dee shook his head. 

"No need, sir, he's already here. The guy I was with when you came in, that's him. I'm sure he's still there," Dee walked towards the door and they moved to Dee's lab. Sure enough, the tall, good-looking researcher was still sitting there, meekly looking through a microscope through black-framed glasses. 

"Even though he works at the flora and fauna center upstairs, I asked if he could come and look at the composition of the scent that is sprayed from the security system. He knows more about that stuff than I do. I hope that's okay, sir?" Dee asked. 

"That's perfectly fine, provided you didn't tell him anything else?" 

"Of course, sir, he doesn't know about anything else. I just asked him to check out the solution," Dee swore. "Want to meet him?" 

"Lead the way," Ryo gestured and Dee took the lead. 

"Yah, Seungie-hyung, there's someone here to meet you," Dee called out, the man behind the microscope reacting with a bewildered expression on his face. He pushed his glasses back up and looked up his friend, suddenly jolting in his seat when he caught sight of a saluting Ryo. 

"Whoa! Boss man!" he promptly fell off his seat when he slid it back too powerfully and quickly jumped to his feet, adjusting his lab coat and hair as if it was no big deal. Ryo chuckled heartily at the sight of it and could tell why he was friends with Dee. 

"Hello, I'm Ryo," he introduced casually, giving a bow which the taller man in front of him returned. 

"Y-yes, sir, I know who you are," the scientist chuckled nervously, glancing over an amused Dee. 

"Good to know. Dee tells me that you've a knack with computers, is this true?" Ryo asked. 

The tall man looked at him with big eyes before checking over at Dee who gave him a gesture that everything was alright. "I suppose you could say so, sir."

"Wonderful. What's your name?" Ryo asked. The tall scientist beamed a smile his way. 

"Seunghyun Tabi, sir." 

Ryo spent about fifteen minutes talking to Dee and Seunghyun about why he wanted to hack into E.T. property, but he firmly believed it was for a good cause. Should Miss Kumiho truly be trying to sabotage E.T. Corp for whatever reason, then he felt it was his responsibility and duty as the acting CEO of the company to oust her. He'd asked Seunghyun to check the footage and the data of the security footage, hoping that the young man would be able to determine what he suspected. 

Upon going back to his office, he heaved a deep sigh and rolled his hand over his face. "Why would I think that being a CEO would somehow make my life easier?" he murmured to himself, closing the blinds to his office and grabbing the strange dagger he's supposed to investigate. He reached into his pocket then and startled at the cool touch of a small glass tablet. 

Oh, right, this thing... he tapped it to activate it and saw a recorded message of Mr. Yok himself. 

"Ryo, my boy, how are you faring? Miss Kumiho tells me that you're making small progressive steps, which I am very excited for. Have you found the special properties that make up the genetic code of the dagger? Unlock that code and we'll have created something no man has ever created before. In addition to this project, I'd like for you to of course, focus on the other projects running in E.T. Corp Hanwol. I hear the security fences are close to being activated. Next to protecting the property of the farmers on the island, I'm hoping you could find a way to enhance its ecological efficiency by tagging any animal it comes up against." 

Ryo frowned and blinked at this. Was Mr. Yok talking about the nets? Animal tagging? Dee mentioned something like that, but he also said that this wasn't the way to tag wildlife. 

"...I'm particularly interested in the indigenous wolves of the island and wish to preserve them in their natural habitat as best as possible. I was informed that there are still a few people that visit Hanwol, solely to hunt these poor creatures. If we manage to tag them, we can help them persevere and protect them this way. I hope you'll find it in your busy schedule to create a platform for this. Naturally, I shall be awaiting your report on the Yggdrasil project with much anticipation. Good luck, my boy." 

The video stopped and Ryo was staring at a glass tablet. He set it down with care on his table, the dagger beside it. An uneasy feeling crept over him as he thought things through. And if there's one thing that Ryo knew about himself, was the fact that his instincts were never wrong. 

Why wolves specifically? Why this dagger? What even is this dagger? Ryo grasped it again with utmost care, the green heart-shaped seed pulsating under his touch as though it was an actual heart. He should be utterly horrified by it, but always being a scientist at heart himself, he couldn't help but be utterly fascinated by it. Deciding that he should just get to work, Ryo's body took over, but his mind and conscience was elsewhere. Why did he have the feeling that a pair of eyes were watching him? 

...Because they are. Miss Kumiho's eyes shimmered in the light before turning away, leaving the CEO to uncover the secrets of the dagger.