“Mr. Park, the CEO? He didn’t come in today either.”

“Ah… Is that so?”

Park Se-hee nodded at the secretary’s response.

“Lately, he’s been hard to spot… If there’s something you need to convey, I can pass it along for you.”

“No, it’s fine. I was just curious.”

“Ugh. I have no idea what the CEO is thinking. The service launch is just around the corner, and he’s been absent so often.”

“Right.”

After parting ways with Jeong Ji-hwan, Park Se-hee immediately headed to Stella to start her investigation.

The first thing she looked into was the personal details of CEO Park Joon-hyuk.

Being such a public figure, it was easy to find information about him with a simple internet search.

He’s known externally as a great researcher who advanced virtual reality technology and a businessman who significantly contributed to the spread of VR games.

But that’s just the surface image. Behind the scenes, he’s been involved in unethical projects like ‘Project Remina.’

If Jeong Ji-hwan hadn’t told her, she would’ve never known.

Her shoulders felt heavy.

Now, she was the only one who could expose CEO Park Joon-hyuk’s secrets and save Jeong Ji-hwan and Jeong So-ra. The future of the two siblings rested on her shoulders, and a sense of mission and courage surged within her.

‘Alright… Let’s give it a shot.’

Park Se-hee began investigating the CEO within the company. After all, the information available online was limited. The best way was to gather information about him through his close associates.

“By the way, how often does the CEO come to the office these days?”

“Hmm… It varies, but lately, it’s been about once a week, if that.”

“Ah… Do you know where he goes?”

“No. The CEO doesn’t share his entire schedule with me. I just know he has personal matters. Maybe he’s on vacation with his family? Just between us.”

“Could be…”

It’s not widely known, but CEO Park has two daughters. The characters Michaela and Lukaela added to the game were named after his daughters.

Park Se-hee suddenly wondered.

What kind of father would a man who did such things to a comatose patient be to his own daughters?

‘Well… I probably wouldn’t know.’

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed unlikely he would reveal such actions to his family.

In fact, aside from being eccentric, CEO Park had a rather diligent image.

“Last time, he visited the development department before leaving, but that was already a week ago. Should I let you know when the CEO comes in?”

“No, it’s fine. It’s not that urgent. I’ll come back later.”

“Alright. Here’s a temporary access pass.”

“Thank you.”

Park Se-hee took the temporary pass from the secretary and boarded the elevator.

After Jeong Ji-hwan disappeared, his younger sister Jeong So-ra was moved from the VIP room on the upper floors to a treatment room on the basement level 5.

While it lacked the openness of the VIP room, it was overwhelmingly better in terms of comfort and facilities.

You might think, ‘How good can a basement be?’ But the basement level 5 was no ordinary place. It housed the company’s most crucial department—the game development department.

“The development department…”

The development department wasn’t directly related to Park Se-hee’s work. In fact, it was quite close, yet she had never once encountered anyone from the development department during her time at the company.

That’s because the virtual reality development department was Stella’s core department. With technology so advanced it overshadowed competitors, it was a place particularly sensitive to confidentiality and security. As a result, all communication with the development department went through CEO Park.

From a confidentiality standpoint, it made sense, but thinking about it, it was suspicious.

Even department heads didn’t know what the development team looked like. Only the CEO and top executives knew them.

Moreover, without a special access pass, entering the basement level 5 where the development department was located was impossible. It was a fortress of security.

However, Park Se-hee had the privilege—almost a special privilege—of obtaining a temporary access pass to the basement level 5.

After Jeong Ji-hwan disappeared, Park Se-hee visited Jeong So-ra’s treatment room daily for updates. But when the treatment room was moved to the basement level 5, it became difficult to visit.

Fortunately, the company understood the situation and granted her the privilege of visiting So-ra once a week.

Park Se-hee swiped her access pass on the elevator terminal. With a mechanical sound, the elevator began descending to the basement level 5.

Park Se-hee planned to check out the development department on the same floor as the treatment room.

If it was closely tied to CEO Park Joon-hyuk, there might be important information there. Perhaps even clues to the whereabouts of Jeong Ji-hwan’s vanished body.

The elevator stopped. As the doors opened, the sight of the basement level 5 came into view.

A maze-like corridor stretched out, white as a sterile room.

But there was no need to get lost. She had been here several times before.

Park Se-hee crossed the corridor filled with numerous doors and stopped in front of one labeled ‘505.’

Opening the door, she saw a woman wearing an oxygen mask, lying as if in a dream.

“Ms. So-ra…”

She had seen her many times before, but after meeting Jeong Ji-hwan, seeing Jeong So-ra made her choke up.

A faint hum came from the machine resembling a helmet on her head—’Milky Way-027.’ Seeing the numerous wires connected to it, Park Se-hee’s eyes reddened.

“How could they do this…”

She had heard the truth about ‘Project Remina’ from Jeong Ji-hwan. She also knew that the machine on Jeong So-ra’s head originated from Project Remina.

From that moment, CEO Park Joon-hyuk no longer seemed human but something less—a monster.

Jeong So-ra lay with her eyes closed, asleep. She had been in this state for years. There was virtually no hope of her waking up.

Park Se-hee held Jeong So-ra’s hand. She felt warmth. She was still alive.

Ironically, feeling that warmth made her not want to give up.

Perhaps this was how Jeong Ji-hwan felt, visiting her every day.

‘Just wait a little longer. I’ll save you…’

Park Se-hee let go of Jeong So-ra’s hand and left the treatment room. Wiping her tears, she walked in the opposite direction of the elevator—deeper and more secretive.

Conscious of the CCTV, Park Se-hee pretended to get lost as she walked down the corridor.

She planned to subtly find the development department while pretending to be lost.

As nonchalantly as possible. But as quickly as possible…

Just knowing where the development department was would be a big win.

How long had she been walking through the maze-like corridor?

‘What the heck?’

No matter how much she looked, she couldn’t find anything that resembled the development department.

In fact, there was no sign of any department at all.

Everywhere she went, there were only plain white doors.

Had the development department moved somewhere else?

Finding no clues, Park Se-hee grew anxious.

It wouldn’t be strange if a security guard monitoring the CCTV came looking for her soon.

That’s when it happened.

‘What’s that?’

Among the countless doors, one stood out.

[No Entry]

The moment she saw the warning sign plastered on the door, Park Se-hee knew this was it.

The only ‘No Entry’ sign in the basement. If this wasn’t the company’s most secretive development department, what was?

As if entranced, Park Se-hee grabbed the doorknob labeled ‘No Entry.’ Just as she was about to pull it open to face the truth beyond…

“This is a restricted area, isn’t it?”

A chilling voice grabbed the back of her head.

*

She almost thought her heart would stop. But Park Se-hee wasn’t naive enough to show it.

“Ah… I’m sorry, CEO. I got lost…”

Turning around nonchalantly, she found someone completely different from who she expected.

“I’m not the CEO.”

It was a middle-aged man in a neat suit. His attire exuded experience. Park Se-hee immediately sensed he was a high-ranking figure.

But his face wasn’t familiar.

Who is this? I’ve never seen him before…

As if reading her thoughts, the man sighed.

“I’m Director Choi Jae-man.”

“Ah…”

Her intuition was spot on. She searched her memory for the name Choi Jae-man.

She hadn’t seen his face before, but she knew the name.

A key figure who had worked with CEO Park on Project Remina in the past. In other words, a close associate and powerful ally of the CEO.

He wasn’t the CEO, but he was someone just as dangerous to cross.

Instinctively, Park Se-hee wiped any trace of unease from her face.

“Ah, Director Choi. I’m…”

“Go back.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t care who you are. Get out of here.”

Director Choi clicked his tongue and pointed down the opposite corridor.

“Walk that way, and you’ll find the elevator going up. Take it and leave.”

“But, I…”

“Go.”

As if there was nothing more to say, Director Choi waved his hand.

It was essentially a warning. A warning not to meddle with that door any further.

But she couldn’t back down now. At the very least, since she had met Choi Jae-man, a close associate of CEO Park Joon-hyuk, she might be able to extract some information from him…

“I got lost, that’s all. I’m sorry. If it’s alright, could you show me the way out, Director…”

“Stop talking and leave. You’re not a three-year-old.”

An even harsher voice came back. Given the situation and his rank, he wasn’t someone she could easily deal with.

But Director Choi’s earlier remark had already provoked Park Se-hee.

“But even if you’re a director, that kind of language isn’t appropriate.”

“Huh… Not appropriate, you say?”

“Yes.”

Park Se-hee calmly pointed to her name tag and asked.

“Do you even know who I am, Director Choi?”

“Do I need to know every little thing about you? I don’t need to know.”

“Then you shouldn’t speak so informally.”

“What did you say?”

“No matter how high-ranking you are, speaking informally to someone whose name and rank you don’t know is rude, don’t you think?”

“Ha! Look at this bold one?”

“If I’m wrong, please tell me where I’m wrong, Director Choi Jae-man.”

Director Choi, looking incredulous, glared at Park Se-hee.

Her gaze was clearly challenging his authority.