[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil":3,"chapter-how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-220":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1474126,1923,"Chapter 221 (2)","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-220",220,"\u003Cp>‘The drug was spread before that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Timing the ambush is critical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too early, the culprit spots us and picks another target. Too late, it’s the same as last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Investigation Bureau said, “The berserk potion’s air concentration was high, targeted only at sealed rooms, so damage didn’t spread, delaying the report.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What info can we extract? The key’s here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Means the victims died in their sleep.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Likely a mix of sedative and berserk potion in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intentional. If victims screamed and ran, they’d be subdued before more died, so they were put to sleep for a quiet death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Berserking usually takes minutes to hours, but direct ingestion, prolonged exposure, or high-concentration air flooding skips that. Depending on conditions, it hits fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chuckled. My hands felt sweaty from tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s too wide.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Need to narrow it to one choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One minute too early or late, and it’s over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time, say they entered at 3:23 a.m. to spread the drug. If I arrive 10 minutes prior at 3:20, they’ll bolt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t that good?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wastes the rewind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’ll stick to their obsession with getting me back on stadium duty and commit a crime elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to report during dispersal, tightening imperial security to stop them from running rampant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Five minutes or ten?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High concentration means no need to consider times beyond 10 minutes from the estimated deaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tapped my artifact to signal Leo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Lucas.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it. Five minutes before the deaths, or ten?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo paused, then answered slowly, [Sudden… Tough call. If you don’t want to give the stalker a chance elsewhere, five’s safer. Some’ll need long hospital treatment, but it’s better than more deaths elsewhere.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked out of the blue, but he got it. Always convenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plus, he’s utilitarian, like a budding leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there’s a flaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Long hospital treatment” means leaving athletes with severe health issues. From my time as Nicolaus at scenes, most rescued mid-berserk die anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He used polite noble-speak, but I can’t take it at face value.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Back to square one.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying to save those few from dying too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Can I disconnect now?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nope.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo picked the next-best option since the best isn’t there, but he wants everyone to live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If even Leo picks five minutes, maybe that’s right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I rubbed my chin, then froze as a piece of info hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Victim stats.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should’ve factored in the culprit’s behavior pattern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scribbled fast, reading aloud for Leo. “Fourteen Korean deaths, two Ottoman Empire, two Iran. Nine ICU transfers, all Ottoman and Iranian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Hmm.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All Asian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crime targeting Asian nations?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Or targeting Korea because they know something about me?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s for later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be coincidence. There’s one comforting scenario that’d be better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What matters here is…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Clear victim group.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exactly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t randomly aim for mass deaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sedative mix proves it. They didn’t want berserkers running out, infecting unintended targets, or tainting their crime’s “meaning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meaning’s something they’re sending me—shock or proof they know this much about me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They act thoughtless but dodged the trap Yulia and I set once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, they’re sloppy but meticulous about their work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Meticulous. To prepare thoroughly…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even risking escape, my choice is 10 minutes prior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gotta go 10 minutes before.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why ask if you’re gonna do that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>3 a.m.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo, with Richthofen’s help, entered the estate’s space magic. I thanked Richthofen, heading back to school, and gave Leo a short answer. “Gotta hear all opinions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave a hollow laugh, shaking his head at my shamelessness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he didn’t stop me. Without explanation, he trusted I had reasons for picking 10 over 5 minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until 3:18, we strategized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, we move at 3:20. The rest of the team gets the signal and warps to the hotel coordinates. Cool?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded, standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elias and Narce stepped out first. Leo stopped me. “Lucas.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The drug you used in early December—I checked. You serious?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knew he’d bring it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shrugged. “Dead serious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo, silent, handed me a key. “Put it in an empty safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I checked the clock and said, “Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We warped to the Grand Hotel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the main entrance—using a covert Investigation Bureau warp coordinate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re in the second-floor stairwell, lit only by indirect lights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leo, leaning against the wall, holding his breath, tapped his artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike him, I climbed the stairs immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This fight hinges on whether 10 or 5 minutes is right, so no need to wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scanned the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two nameplates on doors for athletes. Excluding the injured, 18 deaths mean they hit nine rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Lots of doors to open. Gotta be quick.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I eyed the front door by the central staircase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Korean flag hung on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Felt strange. My heart started pounding harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Knock, knock—*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve never desperately wanted to return to my homeland. Just thought I might someday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the urgency of an imminent attack and meeting people from another world—my homeland, despite being a different world—stirred an unplaceable unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to pinpoint why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If they don’t come out, should I break in?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Refocusing, I stared at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With sedatives in the air, they’re likely not coming out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I knocked firmly one last time, the door opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Similar height and Magic Power, with brighter bleached eyes and hair, but clearly different features.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stood silent, the mage struggled to keep sleepy eyes open, likely affected by sedatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not fluent in German, he mixed French and English, speaking slowly. “What’s the matter this late?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’ve no business, I’m already awake, so fine, but don’t do this to other teams. We’re still adjusting to jet lag and prioritizing sleep.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally spoke, using English for clarity. “…I’m Lucas Askanian, Eszett deputy leader of the Imperial Mage Association, handling Brandenburg berserker cases.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kim Seong-hee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave his name, smiling tiredly. “Berserker case. That why you’re here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I already smell it in the air.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned, offended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I understood why. As someone from the same country, I felt bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that’s not what I meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gripping my staff horizontally with both hands, I thrust it toward the window. Red Magic Power sliced through the dark, flashing as it hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Boom—! Crash—!*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What, what’s that!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another sleeping person jolted awake at the noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My focus wasn’t their nationality anymore. Shattered glass, broken wooden frames, and metal joints flew outward. The Magic Power sealing the window shattered too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Look at that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sealing windows with Magic Power to prevent them from opening at night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They put in effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good thing I didn’t assume they’d rush in, spread berserk potion, and lock the door in 5 minutes. They coated the building’s exterior with their Magic Power, slowly injecting the drug to avoid rejection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Securing clean air’s enough for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other Eszett members warped in, following Leo’s orders via artifact. Narce’s purification magic from the hall’s end swirled at my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tapped my artifact, connecting to the Investigation Bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Beep—*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yes, Brandenburg Investigation Bureau. Speak.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Terror attempt detected at the Grand Hotel targeting Pentalon athletes. Deploy now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Done. Never failed, huh?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across from the Grand Hotel, a mage crouched on a rooftop, mouth agape. He nearly forgot not to stand and almost jumped up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light flashed beyond the hotel’s curtains. Soon, Investigation Bureau mages started warping around the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How?’\u003C\u002Fp>",1243,"2026-06-06T03:11:08.304Z",1,"novelbin.me","2024d512d6438afa5ff2e7bcec1454e58f99dd2423beeae818af58f386c9016a","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-221","how-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-chapter-219",367,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhow-to-survive-as-the-second-son-of-a-mage-famil-cover.jpg"]