Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: The Man with the Sword
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The auxiliary police officer let out a hollow laugh as he spoke to Kang Hyun.
"Well, this sort of thing happens all the time."
"Ah... yes. Thanks for your hard work."
Kang Hyun gave a light nod to the officer saluting casually and headed toward the main building.
Office of the Second Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the Incheon District Prosecutor's Office.
Next to the Comprehensive Complaints Office under that was the Ombudsman Citizen Counseling Office—Kang Hyun's workplace.
"Good afternoon, Committee Member. I heard you just rotated in. Looking forward to working with you."
"Ah, you're the volunteer student, right? Same here."
The work was straightforward.
Assisting the 'Ombudsman Committee members' who listened to people's complaints and opinions about prosecutorial investigations or complaint handling.
They were made up of highly respected lawyers, former prosecutors with over ten years of service, and prosecutorial staff—each one kind and dignified.
The fact that they worked without pay after being appointed made Kang Hyun respect and admire them even more.
As he officially started, Kang Hyun realized the Complaints Office was frantically busy everywhere.
The Ombudsman Office operated from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
But there was plenty to do before hours, so arriving at 9 a.m. was essential.
People from all walks of life came with opinions on controversial local issues or complaints related to the prosecution, and the committee members provided information through consultations, written responses, and more.
Then, all that collective information had to be organized into something easy to understand—and just that task ate up Kang Hyun's entire morning.
In the afternoons, he assisted the committee members during consultations and helped direct people between the Prosecutor's Complaints Office and Ombudsman complaints.
In simple terms, he was the bridge at the grassroots level between citizens and the institution.
That meant he learned the ins and outs of the already hectic prosecutor's office, picking up on internal details that weren't obvious from the outside.
Kang Hyun could see why Prosecutor Kim Jeong-min had recommended this job—he'd grown quite familiar with prosecutorial work.
It felt a bit different from being in the trial division with the prosecutors.
He got to learn about the daily lives of frontline staff that higher-ups might not know.
Naturally, his perspective broadened, and he felt a fresh sense of wonder at how much more there was to learn.
And so, another hectic morning flew by, leading into lunchtime.
"Kang Hyun? Let's go grab some food."
"Ah, sure!"
The staff took good care of Kang Hyun, treating him warmly.
He might have just been a volunteer they could ignore, but thanks to his past exploits, they made sure he ate lunch and even shared coffee breaks.
Kang Hyun welcomed it, mingling with them, chatting away, and blooming friendships over shared time.
"Ah, so you worked at the Central District Prosecutor's Office too. No wonder you seem so at home here."
"It was back in high school, but the prosecutors I was with were all great people."
"Oh, so that's how you met Prosecutor Kim Jeong-min?"
"Yeah, I learned a lot from him."
"Haha, I bet. Prosecutor Kim Jeong-min is a really good guy. He's so busy, but he knows every single staff member's name. Everyone loves him. He's got that subtle popularity."
Hearing Prosecutor Kim Jeong-min's name brought a smile to Kang Hyun's lips unbidden.
His reputation was solid even among the frontline staff. Sensing he wasn't authoritarian, that he cared for others—it felt good.
The sweet break with everyone ended,
and afternoon returned in a flash.
"Good work!"
"You too! Take care!"
As the Ombudsman Office kicked into high gear in the afternoon, Kang Hyun finally caught a breather.
He helped the Complaints Office staff and guided lost visitors.
He could have rested after finishing his tasks, but instead, he stepped up to find more work, which only made people like him more.
The afternoon passed without incident, and around then, the weird threatening note from that morning started fading from memory.
Clang!
"Good afternoon... Ah! Sorry, sir, but you can't bring that in here."
The voice of an auxiliary officer on rotation stopping a man rang out.
"Get out of my way!"
A skinny, tall middle-aged man had entered the Complaints Office, drawing every staff member's gaze.
"...!"
Kang Hyun stood from his seat, looked at him, and quickly scanned the surroundings.
Fortunately, no complainants were nearby.
The man held a massive sword in one hand.
A dire situation.
It wasn't a utility knife or a small blade like a kitchen knife. It was a sword straight out of a movie—a Japanese blade.
Sharp and long enough to properly call a Japanese sword.
In other words, a deadly weapon.
"Didn't you hear me? Move!"
With his shout, the office atmosphere froze solid.
People stood one by one, focusing on the man, while the auxiliary officer trying to stop him took a cautious step back.
The man had suddenly gripped the hilt with both hands and raised it, as if to swing.
Shing!
"Move!"
"Why are you doing this? Put down the dangerous item and talk it out."
The auxiliary officer wasn't a rookie.
He spoke as calmly as possible to the expressionless man holding the sword, responding with composure.
The prosecutor's office saw all kinds of chaos—this probably wasn't his first rodeo, and there were protocols for handling it.
"You, beat it. Get me the big boss."
But no protocol made subduing someone with that threatening blade easy.
"No, which floor is the Chief Prosecutor's office on!"
"Put down the sword, and I'll guide you there."
"Which floor?!"
Crash!
In an instant, a flowerpot he kicked shattered.
The situation had escalated faster than expected, darkening the staff's faces, with someone letting out a sharp scream in shock.
Frozen tension.
The man started advancing, swinging the sword wildly.
"Get lost!"
A few staff tried to block him, but he was unstoppable.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
"Come closer and I'll stab you. Move!"
It all happened in a flash.
He strode quickly through the Complaints Office into the main building interior.
The auxiliary officer frantically called for backup, people tried to respond, but his recklessness—and that horrific weapon—left them stamping their feet helplessly.
Everything moved at breakneck speed.
One wrong move, and he could reach the top floor and wreak havoc before anyone stopped him.
Step, step. Thud.
He approached a female staffer at the counter who looked like easy prey.
"Where is it!"
"W-what do you mean..."
"Where's the office of the highest guy here!"
She sensed the danger but was paralyzed, unable to move.
As he raised the sword high toward her, her pitiful scream echoed.
"Eek!"
At that moment.
"Stop it!"
His motion halted at someone's booming shout.
The door leading inside.
Standing there was Kang Hyun.
"Kang Hyun!"
"Come out, come out! Outside!"
Despite the staff's urgent cries, he stood quietly by the door, gazing calmly at the man.
Then, with a composed expression, he blocked the door and beckoned him over.
"...I said I'll stab anyone who gets in my way."
"Are you really going to stab her?"
"You think I won't? You bastards!"
He menacingly raised the sword again. But Kang Hyun stood firm, speaking in a resolute voice.
"You asked about the Chief Prosecutor's office, right? I'll tell you."
The man paused at Kang Hyun's words, seeming to think it over, and Kang Hyun continued.
"You think stabbing her will tell you where it is? I'll guide you there. Come with me. You don't have to lower the sword. If you don't like it, stab me."
Kang Hyun's calm, low but forceful tone mercifully cooled the man's boiling rage.
But those shocked by his words weren't the man—it was the other staff.
"What the hell are you doing!"
"Get out of the way, Kang Hyun!"
Chaos erupted.
But Kang Hyun ignored it, looking up into the man's eyes.
Silence hung between the man and Kang Hyun.
"..."
The man seemed half out of his mind. Kang Hyun was scared too, honestly. He doubted words would get through.
But he had no choice.
Fortunately, the man mulled over Kang Hyun's words, then slowly lowered the sword with a grin.
It hit him: nothing to lose. No demand to drop the sword, and a guide to boot—no need to waste time here.
"Fine. You lead."
"Yes, sir. This way."
Creak.
Kang Hyun opened the iron door himself and let the man go ahead. The staff gasped, but he gestured for them to calm down.
'First, get him away from people.'
Kang Hyun swallowed his tension and began formulating a plan.
'Safety first.'
The prosecutor's office centered on formal complaint processing, with perfect security per floor and room. Without staff credentials, moving between spaces was tough.
Access cards, keycards, fingerprints, even iris scans were standard.
'I've memorized the layout...'
Kang Hyun planned to take convoluted routes and trap him somewhere isolated.
It was risky, unsure of his outbursts, but forcibly stopping him could injure bystanders—so minimizing harm came first.
Kang Hyun naturally positioned the man ahead, directing him forward.
"Which way?"
"Take the emergency stairs up. Better than running into staff—straight to the Chief's office."
"Lead on."
Kang Hyun veered toward the hallway with the emergency stairs, smoothly and naturally.
'Where's the emptiest spot?'
He'd worked here, but briefly, and he'd only been upstairs to the Chief of Staff's office and General Affairs.
He needed an unmanned area, and while he knew the structure, reality might differ—so he racked his brain nonstop.
"...!"
Then, a glimpsed org chart flashed in his mind.
A room number from the departmental diagram.
'One floor up the stairs: the records warehouse.'
Least traffic, highest chance of emptiness, most convoluted space.
Kang Hyun set his target and quickened his pace just a touch.