The Price of Truth (1)
“Nam Juhyeon!”
The section chief's angry shout calling her name made Nam Juhyeon bow her head in a flash.
“Juhyeon, did you stir up trouble again?”
Nam Juhyeon shook her head vigorously, her face paling at the voice coming from beyond the partition. But it wasn't like this was the first time she'd caused a scene.
“I-I need to step out for a bit.”
“Nam Juhyeon, don't even think about running. Get in here right now.”
Nam Juhyeon squeezed her eyes shut at the section chief's voice. It felt like he could see right through her, pinpointing her exactly. In the end, she had no choice but to trudge into his office.
The moment Nam Juhyeon entered the section chief's office, a torrent of scolding poured down on her.
“Nam Juhyeon, what was the article I assigned you?”
“A special feature on Beltsmets……”
“And what did you give me?”
Nam Juhyeon pursed her lips, adjusting her thick horn-rimmed glasses. The section chief continued in her silence.
“Who was behind the Bomnal Orphanage incident?”
“W-Well, strictly speaking, that is connected to Beltsmets.”
“Connected my ass! There's not a shred of Beltsmets in it!”
Nam Juhyeon ventured cautiously at the section chief's outburst.
“Don't you think it's weird, Chief? Sure, Beltsmets massacred everyone there. But someone was running that orphanage too. Human modifications, experiments—terrible things were happening!”
As if all her earlier caution had been a facade, Nam Juhyeon slammed the desk and stood, unleashing a torrent of eloquence like a debate champion.
“Everyone's chasing the Beltsmets bait, but the real villain is the one who operated that place……”
“Enough, enough.”
The section chief cut her off. Nam Juhyeon shut her mouth at his fierce glare. She had plenty more to say, but mouthing off now would lead to more than just a scolding.
“You pulled this last time too, didn't you?”
The section chief continued with a weary expression.
“The Kang Ishin incident.”
Nam Juhyeon's face lit up with excitement as she jumped in.
“Yeah, that was suspicious too. Same deal! Sure, Kang Ishin killed someone, but the real villain was running illegal gates behind it. Why's there no coverage on that?”
She usually kept her eyes glued to the floor and barely talked to anyone, but now she was a silver-tongued orator.
The section chief sighed. Nam Juhyeon was a talented reporter. Or at least, she had the potential to be one.
Which made this all the more problematic.
“I told you that story doesn't need covering. I assigned you something else from the start.”
“I did everything you asked, then investigated on my day off.”
She'd even given up her holiday to write it up and submit. Unfortunately, it got rejected and scrapped immediately.
“I told you print space is limited.”
“But online……”
“Articles like that don't make money—they just stir controversy. Beltsmets left evidence right there to make us trash them. Everyone wants Beltsmets stories, not this other stuff.”
“No one's blocking the story?”
Even with her timid expression, Nam Juhyeon spoke her mind. Like a small animal eyeing a predator, yet bold enough for that.
The section chief sighed deeply, rubbing his temples.
“You can guess.”
The media had been controlled for ages. Since gates appeared, the world's rules had been rewritten multiple times.
Capital mattered more than ever. Without money, you got pushed "outside," where life was constantly at risk.
Buying life with money was no longer hyperbole. The media had long been conquered by capitalists.
Stagnant things rot. Money pools did too. He didn't hate all capitalists, but those trading lives for cash in this chaos made his blood boil.
The section chief's scolding rained down on Nam Juhyeon's bowed head.
“You're the top public recruit—why so many complaints? Just do as you're told, and success is guaranteed.”
He clicked his tongue in frustration.
“Anyway, get out. Follow orders next time, Juhyeon. Okay?”
Nam Juhyeon bit her lip as she left the office. Her hard work would be scrapped again.
Slumping out, she ran into Park Heejae, her entry-year colleague.
“Got chewed out again?”
Nam Juhyeon nodded at Park Heejae's question.
“Ugh, let's smoke.”
“Such classy phrasing.”
She'd chosen journalism to uncover truth.
Top university, press exam, top newspaper—she thought she'd realize her dreams.
Reality was different.
Was it her lack of seniority, or was the industry rotten from the start? It had glittered from afar, but up close, it reeked.
Seeing Nam Juhyeon's dejected face, Park Heejae poked her side.
“Can't take it. Let's smoke.”
They sat side by side in the smoking room, lighting up. Puff, puff. Exhaling smoke, Nam Juhyeon whispered to Park Heejae.
“Digging into Bomnal Orphanage snagged a big fish.”
“What?”
Park Heejae, who always reined her in but shared her curiosity, leaned in.
“Someone donated regularly there. A congressman.”
“Congressmen sponsoring orphanages isn't weird.”
“Maybe. But 15 years to one place? Suspicious. Especially with body mods and experiments exposed. And he didn't publicize it.”
Unlike his photo-op charity shows, this was quiet. Even used a proxy name to hide involvement.
But Nam Juhyeon dug relentlessly and found the link.
“Doesn't it seem off? He could be the mastermind.”
“That's dangerous.”
Park Heejae, initially listening, whispered in alarm.
“I know. That's why the chief freaked. But it feels like the start. Not just donations—maybe he built and ran it.”
Strange things right in front of her; ignoring them pricked her journalistic conscience.
“Not the only weird case. News is suffocating. Everyone fixates on trees, not the forest. Culprits caught are small fry. No one goes for the head.”
“Mm, but that's not our job.”
“Then what? Leave it to the utterly incompetent Gakbeombu?”
Nam Juhyeon shook her head.
“Park Cheol-wan is decent, but not chief material. Perfect for coasting, though.”
“But Lieutenant Do Chae-hee……”
“Her? Field type, not desk. Who puts peak performer in management?”
Gakbeombu's incompetence was obvious! Nam Juhyeon fumed. She saw the common thread.
“Someone's blocking it. Info, investigations—whatever.”
“That's conspiracy theory.”
“Evidence makes it fact. Good. Let's find proof first.”
Seeing Nam Juhyeon's sparkling eyes, Park Heejae said,
“Hey, no.”
“Gonna do some fieldwork.”
“What fieldwork! Hey, come back!”
Park Heejae yelled too late; Nam Juhyeon had bolted like an excited puppy.
“Sniff, huuung.”
Nam Juhyeon shed tears nonstop.
How did things end up like this?
She'd tracked a Bomnal contact for an interview, pinpointed the congressman, gathered info. Then contacted his ex-aide and got promising leads.
Just expose it—bam. Then someone struck her head. Blackout. Woke up like this.
Wrists and ankles bound tight with rope, gag in mouth. Trapped in a damp, musty warehouse reeking of blood. Tears streamed down.
Am I dying here? Without uncovering the truth? Just snuffed out midway?!
Should've been more careful.
Cherished advice more.
Mom, I miss you.
As she sobbed, a scream erupted nearby.
“Kwaaak!”
Commotion outside made her tremble. Breaking, crashing sounds followed. Ominous noises from all sides; she squeezed her eyes shut, shaking.
What's happening?!
“Told you not to poke around.”
The voice behind her made her scream.
“Euwooungh!”
The gag turned it pig-like. Eyes swollen with tears, she glared. Backlit, his face was shadowed. She writhed against the looming figure.
“Euwoong!”
She wanted to flee, but her bound body wouldn't budge.
Her worming amused him; he chuckled lowly.
“Euwooeheung!”
She crawled, pleading. Please spare me, I don't wanna die here!
But only muffled wails escaped.
Moonlight filtered through bars. Her eyes widened. The shadow revealed his face. Dirty glasses blurred it, but she glimpsed him.
Wait.
The smiling mask hit her like lightning.
“Beltsmets!”
With that cry, Nam Juhyeon fainted.
I clicked my tongue at the fainted Nam Juhyeon.
“So fragile.”
A bright voice, mismatched to the scene, came from behind.
“Boss! Outside's all clear!”
“Yeah. Where's Jaeho?”
“Jaeho hyung's gathering the bodies. Oh! Can I take a few?”
I nodded at bashfully smiling Han Seohyun.
—Feels like the humanity in me is drying up.
‘Necromancer, remember? And they're all bad guys.’
Bad guys' corpses—who cares?
Ahem. Clearing my throat inwardly, I turned back to Nam Juhyeon.
Tsk. How'd it get this messy?