Black Market (3)
The procedure to remove the recognition tag was over in no time.
That wasn't a big deal!
I wiped the cold sweat beading on my forehead and shouted it inwardly to psych myself up.
It felt strange having my neck feel so light again after regressing not long ago. Geum Doctor, holding my recognition tag in his hand, stared at me with eager anticipation.
What now?
His face fell at my blank expression, and he grumbled in disappointment.
"Everyone else goes nuts when the collar comes off—screaming with joy, bowing so low their heads hit the floor in thanks."
"Sorry to underwhelm you with my lackluster reaction."
"Whatever, whatever."
He said it was fine, but he looked awfully miffed. What a weirdo.
"Dosan's the one who sent you, right? What group's your outfit?"
How'd he hear that? The signal jammer should've killed all phones.
As if answering my silent question, Geum Doctor pulled a smartphone-like device from his pocket.
"You think a pro like me would get jammed by something that basic?"
So he'd heard every lie I'd told already. And yet he'd gone through with the procedure without batting an eye. Seeing my stunned look, he continued.
"Tell me where you got his name. Or I'll activate this tag right now. I can always bolt, but you'd be a wanted man—government's most hunted. That'd cramp your style, huh?"
His words left me cornered. He'd removed the tag just to set this trap. Even if I escaped now, one flip of the switch and I'd be hunted by the feds.
With no identity to fall back on.
"You sure it's smart threatening me when you don't even know my ability?"
I tossed it out to buy time. His eyes went wide.
"If it was that dangerous, you wouldn't be wearing a tag—you'd be a guild hunter."
Damn. Solid point.
My ability wasn't exactly a threat anyway.
Still, I could take this scrawny doc if it came to it. I'd trained at the academy, after all.
But beating him down got me nothing. Making enemies of him and Baek Dosan? Way more loss than gain.
No choice.
Time for Lie.
Mental abilities aren't omnipotent. Strong-willed folks can shrug them off. So I had to sell it hard.
Unlike other awakeners honing their talents openly, mental types had to hide theirs constantly.
Naturally, our proficiency suffered.
I was the same. But after slaving under Seol Rokjin like a dog, I wasn't anymore.
I drew up the sensation from within.
A translucent padlock only I could see appeared before me.
Visualizing your ability was essential for mental awakeners. But few could pull it off.
Other talents gave instant feedback; mental ones were invisible by nature.
It took me endless trial and error to pin down my image.
Unlike the status window the system gave me, this translucent window was pure me—my senses made visible.
Not perfect, but hey.
I'd been through the grind.
The padlock floating before me was plain as day.
Number of cylinders inside varied the difficulty, but it looked simple enough.
Click. First cylinder.
My words became the key, slotting in.
I said it with confidence.
"I saw Baek Dosan with my ability."
Geum Doctor's eyebrow twitched.
"Saw him?"
I took a breath before answering.
The Lie talent was tricky as hell.
Not like Seol Rokjin's Brainwashing. My biggest flaw? The target had to fully buy the lie. He could command anyone to "die." I couldn't—death's too hard to swallow. But for someone depressed, half-accepting it already? Whisper "There's a better world over there" and nudge. Done.
Tell a believable story they want to believe, and it hits harder than brainwashing.
Geum Doctor hated boredom. He craved wild events.
This might hook him.
No—it would.
"My talent? Precognition. Seeing the future."
"Precog?"
His eyes bulged. Only one confirmed precog awakener ever: Gerik Dosman, dead now. Never cleared a gate, still treated as 9-star.
Precog was that big.
"If that's true, the government wouldn't let you walk free."
"They think it's just prediction—two seconds tops."
"You hid your real power?"
"More like it 'hadn't manifested' back then."
Talents blooming late? Common enough. Believe me.
Click. First cylinder locked in. His first barrier crumbled.
"You saw this moment? From the future?"
"Not that nice. Just glimpsed future you and Baek Dosan."
Not a lie. In my "future," I had met them. Like me, forced under Seol Rokjin, many were his pawns. Baek Dosan included.
I had mental immunity passive, shrugging off the brainwashing. Dosan? Puppet dog, obeying every order.
Geum Doctor had pleaded with him often:
'You're acting weird, man. Not yourself!'
Nothing changed. Dosan ignored his only friend.
Then Geum Doctor vanished.
Killed by Seol Rokjin? Fled the mess? No clue. But he was gone from the black market.
I wanted that future gone.
Looking him in the eye, I said:
"I know you're friends. And if things keep going, you'll lose him soon."
He sucked in a breath. He seemed like a carefree slacker, but Dosan mattered to him.
Enough to grab his collar and warn him, risking it all.
"What exactly did you see?"
Dead serious now. I shrugged and spilled.
"Soon, Congressman Seol Rokjin and Director Baek will cross paths."
His face screamed disbelief. Anti-awakener poster boy Seol Rokjin and underworld boss Dosan? No overlap.
"...Warn him to watch shipments through Yeongjongdo."
Click. Second cylinder. Yeongjongdo—key word.
"So in your 'future' vision..."
"He becomes Seol Rokjin's dog there."
Geum Doctor grabbed my collar, fired up.
"A dog?"
"What else do you call total obedience? Die? He dies. Lick feet? He licks. That's his future."
My face hardened too. Wasn't planning to spill this much, but why not?
"Baek Dosan will do whatever Seol Rokjin says. Hand over his life's work, break his own code—repeatedly."
"Like?"
"Human trafficking, body mods. Disposing of non-compliers—civilians or not. Baseline."
"He sinks that low?"
I just shrugged. Deny it if you want, but future Dosan did it.
"How you use this is on you. But I've said my piece."
To his dazed face, I added:
"You turning me in?"
He fiddled with the tag, then shook his head.
"Why would I?"
"Then let's settle up. Total cost?"
He looked incredulous.
"Settle? Ha, trying to slink off, eh?"
"Better than ghosting without paying, right?"
"Damn it, forget the money. If you're legit... consider it payment for the intel."
"You cool with that? What if I'm lying?"
It was all lies. Lock not fully open—doubt lingered.
"Yeah, it's bullshit. Sudden precog shows up? Seol Rokjin this, that. Better to think Dosan sent you to prank me."
But instead of kicking my ass, he listened.
"Still... your words ring true. Weirdly."
Click. Final cylinder locked.
All clear.
He believed me. Completely.
Perfect. Time to bounce before he rethinks.
"Can I head out then?"
"Take this first."
He tossed me an ID card.
Said it'd be a week-long temp. This? Full government-certified awakener ID.
23 years old. Lee Seung-jun.
I blinked at the name.
"Guy died raiding an illegal gate. No family or friends hunting him."
"But earlier you said temps only?"
"Lie, obviously. Can't hand real IDs to sketchy randos. Lucky you met me."
Gov-certified IDs were rare. Even my real one, Kang Ishin, wasn't. Needed gate clears and disaster zone volunteering.
How this landed in the black market? Windfall either way.
As I grinned at the bonus, he handed another item: the GPS from my tag.
"Jam it for now, but you'll need a 'proper end' eventually. Dump it in the sea or river. Make it look like suicidal despair. Somewhere they won't dredge for bodies."
Ah, right. Needed an "end" for Kang Ishin. Thoughtful. I nodded, pocketing it.
He asked:
"One question."
"Shoot."
"What're you gonna do with that sweet future-sight?"
Great power. What I'd do with it?
"Dunno. Save the world, maybe?"
He blanked, then laughed, slapping my back.
"Ha! Good one. Fine, no more questions—get outta here."
Not a joke.
Felt kinda wronged.