Chapter 56

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Translator: Ace

Chapter: 056

Chapter Title: Baron Kim Seok-hee of Gyeyang-gu [7]

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I casually logged into HuntWeb, and sure enough, the site was buzzing with stories about me.

Considering Kang Jun-chi's power level, the fuss was ridiculous, and the guess that I had neural acceleration was dead wrong too. But it was clear enough that everyone was shocked after seeing the video.

I enjoyed the reactions for a bit, then wrote a post in my cute style.

I'd just hit post when my phone rang.

It was Park Mi-hyeong. I picked up, and a worried voice came through.

"Kim Geuk, I heard the investigation wrapped up today. You okay?"

She sounded genuinely concerned, so I said,

"That's unexpected."

"Unexpected how?"

"I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠figured you'd be mad first, but you're worried about me?"

I said that, and a tongue-click came from the other end.

"Even if I wanted to be mad, do I have the right? I couldn't do a damn thing but yell at the air while watching the whole mess unfold. If I'd helped even a little, I'd be chewing you out right now for going off alone after all my efforts, but like this... damn."

"Yeah, things dragged on frustratingly in all directions."

"They really did. I'm just a councilor, so I get not being able to help properly, but even the mayor stormed into police HQ screaming at them to do their jobs right, and it was all for nothing? I have no idea what's wrong with this country. Anyway, you got screwed over, Kim Geuk. Rest up for a while, got it?"

I decided not to say it had been a pretty fun experience despite her calling it a raw deal. Instead, I just sounded glum.

"Yeah, it's been all over the news, so I'll lay low for a bit."

"Right. Speaking of which, the news coverage on this has been weird from the start."

"Weird how?"

"You've been with the Korean Awakener Alliance long enough to know, but Awakener-related crimes rarely make the news, right? Remember that case where three Ice Awakeners ran an assassination site?"

"Yeah. Just three Ice Awakeners killed nearly a hundred people in two months. Everyone was shocked."

"Exactly. And even that shocking case didn't hit the news. It was perfect for the government to justify cracking down on Ice Awakeners."

"They probably buried the whole thing to avoid sparking copycats if it aired on broadcast TV."

"That's right. Those higher-ups care most about maintaining social order these days. This incident should've been under total media blackout for the same reason. It basically broadcasts that even strong Awakeners can commit crimes and police can't touch them. So why let it on the news? Makes me uneasy. They didn't just release it carelessly..."

"Uneasy? You think it's building up to some policy push?"

"Probably. Anyway, Kim Geuk, one more time: you went through hell. But you're not the only one suffering—you know there are people suffering because of you too, right? If something like this happens again, I won't let it slide."

I said I understood and hung up.

Not long after, my phone rang again.

"Kim Geuk?"

This time it was Im Hyeong-taek. Feeling a bit guilty about him, I apologized first.

"Yeah, Uncle. I'm sorry. But you get where I'm coming from, right?"

"Yeah. Hell if I know whether to be mad or thank you."

"Just say thanks?"

"Don't make it that easy...! I specifically told you to hand them over to the police. You said you were fine and not to worry, so why'd you go and... Do you know how baffled and dumbfounded I was?"

I knew this uncle had hustled for me in all sorts of ways despite the grumbling.

He'd probably gone to reporters looking all disheveled, whining about how he'd nearly died getting beat by a Physical Enhancer, and how Kim Geuk flipped out seeing it.

"You really didn't need to worry. Even if I'd gotten locked up, the severance I'd give the team would've kept everyone fed."

"Wait, that's why you thought it was fine?"

"Yup."

"You... Look, as your subordinate and elder, I'm giving you some straight advice this time: never do this again. Got it? Right now you can chill at home after causing a scene, but next time, they'll lock you up first thing. Remember what I said, okay?"

Im Hyeong-taek was saying the exact same thing as Park Mi-hyeong. Listening to both adults, I thought.

If something like this happened again, would I really get locked up then?

I'd already figured I wouldn't end up in jail this time. Nobody except Kim Seok-hee wanted me behind bars.

If I went to prison and my Incheon contract fell through, I could return the advance payment.

But to do that, I'd have to seize and sell the construction materials I'd stockpiled for the high-rise apartment. That would've halted construction, which wasn't good for Incheon at all.

My high-rise project was a key initiative the mayor himself watched closely. No one—from locals to landlords—would cheer a stoppage.

The Incheon reclamation project I led was the same. Neither the Incheon mayor, who backed my efforts and had public support, nor anyone benefiting from my actions in the city wanted me jailed.

Unless some textbook fantasy of separation of powers magically applied in reality, with Incheon's firm will, no local court would sentence me to real time.

Yet people were still anxious I'd go to jail, with protests demanding Hunter Kim Geuk's acquittal ongoing across Incheon?

Sorry to those suffering for me, but I reopened HuntWeb.

My pre-posted thread was flooded with comments.

Maybe because they understood it as unavoidable vigilante action after the police dragged their feet, most reactions were positive. But some saw it negatively.

Ah, another reason I knew I wouldn't get detained.

The very idea of cuffing me and sending me to prison was laughable from the start.

Everyone knows Korea's broke right now.

They're short on funds for cops, leaving local security in shambles. Prisons, perennial money pits and hated facilities? Forget it.

Zero budget.

So when people imagine Awakener prisons, they think comic-book super-jails for supers. In reality, Awakeners go to the same prisons as regular crooks. No special facilities to restrain powerful Awakener inmates, no Awakener guards to subdue rebellious ones.

Potbellied wardens have no real way to control Force Field or Physical Enhancer prisoners. They rush through sentence reductions to release them ASAP or just don't lock them up at all. That's reality.

Likewise, Kim Seok-hee, beaten to a pulp by me, wouldn't suddenly get raided and hauled off by cops. Even after learning she'd been thoroughly thrashed and her gang disbanded, they didn't pursue her?

She's probably heading to Bucheon by now.

Anyway, I'm in a good mood. Both her freedom and mine.

I was enjoying the comments when a HuntWeb message popped up.

I checked the sender and my eyes widened.

It was Kim Seok-hee. She'd taken offense to my post, apparently.

I thought about threatening her back—'Acting cocky 'cause you didn't get hit enough?'—but held off. Instead, I replied cutely.

The threats mixed with begging were pathetic. Grinning, I typed.

She sent her number.

I called, and an angry voice exploded immediately.

"Hey, Kim—"

I cut her off.

"Hey, sunbae. You really wanna die? Don't spout nonsense like you're gonna threaten me. You think it'd be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠easier for you to pull another half-assed raid, or for me—a Teleporter—to track you down and beat you again?"

Maybe switching from cute talk startled her? Kim Seok-hee went quiet for a moment. After a pause, she spoke in a tense voice.

"Please, just let me save some face. That's not too much to ask? You destroy my dignity so I can't even act like a boss anymore—how am I supposed to run the gang?"

"Who cares about boss dignity?"

"You don't get it? To keep running the gang, I need charisma..."

I cut in.

"Hey, sunbae. You're the gang boss not because of any dignity."

"What?"

"Legitimacy, competence, charisma... Awakeners don't need that crap to rule like kings. That's for non-Awakener leaders. Wanna know why?"

Kim Seok-hee fell silent as I continued.

"Non-Awakener leaders need that stuff because they're basically ordinary folks at the core. No different from the people they rule. Strip a king or noble of fancy clothes, and he's just a farmer. So they fake being special with dignity, bloodlines, lofty words... all that decoration to lord over the masses. But you? No need."

"Why..."

"You're an Awakener. A king commanding a million troops turns ordinary without his seal and robes, but not you. I fought you myself— you're stronger than all your underlings combined. And you know? Power comes from the barrel of a gun."

Kim Seok-hee stayed quiet again. I pressed on.

"Act like Sowol-in, think like Sowol-in. You don't need pointless dignity to be a lord. Even without local support or caring about interests—like Awakeners ruling the Three Worlds with raw power alone... Just rule your gang with strength. That's plenty. Got it?"

"I—"

She looked like she had more to say, but I wasn't hearing it.

"Bucheon counts as honorary Incheon. Be grateful I permitted your activity there. So, Bucheon Baron? Rule well. Hanging up."

After that, I mulled over everything and felt pure elation.

I'd won this round. Against a powerful Awakener like Kim Seok-hee, and against the law itself.

The latter thrilled me especially.

That damn law couldn't bind me this time. So damn satisfying.

Even back when I was collateral damage in my parents' fights, I'd never viewed the law positively.

To me, law was just a whip tyrants prepped to swing at whim. I'd never seen it used properly.

Cops came after a neighbor reported my parents' noisy fights—why just warn them not to disturb the peace instead of charging child abuse, with us kids standing there at dawn?

Why didn't the principal who beat students with a bat until my high school entrance day get done for assault?

Why wasn't the training instructor who threatened recruits over a survey punished per regulations?

And only when I finally snapped and threw a punch—why did that vaunted law suddenly show up and throw me in jail?

Every bit of it reeked of grotesque injustice.

From those experiences, I hate the law.

I don't want to pledge loyalty to a country I didn't choose to be born in. Same for laws I never agreed to.

I'm an Awakener to begin with. Even if the world descended into lawless slaughter tomorrow, I'd survive just fine.

So why the hell should someone like me follow the law?