Chapter 2
Chapter 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: First Mission
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Only after getting a promise from Kang Jiwon, who had been out of it for quite some time, that she'd contact me later was I able to head back.
I couldn't shake the anxiety that she might not keep her word.
A lingering unease that I should've pinned down an exact date, but it was hard to press someone who was half out of their mind.
Those eyes of hers, like her soul had been sucked right out.
It was clear my ability hadn't just worked—it had hit her psyche hard enough to leave a mark.
I'd thought disrupting her thoughts would be a success, but her reaction suggested it went way beyond that.
The ability I'd used was projecting an illusion of "her wrapping up her day and heading home."
I had no idea what her actual day was like, but could a mere E-rank mental ability really provoke that kind of response?
I reflected on my game experience and knowledge, then reached a conclusion.
Impossible. There was something latent in this body that couldn't be explained by ability alone.
A slight thrill stirred in my chest.
I'd figured it was game over for sure, but apparently, the world wasn't out to kill me completely.
With light steps, I organized the intel, tested my ability a bit, planned my next moves, and opened the door to my place. As the excitement faded, a natural sigh escaped me.
A residence so rundown it was hard to call it livable.
"……Once I make some money, first thing: scout a new place."
Two days after getting back to headquarters and spending time at my lodging (I refused to call it a home) sorting intel and experimenting with my ability, the contact came.
— Your request has been approved. The appointed time is tomorrow afternoon. If your intentions haven't changed, please reply.
Kang Jiwon's text message. But more than the content, my current situation felt oddly surreal.
In the game, I'd have finished basic training by now, recruited a few tutorial characters, and tackled my first gate.
But here I was, ignoring the entire scripted scenario to keep personal contact with an NPC who only popped up briefly in the tutorial.
Was I really doing the right thing?
I shook my head to clear the thoughts.
No point dwelling on unanswerable questions.
Best to give my all to the reality at hand.
I sent back a message of acceptance, and a reply came almost immediately.
It listed a location other than headquarters, and there were no further contacts after that.
The next day, I headed to the spot. The vibe was different from headquarters.
Access was controlled; a guard stopped me, checked my name, and let me through.
Inside the building, a familiar woman in a suit came into view.
"You've arrived. This way."
Unlike her receptionist demeanor back then, she was strangely businesslike now.
I followed Kang Jiwon, sat across the table from her, and got straight to the question burning in my mind.
"So, what's the mission I'm taking on?"
Before that, she handed me a single sheet of paper instead of answering.
"This is a nondisclosure agreement. As a rule, we ask hunters handling special missions outside of dedicated ones to sign this in advance. Once it's filled out, I'll explain."
This wasn't in the game. If I refused now, after coming all this way, would I just have to turn back?
Feeling uneasy, I read it over. Fortunately, nothing problematic.
Just clauses barring leaks of mission-related info. I glanced at her; she seemed to find my hesitation odd.
As she'd said, it looked like standard procedure.
I sighed inwardly, signed it, and handed it back.
After checking the contents, Kang Jiwon nodded once, filed the paper away, and stood.
"The mission for you, Han Yujin, is an interrogation. I'll explain the details on the way."
Crimes among civilians are handled by the police, but when a hunter with superhuman abilities gets involved, things change.
If a high-rank hunter—who's basically a one-man army—commits a crime, regular law enforcement can't touch it.
So the government created a new organization to deal with hunter crimes: the Hunter Association's Inspection Department.
"His name is Park Sugwang. He was caught dealing unauthorized alchemy potions and arrested for illegal production and distribution."
I quietly followed as Kang Jiwon explained.
"He claims to be acting alone, but the Inspection Department is convinced he's just a seller and that this ties into a criminal organization."
She glanced at me briefly.
"Your mission, Han Yujin, is to use your ability to extract a confession about the organization. Any questions?"
As she spoke, I mulled over how to apply my ability.
A method came to mind right away, but there were concerns.
"What makes the Inspection Department so sure it's not solo? I don't want to coerce a false confession from some innocent guy."
"I don't know."
"Pardon?"
Her blunt tone drew an involuntary retort from me.
She continued.
"I'm not with the Inspection Department. Ask the staff there for details. But since they used 'convinced' instead of 'suspect,' it means they have solid evidence. So that's probably an unnecessary worry."
Not a direct answer to my doubt, but a plausible guess. I nodded without thinking.
I posed my second question.
"Not to toot my own horn, but is this really something that needs me?"
Kang Jiwon slowed her pace slightly, prompting more details.
"For interrogations like this, wouldn't normal stuff like torture or truth serums do the trick...?"
Her usually impassive face twisted in disbelief at my words.
"……Han Yujin, this is 21st-century Korea. Even for criminals, torture isn't an option."
"…."
A tone that blurred joke and sincerity.
I kept a straight face and scrapped the first plan that had come to mind.
Kang Jiwon looked away from me and went on.
"Plus, Park Sugwang is a D-rank Physical Enhancement user. Most truth serums don't work, so we'd need an alchemical one... but honestly, for a crime like this, the cost is way too high."
She emphasized it enough to imply the price was absurd.
And my promised pay wasn't chump change either, yet alchemy was that expensive?
My eyes lit up as I etched "alchemy makes money" into my brain.
Nice. Once I'm back, prioritize alchemy info.
The interrogation room felt a bit chilly as we stepped in.
Inspection Department staff were huddled, talking. Beyond a one-way mirror in the back was a small room with a man tied to a chair—no way you could call him pleasant-looking.
One of the staff recognized us, approached for a quick handshake and greeting.
"Han Yujin."
We cut straight to business.
The staffer briefed me; it matched what Kang Jiwon had said en route.
Once done, I asked the question she couldn't answer.
"What makes you so sure it's not solo?"
"The recovered alchemy potions aren't something one person could make. They require a skilled alchemist and specialized facilities for that quality. Park Sugwang insists he's alone... but it's a problem."
Fatigue showed on the staffer's face. Interrogations wore down more than just the criminal over days.
I nodded.
In the game, alchemy quality had five tiers.
Tiers 1-3 from basic recipes; higher needed more prep or skill than recipes alone.
By his account, Park Sugwang's potions were at least tier 4.
Hard evidence. I shed my hesitation.
"He might look it, but he's a D-rank. No need to push too hard. Just keep using your ability to wear down his mental barriers."
Before entering the room, Kang Jiwon bowed slightly to me.
"I'll wait outside. Call me through the staff when you're done."
"Nah, it's fine. Got a good feeling about this."
"Pardon?"
I just smiled at her puzzled look.
Inside the room, beyond the mirror: a man writhing in his chair, face twisted in irritation.
As the staffer and I entered, Park Sugwang looked up, glaring with venomous eyes.
No sign of fatigue from days of interrogation; he was busy sneering at the staffer.
"Who's the suit? Bribe? Too bad, unlike your boss, I'm not into dudes' asses."
Ignoring the mockery that the staffer didn't even glance at, I fixed my gaze on him.
Hostile eyes gleaming with malice, mouth spewing spit-flecked taunts and curses, facial muscles contorted.
From tests with Kang Jiwon and personal experiments, I'd learned about my ability.
The illusion I projected wasn't decided by my will.
My Illusion acted like a virtual simulation, reinterpreting the initial keyword from the target's brain—no controlling or shaping the specific hallucination.
But once projected, it was highly effective.
Enough to completely neutralize Kang Jiwon, who claimed mental resistance.
Would it work on Park Sugwang? First real target.
Common sense said no—an E-rank mental ability on a D-rank hunter.
But facing him now, instinct told me otherwise.
It would work.
No need to chip away at his barriers as planned.
One illusion to get the result I wanted.
Couldn't directly make an illusion forcing voluntary confession, so indirect approach.
If I can't control the illusion, create a state where he has to spill from its effect.
Part of the mana in my body stirred in response to my will.
In my expanded consciousness, the scenery blurred—except for one man, sharp and clear.
Mental Breakdown
Target's psyche shattered. Infinite time loop initiated.
"—!———!"
In that split second, our eyes met, and I recalled the keyword.
'Mental Breakdown'
Mana drained sharply, leaving a faint sense of exhaustion.
The mana, laden with meaning, reached Park Sugwang. His brain freely interpreted the brief command.
"Not talking? Once I get out, I'll fuck you u—"
Click, clack. His crude brain grasped the order and spat out its answer.
"……?"
The two men before him froze unnaturally.
No act. The world, minus him, had truly stopped.
The criminal's bound mind gifted itself an eternity of hell.
"Han Yujin? Start with the alchemy potion info..."
"All done."
"Pardon?"
The staffer's hand hung in midair.
Perplexed, he looked at Han Yujin, who stared straight ahead. Following his gaze led to Park Sugwang.
"……… Ah..."
Eyes vacant of reason, mismatched focus on empty air, drool trickling down.
This was the criminal spewing vulgarities with bloodshot eyes just seconds ago.
The staffer couldn't help but step back from the incomprehensible change.
Eerie.
"...What... is this."
He stared at Han Yujin with trembling eyes, but Han Yujin calmly posed the prepared questions to Park Sugwang.
"Details on the potions you dealt?"
"10 minutes... physical boost... doping... side effects......"
Not a human voice in conversation, but mechanical mumbles like static from a busted radio.
While the speechless staffer gaped, Han Yujin looked pleased with his handiwork.
"Ask away now, and you'll get a proper confession."
The staffer couldn't voice the question swirling in his head as Han Yujin smiled and left the room.
Could you even call this a confession?