The Hunt
The Hunt
It wasn't that there were no victims, but the incident was wrapped up well enough.
Koschei died by my hand, and his subordinates, Alexei and the Russian mafia, were instantly suppressed with the help of the Awakened inside the auction house.
Even so, the reason there were victims was due to the very first man who died at Alexei's hands, and the skull-heads that appeared to be under Koschei's control.
When I finished cleaning up inside the auction house and came outside, the battle between the walking skeletons and the Awakened was in full swing, and Shin Su-ah led the Awakened to suppress those skeletons.
Contrary to the expectation that they would be easy to catch since they were just bones on the outside, the skeletons fought using everything from magic to swordsmanship.
It was a point that explained what kind of confidence Koschei had when he raided the auction house.
Anyway, after cleaning up the scene, the Association employees who arrived late dragged away the unconscious mafia members, so Shin Su-ah and I followed them.
On the way to the Association, Shin Su-ah called Baek Yeon, and by the time we arrived at the Association, Baek Yeon, who had arrived earlier, was waiting.
Baek Yeon said she happened to be at the Association because she had been helping Choi Soo-young until recently, investigating spies across the Awakening Association branches nationwide.
"What happened?"
"Let's talk about the details while we go in."
Unlike us, who left after cleaning up, the Association employees who left earlier would be waiting, having finished preparing for the interrogation.
And when it comes to interrogation, there is no one as reliable as Baek Yeon.
The reason I called Baek Yeon is also because of that interrogation.
While moving to the interrogation room inside the Association, I explained to Baek Yeon what happened at the auction house.
Baek Yeon, who listened to everything that happened from start to finish without interrupting, nodded.
"I see. So it's another being that crossed over from another dimension."
"Why do I run into guys like that everywhere I go?"
"I don't know if I should call this good luck or bad luck."
Baek Yeon shook her head this time at Shin Su-ah, who was grumbling with a puzzled expression.
"You should call it good luck. If it weren't for Nidhog-nim, no one would know what kind of trouble the interdimensional beings that have appeared so far would have caused."
"That's true. Ugh, if Nidhog-nim weren't here, who knows how many would have died. It's terrible just to imagine."
"That's how it is. Nidhog-nim, is the reason you called me because of the interrogation?"
"That's right. You're more skilled at things like interrogation than I am. I'm counting on you."
"Don't worry. I will make them spill everything they know within an hour."
With Baek Yeon's reliable answer, the group arrived at the interrogation room in the basement of the Association.
When we went inside, Choi Soo-young was leading the Information Department staff, preparing for the interrogation.
Perhaps because of the bloodbath caused by the recent spy hunt, the Information Department staff were looking extremely disciplined and were quickly finishing the interrogation preparations.
"Oh, you're here? Nidhog-nim is here too."
"Well, they're the guys I caught."
"Aww. If you had just waited, we would have handled it and brought you the information."
"It's because this time, I plan to get the information and head straight to Russia."
Choi Soo-young, who had been telling me to relax with a beaming smile, stiffened with that same smile on her face when I declared that I was going to Russia.
"Ru, Russia...?"
"Yeah. It seems the guy who appeared this time can resurrect. I need to go find him myself and kill him for sure this time before he pulls any other stunts. Why, is there a problem?"
"Th, that is... if you go to Russia yourself, I don't know how the Russian government will react."
"Do you think those guys will stop me?"
"Wouldn't they...?"
"Then Russia would become an anarchist state."
"Hieek!"
At the words that I would blow away the Russian government if they tried to stop me, Choi Soo-young grabbed both her cheeks and screamed like a picture I'd seen somewhere.
I chuckled at her and said.
"I'm joking."
"Th, that's right, isn't it?!"
"Only half."
"Hiak?!"
Ah, this is fun.
It would be nice to tease Choi Soo-young, who gives such funny reactions to a single word, but I don't have much time right now, so I decided to stop here.
"So, tell them before I go. Tell them I plan to go to northern Russia to kill a guy named Koschei, and ask if they're going to try to stop me."
"Wh, what if they refuse?"
"I'm notifying them, not negotiating. You guys should be the ones negotiating. I helped you out so much last time, surely you can do this much?"
"Understooood..."
Although I dumped a troublesome task on her, because I had helped her during the Asgard incident and the spy hunt, Choi Soo-young only showed a dejected look and didn't say she couldn't do it.
"Ah, if you're interested in Russian territory, just leave it be. If anyone gets in my way without notice, I plan to flatten everything."
"I, I'll deliver the message right away!!"
Choi Soo-young freaked out and left the interrogation room with her subordinates.
Amidst the footsteps moving far away, a scream of 'Emeeeeeergency!!!' rang out.
If I said this much, she'll handle it well on her own.
Now, the only people left inside the interrogation room are me, my party, and the interrogation targets.
As I approached Baek Yeon, who was examining the interrogation tools, she smiled coldly and asked.
"Who should I start with?"
"Well. Let's see..."
I approached the Awakened who were tied to chairs that looked like something you'd see at a dentist's office, unable to do anything.
Among them, the guys sitting in the front are faces I recognize.
One is Alexei, who was Koschei's subordinate.
The other is the red-haired man who picked a fight with me as I was entering the auction house, not knowing his place.
From what I heard from others, the two are members of different mafia organizations, rival organizations, was it?
Ah, if you ask why I caught that red-haired guy, I caught him because I thought he would know quite a lot.
It's definitely not because I kicked him just to put my spoon on a table that was already set.
"Mmph-!!"
Perhaps he woke up in the meantime, the red-haired man is struggling.
I nodded to Baek Yeon, who was asking with her eyes what to do, signaling her to remove the gag.
As Baek Yeon approached and removed the gag, he poured out words like crazy.
"Puhah!! Ugh, I can breathe."
"If you struggled that much, it must mean you don't want to be 'interrogated', right? Give me a reason why we shouldn't interrogate you."
"Wait. Why are you emphasizing 'interrogation' so much?"
"...Ahem! Now, if you don't give me a good reason, my subordinate next to me will personally 'interrogate' you until you tell us everything you know, so speak up."
"......."
Baek Yeon's sharp gaze flying from the side.
I tried my best not to turn my head and glared at the guy.
Then, the guy, who like me was intimidated by Baek Yeon's aura and was reading the room, opened his mouth.
"This incident is entirely the work of those Severniye Teni bastards. It has nothing to do with us, Krasniye."
"I know."
"Then why did you catch me and my subordinates and tie us up?"
"I heard you guys are rivals with those Severniye Teni bastards. Then you must know something."
Krasniye and Severniye Teni.
The largest and most active mafia organizations in Russia.
This guy was said to be the boss of Krasniye among them.
His name was... Viktor, right?
Although they are originally criminal organizations, when it comes to large criminal organizations from other countries, they have significant power and wealth, and are intertwined with the power elite, so the Association doesn't interfere unless they cause a major incident.
But this time, the power elite were almost harmed, and I judged that if he was the boss of the organization, he would know detailed information about the rival organization, Severniye Teni, so I caught him.
Viktor didn't answer my question and just stammered.
"Do my words sound like a joke? If you don't answer right now, both you and your subordinates will have a terrible time."
"......Know."
"What?"
"I don't know! All I know is the names and abilities of those Severniye Teni bastards!"
"...Didn't you say you were the boss of Krasniye? Did I mistake something? Were you not the boss, but just a low-level member?"
"I am the boss! But all our organization's information, along with the assets, is managed by Elena."
"Elena?"
"She's our organization's second-in-command."
"Damn it. He was just a figurehead who was only strong."
It's absurd that he speaks proudly despite knowing nothing.
"Who's a figurehead? I am the boss of Krasniye. I am the strongest man in Krasniye."
"That's what a figurehead is, you idiot."
I signaled Baek Yeon to gag Viktor again.
The information I can get from this guy is nothing more than information that can also be obtained through the Association.
It means the woman named Elena holds all the truly valuable information.
"What shall we do?"
"Hand over all these idiots, whose brain cells seem to self-destruct just by having this conversation, to the Association. And ask the Severniye Teni guys for an 'interrogation'."
"Why do you keep emphasizing the word 'interrogation'?"
"Ahem! Me? You must be mistaken. Please handle the interrogation well! I'm terrible at this kind of thing, so I'll be waiting outside."
"Phew... Understood. I'll extract the information as quickly as possible and bring it to you, so please wait."
I left the rest of the work to Baek Yeon and came out of the interrogation room.
Shin Su-ah followed me as I came out of the room.
"Hm? Why are you coming out?"
"Ah, that is..."
-Gyaaaaah@#%&@#$!!!!!!!
Shin Su-ah, looking at the closed interrogation room with a weary look.
I roughly understand what happened.
You were scared too, huh.
"I'd like to help, but my stomach just can't handle it."
"I understand, so let's leave it to Baek Yeon and go eat some snacks."
"Yes. I think that would be better."
Shin Su-ah and I went as far away from the interrogation room as possible and waited while calmly drinking tea.
And the time it took for Baek Yeon to find out all the information about Severniye Teni through 'interrogation' was exactly one hour.