Chapter 304
Chapter 304
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 304
Chapter Title: Commotion
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Two days had passed, and Paju was in an uproar.
No, it wasn't something that could be contained within Paju alone.
Every channel spreading gossip, scandals, and rumors was abuzz.
"Whoa, Mr. Wizard, check this out!"
Jang Hyun-deok shoved his smartphone in my face, his expression brimming with excitement.
The video was titled, *Is It a Ghost Story or the Truth? Unmasking Kim Shin-hwa.*
"Unmasking Kim Shin-hwa!"
"Don't."
Even after I said that, Jang Hyun-deok went ahead and played the video anyway.
"Kim Shin-hwa is not human! Look at this hole punched through Chilgapsan Mountain! How could a human—"
A streamer ranting nonsense with eyes wild from madness.
"Turn it off, man!"
The video stopped, but thanks to that, I learned there were plenty more like it.
*Foreign Alien Management Agency FUBAR! Yang Seo-ho Controversy Roundup.*
*Peak Incompetence! Foreign Alien Management Agency Played by the Masked Wizard.*
*You Have to See This. Cult Leader Kidnapping Incident.*
*Shocking True Story! Mysterious Disaster at Chilgapsan Mountain.*
*(On-Site Footage) Cure Medical Care Emergency Press Conference.*
*A Bottomless Pit Opens in Busan – Shocking Prophecy from the Skies.*
Even this world had its reckless streamers.
"Rumors of every stripe."
"The whole world's in chaos—what are you going to do now?"
Jang Hyun-deok looked at me as he said that. No hint of blame or mockery—just pure curiosity.
"First, tidy up around here, then head straight to Busan."
"Tidy up?"
"Yeah, should take about three days to wrap up."
At my words, Jang Hyun-deok gave me a skeptical look.
"You've got a plan, right? Wouldn't it have been better to side with one faction or another?"
"One faction?"
"Like the Foreign Alien Management Agency... Why throw stones at everyone? You're the world's top nutcase now, Mr. Wizard."
Jang Hyun-deok had nearly said "crazy bastard" but hastily switched it out.
*An accurate assessment.*
The gifted in the light, represented by Yang Seo-ho.
And the gifted in the shadows, gathered by the cultists of the Eternal Unity Church.
I'd become the enemy of both sides.
"Even if I'd gone to them asking for help, both would have ignored me."
"Ah?"
Jang Hyun-deok nodded with a look that said he didn't quite get it.
"It might get a little tiring, but all's well that ends well."
* * *
"Building a reputation is good, but you went too far this time."
Tudor spoke with a hint of light irritation in her voice.
"Well, there's a lot of hearsay floating around."
"Hearsay? Kim Shin-hwa's legend was just starting to take shape."
I'd hoped for something better than the lowbrow online drivel, but what came out of Tudor's mouth was just as absurd.
Kim Shin-hwa defeated Yang Seo-ho.
Kim Shin-hwa subdued Dokgo Gyeom and kidnapped him.
Kim Shin-hwa is not human.
Kim Shin-hwa is a monster with three heads and six arms.
Kim Shin-hwa is a monster that kidnaps people and licks their faces off.
Kim Shin-hwa makes masks from the faces he steals.
Kim Shin-hwa is fast enough to catch lightning mid-air and punches holes in mountains.
"Truly the Kim Shin-hwa legend. Soon enough, there'll be an actual Kim Shin-hwa cult."
"Oh? There are already a few. Know how many fringe religions worshiping you have popped up nationwide?"
"How many?"
I knew of one.
The instant cultists brainwashed by [Hwangrim Church]. Somehow, they'd turned into a group worshiping me.
"Th-there are those heteromorphs calling you the [Golden Frog King], too."
"Ah."
Groups like [Sangbul Temple] and [Blood Demon Cult], based on amphibian heteromorphs, worshiped me.
It happened after [Predator of the Mountains] lost to me.
"Hmm. Well, whatever."
As I said that, I glanced over at Fanny for a moment.
A woman cleaning in the corner of the shop... with a lamp instead of a head. At least she wasn't wearing the outfit Tudor mentioned last time.
Fanny was currently dressed in a sky-blue apron dress that evoked Alice in Wonderland.
Matching it, the orb sported a large hat with bizarre ornaments...
"Why dress them like that if they're not working?"
"Oh? Because she can't work. Figured it'd cheer her up a bit—otherwise, I might take my frustrations out elsewhere."
Beautiful Basilissa was open 24/7, year-round. No one turned away, anytime was welcome.
Even when the Foreign Alien Management Agency raided last time, business might have dipped, but the doors stayed open.
This time, though, it was different. For the first time since opening, Tudor had declared a temporary closure.
I bowed my head slightly to apologize to Tudor.
"Sorry."
"Hee hee... Yeah, keep worrying about me like that."
Normally, wouldn't someone say not to worry at this point?
"I believe you'll eventually arrange a new spot for Basilissa. Probably somewhere pricey near Unjeong Station."
"......"
It was my fault, no denying it, so I had nothing to say.
"Anyway, how's Curtain Call doing?"
"Call? She's handling the work fine, but... she's got complaints about being stuck with Mun Seung-hee."
After the Sokcho incident, I'd assigned Curtain Call and Bau Kallak's crew to Mun Seung-hee. Among the combat forces at my disposal, they had the most social graces.
"Bahu's there, so he'll mediate well enough."
"That's going as you predicted, but Mun Seung-hee won't like having Call around either, so it won't be easy."
"Really? Did Mun Seung-hee say that?"
That was unexpected.
Did she read my emotions from fiddling with my mask? Tudor widened one eye hugely, flashing a mischievous grin.
"Aha. You thought Mun Seung-hee would like Call?"
"Well, considering her personality."
In the game, Mun Seung-hee got along with any NPC assigned to her...
"Sigh. Of course."
"You were the one who stuck Curtain Call on that detail in the first place, Tudor."
Tudor shook her head.
"That was a big site—no need for one-on-one protection. Now that they're stuck together like this, they'll clash big-time soon."
"Ugh, that's not a great outlook."
My reaction must have amused her, because Tudor threw her head back and laughed loudly.
"But they're all pros, so they'll manage. If you're really worried, drop by soon."
"Hmm. Guess I will. Well, then, I'll be—"
I was wrapping up the conversation and about to stand when Tudor approached and blocked my way.
"By the way."
"Ugh, what?"
With her tall frame and long limbs, Tudor blocking the chair left me no escape.
Her snow-white face and red hair drew dangerously close.
"Where the hell is all this money coming from that you're pouring into Mun Seung-hee?"
"Money?"
There's one reason Curtain Call's doing work outside her tastes.
Just like with Park Gwang-rim, I paid them an amount they couldn't refuse.
And all that cash flows through Tudor. The sums I've been splashing around lately...
"No matter how I look at it, you've spent over ten times what I've given you so far."
"I've picked up a fair number of artifacts running around the chaos lately..."
I gave a vague answer, trying to slip out between Tudor's left armpit, but she twisted her waist to block me.
"Ah, come on!"
I wriggled a bit more, but ended up practically in Tudor's embrace.
"Hmph. If you'd liquidated that much in artifacts, the old man must be scrambling to secure the cash."
The [old man] Tudor meant was Jeong Eun-taek, who ran Geumchon Pawnshop in Paju Central Market.
Sure, around here, that's the only place that could handle stuff like that.
Tudor kept talking, still holding me.
"Black market? No, you're not even a member. Cheongeum-dang doesn't deal in cash. The Blue Tiger Gang and other crews pay you fees, sure—but that goes through me too."
I brushed aside Tudor's hair tickling my shoulder and neck.
"Urgh. What's your point?"
"Who else are you in bed with besides me?"
"...Park Gwang-rim?"
"Tch, you!"
Tudor's red eyebrows shot up.
Sure, I was working with Park Gwang-rim—but I was the one paying, not getting paid.
"No one. Basilissa's the only place doing deals in that broker-fixer format."
As I said that—
[Blink]
Flash—
"Huh?"
I cast the short-range teleport to slip behind Tudor.
"And the money—it's actually duplicated with magic."
"...For real?"
Tudor stared at me with eyes wide in shock.
"Kidding. Anyway, I'll have more favors to ask soon, so I'll be in touch."
"You! Kim Shin-hwa! Hey!"
Ignoring Tudor's shouts, I threw open Basilissa's front door and leaped out.
Whoosh—
My clothes fluttered.
[Flight]
Swish—
Below, the cityscape sprawled from dizzying heights.
Skyscrapers piercing the heavens.
Outdated old town wedged between sleek, futuristic buildings and apartments that screamed hyper-modern.
Daehyeon's forest encroaching near the urban core.
Abandoned buildings that could spit out monsters or criminals any second.
This was Paju.
A monstrous city grown unnaturally to fit the bizarre reality of [Cthulhu World].
"Moving to Unjeong Station, my ass."
I glanced back at Basilissa.
"Now that's the weirdest thing in Paju."
Basilissa now looked far stranger than the Hungry Manor ever did.
Massive legs sprouting long from the building's base.
Like a bird's talons, gripping the rooftop of the tallest building near Unjeong Station.
It had once been in a back alley of Geumchon-dong down below, but now secretly perched atop the highest floor.
"Close to Yadang— not bad."
I flew straight south of Unjeong Station—to Yadang-dong in Paju City.
* * *
"Your notoriety has grown."
"So it has."
In contrast to Tudor's temporary closure, Park Gwang-rim had reopened his detective office, shuttered for a while.
Less a detective agency, more an errand center—officially [Yadang Detective People-Finding Adultery Investigation Evidence Gathering Fraud Probe Errand Center].
*It's because I stirred up the pot.*
Because of what I did two days ago, all sorts of opportunists were swarming toward Busan.
Whatever happened next, detailed intel gathering was essential.
No one person could handle it alone, so Park Gwang-rim had flung open the doors, pulling in every available body.
"While we're on the topic."
Park Gwang-rim handed me documents from his seat on the sofa.
"Yeah?"
"Mind if I borrow that?"
Borrow what?
"What's that?"
"Your name. Kim Shin-hwa's name."
"My name? Isn't that risky? Everyone's hunting for me right now."
At my concern, Park Gwang-rim grinned.
"Could be, but the power it brings outweighs that. Basilissa's been advertising ties to you all this time, hasn't it?"
"And look what that got them—closed for the first time ever."
Tudor's irritated face flashed in my mind.
"I'm lighter on my feet than that witch."
Stacking death flags again.
*Well, he's survived trash-talking like that before.*
Back in Ansan, Park Gwang-rim spewed lines like a doomed actor, yet pulled through.
Maybe his real talent was sheer resilience to bad luck?
"Do what you want."
I said that and unfolded the documents he'd given me.
Hired so-and-so from wherever, sent them here; planning to hire this one; turned that one down but a little cash might sway them; who's where, who needs watching—complex details, plus the required funds.
A hefty sum.
Without hesitation, I told Park Gwang-rim,
"Tudor'll send it tomorrow."
"Seriously."
"Seriously?"
Wasn't I the perfect high-rolling client? But Park Gwang-rim eyed me cautiously.
"Where's all this money coming from?"
This question again?
I knew how to answer now.
"Duplicated it with magic."
I mentally tallied my remaining balance.
Gotta make more cash before things really kick off.