Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Association and the Archenemy
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“Whatever your reasons for trying to look up the identity of a zero-grade security target, just drop it. It’ll be better for you, for me, and for the Association.”
“What do you mean by that? Two people are dead, and an entire Tutorial was destroyed! Shouldn’t we at least uncover the truth, never mind handing out punishments?!”
The person who had come to see Park Seo-ha, now half-imprisoned in the interrogation room, was none other than the Association’s top authority—the king himself, the Association President.
Park Seo-ha stiffened, firing back at the order from his mouth. It was the kind of retort that perfectly showed why she was the troublemaker of the Inspection Department, the mad dog who never let go once she sank her teeth into a case.
But knowing that the investigation into this incident—no, into the man named Shin Juha—couldn’t go any further, the president swept a hand down his face and let out a deep sigh.
“Team Leader Park Seo-ha, can’t you just tone down that personality of yours? You’ve got the skills to run the entire Inspection Department without breaking a sweat, so why do you keep stirring up trouble? Come on, do your uncle a favor! If this goes south, it won’t just be your head on the line—the whole Association could get purged top to bottom!”
“Even so, we need to know the truth. People died, and it’s the biggest story the public’s obsessed with right now. At the very least, we have to figure out what happened so we can spin it properly!”
“Fine... the truth. Ha... spin it. That’s not something I’d expect from you. You’ve gotten damn good at lying, huh? Hey! Bring in that report we just got and show it to her.”
At the command of Park Ji-cheon, who was both the Association President and Park Seo-ha’s uncle, his subordinates outside handed her the case file with all the intel compiled.
“What’s this, Mr. President?”
“The truth about this incident you wanted so badly. It even explains why those two died. It’s the best the Intelligence Department could gather, so it’s solid.”
After reading the file from start to finish, Park Seo-ha tossed it onto the table with a sigh.
“So now you know the truth. You gonna drop it? Those two you were dying to investigate—they’re closer to victims. I’m telling you again: if you push this, I’ll stop you by force. I can’t cover for you on this one.”
“Fine! I get it. Goddamn it, this feels so shady.”
“Let her go. And get out. I’ll calm this little brat down before I leave.”
Once his subordinates uncuffed her and left the interrogation room, the president wiped the exasperated boss face away, switching to a grave, stern expression as he shut off all the recording devices and CCTV.
“You still have more to say? Why so serious—what’s the story now?”
“Listen carefully from here on. Can you bring that Hunter you looked up—Shin Juha—to me? No, just get him to this interrogation room. Help me meet him in secret.”
It was a request from her uncle, the Association President.
Doubt flickered across Park Seo-ha’s face at his words, but then realization dawned, and she nodded.
“Must be someone who’ll help with that ‘life plan’ you mentioned before, huh? Makes sense—he’s a zero-grade security target, so he’s gotta be hiding some big secret. Something important’s tied to him.”
“The reason he’s zero-grade isn’t that huge. It’s because of his parents. Anyway, don’t dig deeper—just tell me if you can do it.”
“Tch. I could probably call him in again for ‘investigation purposes’... But can he make it here without the eyes planted in the Association spotting him? Should I just bring him straight to your office?”
“No, that’d be too obvious. This place is better. Interrogation rooms have the least surveillance, so he can slip in. Please.”
With that, the president stood, storming out of the interrogation room without a backward glance, his face full of irritation.
“He explained it well enough, so let me go now. Give me some work so I don’t cause trouble!”
“Understood. Good work.”
Even in the Association he ruled, the president had to cower, hyper-aware of their watchful eyes everywhere. Watching him go, Park Seo-ha scowled instinctively, recalling his words from the past.
“This country’s rotten. It needs a complete purge. My mentor was brutally murdered just because he was in their way, and the good couple who saved me multiple times—hailed as heroes—were turned into irredeemable traitors by their schemes and killed. I’ll stop them. Even if it costs me my life.”
Honestly, she didn’t know what deep story lurked beneath, what grand cause drove him, or what desires fueled this plot. But she didn’t think what he was doing was wrong.
Her reputation as the Inspection Department’s biggest headache stemmed partly from her bitchy personality, but also from overacting to draw attention away from her uncle.
To plant the image of a trash boss shoving his spoiled, reckless niece into a key spot.
Scritch scritch.
“Seriously, I can’t even say no. Argh! What a pain!”
Returning to the Inspection Department burdened with this headache of a task, what reached her ears was an unexpected opportunity.
The dimly lit interrogation room, lit by a single bulb like something out of a drama or movie. Having washed off the blood and changed clothes, I felt refreshed as I lounged in the chair, facing Team Leader Park Seo-ha, who looked displeased about something.
“So, what do you want to investigate?”
“First off, I’d like a simple rundown of the incident. Your ties to the company, why you punished them that way—everything. No matter what, Hunters taking private revenge instead of the Inspection Department? That’s illegal.”
“It’s not illegal. ‘Close to illegal workaround’ is more accurate, no?”
“Tch! Fine. There won’t be any punishment anyway. You didn’t even kill anyone. So, please, just tell me.”
Veins bulging on her forehead, she made no secret of her irritation. I laid out the whole story for her.
About thirty minutes of back-and-forth later.
“That’s enough. It was mostly procedural anyway. The real reason I brought you here is someone wants to meet you. Mr. Zero-Grade Security Target.”
With that, Park Seo-ha stood and left the room, opening the door.
Stunned by the investigator’s sudden exit, the person who entered next was someone etched a few times in my memories.
No—any Hunter would know him.
“It’s been a while. Ah, we met when you were too young to remember? With my mentor—the former Association President.”
“The president wanted to see me?”
“Yes. I asked my niece to bring you here. She might’ve thrown a fit, but I’ll apologize on her behalf. Because of you? Or thanks to you? Either way, she’s in for heavy discipline.”
“No... what did I even do?”
This is ridiculous. I let out an incredulous chuckle, meeting Association President Park Ji-cheon’s eyes.
A brief silence wrapped us in a strange tension.
“So, Hunter Shin Juha. Planning to avenge your parents?”
Breaking the mood, the president went straight for the jugular. He unleashed his words like he couldn’t hold back anymore.
“You know full well it’s impossible alone. Even if you topped the cadets, outshining all the promising talents. Even if you’ll grow tremendously. One person can’t stop a tidal wave. That’s why they’re not restraining you right now.”
“What’s that got to do with you? You betrayed and killed the mentor you called ‘master,’ then took his seat. And when my parents were miserably exiled to some Abyss, you were right there. Yet you have the nerve to act like you know me! Like we’re close!”
Truth be told, I had zero good feelings toward the president. Not even a grain of rice. The fact I was attacking with words instead of outright rage was me holding back plenty.
He didn’t kill my parents directly, but the sin of standing by, condoning, and covering it up was massive.
“...I’m sorry. No excuses. The situation, my lack of power—pathetic, foolish nonsense. In the end, I’m the one who killed my benefactor and betrayed my friend.”
“Exactly. That’s why you shouldn’t even open your mouth to me so boldly. Do you know how I survived that despair, day by day? I lived because I couldn’t die. When I was suffering like that, you didn’t give a mosquito’s tear, but now that I’ve awakened, I’m suddenly a useful card? A blade you can wield? Wake up. You’re just a cowardly piece of trash.”
Bang!
I slammed the table and stood to leave the interrogation room. If the president hadn’t dropped to his knees and grabbed my pant leg.
“What are you doing, Mr. President? Humiliating yourself to a mere Hunter like this? It won’t erase what you did.”
“I know. That’s why I’m doing this. Give me a chance. A chance to atone for my sins!”
“I don’t believe you. I don’t even want to. I’m only talking to you because you were once called my parents’ friend. So don’t approach me again. I can handle the revenge myself, no matter how long it takes.”
One person can’t stop a tidal wave?
No. They can. If that one is an overwhelming A-rank Hunter, they could halt a tidal wave with a gesture.
So I’ll grow strong. Strong enough to soar beyond the heavens, where no one can stop me, and take revenge on those who made my parents—and me—suffer so miserably.
“I hope we never meet again, Mr. President.”
With that, I left the interrogation room. Whatever his true intentions, I didn’t care. He might genuinely want revenge using me, or it could just be an act to grab more power.
‘I’ll know more from his actions.’
As the Association’s head, he could block my path if he wanted. If he interferes, it proves it was all a show.
‘Even if he doesn’t, I won’t trust him.’
Thinking that, I followed the staff from the underground interrogation room up to the Association lobby.
“Hahaha. Who’s this? Long time no see. Have you been well? You grew up just as handsome as you were as a kid!”
‘Damn it, speak of the devil.’
One of my true archenemies appeared before me.