Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 018
Chapter Title: Half-Side Syndrome (3)
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“Even Half-Sides are at least Tiger-class Unknowables, so how the hell could an ordinary person possibly...”
Ordinary person.
That word made me pause for a moment, lost in thought.
An ordinary person, huh. Had there ever been a single moment in my life when I was one?
Born with muscles that grew on their own, a body that came out unscathed from car accidents and stayed sober even after chugging bottles of soju like water from a truck.
Thinking it over, it seemed like words like "normal" or "average" never had a chance to squeeze into my life from the start.
Of course, that wasn't what she meant. She was just checking if I was part of this world or not.
Now that I was in this line of work, there was no need to explain my past or my freakish physique to every single person.
I pulled out the brand-new agent ID Lee Chang had given me yesterday from my wallet.
“As you can see, I'm not an ordinary person.”
The mugunghwa flower symbolizing Korea, flanked by the engraved haetae emblem. Her eyes narrowed as she confirmed it was an ID from the National Anomalous Entity Management Bureau.
The gaze that had been sizing me up like some rare specimen until moments ago now burned with clear hostility and wariness.
It was like the expression of someone who'd offered a bento to a homeless guy on the street, only to realize he was a North Korean spy.
The woman gripped her black silk pouch tightly, looking ready to hurl talismans or beans right in my face if I so much as twitched.
“You're with the Bureau? Then why didn't you say so when we first met? I could've gone all out without holding back...”
What was with this hostile reaction?
Her attitude flipped the instant I revealed I was with the Bureau.
Every sense in my body screamed in alarm. This woman was dangerous. The type who wouldn't hesitate to attack me.
I racked my brain and spat out the most plausible response.
“Ah, I was an ordinary person back then. I just started not long ago.”
Her aggressive stance faltered for a second. She stared at me with eyes mixed suspicion and wariness. I kept my face as calm and dopey as possible and added,
“About a month in, I guess. Anyway, that's the deal.”
New hire, one month on the job. Fresh out of training, green as grass.
Those magic words visibly softened the edge in her stance. She slowly released her grip on the pouch and let out a deep sigh.
“Haa... If you've only been in for a short time, you probably don't know a thing about the power dynamics in this world.”
“Yeah, pretty much...”
What could I expect from a guy like Lee Chang? He'd probably just told me to learn on the job.
“Normally, I wouldn't explain this much to Bureau people, but since you're a newbie, I'll make an exception. Listen up.”
According to her, the supernatural organizations in Korea boiled down to three major factions.
First, the National Anomalous Entity Management Bureau, where I worked.
It was the successor to Division 10 from the old Central Intelligence Agency days, which had handled all supernatural phenomena. Its sole purpose: protect the nation and its people from anomalous events. On the surface, it sounded like just another government agency with special duties.
The problem was their methods.
“The Bureau starts by eliminating and destroying any anomaly that shows up. Dialogue? Reformation? Coexistence? Unless it's an anomaly they can use to catch others, those aren't even options.”
Listening to her, it sounded like the perfect fit for Chief Lee Chang. That guy was the "hit first, ask questions later" type too. For someone like me who preferred simple and decisive solutions, it wasn't a bad approach at all.
Second was the Hwalbin Party, the group Yang In-ha belonged to.
The name sounded like some civic group or progressive party, but its history ran deeper than you'd think.
The Hwalbin Party traced its roots back to the organization founded in 1490 by Hong Gildong, Korea's greatest miracle worker and righteous outlaw.
Their goal was the polar opposite of the Bureau's: guarantee human rights for all sentient anomalous entities in Korea and build a transparent, peaceful world without distinction between normal and anomalous.
“Of course, the Hwalbin Party doesn't advocate freeing every Unknowable like Half-Sides that can't coexist with humanity. We prioritize human survival and protection too. It's just the methods that differ.”
And finally, third: Abyss Tech.
A corporation established in the 1600s alongside that infamous British East India Company. Their one goal: amass wealth by exploiting every anomalous phenomenon and entity.
“As long as there's demand and someone willing to pay, they'll sell any anomalous entity no matter how dangerous, bizarre, or unethical it is. True incarnations of capitalism.”
To sum it up: government secret agents smashing anomalies for national security, a human rights group chasing ideals and trying to coexist with monsters, and money-hungry corporate suits.
Now I fully understood why Yang In-ha had turned hostile the moment I flashed my Bureau ID.
To her, the Bureau were the brutes who killed first and talked never. I must've looked like some mindless killer she couldn't reason with. And honestly, it wasn't far off.
I smacked my lips bitterly and pulled out my phone from my pocket. Dealing with faction rivalries and ideological debates wasn't my problem. Best to call Lee Chang and dump it on him.
But no matter how many times I tried, all I got was an automated message.
-The person you are calling is currently out of service range. Please move to an area with better reception and try again.
Yang In-ha noticed and spoke up.
“Won't work. The whole Seocho-gu district is probably blanketed in Unknowable phenomena, warping all signals.”
“You know what's going on here?”
She nodded while straightening her hanbok sleeve.
“I'm the Hwalbin Party's Seoul branch chief. I have a general idea of what's happening.”
Couldn't reach Lee Chang, and sitting around waiting for the anomaly to resolve itself felt wrong too.
After some thought, I said to Yang In-ha,
“Then let's go solve it together.”
She stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
“Did you even listen to my explanation? Our endgames are incompatible.”
“Then we handle the wrap-up your way.”
She shot back with a look of disbelief.
“What about you, then?”
“Eh, I'll just say I didn't know any better as a newbie. Chief might chew me out, but that's it. Not like a civil servant gets fired for something like this.”
Yep. That was the power of iron rice bowl job security. No matter how big the screw-up, firing wasn't on the table. Why else would everyone want to be public servants?
At my nonchalant reply, she pinched the bridge of her nose, then nodded like she'd given up.
“...Fine, let's do it.”
Riding in Yang In-ha's car toward wherever, an awkward silence filled the vehicle.
It made sense. We weren't exactly buddies; ideologically, we were near opposites. No reason for small talk. Still, the awkwardness was getting to me.
Finally, I broke the ice.
“So, how's the Hwalbin Party viewing this Half-Side incident? You said it wasn't natural, right?”
She answered curtly, eyes on the road.
“Someone triggered it artificially. Simultaneous outbreaks on this scale aren't possible in modern times. The Bureau's too obsessed with destruction to investigate causes, so cleanup always falls to us Hwalbin Party folks.”
Blame on the Bureau again. Fair point. Exorcism Squad 1 didn't handle investigations or aftermaths—the boring stuff.
“Isn't destruction the surest fix? Leaving them half-alive could cause bigger problems.”
Best to nip it in the bud. What good was talking to monsters? They weren't kindergarten kids.
“That's the Bureau way. Solving everything with brute force like barbarians. Looks like you're fully on board with that philosophy.”
Barbaric. Spot on. And I loved that barbaric approach. No emotional waste, pure efficiency.
But arguing here would just get me the "all Bureau guys are the same" line.
I was done with tiring debates. I shut my mouth and stared out the window.
The silence returned as we arrived at Guroong Village, shrouded in thick fog.
Undergoing redevelopment, piles of excavated dirt, abandoned forklifts, and trucks everywhere created a eerie vibe. The crumbling shanties looked like massive graves.
Yang In-ha parked on a nearby road, rolled down the window, and whistled. Her eyes narrowed, scanning the air like she was reading something invisible.
“Why Guroong Village?”
“Half-Side Syndrome stems from the resentment of the discarded—disabled, mentally ill, orphans, that sort.”
She gazed at the barren landscape outside.
“With welfare systems now, this shouldn't happen.”
“So why did it?”
“That's why we're here—to find out.”
That was when we reached the village entrance.
Out of nowhere—from muddy puddles, shadows of rotting shacks, under trash heaps—dozens of Half-Sides crawled out, blocking our path.
They opened their mouths in unison.
[I will now give you sadness too]
With those words, their bodies began to melt.
They tangled and merged, forming a single massive shape. Human arms and legs, mashed faces twisted in agony, fusing into one lump.
It was a cyclopean giant easily over 4 meters tall by eye. A grotesque eye formed from dozens of pupils scanned us.
Screams from dozens of mouths erupted in a dissonant cacophony that tore at the ears. The anomaly reeked of fishy rot.
Yang In-ha beside me muttered tensely.
“My god... that's...”
She already clutched the pouch at her waist.
I just stared up at the hulking mass.
Eyeballing it, at least 6 meters. Impressive bulk. Dealing with that would be a hassle.
Suddenly, I remembered the envelope of cash Lee Chang had given me yesterday.
Five million won special incentive for wiping out the Blood Ghosts in Guro-gu. The tender chaetdon fillet I'd bought with it still lingered on my tongue—melting softness and savory juices.
But this wasn't official company business. I'd volunteered, and no report would go up the chain.
...Or so I thought. But on second thought, not quite.
Even if I'd volunteered, wasn't this still protecting the nation and its people?
Maybe Lee Chang would file a glowing report and snag me extra incentives. He seemed the sentimental type deep down, so it was possible.
I smacked my lips, eyeing the massive cyclops.
Alright. Steak for dinner tonight too.