Chapter 131: Nationalistic Interview
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 131: Nationalistic Interview
A residential complex in Bundang, Seongnam.
Reporters and police faced off across the police line in front of a detached house.
Under the barrage of camera flashes, the police officers had no choice but to lower their heads to avoid showing their scowls.
Behind the reporters, a crowd of residents had formed, coming and going. In that space, a mix of curiosity and concern, a man with a prominent scar across the bridge of his nose was observing the scene intently.
After adjusting his glasses, the man left the area. A short while later, he met with another man in an alleyway a fair distance from the scene.
“It's been a while, Investigator Kim.”
“Haa... I'm busy as hell. What's with the sudden call?”
Kim Hyeonsik, a police investigator for the Hunter Association. His main job was to be dispatched to crime scenes and determine whether the Association needed to get involved.
The man offered an affable smile to Kim Hyeonsik, who had started grumbling the moment he saw him, and pulled an envelope from his coat pocket.
Only then did Kim Hyeonsik's face brighten as he took the envelope.
“I'll tell you this upfront, we don't know anything either.”
“Just telling me the state of the body is enough.”
“Tsk, I don't know what kind of psycho did this, but five guys threw up after seeing the scene. Five.”
As Kim Hyeonsik stuck a cigarette in his mouth and looked for a lighter, the man skillfully lit it for him as if it were routine.
“...You're a guy who can use magic. Why do you work in a place like this?”
“Everyone has their designated place in the world.”
“Bullshit.”
Fwooh. The cigarette smoke scattered into the air.
“...His limbs weren't just dismembered. He was tortured so badly that the rags I use to clean my bathroom floor are in better shape than his hands and feet. On top of that, his face was so grotesquely twisted, it was obvious he died writhing in agony.”
At Kim Hyeonsik's vivid description, the man in glasses let out a low groan. He habitually pressed the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy sigh.
“Just like Go Namseok.”
“The higher-ups are assuming it's the same culprit... but they don't seem too motivated to catch him.”
“...Why not? If a current district mayor was brutally murdered, it should draw significant public interest, shouldn't it?”
“Why? Because all the Association's personnel are tied up in Pyongyang. Who's going to investigate this? The now-defunct Hero Association? Or the Magic Tower, who won't cooperate for shit?”
“...”
“Ha, yeah. I know. They could investigate if they wanted to. No matter how noisy things get in Pyongyang, you think the Association can't handle one case like this?”
Kim Hyeonsik crushed the barely-smoked cigarette under the heel of his shoe and stared at the man with cold eyes.
“But you know damn well why they're not transferring the case to the Association, don't you?”
“...Is it because of the Changbaek Association?”
“Heh, looks like not all mages are smart.”
Kim Hyeonsik scoffed at the man's serious demeanor.
“You think the Association is idle enough to give a damn about a gathering of trash like the Changbaek Association? The branch manager despises parasites like you who leech off society.”
Kim Hyeonsik poked the man's chest with his fingertip, but the man didn't budge. He simply listened without betraying a hint of emotion.
“It's true the Association should intervene if it's a crime involving abilities, but the story changes when the victim is the kind of person the branch manager despises.”
As if fed up with the man's reaction, Kim Hyeonsik shot him a look and turned away.
“Besides, won't the Heuksan Guild catch the culprit on their own? Your guild master must be grinding his teeth. No need for us to waste our manpower.”
“That's too harsh. We may do a lot of things, but we don't evade taxes. Shouldn't the Association help us out at a time like this?”
“That's because you'd be dead if you did.”
Kim Hyeonsik smirked, tossed out a few more words as if giving alms, and left. The man watched his retreating back for a moment before putting a cigarette to his lips.
One could say his attitude was harsh, but since the Heuksan Guild got on the Association's bad side, there was no one else who would provide even this much information.
Still, the reason the Association hadn't crushed the Heuksan Guild was the lack of decisive evidence.
If they found even one solid lead, a raid would begin that very day, and if anyone tried to flee, a relentless pursuit by the Association's Hunters would surely follow.
The guild master was a top-tier A-rank Hunter, so it was highly likely an S-rank Hunter would get involved.
“...So it's a dilemma.”
If they gave up on finding the culprit and lay low, they could buy a little more time and figure out a way to escape their current predicament.
But the guild master wouldn't want that.
Even if it meant the Heuksan Guild burned to the ground, he wouldn't stop avenging his brother.
That was the kind of man Go Taebeom, the Heuksan Guild Master he had watched over for fifteen years, was.
‘If I'd known this would happen, maybe I should have assigned him a more competent bodyguard.’
A total of three bodies were found at Go Namseok's crime scene: his aide, the bodyguard assigned by the guild, and Go Namseok himself.
The man compiled the information gathered by the guild member dispatched to the scene.
First, the aide's direct cause of death was physical and internal thermal damage due to fire.
At first glance, it looked like a simple car accident, but faint traces of magic were found at the scene, which were determined to be from the 1st Circle spell, Fireball.
‘But that doesn't mean I can conclude the attacker was a mage. After all, Fireball is the most common type of magic scroll.’
The bodyguard had cuts and stab wounds from a dagger, but the direct cause of death was a slash wound to the neck.
The guild member who was lucky enough to examine the bodyguard's body had said this:
—The cut was incredibly clean. He probably didn't even realize he was dead until his head hit the floor.
The guild member sent to the scene was a B-rank assassin.
“At least an upper B-rank expert...”
However, there was something that didn't add up, making it hard to conclude the culprit was an assassin.
For one, compared to the clean slash, the other cuts and stab wounds on the body were too straightforward. It meant the attacker had no professional dagger training.
Furthermore, there were traces at the scene indicating that Go Namseok had fled into the woods. Yet the killer went out of their way to drag Go Namseok back to the road—the original crime scene—and brutally tortured him to death.
It was a clear-cut revenge killing.
The chairman of the redevelopment committee had also died after being severely tortured, just like Go Namseok. Although he lived with his wife, they had been sleeping in separate rooms for a long time, and she was such a heavy sleeper that she claimed not to have heard her husband's screams.
‘...Then again, he probably couldn't even scream in the first place.’
There was only one connection between the two men.
“The Taepyeong-dong redevelopment project.”
*
Following Go Namseok's death, the murder of the redevelopment committee chairman sent the entire nation into an uproar.
Just a quick look online showed that articles about it were dominating the top spots.
But I wasn't particularly worried. I'd already created an alibi with illusion magic, and I hadn't left a single piece of evidence at the crime scene that could identify me.
Even if I were caught, I had the dating app, so it wasn't my problem.
What bothered me a little was that I had spent too much time killing Go Namseok, which meant I had to let the chairman off relatively easy.
If I'd known, I would have managed my time better. The blood had rushed to my head, and I hadn't been thinking rationally.
Still, I decided not to dwell on what was already done and headed to the Magic Tower as usual.
‘No reporters today.’
They must have all left to cover the murder case.
Humming at the thought of being able to walk in confidently without using magic for once, I continued on my way. Just then...
“W-Wait a minute!”
A woman rushed over and blocked my path. She was obviously a reporter.
I thought no one was around, but it seemed she had been hiding.
The only good thing was that there were no other reporters in sight.
“Y-You're Kang Hyun-woo, right?!”
“...Who are you?”
“Ah!”
The woman frantically rummaged through her bag and handed me a business card.
“Hello, I'm Im Nayeon from the Baeksaek Ilbo!”
“Baeksaek Ilbo...?”
It was a news agency I'd never heard of.
As if used to my reaction, Im Nayeon wore a bitter expression.
“It's just that I came here because I have a few things I'd like to ask you, Mr. Kang. Do you happen to have a moment...?”
“...I suppose I can spare about five minutes.”
“Ah...!”
I put on an affable smile and readily agreed to the interview. If you were to ask why I agreed, despite having snuck into the Magic Tower to avoid reporters until now, the reason was simple.
Because Im Nayeon was pretty.
The short haircut wasn't really my type, but even so, she was beautiful enough to be considered a classic beauty. Plus, her great figure was a bonus.
‘Besides, even if my interview gets published, it'll get buried quickly because of the murder case.’
The public's attention always gravitates toward more sensational topics.
Moreover, while I read the newspaper and online articles from time to time, this was the first I'd ever heard the name Baeksaek Ilbo.
I felt a little sorry for Im Nayeon, but even if she got an exclusive interview with me while other reporters weren't around, she wouldn't be able to get as many views as she wanted.
It wasn't a famous news agency. An article from some unheard-of small-time agency would obviously be forgotten in no time.
I figured I could just give some half-assed answers.
We moved to a nearby cafe.
“Hello, I'm Im Nayeon from the Baeksaek Ilbo. I'm delighted to have the opportunity to speak with Mr. Kang Hyun-woo, the new genius mage who will represent South Korea.”
It didn't even take ten seconds for me to realize how wrong I was.
“I've heard you're a genius mage comparable to the current Gray Tower Lord, Han Lael, and that there are very few people in the world with such talent. It's only natural that you're considered the pride of South Korea, but do you feel that pride yourself?”
“...Huh?”
“It's unbelievable that you taught yourself magic and reached the 2nd Circle in less than half a year. It's no exaggeration to say that South Korea is witnessing the birth of a future 8th Circle Archmage. Do you think this is all related to our country's special terrestrial energy, which flows from Mt. Baekdu to Mt. Halla?”
“...I'm not sure.”
“Ah, of course!”
“...?”
“The people believe that for South Korea's security to be protected, more Hunters must stand firm in their positions. However, it's extremely rare for mages from the Magic Tower to clear Gates like Hunters do.”
“...Right?”
“But we've confirmed that you, Mr. Hyun-woo, have shown great interest in Hunter-related work, such as visiting the Hunter Association and exchanging magic stones. You could be called a model for all mages. We understand that it couldn't have been an easy choice. Nevertheless, we're curious as to why a genius mage like yourself began to consider the path of a Hunter.”
I'm interested in Hunter work?
I joined the Magic Tower because I didn't want to bust my ass clearing Gates.
“The now-retired mage, Mr. Kim Cheolsu, said that in terms of talent alone, you are without a doubt the best among all people in their twenties worldwide.”
Who the hell is that?
“We at the Baeksaek Ilbo believe your existence is elevating South Korea's status and, furthermore, playing a major role in making our country known to the world. Do you have any future plans? Perhaps you intend to show the world the power of Korean magic on a global stage?”
This was completely different from the interview I had imagined.
Watching Im Nayeon's excited face as she fired off questions, I felt my mood sink.
“The news that a genius like you has emerged from our country has given countless citizens great hope. Finally, do you have a message for the people of South Korea?”
I suddenly wanted to go home.
*
After barely surviving Im Nayeon's soul-draining interview, I returned to the Magic Tower and had a hectic day.
“Hyun-woo, if you're having a hard time, just let me know.”
But no matter how hectic the day had been, the current situation made no sense.
“...?”
Why in the world am I inside a Gate with Professor Shin Minha?