Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Operation: Police
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#
Kim Representative had seized control of the department store on the day of the great cataclysm.
After sorting the people, he immediately began clearing the surrounding areas, or so I'd heard.
Decisiveness, drive, boldness.
He was a man with those qualities.
'And he's got a lot of caution too...'
I'd considered waiting until he stepped outside the department store and ambushing him.
The problem was the men we'd killed.
Given time, his wariness would only grow.
Other Fundamental Skill awakeners would likely accompany him.
That's why we'd come straight to his lair.
When he might be a little more relaxed.
In a situation where we could minimize interference from others.
That was our aim.
'Gotta close the distance.'
Kim Representative had awakened a very powerful attack skill.
Clashing head-on could cost me my life.
So we'd approach him openly.
Exploiting the information gap.
'His energy is bigger than Jang Ho-seop's.'
After dealing with Choi Manager guarding the representative's office door,
I pressed against the door and checked the energy inside.
Two presences. One of them was the largest I'd sensed in anyone so far.
That big one had to be Kim Representative.
Knock knock.
No response even after repeated knocks.
'Focused on something else?'
I gauged the distance between the door and the energies.
Closer than expected.
Time to change plans.
I signaled Jang Ho-seop to just open the door.
At this range, no matter how, I could strike first.
Creeeak.
Jang Ho-seop turning the doorknob.
Luckily, it wasn't locked.
At the same time, panting breaths leaked through the crack.
"Huff... huff... guh."
Finally, the door fully opened, revealing the bare back of a naked man.
Shiiiik.
Ever since throwing metal scraps to lure the gnoll pack, I'd realized my slingshot skills had become incredibly precise.
Thwack.
The heavy iron ball left my hand and struck the naked man's occiput.
I charged in for the follow-up.
Thud.
But the man went out with one hit.
Blood trickled from the back of his head.
"Huh? Uh... kyaa... mmph."
As the man collapsed, the woman with him fell too.
She was naked as well.
I quickly clamped her mouth before she could scream.
Her eyes widened huge, staring at me.
'165cm, dyed hair, two moles on left cheek.'
Someone in my head matched her description perfectly.
Leader of Lee Yu-na's old group.
"Kim Representative?"
I pointed at the fallen man and asked if that was him.
The woman nodded.
Crack.
Once confirmed, I snapped her neck.
"Huh? Bro?"
Things had gone easier than expected.
Kim Representative had been engrossed in intercourse.
I'd hoped for some carelessness, but not to this degree.
"Why'd you...?"
"Isn't that the leader of Lee Yu-na's group?"
"Pardon? Uh... yeah. Looks like the leader sis."
Jang Ho-seop nodded, recognizing the dead woman's face.
"This woman awakened too."
"Huh?"
"Her energy's bigger than a regular person's."
Lee Yu-na had said she was a normal person.
So this woman had been hiding her awakening.
"Ah... a wildcard, huh."
"Yeah."
I'd done something inhuman.
Yet Jang Ho-seop nodded right away.
No need for more explanation. Convenient.
"Drag her body over there and tidy the hallway."
"Got it."
Jang Ho-seop hooked his hands under the corpses' armpits.
While he hid the two bodies, I'd touch Kim Representative.
"Damn, piss... whose piss is this?"
Jang Ho-seop muttering.
Kim Representative was still alive.
We'd subdued him, so half the job was done.
We got to work in earnest.
#
We sat the unconscious Kim Representative in a chair and cuffed him.
Bound his hands and feet, then stuffed his mouth with socks we found.
Taped it shut on top.
'Good...'
Didn't want to see the naked man's body, so I tore down a curtain and draped it over.
Now for the real work.
Changed gloves and flexed my hands.
Squelch pop.
Kim Representative's Fundamental Skill was eyeball beam.
Laser from his eyes that pierced human bodies.
A few department store survivors had been sacrificed as examples.
"Urgh! Gah!"
So I gouged out his eyes first.
He briefly regained consciousness before passing out again.
'Next...'
With needle and thread I'd brought, I stitched his eyelids shut, one stitch at a time.
Having an unconscious person in front of me made it feel like work.
On busy days, I'd handled several corpses a shift.
'Still warm.'
The work-like sensation faded quickly.
Kim Representative wasn't a cold corpse—he was alive.
And at work, we handled bodies laid flat.
'Will this stop him from using his skill?'
Easy to check.
If he could still use it, I'd just kill him.
Pat pat.
Finished the work and woke Kim Representative.
His eyes were now neatly sewn shut.
'Hope this works.'
He wouldn't come to, so I slapped him a few times.
Then he stirred awake.
Drag.
Positioned him to face the window, stood behind.
"Mmmph! Mmmph!"
He fully woke and screamed.
Success.
Nothing came from his eyes.
"Grrrrmph!"
Kim Representative thrashed like a madman.
Must hurt.
No surprise—an ordinary person might've died already.
Crunch.
Eyeball beam sealed.
But his struggling threatened to break the chair.
Level-enhanced physical abilities.
That was the issue.
Whoosh thwack—
Smashed his right shoulder with the iron rod.
Then the left.
Was about to move to the legs.
Knock knock.
"Bro. That guy's back."
Jang Ho-seop cracked the door.
"Yeah. Coming out."
Finished up and stepped into the hall.
Kim Representative was now crippled in all four limbs.
Click.
Door shut. No sounds leaked.
Good soundproofing.
"Huh? Uh... did I hear screams...?"
"Nothing. Kim Representative's just pissed."
"Pardon? Really? Why...?"
The doorkeeper guy.
Standing with a middle-aged man.
"More importantly, this is Lee Jang-su?"
"Huh? Ah, yeah."
Lee Jang-su looked utterly haggard.
Beard overgrown, eyes sunken.
Cheeks gaunt.
"Are you Lee Yu-na's father?"
"Huh? Yes! I'm Yu-na's dad. What is it...?"
Told him we'd talk inside, nodded to Jang Ho-seop.
"What's your name?"
"Me? Kim Min-su..."
"Min-su. Next, bring the people we name."
One by one now.
"No, seriously, I'll get in trouble."
"Who'd scold you with Kim Representative down?"
"Uh... true?"
"Yep. We'll interview them one by one. Quietly..."
Confirmed Jang Ho-seop handling the doorkeeper well.
Entered the office with Lee Jang-su.
"Gah? W-what the...?"
He froze at Kim Representative's state and the bodies.
Got straight to it.
"Lee Yu-na's with us."
"What?"
Lee Jang-su's emotions shifted sharply.
Hostility toward me surged.
"Looks like Kim Representative planned something bad. Yu-na escaped and ran into us..."
As I explained, his hostility softened into confusion.
"Sir. Understand? You'll see your daughter soon, so stay calm."
"Huh? Ah, yeah. Yes... got it."
Even confused, he nodded at mention of his daughter.
Soon, the doorkeeper began bringing in the department store's Fundamental Skill awakeners one by one.
#
Rain blew in through the open window.
Kim Representative hung limp, soaked to the bone.
"Representative. You called...?"
The man entering froze at the sight.
I struck the back of his head.
Splat.
He crumpled limply.
This was the last one.
Lured and killed Kim Representative's loyal followers one by one.
Reached level 29 thanks to the department store trip.
"Did Kim Representative have more connections?"
Recalled Lee Yu-na's hit list.
Double-checked with Lee Jang-su just in case.
He shook his head and approached to clear the bodies.
Still dazed.
Knock knock.
"Bro."
"Yeah."
The office reeked of blood.
Windows open, still no help.
Didn't matter now.
Our operation was complete.
"What now?"
"The others?"
"All still there."
Regulars and resentful awakeners gathered on floors 5 and up.
Clueless about events.
"That... Min-su, right?"
"Yes."
"Send him up to block people coming down. You go get his mom and Lee Yu-na."
Jang Ho-seop bowed and left.
Voices of two men chatting drifted through the open door.
Already buddies?
"Lee Jang-su."
"Yes..."
"Min-su's fine, right?"
Asking if we could spare him.
"Min-su... good kid. Helped me a lot."
"Not what I asked."
"Ah..."
Lee Jang-su stared blankly.
Blood smell overload?
He'd followed orders obediently.
Watched me kill, then carted the bodies.
"Come hold this."
Now he'd help slit the bellies.
"Yes, ugh."
Told him about my deal with Lee Yu-na too.
Kill Kim Representative and save you, in exchange she serves me henceforth.
So naturally, Lee Jang-su had to follow me too.
Like Jang Ho-seop and his mom.
"Um... sir."
"Yes."
"Min-su only cooperated with Representative—no, Kim Representative—because of his girlfriend."
Lee Jang-su finally gave the answer I wanted.
His blank expression sharpened a bit.
"What did you do before, Lee Jang-su?"
"Just... day laborer, living hand to mouth."
While Jang Ho-seop was gone, kept talking to learn about him.
He'd done it all.
Interior work, manual labor, delivery.
Raised his daughter alone, worked hard.
"Fundamental Skill? Heard you did a lot here too."
"Faster to show."
Body checks done.
I nodded; he stood.
Grabbed a short wooden block.
Rustle.
Pulled a nail from his belt pouch.
Shook his hand twice, pressed nail to wood firmly.
With his finger.
"This is my ability."
Pushed the nail into the wood like a sponge.
"Not just nails—tools too. Can join wood scraps by pressing."
"Limits?"
"Can't join anything bigger than my fingers. Wood only..."
Could disassemble too.
He'd made what Kim Representative needed with this.
"Can't use on people?"
"Nope. Wood only. Wood... yes."
Showed it a few more times.
His rough, thick fingers handled the tiny nail delicately.
'Uncomfortable.'
Stepped into the hall.
Being with him felt really off.
Older man.
Gaunt and worn, but solid frame. Not small.
At least 180cm.
Stirred memories of my father.
'You insolent brat!'
When I was young.
Sitting across from Dad at dinner, a shout and sudden slap.
For picking up my spoon first.
No mom; table overturned far away.
Dad unbound his belt, tied my hands.
Slapped my cheeks with that huge hand.
Each hit saw stars; I blacked out.
"S-sir?"
The memory overlapped with Lee Jang-su.
Despite totally different face.
'Kill him?'
So uncomfortable.
Grip.
Suddenly had his throat clutched.
"Guh..."
Thrashing, choking.
A bit more pressure, easy kill.
'No need to drag uncomfortable people...'
Lee Yu-na flashed in mind.
Her desperate emotions.
Kill him, and she'd break too.
"F-fine... I... Yu-na..."
Eased my grip.
"Kehak... cough."
Lee Jang-su coughed harshly, continued.
"Do what you want with me... just take care of my daughter..."
Released him.
He collapsed to the floor.
"Sorry."
Bowed apology.
Even faked accident, his death felt like more loss.
"Older men make me uncomfortable."
Instead, created motivation for me to endure.
"When your daughter arrives, tell her to kill Kim Representative."
"Pardon?"
Lee Jang-su crawled over in shock.
"M-me. I'll do it! Don't make my girl do that..."
"No. She has to. I'm not coddling her. I want a comrade."
Right on cue, Jang Ho-seop returned.
"Bro! Back."
"Dad!"
Lee Yu-na saw him collapsed before me, ran over.
Father and daughter embraced, tears flowing.
"Yu-na. You okay?"
"Yeah. Dad? What's wrong with your face..."
I watched them, drew my knife.