Chapter 19
Chapter 19: The Master of Information
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: 019. Vampire Detective
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After successfully entering the immersive play world of Vampire Detective, I immediately made my way to the computer terminal and logged into the encrypted messenger system that served as my primary link to the underworld. The genius hacker known as Kang Yu-jin typically managed all of his high-stakes clients through this dedicated, custom-built messenger chat, which was meticulously designed to be virtually impenetrable and entirely safe from the prying eyes of rival hackers or government surveillance.
'Reflecting on his history, Kang Yu-jin has always operated with an incredible amount of passivity and caution; throughout his entire career, he almost never initiated contact with his clients first, preferring instead to stay in the shadows and only respond when a desperate customer reached out to him with a specific request.'
It was clear that Kang Yu-jin was a man defined by his extreme caution and his desire to remain undetected at all costs.
He primarily focused his business on the sale of sensitive information while carefully avoiding any requests that carried a high physical or legal risk, and even when he did sell high-value intel, he purposefully kept his prices reasonably low to avoid breeding any resentment or drawing unnecessary attention from powerful figures. The one client who seemed to make him the most nervous was undoubtedly the detective Moon Ji-hyuk; looking through the archived chat logs, it was obvious that while he gave curt, professional replies to everyone else, he went out of his way to use polite, formal language and was extra courteous whenever he dealt with him.
'I suppose it makes sense; he's a high-ranking detective, and his very presence must be incredibly intimidating to someone living on the edge of the law like him.'
I noted with a scoff that he had even gone so far as to sell him top-tier information worth well over a million won for the measly, discounted price of only 300,000 won.
I clicked my tongue in sharp disapproval at his lack of business sense and his clear display of weakness.
'What a pathetic, wasted talent he is; it doesn't matter if you're a genius hacker with the world at your fingertips if you're ultimately just a coward who's afraid to seize what's yours.'
I decided to break his long-standing rule of passivity and messaged one of his most prominent clients, a well-known reporter named Han Sung-un.
Taker - I’ve managed to get my hands on some incredibly valuable information. Are you interested in making a purchase?
About five minutes of silence passed before Han Sung-un finally replied; for reference, Kang Yu-jin’s 'T Messenger' was versatile enough that it could also be installed as a mobile app for on-the-go communication. Han Sung-un was no ordinary reporter; he was the son of the powerful chairman of Korea Daily, which was one of the most influential and prestigious newspapers in all of South Korea, and he was currently focused on building a flawless track record as an editor-in-chief to prove he was worthy of inheriting his father’s vast media empire.
Han Sung-un - ...This is quite unexpected; it’s extremely rare for you to be the one reaching out first.
Taker - Are you interested in buying, or are you just here to waste my time with pleasantries?
Han Sung-un - Your entire tone and way of speaking have changed as well. Am I actually talking to a different person today?
Taker - I have a pressing need for a large amount of money, and I need it quickly. Now, are you buying or not?
There was no immediate reply to my blunt demand, and I could tell he was likely thrown off balance by the sudden, aggressive change in Taker’s demeanor, which was a far cry from the polite and reserved man he was used to dealing with. I decided to give him a few moments to process the shift, knowing that since he was the one with the deep pockets, I could afford to wait a few minutes for a favorable response.
Han Sung-un - Well, I can't deny that your information has always been solid and reliable in the past.
Han Sung-un - Alright, I’m listening. Let’s hear what you have. What kind of information are we talking about here?
Han Sung-un - But just so we’re clear, it better be something truly major if you want it to satisfy someone in my position.
Taker - I have the details regarding a secret, unofficial meeting between a high-ranking National Assembly member and a prominent member of the Japanese House of Councillors. Does that sound major enough for you?
Han Sung-un - ......That is a huge claim to make out of nowhere. But a meeting alone isn't enough to make a headline.
Han Sung-un - What really matters is the substance of the meeting. What exactly did they discuss behind those closed doors?
Taker - It was all about the economy, and specifically, the National Assembly member accepted a massive amount of under-the-table money.
I made sure to keep my replies short and impactful to maintain an air of authority and mystery.
In the current political and social climate, the economic ties between South Korea and Japan were at their absolute worst, with massive boycotts of Japanese goods sweeping through the nation while the Japanese government remained stubborn and refused to back down. In such a volatile environment, information regarding a politician taking Japanese money was worth an absolute fortune to the right person, and Han Sung-un was more than aware of that fact, especially since Korea Daily was one of the few organizations big enough to handle the fallout of such a story.
Han Sung-un - You’ve got a deal. What’s the asking price?
Taker - 200 million won.
Han Sung-un - ......That’s incredibly expensive. While the information is certainly valuable, I’m not sure it’s worth that much.
Taker - I’m not just selling you a rumor; I have solid, undeniable proof to back it up. With the massive reach and influence of Korea Daily, you could easily leverage this information for backroom deals with the Assembly member or his opposition—you’d make double your investment back in no time.
Taker - This is essentially treason committed by a sitting National Assembly member. Just think of the irreparable damage it would do to him and his entire political party if this were to leak to the public. 200 million is an absolute steal for this kind of power.
Taker - Plus, there are at least three major Korean companies heavily involved in the transaction.
Taker - I’m only selling it this cheaply because I have a personal need for immediate cash.
The truth was that 200 million was actually dirt cheap for this level of corruption; the moment this story hit the public eye, the entire country of Korea would erupt in a frenzy of outrage. Of course, blackmailing the Assembly member or the involved companies was another lucrative option, but I didn't want to waste my time with that kind of long-term, shady business just to make a bit more money.
'I don't need to bother with all that complicated, slow-moving blackmail stuff to get what I want, so I'm perfectly happy selling it for a quick, guaranteed profit.'
Taking the blackmail route would likely take at least a week of negotiations, if not months of constant effort, and that was time I simply did not have. Moon Ji-hyuk had already completed his transformation into a vampire by this point in the story, and I didn't have any time left for playing games.
Han Sung-un - ...I understand. Is it the same bank account as we’ve used before?
Taker - No. I’ll be sending you a new one. I want the first half of the payment upfront: 100 million won. We will do the rest in installments.
Some time passed in silence as he presumably authorized the transfer.
Han Sung-un - The first payment has been sent.
Taker - I’m sending the initial files to your secure email now, including several high-resolution photos for proof. Go ahead and check them, and then we can confirm the rest of the payment.
Ten minutes later, a reply finally blinked onto the screen.
Han Sung-un - The rest of the money has been sent. I have to ask, how on earth do you even get your hands on intelligence of this caliber?
Taker - That’s a trade secret. Cheers.
How does a genius hacker get this kind of info? Through hacking, obviously; for reference, this specific piece of intelligence had actually been scraped from the servers of the National Intelligence Service (NIS). Kang Yu-jin was undeniably skilled enough to hack into major U.S. megacorporations, but he had always skipped over government targets simply because he was too much of a coward to deal with the potential blowback.
'He only hacked the NIS this one time because he severely underestimated their security and thought he could get away clean without leaving a trace.'
I didn't stop there; I began messaging several other high-profile clients from his list. I wasn't demanding nine-figure sums like I had with the Korea Daily heir, as that was a special case for someone with his resources, but I was still asking for amounts ranging from a minimum of 3 million up to tens of millions from the others. I also realized that the information I possessed could be used in far more direct and aggressive ways than just selling it to reporters.
I opened a hidden drawer in the computer desk and found over ten burner phones tucked away inside. I grabbed one at random and sent a text message to a very specific target.
Taker - Yo! If it isn't the incredibly popular pro baseball star, Kim Chu-young!
Taker - It’s Johnson here.
Taker - I wouldn't recommend ghosting me if you have any desire to keep on living your comfortable life.
To drive the point home, I sent him a series of gruesome, horrifying photos I had scraped from the dark web—sickeningly brutal images that were designed to shock and terrify anyone who saw them. A mere minute later, a reply came back.
Kim Chu-young - I don’t know who you are or what you want, but this is clearly harassment. I’ll see you in court; I’m going to sue you for everything you have.
Taker - Sue me? You really are a clueless dumbass, aren't you?
Taker - You want to talk about a lawsuit? Let’s talk about a mutual one, you druggie fuck.
The replies stopped instantly; I knew Kim Chu-young was likely panicking in his mansion somewhere, as he was one of South Korea's most beloved baseball players, yet his entire career was secretly propped up by a heavy drug habit. I kept firing off messages, sending a photo of a white English instructor named Nate who had recently moved from the U.S., who was the very man Kim bought his supply from.
Taker - Oh, and should we talk about your affair too? Sleeping with a teammate’s wife? That’s pretty scummy, even for someone like you.
Taker - His wife’s phone number starts with 9598, doesn't it?
Kim Chu-young - What the hell do you want from me?
Taker - I want money, obviously. Wire 30 million won to this account, and we can call it even and go our separate ways.
Kim Chu-young - How can I possibly trust that you'll leave me alone after I pay?
Taker - You can’t. But you make a hell of a lot of money; is it really worth risking your entire career over a measly 30 million?
Taker - It seems like you’re hesitating, so let me help you make a decision.
Taker - I just sent a text to your wife.
And I really had done it; I sent a message that read: 'You better learn how to control your husband better, you bitch,' as a total impulse send without a second thought.
Kim Chu-young - Just leave my wife alone, please!
Kim Chu-young - I’m sending the money right now.
Kim Chu-young - Just please, don't ever contact me or my family again.
Taker - kk bye
In just five hours of doing this kind of aggressive bullshit, I had successfully raked in a grand total of 300 million won; everything that Kang Yu-jin had worked cautiously for years to earn was gone, replaced by a massive fortune acquired in just half a day.
"I was actually being relatively careful too, all things considered."
Kang Yu-jin’s PC was filled with files regarding insane levels of corruption that were far too risky for even me to touch, so I had to meticulously cherry-pick the ones that were safe enough to leverage for quick cash.
"I'm still about 300 million short of my goal, though; I really need a full billion won to make this work."
I pondered my next move for a moment before reaching back for the keyboard; my next target was a notoriously risky individual from the original story that Kang Yu-jin had always been too terrified to engage with directly.
Taker - hi hi
Taker - I know it’s late, but you really need to reply to this.
Taker - This is urgent.
Taker - Urgent.
Taker - Urgent.
Taker - Hurry up.
Taker - pls
Taker - pls
Taker - pls
Kang Wook-seong - Who the hell are you, and why are you spamming me?
Finally, he had taken the bait. Kang Wook-seong was known as a high-level money-laundering broker, but I knew his deepest secret: his entire identity was a fake, and he was actually an exiled British vampire living in hiding. Furthermore, his true affiliation was with Cantara, a powerful and secretive European vampire organization that operated in the shadows.
Taker - It’s me, obviously.
Kang Wook-seong - Taker doesn't talk or act like this. Did you kill him and take his equipment?
Taker - No, it’s really me, Taker. I just decided it was time to stop pretending.
Taker - This is what my real personality looks like.
Taker - I only played nice before because I didn't feel like I knew you well enough to be myself.
Kang Wook-seong - And you think you know me well enough now?
Taker - I know you’re a vampire from the UK and a member of Cantara. Or should I just call you Jay? Or maybe Jayden?
Jay was his common nickname, but Jayden was the real name he had left behind in Europe.
Kang Wook-seong - How could you possibly know that?
He managed to stay cool despite the revelation, radiating the vibe of a seasoned veteran who had seen it all. I grinned at the screen, knowing that a calm, rational opponent was far better to deal with than a panicked one.
Taker - Did you already forget my nickname? I’m the one who knows everything.
Taker - Anyway, let’s get to the main point of why I’m contacting you.
Taker - I need you to launder 300 million won for me immediately.
Kang Wook-seong - 300 million? That’s too large of an amount to discuss over a simple chat like this.
Kang Wook-seong - Besides, your usual laundering method takes at least three weeks to clear.
A cautious Kang Yu-jin would have simply said that was fine, but I wasn't him.
Taker - I’m coming to see you tomorrow night. You’ll be at that pawnshop in the Yook-seong-dong alley, right?
Kang Wook-seong - You’re coming here in person? Knowing full well that I’m a vampire?
Taker - I’m not coming there to start a fight with you.
Taker - I have a need for quick cash. I also have information worth another 700 million won; do you want to buy it? I’ll only accept cash for this one.
Kang Wook-seong - You’re moving too fast; I can’t even keep up with what you’re saying.
Taker - It’s a very simple and fair trade.
Taker - I have the complete Black Cross Society vampire hunter roster for the entire Korea chapter.
Taker - Is that worth 700 million to you?
The Black Cross was the vampires' worst and most lethal enemy, and the entire reason Kang Wook-seong was acting as a broker in this country was to spy on the local Korean hunters.
Kang Wook-seong - You have the list for the whole country, not just the Seoul branch?
Taker - That’s exactly what I said.
Kang Wook-seong - If that list is legitimate, I’d be willing to pay you 1 billion won for it.
Taker - It is legitimate, and you can check it yourself tomorrow. Oh, and I want that 1 billion in cash, with the laundering fee for the other 300 million already deducted as a professional courtesy, right?
Kang Wook-seong - Pulling together 1 billion in cash on such short notice is going to be tough.
Taker - How much do you have on hand right now?
Kang Wook-seong - I have 400 million. I can get you the rest in three days.
Taker - I’ll take the 400 million first.
Kang Wook-seong - Fine, it’s a deal.
Kang Wook-seong - But only if the list is real. If you’re lying to me, you’re dead.
Taker - That’s exactly why you know it’s legit; I’m not suicidal.
I closed the messenger window and leaned back. The truth was that there was no Black Cross roster currently saved on Kang Yu-jin’s PC, so I would have to go out and fetch it tomorrow. I closed my eyes and reviewed my plan, though there wasn't much of a plan to speak of; it would likely take only five minutes of work if everything went my way.
'......Maybe I should call a girl over to celebrate?'
It was a tempting thought, but I managed to hold myself back for the time being.
The next day arrived, and I headed straight to the Apgujeong district, which I knew was the secret location of the Korean Black Cross Headquarters.
'Found it.'
It was incredibly easy to find since I knew the exact location and the appearance of the building from the drama I had watched. It was a massive building over ten stories tall, with guards stationed at every entrance and a strict keycard system in place, looking for all the world like a standard, highly secure corporate office. A large shuttle bus was parked directly across from the building, likely a company ride for the employees. I stood near the front gate and stared openly at the building while pulling out my burner smartphone, feeling the suspicious eyes of the guards on me the entire time.
'The building is under 30 meters tall, so this should be no problem at all.'
I successfully hacked into a random office PC inside the building and used it as a gateway to breach the main Black Cross network.
'Got it. Here it is: the full Korean Black Cross personnel roster.'
There were 913 names total, with 174 of them being frontline vampire hunters who spent their days battling the undead.
'That was far too easy.'
I checked my phone to confirm the data transfer and then started heading toward a burger joint located right next door to the headquarters.
Thud.
I was suddenly shoulder-checked by someone mid-stride, and when I looked up from my phone, I saw a scowling man and his companion staring me down. I recognized them instantly from the show: they were the vampire hunters Park Ki-ju and Jo Ju-hyun.
"Tch. You shouldn't be staring at your phone while walking in public, kid; where are your manners? You better watch it next time."
Park Ki-ju snarled at me with an air of unearned superiority. I just snorted at them in amusement.
"I think you’re the ones who should be watching yourselves."
"What did you just say to me?"
I ignored him completely and continued walking toward the door of the burger joint.
"Ki-ju, just drop it; we’re busy and don't have time for this."
"I’ve always got enough time to teach a punk like that some proper manners."
"No, you don't. Do you really want to have to write another disciplinary report? The HQ is already tense enough because of those mosquito punks; do you really want to stir up more shit right now?"
"Fine, fine. I got it."
As I reached for the door handle, another notification appeared on my screen.
VROOOOM! CRASH!
Without any warning, the large shuttle bus parked across from the building suddenly lurched forward at full speed, smashing through the glass entrance and deep into the lobby of the headquarters. I glanced back over my shoulder at the carnage. Park Ki-ju had taken the full, direct hit from the bus; there was no visible corpse left, only a massive, growing pool of blood on the pavement. Jo Ju-hyun had been grazed by the vehicle, but he was still in critical condition—even with immediate medical aid, he was looking at a lifelong disability.
'I told you that you should have watched out for yourselves.'
I had successfully dealt with the persistent and annoying Park Ki-ju, which I considered a major win, as he had spent the original story tormenting Moon Ji-hyuk and would have been a significant threat to my future plans. With one of my top obstacles finally out of the way, I was one step closer to my real goal: obtaining the 'Orb of Life'.