Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: A Fraudster's Method of Victory (3)
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The next day.
A meeting with Association President Han Tae-ho was arranged.
Oh-jin headed to the Association with Lee Woo-hyeok.
“You've arrived.”
When they arrived at the Association, a director was there to greet them.
“This way, please.”
Following the director's lead, they entered the Association building.
They passed through several security checkpoints and got on an elevator.
*Whir.*
When the elevator doors opened, a spacious office came into view.
An old man sitting in the center of the office rose to his feet.
“This is the first time we're meeting in person.”
A small, gaunt frame.
The marks of time felt in his wrinkled skin.
From his piercing gaze flowed a heavy aura that overwhelmed the room.
“My name is Han Tae-ho. I should have come to you first. My apologies for this late greeting.”
Han Tae-ho bowed politely and extended his hand toward Oh-jin and Lee Woo-hyeok.
“Thanks to Noerang and the Black Lion, we were able to significantly reduce the damage in this incident. It's not yet time to discuss compensation, but the Association promises a reward befitting your contributions.”
Park Geon-woo had called him an old viper, hadn't he?
*I don't know if he has venom.*
He was certainly the type of man who knew how to handle people.
“The reward is unnecessary.”
Lee Woo-hyeok shook his head and continued.
“More than that, I just want to catch the criminal who caused this horrific incident and ensure nothing like it ever happens again.”
So this is what a real hero is like, not a fraud like me.
It was a statement that naturally drew admiration.
*Of course, I'll be taking it.*
If they're offering, you take it.
Why wouldn't you?
“On that matter, I heard Noerang has some information?”
Han Tae-ho said as he sat down, turning his head toward Oh-jin.
“Yes. I've arranged this meeting to ask for your help.”
Oh-jin sat in the chair opposite him and continued in a calm voice.
“At the time of the Guro-dong attack, I spotted a man in a black robe looking down at the scene from a high-rise building window.”
“Hmm. He was just watching the scene from there in that situation?”
“Yes. Finding it suspicious, I pursued him... and found this.”
Oh-jin took out the black chalice and placed it on the table.
“What is this?”
“It's a sacred relic that controls monsters.”
“......!!!”
The four men's eyes widened.
“I-Is that true?”
“Yes. I've actually used it. I ordered the monsters to stop moving.”
“Ah... So the reason the monsters suddenly stopped moving in the middle of it all was...”
“Because of my command.”
“...Hah.”
They couldn't close their gaping mouths, their faces filled with disbelief.
A sacred relic that controls monsters.
A relic with an ability that had never been recorded before.
“In that case... this means someone intentionally caused this monster incident.”
Han Tae-ho's eyes gleamed sharply.
“...The Black Star Guild.”
*Grit.*
As if guessing who the culprit was, Lee Woo-hyeok fiercely ground his teeth.
“Did you catch the man in the black robe?”
“I managed to catch him... but he took his own life before I could subdue him.”
A deep sigh escaped Oh-jin's lips.
“It was probably to prevent the true mastermind of this incident from being exposed.”
“...A mastermind.”
Han Tae-ho's expression hardened.
“You know, don't you? That there's someone inside the Association involved with the Black Star Guild.”
“Don't tell me...”
His eyes trembled.
“Are you trying to say that Cheon Woo-jin... is the mastermind behind this incident?”
“Is there any reason he wouldn't be?”
Han Tae-ho slowly closed his eyes.
“...At least, he doesn't touch non-Awakened.”
“To be precise, he 'didn't' touch them. For the sake of this very moment.”
Han Tae-ho himself would know best who was most endangered by this incident, and conversely, who stood to gain the most.
When an incident occurs, the one who benefits the most is the culprit.
It's an incredibly simple logic, but it holds true in most situations.
“......”
Han Tae-ho remained silent, his lips firmly sealed.
“I understand it's hard to believe.”
It was ironic, but...
Until now, Cheon Woo-jin's actions to protect the non-Awakened had been 'sincere'.
*Well, in the end, he trampled all over it, spouting bullshit about noble sacrifices.*
In any case.
From Han Tae-ho's perspective, having watched Cheon Woo-jin for so long, it would be difficult to believe that the man who cared so much for the non-Awakened was the mastermind behind this massacre.
“...Frankly, it's hard to believe.”
A deep sigh.
“Even if he is the mastermind, is there any evidence to prove it?”
“We have to make it now.”
“Make it?”
Han Tae-ho's eyes went wide.
“The method is simple. You just need to hold a press conference, hold this, and say it yourself, Mr. President.”
He held out the black chalice to him.
“—That you're currently interrogating the culprit. That you'll soon be able to identify the mastermind who orchestrated this incident.”
Like a hunter waiting for his prey after setting a trap.
Oh-jin's eyes glinted coldly.
* * *
A dim office.
Only the light from the TV twinkled like a star in the night sky.
[This is the sacred relic used in the crime.]
On the TV, Association President Han Tae-ho was holding out the black chalice in front of reporters.
[It's a sacred relic with the ability to control monsters.]
He walked to one side, holding the black chalice.
-*Grrrrowl, Karrung!*
Inside a sturdy steel cage was a monster captured alive from the Guro-dong incident.
[Raise both arms.]
When he gave the command to the black chalice, the monster in the cage shot both its arms up.
A stir spread among the reporters at the unbelievable sight.
[Like this, the culprit controlled the monsters to intentionally slaughter citizens.]
Countless camera flashes.
The stir soon turned into a commotion.
[The culprit is currently in custody within the Association, and as soon as the interrogation is complete, we will reveal who gave the orders from behind the scenes.]
The press conference ended with that declaration, filled with firm resolve.
“Dammit!!”
*Crash!*
Cheon Woo-jin neurotically threw something at the screen.
“Hah, hah!”
Ragged breaths.
*Park Geon-woo... was captured.*
It was an unexpected situation.
*But why?*
To carry out the operation in secret, he had intentionally limited the personnel involved to just Park Geon-woo, and the location for giving orders to the monsters was chosen so it would never be discovered.
Moreover, Park Geon-woo was a skilled individual who held the rank of a high-level official.
He had trusted that even if pursued, Park Geon-woo would manage to escape somehow.
-*Grit.*
But he had betrayed his expectations and stupidly gotten caught by a Special Officer.
*As long as Park Geon-woo doesn't talk during the interrogation, there's no problem.*
But still.
He couldn't be sure that he would keep his mouth shut until the end.
“...Damn it.”
He had to do something.
Whether it was breaking Park Geon-woo out, or eliminating him.
*I can't move myself.*
Right now, he was under suspicion of being involved with the Black Star Guild.
If he moved personally and was discovered, it would lead to an irreversible situation.
*In that case.*
Someone with no connection to the Black Star Guild.
He had to move an influential figure who could get close to the captured Park Geon-woo inside the Association.
“...Where's Director Jeong?”
“I'll bring him immediately!”
At Cheon Woo-jin's command, an Owl moved swiftly.
After waiting for about five minutes.
“Hah! Hah! D-Did you call for me!”
A fat man with a balding head stumbled into the office.
Director Jeong Seung-man.
A subordinate Cheon Woo-jin had made after infiltrating the Association, a man who knew nothing of his true identity.
*If it's this guy, there won't be a problem even if he's caught.*
He wasn't part of the Black Star Guild in the first place, so no matter how much they shook him down, they wouldn't find any evidence.
And he also possessed enough authority to get close to where Park Geon-woo was being held.
*It would be a bit troublesome if he blabbered on about how he was following my orders.*
It's fine.
He could feign ignorance and deny it.
“Director Jeong. Could you do me a favor?”
*Smile.*
Cheon Woo-jin looked at him with his characteristic innocent smile.
“What kind of...”
“You know the culprit who was just caught, right?”
“You mean... the culprit who caused the monster incident?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
“Kill him. If killing him is too difficult, at least break him out.”
“Th-That's!”
Jeong Seung-man's jaw dropped as if struck by lightning.
No matter how much power he wielded as a director, if he were to free the criminal who caused a monster incident and slaughtered citizens, his career would be over.
“My favor... you'll do it, won't you?”
Cheon Woo-jin's eyes shone eerily.
“Hic, hiccup!”
Jeong Seung-man hiccuped, his face pale as a sheet.
Fidgeting and sweating profusely, he managed a difficult nod.
“Y-Yes, sir!”
He bowed servilely and left.
“Hoo.”
Cheon Woo-jin let out a short sigh and sat down.
*...Mother.*
He looked out the window, chewing his lip anxiously.
“......”
Tired of just waiting, Cheon Woo-jin rose from his seat and took out a communication marble secretly stored in his office safe.
A communication marble that connected directly to his father, Cheon Do-yoon.
Cheon Woo-jin looked down at the marble in his hand with a conflicted expression.
*Should I report the situation to Father?*
A brief moment of hesitation passed.
“...No.”
This was a mission Cheon Do-yoon had entrusted to him.
He had to resolve it with his own strength, somehow.
*Father is very busy right now.*
Cheon Woo-jin himself didn't know exactly what he was planning.
But he knew well enough that his father was so busy he was hard to contact.
“Hah.”
Cheon Woo-jin let out a deep sigh and sat down again.
After waiting like that for several hours.
-*Vrrrrrm!*
The communication marble vibrated.
-I-It was a success!
Reflected in the marble was the sweat-drenched face of Jeong Seung-man.
Cheon Woo-jin's eyes sparkled.
“Did you kill him?”
-N-No. I couldn't kill him... but... I-I secretly unlocked his restraints and let him escape!
*BEEEEEP!!! BEEEEEEEP!!*
As if to confirm that Park Geon-woo had indeed escaped, a loud alarm blared throughout the entire Association building.
*Yes!*
*Clench.*
Cheon Woo-jin clenched his fist.
Now that Park Geon-woo had escaped, there was only one thing for him to do.
“Owls.”
*Shushushushuk!!*
Black feathers scattered as dozens of Owls gathered.
“Let's go find Park Geon-woo.”
Before Park Geon-woo could be captured again.
He had to deal with him personally first.
-*Click.*
Cheon Woo-jin opened the office door and went out.
* * *
“I... I-I secretly unlocked his restraints and let him escape!”
A balding head.
A fat man clutched the communication marble and shouted urgently.
*BEEEP, BEEEEEEEP!!*
Soon, a loud alarm echoed through the Association building.
-*Click.*
The communication was cut.
“Mmph!! Mmmph! Mmph!!”
Once the communication ended, a faint, muffled groan echoed.
“Hey, old man. Didn't I tell you to be quiet?”
Jeong Seung-man's expression twisted fiercely as he spun around.
Beneath him, Jeong Seung-man lay tightly bound in wire.
Two Jeong Seung-mans.
The unbound Jeong Seung-man ripped off the tape covering the mouth of the one tied in wire.
-*Rrrrip!*
“Puha!”
Jeong Seung-man gasped for air, his body trembling with a terrified expression.
“I-I only did as I was told!”
“Right, right. While taking all the bribes you could get, huh?”
Director Jeong Seung-man's abuse of power was notorious within the Association.
*I heard he sexually harassed three of his secretaries.*
It was an atrocity for which he deserved to be fired on the spot.
But thanks to Cheon Woo-jin's influence, he had somehow managed to keep his position.
“Th-That's.”
*Drip, drip.*
Cold sweat trickled down his fleshy cheeks.
“S-Spare me!! P-Please! I'll do anything you say!!”
“Hmm. I'd like to, but it's a bit dangerous to leave a loose-lipped guy alive.”
The fiend with Jeong Seung-man's face shrugged.
“A-Anyway, I don't even know your real face!! There's no way your identity will be revealed!!”
Just as he said.
Jeong Seung-man didn't even know who the fiend that attacked him was.
He had only seen the perfectly disguised face, not knowing what ability was used to transform into him.
“Oh, really?”
*Gurgle.*
The face of the fiend, identical to Jeong Seung-man's, began to melt away.
The melted face transformed into Oh-jin's.
“You've seen it now, haven't you?”