Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Judgment
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"......"
Fortunately, things didn't escalate to leaving Korea for the International Criminal Court.
Instead, my identity was handed over to the Korean police first, and I was questioned here in Korea.
"Tsk......"
"No......"
The investigators' expressions kept changing as they watched the movie I had filmed in the interrogation room.
"Ha......"
"Hmm......"
"Uh......"
Some bit their lips.
Some kept averting their eyes, unable to properly look at the evidence.
Some dry-heaved occasionally, and others periodically squeezed their eyes shut.
"Um, Mr. Fixer? No, Mr. Lee Seung-hoon?"
"Yes."
"So this is all CG, right?"
"That's correct. No real people appear in it at all—it's all graphics."
"Hmm......"
"I can prove it too."
I pulled out Sarangi and made a request.
"Can you make a one-minute short film right now featuring the investigators in front of me as the characters?"
『Yes, I can. What content would you like?』
"Something with the same theme as my movie."
"Uh, what?"
『Understood.』
Before the investigators could stop me, a tiny bit of power was consumed, and a one-minute movie was created.
"Here you go."
"No way, a movie like that with us as the main characters......"
The investigators' faces turned deadly serious after watching it.
"No, damn......"
"Why am I with a dog......"
"Ugh, ugh! Delete it! Delete this!"
A few investigators dry-heaved.
Then they started asking questions.
"Yes, yes, we've confirmed it. This proves your innocence on charges of kidnapping and false imprisonment, animal abuse, human rights violations, and various other offenses. Normally we'd need experts to analyze the film, but... since you're a Fixer, this must be possible for you."
"I'm glad the misunderstanding is cleared up."
"But why did you make a movie like this?"
"To express sexual love and human potential, the future of humanity, and the beauty of the world."
"This?"
The investigators who'd watched my work crowded around with questions.
"Why with a bear, of all things?"
"It's an expression of the Dangun myth."
"What about the horse?"
"It symbolizes Loki from Norse mythology."
"Th-that wolf one too?"
"That was a scene symbolizing Anubis."
As the director, I kindly explained my work to them.
"Early humanity stood in opposition to nature yet feared it, creating faiths around it. This incorporated nature into human worldviews, ultimately giving birth to myths. For them, incorporation meant becoming family, and the simplest way to resolve that was through sexual intercourse."
"......Yes, I understand. Then what about the later orgy scenes?"
"Monogamy is just one family structure humans chose as they advanced. Those scenes symbolize that ancient humans weren't like that."
A few investigators dry-heaved, as if recalling the scenes.
"Then couldn't you just show regular intercourse? Did you have to include, uh, those scenes?"
"It's to express that humans back then were no different from beasts. Of course beasts don't engage in such acts, but in human concepts, beasts represent ugliness and filth, so I had no choice but to insert extreme scenes."
"Aaagh! Insert! Insert!"
One investigator freaked out at the word "insert."
"Inspector Kim! Calm down! Calm down!"
Another investigator dragged him out.
"No way! No way, why that! Don't put it in! Don't put it in! Please! Don't put it in!"
The investigator's shouts echoed down the hallway.
"Yes, I understand that too. But why the sudden sex with every kind of creature?"
"It was to show human potential. Human tastes are vast and can have sex with anything, securing species diversity and birthing countless unique traits, leading to modern humans."
"Okay, I get that too. But, but......"
The investigator facing me clutched his forehead.
"......Why with inanimate objects?"
"Because human potential doesn't extend only to living things."
"So you put that in? With a car?"
"It expresses infinite potential."
"Yes, truly infinite."
The contents of the report he was writing reflected in his glasses.
[The subject claims it's about future human potential. Targets include:]
[Car, rubber duck, inner tube, stone wall, ground, rock, air, steel tower, etc., mouse, computer, ocean, socks, stockings, ramen, noodles, panties, pizza bread, hot dog, wallet, protein supplement, dumbbell, sausage, jjajangmyeon, sesame oil, towel, leg extension machine, treadmill, sponge......]
[178 inanimate objects, filmed in 178 special masturbation methods.]
"Anyway, we'll explain it well to Interpol."
"Thank you."
"Then...... let's get to the main point, Mr. Lee Seung-hoon."
Sadly, it looked like I wouldn't be leaving the police station today.
"You're under arrest for producing and distributing obscene materials."
＊＊＊
I hired a lawyer, but I couldn't be released right away.
'At least a day in the holding cell.'
Even my fame as a Fixer or money couldn't help with this.
"It's just one day, so think of it as an experience."
When else would I get to experience a holding cell in my life?
Under the investigators' guidance, we went down to the basement, where three holding cells awaited me.
"You'll stay here."
"Thank you."
Each cell held three detainees.
The one I entered had two, making three with me, for a total of nine.
"Ugh, my body's feeling weird."
"Same here."
The departing investigators' voices were caught by my enhanced hearing.
"Ever since watching that movie earlier, the trembling won't stop."
"I've seen all kinds of crime scenes, but nothing as horrific as that film."
"Did you see Inspector Kim faint? He was having nightmares."
"I feel like I'll have nightmares if I sleep tonight too."
Now I knew.
My art wouldn't be recognized in this world.
'Does my art only get recognition after I'm gone?'
Even Gogh wasn't appreciated during his lifetime.
Art requires the luck of the times too, so maybe I was born too early.
'They all look depressed.'
The detainees sharing my cell showed no interest in me.
No, no one here showed interest in anyone else.
"I should be out tomorrow......"
"Sigh, I just punched someone once, and for that they call the cops......"
"Parking for a bit lands me in holding? Drunk driving too?"
A few sighs and mutters in their sleep.
They all seemed to think they weren't real criminals—just unlucky to be locked up—so no one bothered bonding.
'Sleep for a bit?'
I'd been interrogated from morning to evening and was mentally exhausted.
As I lay on the floor to sleep, a strange noise made me open my eyes again.
Ziiiiiip-!
'Zipper sound?'
The noise from beyond the far wall gradually approached the holding cells.
Soon, I witnessed a zipper appear on the wall.
'It just appeared out of nowhere.'
The zipper unzipped. The area around it fluttered like fabric, and three people soon crossed through the hole it made.
"Found them."
Black triangular hoods with only eye holes.
Contrasting that, robes of black and wine-red.
They looked like judges wearing black hoods for infiltration, so the detainees quietly rose.
"What?"
"A judge?"
"Real judge?"
This time, the judges spoke.
"So many sinners."
"They aren't sinners yet. Don't judge hastily."
"The scales will judge."
One of them tore off the zipper and pocketed it.
The wall returned to normal, as if the hole had never been there.
"I'll block the interferers."
Another closed his eyes.
As he extended his hand, the wall turned black, and the darkness soon covered the CCTV.
"Done."
"Alright, then let the judgment begin."
The last one pulled scales from his sleeve.
The bronze scales were perfectly balanced left and right, with a仁王 (Benevolent King) engraved in the center.
"You, sinner."
"Yes? Me?"
A strange red mist flowed from the scales.
The mist entered the nose of the detainee who'd just spoken, but no one else reacted—only I could see it.
"Kim Pil-du, 32 years old."
"Yes!?"
"14 counts of drunk driving, 10 contact accidents, 20 instances of verbal abuse while drunk."
"What is this!? Hidden camera!?"
"A attempted murderer who could kill anyone at any time—we shall see your karma!"
The scale tipped toward the side engraved with blazing flames.
Below the flames: Kalpa Fire (劫火)
"Not enough merit to forgive your sins. Judgment: Those who seek to kill others shall be shattered!"
"Stop joking......"
At that moment, the head of the detainee called Kim Pil-du exploded.
"Eeek!"
"Uwaaah!"
"M-murder!"
Screams erupted everywhere.
The judge holding the scales ignored them and sought the next victim.
"Go Young-woo, 4 counts of violence, 2 counts of familial assault, 5,800 smokes in no-smoking areas."
"Cops! Where are the cops!"
"Your hands are worthless. We shall see your karma. Not enough merit to forgive. You shall lose your worthless hands."
The detainee's hands fell off without warning.
The judgments continued.
"1,101 internet hate comments, 50,467 insults to others. Your tongue and fingers are useless."
"Aaagh!"
The detainee's tongue was ripped out, and all fingers severed.
"3 fraud charges, 15 million won in damages. Those who steal others' treasures shall vomit up their own."
Someone spat out their heart from their mouth and died.
"1 property damage, 1 noisy disturbance, drunk—not drinking, eaten by drink. You shall never see alcohol again."
Someone's eyeballs were gouged out.
Each time the scales tipped, detainees' bodies were sliced, split, and torn apart repeatedly.
'Overdoing it.'
The scales seemed to judge sins and mete out punishment.
But the penalties were too harsh compared to the crimes.
'Not as bad as the Hell Train, but similar.'
I wanted to step in and save them, but it was impossible right now.
'Should've grabbed the Void Pocket.'
Arrested suddenly, all I had was Sarangi, which forensics took for examination. The police were holding it while I was in the cell, so I had nothing.
'Can I take them down with just my physical abilities?'
The superhuman strength from the girl with closed eyes was intact.
But I didn't know the full extent of the scales' power, nor the other two's abilities, so victory wasn't guaranteed.
'Wait for my turn first.'
Then rip out the bars in a surprise attack and kill the one with the scales.
Deal with the other two later.
"13 public urinations. Your thing that dirties forbidden places is useless. What's the point of having it? It falls!"
"No!"
With the scream of the cellmate, I was the last one left.
The judge raised the scales toward me.
"Hm?"
I watched for an opening.
"Ooh!"
Now.
As I moved, unlike before, the scales tipped to the opposite side.
Not toward Kalpa Fire, but toward the side with the Buddha image.
"Such good karma!"
The scale tipped toward the Buddha image.
Below the Buddha: Pure Land (極樂)
Below the Buddha: Extreme Bliss (極樂) in characters.
The ones behind soon cried out in moved voices too.
"To meet one whose good karma reaches Pure Land in a place full of sinners!"
"Blessed with great fortune!"
"Tell us your name!"
The situation was turning in an unexpected direction.
"Hello?"
Thinking of this as a novel experience wasn't bad.
"I'm Lee Seung-hoon."