Chapter 131
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Police Chief
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After instructing Yamtti to track the police chief's movements, he ended the call.
To push the bill through quickly, he needed the chief's cooperation.
‘But he's not going to just cooperate because I ask nicely.’
In that case, he would dominate him and give orders.
Simple as that.
The only issue left was a matter of conscience.
‘It means using an innocent civilian, but there's no choice. To establish the anti-Player unit as fast as possible.’
Even now, some crazy Player was probably committing crimes somewhere.
The sooner the unit was formed, the sooner civilians could feel less anxious.
At the same time, it would build his reputation among the public.
That was all Ryu Min wanted from the police chief.
Once dominated, he'd give the orders and never touch him again.
Then the chief could go on living his normal life.
Just like PleSeBa's chairman.
Domination didn't turn someone into a mindless puppet without free will.
They simply followed the given orders faithfully.
‘Yamtti's second slot goes to the police chief.’
Her first was Song Jae-gyeom, the eldest son of LC Group.
He couldn't be deleted since he was running PleSeBa.
‘Dominating the police chief as the second leaves me with three slots.’
One of those would be needed in Nigeria after the unit was formed, and if he saved one more for emergencies...
‘That leaves just one.’
Fewer slots than expected.
‘Better to conserve them as much as possible, just in case.’
That was why he hadn't dominated those around him like Ma Kyung-rok, Ahn Sang-chul, Heo Tae-seok, Russell, or Jo Yong-ho.
There weren't enough slots for them anyway, and there was no need.
They were practically his people already.
‘I do need a favor from Assemblyman Lee Seong-hyun, but no need to dominate him. I've already planted a good first impression.’
What could be more powerful than saving his life?
With his thoughts sorted, Ryu Min grabbed his coat.
Might as well go see Assemblyman Lee Seong-hyun while he was at it.
His cooperation was needed for forming the unit too.
Ryu Min stepped out once more.
* * *
Lee Seong-hyun, who had worked late at the National Assembly building, got into his car.
“Where to, Assemblyman?”
“Take me home.”
The bodyguard nodded and started the car.
Normally, after a major kidnapping, trauma would set in.
One might expect him to avoid the same routines, but Lee Seong-hyun hired bodyguards just like before.
A different company, but still Player bodyguards.
His acquaintances expressed concern over it.
-Aren't you afraid of being betrayed by bodyguards again?
-Aren't you scared to hire Players?
But each time, Lee Seong-hyun explained.
-Not all Players are bad. It's only the rampaging ones who are.
Those close to him were shocked at his words.
Is this really the Lee Seong-hyun I know?
Of course it was.
‘I've changed a bit since the kidnapping.’
More than a bit.
Compared to his initial stance of declaring all Players trash, his views had shifted dramatically.
And for good reason—the one who saved him was a Player he'd once despised.
‘Black Scythe, he called himself.’
He had given Lee Seong-hyun enlightenment.
Freed him from prejudice and made him face reality.
‘Not all Players are the same. There are righteous ones like Black Scythe.’
You couldn't label everyone with a weapon as potential criminals.
It depended on how they wielded it—good or evil.
‘I've been too narrow-minded all this time.’
Blinded by rage over losing his son, he'd viewed Players through a convenient lens.
‘Now I have to change. Face reality and fix the world properly.’
The first step was the anti-Player bill.
Fortunately, it passed, and a unit to crack down on Players would be established.
It would take some time, though.
‘I've done all I can. Time will sort out the rest.’
Lee Seong-hyun thought of Black Scythe.
He had carried out his request to push the bill forward.
Would that ease the debt he owed?
Lee Seong-hyun shook his head.
How could he ever repay the favor of having his life saved?
He'd probably be grateful for the rest of his life.
‘Too bad we parted without me properly repaying him.’
Regret led him to look into Black Scythe.
Unfamiliar to civilians, but hugely famous among Players.
‘The top ranker who's never lost first place, the only one to hit level 80...’
He'd heard Black Scythe took first in this 8th round too.
Meaning he was still alive.
‘If only we could meet again...’
When police and reporters asked about Black Scythe's appearance, Lee Seong-hyun lied, saying he'd only heard his voice.
Even though he knew what he looked like, he kept it from everyone.
It felt like the right thing for Black Scythe.
“We've arrived, Assemblyman.”
After getting out, Lee Seong-hyun rode the elevator with his bodyguard.
Up until then, nothing seemed amiss, but when he reached his front door, he jolted in shock.
‘That man...!’
A tall figure with tanned skin.
The Black Scythe who saved him was waiting at his door.
Seeing Lee Seong-hyun's startled reaction, the bodyguard's eyes filled with suspicion.
“Do you know him?”
“Ah, yes. He's an acquaintance. Don't worry, you can head home.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, it's fine.”
Only after dismissing the worried bodyguard did the tanned man speak.
“Sorry, Assemblyman. Must have startled you, showing up unannounced.”
“Oh, no, not too much. Just a little.”
He looked plenty startled to anyone, but Ryu Min didn't nitpick.
“I have some quiet business to discuss. Mind if we talk inside?”
“Of course. Come in.”
Lee Seong-hyun unlocked the door with his keycard and let Ryu Min inside.
It was an ordinary home, the kind in any typical family—not what you'd expect from an assemblyman's residence—but Ryu Min knew.
It held the precious memories of a man who had lost his family.
“Have a seat here.”
Ryu Min sat on the sofa, and Lee Seong-hyun sat across from him.
“Never thought I'd see my lifesaver again like this. You left like you'd never return.”
“I have a favor to ask, Assemblyman.”
“A favor?”
Lee Seong-hyun's eyes widened in surprise, then he smiled.
“Looks like my chance to repay you has come. Whatever it is, name it.”
“Straight to the point: the police are planning to form the anti-Player unit, right?”
“That's right.”
“Please recommend me as its commander.”
“What?”
Lee Seong-hyun's eyes nearly bulged out.
‘Recommend him as commander?’
He'd expected something simple like money, not this out-of-left-field request.
Naturally, he was curious.
“Why?”
The reason he wanted the position.
“Is it the power that tempts you?”
Lee Seong-hyun's unfiltered question.
A kind of test.
‘If he had ulterior motives, he'd show some fluster here.’
But the man before him, Black Scythe, didn't twitch an eyebrow.
Meaning he had a firm, entirely different reason.
‘Not personal greed, but conviction?’
As that thought crossed his mind, Ryu Min spoke.
“Power. Not a bad thing.”
“Huh?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected reply, but Ryu Min wasn't done.
“However, you could say I want the position more for my own personal reasons.”
“Personal reasons?”
Ryu Min paused briefly, setting the mood.
“Same as why you proposed the bill, Assemblyman?”
“......”
“Like you, I despise criminal Players. I won't say why. It'd just dampen the mood.”
He cast his gaze downward, as if harboring some sad backstory, and Lee Seong-hyun realized.
Why Black Scythe had saved him so readily.
‘Whatever happened to him, he hates criminal Players like I do. That's why he refused any reward. Dealing with the criminals was satisfaction enough!’
Now Black Scythe's actions made sense.
“Can you do it?”
“Hmm... I can recommend you, but don't get your hopes up. Since we're pulling Player cops for this, the chief has the final say on personnel...”
“You're saying he might reject it?”
“Exactly. Still, I'll push for you as hard as I can. You saved my life, and you're hugely famous among Players, so you qualify. No guarantee, though. If the chief stubbornly insists on an all-police unit ignoring skills, there's nothing I can...”
“That's fine. As long as you officially recommend me, and if the chief accepts and appoints me commander. That's satisfactory enough.”
“But he might reject it, I said?”
“If so, nothing to be done. Still, please make the recommendation solid.”
“Alright, I'll do what I can.”
Ryu Min stood as if their business was done.
“Already leaving? Have some tea at least...”
“No. Lingering in someone else's home isn't right. See you next time.”
As he turned to go, Ryu Min paused, something occurring to him, and turned back.
“One thing before I go.”
“What?”
“Is the police chief a man or a woman?”
* * *
The highest rank in the police hierarchy: Superintendent General.
South Korea had only two: the National Police Agency Chief and the Coast Guard Chief.
One of them, Police Chief Lee Cheong-ryong, tossed documents on his desk with a sigh.
“Whew, damn assemblymen. Proposing useless bills and wasting everyone's time. Tsk.”
What he tossed was the anti-Player unit bill proposed by Lee Seong-hyun.
It called for forming the unit by drafting police Players under 29, and it had received approval from the president and police chief.
But that was just to appease public opinion.
Lee Cheong-ryong's true feelings were filled with negativity.
‘Summary execution in 21st-century South Korea? Does that even make sense?’
The bill allowed immediate execution of Players in life-or-death emergencies involving civilians.
Meaning no punishment for killing criminal Players—a ridiculous law in a country without the death penalty.
‘Do they think the law is shit? Ignoring due process and killing people—isn't that murder? Tsk!’
It wasn't just that.
‘Gather police Players under 29 for the anti-Player unit? At that age, they're mostly rookies. Planning to catch Player criminals that give veteran detectives fits, using greenhorns with no experience?’
It'd draw sneers from senior civilian detectives.
Complaints about juniors getting promotions, maybe.
‘In my view, it's total nonsense. Pointless busywork.’
And who would they pick as commander for such a unit?
All rookies with zero experience catching criminals.
“Sigh.”
As he sighed.
“Pick me.”
Lee Cheong-ryong jumped at the voice from thin air.
“Argh, fuck! What the hell?!”
He whipped around. A man emerged smoothly from what had been an empty wall.
A tanned-skinned man staring at him.
“P-Player!”
Only Players had such absurd abilities.
Lee Cheong-ryong drew his service pistol for security.
He tried to shoot on sight, but the man closed in instantly and snatched it, leaving it an attempt.
“That's too much. Sneaking into the chief's office isn't a death sentence, is it?”
“Y-You monster bastard, do you know where you are...!”
“Monster? Harsh words for an upstanding citizen.”
“What the hell are you! What's your goal!!”
“Screaming for help won't work. I've already handled the outside.”
“What?”
Click—
The door to the chief's office opened, and a woman entered.
“Yamtti. Staff taken care of?”
“Yes. I've made everything that happens here a non-event.”
“W-What are you planning? Don't tell me...!”
“Hey, Chief. Thinking of torture? We wouldn't do something so inhuman.”
“Th-Then what...”
“Just follow a few orders. Yamtti.”
As Yamtti stepped forward, pink light flickered in the police chief's pupils.
The moment their eyes met, it was over.
She charmed him in an instant.
“Yamtti, relay my words to the police chief exactly.”
“Understood, Master.”
“Do everything to get the anti-Player unit established and operational as fast as possible. And...”
Ryu Min grinned.
“Appoint Black Scythe as its commander.”