Chapter 484: Trouble (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 484: Trouble (1)
Central Government Investigator Moon Tae-jun was having a hectic day.
He had just wrapped up his work in Incheon and was handling matters in Daejeon when he heard something strange from a colleague.
"Tae-jun, did you hear the news?"
"What news?"
"An Omen Phenomenon was detected in Incheon. Since it's already the second one this year, everyone expected massive casualties, but the Incheon government responded quickly and suppressed it early on. They deserve praise for that, sure, but rumor has it they weren't actually the ones who cleared the Ant Cave."
"...Then who cleared it?"
Moon Tae-jun looked up from his paperwork.
An Omen Phenomenon wasn't something a single individual could handle. If one had been resolved without the Central Government even stepping in, there was a high probability that a top-tier powerhouse was involved. Recruiting local powerhouses was exactly the job of an investigator. Sensing an opportunity to boost his track record, Moon Tae-jun pushed through his lingering fatigue and leaned in.
His colleague continued.
"Prepare to be shocked. Dozens of Queen Ants spawned in a single Ant Cave, but just two people went in and slaughtered every last one of them. The whole place is in an uproar right now. Famous guilds in Seoul are already contacting Incheon to recruit this mysterious figure, and even the higher-ups believe we need to verify the facts. You know what this means. A feat of that scale? They're at least A-Rank, maybe even a newly awakened S-Rank. Considering South Korea currently relies entirely on the Mage in White, the moment this person is confirmed as an S-Rank, it's going to cause an absolute frenzy."
Moon Tae-jun was stunned.
The possibility of a new S-Rank. It was an event that would turn South Korea upside down. Come to think of it, he had noticed everyone bustling about more frantically than usual lately.
"And the craziest part? One of these mysterious figures is the culprit who destroyed Red Moon. That was your case, right? We wrapped it up as the Incheon government's doing, but there are eyewitness accounts of someone matching this 'mysterious figure' visiting Red Moon right before its destruction. If that turns out to be true, you might face disciplinary action for failing to identify them beforehand. After all, you were the investigator in charge."
Moon Tae-jun's expression froze in an instant. From that moment on, the rest of his colleague's words faded into background noise.
"I heard the mysterious figure is a foreigner who uses the surname Dmitry. Isn't that funny? Who uses Dmitry as a name in this day and age? Well, with that kind of strength, I guess he's earned the right."
Moon Tae-jun's blood boiled.
Incheon Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok. The man had clearly stated that the destruction of Red Moon was Incheon's doing. Yet the real culprit was someone else. And if that same culprit had just resolved Incheon's Omen Phenomenon, there was only one conclusion.
Kim Jun-hyeok, that son of a bitch.
He had intentionally deceived him. Moon Tae-jun stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. Clearly, now was not the time to be sitting around.
* * *
The world had changed overnight.
While ordinary people might not realize it yet, Kang Min-ho could feel the monumental shift brought on by the morning's events.
Vrrr, vrrr.
[This is the Heavenly Sword Guild of Seoul. We have heard that Roman Dmitry-nim and Kang Min-ho-nim led the subjugation of the Ant Cave. The Heavenly Sword Guild is always looking to recruit talented individuals, and we would like to welcome both of you to our ranks. I believe you, Kang Min-ho-nim, are well aware of our prestige. As one of South Korea's top three guilds, we are willing to accommodate any conditions for the two of you. We eagerly await your reply.]
[This is S Broadcasting Station. Is this Kang Min-ho-nim? We are contacting you to cover the recent Ant Cave subjugation.]
[...Guild here. Please contact us.]
[If the rumors of the Ant Cave subjugation are true, we can promise both of you an annual salary in the billions of won. This is merely our starting offer. If you prove your skills through a rank evaluation, even more is possible.]
It was a deluge of messages. His phone was on the verge of exploding.
The root of the problem was the Hunter Database. Hunters who took on government-commissioned requests had to register their personal contact information there. As the Ant Cave incident became a hot topic, Roman Dmitry and Kang Min-ho's details had leaked. The issue? Roman Dmitry didn't have a phone number yet. Naturally, all the attention funneled straight to Kang Min-ho. Even though the system listed him as a mere E-Rank Hunter, desperate recruiters were still offering him astronomical sums.
They had to meet them first. Everyone knew they had to make contact before anyone else to secure these unaffiliated talents.
It was absolute chaos. In fact, the frenzy was so intense that Kang Min-ho couldn't even stay at his own villa. After seeing crowds of people swarming his property, he had fled in a hurry. Now, he and Roman Dmitry were staying in a secure officetel provided by the Incheon government.
Unlike him, Roman Dmitry was perfectly calm. While Kang Min-ho felt like he was losing his mind from this unprecedented attention, Roman Dmitry didn't even bother listening to the names of the guilds trying to recruit them.
"They are not even worth looking into."
A concise reply. He had absolutely no interest. Under the circumstances, Kang Min-ho was the only one burning with anxiety.
I understand why they're making such a fuss. A powerhouse who destroyed Red Moon overnight and resolved an Omen Phenomenon in an Ant Cave... If someone like that is unaffiliated, of course people would lose their minds. Hell, even if he were affiliated, they'd try to steal him away by any means necessary.
Just then, his phone buzzed again.
[Kim Jun-hyeok: Please contact me.]
A single text message. It was the one he had been waiting for. Kang Min-ho turned to Roman Dmitry.
"I think we need to go to the Incheon government office. An investigator from the Central Government has arrived."
* * *
The Incheon Mayor's office.
Five people were gathered in the room. Roman Dmitry, Kim Jun-hyeok, and Moon Tae-jun were seated, while Lee Tae-seong and Kang Min-ho stood behind them, quietly observing the situation.
Moon Tae-jun made his displeasure clear right from the start.
"Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok. To be frank, I was furious when I heard the rumors about this incident. I trusted your statement regarding Red Moon. Because a man of your standing claimed to have destroyed it yourself, I didn't conduct a special investigation. I reported it to the higher-ups exactly as you said."
Before leaving Seoul, he had contacted his superiors. The higher-ups had made their stance clear: to settle the Red Moon incident, they absolutely had to recruit Roman Dmitry. That was why Moon Tae-jun was intentionally digging up the past. Kim Jun-hyeok's lie was the perfect leverage.
"But what on earth is this? The real culprit wasn't the Incheon government, but Roman Dmitry-nim, who is sitting right here."
"As we indicated in the materials we sent over, that incident was an act of self-defense," Kim Jun-hyeok replied calmly.
"Yes, I know. The problem is the order of events. If you had been honest from the very beginning, Roman Dmitry-nim's self-defense would likely have been recognized. But not anymore. The Incheon government actively covered up the Red Moon incident. Now that the real culprit has been revealed, we cannot trust any evidence presented by your administration. Who is to say the roles of perpetrator and victim weren't reversed? If so, this is an incredibly serious matter. No matter how much this new world tolerates killing in self-defense, unilateral murder still carries a heavy price—at least here in South Korea."
Moon Tae-jun dominated the atmosphere. He pressed Kim Jun-hyeok, steering the conversation in a distinctly threatening direction.
"Red Moon was a collection of valuable talents needed for the Great Disasters that lie ahead. Yet they were wiped out overnight. Even if you claim self-defense, we cannot be certain of the facts. Even if Roman Dmitry-nim is a foreigner, there is a saying: 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' Punishment is inevitable. The South Korean government has no intention of letting this slide."
"So, what is it you are trying to say?" Kim Jun-hyeok asked.
"It's simple. You can either accept the punishment, or pay a sufficient price in return."
A sufficient price.
That was his true motive. Knowing Moon Tae-jun's intentions, Kim Jun-hyeok played along, allowing the investigator to smoothly reveal his hand.
"In South Korea, there is a way for criminals to be absolved of their crimes. Work for the South Korean government. If you perform deeds for the sake of the world in place of those who died in vain, the government will no longer press this issue."
* * *
It was a predictable scenario. Raise an issue, then offer a pardon. This was the classic method the South Korean government used to rein in uncooperative powerhouses.
Facing this fully expected tactic, Kim Jun-hyeok calmly countered.
"That is an unfair demand. The materials we provided include CCTV footage. If this case is brought to trial, Roman Dmitry-nim's actions will undoubtedly be recognized as clear self-defense."
"...Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok." Moon Tae-jun's expression turned cold. He did not like how the Mayor kept talking back. "Just in case, let me ask: have you already established some sort of relationship with Roman Dmitry-nim?"
Kim Jun-hyeok didn't flinch. "Yes. Incheon has decided to follow Roman Dmitry-nim."
"How amusing," Moon Tae-jun sneered. "Even if you have been granted an independent chain of command, for the Incheon government—which exists under the Central Government—to follow a single individual... You must know that this could easily be construed as an act of rebellion."
If words wouldn't work, then it was time to use the whip.
Although he couldn't comprehend the exact relationship between Kim Jun-hyeok and Roman Dmitry, it didn't matter. South Korea wanted a powerhouse of Roman Dmitry's caliber.
Moon Tae-jun shifted his fierce glare to the Mayor.
"Let me lay out Incheon's reality for you. If you continue to be this uncooperative, the Central Government will have no choice but to reconsider its relationship with Incheon. I believe you know exactly what that means. This is already the second Omen Phenomenon in South Korea this year alone, and they are occurring repeatedly worldwide. It has been six years since the 5th Great Disaster broke out. The conditions for the 6th Great Disaster's cycle have been fully met. The next Great Disaster is right around the corner. Even if Roman Dmitry-nim is an incredible powerhouse, do you really think you can stop a Great Disaster by relying on just one person?"
Having been granted full authority by his superiors for this matter, Moon Tae-jun spoke without hesitation.
"It's impossible. S-Rank or not, a Great Disaster isn't something a single individual can handle. That is why everyone lives with an 'affiliation.' It's the only way to survive. If you refuse, the South Korean government will exclude the Incheon government from our defense grid during the upcoming Great Disasters. Previously, we secured Seoul's safety and then helped neighboring regions in order. From now on, we will bypass Incheon and assist other regions first. Of course, we won't ignore you entirely. But we will take care of the dangers in far-flung regions like Busan and Pohang first. By the time we finally make our way to Incheon... do you really think your city can survive the threat of a Great Disaster?"
It was a blatant threat.
This was exactly how the South Korean government exerted such powerful control over its territories. Because they had to exist under the government's shadow to survive, no one could afford to disobey the Central Government.
Moon Tae-jun tapped his temple. "If you have a brain, use it. Don't sacrifice the great for the small. A man of your intelligence, Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok, should know what the wise choice is—"
"Are you finished?"
Roman Dmitry suddenly cut him off.
At the unexpected intervention from the man who had only been watching until now, Moon Tae-jun looked over with a questioning gaze.
Roman Dmitry smiled. The Central Government's reaction—it was exactly what he had been waiting for. He had shaken up the board precisely to force a meeting like this.
"Let's do that, then," Roman Dmitry said. "From now on, I will consider the Central Government and the Incheon government as entirely separate entities. Rather than accepting your absurd proposal, Incheon will simply not receive any assistance from the Central Government in the upcoming Great Disasters."