Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Error at the Foreigner Policy Headquarters
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Kang Minju blinked in surprise.
How could a nanobot be this intelligent? It seemed on par with a supercomputer built for military use.
"What?"
[In truth, Heavenly Demon is an employee working in the territory. However, due to certain circumstances, he is unregistered as an awakener.]
"Territory? Ah, that explains it..."
Kang Minju, being a high-grade yokai, seemed to know a great deal about the world's laws.
She gave a wry smile, and Nameless cautiously asked,
[But why are the two of you trying to enter such a dangerous dungeon? Yokai aren't supposed to enter dungeons in the first place.]
Kang Minju's expression turned sorrowful.
"Most yokai are sensitive to their environment. Unlike high-grade yokai, ordinary yokai draw their yokai energy mainly from the land connected to them."
She lifted her head, her golden eyes shimmering mysteriously.
"But dungeons have all sorts of materials. Especially ones that work wonders as remedies for yokai suffering from environmental pollution."
For a moment, Heavenly Demon recalled the imugi hat that had been ill in the past.
He had once treated the imugi with a relic obtained from a dungeon, but that had merely been a calculated act of kindness to extract its inner core.
"I suppose entering them is off-limits now."
[Why is that?]
Instead of answering, Kang Minju gave a bitter smile.
The wicked actions of the Jang Seongryun couple. And the immense power of the suit-wearing young man.
She had judged it too risky to venture into dungeons anymore.
"Why complain of thirst when you have a well?"
"Pardon?"
"If you have good skills, you won't have to worry about making a living."
Heavenly Demon crossed his arms and looked down at Kang Minju as he spoke.
"Nameless, give her the head office's contact information."
Nameless's eye, hanging there, flashed with white light.
Suddenly, Kang Minju's phone chimed.
"Fufubok... Interiors?"
She checked her phone to see a business card with a phone number and directions had been sent.
"That's right. Our main business is home repairs."
Heavenly Demon, arms still crossed, spoke with a solemn expression.
"We handle everything from interior construction to procuring dungeon materials."
"Dungeon materials too?"
"Indeed."
Heavenly Demon gazed at Kang Minju as if she were a customer, explaining in detail.
"You should be able to place requests through the head office. Even if relics are off-limits, we can obtain materials at our discretion."
"But we can't offer something like 'Divine Request' as collateral?"
"Is that so."
Heavenly Demon smacked his lips and spoke curtly.
"Then it won't work."
"Pardon?"
"Without Divine Request, it's useless."
How could someone be so stingy?
The attic room fell into a chilly silence due to Heavenly Demon's calculating attitude.
Wah-lak.
At that moment, red blood trickled from Kang Minju's mouth.
Divine Eye.
It was a forbidden technique that only the chosen of the Suan Clan could unleash, one that severely damaged the body upon activation.
[Are you alright?]
As Nameless asked worriedly, Kang Minju gave a faint smile.
"I'm fine. It's just a minor internal injury."
[Internal injury...]
Nameless murmured softly.
Wasn't treating internal injuries Heavenly Demon's specialty?
[Heavenly Demon, I hate to ask, but could you infuse some true energy?]
Nameless knew that injecting Reverse Extreme True Energy could heal anyone's internal injuries with ease.
But Heavenly Demon waved his hand dismissively, like a miserly old man.
"If you're awake, leave quickly."
[Heavenly Demon.]
At the cold eviction order, Kang Minju wiped the blood from her mouth and staggered as she supported Kang Yunho.
"Anyway... thank you."
With a slight bow, Kang Minju took Kang Yunho and vanished into the night sky.
[Heavenly Demon, aren't you being too stingy? Since you were already helping, it would've been better to see it through.]
"I merely fulfilled the terms of the deal."
[Then why not continue the transaction? Dungeon management teams handle material gathering with money, not Divine Request, after all.]
Nameless spoke with a regretful expression.
[It's not even your own business, but they're risking their lives entering dungeons because other yokai are suffering.]
"What do I care?"
Heavenly Demon waved his hand and entered the room.
After washing up thoroughly, he immediately immersed himself in meditation.
Chirp chirp chirp.
As morning dawned, Heavenly Demon slowly opened his eyes.
Then, it suddenly hit him—he had forgotten something important.
"Nameless."
[Yes, Heavenly Demon.]
"You've gathered the personal details and shop location of that yokai woman running the repair shop, right?"
The yokai siblings Kang Yunho and Kang Minju, who offered one-time full parts replacement for broken components.
He hadn't asked for their contact info or the location of their shop.
[Of course...]
Even if Nameless didn't know, it could investigate and find out.
But recalling how Heavenly Demon had stingily chased them away, Nameless replied coldly.
[I don't know either.]
"What."
[Didn't you ask?]
Nameless feigned ignorance on purpose.
'Heavenly Demon needs to suffer a bit more. And learn the hardships of others.'
Heavenly Demon scowled coldly.
"Do I have to ask such things myself?"
[I apologize.]
He couldn't miss the golden opportunity to repair Lamas.
Heavenly Demon grumbled.
"Investigate it."
[Understood.]
...Like hell I will. Absolutely not.
"As quickly as possible. I need my Lamas repaired."
Nameless replied brightly and emphatically.
[Yes. Understood.]
"Ahhh."
Jang Chaewon, finished with her morning routine, trudged toward the shop with slumped shoulders.
"Horror movies are just too much..."
Last night, she had watched a horror movie airing on TV without much thought.
The plot was simple.
A machine human from the future was sent to kill a boy who would become its future enemy, devastating the city in battle, and ultimately, they triumphed over the machine.
The storyline felt vaguely familiar, but the movie itself was thrilling and scary.
Because of it, she had a terrible nightmare upon falling asleep.
"A robot that looked just like Heavenly Demon chased me all night."
Staring at her pallid hands, Jang Chaewon made a horrified face.
In the dream, a robot identical to Heavenly Demon pursued her endlessly, and no matter what she did, it wouldn't break.
Finally caught by the robot, she woke up with a scream.
"I should never watch those again."
Taking a deep breath, Jang Chaewon slapped her cheeks and forcefully opened the shop's back door.
"Good morning!"
Heavenly Demon, who had been mopping the shop floor, strode toward her upon seeing her.
"Perfect timing."
"Huh?"
Heavenly Demon, who usually barely acknowledged her greeting or gave a curt "You're here," was flashing his eyes and nodding unusually.
"Dispose of this."
"W-What?"
As Heavenly Demon approached Jang Chaewon briskly and suddenly reached into his pocket.
Could it be? Am I still dreaming?
Thinking he was pulling out a .50 caliber Magnum revolver, Jang Chaewon squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.
"Eek!"
"What's wrong."
"Huh?"
Opening her eyes again, she saw Heavenly Demon holding out a yellow envelope with mail inside.
"What's this."
She took the mail and widened her eyes.
"Foreigner Policy Headquarters?"
"It arrived at my residence last night. But I couldn't make heads or tails of it."
Jang Chaewon pulled out the envelope Heavenly Demon handed her, revealing a notice densely packed with text.
After staring at it for a while, she gaped.
"What is this? Tech guy, it says your short-term employment visa has expired?"
"I don't know what that means either."
"Didn't you show Nameless?"
"I did. Nameless said to send it to the proprietor, and it'd be handled."
In truth, Nameless could have explained in detail.
But Heavenly Demon was unaware that Nameless had been subtly sulking since the Kang Yunho siblings incident.
"To me? Nameless! What's this mail?"
At that, Nameless, who had been in the storage room, rolled out eagerly.
[It seems like a mistake by the Immigration Policy Headquarters.]
"Mistake?"
[Yes. Heavenly Demon received an E-9 (Non-Professional Employment) visa, but due to a data error, it's currently registered as C-4 (Short-term Employment).]
"What?"
Jang Chaewon widened her eyes, and Nameless shook its head.
[I can fix the data error, but the problem is the paperwork sent to Immigration Policy Headquarters. Since it's handwritten, Heavenly Demon will need to visit in person with the documents to redo it.]
"What? It's not my fault—it's their mistake!"
[Everyone makes mistakes.]
"Hmm."
Jang Chaewon smacked her lips at Nameless's saintly, benevolent response.
"Heavenly Demon. Remember last time? When we went to the health center for your health certificate."
"I remember."
"We registered properly, but there must've been some mix-up. So now you need to go to the Foreigner Policy Headquarters to renew your registration card."
Jang Chaewon gave a troubled smile.
"But renewals require the person themselves to go."
"Hm, got it."
As Heavenly Demon nodded decisively, Jang Chaewon checked her watch.
"I'd love to go with you, but... I've got a ton of on-site estimates from morning. Renewal's a simple procedure, so no issue. You can handle it, right?"
"Of course."
Watching Heavenly Demon reply confidently, Jang Chaewon gave him a side-eye.
"The Foreigner Policy Headquarters is near the health center. And don't go into the Awakener Registration Center again."
"I won't make that mistake."
Heavenly Demon picked up Nameless and placed it on his shoulder, and Jang Chaewon handed him an envelope with various documents.
"Leave Nameless in the car when entering the building. You're registered as an interior laborer—carrying a nanobot around will just raise suspicions."
"Understood."
"Remember, no Nameless except for dungeon jobs."
Heavenly Demon nodded and picked up the Lamas keys.
"Then I'll be off."
Ding-a-ling.
As Heavenly Demon left promptly with Nameless on his shoulder, Jang Chaewon turned on her laptop and started printing estimates.
"Hmm."
Watching Heavenly Demon's retreating figure from afar, Jang Chaewon sighed.
"Should I have just registered Heavenly Demon as an awakener?"
She had registered the new part-timer Go Eunjin as an awakener via a Divine Realm request, despite her being part-time.
But Heavenly Demon, who entered dungeons three or four times a week, was registered as an ordinary foreigner.
"No."
Jang Chaewon shook her head firmly.
"That might just cause more trouble."
Territory employees had benefits, including ID cards issued by the Divine Realm.
She could register Heavenly Demon as an awakener and change him to domestic status if she wanted, but she had kept him as a regular foreigner.
If the uniquely tempered and appearing Heavenly Demon clashed with Association folks?
His fake registered skills and grade would be exposed immediately.
"For now, leave it be."
Shaking off her unease, she reached for her tumbler again.
* * *
Screech.
With a harsh brake sound, Heavenly Demon's Lamas stopped in front of a building about 800 meters from the health center.
Foreigner Policy Headquarters.
Nameless pointed to the building with blue letters near the top of the silver-tinted structure.
[Heavenly Demon, go to the Residency Management Division on the 6th floor. Just give your name, and they'll handle it.]
"Got it."
Nameless watched Heavenly Demon exit the car impassively, its eye sensor flickering faintly.
The user Heavenly Demon, diligently doing his duty even without knowing Nameless was sulking—it felt a twinge of guilt.
[Heavenly Demon, for any unexpected situations, how about taking me in your pocket?]
"No need."
Heavenly Demon shut the Lamas door curtly.
Entering the building, he passed through the automatic doors and pressed the elevator button.
The interior resembled the Awakener Registration Center he had mistakenly entered before.
"Hm."
Riding the arrived elevator, Heavenly Demon felt a fresh sense of感慨.
Having gone through much, he had largely adapted to this world, Korean society.
"Here it is."
Heavenly Demon opened the door to the office marked Residency Management Division.
"Hello. How may I help you?"
The female staff at the desk smiled brightly and greeted him. Heavenly Demon handed over the document envelope.
"There was an error in my registration."
"Ah, yes. One moment."
The staff took the envelope and checked the documents.
"Oh, you're employed at an interior company. But why is your residency status code like this?"
After repeatedly checking the papers, she smiled.
"I'll renew it properly for you. Please have a seat and wait a moment?"
"Alright."
Seated, Heavenly Demon watched the staff handle the documents impassively.
"But isn't interior work tough?"
Even as she typed while looking at the papers, the staff kept chatting with Heavenly Demon.
"By the way, I've been curious... people in interiors..."
"Oh, right, we just had our house renovated..."
She chattered nonstop while handling the papers.
Heavenly Demon half-listened, but explained in detail when asked about interior knowledge.
Creak.
Then, the inner office door opened, and a middle-aged man in a dress shirt emerged.
With a lollipop in his mouth, he had the drowsy eyes of someone who had just woken up unemployed.
"Huh?"
The middle-aged man from the inner office looked up at Heavenly Demon with curious eyes.
"Whoa. An awakener? You're pretty built."
The staff, organizing papers, smiled awkwardly.
"No, he's on an E-9 (Non-Professional Employment), but it was wrongly registered as C-4 (Short-term Employment), so we're renewing."
"With that build... non-professional employment?"
"Yeah. He's employed as an interior construction technician."
"Interior construction technician?"
The middle-aged man looked up at Heavenly Demon again and shook his head.
"Nah, come on. He looks like an awakener."
Heavenly Demon scowled at the man repeatedly glancing at him.
"Who are you."
"Pardon?"
"Why are you pointing at me and yapping?"
His fierce, almost murderous glare. The abrupt rude informal speech. And the archaic "this seat"...
Hit by Heavenly Demon's everyday rudeness combo, the middle-aged man scratched his head.
"Ah, sorry."
Bowing, he pulled a business card from his pocket and offered it to Heavenly Demon.
"My job makes me like this..."
The cheap paper card bore the Foreigner Policy Headquarters logo and "Immigration Investigation Division Chief Jeong Changwook."
"What is that."
As Heavenly Demon looked down at the card, Jeong Changwook smiled.
"We're the division investigating illegal resident foreign awakeners in our country."
Heavenly Demon's eyes flickered red with displeasure.
"Are you suspecting me?"
"No, no. You just look like an awakener doing interiors, so I was surprised."
Then, the typing staff handed Heavenly Demon a new registration card.
"We've corrected the registration. We're truly sorry for the inconvenience due to our error."
"Good."
Heavenly Demon took the card indifferently and turned to leave.
"Sometimes even the chief's instincts are off, huh?"
As the door closed, the staff teased Jeong Changwook with a grin.
Jeong Changwook, the Immigration Investigation Division's famed hyena, was renowned for spotting illegal resident awakeners with work visas on sight.
"No. That guy's a disguised employment."