Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Negotiation Division
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Ian scanned the appearances of his two visitors while pouring ice water into cups.
‘No guns in sight, huh.’
Waistband, thighs, chest.
There didn’t seem to be any space to conceal a pistol anywhere. No unnaturally bulging spots either. It was safe to assume they carried no visible weapons.
But no one could know what might be inside the bags they brought. They could suddenly pull out a gun or knife from there. They probably wouldn’t act rashly, but if they gained some certainty during the conversation, they’d switch attitudes in an instant.
When that moment came, talking would be pointless. Summoning his grimoire and responding would come first.
“…….”
He had no experience killing people, but he wouldn’t hesitate if necessary. He’d already run simulations in his head countless times. It wasn’t normal thinking, but from the moment he stepped into the world of anomalies, surviving with a normal mind was impossible.
If you didn’t want to die, you had to kill.
This applied to anomalies and fellow humans alike. Exceptions were a luxury.
Of course, that didn’t mean he’d kill indiscriminately.
He had no intention of becoming a murderer. Subdue first, interrogate, then decide based on judgment.
If possible, Ian wanted to avoid killing people too. Unless the opponent bared their teeth first, murder was a last resort.
“…….”
Having sorted his thoughts, he dipped green tea bags into the prepared water. Ian placed the cups on saucers and approached the two seated at the table.
“Here’s some green tea. Sorry, I don’t have anything proper to offer.”
“Ah, no worries. We came unannounced, so we’ll gratefully take whatever you give us.”
Kim Min-su smiled brightly and sipped his tea. He then spotted a talisman peeking from Ian’s pocket and tilted his head.
“A talisman? Are you Buddhist by any chance?”
“Oh. No, not really. I recently went to a shaman with a friend, and they said something big might happen soon, so I bought one figuring what the hell. It wasn’t expensive.”
“I see. Do you believe in shamanism?”
“Fifty-fifty. Honestly, don’t they spout a lot of nonsense sometimes?”
“Haha, true enough.”
He chuckled once and clasped his hands on the table. The woman silently hugged her bag without a word.
Ian stayed vigilant of every movement. Though he didn’t show it, he was ready to summon his grimoire at any moment.
Kim Min-su addressed him.
“Anyway, as I said, we’ll just ask a few quick questions and go.”
“Sure.”
“The convenience store owner said the drunk who trashed the place like that was you, Shin Ian-ssi. Is that true?”
“Yeah, that’s right. She was a strangely dressed woman.”
“Hmm.”
He leaned forward slightly, as if urging Ian to continue. Ian smoothly recounted the story he’d prepared in his head.
“Her hair was somewhat long, height average. But she staggered in, clearly drunk at a glance. It was dawn too.”
“Yeah.”
“She didn’t even pick out items—just stood there staring at me like a ghost. I got a bit freaked, then suddenly she swings her arm and smashes the display.”
“Hmm.”
“I panicked and jumped over the counter yelling she shouldn’t. Up close, the shelf was totally wrecked. Too damaged for one drunk woman thrashing around.”
Kim Min-su fell silent. The woman showed no expression change or movement.
Still fine for now. So Ian thought inwardly as he continued.
“Then it hit me: what if she’s a ghost or something? Pretty common story, right? Ghost shows up at a lone convenience store.”
“The kind you hear on TV shows all the time.”
“Yeah. I thought that at first and got scared, but I mustered courage and approached her. Then she freaks out, smashes the door, and bolts.”
“Bare-handed?”
“Yeah. No idea how, but… that’s the end of the story.”
Ian finished and took a sip of green tea.
“But couldn’t you check the CCTV for all this? Why bother asking me….”
“The CCTV conveniently broke right then. No footage.”
“Oh… maybe it really was a ghost….”
“Could be. But what’s certain is that drunk was the repeat offender we’ve been chasing. Probably hasn’t left the area yet.”
Kim Min-su said that and downed the rest of his tea. He then stood abruptly and bowed to Ian.
“Thanks for cooperating. Sorry for the hassle with this mess, and you even treated us. We’ll contact you once we catch the perp.”
“Oh, sure. Glad I could help, though I didn’t tell you much.”
“Even small details matter. Anyway, we’ll head out. Have a good day.”
He nodded at the woman. She nodded back, stood, and gave Ian a slight bow.
The two exchanged light farewells with Ian, then walked to the door and put on their shoes.
Just as they opened the door to leave, Kim Min-su turned back and tossed out casually.
“That talisman. It’s good stuff, so keep it. Looks like it saved your life once.”
“…Pardon?”
“Haha.”
Instead of answering Ian’s question, he left the studio. Ian stood at the door for a moment, then chuckled and placed the talisman on the table.
‘Good stuff my ass.’
Just a few bucks for a faded one from some rundown shaman hut. Good how?
Still, dodging the Management Bureau’s scrutiny once made it money well spent.
Ian stretched and returned to his room to summon his grimoire.
‘That wraps up Eight-Foot Ghost stuff. Monkey’s all that’s left.’
Unlike Eight-Foot Ghost, which left a direct witness, nothing was known about Monkey Dream yet. With the Bureau focused only on Israel and Christian grimoires, no worries for a while.
Music to Ian’s ears.
Now he could relax until Lee Seo-ah handed over Cartel info. His savings weren’t huge, but enough to coast a few days.
“Time for food.”
He pocketed the grimoire in his bag and headed to the nearby mart for ingredients, starting a simple meal.
The home-cooked food after so long was surprisingly decent.
*
“Sunbae. This okay?”
Inside the car heading back to the Management Bureau.
The woman at the wheel asked Kim Min-su. He tore his gaze from the blankly stared-at window and looked at her.
“What?”
“Just letting him off that easy. No memory wipe, just hearing him out—feels off.”
“Oh, that.”
Kim Min-su burst out laughing and slurped his cafe coffee.
“Nothing wrong with his statement. His aura’s ambiguously strong, so he couldn’t clearly see the anomaly’s form—like a weak or strong human. Rare constitution, but it exists. We’ve got one or two in the Bureau.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. And the Eight-Foot Ghost probably got damaged and fled thanks to that talisman. Looked like an exorcism one—enough to hurt it. A stray spirit would’ve died on the spot.”
“…What about Agent Kim I-seo’s request to check if he’s a mage?”
Agent Kim I-seo.
The Response Team 3 agent who personally smashed the Eight-Foot Ghost. Also witnessed the bleeding from the convenience store.
Kim Min-su recalled her face and laughed.
“You know that’s a headache, right?”
“…….”
“Say he is a mage like she claims, Shin Ian. We just waltzed into a mage’s lair and asked ‘You a mage?’ We’d both be dead. Even hinting suspicion would’ve killed us.”
“…Still.”
“Sounds like bullshit?”
The woman shut her mouth. Kim Min-su sighed deeply and set his coffee in the holder.
“Park Min-ah, know your place. We barely survived anomalies with no powers and joined the Bureau—can’t risk death on one agent’s word. I don’t wanna die yet.”
“…Me neither.”
“Right? Dying nobly for humanity’s sake is one thing. We’d just be idiots there. Negotiation Division’s short-staffed as is—no room for us dying.”
“True… work’s been killer lately.”
Park Min-ah shuddered, thinking of the piled-up paperwork at the Bureau.
Kim Min-su reclined his seat, stared at the car ceiling, and muttered.
“And anyway, low chance he’s a mage. Checked his business card. Thought I was a detective.”
“…Yeah? Even mages can’t detect that.”
“This card’s a byproduct of a quarantined anomaly. If you’ve encountered anomalies, you recognize it as a Bureau card. Otherwise, just some random business card.”
Kim Min-su turned to the window and continued.
“To spot the trick and bluff that means he’s an insane-level mage… we’d already be dead.”
Mages versed in magic don’t fear the Bureau. No need, and they’re confident they can escape notice anyway.
Indeed, all mages under current investigation roamed freely without a care for the Bureau. Crazy bastards, but their power made it an issue.
‘If Shin Ian were one, my head and Min-ah’s would be detached by now.’
Kim Min-su thought so and slurped his coffee.
“Anyway, no need to suspect he’s a mage. He’s just a normal guy, normal. Doesn’t even know what he encountered.”
“Good. I’ll report to Agent Kim I-seo separately.”
“Do that. Having a capable junior makes life easier.”
“You’re capable too, sunbae.”
“Right? Our pair’s pretty good. Haha.”
“Ehehe.”
Laughter bloomed inside the car returning to the Management Bureau.