Chapter 30
Chapter 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: News Storm and Interrogation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hello.
📰 Breaking News [Psyker Terror Strikes Academy City Ark District 5... No Casualties... Students Jump at Sudden Siren Blasts] 📰 Breaking News [Yubyeol-ha Pulls It Off Again!? Rising Star Takes Active Role in Cracking the Case] 📰 Breaking News [Evidence Secured on Drug Trafficking in Academy City... Federal Guidance Bureau Vows "Swift Action Against All Involved"] 📰 Breaking News [Dangerous Drug That Turns Psykers into Dimensional Beasts Exists... All Psykers Urged to Exercise Extreme Caution] 📰 Breaking News [What Happened at the Half-Destroyed School... Everyone Shocked by Unprecedented Terror Attack] 📰 Breaking News [Mysterious Figures Spotted at Noah Tower in Academy City... Masked Heroes Save Student in Peril] I sat in front of the monitor, gripping a blood pack as I scanned the news.
The headlines were all about Academy City.
The so-called "Experimental Awake Incident" from about three days ago had the public in a frenzy, with sensational clickbait articles pouring in like rain.
Normally, news sites would be flooded with titles like "Academy City on High Alert... Psyker Mutates into Dimensional Beast... Countless Casualties," but the story had taken a sharp turn, so nothing like that happened.
The day after the incident wrapped up, Academy City held a press conference. They publicly disclosed their Federal Guidance Bureau investigation into "Experimental Awake" and revealed the full truth about everything that had gone down the previous day—no holding back.
They also announced that this incident was deeply connected to the prior "Dimensional Beast Mutation" case.
The Federal Guidance Bureau's takedown of the dosed Psykers, the guard killed at Noah Tower.
The assault on the oversight committee, the destruction of Cuvette Psi High School, and more.
They hinted at organized forces targeting Academy City, implying a terrorist group was behind it all, and vowed to bolster security and defenses even further against these terrorist threats.
Slurp.
I sucked on the blood pack while scrolling down, but...
There wasn't a single article mentioning the Youkai.
We'd had more than enough time to extract info on the Goat.
Hmm.
Surprisingly, quite a few humans knew about the Youkai.
Just looking at the collaborator and high-risk lists in the Secret Society notices showed hundreds of human names.
Yet info on Youkai never spread widely because those who believed it would only sow chaos among the masses—and those cooperating with the Youkai—were suppressing it.
The hand of those people was probably at work here too.
Besides, Youkai had long lifespans compared to humans, so many had melted into modern society over centuries, amassing status, power, and wealth.
In a world ruled by capitalist logic, what power was more straightforward than money and influence?
I'd thought the massive scale of the "Experimental Awake Incident" might finally force it into the open this time.
"No dice."
Slurp.
I drained the last of the blood, and the bag shriveled up.
Blood hit the spot.
I debated cracking open another but held off—my stock was running low.
Time to restock the fridge soon.
I shut down the computer.
I had a lot to handle now.
[This is Guidance Chief Cheryl Bloomingrose of the Federal Guidance Bureau. Please contact us regarding inquiries about the Experimental Awake incident.] It had finally come.
The Federal Guidance Bureau was moving faster than expected. I hadn't thought their reach would extend to me this quickly.
There's a saying about ripping off the horn while it's fresh. Since things had come to this, I figured I'd slip some bail money to the Goat and make sure he kept his mouth shut.
I called Cheryl.
"This is Baek Do-hyun. Yes. We'll discuss the details in person. Sure. I can come right now."
Cheryl's message was simple.
Get your ass to Federal Guidance Bureau HQ and sit in front of me now.
Or a horde of Guidance Bureau agents would welcome me instead.
Was there even a choice?
I told her I was on my way and hung up.
With that, I slowly made my way toward Federal Guidance Bureau headquarters, where Cheryl was waiting.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Cheryl Bloomingrose sat in her private office, poring over Baek Do-hyun's profile.
Normally, Guidance Squad members had no authority to access personal records unless on patrol or emergency dispatch— that was for the adults with the "Guidance Officer" title. But Cheryl was the exception.
Her combat prowess and diligence outshone any Arcana cadet, and she had a brilliant mind with the drive to see tasks through to the end.
The Guidance Bureau Chief placed great trust in her.
That's why she had clearance to investigate Baek Do-hyun and review his files.
It was unprecedented even among past Guidance Chiefs.
"South Korean national, 18 years old like Junior Yubyeol-ha, orphan from an orphanage..."
As she confirmed his identity through the data, there was a knock knock—two raps at the door.
"Come in."
Speak of the devil—a boy with androgynous features stepped inside.
His beauty was the kind that could steal anyone's gaze on the street.
"Hello."
Cheryl waved cheerfully at the boy.
"Hello. I'm Baek Do-hyun."
The boy introduced himself as Baek Do-hyun.
"Have a seat wherever's comfortable. Seeing you in person, you might even be prettier than me."
"You're too kind. You're the prettier one, Guidance Chief."
"Hehe... Thanks."
Cheryl chatted with him while sizing up his demeanor.
Most people felt psychologically shrunk when summoned to a security agency like this—basic education drilled in that police stations were for criminals, and ordinary folks rarely had reason to go, so the unfamiliar atmosphere put them on edge.
But Baek Do-hyun in front of her was as relaxed as if he were in his own bedroom.
Was he just bold by nature? Or was his head empty as a flower field?
Or had he seen this coming?
'Well, doesn't matter. I'll find out from here on.'
Cheryl kept her smile.
The interrogation began in a somewhat light atmosphere.
"Interrogations are usually in the stark interrogation room, but it's too grim there. Mind if we do this in my office instead?"
"That's fine."
"Alright, then. Starting the recorder."
Cheryl began with gentle, routine questions to ease tension, and Baek Do-hyun answered them steadily.
Once those were out of the way, she hit him with the real ones.
"Do you know someone named Wang Xiaomei?"
"Yes. He's a classmate."
"Wang Xiaomei stated that you threatened to kill him, forcing him to distribute Experimental Awake at Arcana."
"Yes."
"Is that true?"
Wang Xiaomei had given his statement before Baek Do-hyun even arrived.
The dosed Psykers—including Arcana cadets—had spilled about a dealer named Wang Xiaomei.
Cheryl had summoned him to Guidance HQ right away and taken his testimony.
It was tough prying it out of the terrified Wang Xiaomei, but she'd succeeded, learning about Baek Do-hyun in the process.
Baek Do-hyun pondered her question thoughtfully.
"I don't think it went as far as death threats, but yes, I did give Experimental Awake to Wang."
He answered truthfully.
His face didn't even twitch—pure audacity.
Cheryl pressed on with her smile intact.
What was his connection to Antonio?
Did he know about Experimental Awake?
Did he know about the incident three days ago?
Baek Do-hyun answered honestly.
The more candid he was, the stronger her conviction grew.
Though his unflinching gaze grated on her a bit.
"Taking a 10-minute break."
Cheryl turned off the recorder.
Their eyes met.
Staring into his deep crimson eyes—like pools of blood—Cheryl felt drawn in like a moth to flame.
But she had more pressing matters than admiring his sculpted features, so she calmly closed her eyes.
"These are personal questions now."
"Yes."
"You might be in big trouble if you don't answer."
Baek Do-hyun nodded slowly.
Cheryl wiped the smile from her face, stood, and approached him.
"You're the one who tipped off Junior Yubyeol-ha about Experimental Awake, right?"
Baek Do-hyun's head nodded slowly.
Cheryl grabbed his tie with one hand and yanked.
His gaze naturally lifted to hers, and she looked down at him.
"Then let me ask just one thing. What the hell is a 'Youkai'?"
A faint smile bloomed on Baek Do-hyun's lips, which had been frozen like ice.