Chapter 65: |
The meeting ended and Choi Jun-ho and Jung Ju-ho left.
Cheon Myeong-guk carefully spoke as he watched the pensive president.
“President-nim.”
“I know what’s on your mind.”
Despite the president’s words, Cheon Myeong-guk couldn’t hide his growing concerns.
“Transcendent Choi Jun-ho’s sword of justice will not distinguish between friend and foe.”
No politician could be considered as ‘clean’.
The higher one climbed, the more true this became. Reaching the top without getting dirty was only possible in imagination. The current president, too, played dirty until he reached the very top.
This time, the Choi Jun-ho’s sword might point at Yoo Sung-soo, but no one could guarantee that the president wouldn’t be next.
The president’s words to Choi Jun-ho.
If one committed a crime, they must pay the price.
It was a rule that had not been applied in South Korea for a long time. They issued pardons for all sorts of reasons, like a state of emergency, compromise in the midst of political turmoil, potential for reconciliation, and so on.
As a result, the country was divided.
Yoo Sung-soo alone was no exception. He ruled like a king in Busan, and in order to become the president, he reached out to all kinds of powers, villains included, to build his influence.
Someone even jokingly said that this was the most decentralized South Korea had ever been.
“Stabbing one’s ally could not be easily tolerated. It’s enough to realize that the sword that stabbed the enemy can also stab us. After the opposing forces have disappeared, the country would be more united.”
“Controlling Choi Jun-ho is a delusion.”
“That’s why the right people should be appointed in the right positions. We were able to do this much because there’s you and me. I’m sure the next president and the successor to your position would also do well enough.”
“……”
The President and Cheon Myeong-guk both knew that it was impossible.
They were just rationalizing it.
“Anyway, he’s an impossible person to control. The more you try to control him, the more it would backfire. It’s better to just get along with what he wanted. Imagine you’re part of the League. Do you think you wouldn’t want him?”
“…I would.”
“That’s probably why the Black Hound showed up. One of the worst villain in the world has come as a messenger himself. It’s probably to have a conversation with Choi Jun-ho rather than wanting to take the Big Bang series. Nevertheless, the fact that Choi Jun-ho returned means he hasn’t crossed the line we were worried about yet.”
“I’ll do my best to not let his actions escalate to the extreme.”
“With you here, I can proceed with my work with ease. First, pay attention to supplementing the information about Yoo Sung-soo.”
“Yes, I’ll inform the Prosecutor General.”
Cheon Myeong-guk heaved a deep sigh as he finished his conversation with the President.
The President originally had a fiery temperament, but he was good at controlling it. However, with Choi Jun-ho, a sharp sword in his hands, his thinking began to change.
No matter how sharp of a sword one was, they would still think for themselves even if given an order. And they would instinctively mixed their own calculations with the intentions of those above.
However, if the opponent was evil, Choi Jun-ho would cut them down as they appeared. He produced the results exactly as ordered.
Choi Jun-ho was the sword that could realize the justice the President had imagined.
If you had noble intentions, how could you not be tempted?
The only problem was that one had to worry about their own neck flying off if they mishandled it.
“It’s a sword that could become a Holy Sword or a Devil’s Sword, so not using it is even more unusual.”
Thinking about how this situation would unfold made his head spin.
One thing was clear.
South Korea would be turned upside down. The repercussions would spread to Japan as well.
It’s just a matter of getting through the mess after.
For now, he could only do his best. Fortunately, he’s not alone; Jung Ju-ho was with him.
“Huh?”
Cheon Myeong-guk, who had arrived at the Awakened Security Office, noticed that the atmosphere was strange and turned his head to where everyone’s gaze was focused. He hesitated.
Jung Ju-ho was sitting in his seat with a very arrogant attitude.
His two eyes were filled with life as he looked in this direction.
“Director Cheon Myeong-guk.”
“Yes?”
“Now that I’m going to be a Commissioner, can’t we talk comfortably?”
For reference, the director of the Awakened Security Office held the rank of minister. Even if Jung Joo-ho became a Commissioner, he would still be a rank higher.
But the atmosphere was not receptive to that. After all, Jung Ju-ho accepting the new position was the result of his own scheme.
“I have a lot to talk about. Do you have some time?”
“Yes, of course.”
Overwhelmed by Jung Ju-ho’s momentum, Cheon Myeong-guk nodded.
“Good, now we can finally have a conversation.”
Jung Ju-ho stood up with a bright smile and stood next to Cheon Myeong-guk. With a vibrant expression, he said,
“Follow me to the rooftop.”
***
Before heading home, I stopped by the Sacred Guild and met up with Lee Se-hee.
Seeing her dressed up so gorgeously as usual today, I felt relieved. Indeed, Lee Se-hee had to be glamorous.
“…So, Kim Jong-hyun-ssi’s absence should not be a problem at all. His dexterity would have allowed us to quickly identify some improvements, but it’s something the craftsmen in the lab can do as well.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“Yes. I didn’t realize a crisis would come so soon, but we’ve accumulated know-how in risk management, and we’re the best in the country at it.”
Seeing them handle everything with ease put my mind at ease.
This was the power of a large corporation.
I realized that I had worried unnecessarily about problems arising from Heartworker’s disappearance.
“But are you really okay with the tax issue?”
“Why?”
“When you actually see the taxes being deducted, it can be quite disheartening. I’m worried.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
To me, it felt like numbers were just subtracting from other numbers.
Lee Se-hee sighed and shook her head.
“I’ve never seen someone so indifferent to money. You’re really something.”
“Weren’t you like that too?”
“Me? You must have been mistaken. I’m actually obsessed with money.”
“It doesn’t seem that way.”
“I’m obsessed, but I haven’t been devoured by it. I’m still thinking hard about how I can earn more money.”
“That’s impressive.”
Certainly, the mindset of a member of a conglomerate was different from that of an ordinary person.
However, I didn’t view the obsession with money as a negative thing. I saw it as the driving force that had brought her to where she was now.
Crazy but not consumed. The words hit home for me, as a monster called Blood Master had devoured me, so it was a story I could relate to.
“Leaving that aside, are you okay?”
“The Heartworker situations didn’t bother me that much.”
Lee Se-hee lowered her head.
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“Then?”
“It seems like you have other concerns.”
“……”
It’s like she was a ghost. (T/N: He’s saying that Lee Se-hee seemed to have supernatural powers because she read what he’s thinking.)
Truth be told, there was something bothering me since I talked to Argos earlier.
At first, I thought it might be because of a psychic-type Gift, but it wasn’t.
His words touched the anxiety I had in my heart, and I couldn’t easily shake it off.
Lee Se-hee noticed this concern.
“If it’s okay, could you tell me? I’m a good listener.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“I’m quite dependable, you know? Come on, tell me.”
Seeing her thumping her chest with her fist, I couldn’t help but smile. It was an unexpectedly cute gesture from Lee Se-hee.
“Do you think I would have become a villain if I hadn’t become a government hunter?”
“A villain?”
“Some people have told me that I would become a villain someday.”
What would Lee Se-hee think? After thinking about it, would she say ‘no’? It might seem an obvious answer, but that would not be such a bad thing either.
Perhaps I just wanted to hear a predetermined answer.
And the expected answer came.
“Absolutely not!”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes, really. I don’t know who said it, but they were talking nonsense.”
Her words were quite rough. Did she seem more irritated than I was?
“I’m not just trying to comfort you. Maybe they misunderstood Jun-ho-ssi becase of the way you conduct yourself. But the essence itself is different.”
“The essence?”
“Yes. “The biggest difference between Jun-ho-ssi and a villain is their moral compass. Villains leave everything to desire. If they want something, they take it, even if it means killing. In contrast, Jun-ho-ssi has clear principles. Your ability to set clear boundaries is the main reason you won’t become a villain.”
It was not just empty words of comfort, but words that provided strength.
Because I used to be a villain, it meant I could now be anything but a villain.
It was an insight and advice that was only possible because she was Lee Se-hee.
It’s not like she could see past lives or anything like that, right?
“More than anything, the fact that you’re thinking about it means there’s room for improvement.”
“It sounds like there is a need for improvement.”
“That depends on Jun-ho-ssi’s choice, doesn’t it?”
“So, if I want to improve right now, is it possible to improve?”
“Yes, definitely.”
How could she say that with such confidence? But what should I improve?
She immediately answered that question.
“You should hire a professional.”
“A professional?”
“Yes, a professional to manage Jun-ho-ssi’s image. In reality, many hunters use professionals to manage their image. Do you know there are some hunters who enjoy popularity comparable to celebrities?”
“I see.”
Lee Se-hee and Jung Da-hyun were two examples. But they were different from those hunters who appeared on TV programs as much as celebrities.
These hunters’ role was to explain the hunting process to the public, to tell them about the difficulties hunters face, the dangers of animals, and the benefits of being a hunter.
“They make money because they’re good at creating an image. I bet they make more money doing TV appearances and commercials than they do actually hunting.”
“That’s surprising”
“Because the government wanted to instill envy in the Awakened.”
It was the irony of the government.
On the one hand, it was trying to control the Awakened, and on the other hand, it was giving them all kinds of support and benefits to increase their numbers.
So rather than preventing scenes where awakened individuals gain wealth and honor, they actively encouraged it. The more people wanting to be Awakened, the broader the talent pool would be, and more talents would grow to protect South Korea.
Should I appear on broadcasts often too? And say, ‘With power, I can kill villains.’ Although broadcasting wasn’t exactly my taste.
I should suggest to Cheon Myeong-guk to encourage villain hunting.
“What Jun-ho-ssi needs is this kind of professional. We need professionals who can make people perceive Jun-ho-ssi as an upright hunter, who can help people understand and support Jun-ho-ssi.”
“It’s a part I never thought about.”
I thought I would become a government hunter and just catch villains and monsters. It felt like a whole new world was opening up to me.
“Can’t the Sacred Guild send someone to me for this?”
Lee Se-hee shook her head.
“Those people are ultimately part of the Sacred Guild, too. You need someone who will analyze only Jun-ho-ssi’s image. It means you need to form a Choi Jun-ho team.”
Choi Jun-ho team, or should I go with Head Breaker team since it’s my nickname? The latter sounds a bit peculiar, so it’s probably better to go with the Choi Jun-ho team.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll see if I can find someone.”
“Is it alright?”
“Sure. It’s for Jun-ho-ssi, I’ll do the best I can.”
Le Se-hee smiled confidently.
I could trust her.
***
Busan Mayor Yoo Sung-soo was being investigated by the recently revived Central Investigations Department of the Prosecution Service.
Actually, I didn’t care about who was doing the investigation.
I just thought that as long as the investigation was conducted properly, it was fine.
However, director of the Central Investigations Department Lee Jong-kyung contacted me. He said he had information to share about the investigation results.
Was there a reason he had to tell me?
Despite my doubts, I headed to the location of the Central Investigations Department.
I had a meeting with Lee Jong-kyung in his office.
“Thank you for coming. I was worried that you might not.”
“Why did you call me?”
“I thought it would be a good idea to show the investigation results to Transcendent Choi Jun-ho first.”
“……”
My first impression of Lee Jong-kyung was that he reminded me of Wang Ju-yeol. A stout build, a face that showed ambition. His two narrow eyes gleamed cunningly.
I stared at Lee Jong-kyung for a moment, then accepted the documents and began to examine the contents.
As soon as I read the first page, a strong intuition rang loudly. The charges were reduced and the names of the people involved were missing compared to what the president had handed me.
This document was tampered with.
“There seems to be some missing content in the document.”
“Haha, it’s not missing. We’ve excluded the ambiguous parts.”
“It seems like this matter is related to the incident.”
“The existence known as a Transcendent is truly remarkable. No, is this only possible because of Transcendent Choi Jun-ho?”
Lee Jong-kyung, who licked his lips with his tongue, glared with his eyes.
“The Blue House’s determination is strong, but continuing like this could divide the country into two.”
“……”
“How about we handle it amicably, within reasonable boundaries? This is also for the sake of Transcendent Choi Jun-ho. There’s no point in extending the conflict unnecessarily, right?”
So, this was the reason he called me.
To decide where to draw the line.
Since I remained silent, he continued to taunt me.
“Excessive confrontation is not desirable. Of course, we’re not asking for everything as is. The Busan side is also preparing sufficient evidence.”
“What kind of evidence?”
“There are various kinds.”
It’s clear that it’s not entirely legal.
In the meantime, Lee Jong-kyung’s nagging continued.
“The regime may be extended, but in case a major incident occurs, it could change. Isn’t it better to hedge our bets on both sides, considering that?”
“……”
“Haha, I’m saying this with Transcendent Choi Jun-ho in mind. Don’t take it too seriously.”
“What does a dying man have to lose?”
“What?”
Waa!
My kick shattered the wooden table between us. The next moment, my powerful kick struck Lee Jong-kyung in the shin, cracking him like a sourdough can.
“Argh!”
“Shut up.”
I grabbed the guy who was about to fall by the scruff of his neck and squeezed his left shoulder. The shoulder caved in with a cracking sound as the Land Mine dug in.
“Kkhh!”
I kept a grip on his scruff and walked out of the office. Those who work in the Central Investigations Department slowly began to appear in the corridor, perhaps having heard the screams.
They watched in shock as Lee Jong-kyung was dragged out with both legs broken and his shoulders completely hunched, his head firmly held.
“Everyone, take out your smartphones and put them on the floor. Whoever doesn’t come out immediately will have their heads smashed in within 10 seconds.”