Chapter 67: |
Lee Se-hee greeted Jung Da-hyun’s unexpected visit with a surprised look.
“What brings you all the way here? Is there trouble? Should I bring you some wine?”
“No, I just came because I have something to ask.”
“What is it?”
Seeing the rigid expression on Jung Da-hyun’s face, Lee Se-hee immediately grasped the situation.
“Things don’t seem quite right on that side these days, do they?”
“You knew?”
“It seems Jun-ho-ssi didn’t tell anyone, and only told me. What should I do about this?”
“……”
“I’m sorry. Just stop staring at me like that. You’re piercing through my face. I’ll tell you right away. Okay? Please let me speak.”
“Just tell me.”
My friend, who was fun to tease, had disappeared.
There was no room for joking now.
After letting out a deep sigh, Lee Se-hee said;
“The government and the city of Busan seem to be on the verge of a conflict.”
“As expected.”
“Rumors have been circulating over there too, right?”
“Yes.”
“The government doesn’t want the general public to know about it. Not mentioning it to the National Security Agency means they want to handle it as quietly as possible. Probably only Jun-ho-ssi and a very small number of people from the Blue House will be involved. You understand, right?”
“I do.”
When conducting any operation, the Blue House was the only place where privacy was somewhat maintained.
This was because there were more people in the guild who were just being used as straws to pull the strings than there were government hunters who actually believed in their work.
In fact, something else is running through Jung Da-hyun’s mind.
Why did he tell Lee Se-hee about this but not herself?
“…Are you wondering why he didn’t tell you?”
“……”
Whether it’s in the past or now, Lee Se-hee was like a ghost who could read minds. Jung Da-hyun affirmed it with silence.
“I’d like to say that he told me secretly because he wanted to, but it’s not really that kind of special treatment. Jun-ho-ssi told me because he didn’t want our group to get involved with the Busan Mayor. Da-hyun, you’re clean in that regard, so there was no need to tell you. Does it make more sense now?”
“Not that I was worried.”
But she couldn’t help but feel relieved.
“You were worried but acted like you weren’t.”
“Have you been stressed lately?”
“Do I look like it?”
“Yeah, it seems like you’ve been under a lot of stress. Your words are very sharp.”
“Oh no, it’s still like this.”
Lee Se-hee ran her hand through her hair. This was a habit that she had tried to get rid of for a long time but couldn’t quite shake off.
In the past, it was even more intense, to the extent that there could have been a collection of Lee Se-hee’s brutal remarks.
“Is it because of the Big Bang series? The performance is really good.”
“Really? Ah! Jun-ho-ssi said he brought a copy to the National Security Agency. Tell me about it while you’re here.”
“Sure.”
Lee Se-hee listened attentively to Jung Da-hyun’s review of the Big Bang series for a while.
Reviews from those who used it on the front lines often prove very helpful in product improvement.
The Big Bang series required special attention to power control due to its excellent output, and a guide to fully control its power was essential.
“It’s on the list of things to work on, but I’ll go over it one more time. It’s good to have friends, right?”
“You’re the one who didn’t give that friend a copy of the Big Bang series.”
“Oh, I postponed it because Jun-ho-ssi said he’d take care of it. Did you really think I’d forget about our Jung Da-hyun?”
“Still, it’s fortunate that Jun-ho oppa takes care of it.”
This time, Lee Se-hee’s expression changed rapidly. She wondered if she had heard it wrong, but when she looked at Jung Da-hyun’s slightly smiling lips, she was convinced she didn’t hear it wrong.
“What did you just say? Oppa?”
“I already said what I wanted to say, so I’ll be on my way now.”
“Wait! Why aren’t you answering my question?”
“……”
Instead of an answer, Jung Da-hyun smirked. In Lee Se-hee’s eyes, it was the smile of a winner showing it to the loser.
“I’m going.”
“Hey, Jung Da-hyun!”
***
The day for Cheon Myeong-guk to go to Busan had arrived.
It’s said to be a business trip in which he might not come back from.
I wondered why he should risk his life by going there. But his willingness to sacrifice himself for the sake of a cause impressed me.
Naturally, I couldn’t empathize.
“The most important thing is to come back safe and healthy.”
“Thank you for your concern, Transcendent-nim.”
“But it seems like that person, the Busan Mayor, doesn’t listen to other people’s opinions.”
Busan Mayor Yoo Sung-soo was a classic example of someone who had achieved a comfortable life through their own success. Judging by his past work, he not only had a low understanding of Awakened people, but also had a personality that thought of them as tools for his own ambition.
When I saw him boasting about his success, the thought “he was lucky” came to mind immediately.
Cheon Myeong-guk laughed bitterly.
“Honestly, I share the same thoughts.”
“Then there’s no reason to bet on such low odds, is there?”
“I’m doing it to avoid shedding blood.”
Why are you emphasizing that while looking at me?
Taking responsibility for one’s choices was a given.
In my opinion, most people needed to taste something to truly understand it, just like trying to figure out whether it’s chocolate or soybean paste. Few people change their minds based on what they heard from others. It’s often only after they had tasted it that they would come to their senses.
In this situation, risking one’s life was said to be in an effort to save as many lives as possible.
“There’s no peace without shedding blood.”
When individuals had their own strength and differing opinions, the only solution was to establish who had the upper hand in power and then compel compliance through force.
“I’m just trying to see as little blood as possible. Sometimes, you overdo it.”
“It seems like you want me to listen to you.”
“Me? Not at all.”
“It could be my mistake. Anyway, the most important thing is life. Don’t sacrifice yourself for others. Take care of the ring as well.”
Cheon Myeong-guk’s abilities have been verified in my previous life. If he went there and act recklessly, he might end up in a senseless conflict with some strange people, or even worse, lose his life for no good reason.
So, did that mean the great compatibility we’ve had until now might take a turn for the worst?
I didn’t want that to happen.
“I will take care of the ring. And thank you for your concern.”
“No one is as good at their job as Director Cheon. This is what they call ‘excellent compatibility’, right? Director Cheon and Director Jung are my favorites in this regard.”
“……”
“Right?”
“…Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
His voice became noticeably lower. What’s this? I even told him he’s one of my favorites.
“I have more preparations to make, so I’ll be going now.”
Could it be that having two favorites was the reason for this? Director Cheon Myeong-guk was surprisingly ambitious.
***
The president burst into laughter upon hearing my complaint.
“Perhaps, for Director Cheon, dealing with you is even more challenging than persuading Yoo Sung-soo in Busan.”
“How could that be?”
“You need to listen to Director Cheon’s side of the story.”
How well do Cheon Myeong-guk and I get along?
The combination of Cheon Myeong-guk, who handled things one by one with an indifferent expression, and me, who immediately put plans into action, was surprisingly excellent.
Both Jung Ju-ho and Cheon Myeong-guk must be comfortable working with me. I wonder if this was just the boss’s mischievous joke.
“By the way, Director Cheon would be in a dangerous situation.”
“It’s definitely risky. He’s classified as a member of my inner circle, so Yoo Sung-soo won’t just let Director Cheon go, considering he willingly walked into this. At best, he might face confinement.”
“Is he still going despite knowing it’s a trap?”
“That’s why I tried to stop him. But Director Cheon went, knowing that even his capture could become a legitimate reason for the government to take action.”
“A legitimate reason.”
It was a similar explanation to what Lee Se-hee had told him. Cheon Myeong-guk’s capture would likely serve as a process to legitimize the government’s actions.
But even though it’s a trap, he walked in willingly. If he ends up getting killed, it’s honestly his own fault, but there’s no need to say it out loud and tarnish Cheon Myeong-guk’s sacrifice.
“Director Cheon has always been proactive in dealing with troublesome matters.”
“I understand.”
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you hoping that Director Cheon stays as safe as possible? I’ll take care of it.”
The President raised both hands to signify surrender.
“That’s right. Director Cheon still has a lot to do.”
“Agreed. I considered that as well.”
I didn’t understand why people kept saying I was oblivious to what’s going on around me.
Anyway, it would be in the middle of enemy territory.
Bringing someone safely from there was not an easy task. Still, being at Level 7 meant he should be able to handle himself. I’ll figure things out as long as he could protect himself.
“But how do you plan to go about it?”
“I also plan to go to Busan.”
“When?”
“Right now.”
I followed Cheon Myeong-guk down to Busan.
***
Arriving in Busan, Cheon Myeong-guk habitually looked around.
It was the size of South Korea’s second largest city. However, while controlled vitality could be felt, the entire city seemed rigid.
“They’re preparing for war.”
Despite the appearance of an ordinary daily life, there were signs of tension scattered throughout the city.
Awakened individuals patrolled buildings, their affiliation as either hunters or villains uncertain, and the movements of the citizens seemed restrained.
‘This is not good.’
Yoo Seong-su claimed to have single-handedly built Busan’s economy, but when Cheon Myeong-guk looked at it, it didn’t seem that way at all.
It was adorned with all kinds of corruption and superficiality, resembling a brief and flashy fireworks display. Whether one liked it or not, Yoo Sung-soo’s rule must come to an end.
In the meantime, the car he was riding in got closer to Busan City Hall. The closer he was, the clearer the hostility in the air became.
Since leaving the Reapers Guild and working for the government, this level of hostility was something he hadn’t experienced in a long while.
He thought the ultimate goal was a change of regime, which he assumed would be at a reasonable level, but he didn’t expect it to be this blatant.
At that moment, the car arrived at the entrance of Busan City Hall.
“We will escort you.”
As Cheon Myeong-guk got out of the car, hunters surrounded him. In words, it was an escort, but in reality, it was more like dragging him inside.
“Come with us.”
At the entrance to the city hall, hunters with firearms and swords stood guard. Before entering, they inspected his belongings.
“Please return any weapons or artifacts.”
Cheon Myeong-guk pulled out a dagger and a healing potion from his pocket. It seemed like it would end like this, but one of the hunters pointed at the ring on Cheon Myeong-guk’s finger.
“What is that ring? I sense a Force from it.”
“It’s my wedding ring. Do I have to turn this in as well?”
“Anything that emits a Force must be turned in.”
“It’s the ring of a wife who is far away.”
The hunter hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
“…I’ll overlook it since you can’t do anything with that ring, anyway.
For reference, Cheon Myeong-guk’s wife was in the United States. So, it wasn’t a lie.
After completing the body search, they went inside. Upon arriving at the mayor’s office, inside a room that was adorned as impressively as the Blue House, Yoo Sung-soo and a dozen or so hunters were present.
“Isn’t this Director Cheon? It’s a pleasure to see you.”
“Nice to see you again, Mayor.”
“It’s been a while. Meeting often should not be a requirement for a good relationship. But judging by the current situation, it doesn’t seem easy for us to have a good relationship, does it?”
“……”
Cheon Myeong-guk neither affirmed nor denied.
“Well, shall we hear why you’ve come all the way here?”
“Resisting any further is meaningless. I suggest you acknowledge the allegations against you and agree to surrender. We will give you the most lenient treatment possible.”
Yoo Sung-soo, who had been listening, burst into laughter. Cheon Myeong-guk remained expressionless and watched calmly.
“You really came all this way just to convince me?”
“Yes.”
“Your confidence is remarkable. Truly remarkable! In the end, you’re taking everything without giving an inch, aren’t you?”
“As I mentioned earlier, we will provide the most lenient…”
“Alright, what’s the source of that confidence? I’m genuinely curious.”
“Trancendent Choi Jun-ho.”
“You don’t seriously show that confidence just because you believe in one Transcendent, do you?”
Upon hearing this, Cheon Myeong-guk realized why the situation had to unfold this way.
Yoo Seong-soo had no idea how strong a Transcendent was.
It was clear that he was thinking in terms of levels, going from Level 6 to 7, and from 7 to 8.
He was completely unaware of how much of a disaster Choi Jun-ho really was.
If he was the mayor of Busan, he would be lying flat on his back right now.
“…The Mayor seems to underestimate the power of a Transcendent.”
“They might be scary. But what is that guy going to do? There are over a thousand Awakened in this city hall alone. No matter how powerful a Transcendent is, in the end, they’re just human.”
In front of Choi Jun-ho, no matter how many hunters there were, it would only result in more corpses.
“So, are you determined to go all the way to the end?”
“Of course not. I am a merciful mayor, after all. So I’ll give you a chance to convince the citizens of Busan.”
“A chance, you say…”
“I’m going to broadcast it. A final debate between the mayor of Busan, the city council, and the head of the Awakened Security Office, who is in charge of Transcendent affairs. How does that sound?”
It seemed like he’s determined to have a lively showdown.
Cheon Myeong-guk nodded as he met Yoo Sung-soo’s piercing gaze.
“I accept.”
“Good. That’s a great judgment.”
An hour later, Cheon Myeong-guk was sitting in the Busan City Council.
In the Busan City Council, there were Yoo Sung-soo and ten Busan city councilors who served as his aides.
Originally, there were 47 council members, but when Yoo Sung-soo was elected, he unilaterally appointed 10 councilors to replace them. Those who criticized this called them Yoo Sung-soo’s ‘Ten Eunuchs’ in disdain.
However, it’s undeniable that within Busan, they were Yoo Sung-soo’s strongest support base.
“We will now begin the final debate between the director of the Awakened Security Office and the mayor of Busan.”
As the moderator announced, the debate began. Cheon Myeong-guk chuckled inwardly as he watched the broadcast cameras turning.
The other side had also prepared well. They’re trying to rally their supporters by highlighting the conflict. It was a dirty trick that he couldn’t help but participate in.
The first person to speak was a middle-aged man with a large frame and a clean-shaven head.
He was Kwak Do-woon, the younger brother of the Whale Guild’s guild master, the largest guild in Busan, and Yoo Sung-soo’s right-hand man.
“Busan City Councilor, Kwak Do-woon, here. I’m curious about the reason why the government has persistently ignored Busan City’s requests and is now subjecting us to this persecution.”
“The government has never persecuted Busan City.”
“Never persecuted? Hasn’t it been the government’s side that consistently rejected all of Busan City’s support requests?”
“That’s allocated based on incident rates…”
“So you mean the government arbitrarily decides on that ratio, right?”
Kwak Do-woon’s words became increasingly harsh. Other city council members also raised their voices, pressuring Cheon Myeong-guk.
“……”
In an atmosphere where data was pushed unilaterally without disclosure, Cheon Myeong-guk remained silent. Would it make sense to present specific data and counterarguments here, given that they came prepared for a tug-of-war in the first place?
Thinking this way, he felt that his efforts were futile.
From the beginning, the other party intended to see it through from start to finish.
Should he endure to avoid shedding blood, or should he reveal the truth to the citizens?
The former would allow negotiations to continue, but the latter would mean a deadlock.
As Cheon Myeong-guk contemplated, the city council members started arguing among themselves. They raised their voices against the unfair treatment, unilateral exploitation, discrimination, and other injustices that the government had consistently practiced.
Later, they didn’t even bother to listen to any responses and reached their conclusions among themselves.
“From the lack of response, it’s clear that the government acknowledges it discriminated against Busan City all this time.”
“Well, I…”
When Cheon Myeong-guk, who could no longer endure, was about to speak, light sparkled on the ring he had on his hand, forming the figure of a man from particles of light.
A moment later, when the light had completely faded, a familiar face stood before them. It was Choi Jun-ho’s Gift Transference.
Only then did Cheon Myeong-guk’s eyes widen, realizing the reason for why the other gave him the ring.
“Transcendent Choi Jun-ho.”
“Director, why are you subjecting yourself to this discrimination?”
Choi Jun-ho appeared to chuckle, but Cheon Myeong-guk’s heart sank.
It’s over. They’re all going to die.
“Why are you here?”
That crazy guy, Kwak Do-woon, probably didn’t know he was messing with the real crazy person.
Choi Jun-ho laughed heartily. Why did it seem like he could see the unfolding spectacle? Did he gain a Gift to foresee the future?
“That one, in particular, is a total asshole.”
“How dare you…”
Kwak Do-woon, who was fuming, couldn’t continue speaking. Choi Jun-ho, who had drawn Nuri like a lightning bolt, unleashed Blade Storm. Trapped within the furiously churning Force, Kwak Do-woon was torn to shreds, leaving no corpse behind.
Thud.
Blood and chunks of flesh scattered in all directions.
Choi Jun-ho, who met the gaze of the remaining council members, smiled brightly.
“Now, let’s begin the game – a game only I find entertaining. It’s a game where if you can’t answer my question, you die one by one.”