NOVEL NEXT Chapter 41
The tragedy began 5 years ago, from the time of the Dimension Opening, it was said.
When monsters appeared in the world, and strange phenomena began to occur everywhere, narcolepsy of unknown cause visited Seung-woo, who was an ordinary child in South Korea.
Narcolepsy that even hospitals could not find the cause of.
There was no way to deal with it with modern medicine, and the only way was to take mana potions produced by some players.
And that was only a temporary measure to prevent the disease from worsening, and Seung-woo’s condition did not improve.
Moreover, mana potions were forming a price range that was burdensome for individuals to purchase.
Fortunately, Seung-woo’s father, Jin Seo-jun, awakened as a player, but the real problem starts from there.
“There are records. Jin Seo-jun. Received an E-class hunter license 3 years ago, and his spouse died 2 years ago at the Busan Gate… That’s all for the official records.”
“Can’t you find out where he worked recently, things like that?”
Seung-woo said that his father had been having a particularly hard time recently, and scary men had visited the house several times.
Those guys were likely to be related to the current situation.
So I asked Team Leader Kim to check, but the results were not very satisfactory.
Team Leader Kim nodded at my question and answered.
“This happens from time to time. There are many guilds that operate legally, but there are cases where they work in guilds that are on the border between expedient and illegal methods. In the case of E-class hunters who have difficulty working in large guilds, most of them work in such places because of the high pay.”
“You’re saying there’s no way to find out right away.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not something you should be sorry for, Team Leader Kim.”
I quietly stroked the head of Seung-woo, who had fallen asleep after crying, and sighed.
Maybe I’ve only been seeing bright things since I returned to Earth.
A few steps back, there was such a cold and miserable reality waiting, where people go into debt for their child’s medicine and are endlessly exploited under the pretext of that debt.
Perhaps Limen temporarily granting me power was also meant for me to directly face this reality.
“But there is one place that comes to mind.”
Team Leader Kim said so and handed me a tablet PC.
At the very top of the screen was the word
And below the title, peculiarities about that YB guild were written, and I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh because those peculiarities were so extraordinary.
In short, it means a guild with a violent organized crime group as its predecessor.
No matter how great human adaptability is, I can’t believe even gangsters have adapted to this society.
No, that’s not it.
If you think about it a little, it seems that those kinds of humans would have easily adapted to this society more than anyone else.
If a lot of authority is concentrated on players, especially hunters with combat abilities, naturally the logic of power will have to work strongly.
And in such a society, it is also a natural process for scoundrels to gain power.
Even in Eden, whether the world was destroyed or not, bandits were rampant, so it was even more so.
“Shi Yu-nim.”
Around the time I was looking at the tablet PC with a frown, Team Leader Kim, who had been quietly watching me, spoke.
“As soon as the day breaks, we will immediately launch a dedicated investigation team and conduct a high-intensity investigation. How about trusting us for once?”
It wasn’t simply words to stop me.
Because worry was fully evident in Team Leader Kim’s eyes looking at me.
And I also fully understood what part he was worried about.
This was a completely different problem from dealing with vicious criminals in Ground Zero last time.
But this time, I had no intention of following Team Leader Kim’s wishes.
“Looking at the document, it seems they’ve been messing around for over a year, so what will change much just because morning comes?”
“Someone may criticize it as private sanctions. As a person belonging to a national organization, I cannot overlook it either. I know very well that you want to punish them…”
“It’s not simply because of that.”
I recalled the CCTV footage of the emergency room I saw earlier.
The footage showing Jin Seo-jun, whose clothes were all stained with blood, holding Seung-woo’s hand tightly and entering the emergency room.
As soon as Jin Seo-jun entered the emergency room, he lost consciousness and collapsed.
According to the doctor, it was an injury that wouldn’t have been strange if he had fainted right away. Nevertheless, Jin Seo-jun arrived at the emergency room with Seung-woo in his care.
“He must have been being chased by them.”
Their identities are likely to be related to the mana that had penetrated Jin Seo-jun’s body.
And that possibility leads to one conclusion.
“It seems Jin Seo-jun saw something he shouldn’t have seen.”
Team Leader Kim’s expression darkened rapidly upon hearing my words, and he hurriedly lifted his smartphone and said,
“I was shortsighted. I’ll request the dispatch of troops right now…”
“Ah, that’s alright. I don’t need troops.”
“Pardon?”
When Team Leader Kim was opening his eyes round and bewildered, Leo, who had been outside for a while, entered the emergency room.
And he quietly said to me,
“As ordered by His Holiness the Pope, I have neutralized the two who were watching the emergency room from outside. Since both of them possessed mana, you can come out and interrogate them directly.”
“Good work. Were there only two and no more?”
“That’s right.”
At Leo’s report, I slightly nodded my head and got up from my chair.
And I said to Team Leader Kim,
“Thank you for your concern. Well… it’ll be fine as long as we don’t create controversy, right? For example, completely erasing anything that might cause controversy without leaving a trace.”
“Shi Yu-nim?”
“I’m joking. I’ll try my best, so you don’t have to worry.”
At my words, Team Leader Kim sighed deeply and shook his head.
“…I think I’ll go to the hospital tomorrow and get a prescription for hair loss medicine.”
“I’ll give you a nice gift soon.”
I feel bad, so I should give him a health bracelet with a large holy stone embedded in it.
Would that not violate the Kim Young-ran Act? (TN: anti-corruption law in South Korea)
I frowned as I looked at the luxurious 10-story building in front of me.
A quite modern-feeling building that must have been built not long ago.
The sight of the entire 10-story building lit up even in the middle of the night was creating enough sense of incompatibility.
“So you’re saying there’s someone here who sent you guys.”
Nod.
“I don’t quite like the attitude? If you don’t want to end up like your friend, cooperate more actively.”
Nod, nod, nod.
The two guys Leo caught in front of the hospital.
They were much bolder than I thought.
After a short and intense 10-minute interrogation, I was able to find out that they had come to kill Jin Seo-jun.
No matter how much the world has changed like this, I can’t believe they came to the emergency room of a university hospital with the intention to kill.
They were guys who were not just bold but completely out of control.
It meant that the fact Jin Seo-jun found out could be a very fatal weakness to them.
Waiting until Jin Seo-jun wakes up and then moving was also one way, but it wasn’t the method I preferred.
“But thanks to that, I think I found it well.”
“Keuuugh.”
I stepped on the chest of the man struggling in front of me with my foot and nodded.
Why go a long way around when there’s a guide?
I cleanly buried one of the two guys near the tree trunk at the hospital.
Just in case, I even set up a holy barrier so no one would steal him.
“Now, this is your last chance. I’ll let you open your mouth this time, so you’re going to faithfully answer the questions I ask. Did you understand well enough?”
Nod, nod, nod, nod
At my warning, the guy vigorously nodded his head, and I smiled and withdrew the holy power blocking his mouth.
“The number of personnel in that building right now is… no, the number doesn’t matter anyway. Let’s put it in percentage. About what percentage of the total force is gathered there?”
“Sev, seventy percent! You can think of it as seventy percent. It’s lit up like that because the goods are going out today.”
“The goods, you mean the stuff you mentioned earlier? The one that makes you an awakener if you drink it?”
“That’s right.”
I heard a very interesting story during the interrogation process.
A story about the so-called
At first, I was half-doubtful.
Because I heard that turning someone into an awakener is something even the US, which is still the world’s strongest nation, cannot do.
But I was able to quickly figure out the identity of that
“I didn’t know the drugs you distribute were those drugs.”
It seems it wasn’t drugs (痲藥), but real magical drugs (魔藥).
Literally a drug containing mana.
“Distributing drugs to expand power… It’s quite a refreshing plan, isn’t it?”
Compared to how the Demon Kings expanded their power centered around demons and demonic beings in Eden, it could be said to be a very sophisticated method.
In Eden, the only way to obtain mana was to make a contract directly with a demonic being, but to think they developed a drug that allows you to possess mana just by taking it.
It was definitely a sophisticated method.
In a way, it was also an appearance that suited Earth much better.
I don’t know who it is, but it seems they used their brain quite smartly.
“Assuming 70% is there, then where is the remaining 30% right now?”
“They’re guys we call the procurement team… I don’t really know where they are or what they mainly do… Aaaaargh! It’s true! I really, really don’t know. Please…”
“I know.”
“Th, then why…”
“Because I’m annoyed that you don’t know.”
I said so and put strength into my legs, and the guy soon fainted while foaming at the mouth.
“Keururung.”
“If you don’t know, I can just ask the other guys.”
This guy has fulfilled his use just by guiding me here.
I didn’t even expect a low-ranking underling to know much and spill out useful information.
“About 70 people.”
I muttered quietly while looking at the building.
There was no need for guidance anymore, because this much distance is enough to detect anyway.
Especially if the opponent possesses mana.
Moreover,
[A sub-quest occurs.]
[Sudden Attack]
●Type: Sub – DLC
●Description: After incapacitating a human possessing mana and interrogating him, you have arrived at the headquarters of those using mana. Stop the evil plot being carried out there.
●Completion Condition: ???
●Reward: 2,000 Holy Points
The system also adds certainty.
I closed the quest window and lightly brushed off my hands.
I was going to clean it up thoroughly even if it wasn’t a quest. On top of that, they’re offering the holy points I need right now as a bonus, so there’s no reason to refuse.
“I accept.”
[Starting the sub-quest
No need to think complicatedly.
From now on, what I have to do is very simple.
As it was in Eden.
Kwaaaang-!
Kwaang!
Break, and break again.
I broke through the closed building door along with the wall and entered, and soon my eyes met with the personnel guarding the main entrance.
There were only six personnel deployed at the main entrance.
All of them were frozen with their eyes locked with mine.
The awkward silence that followed.
At the end of that short silence, one of them spoke in a trembling voice.
“…Kim Shi Yu?”
“Oh, correct. How did you get it right when I haven’t even asked a question yet?”
“Why is Kim Shi Yu here-“
Crack.
The guy’s words did not continue to the end.
Because I instantly approached and folded his waist in half.
I could have slightly injected holy power to wake him up, but I just left him alone because he recognized me right away.
Should I call it a kind of fan service?
“I was a little disappointed that the emergency room staff didn’t recognize me earlier.”
Thud.
I roughly threw the body of the guy folded in half on the floor, and then looked at the other guys with a smirk on my lips.
“Now, shall we move on to the next question?”