〈 Kang Taesan (2) 〉
“Actually, it’s been a while since we started dating. “We started officially dating only recently, but I thought I should tell you in advance.”
“I really heard a lot from Taesan. Are you saying that they are practically like brothers? “I’m really jealous that they can trust each other that much, right?”
We moved to a nearby cafe and exchanged light chatting and other things.
Kang Tae-san, a civil servant at the Ability Management Bureau, a government agency, and Park Mi-young, who works as an office worker at an ordinary company.
It is said that their relationship began when Kang Tae-san went on an on-site investigation to the building where her company was located.
“Suddenly, everyone was scared because they heard that a supernatural crime had occurred downstairs, but it was so cool to see you come in and calm them down!”
“Ahaha, that’s a shame. Actually, it wasn’t that big of a deal. “It was just a little noisy, but it was a simple theft with no significant damage and no casualties.”
It was said that through such a chance meeting, they naturally began to contact each other, and thanks to Park Mi-young’s active appeal, they ended up dating recently.
‘You complained that you were so busy that you didn’t have time to rest, but in the meantime, you were still doing everything you had to do.’
I never thought that guy would succeed in dating first.
As someone who had been with Kang Tae-san since he was young, I couldn’t help but feel a very strange feeling.
With new eyes, I looked again at my friend, who was smiling heartily with a beautiful woman next to him.
A manly appearance with thick lines that are not obscured by fatigue and a well-trained body.
In fact, considering that although it is called the Criminal Investigation Department, the main work of this non-awakened person is oriented towards the administrative side, it can be said that self-management is thorough.
‘I heard that usually, an agent like him and an awakened investigator are dispatched to the scene in a team of two. Although it fluctuates frequently depending on the scale of the event.’
This is unavoidable, as the presence of an awakened person with the relevant ability is essential in the investigation of crimes related to supernatural abilities.
Of course, the agent was not just a sidekick to the Awakened investigators.
There was no place that could not be reached by their professional hands, including on-site inspection and schedule coordination, as well as location search, suspect collection, and analysis of collected information.
When necessary, their role was to seek advice from officials like ‘Dark Wizard Ahn Seong-jin’ who was caught by Hans, so they were high-quality personnel who could not just be ignored as ordinary people.
‘The salary is that high. Actually, if you think about it, you’re the best spouse.’
Next, my eyes turned to Kang Tae-san and Park Mi-young, who were smiling with their arms around each other.
A cute puppy-like beauty who is a few years older than us, who are of the same age.
With a great body that did not match his small stature, I could immediately understand why the corners of Taesan’s mouth were so perky.
‘But…’
I carefully observed Park Mi-young while making small talk with them with a smile on my face.
The lively reaction shown by actively sympathizing with the speaker’s words was sociable enough to make even the quiet person speechless, and the natural smile shown at the same time was harmless enough to disarm even the most wary person.
He can truly be said to be an ideal companion.
‘…Something feels uncomfortable.’
Yes, it was so ideal that it felt like watching a well-planned play.
Her personality may have been like that, but my intuition, which had awakened to divinity and had a vague sense of cause and effect in the world, was screaming that it was not such a problem.
‘Well, this thing looks really weird.’
A place where your one and only friend, who is like a brother, introduces you to the first lover of your life.
It wasn’t polite to be suspicious of the person you were dealing with, but you couldn’t just pretend you didn’t notice and ignore me.
Aren’t Kang Tae-san and his grandmother now the only relationship left for ‘Han Seong-hyeon’?
‘I hope it’s just my imagination.’
To make sure of that, it’s best to shake off this discomfort as quickly as possible.
For me, who is multitasking every day, having a seemingly normal conversation while secretly analyzing the other person was nothing.
“So what did that guy say then…”
“Hey! “I decided not to say that…”
“Oh my! really? “Our darling…”
The self who was casually talking about trivial things and the self who was calmly examining the situation were separated, and the surrounding sounds began to slowly increase.
As my mind calmly settled down to the “brightness index,” “nervousness” added to my mind, and I observed the other person closely.
Body movements and facial expressions that change in real time, movements of facial muscles such as around the eyes and mouth, fine wrinkles hidden by makeup, and constriction of the pupil.
Although I did not have any convenient abilities such as mind reading, my enormous mental status and “Visiting Eyes” combined with the “Analysis” borrowed from Hubert, the owner of a large merchant, produced an equally effective effect.
And as a result –
〈Park Mi-young (pseudonym)〉
-Affiliation is unknown. He is older than he appears on the outside. They are hiding their true feelings and lying. Before coming here, I received instructions from someone.
-Main characteristics: Extraordinary acting ability, cool-headed judgment of the situation, excellent mental ability, ordinary physical ability
-Reliability: 11%
The results I expected were unexpected.
Reliability is at rock bottom and analysis details are not properly published as a result.
With numbers like this, it could almost be considered unconditional betrayal.
‘…I didn’t know it.’
I tried to maintain my composure and smiled without showing any signs of confusion.
Since we had not yet clearly revealed the other party’s purpose, it was useless to show signs that we had noticed something.
And just in case, I even “analyzed” and compared Kang Taesan.
〈Kang Taesan〉
– Affiliated with the Criminal Investigation Department of the Republic of Korea’s Ability Management Bureau. With an indomitable will and constant effort, I joined the company with excellent grades. Due to the deaths of those who followed him like his parents, he has a strong hatred for supernatural crimes. I am very excited about introducing my lover to my friend for the first time. Even though I ate one chicken, I’m still hungry.
-Main characteristics: Unbreakable faith, persistent fighting spirit, devoted family love, excellent fighting talent, extraordinary mental ability, excellent physical ability
-Reliability: 94%
‘… As expected, there is nothing wrong with the skills. That means…’
Everything about that woman who goes by the name Park Mi-young was a lie from beginning to end.
Everything from name to age occupation and approach intention.
“Oh wait, I need to go to the bathroom.”
“Okay then. But I’m a little hungry. Is it okay for you to just have dessert? Should I order another honey bread?”
“How are you? Can you have one yourself? “Why don’t we just order each type at this point?”
“…Really? Then…”
I got up and headed toward the bathroom, my face cold as I heard the two people’s friendly voices coming from behind.
Kang Tae-san, who had been like family since elementary school, was a great guy.
Unlike the ordinary me, not only was I always at the top in studies and sports, but I never gave up even when someone bullied me for not having parents.
Not only did he take care of me until the end when I was a loner stuck at home after the accident, but he was also a gifted person who joined the Talent Management Bureau with his hard work to uncover the case.
‘But…’
In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that he accounted for most of the ordinary and peaceful life of ‘Han Seong-hyun’.
If it weren’t for Kang Tae-san, my daily life would have been ruined before I even got my “avatar”.
‘…How dare you touch that?’
It was, for example, a symbol of my ruined humanity.
He is the person who knows my past best in the world, the only person with a direct connection to that past, and one of the reasons why I desperately pursue morality and struggle not to lose my former self.
When I thought that it might be damaged by someone’s dirty intentions, my insides began to boil.
Sigh—
I entered the toilet stall of the bathroom and took out a smartphone using “space storage.”
A cannon phone prepared to deal with matters in the shadows rather than contact information used in the sun.
In reality, the amount of use itself was much more than that of Yangji.
‘Where… let’s see what they’re doing.’
I sent a few lines of command to Jin Shao-ran, Heinz II’s agent, and immediately threw the cannon phone back into subspace.
Afterwards, I casually washed my hands in the sink and gazed at my face reflected in the mirror—especially my eyes, which were shining coldly.
The vampire-dominated clan had long since completely taken control of Korea’s underbelly.
They were self-respecting because if they indiscriminately absorbed underground forces and inflated their size excessively, they could create unnecessary vigilance among various organizations, but that indirect influence alone was enough to exercise actual control.
“How are you? I ordered this and that. “Maybe it’s because I worked overtime for a few days, but I’m still hungry no matter how much I eat.”
“What are you doing now? “Don’t I know you eat a lot?”
“Right? Ugh, my Taesan has such a big appetite.”
“Haha! “Because I have a high energy metabolism…”
And I am the owner of that clan.
There was nothing unknown about what was happening in the darkness of Korea.
***
“As expected, it’s nice to see your face after a long time. Let’s see each other like this often. “Get some fresh air outside.”
“I had fun today. Seonghyun, if you have any thoughts, please let me know at any time. “There is a pretty junior who seems to suit Seonghyun well, and I will introduce you to him next time.”
“Ahaha, I’m still okay. “I still like natural encounters.”
“Oh, you’re going to live alone your whole life?”
“Leave it alone. “I’m only in my early twenties, so what?”
“Hmm… Is that also true? Yeah whatever. Speak if you feel like it. “Then go in carefully.”
As time passed and the night deepened, the end of the meeting naturally came.
I said goodbye to the two people standing side by side and walked towards the parking lot where I parked my car.
I could roughly guess why Kang Taesan called me this time.
I may have been thinking of introducing my best friend to my first girlfriend, but more than that, I probably had a strong desire to form a new relationship with myself, who was still a shut-in at home even after overcoming my fear of going outside.
‘Looking at it, it looks like he asked Park Mi-young separately.’
If you knew a good woman, wouldn’t you have asked her on a blind date?
Contrary to his thoughts, it was an unnecessary consideration for me, who was actively engaged in external activities that crossed the world… or even across dimensions, and was in separate relationships with many women.
‘Of course, it’s far from the romantic aspect.’
After lightly appetizing, I sat in the driver’s seat of the foreign car I had just purchased and took out a smartphone.
To check a message from one of those ‘connected women’.
“…let me see.”
Approximately an hour after the investigation was ordered.
The prior information provided itself was not very much.
From the beginning, everything from Park Mi-young’s name to her occupation and residence was a lie.
‘Okay, I finished it properly.’
However, just over an hour was enough for me to receive a properly organized report.
It was only natural that the most talented people gave priority to Heinz’s orders regardless of the time or situation.
I calmly read the contents of the report with a stern expression.
“…under! okay. “Now that I think about it, there was this one.”
My eyes closed as I realized the full story of everything.
To organize a plan for how to move forward.
The fingers holding the steering wheel moved to the beat, making a small noise.
‘Well, I don’t really have a plan.’
Then, for a moment, I opened my eyes again, started the car, and gently stepped on the accelerator.
A luxurious body that moves smoothly, cutting through the darkness of the night.
Regardless of the reason, there was only one judgment for those who went against my wishes.
***
In Korea, violent crimes had decreased significantly due to the activities of the unofficial transcendental groups Hahoetal and Phantom, as well as the recently active vigilante groups such as the clans.
However, their area was limited to ‘violent crimes’ that literally threatened the security of society, and they were not able to crack down on all criminal activities.
Unless we castrate all the desires of everyone in the world, those who commit crimes will not disappear.
As if there were a law of preservation of criminals, the more one side was oppressed, the more the other side began to act more aggressively.
As harsh sanctions continue, violent criminals, whose lives have become more difficult, seem to have changed their business and have begun to engage in more active activities such as fraud and embezzlement through intimidation, which are difficult to prove and difficult to catch in the act.
“How is work going?”
And among those who actively took advantage of such a situation, there were also those with vested rights who had already taken a firm position in society.
The office of the chairman of Daeryong Group, a conglomerate ranked in the top 30 in the Korean business world.
When an older man wearing a luxurious suit and glasses indifferently opened his mouth, the strategic planning director who was holding a tablet next to him bowed politely and answered.
“Manpower supply and demand are progressing smoothly. “We have twisted the chain of command several times to avoid being tracked down, and we are prepared to cut off the tail at any time if we want.”
It was not that difficult to embrace radicals who were dissatisfied with society but could not move for fear of their executioners.
After all, what they wanted was primal pleasure, including money and the desire for destruction.
If I could somehow satisfy that need, I could temporarily use them as weapons, and just being able to handle them for a short time was enough to get things done.
Even if it is a minor, unnoticeable misfortune, if it comes one after another, wouldn’t it be enough to hold back competitors?
‘If you are reluctant to do domestic activities, you can send it overseas and use it.’
This is a group that has been raised from the beginning using any means possible.
A true businessman maximizes profits by using all available means according to the situation.
Even as the chairman lifted up his gold-rimmed glasses and smiled darkly, the strategic planning director’s report continued.
Following the content related to money laundering and all kinds of corruption, finally, the last item on the agenda.
“…We are sequentially planting our people in various organizations and carrying out work. “We are proceeding through Cheonjong Construction’s line, but there is nothing special about it.”
“Um, okay. There’s no need to rush that part, so I tell him to proceed clearly. “If the circumstances arise, it could become a dagger.”
By the time I finished the report.
The strategic planning director’s eyes twitched momentarily as he glanced at the tablet to organize things.
A sudden variable occurred without any warning.
“…This is an urgent report to the Chairman. Construction of the Heavenly Sect….”
They didn’t even know.
Because of something they thought was no big deal, the King of Shadows, who rules the shadows of Korea, began to show his teeth at them.