NOVEL NEXT Chapter 178
Chapter 178: Stirring the Pot
“Huh? Bro, do you have a girlfriend now?”
Kang Baek exclaimed as he noticed the shiny silver ring on my left ring finger.
It was the ring Hyris had given me to contact her in emergencies.
At first, I thought about taking it off and stashing it in my inventory, but then I remembered her thoughtful intention to help, and decided to just wear it.
Besides, it wasn’t just any communication magic ring.
This unique item not only boosted my magic resistance by 10% but also nullified lower-class attack magic.
High-grade accessory items are rare and come with potent effects.
For someone like Hyris, handing out such an item was no big deal.
Still, it was something to be grateful for.
“Well… let’s just say it’s somewhat like that.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It’s an adult situation.”
I chuckled, glancing at my wristwatch.
“Hey, it’s been 30 minutes. Isn’t it time for you to go?”
“Ugh, has it already been that long? Bro, I’m off!”
Kang Baek hurriedly dashed out of the ward office; his break time was almost over.
The ward office fell quiet again.
“Uh….”
I turned my head to stare at the calendar hanging on the wall.
It had already been over a month since…
In that time, there didn’t seem to be any suspicious movements from the Emperor’s side.
Well, according to To-ya, it didn’t look like they would act immediately.
Maybe I had been preparing too quickly?
Nah.
It was only right to be as prepared as possible.
Failing to do so could lead to painful regrets later.
But there was one issue.
That very issue had made me arrange to meet Deputy Director Seo after work.
◈ ◈ ◈
“You don’t look too well,” I said as I met Deputy Director Seo.
He definitely appeared more fatigued than when I had last seen him a month ago.
“There’s been some pressure from a VIP,” he replied with a wry smile.
The VIP he referred to wasn’t the President.
It was an S-Class Awakened Being.
I had heard that one of the S-Class Awakened Beings assigned to us was reaching their limit with their patience.
It seemed that this S-Class had been venting their frustrations to Deputy Director Seo.
It wasn’t just my information that had swayed the Association President’s heart.
It was Deputy Director Seo’s judgment and abilities that had earned him trust to be appointed the next Director of the Inspection Bureau, which had gravitated the President’s attention.
With the S-Class fully aware of that situation, they seemed to be pressing Seo more.
“Wow, you must be exhausted,” I remarked sympathetically.
“Such is the life of a worker,” Seo said with a smile while sipping some water.
“That makes it a bit awkward to ask this of you,” I continued.
“What’s the request?”
Seo inquired.
“I’ve been thinking about it.”
“Yes?”
“I feel like I’ve done the best I can for the daytime preparations. But the night is problematic.”
“Night?”
“Yes, from what I hear, S-Class folks tend to go home in the evening, correct?”
“That’s correct. However, two A-rank Hunters are assigned to guard Choi Gang-hyuk 24/7, and if anything happens, they’ll contact S-Class and the association immediately.”
“That’s a little late.”
I said seriously.
I continued, “Can’t the S-Class also work in shifts to guard 24/7?”
“That’s impractical. I doubt even the President could issue such an order.”
Seo shook his head.
Even with two S-Class on duty now, visible complaints were surfacing.
But getting four to rotate?
That was impossible.
I opened my mouth with an expression suggesting I expected that kind of answer.
“Then how about this? Are you aware there’s a residence by the detention center?”
“A residence?”
“Yes, the Correctional Headquarters provides a place for correctional officers to stay near correctional facilities; that’s the residence.”
“Is that so? Are you suggesting….”
“Yes, if S-Class beings could stay there, they could respond immediately to any nighttime incidents, since it’s right next to the detention center.”
“Hmm…”
Deputy Director Seo appeared to be deep in thought.
After a moment, he spoke.
“Are you suspecting there might be an enemy night raid?”
“Yes, that’s exactly how I think. There are only a third of the staff at the detention center during the night… Ah, but in the case of this enemy, I guess the number of staff at the detention center won’t matter. Hmm, what about the Hunter Association? Their nighttime staff numbers are pretty low too, aren’t they?”
I asked, looking at Seo.
“That’s correct. Only a few staff work during the night. But unless it’s in a wartime situation, a 24/7 emergency response is impossible.”
“I completely understand your point. Anyway, at night, all the guild’s Hunters will be heading home. So if there’s an attack at night, quick responses will be challenging. The enemies are likely aware of this as well.”
“So you’re suggesting they might strike at night?”
“Not that it’s a certainty, but I trust you’ll agree that better preparation is needed. That’s why I wanted to ask for S-Class to reside in the residence; it’s the main reason I came to meet you.”
I myself lived nearby the detention center, ready to rush over whenever anything happened.
I had even refrained from going far during the weekends.
So the crux of the issue lay solely with the S-Class.
Hence I brought this up.
“…I see.”
Seo nodded his head.
After thinking briefly, he added, “That might be possible.”
“That’s a relief.”
A smile spread across my face.
“And one more thing….”
“Now you mention it, my heart sinks.”
There was sincerity in Seo’s remark.
“Haha, sorry! But it’s something I really must mention.”
“Go ahead.”
“It’s about how the enemies might approach.”
“You’re not insinuating teleportation, are you?”
Seo countered with what appeared to be an inkling of realization.
“Sharp as always.”
No matter what mode of transport they used, a group of foreigners would attract attention.
So, the only method to approach the detention center stealthily would be via teleportation.
To move many people, a magic circle was necessary.
There was no doubt that To-ya, an expert in teleportation, had explained this.
It seemed like Seo was on the same wavelength.
“As it happens, I’ve instructed the staff to look for any locations where a teleportation magic circle might be situated.”
“I guess I didn’t need to tell you that.”
“But Ganghwa Island is a large isle, so frankly, we’re understaffed. I’m not sure we’ll find anything.”
“That can’t be helped. I’m also doing what I can with the manpower I have.”
“I hope you have some success.”
“Same goes for the Association.”
◈ ◈ ◈
“How’s it going, Guard?”
To-ya asked.
“Things seem promising.”
I replied.
I felt like we had done nearly everything possible.
It wasn’t just the Association I had been asking for help from; I had told the Yangji Guild members to stay and have their meals at the guild building until the situation necessitated.
That way, they could respond promptly if something happened.
Unexpectedly, even Euna, who wasn’t staying at the guild but lived nearby, had communicated her willingness to come if something arose.
Even after telling her many times how dangerous it was, it had fallen on deaf ears.
Of course, I had urged her to focus on preventing civilian casualties rather than taking unnecessary risks, given the enemy’s strength.
It was still a dangerous undertaking.
From the first encounter, I sensed that Euna was no ordinary person.
Her husband, Yong-jin, too, wasn’t typical for agreeing to let her act alone.
Being an E-rank Hunter, he felt useless and wanted to stay out of trouble.
But letting his wife head into danger under such circumstances was something most ordinary people wouldn’t easily allow.
“Did I help a lot?”
To-ya asked with a shrug.
“Yeah, you really did.”
I gave her a thumbs up.
The teleportation magic circle was one thing, but she had brought such valuable information in the first place.
Without that info, we would’ve been blindsided for sure.
“Treat me to something delicious.”
The conclusion seemed to boil down to just that.
◈ ◈ ◈
“No way! You grew up in such a dump? I can’t take this anymore.”
A young woman in her mid-twenties complained loudly.
She was Baek Ha-rin, Korea’s youngest S-Class Awakened Being.
Her forehead was scrunched in annoyance.
Having to play the jailer was irritating enough, and now she had to sleep near a cell.
Her frustration hit the roof.
“What can you do? Just bear with it for now.”
The tired-looking man in his late thirties next to her replied.
He was the same man who had met with me before, looking worse for wear.
He was also an S-Class Awakened Being, Nam Seung-hoon.
“Bear with it? I just want to flip this whole place upside down!”
“That’s just how life in society works.”
“Why are you so calm about this?”
“Not at all. I’m not feeling great about it either. I just respect the Association President. You know he saved my life when the S-Class gate was breached, right?”
He was referring to when Korea had tackled an S-Class Gate without foreign assistance for the first time.
If it weren’t for Ryu Geon-woo saving him back then, he wouldn’t be here now.
“I get that, but…ugh.”
Ha-rin let out an exasperated sigh.
Then, in a biting voice, she retorted, “If nothing happens, I won’t leave that guard or Deputy Director Seo alone.”
◈ ◈ ◈
Time sped by.
In no time, another month had passed.
Yet, I remained calm.
I trusted To-ya’s words.
Though the S-Class folks at the residence didn’t seem so relaxed, nothing appeared to be amiss so far.
The Association hadn’t voiced any concerns either.
However, it seemed that they hadn’t found the magic circle yet.
After all, the enemies wouldn’t be so sloppy as to set up a magic circle in a conspicuous place.
Finding that circle would indeed prove challenging.
And there was one more thing.
Today, I received word from Deputy Director Seo.
The Association President, Ryu Geon-woo, had left for the United States to attend a regular international Hunter Association meeting.
One S-Class would be missing from Korea.
But I didn’t fret too much about it.
Having the Association and S-Class cooperate already fulfilled the role I had hoped for from the Association President.
Without clear evidence, it was only natural for the Association President to verify everything.
Of course, Deputy Director Seo played a huge part in that.
“…I won’t allow it.”
I muttered suddenly.
Not a single inmate would be permitted to escape from the detention center.
That was the duty of a guard.
◈ ◈ ◈
The Emperor was at the Kremlin Palace.
He relaxed in the President’s office, sipping tea.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
It was the phone that managed matters concerning the darker side—not the Yangji side.
The Emperor picked up.
“Speak.”
Something was hurriedly relayed from the other end.
The Emperor listened silently before uttering a curt reply.
“Alright, today. Let’s execute it.”