NOVEL NEXT Chapter 98
Chapter 98
The 21st floor of the Korea Hunter Association Building.
I never imagined the day would come when I’d set foot here, even when I was just an ordinary person or even after becoming a Hunter.
After all, this place housed the President of the Korea Hunter Association.
It wasn’t a place anyone could just waltz into.
I thought I would be interrogated in the Inspection Bureau office located on the 10th floor again this time.
But unexpectedly, I was guided directly to the 21st floor.
I suppose that means the Hunter Association takes this matter seriously.
And rightly so.
Many people have died.
Moreover, it wasn’t an accident— it was homicide.
By a Chinese person, no less.
“Please, go in.”
The staff member guiding me said at the door of the President’s office.
Taking a short deep breath, I knocked.
I heard a man’s voice inviting me in, and I opened the door.
“Welcome.”
An elderly man, presumed to be Ryu Geon-woo, spoke.
They said he was nearing seventy, but he hardly looked it.
His gray hair seemed intentionally un-dyed, but he had plenty of it.
His wrinkles weren’t deep, and his skin had an elasticity that belied his age.
Overall, he appeared gentle yet dignified, suggesting it wasn’t just the aura bestowed by his title.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lee Si-hyun.”
I greeted him politely.
“Please, have a seat.”
Despite being much older and holding the position of President of the Hunter Association, Ryu Geon-woo treated me with courtesy.
Perhaps it was because we had just met and I wasn’t affiliated with the organization.
Or maybe it was just his nature.
As I sat down, Ryu Geon-woo also took a seat across from me.
On the reception table, warm steaming tea was already prepared.
“This is green tea. If it doesn’t suit your taste, I can prepare another beverage?”
“No, it’s fine. Thank you.”
I lifted the teacup and slowly took a sip.
Ryu Geon-woo waited for me to set the cup down before he spoke.
“I’ve heard a bit about the situation.”
Since I had gone through basic questioning at the scene, it was likely Ryu Geon-woo was informed of the circumstances.
I stared into his eyes, calmly organizing my thoughts internally.
Having kissed the truth together with Eun-hye and Min-jun during questioning, I was able to articulate myself without error.
Now, if I answered well here, I would likely make it through this ordeal safely.
“First and foremost, I want to express my deepest condolences. As the President of the Association, I feel a heavy responsibility and a weight on my heart regarding the unfortunate sacrifices of my fellow Hunters.”
“…It wasn’t something we could prevent in advance.”
A heavy silence hung in the air for a moment.
As the somber atmosphere lingered, Ryu Geon-woo spoke again.
“Being a Hunter involves such risks. It’s a job that carries potential dangers. There will inevitably be injuries and fatalities. It’s tragic, but I’ve seen my fair share of those.”
“But this incident is… different.”
I quietly waited for him to continue.
“It was a horrifying event perpetrated not by monsters, but by humans. Each time such an incident occurs, I feel a profound sense of despair.”
“Humans can kill each other at any time.”
I said softly.
As I reviewed numerous homicide records of criminals in prison, I saw many who committed murders for ludicrous reasons.
‘Just for that?’ the thought would often occur.
They killed because a confession was rejected, because someone wouldn’t meet them, because they didn’t want to pay back a mere few hundred thousand won, or simply because they found someone’s gaze unpleasant…
Every time I witnessed such acts, I was reminded that what truly terrified us wasn’t ghosts, but rather humans.
And now, those terrifying humans had crossed over from that world.
Not just a few.
At least among the S-Class, those with memories weren’t to be taken lightly, and even those below that level had noticeably twisted personalities.
It led me to suspect that, more likely than not, notorious figures from that world would awaken an antisocial personality here too.
I hadn’t examined all of them, but there were quite a few individuals like that in the Special Detention Center where I worked.
They had come seeking the judgment of the law.
But I was grateful it was just this much.
While I wouldn’t say they would reach A-Class, if they were S-Class, the government might find themselves severely tempted.
If the government sought to protect and utilize an S-Class Awakened Being like the Human Butcher, it would indeed be the worst of scenarios.
“Indeed. It seems the young man is quite knowledgeable.”
“Given the nature of the job.”
“By the way, I hear you work as a Correctional Officer.”
Ryu Geon-woo seemed to have checked basic details about me.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
A recent bill proposed by Jang Hak-ki to include Hunters as exceptions to the rule prohibiting dual government jobs had passed, so I had nothing to worry about by disclosing my occupation.
“I know some Hunters who are currently serving time.”
Ryu Geon-woo said with a somewhat bitter tone.
“There are even some among the correctional officers. Even though they clearly know what kind of life they’re leading after committing crimes. That’s just being human.”
“Indeed.”
Another brief silence passed.
I lifted my teacup and took a small sip.
“This incident is quite significant.”
Ryu Geon-woo took a sip from his own cup and carefully continued.
“This is an event where a Chinese person massacred Koreans in a foreign country.”
I had already completed the identity investigation on Kashir and Bayan.
They had neither used fake passports nor created false identities. They had entered the country under their real names.
It made sense.
Kashir was a covert S-Class Awakened being who evaded the watchful eyes of the Intelligence Bureau and the Inspection Bureau.
In that situation, if a monster-like human decided to commit murder, it would be incredibly challenging to locate the perpetrator.
Kashir himself probably hadn’t even considered he would meet a Sword Master there and end up dead.
In any case, it was fortunate for Korea.
Thanks to that, we could identify the murderers behind this incident.
“Yes, I also believe it’s a very serious case. Thus, I tried my best to recall and relay everything as accurately as possible.”
I said.
At least regarding the murderer, I had accurately conveyed the information, so I had nothing to hesitate about.
“Thank you for your cooperation. The Hunter Association, as well as the government, will do everything in its power to resolve this matter without injustice… but the Chinese government will likely attribute it to the actions of individuals.”
A classic case of scapegoating.
A commonly used tactic in political and business circles.
They’d frame it as the actions of an individual while claiming ignorance to slip away unscathed.
Ryu Geon-woo predicted that the Chinese government would definitely take that approach.
“Are you suggesting that not only the son of a Communist Party official but also the Human Butcher is linked to the Chinese government?”
I had my suspicions, but I feigned ignorance to hear why Ryu Geon-woo thought so.
“Yes. Since you’ve seen the Human Butcher firsthand, you likely sensed it.”
“Sensed what?”
“He can’t live a week without seeing blood. He must have committed numerous murders in China without question. He’s probably received multiple death sentences too. Yet here he is, strolling about freely. What could that mean? It means the Chinese government is openly shielding him.”
“Even so, is it realistic for the government to cover for a murderer?”
“It’s not just any murderer; he’s an S-Class Awakened Being, so it’s definitely something that could happen. In a country like China, which has an incredibly large population, how much do you think one person’s life is valued? It may sound harsh, but the Chinese government likely considers them insignificant. They’d prioritize one S-Class Awakened being over dozens or hundreds of insignificant lives. This is a country that executes thousands a year without batting an eye.”
“….”
“The world operates like that.”
Ryu Geon-woo said, muttering as he gazed into the void with an inscrutable expression.
I waited for his gaze to return to me before I spoke.
“However, isn’t the son of a Communist Party official also involved in this incident? Are you saying that official will be sacrificed?”
“That official won’t be cut loose. He’s the President of the Chinese Hunter Association and an S-Class Awakened being.”
At last, I understood what Bayan had been trying to say.
He was trying to tell me that his father was the President of the Chinese Hunter Association.
“Doesn’t that make it difficult for the Chinese government to simply cut ties?”
“Alive, his son is precious; dead, he’s nothing. In fact, I think he might be someone to lead the charge in cutting ties.”
It seemed Ryu Geon-woo had met this President of the Chinese Hunter Association before.
From the way he spoke, it didn’t sound like he had a good impression of him.
“It’s unfortunate. I had hoped this would all lead to the truth behind the scenes being uncovered, but that doesn’t seem likely.”
“I’ll try my best….”
Ryu Geon-woo trailed off.
And for a moment, the conversation paused.
To ease the awkwardness, I took another sip of my tea.
“I hear you’ve seen the Sword Master.”
Ryu Geon-woo changed the subject.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Did you perhaps hear anything about which country he belongs to?”
“No, I don’t think I did.”
“Were there any indications of where he was going?”
“No, just that he was off to punish the bad guys.”
I skillfully wove in William’s story when discussing the events.
Surprisingly, it seemed to work quite well.
“The Sword Master Kaiel… it makes sense, then.”
Ryu Geon-woo muttered to himself.
From his reaction, I could assume that the figure known as the Sword Master seemed to possess a significantly righteous character.
“What a shame.”
Based on the various details I had already confirmed at the scene, the man who appeared there was definitely the Sword Master.
There were many rumors about the Sword Master, but this was the first time I’d heard such definitive information.
Moreover, it was the South Korean government that received the information first.
It was a golden opportunity for the government to have a discussion with the Sword Master.
But it seemed he was no longer in South Korea.
Witness accounts led to sketches being created, and the staff were busy running around, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that finding him would be next to impossible.
Witnesses reported that he had arrived using Teleportation Magic.
A woman in her twenties, referred to as a Sage, had been by his side, and she claimed to have used the teleportation spell.
We had investigated her trace, but nothing was coming up.
Since she used Fly Magic, it was only natural there would be no footprints left behind.
In any case, one who had gone through the effort to teleport here wouldn’t move about carelessly enough for us to identify a direction.
“It’s a pity. When I first heard about it, I wondered if he was Korean, but alas, that’s not the case.”
Ryu Geon-woo voiced his disappointment once more.
Considering he had reiterated it so many times, it was clear he sincerely felt it was a disappointment.
While Korea might have some advantages in exports, it was surrounded by major powers.
Russia, China, Japan.
Not one of those nations had fewer S-Class Awakened Beings than Korea.
They didn’t want Korea to increase its number of S-Class Awakened beings.
In fact, they preferred it to decrease.
It was only natural.
Weak neighboring countries were beneficial.
That way, they could flex their strength diplomatically.
Korea found itself in a position where it had to be cautious under the diplomatic pressures of great powers, unable to express its thoughts freely.
However, acquiring the Sword Master could change that situation somewhat.
Ryu Geon-woo understood well because he was an S-Class with memory of the original owner.
The Sword Master Delagardi was especially unique among the S-Class.
He was a man who had surpassed the limits of imagination.
To foreign nations, he was a devastating weapon they could not control.
If Korea possessed such an individual, even powerful nations would think twice before acting recklessly.
That was why Ryu Geon-woo felt so disappointed.
“Oh no, it seems I’ve displayed an unsightly demeanor.”
With a smile, Ryu Geon-woo shifted the conversation back to the case.
They discussed the event.
Of course, it was unavoidable to mention the Sword Master since he had become a central figure in this case.
I realized why he had called me.
He must have heard the details of the incident already but called me in case there was information he had yet to learn about the Sword Master.
It was truly fascinating that the President of the Hunter Association appeared to be friends with Po-ahim and that his sword was now with me.
After about thirty minutes, our conversation came to a close.
“Thank you. You’ve had a tough time and have done well to provide your testimony.”
Ryu Geon-woo bowed politely as he thanked me.
Having met him for the first time, I found him to be unexpectedly likable.
“Not at all. It’s something I must do.”
“If you ever need anything, feel free to contact the Hunter Association at any time.”
“I will do so for sure. Goodbye then.”
I concluded my greeting and left the President’s office.