Chapter 56: The Interview (1)
The conditions for obtaining the Rune of Doppelgangers were straightforward but far from easy.
To acquire it, one had to commit murder while impersonating another person in a hidden location where the rune is concealed.
“But how often does someone actually commit a murder while impersonating someone else?”
Yet, today was the day when this bizarre act would become a reality.
The one impersonating the infamous Black Scythe would commit a heinous crime and obtain the coveted Rune of Doppelgangers.
‘Of course, the person involved has no idea.’
Ryu Min delved into the thoughts of the impersonator.
‘Heh, they truly believe I am the Black Scythe? How foolish. It’s surprisingly easy to deceive them.’
Maintaining an expressionless façade, he concealed his own amusement.
‘Wow! Not a flicker of emotion on his face? With such skill, he could be an accomplished actor.’
This imposter, currently impersonating the identity of the Black Scythe, went by the nickname “Kuku-Ru-Bbang.”
By a twist of fate, he stumbled upon the Rune of Doppelgangers and eventually earned the title “Doppelganger.”
“For now, he may go unnoticed, but once he possesses the Rune of Doppelgangers, he’ll become infamous.”
Not for his virtuous deeds, but for his malicious exploits.
After all, he had shamelessly abused the power of the Rune of Doppelgangers for various criminal endeavors.
“That’s to be expected. He was nothing more than a criminal to begin with.”
From loan fraud to pyramid schemes, scams, counterfeit coins, hacking cryptocurrency exchanges, and even voice phishing—there was hardly a lucrative deceit he hadn’t dabbled in. He was an expert fraudster with a wealth of experience.
‘And now, this individual becomes a player and disguised as Black Scythe…’
The grim reality of even criminals gaining supernatural powers was disheartening, but such power was fleeting.
As planned, Ryu Min concealed his satisfaction behind a satisfied smile as he faced the imposter.
“I will manipulate this man’s abilities to claim the Rune of Doppelgangers.”
It was an opportunity to obtain the Hidden Rune—a chance not to be missed.
“Now that we’ve exchanged greetings, let’s briefly verify some personal information. Shall we start with Little Crock?”
“Yes? Yes, of course.”
Ryu Min adopted an expression reminiscent of a recently enlisted trainee, his nerves palpable.
“Your real name is Kim Seung-hyun, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And your age?”
“I’m 19 years old.”
“Do you currently hold any occupation?”
“No, I’ve just graduated from high school…”
“19 years old and unemployed…”
The officer muttered as he meticulously transcribed the information onto the documents.
“You mentioned that you’re a level 13 Assassin on the registration form. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“And it’s true that you’ve even reached the impressive rank of 4th in the district rankings?”
“Yes, indeed.”
While answering with a simple “yes,” a smug smirk couldn’t be contained within.
‘Truth? To be honest, it’s all a lie.’
Except for one thing—He hadn’t lied about is, the nickname.
‘Little Crock is indeed an existing nickname.’
In essence, Ryu Min was also impersonating another player.
‘That’s the only way for me to fulfill the requirements and obtain the Rune of Doppelgangers.’
It would be quite absurd if the guy in charge found out.
After all, two impersonators were right there, in front of him.
‘No matter what lies I tell, there’s no way for them to verify them.’
Yet, it didn’t make it any less uncomfortable.
Although his true identity remained hidden, his face was still exposed.
‘Well, it’s alright. There’s no need to worry about my face being exposed through these people.’
Ryu Min glanced at the Black Flame Dragon and the impersonator.
‘Ranked 4th in the district rankings? Surprisingly impressive for a little baby.’
‘Hmm. Even I haven’t managed to reach the 4th spot myself… Let’s not underestimate someone just because they look like an ordinary dish.’
While Ryu Min was reading their thoughts, the guy in charge shifted his gaze.
“Understood. Next, I’ll direct my questions to Black Flame Dragon.”
“Can I ask something before that?”
“Of course. Black Flame Dragon, what is it that you’re curious about?”
“Why do we have to expose our personal information in front of everyone instead of having one-on-one conversations? Is there a reason behind this?”
The slightly disgruntled tone caused the guy in charge to pause for a moment.
“Well, the idea was to get to know each other and foster a sense of familiarity by sharing some information publicly… But does it make you uncomfortable to have others overhear your personal details?”
“Is there anyone who wouldn’t feel uncomfortable?”
“Anyway, once we become members and get to know each other, we’ll eventually learn everything about one another, right? Besides, we’re only asking for basic information like name, age, occupation, level, and class in the Otherworld—not anything overly private.”
“…”
Although the explanation seemed reasonable, it didn’t completely appease the discontent felt by Black Flame Dragon.
The officer audibly sighed, their frustration evident.
“Well, if you’re genuinely dissatisfied, we can skip the interview with Black Flame Dragon altogether…”
“I’m not that dissatisfied, so let’s proceed.”
Black Flame Dragon responded nonchalantly, but Ryu Min knew better.
He could sense the underlying unease and slight flustered state within the individual.
‘It’s no wonder. He joined with the intention of devouring players, so he’ll do whatever it takes to pass the interview.’
From the perspective of the Black Flame Dragon, with the Absorption Rune in their possession, the Player Haven Cafe was like an all-you-can-eat buffet.
“Then, I’ll proceed with the questions. Is your real name Shim Hyung-taek?”
“Yes.”
“And how old are you and what is your occupation?”
“I’m 15 years old, and I’m a middle school student.”
“Oh, you’re the youngest among the applicants.”
Although he smiled outwardly, his true thoughts were far from pleasant.
‘That little brat. I thought he was an adult, but turns out you’re just a middle schooler?’
‘Kehehehehe crossed that X out.’
Even the impersonator, who had maintained a poker face all this time, struggled to hold back their laughter.
However, Ryu Min couldn’t find it amusing.
He knew what the Black Flame Dragon had done.
‘Would they mock him like that if they knew he brutally murdered his classmate? Well, they weren’t exactly friends, but rather the ones who bullied him before.’
Having gone through a similar experience, Ryu Min could understand.
He must have wanted to kill them before but couldn’t.
However, after experiencing countless murders in the fourth round, he must have felt confident.
‘But to brutally kill an ordinary person just for playing a prank? That’s something an average middle schooler wouldn’t do.’
It was something even most adults would find difficult, yet the Black Flame Dragon planned and executed it methodically.
‘Clearly, he’s no ordinary person, even without the Absorption Rune.’
That’s why Ryu Min killed him five times in the fourth round to restrain them.
He was a dangerous existence in their own right.
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