The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 100
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A Civil Servant Who Hides His Strength Is Exceptionally Good at Possession – Episode 100
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[Meanwhile, President Baek addressed the Go Cheol-won incident at a press conference and made the following statement.]
[TNN Reporter: Mayor Go Cheol-won was involved in smuggling, and there’s widespread concern that illegal item trafficking is more prevalent in Korean society than expected. Korea is a nation with strict gun control laws, yet citizens are worried the country is becoming a crime-ridden area. I’d like to know your position on this concern.]
[President Baek Hee-ryeong: Yes. I view that matter seriously as well. In fact, wouldn’t it be fair to say that Hunters, since the appearance of Gates and Dungeons, have become one of the driving forces leading us into a new era of energy? However, such a major transformation inevitably brings problems in its wake.]
A middle-aged woman with a composed expression and short hair.
She wore a brown suit seemingly inspired by traditional Korean dress, her face neither too dark nor too bright as she continued speaking.
[President Baek Hee-ryeong: However, as our society undergoes such dramatic transformation, I believe we may have been somewhat negligent in managing these Hunters. In particular, regarding the large-scale smuggling between Russia and North Korea, I believe this is a matter that must be addressed through international cooperation. In relation to this, there will be an announcement following close discussions with the Hunter Management Office.]
[TNN Reporter: Regarding that, there’s talk of even upgrading the agency’s status….]
[Presidential Spokesperson: Yes, matters related to this will be discussed at the Cabinet meeting later. It will be announced through close cooperation with Cabinet members and the National Assembly. Next reporter, yes, the one in white….]
Choi Jun-gu tilted his head, clicking his tongue as he watched the President’s face, which didn’t lose its smile even amid the rapid topic change.
“Damn, that woman sure talks a lot better than she did back when she was opposition leader. How about that?”
“….”
Choi Jun-gu’s Chief of Staff couldn’t find an answer and closed his mouth.
“Does she not even remember those shabby days from back then?”
Choi Jun-gu looked at his Chief of Staff, who had no response.
Then the Chief of Staff swallowed hard and answered.
“Should we activate the hotline?”
“The hotline? Will she listen to me like that?”
Choi Jun-gu looked at a woman who was listening intently to the next question.
Ten years ago, Baek Hee-ryeong became a congressman from the opposition party based on her career as a human rights lawyer.
She was a woman who had made strong statements, claiming that Awakened ones called Hunters had created deep-rooted “class divisions” in society, and for a time she had simultaneously attracted popularity and backlash.
But afterward, having served as Seoul Mayor and opposition leader before being mentioned as a presidential candidate for the opposition party, which was in crisis at the time, she seemed to have begun restraining her Hunter-related remarks.
This made sense, as the social atmosphere viewed Hunters as a pillar of new energy sources, and there was a widespread belief that excessive control of Hunters would destroy the nation’s foundational energy sources.
Of course, Choi Jun-gu’s Hunter Association, which he led, had played a significant role in forming that public opinion.
Well, regardless, Baek Hee-ryeong became President by the narrowest of margins.
“That bastard said not to touch his family.”
The ruling party candidate had been exposed for a major sexual scandal at his election campaign, causing his approval ratings to plummet.
“Why can’t those Yeouido politicians keep their pants on when they get horny?”
“Should we create a backlash with this statement?”
The Chief of Staff checked real-time reactions to Baek Hee-ryeong’s remarks.
The reactions were sharply divided.
Comments
-Good job. Hunters commit all kinds of crimes from tax evasion to everything else. What kind of Hunters are they? They’re the evil of society. Evil.
-Penny wise, pound foolish. A president should look at macroeconomics. Mana stone prices are skyrocketing worldwide. When Korea’s mana stone reserves hit their lowest point, you can’t say things like this. Disappointing.
-This is when you should buy guild-related stocks! Let’s get in at the bottom!
Citizens who supported Baek Hee-ryeong’s remarks, those who harbored resentment toward villain Hunters who committed crimes.
And some citizens who believed that while some villain crimes were individual transgressions, attacking all Hunters would damage the economy.
And then…. retail investors trying to adjust their investment positions based on political movements.
Public opinion was mixed.
“I can contact a TNN reporter—”
“No.”
Choi Jun-gu shook his head.
“Just leave it alone. Now isn’t the time.”
Choi Jun-gu narrowed his eyes.
“That bastard of a Chief isn’t answering my calls?”
“Well….”
The Hunter Management Bureau Chief was actually ignoring Choi Jun-gu’s calls.
A text had come saying “I’m busy with meetings, I’ll contact you later,” but that was merely formality.
The Hunter Management Bureau Chief’s intention was already clear.
‘I’ll throw my weight behind the Hunter Investigation Unit.’ That was it.
There might be something exchanged with the President.
Despite knowing this all too well, Choi Jun-gu spoke as if unbothered.
“Those bastards are barometers, you see. Even if a headwind blows gently now, it only consolidates their base.”
Choi Jun-gu’s pale brown eyes gleamed with intensity.
“When those bastards sprout wings and soar high, that’s when you break them—so their necks snap in one go.”
Choi Jun-gu smiled as he watched the President answer other questions while making leisurely jokes.
His eyes radiating killing intent.
“Our Woo-jin worked hard, so I can’t devour Lee Yu-ji for a while. I should let that cute thing cause more trouble.”
At Choi Jun-gu’s words, the Secretary Manager offered an ambiguous smile.
Choi Jun-gu tilted his head at the Secretary Manager’s ambiguous smile.
“What?”
“No, sir. It seems Officer Choi Woo-jin attached a location tracking item to Inspector Lee Yu-ji at that time—”
“Seems?”
“The signal cut off midway. Especially when heading toward the Zelkova Tree dungeon.”
At those words, Choi Jun-gu’s expression became subtle.
“Are you saying Woo-jin removed it?”
“Pardon? No, that’s not it—”
Attachment-type items aren’t easy for non-Hunters to deactivate freely in the first place.
Which meant….
“It seems Inspector Lee Yu-ji noticed something. Following that lead will be difficult for a while.”
“Hmm….”
Choi Jun-gu’s eyebrows rose.
“And she’s supposedly F-rank?”
“Yes. According to the investigation results… and upon re-analyzing her movements, there were no particular signs of body enhancement skills.”
“Yet she recognizes and removes an item we created?”
That wasn’t all.
She caught the Incheon Mayor’s smuggling charges and even moved the President.
An F-rank Hunter without a single skill.
“Ahahaha…!”
Choi Jun-gu burst into laughter.
At his untimely outburst, not only the Secretary Manager but all the secretaries standing in the back tensed up.
“Wow… Don’t you think we should get some F-rank hunters in the next recruitment too? What do you think?”
As Choi Jun-gu turned around and spoke, the secretaries couldn’t offer any response.
Would there ever be another F-rank like that? They swallowed those words.
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Special promotion.
A special promotion.
“Special advancement. Wow~ The entire special unit got promoted, promoted!”
Since its establishment, the special unit held its first full team dinner gathering.
I was still floating on the high of the special promotion, and it seemed most of the special unit members, including Baek Sang-jin, were in the same state.
Even Ham I-na, who wasn’t usually obsessed with promotions, had brightened up.
I gazed at the continuous stream of prime rib being served and recalled the frozen, thinly-sliced pork belly I used to eat in my past life.
‘Isn’t the side dish selection too extravagant? The officer is going to eat all the meat here.’
…Goodbye to those days when I got teased by the Team Leader for eating two slices of thinly-sliced pork belly in a row.
Seeing the marbled meat, I quickly seized the tongs.
Even with the promotion, I remained the newest investigator.
This was clearly a hierarchical society—a civil service hierarchy.
“Oh, I’ll grill it for you.”
“I should be the one grilling.”
Then, a hand gently wrapped around my hand holding the tongs. It was Choi Woo-jin.
Ji Won-gil and Choi Woo-jin had also joined our team dinner.
Both of them had contributed to this case, so it was only natural…
‘This is uncomfortable. So uncomfortable.’
I furrowed my brow, looking at Choi Woo-jin’s hand touching mine across the tongs.
I recalled that cold hand taking the key from me.
And—
‘Everything that happened here is a secret. We’ve developed a secret between us now? Han Seong-ye and I had a big secret too.’
The discomfort from those final words lingered in my mouth like sand, grating against my teeth.
Then.
Someone suddenly snatched the tongs from both of us.
It was Pee So-won with a cold expression.
“That’s enough. I’ll grill the meat. Our team’s youngest investigator handled all the aftermath of the case without doing anything else, so I’ll take it from here.”
Pee So-won had been like this lately.
‘…She’s upset.’
It was obvious at a glance.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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