The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 119

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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 119
[An Elder Brother in Incheon?]
Wow, Ji-yeon really works her magic even in the tree world, huh?
I nodded in amazement.
I see. This is a world that values hierarchy and respect, just like ours.
[A mere human, you say?]
Kwon Ik-seong had already cut through the branches binding him with his sickle and approached me.
“Inspector Lee Yu-ji, please step back.”
“Oh, no! Wait, just a moment!”
I blocked Kwon Ik-seong’s path.
“I… I was trying to have that conversation with him, you see?”
The moment I said that, Kwon Ik-seong raised his sickle and slashed right above my head.
As if talking would convince anyone!
It was the obvious move.
[These damned humans! You’ve deceived me again!]
And in that instant, the enraged Protective Tree reached out toward Kwon Ik-seong.
Kwon Ik-seong immediately took a combat stance and gripped my shoulder.
“I can throw Inspector Lee Yu-ji. While protecting his head.”
“I’m sorry, Team Leader Kwon!”
The moment I spoke, Kwon Ik-seong’s expression hardened.
I shifted my weight onto my back foot and brought my palm down in a striking motion toward Kwon Ik-seong’s shoulder.
Of course, Kwon Ik-seong didn’t get hit—he simply stepped back—but that was enough.
The Protective Tree’s finger-like branches seized Kwon Ik-seong in that moment.
[You humans have deceived me again! Again!]
What do I do? I need to calm the Protective Tree down right now!
With that thought, I cried out.
[Wait, just a moment! Haven’t you heard the rumors?]
[What rumors! I heard that because you humans built a golf course on the adjacent mountain, drawing water from everywhere and cutting down trees, an entire mountain was destroyed!]
At those words, the village chief’s comment came to mind.
“While you’re here, check out the new resort in the neighborhood too. They’ve even added a new golf course, so it’s great~”
Ugh.
This is truly a disaster humans brought upon themselves.
So that’s why this Protective Tree had been suffering from thirst and turned dark!
I watched as Kwon Ik-seong, who had lost his balance because of me, was now completely surrounded and trapped by branches.
‘I’m sorry, Team Leader…’
[I hadn’t heard that rumor…]
I spoke in a sorrowful voice.
When I spoke with genuine sadness, my voice came out all quivering and trembling like that.
[I’m the one who punished all those humans tormenting the Zelkova Tree in Incheon. The Zelkova Tree was deeply impressed… so… yes.]
Ha, as if that would convince anyone.
A human who now believes all his colleagues died because of humans… no, because of trees!
[Are you… that child?]
This… it’s working?
The moment the furious voice subsided, the branches strangling Kwon Ik-seong’s neck stopped moving.
Though Kwon Ik-seong’s sickle had long since been taken from him by the tree branches.
[Elder Brother said he hadn’t seen a human with such good intentions in a very long time.]
[Oh, yes! That’s it! A virtuous human!]
I answered quickly.
[And that one over there is my subordinate, but he’s just overly loyal because he was worried I might be in danger, you see? So couldn’t you spare him just this once?]
I pointed to Ik-seong, surrounded by the trees, as I spoke.
Then the Protective Tree’s eyes narrowed.
[A virtuous human…]
A voice that was somehow lower than the Zelkova Tree’s, completely devoid of gentleness, spoke.
[Yes, Elder Brother did say that when you see a virtuous human, you should treat them well.]
[Exactly! That’s why! I! Am! That virtuous! Human!]
It was when I spoke desperately.
A strange sound came from somewhere.
The loud, clanging noise of cats fighting each other.
It continued echoing through the cave.
I instinctively covered my ears.
But covering my ears didn’t prevent me from hearing the tree’s voice.
[Hundreds of years ago, there was such a virtuous human too, child. Among humans, he was called an extremely virtuous human, and thus a sage king. Something like a great… king.]
Could it be King Sejong the Great, something like that?
[And to save such a virtuous human, humans stripped every ginseng from the entire mountain.]
The clanging sound grew louder, and soon it became clear words in my ears.
[Give me back my legs! My legs!]
[Give me back my arms too!]
[We should kill all humans!]
Wait… surely not…
[Yes. Virtuous humans may exist. But virtuous ‘humans’ do not.]
The tree’s knot twisted strangely, and in an instant it released Kwon Ik-seong’s face.
Then, tapping Kwon Ik-seong’s cheek lightly, the tree spoke.
[Just as this human cut me down as if to save you, this virtuous child.]
[No, that’s…]
But you scared me first!
I couldn’t bring myself to say that.
[Ahhhhh! My legs hurt! One of my legs is gone!]
A terrible scream rang out.
And soon the tree spoke.
[So, virtuous human. Prove to me yourself how valuable this good will of yours truly is. I still do not know if human goodwill is truly valuable. However, I will not harm you. For you are a virtuous child under Elder Brother’s protection.]
Huh?
Wait, wait a moment.
I watched as the tree immediately retreated.
Simultaneously, sounds grew increasingly louder from beyond where the tree had withdrawn.
[Give me back my legs!]
[You damned humans!]
No, wait.
This isn’t it at all!
Kwon Ik-seong, now freed, gripped his scythe and furrowed his brow as he watched what appeared to be “ginseng” creatures approaching him.
“They’re mandrakes. Over thirty of them.”
He spoke to me in a flat voice.
“Aren’t you going to kick this time?”
“I’m… I’m sorry…”
“I’ll hear the explanation later. Next time we go out to eat. That date we missed before.”
He adjusted his grip on the scythe as he spoke.

* * *
And thirty minutes later.
We discovered that the mandrakes’ numbers far exceeded merely thirty.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the exit opened and Pee So-won and Officer Oh joined us.
“Seriously, why didn’t anyone tell us there were things like this here!”
Officer Oh cried out desperately while ceaselessly throwing punches at the endless stream of mandrakes.
On his hands were knuckles embedded with spikes so sharp they were downright terrifying in length.
That seemed to be his specialty.
“Did you send a rescue request?”
“I did. I did, but it’ll take some time! This terrain is too rough! Even from the nearby Guild, it’ll take at least twenty minutes!”
“Twenty minutes.”
Pee So-won seemed to mull over those words, then climbed to the highest point.
Then she pulled out a square box from her bag.
“Secretary Cheon Min-jun. Can you provide cover for me?”
“Yes.”
Even while facing countless mandrakes, Kwon Ik-seong strode decisively toward Pee So-won.
Each time his long scythe cut through the air like the scythe of death itself, mandrake legs and heads flew in all directions.
[Give back my legs! My legs!]
With each instance, the mandrakes’ screams grew louder.
Officer Oh inserted earbuds into his ears upon hearing those sounds.
He then tried to throw earbuds to me but failed.
“This seems like a mental attack. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll… I’ll endure it!”
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was a mental attack or what, but being surrounded by these ginseng creatures endlessly demanding their legs back was certainly giving me a headache.
And since I was nominally a D-rank, I couldn’t entirely avoid confronting the mandrakes either.
“There are no B-rank monsters, but at this rate, we should really upgrade the classification.”
Officer Oh muttered to himself.
Behind Officer Oh, Kwon Ik-seong continued slashing mandrakes while Pee So-won assembled a rifle under his cover fire.
With practiced, composed movements, she quickly finished assembling the rifle.
Immediately, C-rank mandrakes rushed at the two of them.
[You dare take our siblings’ legs! Wicked humans! We’ll kill you!]
Bang!
Rat-a-tat-tat!
Pee So-won’s shots were perfectly accurate.
However, there were too many C-rank mandrakes charging at me for Pee So-won to cover me immediately.
Thus, a D-rank mandrake that appeared to me rushed forward faster than Pee So-won could even notice me.
“Hey, Ha Dae-ri! Behind you!”
I felt the dark shadow looming behind me and extended my leg toward the mandrake.
A spinning kick!
And so the scene was completed—the mandrake sent flying, Officer Oh marveling at the sight, Pee So-won silently cursing as she watched, and Kwon Ik-seong furrowing his brow.

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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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