The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 121
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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 121
An hour later.
We were sitting in a Korean beef restaurant in Hongseong.
A remarkably luxurious establishment with a waterfall cascading through its garden.
I’d been earning quite a bit of money recently, so I could afford a place like this, haha.
‘…Or rather, not.’
I looked across the table at Kwon Ik-seong, his expression serene as he poured water for me.
I almost wished he’d show some anger instead—but there was none of that.
Even in his current form as Cheon Min-jun, his face remained as expressionless as always.
‘He really is like an AI…’
There was a reason I ended up being the only one riding in Kwon Ik-seong’s car, now in Cheon Min-jun’s form.
‘I need to head up first, so I’ll be going.’
Officer Oh had rushed back to Seoul through the dungeon, claiming he needed to file a report, leaving us in a situation where one of the three of us had to brief the rescue team on the dungeon’s structure and help with byproduct collection.
I naturally wanted to stay behind—
‘It would be best if Director Kim stayed.’
Cheon Min-jun’s secretary interjected, dumping the task onto Kim Eun-kyeong—or rather, Pee So-won.
Pee So-won, suddenly burdened with the work, naturally tried to drag me along—
‘Yes, then I’ll stay with Ha Ye-seul.’
‘Ha Ye-seul will need to handle driving the company vehicle. I’m injured and can’t drive.’
Cheon Min-jun completely shut down that possibility.
Pee So-won’s expression crumpled, but unfortunately, the Director’s attached secretariat was the highest authority within the headquarters, so no matter how “Westernized” the setting was, Pee So-won, as Kim Eun-kyeong, couldn’t override the chain of command.
‘…Very well, then.
And so I ended up driving Kwon Ik-seong here.
“Um… would two servings of tenderloin be enough…? Should I add some short ribs as well…?”
I felt a pang of guilt looking at the faint scratch on Kwon Ik-seong’s cheek.
I wished it was the kind of wound that could be smoothed over with beef—
“Officer Oh is suspicious of Ha Dae-ri’s rank.”
“Ha Dae-ri? You mean me?”
I pointed to myself.
He nodded in response.
“For a D-rank, your performance in the dungeon was far too strong.”
“Too strong? I was just drawing aggro and running around.”
“Didn’t you defeat a D-rank monster?”
Only then did I recall the D-rank monster I’d taken down with a kick.
Ah, that’s right.
I looked down at my shoe-type item.
This Converse-style item was something I’d rented from the item warehouse that day.
‘I hate to return it.’
I should ask Kang Il-yeon to make me one.
“But that’s just gear advantage…”
“A D-rank hunter wearing such an item won’t be able to utilize its full effectiveness. Rather, there’s a high likelihood they’ll lack control over their power and be dragged along by the recoil.”
“That won’t be an issue for me.”
I widened my eyes as if it were obvious.
“I’m actually quite skilled at kicking, you know….”
How could I not be?
I’ve devoted my youth to perfecting my kicks.
Kwon Ik-seong’s eyebrows twitched slightly as he heard my words.
“I’m aware.”
“Yes. Exactly.”
“In any case, you—or rather, Investigator Lee Yu-ji—are a special case. You said that aside from your possession skill, you have no other skills, correct?”
I pressed my lips shut upon hearing that.
I couldn’t very well say that I’d just acquired a new skill moments ago.
But as always, I’d probably already given myself away with my expression.
I’m certain of it.
So I needed to provide at least a hint.
“Well… I can temporarily use special skills. For instance, I can briefly use the skills of whoever I’m possessing?”
The moment he heard those words, Kwon Ik-seong’s eyes narrowed.
He seemed to be thinking about something, then opened his mouth.
“So that’s why you were fine driving the bus. Even after inhaling the Funny Powder.”
Wow.
Classic Kwon Ik-seong.
Going that far even now.
“Well, yes….”
Getting caught using someone else’s skill felt incredibly strange.
I felt like a thief.
‘…Technically, I suppose I really am a thief.’
“Then if you ever need such things again, possess me.”
“Pardon?”
“If you need my abilities, do that instead.”
As Kwon Ik-seong said those words, I had the illusion of seeing angel wings behind him.
Could a person really be this kind?
Offering his own body for me to use freely?
That was when a wave of guilt crashed over me intensely once more.
“I gave Officer Oh the impression that Ha Dae-ri was actually a parachute insertion from above.”
Kwon Ik-seong said something surprising.
“Surely you don’t mean the ‘higher-ups’—”
“I gave the impression he’s connected to the Choi Jun-gu line. Since that faction seems to be the Choi Jun-gu line as well, he probably rushed to Seoul to investigate from all angles.”
“But I’m not part of that line. I’m a civil servant line….”
If anything, I’d be more aligned with the Baek Hee-ryeong line.
The current President of our country—the one Choi Jun-gu absolutely despises.
“Choi Jun-gu’s method is to ensure that the dots never meet each other.”
“Dots?”
At my question, Kwon Ik-seong looked at me with slightly dimmed eyes.
“I’m sure you’ve heard that I worked at the Hunter Management Office.”
“….”
I couldn’t hide my expression and flinched for a moment.
The rumor that Kwon Ik-seong had been exiled here after working in the Information Management Division of the Hunter Management Office was quite famous.
Though it wasn’t information that appeared in the original work.
“Did you really… work there?”
The Hunter Management Office was a higher authority than us, and the Information Management Division was where the elite went, so people used to gossip that if he’d been exiled from there, there must have been a reason.
Most of it was nonsense, though.
Talk of embezzling funds, or sexual scandals.
‘As if that would happen.’
Ik-seong’s defining characteristic was being an investigator who followed principles and procedures to an almost frustrating degree.
“Yes. I worked there.”
But this is quite surprising.
That Ik-seong actually worked at the Hunter Management Office, and that he’s telling me about it.
‘Why?’
“In the Information Management Division, I handled information related to the Hunter Association, and that’s when I learned how Choi Jun-gu was lobbying guilds through the Hunter Association. I reported it to my superiors, and—”
Kwon Ik-seong paused for a moment before continuing.
“The next day, that superior was found in a reservoir, and I was reassigned to the Hunter Investigation Unit. The suicide note contained claims that I had laundered funds with him, and the Information Management Division’s activity funds had actually been deposited into my account. The higher-ups told me to go to the Hunter Investigation Unit in exchange for burying this matter.”
“…!”
I looked at Kwon Ik-seong with slightly widened eyes.
So that’s where the rumors of embezzlement came from?
And more than anything—
“Did you… accept that offer?”
“Yes.”
Kwon Ik-seong glanced briefly at the garden outside.
“Haven’t I told you? Lee Yu-ji is the best person among us. We’re all here because we’ve each done something wrong.”
Then he shifted his gaze back to me.
“I wanted to catch Choi Jun-gu. I’ve been holding my breath in the Hunter Investigation Unit, wanting to catch that bastard by any means necessary. The reason I want to catch the Gamer is because I think the Gamer would know how to catch Choi Jun-gu.”
“….”
I couldn’t give any response.
“You said I trust people, but I don’t trust anyone. I’m simply using everyone. The Gamer, the Investigation Unit, even Lee Yu-ji—I’m using all of them.”
Using me?
At those words, I unconsciously clenched my fists.
The way I do when I’m about to throw a punch.
But the person I wanted to throw that punch at wasn’t Ik-seong.
‘It’s Choi Jun-gu.’
Was accepting that offer a mistake?
Not at all.
If Ik-seong hadn’t accepted that offer, he would’ve been found in that reservoir too.
Those who made this principled man break his convictions are at fault.
Choi Jun-gu, who moved them, is at fault.
I was about to say exactly that.
“So I’m saying you should use me as well, Investigator Lee Yu-ji. I have developed a favorable impression of you. I haven’t reached a conclusion on exactly what kind of affection it is, but my feelings are of a personal nature.”
Kwon Ik-seong spoke matter-of-factly.
“The reason I’m telling you this is because I hope you’ll have no hesitation in using me. You saved my life today, after all.”
…!
I didn’t even hear Ik-seong’s assessment of today’s actions as ‘saving my life.’
Because of what he said before.
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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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