The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 14

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

A Civil Servant Who Hides His Strength Is Exceptionally Good at Possession – Episode 014

* * *
Congratulations! You have successfully completed a possession. A special skill has arrived!
I deliberately ignored the status window flickering before me and glanced at Kwon Ik-seong sitting beside me.
I was currently sitting in the passenger seat of the Investigation Unit’s sedan, draped in Kwon Ik-seong’s jacket.
The crime scene, for reference, was being organized by the forensics team that had arrived.
“Are you certain you don’t need to visit a Healer hospital?”
“Pardon? Well… I don’t think there’s any serious issue.”
Aside from some mild stinging in my skin.
Probably…?
“It doesn’t seem to be ordinary Slime venom, so I’m asking.”
Kwon Ik-seong said this while pointing to the Slime in the back seat, which was tearing apart the upholstery.
The Slime, realizing he was being talked about, released the seat it had been gnawing and quietly fastened its seatbelt.
‘It’s become smarter now that it’s become a Great King Slime.’
Though its size had decreased.
The Great King Slime could adjust its size freely after all.
“…It’s fine. That one doesn’t seem to be that strong.”
I answered while watching the Slime play innocent.
Then a window appeared.
The Great King Slime’s affection has increased by 5.
…Did it understand what I said?
Now I’m even buying Slime affection. This feeling is really strange.
Most of all, I still vividly remember the sensation of consuming this world’s protagonist, and I hated it!
‘…It had quite a sharp taste.’
I recalled Choi Woo-jin, who had been struggling inside me.
By the way, Choi Woo-jin and Kang Il-yeon were in different transport vehicles.
Both in handcuffs.
Since they were both A-rank or higher Hunters, naturally there was nothing physically wrong with them.
The real problem now was on my end.
I’d been caught entering the Subspace, and the person who caught me was none other than Kwon Ik-seong!
“But why aren’t you asking how I managed to enter that Subspace…?”
“I was planning to ask once you recovered, but—”
Squeak.
Before the light even turned red, Kwon Ik-seong applied the brakes at the yellow light.
The car stopped, aligned perfectly with the stop line.
“If it’s something I can ask now, then I’ll ask now.”
…I’d just invited trouble upon myself.
“How did you enter that Subspace?”
Looking at Ik-seong’s profile, his expression completely unchanged, I launched into my prepared answer.
“While examining the belongings of murder suspect Kang Won-yeon, I discovered a keyring that connects to this Subspace. I kept fiddling with it, and it turned out to open a passage to this Subspace.”
“Kept fiddling with it…”
Kwon Ik-seong murmured my words back to me, as if chewing them over.
I know too! So many coincidences, so much fiddling around!
The only thing I could rely on was that no one else could even dream of a skill called ‘possession’.
But for some reason, Kwon Ik-seong didn’t press me on those coincidences—he pressed on something else entirely.
“If you knew it connected to the Subspace, wouldn’t it have been impossible to come back out?”
“It wasn’t so much impossible as—”
I hesitated before speaking.
“I found a child there who looked exactly like Kang Won-yeon, and I thought it might help with the investigation, so I decided to… come forward…”
Important facts were omitted, but it wasn’t a lie.
Except for the fact that I had already suspected the relationship between Kang Won-yeon and Kang Il-yeon.
But that wouldn’t really be a problem, since the moment I saw Kang Il-yeon’s face, I could have deduced they were twins.
“It could have been dangerous.”
“Yes, I know…”
“What I’m saying is that it could have become a life-or-death situation. That place is packed with weapons. I’m fully armed right now myself.”
Kwon Ik-seong showed me the revolver at his waist.
When the Slime saw it, I heard a small whimper from behind me.
It must have suffered quite a lot.
Was I feeling sorry for it because I had once been a Slime myself?
‘Damn it.’
“Still… I had to bring Kang Il-yeon out.”
At my words, Kwon Ik-seong’s expression became enigmatic.
Was he still suspicious?
But Ik-seong’s expression was too serene, like something from a novel, making it difficult to read what lay beneath.
Like a very deep lake.
Well, I suppose I’ve explained away the rest with “fiddling around,” and the remaining issue would be just the matter of me shooting the Slime with a water gun—
“So you forcibly brought Kang Il-yeon out by using that Great King Slime?”
“No. To be precise—”
I turned to look at the Slime, which was putting on a pitiful act again.
“I was trying to bring that one out too. It’s evidence of illegal trafficking happening in that place, and it seemed pitiful… I didn’t know what else it might be used for there, so I had to help. That’s why I bought and used an item. A Slime water gun.”
Kwon Ik-seong furrowed his brow, as if he knew what kind of effect a Slime water gun had.
“Did you have the money to purchase that?”
“…I had some money saved up from before. Before joining the Heonsu Department, I ran through some labor dungeons a few times to pay for my younger sibling’s university tuition.”
Heavy silence.
I know what I’m saying right now.
That I burned through 100 million won I’d saved from labor work just to rescue one Slime.
And depending on how you hear it—
‘There’s no way around it sounding like I went in with premeditation. Otherwise, how could anyone think I carelessly burned through 100 million won there without a plan?’
I swallowed hard and waited for Kwon Ik-seong’s judgment.
“…I might need to write a statement of apology. Civil servants assigned to the Heonsu Department are supposed to move in pairs of two during dispatch, after all. And—”
Kwon Ik-seong was a man of principles and regulations.
Naturally, various disciplinary measures could be waiting for me over this incident.
A rookie who recklessly entered a Subspace alone just to catch a criminal.
There was no way to interpret this except as the reckless act of a rookie blinded by the reward money.
“I’ll do my best. To avoid any disciplinary action.”
…But.
Ik-seong reached a different conclusion.
Remarkably, he believed in me.
Without asking a single question.
That’s when I remembered.
Another reason why I loved Kwon Ik-seong in the novel.
Because he was someone who believed in others’ goodness through his own goodness.
“….”
Done.
It was over.
It had gone through absurdly easily.
I gazed at Kwon Ik-seong’s profile.
‘As expected, my favorite….’
I couldn’t help but like him.
I smiled faintly.
Until the next moment, when Kwon Ik-seong said this.
“We’ll coordinate the Geumho-dong illegal weapons trafficking case with Team 5. Let’s proceed with the investigation of Choi Woo-jin first.”
“Pardon? Me?”
At my words, Kwon Ik-seong’s expression became subtle.
“…The moment Choi Woo-jin woke up, he invoked his right to remain silent, then specifically requested Investigator Lee Yu-ji. He said he only wants to be questioned by Investigator Lee Yu-ji. He said he won’t speak to anyone else.”
One of his eyebrows furrowed.
It was an exceptional display of emotion.
‘Damn it.’
And that meant a portion of this illegal weapons trafficking case would also fall to Team 5.

* * *
“Right. Our new recruit has brought us another case assignment.”
If you’re angry, just say so….
I looked up at Pee So-won, whose expression was unreadable.
Wait, isn’t it the investigator’s job to bring cases?
Isn’t this how it’s supposed to work? Tell me it is!
“…Suddenly butting into a case that isn’t even our jurisdiction.”
Yeah.
That was wrong.
A civil servant must always respect each person’s area of responsibility. Cross that line and you’re in serious trouble.
‘The chain of responsibility becomes complicated.’
I immediately understood and began groveling.
“It’s because I accidentally touched Kang Won-yeon’s belongings….”
“You touched the suspect’s belongings on your own whim.”
Bang!
Pee So-won slammed the file folder down in front of me.
Seeing her eyes change, I now understood clearly.
‘She’s angry… our Team Leader.’
“You touched something without knowing what mana was imbued in it. Don’t you know the investigator’s protocols?”
“I don’t… because no one taught me….”
As I answered in a meek voice, Pee So-won’s brows furrowed slightly.
This is the true spirit of an MZ-generation investigator, that’s what I’m saying!
…Or at least, that’s what I would’ve said if I weren’t completely terrified in front of Pee So-won’s frightening expression, my eyes cast downward.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————