The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 147

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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 147

* * *
We’d captured a total of three masterminds.
Taking down three in four days meant we were essentially catching one per day.
“How is it… you could do this all along, so why didn’t you before?”
Pee So-won, who had just thrown the smugglers into the Heonsu Bureau’s detention center, answered my question.
“Too much of a hassle?”
“….”
She really is a master thief of sorts.
The Lupin of salaried workers.
“It’s only possible because we’ve accumulated data over time. We’d gather information and distribute it between Team 1 and Team 2 like usual.”
That’s when Byeon Gu-do approached my side without warning and spoke.
Geez, you startled me.
This guy really does move without a sound.
So you’re saying you’ve been keeping tabs on these guys all this time?
“Why not handle it directly?”
When I asked, Byeon Gu-do gestured toward Pee So-won with his chin.
“Our team leader dislikes raising her own performance metrics? And more than anything, she hates mobilizing for operations….”
“I’ve decided I don’t mind anymore.”
Pee So-won pulled me smoothly toward her side as she spoke.
“Let’s grab lunch together today.”
“…?”
Pee So-won whispered into my ear.
“Not Kwon Ik-seong. With me.”
I swallowed hard without realizing it.
Why does everyone keep asking me to eat with them…!

* * *
And our Team Leader Pee So-won’s choice was, surprisingly—
‘A homemade burger.’
I blinked at the savory aroma of sauce and patty wafting up.
“Wow. How did you know about a place like this?”
Wait, there was a place like this near the Special Investigations Bureau?
Kwon Ik-seong was the same way, and so was Pee So-won—experience really does count.
They’ve got the entire gourmet map memorized!
“The owner was someone I knew back when I lived in America.”
She pointed to a man grilling meat in the open kitchen as she spoke.
At those words, I blinked.
“You lived in America?”
“Yeah. Didn’t I mention it?”
She dipped french fries into her milkshake and ate them.
Wow. That really doesn’t match.
I would’ve thought she’d been eating sundae soup in a pojangmacha tent since she was a kid.
“I did shooting there, then came to Korea and became an athlete.”
“Shooting…. I heard you were even at the athletes’ village….”
I asked hesitantly.
Anyone who quit sports for any reason always had their own story.
Of course, with shooting especially, the retirement age tends to be later, and many people had other primary careers—
‘But that doesn’t mean there weren’t complications.’
“Yeah. So I know a lot about you too. You hit your coach, didn’t you?”
“Cough, cough…!”
I spit out some of the cola I was drinking.
“Ugh, gross.”
Pee So-won wiped off the cola that had splattered slightly onto her plate with a napkin.
Then she wiped her mouth and spoke.
“Why are you surprised? You think I wouldn’t know?”
“Oh, no… I just….”
“Can you introduce me?”
“What?”
Pee So-won twirled her fork in the air as she spoke.
“That friend you were close with. The athlete who messed you up.”
I knew who she meant by ‘that athlete.’
So I had to freeze for a moment.
But I soon collected myself and spoke.
“He’s… not doing sports anymore….”
“I heard he opened a dojo in America.”
…!”
You figured it out.
As my expression hardened further, Pee So-won nodded and spoke.
“Are you upset? That I investigated your background without your permission?”
“Did you investigate my background?”
At my question, Pee So-won pouted her lips.
“No. I investigated it upfront.”
“I figured you would. Information would have come to you naturally anyway.”
I know she didn’t investigate my background secretly.
Pee So-won isn’t the type to do that anyway, and there’s nothing she’d gain from investigating me in secret.
Since I was at the Athletes’ Village, people who knew me from there probably contacted her, and she found out naturally.
“…You’re… too lenient with others.”
Pee So-won spoke as if she didn’t like my response.
“So, what’s your answer?”
At Pee So-won’s question, I exhaled a small sigh.
But my expression would no longer be hardened.
“Not yet.”
“Not yet?”
“Since you’re living well, I’m relieved, and once we both live a bit better—”
I smiled faintly.
“Then I’ll see you.”
“Huh…. You’re forgiving me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive or not forgive.”
‘You’re different from me. You’re so much more… of a better athlete. A better person!’
Seon-i’s words echoed in my ears.
Back then, those words hurt so much.
I’m not a good athlete, and I’m not a good person.
Why did Seon-i end up saying that?
I wondered if perhaps I was the one who made Seon-i say such things.
That I unnecessarily intruded into Seon-i’s life, that I unnecessarily did things I shouldn’t have—
‘Why should I suffer because you’re pretending to be good?’
I was afraid my hypocrisy had ruined you.
But now I know.
There’s no such thing as hypocrisy in this world.
There are bad people in this world, and there are people who, even if not born good, strive to live righteously.
Striving to become the latter is what it means to be human.
Through this work, catching bad people, I’ve come to understand clearly.
Even Kwon Ik-seong, whom I thought was perfect, carries human anguish.
Even Choi Woo-jin, who said he’d do good through evil, has moments when he can’t turn away from others.
We’re all lacking in some way, but we all strive to drive out the darkness within us and move toward the light.
So now I can say this.
“We both made mistakes to some degree, and if I’m being honest, I made more of them.”
At my words, one corner of Pee So-won’s mouth lifted.
She stared at me intently.
Her expression was one of approval.
But the next moment,
she flicked my forehead with her finger.
Not hard at all.
“Ow.”
Still, I let out a small groan and glared at her.
“You brat, what are you glaring at? That’s your problem right there. You’re too soft. What, are you Kang Si-bang or something?”
Being wishy-washy is one of my skills, I suppose.
“Fine. I get it. Do whatever you want with that.”
“But did you ask me to eat separately just to talk about this? Or did some evidence come up? Yulia Kim, the items…?”
“I’m going to have Park Min-bae look at that again, but so far there’s nothing that looks like it was made by Yulia Kim. Most of them are B-grade items. She was on the run, so she’d make cheap items, right? Even so, she’s an S-grade craftsman.”
Smack.
I clicked my tongue and chewed on a french fry.
Right.
If there had been a Yulia Kim item, we would’ve spotted it before Park Min-bae even got a chance to look.
But if this isn’t about Yulia Kim items, why did she ask to see me separately?
“Did anything come up from our parents’ personal effects?”
I brought up another nagging point.
For reference, the personal effects I’d handed over to Kwon Ik-seong weren’t much.
Crime psychology books they used to read, remaining photographs, a wallet from the crime scene—things like that.
I’d also dug up contact information for people they were close with and passed it along, but even I didn’t think anything would come from it.
If anything would turn up, it would be from the computers my father and mother used for official purposes back then.
‘But Choi Jun-gu probably already looked into that.’
“No. If it was something like that, Kwon Ik-seong would’ve already reported it. Those two eat together constantly. Is that dating or just feeding time?”
“…Pfu, pfft.”
Wait, she knew about that?
“Ugh, seriously, some cola!”
Pee So-won furrowed her brow as she watched me spill cola again.
She wiped the table with a napkin and then asked as if she’d just remembered something.
“Oh. While we’re on the subject, let me ask you. Do you like Kwon Ik-seong?”
“Yes.”
My answer came out without a single second of hesitation.
“…As a man?”
“Of course!”
Ik-seong is a man! He’s cool!
“…No… Never mind, forget it.”
What do you mean, forget it?
“So Kwon Ik-seong was the more pitiful one. I understand now…”
Pee So-won muttered something incomprehensible as she shoved the last piece of burger into her mouth.
“Did you finish your meal?”
“Yes. I finished it earlier.”
I showed her my already-empty bowl with a satisfied smile.
Mm. It was so delicious.
Hehe.
Seeing my expression, Pee So-won’s lips curved into an enigmatic, chilling smile.
“Then your stomach’s full. Want to come along for a bit?”
…?
Was this that cliché—feed them well before devouring them?
And shortly after.
I found myself in a situation where I was on the verge of being devoured for real.
“Number One is standing by.”
“We’ll conduct a body search first.”
Two women in formal suits, wearing earpieces like those used for security detail, began searching my body.
And I stared at the wallpaper adorned with a vivid phoenix design, swallowing hard.
This slaughterhouse wasn’t just any slaughterhouse—
‘I’ve come to the Blue House!’
To meet none other than Baek Hee-ryeong!

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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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