The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 173
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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 173
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Inside the office of a Ruling Party Congressman.
An aide placed a file in front of the “old man” with a soft gesture.
“This is a tip email that came into our office, Congressman.”
“Mm. Just leave it there.”
With the recent national audit season in full swing, tip emails were pouring in from all directions.
Of course, he had to review each one, but given the volume of important matters, the Ruling Party congressman was focusing primarily on the agenda items mentioned by the Judiciary Committee Chairman.
Yet for some reason, the aide remained standing without leaving.
“I said you could go?”
“Well… this matter seems quite important. I think it would be good if you reviewed it first.”
An important matter?
The Ruling Party congressman, exhausted from preparing for the hearing, furrowed his brow.
Recently, under Baek Hee-ryeong’s leadership, the Special Request Police Officers’ authority had grown formidable, creating a tense standoff between the Special Request Police Bureau, the Hunter Management Office, and the Hunter Association.
Especially after the Association’s headquarters director was arrested, there had been much talk about whether the Hunter Association should be dissolved and its authority transferred to either the Hunter Management Office or the Special Request Police Bureau.
And naturally, the bill to eliminate guild lobbying within the Association would pass in the near future.
The problem was whether the Hunter Management Office or the Special Request Police Bureau would absorb the Association’s authority—
The Opposition Party was backing the more obedient Hunter Management Office, while the Ruling Party supported the Special Request Police Bureau.
Frankly, the Ruling Party was at a disadvantage.
[X-Bang!]
That strange investigator who rode around on a Slime and made the news.
After Lee Yu-ji appeared, the Special Request Police Bureau became the focus of national attention.
Just one or two years ago, it had been branded as a money-eating hippo, but the situation had completely reversed.
Even those who vaguely knew about hunters’ misconduct and large guilds’ corruption had their minds changed when they saw the massive quantities of dungeon byproducts that the Special Request Police Bureau was recovering, despite having previously swept such matters under the rug in the name of national economic benefit.
The results of a poll that had circulated secretly in Yeouido not long ago were shocking.
The opinion that the Hunter Association should be dissolved exceeded 70 percent.
Moreover, many from the Opposition Party’s supporters and swing voters had changed their stance.
And more than half of them responded that the Special Request Police Bureau should take on that role instead.
Of course, this poll was conducted through a specific system that didn’t circulate outside Yeouido.
But precisely because of that, its credibility was even higher.
For this reason, the position of this four-term Ruling Party congresswoman was naturally determined.
Honestly, whether the Hunter Association did this or that, whether hunters did this or that—none of it mattered.
The Association covering up hunters’ misconduct was nothing new.
Though she had once even served as the head of a civic organization, after eating Yeouido rice for 16 years, her thinking had changed.
After all, politics is won by those who move public sentiment.
And public sentiment has always been driven not by justice, but by profit and fear.
Most people didn’t want to lose the benefits that Awakeners provided, and the terror of the great catastrophe that the Gate had brought 50 years ago dominated them.
But this time, something was different.
Public sentiment was moving in a different direction for the first time.
Even in her worn and weathered heart, something strange stirred to life.
Perhaps this time, things would truly change.
For this very reason, this hearing was of paramount importance.
Not only would Hunter Association officials be summoned, but the guild masters of the Big Three would be called as well.
‘Will Choi Jun-gu manage to avoid showing his face this time too?’
Whenever the national audit season arrived, Choi Jun-gu’s standard repertoire was to venture abroad under the pretense of clearing large-scale dungeons.
And with impressive results in hand, he would dominate international headlines and bury all suspicions regarding Dae-Young Guild that emerged from the national audit.
But could he manage it this time?
Choi Se-a, who could be called Choi Jun-gu’s right arm, had been caught in the net.
Perhaps this time, I might just land a big fish.
And amidst all this chaos, this tip had arrived marked as a ‘critical matter.’
She read through the printed document with slight tension.
From the very first line, her brow furrowed.
This report exposes the connection between Congressman Kang Jae-seol and the son of the Hunter Management Bureau Chief.
Congressman Kang Jae-seol was the current leader of the Opposition Party.
A seasoned schemer with six consecutive terms.
And the most vocal advocate for preserving the Hunter Association.
Her sixteen years of instinct awakened.
‘There’s something here.’
She quickly read through the email.
This file contains insider recordings related to the employment request of Kim Hyun-jae, the son of the Hunter Management Bureau Chief, who joined Dae-Young Guild. In these recordings, the term ‘higher-ups’ is mentioned a total of seven times. At the end, the word ‘chairman’ appears directly.
…!
Her eyes widened.
“This….”
She looked up at her aide.
The aide nodded with a meaningful expression.
“Exactly. The Hunter Management Bureau Chief, Dae-Young Guild, Congressman Kang Jae-seol…. And Choi Jun-gu is tangled up in it all at once.”
“Ha….”
A gleam flickered in her eyes.
The eyes of a hyena that had finally sunk its teeth into prey after sixteen years of silence.
“The only issue is that the credibility of the recordings isn’t entirely clear, so there’s a possibility of backlash….”
“I’ll handle any backlash. First, call all the reporters I know. Ask them to turn this into articles before next week’s hearing.”
“Ma’am….”
The aide called her by the old title.
Though fear mixed with her expression, she spoke without hesitation.
“The tip itself isn’t what matters. What matters is—”
The corners of her mouth lifted.
“With this alone, Choi Jun-gu won’t be able to avoid stepping into that hearing.”
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[…Congressman So-won has announced he will expose core evidence of bribery involving personnel appointments between Kang Jae-seol, the Hunter Management Bureau Chief, and Dae Young Guild Master Choi Jun-gu during the hearing.]
[“There have been many suspicions regarding collusion between the Hunter Association and the Hunter Management Office, but this time we have concrete evidence, so…”]
It was unfolding exactly as I’d anticipated.
I watched the serious face of the ruling party congressman on the TV screen and thought.
The information Choi Woo-jin possessed was limited, but now was audit season for state affairs.
Every congressman had their eyes wide open, drooling to get even a single scoop during this period.
With a story like this available, there was no way that seasoned congressman would let it slip through his fingers.
‘At least the publicity value is guaranteed thanks to this.’
Moreover, because of this incident, the Hunter Management Office’s budget audit would intensify, and both the Hunter Management Bureau Chief and Choi Jun-gu would have no choice but to appear at the hearing.
‘They’re probably planning to show up with perfectly fabricated evidence.’
But it would be pointless.
I laughed while looking at the mushroom pots next to the TV that were growing so well.
That was when it happened.
A pretty face suddenly popped up next to those pots.
“Unnie. Aren’t you having any chicken?”
…It was Kang Min-joo.
“Oh, I’m not eating. You all go ahead.”
I tilted my head in confusion watching Kang Min-joo, Kang Il-yeon, Kang Won-yeon, and Lee Yu-gyeom huddled together at my dining table eating chicken.
“But aren’t you all busy?”
“Today is our day off from the workshop.”
“Yes. That’s what they said.”
“No, wait, that’s not what I meant…. Actually, how did you end up getting along with these guys?”
I looked at Kang Min-joo with a bewildered expression.
“Aren’t your parents worried?”
“They think I’m studying abroad right now. They’re probably too busy anyway. Running around overseas. If you catch my mother and older brother, please let me know. My father’s already been caught anyway.”
“Um….”
The conversation seemed to be flowing in a rather unfilial direction.
I looked at Lee Yu-gyeom with a subtle expression.
“You treat her well.”
“…What.”
While Lee Yu-gyeom spoke bluntly to me, Kang Min-joo placed a chicken leg on his personal plate.
“Yu-gyeom, eat up~”
Watching that, Kang Won-yeon put down the chicken thigh he’d been eating and spoke irritably.
“Geez. Why does Yu-gyeom get eight chicken legs.”
Then Lee Yu-gyeom pushed the chicken leg toward Kang Won-yeon.
“You eat it.”
“I don’t want it!”
My face contorted as I watched Kang Won-yeon stand up from his seat.
You guys… weren’t you supposed to be the villains of this world, the villain’s daughter, and all that?
Why are you filming a coming-of-age drama here!
Damn it!
As Kang Il-yeon grabbed Kang Won-yeon, his phone buzzed.
Choi Woo-jin
Grandfather has returned from America.
I wonder why. Haha.
You know you’re responsible for me, right? I’ve exposed something huge. I’m counting on you alone.
Unfortunately, while those guys were filming their coming-of-age drama, I was filming a thriller.
And now the Dark Knight is blackmailing me.
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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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