The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 180

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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 180
[Citizen: Oh my goodness… they’re taking away our hero…!]
[Citizen: I’m sixty-nine years old this year, and when I was seventeen, I directly owed my life to hero Choi Jun-gu. To be honest, isn’t Choi Jun-gu the hero who saved the Republic of Korea? But they’re ignoring all those achievements and fabricating false charges to arrest him? How does that make sense?]
[In front of the Hunter Investigation Bureau building, Choi Jun-gu’s supporters have gathered in outrage at news of his emergency arrest. Police have assembled to control them and are in a standoff, but the situation shows no signs of calming down anytime soon.]
[Reporter: What false charges are you referring to…?]
[Citizen: You expect us to believe what happened in the National Assembly was real? The President or whoever is attacking Hunters like that—aren’t they trying to destroy Korea’s economy? Isn’t the hearing all rigged from the start?]
Captain Hong, who had been quietly watching the news screen, turned his head to look at Pee So-won.
All trace of a smile had vanished from his face.
Gone too was that characteristic ridiculous expression he made when angry about causing trouble again.
Pee So-won was much the same.
Not a hint of warmth could be felt in her expression.
From beyond the window of the director’s office where the two stood together came these sounds.
“Abolish the Hunter Investigation Bureau! End coercive investigations!”
“Hunter Management Bureau Chief, you did this, didn’t you?”
To Captain Hong’s question, Pee So-won answered matter-of-factly.
“Yes.”
“So you knew in advance that Choi Jun-gu would end up like that in the footage being broadcast to the entire nation.”
“Yes.”
“The entire Public Investigation Division orchestrated this operation, and you didn’t report it to me.”
Pee So-won looked at Captain Hong.
Captain Hong failed to understand the resentment clouding Pee So-won’s eyes.
“…Yes.”
“With so much information at hand, why didn’t you conduct a formal investigation, coordinate with other departments, and ask me for help?”
This was a genuine question.
He was bewildered.
Internal corruption records from the Hunter Management Office, audio recordings sent to Representative Seo, and even the Chief’s confession on top of that.
With all these cards in hand, why deliberately expose it in the National Assembly?
Why push it into a situation that inevitably looked political?
Pee So-won answered.
“The Chief’s confession was an unexpected card even for us. We believed that a formal investigation would be difficult with only the internal corruption records and audio recordings.”
“Difficult?”
Captain Hong reacted sharply.
“Because the investigation was difficult, that’s exactly why you should have informed me. You bastards. Do you have any idea what kind of crisis you’ve put this bureau in?”
Pee So-won heard the roar of voices from outside.
“Disband the Hunter Investigation Bureau!”
“I understand what crisis the Bureau faces. However—”
Captain Hong slammed the desk.
“No. You don’t understand. That’s why you’re spouting off like that. Everything up to now? I can cover all of it. No matter what nonsense comes from above, I can cover it. But you arrested Choi Jun-gu on a broadcast watched by the entire nation. You did it directly! Yes! That bastard is a bad guy. I know that too. Almost everyone knows it. The people out there? Most of them know that bastard is bad.”
Captain Hong pointed to the protesters gathered in front of the Hunter Investigation Bureau as he spoke.
“So why are they like that?”
“….”
Captain Hong’s eyes sharpened.
“Because I don’t want to know. The fear of people being swept away by monsters pouring out of gates is greater than Choi Jun-gu’s wrongdoings. Over the past fifty years since Awakeners appeared, people have learned that it’s better to attach themselves to the strong.”
Pee So-won looked down at Captain Hong’s rare serious expression and spoke.
“Is that so?”
“What?”
“So….”
Pee So-won bit her lip.
“You covered up the matter with Senior Han Su-eop yourself, didn’t you?”
“…!”
“Because it seemed better to overlook the wrongdoings and attach yourself to the strong?”
Pee So-won’s voice trembled.
Her eyes gazing at Captain Hong’s face grew desperate.
She wanted to hear him deny it.
She wanted to hear that it was all a lie.
And so—
A single sigh from Captain Hong made it feel as though the world was shutting down.
“Cha Jeon-hyeok told you that?”
“….”
“Ha….”
Pee So-won rushed at Captain Hong in an instant.
The moment she heard that breath—practically an admission—she couldn’t hold back.

* * *
“What exactly did you tell Captain Hong to do?”
Even as I heard my own voice trembling, Baek Hee-ryeong remained composed, glancing to the side as she spoke.
“Secretary. Forgive me, but could you step out for a moment?”
“Of course.”
Gu Jae-yong left the room.
The fact that Gu Jae-yong showed no signs of surprise either made me even more shocked.
Was the President of this nation really saying he was involved in an investigator’s death?
Directly?
As if reading my bewildered expression, Baek Hee-ryeong spoke.
“It’s not something I did. I understand how it might be misinterpreted, though.”
“Then you need to clear up the misunderstanding—”
Baek Hee-ryeong pulled out the document envelope she’d brought in earlier.
She then broke the thread seal and withdrew a thick, aged stack of papers, handing them to me.
“It’s a record on Investigator Han Su-eop. Everything from the evidence found in the Busan case and all personal information regarding Investigator Han Su-eop is documented here.”
I took the weighty documents and looked at Baek Hee-ryeong.
Investigator Han Su-eop’s personal information…
Why would something like that exist?
With that thought, I opened the case file on Investigator Han Su-eop.
It was clearly internal material from the Special Request Police Officers.
As for who leaked this…
‘Baek Hee-ryeong just told me, didn’t she?’
Captain Hong.
Even hearing it, my mind couldn’t accept it.
It went in one ear and out the other, leaving only confusion.
Why would Captain Hong do this?
More than that, if Team Leader Pee found out about this…
‘How would we manage that damage?’
No. No matter what, this can’t be covered up.
Digging into truths that others avoid, exposing the guilty.
That’s what we do.
I turned the page.
Traces of an “unidentified substance” found in Investigator Han Su-eop’s gun. Presumed to be a substance that explodes when reacting with blank powder.
Investigator’s weapon distribution date changed one week prior.
Weapon supplier: ENC
Evidence of a meal between ENC’s director and Cha Jeon-hyeok discovered.
ENC is an item supply company under the Daeyoung Guild.
The same place that appeared when the Chief made his revelation in the National Assembly.
‘This is… far too suspicious.’
Yet at the same time, I could see that none of this constituted direct evidence.
Just like our investigation before the Chief’s exposure.
“It’s insufficient to serve as direct evidence.”
Baek Hee-ryeong lifted her teacup and nodded slightly.
“Right. Touch it carelessly and we’ll catch backlash immediately.”
She had a point.
But—
“…That kind of political judgment isn’t something we’re supposed to make.”
I fixed Baek Hee-ryeong with a hard stare.
Investigators don’t distinguish between ruling and opposition parties. Political standing? Political circumstances? If an investigative agency conducts investigations while considering such things, what citizen would trust us?
That’s what being a civil servant means.
“But why did Captain Hong hand this over to Baek Hee-ryeong… no, to you?”
I deliberately omitted the title of President.
Back then she was the opposition party leader. In other words, she wasn’t even a civil servant. This person.
“Every time I see Lee Yu-ji, I notice this, but there’s always… a reversal. You seem weak but you’re strong, you look clumsy but you’re skilled.”
Manipulation.
I was sick of these higher-ups’ games.
I didn’t respond.
Then Baek Hee-ryeong set down her teacup as if to say she understood, as if to calm me, and spoke.
“Since there’s no direct evidence. You either wanted me to help find that evidence, or you brought it to me to make it political.”
“So? You’re saying you were told to cover it up and wait for an opportunity to expose it?”
My insides were churning.
I wanted to storm out of here immediately.
Pee So-won, whose face hardened whenever Han Su-eop’s name came up. Byeon Gu-do, who said he owed Han Su-eop a debt from childhood. They circled through my mind.
“No. I was planning to expose it. Just as you all asked Representative Seo today, and Representative Seo accomplished it. But—”
Baek Hee-ryeong touched the documents I was holding with her thin fingers.
A familiar scent emanated from Baek Hee-ryeong’s body.
Cinnamon.
There was someone who loved this scent.
My mother.
The page fluttered.
Documents related to Han Su-eop’s personal information appeared.
I looked at where Baek Hee-ryeong’s finger pointed, breathing in the cinnamon scent.
XXXX Year X Month XX Day Admission to Skyward Garden
XXXX Year X Month XX Day Discharge from Skyward Garden
XXXX Year X Month XX Day Hunter Association Awakened Registration
XXXX Year X Month XX Day Hunter Investigation Bureau Public Recruitment Exam Passed
What is this… what does this mean….
“The personal information listed here. It’s all fake.”
Baek Hee-ryeong smiled gently.
“There were exactly two children admitted to Skyward Garden on that date, but neither of them is Han Su-eop. And Lee Yu-ji, you here, would know those two names well.”
What do you—
“Lee Do-young. Han Seong-ye.”
Baek Hee-ryeong smiled at me with an amused expression.
“Isn’t it fascinating? A person whose entire documentation is forged actually exists. And of all things, that person happened to live a life remarkably similar to Lee Yu-ji’s.”

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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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