The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 217
—————
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 217
If I could infiltrate the Hunter Cult party through Kang Min-joo, I’d have the chance to meet quite a few high-ranking figures.
If I could approach those high-ranking individuals and possess them—
‘I could gather considerable information.’
I might even be able to investigate the true cult leader, discover why he designated that place as a holy site, what he knows about it, and learn about that suspicious water and mist.
‘Then a new Quest might appear, or I could uncover traces of other twisted causality.’
I’d be accessing the hidden layer of this world.
That’s right.
But—
I quietly observed Kang Min-joo’s profile.
“But are you really okay with this, Min-joo?”
I glanced around the sparse living room as Min-joo had described it.
It really was too empty for a young girl to live in alone.
I understood it was spacious and expensive, but didn’t a nineteen-year-old need some human warmth in a place like this?
Of course, the Hunter Cult is fine and everything—
“Huh?”
“I mean… living alone like this, being dragged around by your uncle, if you don’t want to do this…”
I recalled Mo Jun-mi, who had been a victim of dating violence.
Being an Awakened One, being an adult—none of that makes the wounds from loved ones hurt any less.
And if you’re a minor, even more so—
“You don’t have to do it.”
There must be wounds.
Kang Min-joo’s family had abandoned her—how could there be no impact?
I spoke to Min-joo, whose expression showed confusion.
“No, of course if you’re okay with it, then we do everything, but don’t do anything you don’t want to. I can help you.”
What’s a Hunter Cult party anyway? Right? I can give it up…
‘…’
I swallowed hard.
The truth was I was terrified.
If I missed the opportunity Kang Min-joo could provide, I had no idea what would happen next…
That’s when it happened.
“Uh… uh…?”
What?
Kang Min-joo’s eyes began to turn increasingly red.
Was she crying?
“Why are you being so nice to me? Those two haven’t done anything right either, but you’re nice to all of them.”
In the midst of this, Kang Min-joo threw a harsh truth bomb at Kang Il-yeon and Kang Won-yeon, who had been sitting quietly.
The two of them looked at me with the expression of people who’d just been hit in the back of the head on the street.
“Huh? No… I’m not helping you because you’ve done something right.”
What are you talking about?
“Then why…?”
Kang Min-joo’s nose and cheeks had turned completely red.
Seeing her look as though she might burst into tears at any moment like a small child, I found myself momentarily flustered.
“It just seems like you need help.”
Well, what other answer could there be?
If someone appears to need help, I help them.
There’s no other reason to it.
I don’t care about Hunter regulations or anything else.
I simply don’t want to become an adult who exploits a child like this.
“Just because you haven’t done anything wrong doesn’t mean you deserve to be in trouble, does it?”
It was an obvious thing to say….
The moment I thought that, Min-ju’s lips protruded like a duck’s.
“…Sniff….”
Huh? No, wait. Stop that. Go back.
“No, it’s not…”
“Waahhh…. Unni….”
“No…. Don’t do that….”
But in that moment, Min-ju began crying like a waterfall.
Watching her, I glanced at the three others.
Kang Il-yeon, Kang Won-yeon, and Lee Yu-gyeom.
And these bastards deliberately turned away from me in perfect unison!
Tch. Raising younger brothers is utterly useless!
* * *
‘Let me think about it for now. But I think I should go to this party. I already said I would, and while I dislike my father, I don’t dislike my uncle as much. I also feel sorry because of my father.’
After wiping away her cascading tears, Min-joo sniffled and spoke while surrounded by all sorts of sweet treats I’d ordered through a delivery app.
She was going to eat all of this, then spicy soup, then Dubai chewy cookies, then tanghulu—I couldn’t fathom how all of it would fit into that tiny stomach of hers.
But that assumption proved wrong.
Min-joo ate everything and fell asleep with a satisfied sigh.
I told Yu-gyeom, Il-yeon, and Won-yeon to be nice to Min-joo, then drove all the kids back to the dormitory before returning to my apartment.
‘That was hectic.’
Regardless, I’d obtained an important clue.
The Han-seong Guild was connected to the Hunter Cult, and it consistently remained within the Hunter Cult’s network.
‘When we go there, I perform music and sing hymns. That’s the only time my father liked my abilities—when I demonstrated them in front of all those older members gathered there.’
‘That bastard.’
I pinched Won-yeon’s thigh to stop him from reacting so intensely.
But Won-yeon’s anger wasn’t so easily suppressed.
‘You hear that? What is he, making you perform like some wooden puppet in front of others?’
Min-joo’s eyes reddened at his words, and Won-yeon’s pupils trembled when he saw it.
He looked at me.
You caused this—why are you looking at me?
That’s what I thought, but fortunately Il-yeon spoke up first.
‘I understand that feeling. I did everything the director asked of me too. I thought if I did that… we could both be happy. I thought if I just stayed quiet, everyone would be happy.’
At Il-yeon’s words, Min-joo’s expression hardened.
‘That’s right. That’s what I thought.’
Min-joo didn’t cry.
Instead, she looked at me and asked.
‘Would it be pathetic if I go to this party?’
I shook my head at her question.
‘No. I told you to do what you want. But listen…’
I continued while gauging the other kids’ reactions.
It was too dangerous to tell them everything truthfully.
Not for me, but for these children.
‘How would you feel if I took you there, or went with you? I think it would be good to have another guardian besides your uncle at that party.’
At my words, Min-joo showed an ambiguous expression.
‘Go together to the party…? That’s… well… um… That party is a place you can’t enter without an invitation—’
An invitation.
Hmm.
Of course it would be.
A party hosted by those insane cult bastards.
But I had a magical grandmother who could make invitations for me.
“What exactly is this.”
That grandmother soon visited our apartment.
I pointed to the phoenix sticker affixed to the back of my smartwatch while looking at Kang Han-geul’s sullen face.
The sticker that had been gold last time was now a deep crimson red.
‘This is a direct communication channel with the Special Forces unit for the duration of this case. If you call using this, Lieutenant Cheon will respond.’
In other words, this was a leash—a leash for Lieutenant Cheon, or rather Kang Han-geul, graciously provided by his direct superior.
Hehehehe.
Upon seeing my phoenix sticker, Kang Han-geul’s brow furrowed sharply.
“That’s not just a decorative sticker, is it?”
“And I wasn’t just joking around when I called you either.”
Tsk tsk.
Kang Han-geul clenched his jaw at my teasing tone, creating a dimple in his chin.
Regardless—
I shared what I had discovered through Kang Min-joo.
“The Hunter Church is hosting a party. This coming Sunday.”
“Of course they are. They’re always fond of gathering people under various pretexts.”
“The Han-seong Guild Master will be attending.”
Kang Han-geul’s previously indifferent eyes suddenly gleamed with interest.
Ah, so now he’s feeling cooperative?
“And someone I know will be going too.”
“Who?”
I deliberately lifted my chin and spoke with an air of dignity.
“From now on, when you address the investigators from the Investigation Bureau, you should call them ‘Investigator,’ understood?”
Even within the Investigation Bureau, we maintain proper courtesy when dividing up cases!
At my words, Kang Han-geul’s face twisted.
“What?”
“What do you mean, Investigator Lee Yu-ji? Like this.”
“Sigh….”
Kang Han-geul gritted his teeth and spoke.
“Is this really the time for that kind of talk, Investigator Lee Yu-ji?”
Upon hearing those words, I grinned widely and replied.
“Isn’t it wonderful when we show each other proper respect? Don’t you think, Lieutenant?”
“Sigh….”
“Just get me one invitation. There are several pretexts we could use, but I think this is the best one, don’t you?”
I showed him one of the articles from the press conference held earlier today.
The headline read:
Investigator Lee Yu-ji’s Eyes Grow Red While Speaking of Her Parents
For the record, my eyes didn’t grow red at all—it was just light reflecting off them incorrectly.
But still—
“People tend to want to believe in something when their hearts grow weak, don’t they?”
At my words, Kang Han-geul let out a hollow laugh.
“Wait, are you saying you want the Hunter Church to think they can recruit Investigator Lee Yu-ji? That they could actually—”
“It will happen.”
Probably?
Why?
“I haven’t properly confronted those people yet, and more importantly, they need me.”
I’m the investigator who brought Choi Jun-gu down.
If that’s the case, they’ll definitely think I know a lot about the misconduct of other guilds too.
“The Daeyang Guild has withdrawn from their network, so wouldn’t they want a new connection? Especially one right in the heart of enemy territory?”
They’ll at least try once.
And with just that one attempt, I can learn so much.
Because I’m a ‘possessor’.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————