The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 261

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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 261

* * *
I couldn’t bear to listen anymore.
That’s when the thought began.
My head spun. My hands and feet trembled, and my vision blurred.
I stared at Baek Hee-ryeong, who continued speaking with an unmoved tone.
“I told you everything.”
Baek Hee-ryeong spoke as though she felt no guilt whatsoever.
As if it were only natural.
How could this be…?
The mother I knew—how could she be like this?
She allowed so many people in Jeong-an City to die, and she condoned crimes to obstruct Kwon Ik-seong?
“When Choi Woo-jin wasn’t the protagonist. When he was the protagonist. I told you it was all your fault.”
I imagined Choi Woo-jin listening to Baek Hee-ryeong’s words.
I couldn’t picture it.
Baek Hee-ryeong told me that Choi Woo-jin looked very exhausted.
She said she recognized that look in his eyes the moment he came to find her and asked about possessors and returners.
‘I probably had eyes like that around my second life too.’
Eyes searching for the meaning of life.
Eyes filled with regret and lingering attachment over both what I lost and gained by repeating two lives.
Eyes that seemed to say I needed to cling to something, anything.
She said that’s when people become vulnerable.
“I knew what kind of result it would bring. That’s why I did it.”
I recalled the image of Baek Hee-ryeong pouring out all her words to Choi Woo-jin like a confession, then calmly leaving.
Choi Woo-jin would have remained in that place.
Staring at the empty throne with the phoenix emblem drawn upon it,
Like a fallen king, clutching at a heart that had become completely hollow,
He would have taken it out.
“I wished it had shattered into pieces.”
Bang.
That brief gunshot that marked his end echoed in my ears.
A liquid cooling rapidly streamed down my cheek.
“I wanted that bastard to experience the same pain you went through.”
The Han Seong-ye that Choi Woo-jin remembered was a hero who had saved him.
The reason he helped me was because I was that hero’s daughter.
“He should have known how precious a life is, lost because of a single mistake he made.”
Baek Hee-ryeong reached out her hand toward me.
I knocked her hand away.
“Yu-ji.”
I felt nausea rising from deep within my chest.
To prevent Choi Woo-jin’s narrative from completing, Mother had instilled guilt in him and driven him to his death.
She told him that many people had died because of him, and that more would die.
She said everything was ruined because he had failed.
As a result, he met the most wretched form of death.
Even if that death was something only Mother and I knew about in that world, it was still a reality that existed.
Mother had made such a choice in that world.
“You asked me to recall the memories of your possession. If Baek Hee-ryeong is a possessor, then you must be something similar. Perhaps you might become the next ‘protagonist’—”
“And then what?”
I looked at Baek Hee-ryeong.
“What happens then? If I become the protagonist, save the world, and survive by your side like that, what were you planning to do?”
I looked at Mother.
“Were you going to tell me outright that you killed Choi Woo-jin and put me in the protagonist’s seat? Did you really think you could do that?”
I saw a human being thoroughly broken across six cycles of life.
“How could you….”
I was afraid.
My expectation that Mother would be inside her—it shattered into pieces.
This person was not Mother.
This was—
“…You thought of doing such a thing. Don’t tell me it was for me. The President did it for herself.”
At my words, Baek Hee-ryeong’s face twisted.
Pain etched itself across that twisted face.
“To you….”
Baek Hee-ryeong’s voice cracked.
“I should have apologized to you. At least once, I wished I had a life where I could…. I’m sorry. Yes, that’s right. That’s selfish. I know it.”
What was truly wretched was—
that anguished face resembled Mother’s.
And so my heart, which had created that suffering, was torn apart with pain.
“Lee Yu-ji.”
“Get me out of here.”
I spoke as if vomiting the words, my face a wreck.
“Right now….”
I cried out toward the Mother before my eyes.
“Get me out of here.”

* * *
Pee So-won and Kwon Ik-seong headed to the Blue House immediately after their treatment.
While the other team members replenished their stamina with healing potions, Pee So-won had escaped the hospital on her own and come to the Blue House.
Kwon Ik-seong, who had been waiting for Pee So-won’s treatment for the shoulder wound caused by ant egg shell fragments, had essentially followed her.
“The Blue House is currently under lockdown.”
Kang Han-geul—or rather, this unidentifiable man from the Special Forces—spoke to them while covered in dust from the cave, just like the two of them.
They were standing in front of the Blue House presidential residence, where Special Forces troops had established their position and were maintaining guard.
The fact that Kang Han-geul was at the Blue House in such a state meant he had rushed here after retrieving the President from the National Assembly and handling the aftermath of the dungeon clear.
It meant something urgent had occurred.
“The President and Lee Yu-ji weren’t seriously injured.”
Pee So-won spoke while glaring at Kang Han-geul.
“We witnessed it directly. Especially Lee Yu-ji—she barely sustained any injuries.”
“I’m unable to confirm that.”
At Kang Han-geul’s words, Pee So-won’s brow furrowed.
“But why did you take Lee Yu-ji with you? You only needed to secure the President’s safety, so why take Lee Yu-ji too? Ever since last time, you keep interfering in our investigations. Haven’t I reached a level where I can talk directly with that Number One beyond this Blue House wall? I’m the Vice Director of the Heonsu National Intelligence Service.”
“Please submit a formal request for an audience. I’ll relay it to the Secretary Manager. And Investigator Lee Yu-ji is currently in a meeting with the President.”
“What kind of meeting?”
“I’m unable to confirm that.”
“Are you a parrot?”
Kwon Ik-seong looked at Pee So-won, whose shoulder was bleeding.
Pee So-won was in an agitated state.
An F-rank Hunter had been caught up in an S-rank Dungeon Break.
Just that alone was cause for concern about serious internal injuries, yet Lee Yu-ji, who had appeared perfectly fine right before him, had been taken away by the Special Forces along with the President.
Without leaving any explanation.
And Lee Yu-ji had not made any contact for the entire hour that had passed.
It was indeed a strange situation.
But if they kept insisting that Lee Yu-ji had walked in on her own, there was nothing to say on this end.
Though something felt off.
“Vice Director.”
Kwon Ik-seong gently gripped Pee So-won’s uninjured shoulder.
“I think it would be best if you received treatment first.”
At Kwon Ik-seong’s words, Kang Han-geul glanced at Pee So-won’s shoulder.
Kang Han-geul clicked his tongue briefly, then gestured to a soldier behind him.
“There’s a Healer stationed within the Blue House. Please receive treatment first.”
As Kang Han-geul said this and went to speak with the soldier behind him.
Pee So-won spoke again, agitated.
“These bastards are up to something. It’s suspicious that Investigator Lee Yu-ji happened to be in the middle of a terrorist attack. They might be trying to manipulate public opinion about Lee Yu-ji, or they might be trying to shift blame onto her. I need to confirm right now that naive fool doesn’t get swept up in this—”
“To confirm anything, you first need to get past this wall.”
Kwon Ik-seong spoke to Pee So-won.
Watching Kwon Ik-seong’s calm expression, Pee So-won understood.
“You….”
“I have experience receiving treatment from a Healer inside the Government Office. I remember the internal layout.”
“…!”
Ha.
Pee So-won realized that he had deliberately brought up her shoulder injury not out of concern for her, but to gain entry into the Government Office, and she let out a hollow laugh.
“You really are… insane sometimes.”
That was when it happened.
Kwon Ik-seong’s smartwatch rang.
Pee So-won instinctively checked her own wrist, but since it had been removed during treatment, there was no smartwatch on hers.
It was the moment Kwon Ik-seong received the call.
[Team Leader.]
A familiar voice came through.
“Investigator Lee Yu-ji.”
At those words, Pee So-won’s face hardened.
Kwon Ik-seong calmed her while asking calmly.
“Where are you?”
Lee Yu-ji’s voice trembled thinly.
[It’s the Government Office. I’m not sure exactly where. I just… escaped….]
“You escaped?”
What could have happened….
[Yes. I just couldn’t take it anymore….]
Kwon Ik-seong was about to ask what she had heard, but he closed his mouth.
[Team Leader.]
Because she was sobbing.
[I….]
Rustle.
Rustle.
The sound of her body collapsing could be heard.
Soon Lee Yu-ji spoke.
[I want to escape.]
Kwon Ik-seong answered in a flat voice.
“Yes.”
He spoke while watching Kang Han-geul walking toward them.
“I will go.”

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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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