The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 272
—————
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 272
I steadied my breathing with deliberate calm.
I wrestled with what to call the person on the other end.
I deliberated. Then deliberated again.
But there was no denying it any longer.
This person was—
“Mother.”
My mother.
Only faint breathing came through the receiver.
Then, after a long silence, Mother’s voice emerged.
[Lee Yu-ji.]
“I cannot forgive you.”
I firmly rejected the tenderness in her voice.
“Because of you, so many lives have been destroyed. If Jeong-an City had also fallen apart because of you, countless people would have died. You knew that, and yet you deliberately thought… as long as I was safe, nothing else mattered. That is truly…”
I turned back on Mother the words I had heard from Seon-i, the words I had heard from Mother herself.
“A terrible thing.”
My voice did not waver.
Now I understood.
I cannot bear responsibility for wrongs that are not my own.
Even if they occurred because of my existence.
[…That is…]
“I’m not asking for excuses.”
I continued calmly.
That’s right. I hadn’t made this call to have an emotional catharsis with Mother.
“You’re taking this call from somewhere that can’t be wiretapped or monitored, aren’t you?”
[…Yes.]
“Which means…”
[It’s a place even Spider cannot reach.]
As I suspected.
I hesitated briefly before speaking.
“That day—is there something you didn’t tell me?”
No answer came.
Which meant there was.
I had been thinking about this continuously.
When the status window appeared declaring this world’s destruction was inevitable, the Hunter’s Faith—which had barely been emphasized in the original work—grew to tremendous power.
And the special Magical Stone that the Hunter’s Faith researched had evolved into a weapon capable of dragging this world into a third world war.
Could the world have become this twisted merely because of my existence?
[Traces of distorted causality.]
As I thought.
The very words I had anticipated flowed from Mother’s lips.
Mother hesitated for a long time before continuing.
[It’s with Seol Ok-gyun. I don’t know how Seol Ok-gyun twisted causality, but what’s certain is that one of those artifacts is attributed to him. He may not have twisted causality yet, but…]
“So he possesses the power to commit extraordinarily dangerous acts. Just as you did.”
Mother fell silent for a moment.
[I asked you to investigate Seol Ok-gyun because I wanted you to become a key figure in this world, not because I wanted you to approach danger.]
Yes. That seemed to be the case.
She had made me into an investigator with star quality, and during the Jeong-an City investigation, she had tried to prevent me from going further.
Every time I faced danger, Mother had consistently tried to stop me.
[You can stop now. No, you should stop. Let me handle it. I can do anything…]
“You can’t become a god, Mother.”
I spoke firmly.
“You can’t save me and save the world at the same time. You…”
I steadied my breathing and spoke.
“You should have grieved when I died.”
[Lee Yu-ji.]
“You should have ached in your heart. So that no one like me would ever exist again, so that no one like you would ever exist again, you should have saved Choi Woo-jin, Kwon Ik-seong, Pee So-won, everyone. That’s…”
I clenched my teeth.
“That’s what’s right.”
[…]
“But the opportunity to do what’s right hasn’t passed yet, Mother.”
If you seize the chance to be good, that’s what matters—that’s what Seon-i said.
Seon-i has changed now, but her words and actions that remain within me are still alive.
There’s no need to deny that.
“Tell me what Seol Ok-gyun is trying to do. Don’t think about pulling me out of the UN Conference Room—just tell me honestly.”
Mother didn’t answer for a long time.
But soon, as if she had made a decision, she spoke.
[There’s intelligence that Seol Ok-gyun brought an EX-rank Magical Stone with unique properties from Argentina. Only a handful of people within the Hunter’s Faith know this information.]
If it’s EX-rank.
Unmeasurable.
That means it’s beyond classification—
“Then the Dungeon created by that Magical Stone would also be EX-rank.”
I felt the tips of my fingers and toes grow cold.
“And if it erupts in the UN Conference where the Russian ambassador and American ambassador are both present—”
[World War III. Both America and Russia would immediately scramble to acquire the Magical Stone with unique properties.]
“…”
[So don’t go. Lee Yu-ji…]
“That’s exactly why I have to go.”
I answered calmly.
“If Seol Ok-gyun really shows up there, and the EX-rank Magical Stone shows up there, and most importantly, if the traces of twisted causality are attributed to Seol Ok-gyun…”
I gazed out at the hotel window, which reflected like a mirror in the darkness outside.
There I was.
Lee Yu-ji.
An extra possessor in this world.
“With my abilities, I should be able to uncover Seol Ok-gyun’s secrets.”
* * *
“How are you feeling? Finally out of the hotel?”
Johnny cheerfully spoke as he helped me into the car.
This man had an oddly familiar quality to him….
But truthfully, he wasn’t familiar at all….
With that thought, I answered.
“It feels good.”
“Have you prepared well for the witness testimony?”
Pee So-won asked with concern in her voice.
“Yes.”
“You’re not going to malfunction again, are you?”
“That’s….”
I couldn’t guarantee it.
As I grinned sheepishly, Pee So-won clicked her tongue in disapproval.
In the meantime, Ocean interjected into our conversation.
“Interpol will wait outside. No one except UN staff can enter the interior. However, since there have been many terrorist incidents targeting witnesses related to Hunters, surveillance will be more thorough than usual.”
Right. That would be the case….
And most likely, South Korea’s Special Forces were already standing by near the UN Headquarters under Baek Hee-ryeong’s orders.
But if Seol Ok-gyun truly triggers an EX-rank Dungeon, that wouldn’t be enough to contain the situation.
An EX-rank Dungeon is literally beyond classification—two S-rank Hunters might be able to close it, but even ten couldn’t.
It’s such a rare case that it hasn’t happened more than a few times in decades, and whenever it does—
‘Catastrophe follows.’
I gazed out the car window at the passing New York scenery.
How many people were living in this city?
No matter the number, it would dwarf Jeong-an City.
Choi Woo-jin’s abilities would be useless.
If things went wrong, this city would be erased from the map without hesitation.
“We’ve arrived.”
Johnny spoke with a faint smile.
Seeing the usually friendly man’s expression stiffen slightly made the gravity of the situation sink in.
I really have come to an extraordinary place.
Beyond the car window, the UN Headquarters with flags of various nations came into view.
Soon, a UN staff member who appeared to have received advance notice from headquarters opened the window for me.
“Hello. I’m Han Se-ra. It’s such an honor to meet you, Inspector Lee Yu-ji.”
She was a young Korean woman.
“Ah, yes. Hello.”
While I was caught off guard by the unexpected Korean greeting, Han Se-ra smoothly guided me toward the building entrance.
“Your first time at the UN Headquarters?”
Men in formal suits were waiting at the building entrance.
Hunters, no doubt.
That’s what I thought as I answered.
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
At my response, Han Se-ra smiled and turned her gaze toward my companions, grinning.
“Would you mind waiting outside?”
Kwon Ik-seong, Pee So-won, Ocean, and Johnny were being excluded from entering.
“Only witnesses are permitted inside the conference room.”
The four of them exchanged glances before stepping back.
I made eye contact with Pee So-won.
There was something we had discussed last night.
Pee So-won was probably heading to the location I had mentioned.
‘Why there?’
‘Because the Special Forces will be there.’
That way, I could respond to any situation that arose.
That way, even if something happened, those two wouldn’t have to risk their lives.
With that thought, I followed Han Se-ra into the building.
“The meeting started an hour ago. It’s almost time for Lee Yu-ji’s statement. Once you enter, the chairman will give you the floor, and you can speak then.”
Han Se-ra spoke from the waiting room after we had gone through all the complex security procedures.
Soon, a staff member opened the door.
Han Se-ra and the staff member made eye contact, signaling me to enter.
I slowly stepped into the conference room.
As I walked toward the massive mural, the staff member showed me to my seat.
The chairman spoke.
[We will now hear from Lee Yu-ji, a Hunter Investigator from the Hunter Investigation Bureau of South Korea.]
I gripped the microphone with trembling hands.
I looked down at the prepared notes, then lifted my gaze.
“I believe the Magical Stone is the key that will lead this world toward its end.”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————