The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 81

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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 081
He knew I hit Choi Woo-jin because of him, and he deliberately covered for me?
Ik-seong, you’re genuinely guilty.
This practically warrants a prison sentence!
I felt such fury internally while asking as calmly as possible on the surface.
“…Are you treating me this well because of the fake relationship?”
“I can’t say there’s no reason for it at all.”
Kwon Ik-seong answered with equal composure.
I felt a subtle curiosity about how Kwon Ik-seong would act in front of a woman he genuinely liked, but I quickly decided not to wonder too much about my workplace superior.
Knowing more seemed dangerous in multiple ways.
‘Be careful with office romance. Unless you want to be unemployed again.’
Why did Lee Yu-gyeom’s words come to mind?
“My special treatment of Investigator Lee Yu-ji is probably something several investigators have already noticed. That I lied as well.”
His words brought back Captain Hong’s earlier comment, where he’d already suspected I was the one who hit Choi Woo-jin.
So he was subtly revealing it? As if to say, we’re something special?
“If there’s a Gamer nearby, they’ll notice it.”
At those words, I felt my hand reaching for the milkshake flinch naturally.
A Gamer nearby?
Not just nearby—we literally just came out of a meeting together!
Was this really okay?
Actually, my head was far more complicated because of Choi Woo-jin than because of the fake relationship.
How should I reveal the Gamer’s identity?
Or rather, should I even reveal the Gamer’s identity at all?
If I just wanted to resolve this Quest, there actually was a way.
‘I could possess Choi Woo-jin.’
Then I’d make Choi Woo-jin confess all his crimes to the Heonsu Department.
But I had no confidence in handling the aftermath.
I was worried about what Quest would appear when Choi Woo-jin, this world’s strongest being, became aware of my existence and changed from a mere ‘extra he occasionally notices’ to a ‘completely monitored extra,’ and moreover—
What if the Gamer Choi Woo-jin’s identity was completely exposed?
Wouldn’t Choi Jun-gu kill him outright and purge the entire Heonsu Department and everything else?
And fundamentally, the system recognizes me as an ‘extra’ because of the protagonist, but can a world where the protagonist disappears even exist?
A worldline created by the protagonist’s regression.
But if that protagonist disappears?
It was an assumption that sent chills down my spine, a dread from the abyss pressing down.
That’s when it happened.
Kwon Ik-seong seemed to read my expression differently and spoke.
“There may not be just one Gamer. It could be one of us. You must always be mentally prepared.”
Kwon Ik-seong’s quiet eyes watched me as if telling me to steel my resolve.
Looking at that, I suddenly asked.
“Then what’s the other reason?”
“Huh?”
“No, wait—you just said there wasn’t no reason, which means there are other reasons too. So what’s the other reason you lied because of me?”
I found myself genuinely curious.
Kwon Ik-seong answered with an enigmatic expression.
“Because I want to protect you.”
“…?”
Protect me?
What kind of game is this now?
I stared at Kwon Ik-seong, my heart pounding uncontrollably.
Then Kwon Ik-seong spoke with a composed face.
“You remind me of Ruru.”
“…What?”
Seriously? Am I being compared to a dog?
Never mind then.
I felt my racing heart instantly return to its normal rhythm as I reached for the french fries.
“When I first met you, actually.”
At Kwon Ik-seong’s words, I popped a steaming fry into my mouth and nodded while gauging his expression.
Damn it, everything’s exposed anyway. What can I do about it?
I made no attempt to hide the fact that I was the dog who had nearly rolled over on its belly in front of him back then.
“It’s been that way ever since. Simple, straightforward. That’s why I wanted to protect that clarity of yours. Even during the undercover investigation, didn’t you express anger at the criminals without any pretense? It’s something I don’t have. I like that about you.”
So he’s saying he likes me because I’m simple-minded…?
I looked at Kwon Ik-seong with a bewildered expression.
Then Kwon Ik-seong added as if he’d read my thoughts.
“That’s not what I meant by simple-minded.”
“How did you…”
I was about to ask if he’d read my mind, but Kwon Ik-seong answered even faster.
“It’s written all over your face.”
…Damn.
“Well then, let’s eat. We have twenty minutes before returning to work.”
Kwon Ik-seong was sharp as a blade once again.

* * *
When I returned to my seat, there was a message from Ji Won-gil waiting for me.
What kind of favor do you need?
A short and simple message.
I never even mentioned asking for a favor?
I had only said that I was grateful for his help last time and wanted to buy him a meal related to that matter.
So where exactly in those lines did he read something about a favor?
Can you read my expression too?
At my words, Ji Won-gil, who had been sitting in a distant corner reading the case file that Kwon Ik-seong had given him and Choi Woo-jin, glanced at me.
For reference, Choi Woo-jin had already disappeared as if he’d bounced away, and only Ji Won-gil was working overtime with the other Special Team members to diligently read through the materials Kwon Ik-seong had provided.
Such was the fate of a subordinate serving a parachute appointee.
Probably by tomorrow, I’d need to organize everything he’d read and create a summary to present to Choi Woo-jin.
…Wait? What do you mean?
Never mind.
Forget it.
With that thought, I decided to just ask for the favor.
After all, when I resolved the matter with the elderly hunters last time, Ji Won-gil said I was his savior and that I could ask him for favors anytime.
A savior of my life, no less…?
Ji Won-gil.
You really… have no self-awareness, do you? Honestly… Anyway, next time ask me for something related to you. Well, even if it’s another request to save someone like this, I’ll help.
What am I?
I set aside such questions and quickly stated my request before Ji Won-gil changed his mind.
It’s nothing major, but could I possibly access the records about the civilian deaths from the dungeon break that occurred on the Incheon Bridge eighteen years ago? I think the Hunter Management Office probably has the files stored.
I was talking about the ‘special side story.’
I was bothered by the fact that the special side story had nothing to do with the Quest, and even if that weren’t the case, it was better to have as much information about Choi Woo-jin as possible right now.
‘If things go south, maybe I can get the information the ‘Gamer’ needs first and make a deal.’
I don’t know if there’s any information that he with S-rank stats after regression couldn’t obtain—
But you never know.
Choi Woo-jin never once mentioned in the main story that a female police officer had helped him during that accident.
‘Those memories might have been completely wiped out.’
Five years old was too young to witness the death of his parents.
If that were the case, that police officer might have ‘witnessed’ the crucial evidence Choi Woo-jin was looking for—
The evidence that Choi Jun-gu had caused that accident eighteen years ago as well.
Eighteen years ago? Is it related to this case?
That’s when Ji Won-gil asked.
It seemed Ji Won-gil was viewing my sudden request as an official request related to Special Team duties.
Yeah. But I’d appreciate it if you could look into it quietly… without the other team members knowing.
Ji Won-gil.
Ah. Right. I suppose that’s possible.
That’s possible?
I was frowning at the cryptic phrasing when another message appeared in the window below from an unknown profile.
But instead, I read the message from Ji Won-gil that followed.
It’s because of Go Cheol-won, right? He was the Incheon City Dungeon Management Department Director back then. I already looked into his background while reading Mayor Go Cheol-won’s file. I thought it might be helpful for my work.
So he’d already finished reading that file and was conducting additional investigations now?
Civil service exam passers really are different in every way.
There’s a reason why everyone ranked higher than me is where they are!
But Go Cheol-won was the Incheon City Dungeon Management Department Director eighteen years ago?
Then is there a connection between Choi Woo-jin’s parents’ accident and Go Cheol-won?
It was right as I was thinking such things.
Another window appeared below.
(Unknown) has sent you a message.
What on earth is this?
I finally opened the message window at the messages continuing to pop up below.
And then—
Wow. Finally read it.
I was wondering how long you’d ignore it.
So what coffee will you have?
It was a message from the youngest member of the Special Team, who’d volunteered to run the coffee errand.
Americano? Affogato?
Since the youngest is treating, right?
His message was full of playful teasing.
I froze solid as I looked at his profile picture displayed in the messenger.
A pierced fox-faced man with a bright smile, set against a backdrop that looked like a yacht.
It was Choi Woo-jin.
If you say it like that, I feel like that “treating” won’t be coffee but something else entirely.
You didn’t leave work?!
Only then did I look at the flashy designer-logo embroidered messenger bag sitting next to Ji Won-gil.
There’s no way that’s Ji Won-gil’s…
…Rather, how did he even get my contact information! And—
He ate a homemade burger with Team Leader earlier.
Kwon Ik-seong’s plan to lure out the Gamer was really working.
I saw both of them enter the interrogation room^^
I saw both of them going into the interrogation room.^^

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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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