The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 90

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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 090

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“Steak today…?”
I stared at the steak and salad arranged in the interrogation room, wondering if this was even a menu that could be packaged to begin with.
“You… always have it brought from a nearby restaurant, right?”
Is it being delivered?
Kwon Ik-seong answered my question without any change in expression.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“From now on, you don’t need to go to such trouble….”
…I was about to say that, but the meat I’d cut and placed in my mouth was far too delicious.
“…Thank you for your consideration.”
The juices flowing out seemed to wash away all the fatigue from the late nights of work.
Could something taste this good?
Even the doneness is perfect.
“Which restaurant is this from, exactly?”
I asked Kwon Ik-seong, who had given me an answer as swift as an AI chatbot.
“How do you search for restaurants like this?”
I had no idea such a place existed near the office.
“I identify them based on various data.”
Ah, I see.
Truly… you’re quite AI-like.
I’d always known that the ‘Concentration’ skill itself was one that mobilized superhuman senses and superhuman cognition, but I never expected it to feel so similar to an AI handling big data.
That was when it happened.
Kwon Ik-seong posed a creative question that was decidedly un-AI-like.
“Will you be dining out this evening?”
“…Pardon?”
“I’ve roughly grasped how many people within the Hunter Investigation Unit know about our dating. I also know who has been constantly tracking Lee Yu-ji’s movements.”
“…!”
Ah, that’s right.
This date was started to find the Gamer, who might be an ‘internal spy.’
And he’s already narrowed down the candidates?
I briefly panicked wondering if Choi Woo-jin was among those candidates.
Choi Woo-jin—or rather, the Gamer—I need to catch first.
That’s the only way to avoid sudden death.
The deadline for the sudden death Quest was about a month away now.
And I was calculating the timing to meet that deadline.
‘I need to make my move within two weeks to confirm if this works.’
Over the past month, despite going through hell because of Go Cheol-won, I’d devised actions that could be treated as Quest completion according to my status window.
While also finding a way to keep Choi Woo-jin’s identity hidden from others.
The plan was to catch Choi Woo-jin alone and apprehend him.
While revealing that he was the Gamer.
I judged that the Status Window wouldn’t interfere after that point—making a deal and releasing him would fall outside its domain.
Of course, this was merely an assumption, so I needed to act as quickly as possible.
But… Ik-seong had already figured out the Gamer’s identity? Already?
I asked in a tense voice.
“May I ask who your candidates are?”
“No.”
“Understood.”
The answer came back quickly.
This guy.
“However…”
Kwon Ik-seong set down the knife he’d been holding—and I still had no idea how he’d managed to bring that thing in—and spoke to me.
“…I can say that I’m not ruling out the possibility that the Gamer could be female.”
Oh.
An unbiased line of reasoning, befitting an artificial intelligence chatbot.
I was somewhat relieved.
‘He’s barking up the wrong tree.’
I smiled gently with that thought.
“Haha… So you’re planning to make your final deduction based on observations from dating outside?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“But there’s a problem. I have plans this evening.”
It wasn’t anything particularly important.
Yu-gyeom had asked me to get some documents needed for his college applications.
Dad’s death certificate.
Apparently it was needed for a special admissions application.
For reference, Dad’s last assignment was in the Criminal Investigation Division, and he passed away in a traffic accident while pursuing a criminal.
And Mom, who had responded to the Criminal Division’s request for backup, was caught in that same accident and passed away with him.
It was a terribly ironic death, but—
‘Both of them were the type to do that.’
They were both police officers with unwavering pride and a strong sense of justice.
We accepted the deaths of these two people—a trick of fate—with that understanding.
[The homeroom teacher said even with a regular application, Korea University would be a safe bet, but she said you never know. A special admissions track is definitely advantageous.]
Listening to Yu-gyeom’s emotionless voice during that call, I recalled those feelings once more.
And now, a foreign object had entered those emotions.
‘Choi Woo-jin.’
Our mother standing before that five-year-old boy.
In other words, Choi Woo-jin was himself the very evidence of my mother’s goodness.
That’s why this Quest felt so peculiar.
Because I had to arrest such a person. As a criminal.
“May I ask what this is about?”
Kwon Ik-seong asked as my expression darkened for a moment.
I nodded at his careful question.
“Ah, yes. I’m going to apply for my parents to be recognized as national merit contributors. I’ve been putting it off, but apparently it’s better to apply sooner rather than later. I already received funeral expenses support, so I wasn’t too concerned about that, but—”
I spoke somewhat awkwardly.
“Now that I think about it, I should have done it earlier. There are a lot of documents to prepare, so I’m taking a half day off….”
Kwon Ik-seong regarded me quietly at my words.
I wondered if he might offer some expression of regret or perfunctory condolences—
“Is there anything you need?”
As expected, he had that artificial intelligence quality about him.
I laughed awkwardly at that thought.
“From the Hunter Investigation Unit’s perspective?”
“No, this is a question on a personal level.”
The answer that came back was unexpected.
Ik-seong really was different from an artificial intelligence.
First of all, he was handsome, and handsome, and handsome….
‘Stop that.’
Anyway, was this an opportunity?
My eyes sparkled.
Because there was clearly something Ik-seong could help me with.
“Then would you help me leave on time?”
At my question, Kwon Ik-seong spoke like a malfunctioning AI.
“Half days are a right not just for civil servants but for all workers. If other investigators are giving you a hard time—”
“Ah, no. It’s not that.”
I pointed toward where the main gate of the Hunter Investigation Unit probably was.
“As you know, there are reporters camped out at the front gate right now, right?”
A few days ago, when the news broke about Go Cheol-won’s arrest and investigation.
I received a call from the Hunter Management Bureau Chief.
[Investigator Lee Yu-ji~]
The way the ending was pronounced so gently was ominous.
And getting a call on my personal phone wasn’t a good sign either.
Thinking that, I quickly turned on the recording function on my phone.
[You did great work on this case~ You know that, right?]
‘Well… the entire Special Team worked on it together.’
For some reason, sensing that he was about to dump all the credit and responsibility onto me, I answered quickly.
[But the witness was interrogated by Investigator Lee Yu-ji, wasn’t it? Come on! At that level, you could get promoted right away without even catching the Gamer!]
‘So you’re promoting me right now?’
[Nah, that’s not happening.]
Then what! Why did you call! It’s not even work hours yet!
I had been on my way to get an iced vanilla latte for takeout after leaving a message for Choi Woo-jin not to buy coffee since I was getting some, worried that he might bring that coffee of his again.
I had no idea that the Hunter Management Bureau Chief had even given a briefing that morning.
[So here’s the thing—wouldn’t it be great if we got an interview from you about how the Special Team conducted its own investigation and how much credit Investigator Lee Yu-ji deserves for the independent operation?]
…Something about this feels off.
I ran through the scenario of why such a high-ranking civil servant would be so unusually kind to me.
Combining my experience as a civil servant with my knowledge of the original story, the Hunter Management Bureau Chief was clearly—
‘If this goes well, he takes credit. If it doesn’t, he blames the Special Team and me.’
At the time, I didn’t know about the briefing that had already happened, so I didn’t realize he was trying to dump the fallout on me afterward, but I could deduce at least this much.
So I responded politely as well.
‘I’ll check with the Team Leader and get back to you.’
How’s that? The civil servant’s ultimate technique. The art of passing the buck.
Just as I was unleashing my finishing move.
I spotted a swarm of people gathering near the entrance of the Hunter Investigation Unit.
What’s this?
[Well then…the reporters will have to handle it themselves. I’ll hang up now, bye~]
…?
I was furrowing my brow at the phone screen as the call ended with those cryptic words.
‘Oh! That’s Investigator Lee Yu-ji!’
One of the swarm pointed at me and shouted.
And in that instant, countless faces turned toward me.
“…?”
Only then did I realize what this man had done.
He’d leaked the story to the press!
Once I grasped that, I froze for a moment, then seeing the reporters rushing toward me like a horde of zombies, I quickly looked for an escape route.
The main entrance was blocked.
Then—
‘Over the wall it is.’
I made a split-second decision and started running, and naturally, those civilians couldn’t keep up with me.
Even if I’m only F-class, my body had once competed at the national level.
I thought that by vaulting over the wall, I’d avoid becoming “Taekwondo Girl” trending on the internet again—
Ding
Video Link 🔗
What exactly are you doing?
…A short video with a strange title came from Kang Won-yeon, not Kang Il-yeon.
When did this guy even get my number?
Full-power sprint taekwondo girl. Jumping over the fence in one go lololololol

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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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