Arriving at the Korean Hunter Association parking lot, Su-ho sprayed a liquid onto the original bribe ledger before stepping out of the car.
Ssss...
The liquid hissed as it soaked into the ledger, leaving no visible changes on the outside.
However, the mont a specific keyword set by the creator was triggered, the text would alter exactly as Su-ho intended.
‘With this, I can erase Park Gyu-min’s na at a critical mont.’
This was a specially prepared item, designed specifically for today.
With preparations complete, Su-ho headed to the office of Pi Seong-ryeol, the Special Division’s chief. Upon knocking, Pi Seong-ryeol greeted him warmly.
After exchanging polite greetings, Su-ho handed over the bribe ledger he had secured from Sohn Baek-geum.
“Good work.”
“It was nothing.”
Pi Seong-ryeol took the ledger, skimd through the contents, and, upon confirming the expected nas, smiled faintly. Closing the ledger, he looked up at Su-ho.
“Did you take a look?”
“Pardon?”
“The contents of this. Did you check it?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Don’t lie. Whether you saw it or not, it doesn’t really matter. But don’t tell you actually didn’t look.”
“I really didn’t.”
“Fine, let’s say you didn’t.”
Why ask if you’re not going to believe ?
Pi Seong-ryeol smirked and casually tossed the ledger onto the table. Crossing his legs and placing his hands on his knees, he spoke again.
“You saw the news, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
“So, here’s the deal. You’re going to spend so ti in the Gate Division.”
The inevitable had arrived.
Su-ho, already expecting this, feigned surprise.
“The Gate Division… sir?”
“Don’t like it?”
“No, it’s not that. I’m just curious—why the Gate Division?”
“It’s under my purview. That’s why.”
“Understood.”
“Feeling upset?”
“No, sir.”
“Don’t take it too hard. Public sentint is what it is. The association president is keeping a close eye on this. Just spend a little ti there and co back. Later, I’ll use the excuse of rotational duty to bring you back. Oh, by the way, your supervisor there will be Team Leader Jeong Cheol-min.”
Pi Seong-ryeol smiled brightly.
“Oh, really?”
“Look how happy you are. This placent is entirely my doing. So stay there for a bit and then co back. Where else would a talent like you work if not in the Special Division?”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Speaking of which, here.”
Pi Seong-ryeol walked over to his desk and brought back a small box.
“What’s this?”
“Open it. A gift to commorate the end of your probation.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Inside the box was a handkerchief, from a luxury brand no less.
Su-ho smiled.
“A handkerchief. I was thinking about getting a new one anyway. Thank you, I’ll use it well.”
“Do you always carry a handkerchief?”
“Yes, sir. I always take one with when I go out.”
“Ha! Even more gentlemanly than I thought. A true gentleman should always carry a handkerchief.”
That talk about being a gentleman again.
In truth, Su-ho didn’t carry handkerchiefs. Everything he said was tailored to Pi Seong-ryeol’s tastes.
‘I got one of these in my past life too. Sa spiel about it being a gentleman’s essential.’
It wasn’t just Su-ho who received a handkerchief. For Pi Seong-ryeol, they were a sort of mark, a way of saying, I’m watching out for you.
In his ignorance back then, Su-ho had once been delighted to receive it.
‘I must have been insane.’
As Su-ho tucked the handkerchief into his coat, Pi Seong-ryeol pulled out an envelope.
“Take this too.”
“What’s this?”
“Just a little spending money.”
“Spending money?”
“We had plans for a small award ceremony to honor the youngest-ever perfect scorer in the association’s history, but public opinion being what it is, everything got scrapped. Even the association president is disappointed. I’m sure you were expecting so recognition too, but… well, this is how it turned out.”
“Ah…”
It made sense.
With Su-ho’s record-breaking performance, the association likely planned to give him a comndation for excellence in training.
Frankly, it was a relief.
From Su-ho’s perspective, the last thing he wanted was a cumberso ceremony.
“The training period officially ends today, right? Finish it off well. Starting tomorrow, report directly to the Gate Division.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
“Good. Keep calling ‘senior’ whenever we et, okay? Officially, though, you know the drill.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Alright, off you go. You’ll get your official employee ID from Team Leader Jeong tomorrow.”
Pi Seong-ryeol, seemingly reluctant to see Su-ho go, offered a few final words of encouragent.
As Su-ho left the Special Division office, he thought to himself:
‘It’s finally over.’
Or rather, the ti for lying low was over.
Tomorrow marked the official end of his probationary period and the start of his career as a full-fledged civil servant under the Korean Hunter Association.
‘Before officially reporting in, there’s soone I need to et.’
One unresolved matter that absolutely couldn’t be postponed any longer.
Getting into his car, Su-ho began driving toward his destination.
***
After completing his preparations, Su-ho traveled to Seoul Station and boarded a train heading for Daejeon. Upon arriving at Daejeon Station, he took a taxi to his destination.
‘Thanks to Reverse Morphology, moving around is so much easier now.’
Before boarding the train, Su-ho altered his appearance. This allowed him to avoid changing clothes or using the First Silent Shadow technique. Nobody recognized him.
Stepping out of the taxi, Su-ho entered an office located in Yuseong District, Daejeon.
“Excuse .”
“Who are you?”
“Is this On-gang Cash?”
“Yes, it is. Are you here to borrow money?”
“No, I’m here to purchase a debt.”
“A debt?”
“Yes, the debt belonging to Lee Dal-won. It’s held here, isn’t it?”
“Lee Dal-won... let check. Yes, we hold that debt. Who are you?”
Lee Dal-won was the husband of Yoon Hyun-hee, the younger sister of Yoon Hyun-chul. Currently, he was drowning in loan shark debt after failing in two business ventures. This was why Su-ho had co.
“I’m just soone who knows him. Anyway, I’d like to buy that debt. Can you sell it to ?”
“Well, as long as you’re willing to pay, we can talk. Why don’t you take a seat?”
The owner of On-gang Cash, Hwang On-gang, rose from his chair and gestured for Su-ho to sit. Another employee brought tea while a different staff mber retrieved Lee Dal-won’s debt docunts.
Su-ho glanced over the papers and remarked, “The principal is 40 million won, and the interest is 80 million?”
“Yes. The paynts were delayed repeatedly, so the amount ballooned. Still, it’s not a completely unrecoverable debt.”
In other words, Hwang was implying there would be no discounts.
Su-ho nodded and pulled a paper bag from his inventory, handing it over.
“Here’s the 40 million for the principal.”
“What about the 80 million in interest?”
“That’s illegal interest. Based on the records, the amount he’s already paid in interest far exceeds the legal limit. I won’t pay that.”
“What?”
The atmosphere in the office instantly grew tense.
The previously friendly expression on Hwang On-gang’s face darkened.
But Su-ho’s tone remained calm.
“I’m busy. Let’s wrap this up quickly.”
“Hah! Are you kidding ?”
“Not at all.”
“What did you say?”
“You heard .”
“You’re out of your mind, aren’t you? Boys!”
“Yes, boss!”
Bang!
Before Hwang could shout further, Su-ho grabbed his head and slamd it onto the table.
Hwang collapsed imdiately, groaning in pain.
“H-Hyungnim!”
The other employees moved to intervene but collapsed frothing at the mouth before they could act.
It was Su-ho’s Overwhelm skill.
After neutralizing them, Su-ho used Recovery to wake Hwang.
“Ugh...”
“Sit up.”
“You... you!”
“I said sit.”
The murderous intent in Su-ho’s voice made Hwang realize he was dealing with soone far beyond an ordinary person.
“Y-you’re an Awakened?”
“Correct. So don’t bother Lee Dal-won and his wife anymore. If I hear otherwise, I won’t let it slide.”
Su-ho grabbed the debt docunts and the paper bag of cash before standing to leave.
Hwang, panicking, stamred, “What about the money?!”
“You should have taken it when I offered. You refused, rember?”
“Th-that doesn’t make sense!”
“Does it look like I’m joking?”
“...”
Of course not.
Hwang was left speechless as Su-ho walked out.
***
After leaving On-gang Cash, Su-ho hailed another taxi and traveled to a different location—a neighborhood left in ruins.
“...”
Reviewing one of the docunts he’d brought, Su-ho surveyed the scene.
This was a site hit by a Gate Shock six months ago, still unrecovered.
It was also where Lee Dal-won’s second business had been located.
‘The situation is worse than I thought.’
Outside of tropolitan areas and major cities, most places looked like this.
Even with Korea’s limited landmass, there simply weren’t enough resources to rebuild everywhere, perpetuating a vicious cycle of misfortune.
After inspecting the site, Su-ho hailed another taxi and headed to a new destination: a restaurant.
The sign read Yuseong Cold Noodles, and it was currently closed for a break.
Seeing the sign, Su-ho entered the restaurant.
A woman at the counter said, “I’m sorry, but we’re closed right now.”
“I know.”
“Excuse ?”
“Is Yoon Hyun-hee working here?”
“...Yoon Hyun-hee?”
At the ntion of the na, the woman’s expression turned wary.
This was understandable, as Hwang On-gang had previously visited the restaurant over the debt.
Feigning ignorance, the woman shook her head. “I’m not sure who that is.”
Her pretense made Su-ho chuckle internally.
She seems stern, but she’s surprisingly kind.
“I’m not a loan shark. I have other business with Yoon Hyun-hee. Could you tell her soone from Aram Orphanage is here to see her?”
“...Please wait.”
Still cautious, the woman eventually relayed Su-ho’s ssage to Yoon Hyun-hee, who was resting in the staff lounge.
Shortly after, Yoon Hyun-hee appeared. Su-ho greeted her with a warm smile.
“May I have a mont of your ti?”
***
Since it was the start of their break, there was plenty of ti to talk.
The restaurant owner even offered them so privacy.
Seated in a nearby café, Su-ho got straight to the point.
“I’ll be blunt. I was sent by your older brother, Yoon Hyun-chul.”
“...What?”
Her eyes widened in shock.
Of course.
Yoon Hyun-chul was her only remaining blood relative, soone she could never forget.
She had long planned to see him one day, but the chaos of life—the Gate Shock, losing her adoptive parents—had left her overwheld.
Hearing Yoon Hyun-chul’s na from Su-ho’s lips, she asked in a trembling voice, “Where is he now?”
“He’s currently imprisoned in Cheong-ok Penitentiary.”
“...What?”
“Yoon Hyun-chul is serving a death sentence for killing multiple people. He’s currently incarcerated at Cheong-ok.”
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