Ch.44Chapter 44 – The Second-in-Command

“Your Excellency, the limousine has left the main gate.”

“Wait five more minutes.”

After five minutes of silence, President Park Ju-gwan finally spoke, confident that he had completely escaped the auditory range of the S-rank Hunter.

“Did you see it?”

A concise question with implied subject and object. But Hong Ha-rin, the Director of the Awakened Management Division at the National Intelligence Service, understood the meaning. After all, this question had been planned in advance.

“Yes. Successfully.”

Hong Ha-rin was an Awakened. Her rank was C-class, not particularly high, but her intelligence-specialized awakening ability had propelled her to the position of NIS Director despite being only in her twenties.

Her skill was “Vision Sharing.” A skill that allowed her to peek into another person’s field of vision.

President Park having Shin Jae-hyuk read the memo was all calculated. The plan was to induce him to pronounce the word “status window” so Hong Ha-rin could steal a glimpse of it with her ability. This plan was only possible because of an artifact in Park’s office that restricted mana detection. All the Hunters caught in this operation had their information stolen without even realizing Hong Ha-rin was using mana.

“How was it?”

Hong Ha-rin hesitated. Angels and demons conflicted in her mind. Isn’t this betraying a friend? But managing potentially dangerous Awakened is my job. Shin Jae-hyuk, dangerous? I’ve observed him since childhood, and his personality makes that impossible. No, but still…

There was another reason she couldn’t speak hastily. She couldn’t believe what she had seen herself. Level 784 with 7 achievements? That was superior to most veteran S-rank Hunters. Did she see wrong? For the first time, Hong Ha-rin doubted her own skill.

‘No… I’ve used it so many times, there’s no way it would malfunction now.’

Which meant that the unbelievable content she saw was all true.

This was unprecedented. It was shocking enough that her quiet, loner childhood friend was an unregistered Awakened, but he wasn’t just an ordinary Awakened—he was S-rank with a level far higher than other S-ranks…

She couldn’t imagine that timid guy defeating “Psychic” or “Zeus.” Of course, compatibility plays a major role in battles between S-ranks, but still.

After deliberating long enough that Park wouldn’t suspect anything, Hong Ha-rin finally reported a reduced version of the truth. Her unwavering rationality and professional ethics compromised with her conscience for the first time in her career.

“…His level was 486 with 3 achievements. Master, Heavenly King Slayer, and Chaos. I’ll check the Hunter database to see if anyone else has achieved the same accomplishments.”

President Park didn’t doubt his loyal hound at all. There was no reason for Hong Ha-rin to protect someone she just met, and her past achievements were too impressive to doubt.

Park had no idea that Hong Ha-rin and Shin Jae-hyuk grew up in the same orphanage. All information about director-level personnel is purged from the NIS and national databases. Apart from their orphanage peers, no one knew the connection between Shin Jae-hyuk and Hong Ha-rin.

“486… Significantly higher than other Hunters, but slightly lower compared to S-ranks. I expected at least 600 after watching the video.”

This could be interpreted both positively and negatively. It was bad that he might be weaker than other S-ranks, but his growth potential was promising. If he could output at the level of other S-ranks at a lower level, it meant he could become much stronger than them at higher levels.

Park fell into thought, trying to discern Shin Jae-hyuk’s desires. To use someone to his advantage, understanding their motivations was essential.

His main job was an underground fixer, right? He must have illegally entered gates to diligently raise his level. And yet he still wants access to gates.

“What do you think his purpose is?”

Wealth? As a fixer, he’s a capable hacker who can earn billions per job.

Fame? For unknown reasons, he avoids publicity.

Power? There wasn’t even a fragment of power hunger in the conversation with Shin Jae-hyuk just now.

“Perhaps it’s a personal reason. A reason why he must enter gates despite having easier paths available.”

“A personal reason…”

Is he a battle maniac like “Sword Demon”? Or like “Hero,” protecting his mother? Neither seemed connected to Shin Jae-hyuk.

It didn’t seem like revenge either, as his acquaintances were too normal. Before gates appeared, he was a hikikomori with few relationships. What wind had blown to turn a hikikomori into an active gate explorer?

With too few clues, Park couldn’t understand Shin Jae-hyuk’s actions. He soon gave up trying to deduce his motives.

“So the thoughts of an S-rank madman can’t be easily predicted.”

Tsk, this makes it difficult to use him as a hunting dog… I wondered if he could be used as a device to restrain Kim Jae-min. President Park swallowed his words. This was a secretive thought he hadn’t shared even with his confidants.

‘Kim Jae-min is dangerous.’

It wasn’t simply because he possessed the power to threaten a dictator’s position. Of course, Park had developed a kind of fear of high-ranking Hunters after seeing Kim Jae-min take down an S-rank boss with one blow during the first gate incident, but that wasn’t the issue.

Kim Jae-min was highly likely to go berserk.

‘Hero my ass… He’s a nuclear bomb without safety measures.’

NIS profilers who secretly analyzed Kim Jae-min’s psychological state said he had numerous mental disorders. With a warning that he could literally “snap” if subjected to strong stress at any moment.

Given their profession of constantly crossing the line between life and death, it’s not unusual for Hunters to have mental disorders. Especially S-ranks. Rather, “Zeus” without any mental disorders was the unusual case. Kim Jae-min suffered from an exceptionally high number of mental disorders—paranoid personality disorder, insomnia, persecution complex, hypersensitivity, obsession, etc.—but considering his unfortunate past of being kidnapped as a child, it was understandable.

The problem was that when he went berserk, there was no one in Korea who could stop him.

You can put reins on a wild horse, but not on a locomotive. Kim Jae-min was one of the seven fastest-running locomotives in the world. The dictator feared a situation he couldn’t control—the arrival of a crisis where all he had built—wealth, power, fame—could crumble like a sand castle in an instant.

Moreover, Kim Jae-min was actively growing stronger by conquering foreign gates. For now, supporting Shin Jae-hyuk, the second S-rank, to cultivate a counterbalance seemed the best approach, but Park wasn’t confident that Shin Jae-hyuk alone would be enough to subdue a berserk Kim Jae-min in an emergency.

“I need to find another way…”

“Do you have a task for me?”

When the president, deep in thought, suddenly muttered to himself, Hong Ha-rin, thinking he was speaking to her, asked in response.

“No, it’s nothing. You may go now. Oh, on your way out, please tell Hwang Hee-jong, who’s waiting outside, to come in.”

“Yes, understood. I’ll take my leave.”

***

“Keeping me waiting outside for 30 minutes! I’m a busy person!”

A middle-aged man complained, wiping sweat with a handkerchief. As he plopped down on the office sofa, it creaked in protest under his heavy weight. His plump build made him look like an ordinary neighborhood uncle, but contrary to his appearance, he was actually a remarkable person.

“I wonder what important matter made you keep me waiting.”

“I apologize. A sudden urgent schedule came up.”

Astonishing! “The” Park Ju-gwan apologizing so readily! This fact alone suggested that his visitor was no ordinary figure.

Hwang Hee-jong, the Head of the Korean Hunter Association, gave a sidelong glance at the man who had summoned him.

“Next time I should just come 30 minutes late. Tsk, tsk.”

Hwang Hee-jong was one of the few people in Korea who could speak comfortably in front of Park Ju-gwan.

Despite being a non-Awakened, his position as the head of an association representing Awakened interests indicated his outstanding political acumen. It was said he secured the position through solid foreign connections, though the details remained unknown.

“By the way, I heard five A-rank Hunters died in Incheon?”

“Unfortunately…”

Recalling this unwelcome fact made Hwang Hee-jong’s stomach churn. As the Association Head, Hunter strength directly translated to his power, and losing five A-ranks was a significant blow. Korea already had fewer Hunters due to its small population, and now there were only eighteen A-ranks left.

“Yeo Dong-yeon, was it? Of all people, a broadcaster had to die, making it impossible to embargo the news, and the military’s image has tilted toward incompetence. The damage is considerable… Come to think of it, wasn’t Yeo Dong-yeon a participant in that entertainment project you planned?”

“Oh come on, that ended ages ago. Dong-yeon was preparing his personal broadcast. And we can’t halt the Hunter celebritization policy just because of one guy, can we?”

Hwang Hee-jong quickly countered the subtle attempt to shift blame onto him. Park Ju-gwan had no further grounds to press the issue. Canceling the celebritization policy would be detrimental to both of them. Though they were competitors, they were essentially in the same boat. This peculiar symbiotic relationship between Korea’s top two power holders made their coexistence possible.

Having failed in his attempt to extract something from his counterpart to cover his losses, Park Ju-gwan grumbled irritably.

“I thought electronic devices get destroyed near gates, so how did he manage to record video?”

“He was originally in a neighboring area, but when Dong-yeon saw an opportunity for footage, he grabbed his cameraman and rushed over.”

Just bad luck, in other words. Park Ju-gwan was exasperated by the absurd situation.

“Since we’re in the same boat, help me with some image restoration. I’ll provide ample funding to the Association.”

“I was already planning to use the conscripted unregistered Awakened for relief efforts. Seeing Awakened ‘voluntarily’ rebuilding collapsed buildings and rescuing people should improve our image.”

“Not bad, but a bit weak. The unprecedented strong S-rank boss has drawn too much attention to Incheon.”

“Hmm… I have an event in preparation with celebrities; we could redirect attention there.”

“Good. I’m counting on you.”

When the two schemers put their heads together, a plausible stopgap measure emerged. This should be enough to cover up the military’s fault and manage the Awakened’s image. Finally relieved, Hwang Hee-jong slumped back on the sofa.

“So what’s the real reason you called me today? Surely not just to irritate me.”

Hwang Hee-jong knew Park Ju-gwan as well as Park knew him. The dictator wouldn’t have summoned him to the Blue House just to restore a slightly tarnished image. There must be a more secretive, important topic.

Sure enough, Park Ju-gwan cleared his throat and got to the point.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?”

“I’d like to use one of your business cards.”

A business card! One business card for one favor. This was an implicit rule and currency among politicians. Noting the serious tone, Hwang Hee-jong adjusted his posture.

Park Ju-gwan casually tossed a file folder onto the table. Hwang Hee-jong examined it. It was a list of personal profiles. Kim Chul-soo, Lee Jin-hee, Lee Min-jun, Shin Jae-hyuk… There were quite a few names.

Who are these people? His questioning gaze met Park Ju-gwan’s.

“NIS agents need Hunter identities. I’d appreciate if you could create forged licenses for these individuals.”

“Hmm, it’s possible, but…”

The timing was quite suspicious. Just this morning, the emergence of a new S-rank Hunter was reported, and now suddenly a one-business-card favor… There was definitely something fishy. It felt like an S-rank might be hidden among those names. Hwang Hee-jong’s brain spun rapidly like a mouse.

“If the International Hunter Association headquarters sends auditors to cross-check records, the forgery could be discovered. At minimum, these agents should come to the testing center and pretend to take the awakening test. Would that be acceptable?”

Of course, this was nonsense. He could handle such matters at his level. This excuse was merely a pretext—a pretext to draw the conversation onto his playing field. The Association was his backyard, and everything that happened there was in his hands.

Park Ju-gwan stared at him with rigid, tree-like eyes. However, he couldn’t discern his counterpart’s true intentions.

“…Don’t do anything foolish. Be extremely careful not to leak the agents’ identities.”

Hwang Hee-jong licked his lips. Since when had the dictator been so protective of his subordinates? His reaction was reinforcing the suspicion.

Hwang Hee-jong decided to probe one last time.

“By the way, have you received any reports on the identity of the new S-rank from the Incheon disaster?”

“I don’t know.”

Park Ju-gwan flatly denied Hwang Hee-jong’s subtle inquiry. Hwang persisted.

“Come on, don’t be like that. Surely the NIS has confirmed that much by now?”

“I said I don’t know.”

Hwang Hee-jong looked at Park Ju-gwan seriously.

“Is this how we’re going to be with each other? Just be straightforward. Or should I find out myself?”

Sharp bastard. Park Ju-gwan grew wary of the questions increasingly approaching the truth. A warning seemed necessary. He glared.

“Don’t try to climb too high. Are you trying to play a power game with me, Park Ju-gwan? In South Korea?”

A mountain-like pressure emanated from Park Ju-gwan’s body, pressing down on Hwang Hee-jong. Despite Park clearly not being an Awakened, the pressure felt similar to facing a high-rank Awakened, making Hwang’s body tingle.

The two politicians glared at each other in a staring contest. Hwang Hee-jong was the first to back down.

“Whoa, whoa, relax… You’re reacting too sensitively to a simple question.”

His expression changed instantly like a quick-change artist, and his grinning face made one wonder if his earlier seriousness had been just a joke.

But inside, Hwang Hee-jong was grinding his teeth with humiliation.

‘This bastard… How dare he treat me like this.’

He was already irritated after his request to be invited to the upcoming emergency S-rank meeting was flatly rejected, and now Park Ju-gwan’s dismissive attitude made him feel utterly disrespected. Truly, utterly.

‘How can I get back at him… Hmm?’

Even as he was being dismissed from the presidential office, Hwang Hee-jong was pondering ways to avenge this humiliation when his phone suddenly rang. It was his secretary.

“Hey, it’s me. What is it?”

-Director, about the Celebrity Awakening Test Event. Should I send out the official documents as reported?

The Celebrity Awakening Test Event… One of the Hunter celebritization policies jointly run by the Hunter Association and the government.

To prevent unregistered Awakened, the Association requires citizens to undergo regular mandatory Awakened tests, and celebrities were no exception.

Celebrities live on public attention. For them, awakening was an opportunity for fame, so agencies wanted to use the tests as content. The Association also benefited by naturally promoting the mandatory testing policy with celebrities as ambassadors, creating a win-win situation.

Due to security concerns and to maximize attention, celebrities were scheduled to take the test together on Children’s Day, May 5th—this was the Celebrity Awakening Test Event.

He was about to respond irritably to his secretary who was reconfirming already reported content when—

“Wait.”

His clever brain flashed. A very good idea came to mind. An idea to uncover the identity of the S-rank Hunter and bring them under his control…

“I’m going to send you a list of people now. Invite them to take the test that day too. And investigate them thoroughly. Very thoroughly…”