< 111. Shock and Terror (9) >
"...That's what happened."
"Thank you. Officer."
Jeong-pal finished his statement. The listeners were local police officers from the surrounding district. They had come running after receiving a report from the hospital but could not immediately take the suspect away.
"So the suspect is currently being interrogated by the Immigration Bureau?"
Jeong-pal nodded in confirmation.
"If you need an official document from the Immigration Bureau, I can relay that to you..."
The police officers were startled and shook their heads vigorously, as if creating a breeze.
"Oh, no! Haha. We're not that inflexible."
They briefly bowed and left in a hurry, as if afraid that he might take action on his suggestion.
This was a normal response from the police. They didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble by questioning a case handled by the Immigration Bureau. This was in stark contrast to Team Leader 2's attitude.
"Officer? Are you alright for a moment?"
Turning his head, he saw Congressman Choi's bodyguard.
The congressman had come to his senses a little later than Jeong-pal, but even in his old age, an orc was still an orc. He had recovered from the paralysis and was now checking on his daughter in the hospital room while Jeong-pal was occupied with his statement.
"He wants to have a brief talk."
"Alright, let's go."
Choi Seon-ah's father looked down at his daughter's face with a worried expression.
His child, who he had thought was dead, miraculously came back to life only to be at risk of kidnapping. Although the attempt had been thwarted, she was unconscious due to magic.
His emotions had likely been on a roller coaster all day—burning with anxiety, then relieved, only to rot with worry again.
The bodyguard quietly closed the door from outside. The congressman, without turning his head, spoke.
"Have you finished your statement?"
"Yes."
He turned to face Jeong-pal after a moment, his gaze filled with sorrow as he looked at his daughter.
"I'm sorry for the trouble."
Jeong-pal was taken aback by the congressman's deep bow. He quickly waved his hands.
"Congressman, you don't need to do this!"
"No, my thanks are long overdue."
"You should be thanking my senior... I mean, the agent."
"After the interrogation, I will properly express my gratitude. Not only to him but also to you, Officer Jeong-pal."
The four-term congressman and representative of the ruling party's orc council spoke with a politeness that seemed uncharacteristic. It showed how much he cared for his daughter.
After several more exchanges of thanks and modesty, the congressman finally bowed once more.
"I may not be skilled in memorizing spells, but I can distinguish a teleportation magic circle. If you hadn't intervened, my daughter would have been kidnapped. Thank you, Officer Jeong-pal."
Although they had never formally introduced themselves, Jeong-pal wasn't particularly surprised. He might have seen the name tag or been informed by his subordinates.
"Even if they had escaped... I'm sure the agent would have found them somehow."
The congressman thought to himself. Such humility from an orc. According to his understanding, tracking down a magician who had escaped through space leap was nearly impossible.
Naturally, his favor for the detective increased.
"By the way, are you a superpowered individual?"
"Oh no, I'm not."
The congressman's eyes showed curiosity.
"Then how?"
His clear and steady demeanor while the paralysis magic was spreading was impressive.
"It seems you have a remarkable artifact."
Despite the congressman's own artifact being advertised as perfect against poison magic, it had been useless.
Choi Seon-ah knew that after the matter was resolved, he planned to lodge a strong complaint with the Witch Cooperative.
"Well, the truth is, I didn't know either."
"...?"
Jeong-pal scratched the back of his head.
"It seems my senior did something without informing me."
"Are you referring to Agent Min-jun?"
Jeong-pal realized his mistake in naming Min-jun.
"Yes, the agent. Although I'm not as capable as him, I guess he noticed me due to my rough work. It seems he placed some sort of spell on me without saying anything."
Jeong-pal knew about the powerful barrier spell Min-jun had placed on a flower pot in the Sangnok Tree bookstore, which had helped drive away a troublesome dragon.
It seemed such spells could also be cast on people. Jeong-pal thought simply that it might be so. He added himself to the list of people to thank Min-jun after the interrogation and said to the congressman:
"It would have been nice if he had mentioned it beforehand, but..."
He gave an awkward smile. The congressman, who had been observing Jeong-pal closely, spoke.
"Are you close enough to call each other 'brother'?"
"Yes... well... haha."
The congressman pondered this quietly.
Min-jun was someone recognized as a friend by the ruling party's strongest sponsor, the Red Dragon.
For such an agent to value Jeong-pal so highly that he personally casts powerful spells?
'As an orc and detective, it would be hard to find a more powerful network.'
The congressman did not hide his interest in Jeong-pal.
"I've learned a little in the meantime. You're affiliated with the Gure Police Station, correct? So your jurisdiction is roughly around here."
He named a few local areas.
All of them were part of the orc community.
For Jeong-pal, those areas were more than familiar. He could draw a map of every corner with his eyes closed. As for the people living there, especially the orcs, he knew almost everything, even down to the number of spoons in their houses.
Upon hearing his response, the congressman appeared very satisfied.
"I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but I could hear everything through the door."
The congressman admitted to overhearing the conversation between Jeong-pal and the agent. Jeong-pal's face turned red.
"To be honest, I was impressed. Do you have any plans after retirement?"
"As you heard, my goal is to hold out until retirement. I haven't really thought beyond that yet."
But Congressman Choi knew of a much more powerful and beneficial way to exert influence after enduring in the police force.
'He has good judgment and a strong sense of mission. He has solid connections within the orc community and even with the Immigration Bureau... This is a perfect condition. Also, with Kim Kwang-woo dead and his faction wiped out, the lack of any connection with them is actually a plus.'
He quietly handed over a business card.
"It seems this isn't a conversation for here. Please take this."
"Huh? Yes, yes!"
Jeong-pal received it, flustered, and brushed his hand against his front pocket despite knowing it was empty.
"I don't have a business card..."
"It's alright. I know how to contact you. Let's have a meal together soon."
"Oh, yes. It would be an honor. Please do invite me."
Although he responded in such a manner, Jeong-pal thought it was just polite formalities.
He knew he had gained favor, but he didn't believe a congressman would have time for a meal with a police officer.
'Or maybe he's asking me to help with his election campaign because of my wide connections in the orc community?'
Handing out spam messages, distributing pamphlets at the station, or even dancing from a campaign vehicle?
'Come to think of it, there's a by-election soon. But if I did that, it would violate public servant ethics... Oh, he's a smart guy, so he must know that too.'
Jeong-pal accepted the business card without much thought, not expecting to hear from him soon.
The hospital room door opened again then.
"Agent!"
"Oh, senior. Are you done?"
As Min-jun entered, the smell of something burning and the stench of blood hit him. Even the dullest of orcs could smell it. The congressman looked at the frying pan Min-jun was holding with curiosity, but the more pressing question was:
"Agent, who was that person?"
Min-jun explained the interrogation results, omitting any overly sensitive details in consideration of Jeong-pal.
Upon hearing this, the congressman's face turned pale, then boiled with rage.
"Kwak Do-chul, that damn scoundrel!"
His eyes blazed with fury, and veins bulged on his forehead. He was enraged to learn that the mastermind behind the assassination request was none other than his son-in-law. Even though he was already dead, the congressman seemed ready to execute a posthumous punishment.
Strictly speaking, the congressman himself had committed a crime of instigating murder, but Min-jun decided not to focus on legalities at the moment. He wasn't here to enforce legal justice. Even if charged, the contractor would likely find a clever way to escape, given the nature of the request and the anonymity of the client.
Instead of wasting energy, Min-jun cast his gaze toward an empty corner. In the corner of the hospital room, Yum-tus was hiding in an invisible state. The two orcs had not noticed his presence at all. This was a precaution Min-jun had taken in case of unforeseen circumstances.
The agent communicating with him telepathically had a distorted expression.
'Can't you wake her up?!'
Yum-tus responded as if at a loss.
=As you know, recovery spells stimulate and activate the target's life force. However, that woman has already expended a massive amount of life force through a previous treatment.=
'Yes, I know. But I expected that after this amount of time, she would at least be able to wake up.'
The life force consumed was far greater than anticipated. Realizing that she could not be interrogated immediately, Min-jun instructed Yum-tus.
'You stay here and keep guard over her.'
=Understood.=
He then asked Jeong-pal.
"Have the police investigated the troll found dead?"
Knowing that the troll was also associated with the contractor, the police would have searched the shop and residence.
Jeong-pal explained his conversation with Team Leader 2. Since the troll had already been looted by Kim Cheol-soo, he revealed everything this time without resistance.
"It's clean. Suspiciously so. It seems they sent someone to clean up first."
"Damn it!"
This was almost like starting over from scratch. The clues to raid the contractor's organization were gone.
'For now, I'll have to wait for Choi Seon-ah to wake up.'
In the meantime, he decided to search the troll's residence. Although the police had found nothing, he hoped the results might be different if he took a look himself.
However, Min-jun was beginning to feel the frustration of hitting a wall. He knew how the sword had ended up here, but there were no clues regarding the crucial information.
So where is the sword?
'I need some sort of breakthrough.'
If there were no clues at the troll's residence, what then?
'For now, there's no other option. I'll have to start by searching from there.'
Thinking that leaving Yum-tus behind might not be enough, he sent a communication spell to his friend.
But soon he realized the friend wasn't at Jenkins Tower. Changing the recipient, he aimed for Lair, but they weren't there either.
'Where could they be?'
Min-jun had no choice but to pick up the phone. Blair answered promptly.
Yes, Agent.
"I'm unable to reach the chairman."
The congressman and Jeong-pal's faces turned surprised. It was unlikely that the chairman Min-jun referred to was anyone other than Jenkins.
Ah, actually... there's a situation at the moment.
"Please send some guard personnel here."
Upon hearing the request, the congressman's eyes expressed gratitude once again.
To go to such lengths for his daughter!
Moreover, the caller was considered a close aide to Chairman Jenkins.
In reality, Min-jun's motivation was his obsession with not missing any evidence, but the outcome was beneficial for the father and daughter.
After delivering the message, Min-jun asked casually, as he was curious. Jenkins was a severe workaholic who rarely strayed from his duties. The meeting schedule for the dragon tribe hadn't been set yet, so where could he be?
Blair then answered:
He went to the Committee's Earth Representative Office. They are probably in a situation where no magical communication is possible.
Min-jun's eyebrows twitched.
"The Representative Office? Why there?"
The welcome reception for the newly appointed Committee personnel is scheduled for tonight, Korean time. He went there in advance to attend it.
This was unexpected news.
"It has been vacant for quite some time. To suddenly...?"
It seemed the time he had been cooped up in the room was much longer than he realized.
To have missed such important news!
Min-jun asked:
"So, who is it?"
The moment Blair answered:
"...!"
Min-jun's body stiffened like a statue.
After receiving a visit from Min-jun and Jeong-pal during lunchtime, Cathy resumed her work as usual.
The addition of a frying pan to the boss's work made her head very cluttered. To regain her composure, she thought it best to immerse herself in work.
She visited the Immigration Bureau and took on a few cases that Min-jun would have shown interest in if he had been around. The paperwork piled up like a mountain. Lately, her boss rarely took on work himself. He always complained about "hating to work to death" but acted like a man obsessed with work when he actually started.
'Could he be thinking of retiring like this?'
Min-jun was born in 1945, which is quite old for a human. Although the lifespan of a quarter-elf is hard to gauge, it's undeniable that it is an extremely long time. He might be tired from decades of labor.
Moreover, he wouldn't be in need of money. He probably has plenty. He's very frugal with spending compared to his earnings.
'If Mr. Min-jun retires, what about me?'
It seemed that today's outing with Jeong-pal had nothing to do with Immigration Bureau matters at all.
Such incidents had become frequent lately. Although Cathy was supposed to be the secretary, more and more often, information was being shared without going through her.
'Have I become unnecessary now?'
As she sank into deep thoughts, she felt increasingly melancholic, so she decided to focus on what she could do.
Her boss was currently preoccupied elsewhere, but she didn't know when he would return to work. It was her job to prepare for that eventuality. She waited for the time when he would return to his usual self.
She spread out the prepared documents on her desk, leaving notes and indexes for easy reference when—
Ding dong—!
'Already back?'
Cathy's face brightened with a smile, only to quickly fade.
If that were the case, they wouldn't have pressed the bell. Her mind was cluttered, and her judgment was clouded. Reprimanding herself, she opened the office door.
"How can I help you?"
The person at the door was a petite woman. She looked a bit flustered when she saw Cathy but quickly brightened up and said:
"Is Agent Min-jun here?"
Cathy shook her head.
"He's not here at the moment. Did you have a scheduled appointment?"
"No, I just came by."
'How did she know to come here?' Cathy wondered but spoke in a stiff tone.
"I'm sorry, but Agent Min-jun rarely takes outside requests. Moreover, without an appointment, it's almost impossible to fit you into his schedule…"
"Oh, you misunderstood. That's not why I'm here."
"Pardon?"
"I'm not here to make a request. I just wanted to see his face."
Cathy narrowed her eyes.
"...Are you acquainted with Min-jun?"
She was well aware of his limited social circle. If it was someone Cathy didn't know, it likely meant a long-standing acquaintance.
Like Oh Man-seok, whom she knew from his teaching days.
"Yes, I've known him for a long time."
The visitor nodded in response, and Cathy quickly estimated her age to be about 40.
Since her ears weren't pointed, she must be a quarter-elf.
"He might not return today."
"Oh, really?"
The visitor visibly showed her disappointment.
"I was hoping to surprise him."
Seeing how dejected she seemed, Cathy hesitated and added,
"Then, let me make a call. Would you like to come in and wait?"
The visitor's face lit up as if her gloom had never existed.
"Yes, thank you."
After guiding the visitor to the sofa, Cathy prepared some tea. While boiling the water, she asked,
"The phone's not being answered. I'll try again in about 10 minutes. By the way, were you working with Min-jun?"
The short-haired woman showed a slight sign of surprise but quickly erased it with a stable smile.
Then she answered Cathy.
"Yes, we worked together. Professionally."
< 111. Shock and Terror (9) > End