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International Hunters Association Headquarters.
“Secretary General.”
The secretary entered Wesley’s office and spoke carefully.
“Interpol has launched another investigation.”
“Is it because of Mr. Ji?”
“…yes.”
Secretary General Wesley nodded calmly, as if this was something he had expected.
Ji Bo-won.
Director of Customs, Seoul Central Regional Headquarters.
One of his connections and a network he created to keep Karma Corporation in check.
It was… However, news was being spread by media around the world that he had intentionally blocked Karma Corporation’s dispatch due to his tail being stepped on.
Of course, it wasn’t that I wasn’t prepared for this situation, so it didn’t really matter.
“When the investigation comes in, pick someone at the team leader level and bring these documents to them.”
“This…?”
“This is an order. “An order to prevent dispatch.”
The secretary immediately understood the meaning of those words.
The idea was to cover everything as if the staff below had done it on their own.
“Give them as much as they want and let them carry their guns. Well… please also talk to CEO Emma so that she doesn’t say anything else later.”
“…yes.”
“If it’s just this much, there won’t be any sparks flying towards us.”
Secretary General Wesley said that with a smile.
But even for a moment, I thought
, ‘Anyway… How on earth did you catch the tail so quickly?’
He immediately narrowed his eyes and became lost in thought.
No matter how much I thought about it, it was strange.
Even if you investigate right away, you won’t be able to find it so quickly when your attention is focused elsewhere… ‘
Even if you find it, there’s no way a private company could threaten the head of the customs office…’
And then, suddenly, a thought occurred to me in my head. Something that passes by.
okay.
If something is difficult to resolve officially, why not approach it informally?
As an informal organization filled with informal personnel.
‘Kim Jun-woo… Looks like he made something interesting.’
Soon Secretary General Wesley’s mouth turned up with a grin.
“But… are you sure it’s okay?”
At that time, the secretary asked in a worried voice.
“What?”
“They were probably convinced when they saw that we had taken a step back. … That they are preparing for war.”
“Of course you noticed. But it doesn’t matter.”
“yes? Ha, but… if that happens, won’t you be prepared too?”
“How do you mean?”
He asked back the secretary’s question.
“Should we order hunters around the world to attack us? Will they attack us like that? “Most people are just worried about their own food right now, right?”
“….”
“Or should we just train new hunters and create an army now? “I don’t know if Korea has that kind of population.”
Secretary General Wesley poured out answers without hesitation as if there was nothing to see.
“Of course we will prepare. But no matter how many ants gather together, they are still ants. The weak are still the weak no matter how they gather together. “Especially in today’s times.”
“….”
“For Karma to be on equal footing with us, he will have to get every association in the world on his side. World harmony? Do you think he can do what the great saints in human history failed to do?”
“But… wouldn’t Kim Jun-woo be a little dangerous?”
The secretary general smiled slightly at the secretary’s words.
“I found out after meeting him in person this time.”
“…yes?”
“Kim Jun-woo can’t beat me.”
It was a confident answer.
However, the secretary did not understand why he was so confident.
“Anyway, hunters, go to training. “Not through subjugation, but through military training.”
“All right.”
It was at that time that the secretary who received the order was about to leave the office.
“Secretary General…!”
An employee from the overseas business team came into the office in a huff.
“Currently, Karma is recruiting new hunters from associations in each country… but something is strange!”
“yes…?”
“It is said that 100,000 people a day and a total of 1 million people have applied as of today!”
At that moment, Secretary General Wesley’s eyebrows twitched.
“Were there that many unregistered people with special abilities…?”
“no! According to our data, even if you exclude unranked people, there are less than 700,000 people with special abilities other than hunters.”
“….”
What does that mean?
So where did the remaining 300,000 people with special abilities appear?
Has this ability recently manifested itself?
‘Even so, isn’t the timing too appropriate…?’
Take a moment to roll your eyes at something you don’t understand.
The employee swallowed his saliva and spoke.
“It seems like the Karma guys are using Lee Neung-seok to create people with special abilities.”
“…!”
At the same time, the Secretary General’s eyes opened wide.
***
“It’s not possible.”
The President’s Office at the Blue House.
President Cho Hyun-min immediately responded to Director Lee Doo-sik’s suggestion as if there was nothing to worry about.
“Don’t do that, consider it again…”
“It’s not worth considering. Let’s create a person with special abilities out of Lee Neung-seok. “In the first place, isn’t secondary processing of bank items prohibited?”
“LLC has used fabricated bank items several times! If we have to deal with people like that, we too…!”
“What logic does it take to say that since they used it, we can use it too?”
“…!”
President Cho Hyun-min glared at him with sharp eyes.
It was a resolute attitude that did not back down even an inch.
“This is strictly prohibited. It means that they broke the law, not that we are falling behind. “Even if our goals are different, what difference are we from them if we follow them?”
“….”
Director Lee Du-sik could not bear to answer those words.
I lowered my gaze and clenched my teeth.
Then President Cho Hyun-min opened his mouth in a calmer voice with a light sigh.
“I know. “This is a situation that cannot be judged only rationally.”
“…This is something that CEO Kim risked his life to confirm. “The International Association is preparing for war, and we have neither the conditions nor the strength to fight back.”
President Cho Hyun-min nodded.
But that didn’t last long either.
“I agree that measures must be taken. But… this is not the right way.”
He continued speaking, putting his hands together.
“Isn’t it morally wrong to use Lee Neung-seok to turn ordinary people into people with extraordinary abilities who can stand up to the International Association? Rather, it will be a signal that incites war.”
“….”
“Above all, most of today’s people with special abilities are those who manifested themselves in childhood and have received thorough training. However, people with special abilities who commit crimes are still rampant… What about ordinary people who acquire these abilities overnight? Can you control them?”
That is correct.
It was so true that I couldn’t object.
In 80% of cases, this ability first appears under the age of 12.
The rest appear before the age of 20, and only a very small number appear after they become adults.
That is why all countries thoroughly manage and educate children who display special abilities.
The power they have is the power to save humanity, but on the other hand, it is also the power that can threaten humanity.
We train people from a young age to use their power for the right things, but that doesn’t mean everyone becomes a hunter for the citizens.
Some people realize that their power can make money and enter the contract industry, while others make up their minds and engage in crime.
People with special abilities who have been educated since childhood are also deteriorated in this way, and if you give that kind of power to ordinary people… there will be no problem.
“For that reason, I’ll pretend I haven’t heard about this. “Let’s find another way.”
“…All right.”
Director Lee Du-sik had no choice but to accept his decision.
That was the time when I put my regrets aside and politely said hello.
Tiriring-.
Someone’s ringtone rang.
At the same time, everyone’s eyes were focused on one place.
“…iced coffee. sorry!”
Director Ha Seong-il, who belatedly realized that he was the culprit, quickly took out his cell phone to turn it off.
However, President Cho Hyun-min stopped this.
“it’s okay. “Take it.”
“…Ah yes. sorry.”
He asked for understanding once more, turned his head, and carefully answered the phone.
“Yes, this is Ha Seong-il.”
“Ah, Manager. “Yes, yes.”
“…yes?”
His eyes suddenly widened as he heard something.
“Are you sure about it?”
“…All right. “Let’s check.”
Then he hung up the phone with a very unusual expression.
Upon seeing that, President Cho Hyun-min seemed to become curious first.
“What happened?”
“Oh, that’s…”
I paused for a moment because I didn’t know how to explain.
“Currently, associations in each country are recruiting new hunters to replenish their staff… It is said that the number of applicants has exceeded 1 million.”
“What what…?!”
“…? Why is that a problem? “Isn’t that actually a good thing?”
Unlike Director Lee Doo-sik, who was astonished, President Cho Hyun-min responded that he did not understand.
Director Ha Seong-il soon added an explanation.
“Based on the data we have, there are less than 1 million people with the skills to subdue them. Excluding Unranked, there are about 700,000 people in all cases…” “
…Yes?”
President Cho Hyun-min seemed to have finally realized what those words meant.
“So now… 300,000 people with special abilities who didn’t exist before have suddenly appeared?”
“yes yes. I think we should see it that way….”
President Cho Hyun-min’s eyes turned to Director Lee Doo-sik.
Then Director Lee Du-sik immediately waved his hand.
“Oh no! Could it be that we used Lee Neung-seok without permission! “We don’t even know!”
“Then how did this happen? “It would not have been possible for 300,000 people to develop new abilities due to good timing.”
“….”
“….”
At the sharp voice, the two men closed their mouths, avoiding each other’s gaze.
Let me just be lost in thought for a moment.
“I think we need to investigate.”
Director Ha Seong-il spoke first.
“…Please report as soon as you find out anything.”
“All right.”
After saying those words, the two men left the office.
***
“People with special abilities that weren’t in the data suddenly appeared?”
Accommodation located in Paris.
While I was resting, I received an urgent call from General Manager Ha Seong-il.
“yes! I contacted you because I was wondering if the International Association might be up to something else. “Do you know anything?”
“I’m sure it’s not the International Association.”
“Yes?”
“There is no reason for that. They are secretly gathering troops, and if there is someone with special abilities that is not in the data, they will prioritize them. “If we are supporting the operation team, the International Association is not moving.”
“Then how on earth did this happen?…”
I was lost in thought for a moment while stroking my chin.
“if… “You didn’t use Lee Neung-seok, did you?”
“Oh no!”
“Then that doesn’t make sense…”
I muttered like that for a moment and thought about it.
‘…for a moment.’
A vague memory passed through my mind.
‘Fuck, no way…’
Finally, the moment when all the angles came together.
“Please assemble the intelligence team. “I will return home right away.”
“yes? “Oh, I understand.”
I immediately hung up the phone and jumped up from my seat.
“What else?”
However, Han Yu-bin, who did not know the situation, reacted in confusion.
Of course, there was no time to explain.
“I’ll explain as we go, so please pack your bags first.”
I said as I immediately stuffed my luggage into the suitcase.
“I think we should go back now.”
This…if you’re late, it could really be a disaster.