Chapter 95: The Ordinary Story
“Handle it with security.”
“It’s unreasonable. Just pay completely.”
“This is tough: I’ll handle it with mercy.”
Hyunseok was looking at the application I extended, then turned his head back toward the computer monitor.
Is this how it is? People trying to save lives and—
“Hey, I can’t do that.”
“Officially, you’re not the one looking to save people; you’re just a student. If you want to handle it with security, go through the student to properly submit the request.”
Ah, I don’t want to do that.
Anyway, Han Ah has been caught off guard by the media. Being interviewed as a ‘hero’ for saving children in a situation no one knows about.
For now, I’ve managed to silence the press, but—
*
“The moment I speak up, just know I’m going to spill everything about wrestling.”
“I actually like that, Master! After taking a few hits, it feels good when the blood rushes to my head.”
It seems like I should worry that Hyunseok’s head might get messed up.
“Ah, what about you, Han Ah?”
“I don’t mind being silenced, but why do you dislike it so much?”
Is this question continuing from yesterday? Who knows.
*
“If this behavior continues, isn’t it okay if my name gets known? I said it before, but it’s been 15 years. It’s about time you break that stubbornness, Haram Lee.”
“I don’t want to.”
I’m going to live quietly. Right until the story is about to end, I’ll keep pretending to be a hero, and once the story concludes, I’ll quietly withdraw and live off my retirement.
With this long-forgotten determination resurfacing, I nodded my head involuntarily.
Though compared to the past, I suppose the difference now is that I have the goal of establishing justice.
In the weakest of circumstances, stopping the story with just the last boss remaining is an option too.
“Then you just need to throw some money at it, Haram.”
The voice of Park Hyunseok, the cold branch manager of the Korea office, cut through my thoughts about future plans.
With no money, last month’s paycheck has already disappeared.
“Then cut down your donations. 95% of my salary is donated and supported anonymously. No hero would do that level of generosity.”
Forcing money onto someone who doesn’t deserve a salary. What does it matter if they say they’re doing a bit of charity?
“I want to do that, but can I borrow some money?”
“No, you can’t.”
Damn. I’m not even asking for an advance on my salary; you’d say that’s not allowed due to fairness reasons.
“Do you even realize that just the borrowed money alone means you’d never repay the donations for the rest of your life?”
“What about it?”
So what should I do? If I can’t borrow money and there’s none in my bank account—
“Just pull out some urgent funds for me.”
“I don’t have any such funds. Go and starve while worrying about money.”
Sure! I won’t die from hunger!
And there’s no way the Association doesn’t have a job. It’s not like it’s always a gloomy and dark place.
“Give me some work. Not assassination-related and not exposing to the media, something with a high salary. The difficulty doesn’t matter.”
If it’s that, then there’s absolutely nothing.”
“Just give me anything from behind!”
Ah, using ‘anything’ here goes against my instincts and pride…
Even when talking about Baek Sihyeon or the Librarian, I’m just preparing a barrier against any emergencies.
“I really want to step forward, but—”
Yeah.
Hyunseok sighed quietly at those words and pulled out a document from his drawer to hand to me.
On two or three pages, stapled together, no matter how important it was, it was just some trivial paperwork.
The not-so-thick document, gliding through the air like it was soaring into the sky, found its way into my hands.
~Documents regarding the reassessment of the Czechoslovakia incident.
-Under Review
Currently, there are no suitable candidates, making execution impossible. In case of failure, a possibility of casualties in the tens of thousands. Maintain surveillance systems.
And the contents written within, vastly different from the shabbiness of the document format, was filled with staggering information.
“This?…”
“This plan is more outdated than you think. You know you’re qualified, but I didn’t think you’d choose to participate, so the council dismissed it.”
In this place, I don’t have much memory, so it’s no surprise that Hyunseok thinks that.
However, since I have a responsibility for this area, if I didn’t hand this over, I would have set out regardless of any compensation.
“Why are you letting this rot? If the Association isn’t handing over the documents, I’d have set out without a word long ago.”
Something seems suspicious. Just looking at the minor compensation, it’s a considerable amount. Due to the long review period, the additional compensation attached is suspicious.
For someone like me, who’s struggling financially, it’s even more eye-catching.
With the situation fitting perfectly, could there be a reason for Hyunseok and the Association to hide this?
“I just don’t think you’d jump into dangerous situations like this now.”
“Why would I?”
“Before you had students, you never showed any eagerness. So I thought you wouldn’t accept this council.”
Ah, I might not have been so eager back then.
I didn’t particularly have the drive back then.
“It seems unrelated, but now you’re actively participating.”
“Exactly. That’s why I don’t think of showing you this. I thought you wouldn’t attach yourself to a student, considering you seemed unusually close with them. Statistically, if a responsibility arises, tendencies of becoming harmful increase, steering clear of danger.”
So when money-related circumstances arose, was this a suggestion?
“So, if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. You could seek out another council.”
Whew.
The moment those words left his mouth, I couldn’t help but feel trapped.
This is a trap.
A trap utilizing my personality.
Hyunseok, knowing me well, is expecting me to accept without hesitation.
“Well-crafted trap indeed, dangling money in front of a desperate person. Plus, the added flattery.”
“Feel free to think that way. If you don’t like it, I’ll completely freeze all your merits and release them for public view. Then, roughly calculating, your salary would multiply significantly.”
I told you so multiple times that I didn’t want that. What’s up with this? I’m trying to negotiate for a better salary, but it backfires.
“Are you refusing?”
“No, just that I want you to revise the numbers written here.”
“Are you dissatisfied with this amount?”
Of course, I am dissatisfied!
How can I work with such compensation?!
“Is it reasonable for just two heroes to be offered this measly pay?”
“It seems you’re speaking as someone desperate for money.”
You should be mindful of how much that sounds like an insult.
“This… it looks like your discomfort is showing up in the papers.”
Hyunseok probably hastily edited it for discomfort.
And that difference would surely come out of Hyunseok’s pocket.
“I don’t know what you’re implying, but I can see the expression on Hyunseok’s face hasn’t changed, yet signs are all around.”
A slight tremor in the voice, a change in the heartbeat, and the tense muscles.
While I can’t determine if it’s a lie like Unho’s, just the change in emotion helps me solidify my thoughts—his expressions are meaningless if his skills could allow for this compensation to be processed. So, let’s do it that way.
“I get that. But two people? Who were you thinking of going with?”
Isn’t it obvious?
“If it’s the Czechoslovakia incident, there’s only one person: of course.”
That’s just logical.
Kreeak.
In front of the management office’s director’s office, a creaking sound echoed as the door opened, and I headed toward her.
*
“I don’t want to go.”
Whoa, I didn’t expect this.
“No, there’s also the media council, and the salary isn’t bad, right? Isn’t it more rewarding than handling a pile of junk?”
Hearing such words, she glanced at the copies of the documents but didn’t respond.
“There’s no clear instruction to go, just a council called to check the situation. It doesn’t fit my preferences.”
She didn’t seem interested… so she began cutting through the junk once more.
Can’t she just use a knife? The steel thread attached to the saw screams as it digs into the meat.
How grotesque. Is it a monster’s corpse? It still seems alive.
But I couldn’t figure out much with my knowledge, so I lost interest and opened my mouth.
“Why not, you never know when you might have to rescue people.”
Could my words have crossed her temper?
“Are you doubting my surgical room right now? My skills?”
She shifted the saw covered in meat toward me, producing a loud noise.
“If there were issues in the operating room, I wouldn’t jump to such methods from the get-go.”
One step. Another step.
Under the bright lights, she approached me with the saw. The grotesque saw, dripping with meat, brought a disgusting smell of blood and shining reflections burned into my eyes.
This is terrifying.
“Answer me. You said it was fine to use such methods.”
Under the pressure of her fierce aura, I found it hard to speak as I gradually stepped back into a corner of the laboratory.
Like a mad scientist, she raised her tone as she blocked my path and I struggled to form words.
Focusing my mana to spin my thoughts rapidly.
I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.
I assumed she’d follow along, but I didn’t consider this reaction at all.
With deep thought, I finally managed to say.
“Is that so? It wouldn’t hurt to check the situation first. It’s been nearly 20 years, maybe things have changed somewhat. If it’s serious, I could treat it.”
I spoke casually as if there were no issues. Calm and fair.
“If it were that simple, do you think I’d go through this trouble? Do you know what kind of hardship I had to make such an end?”
“20 years, Yuksimoron. You’re not the you from back then.”
Perhaps this was slightly convincing? Yuksimoron toned it down a bit and began pondering after retracting her ferocious aura.
How long did it take? The leather gloves on Yuksimoron’s hands began to tear as she finally opened her mouth.
“Still, it’s too hard. I can’t imagine treating it as I would.”
“If you want to clarify the imagery, seeing a patient is crucial, no?”
“With that mentality, time would be wasted. It’d be better to perform more experiments. But… checking once wouldn’t be a bad idea. So, please bring back the assignment along with the treatment purpose unsealed, allowing for discretionary judgment.”
“Hey, that’s an entirely different assignment!”
Right now, the mission I received is merely to confirm the circumstances, without discretion allowed.
“So, it seems I can’t go; I feel sorry I can’t.”
Damn it, things have completely fallen apart.
I’m not in my specialty, so I have no clue what’s about to happen.
If the report’s a mess, Hyunseok will likely frown, deeming it unacceptable.
If I step out confidently and a terrible report gets produced like that, it’ll be embarrassing for me as well.
“Yuksimoron, please. You’re not holding back anything, right? I have to go alone; this is my field!”
“That’s your problem. This isn’t mine. Why don’t you ask me like that every time?”
This is absurd. I cannot believe it. Will asking Hyunseok change the assembly?
How long will it take for the permission, and will I even get the permission? It’s all uncertain right now.
But at this point, it seems that’s my only option.
As I slumped my shoulders, trying to leave the laboratory—
“Wait? Are you going alone?”
“I’m not going with anyone.”
“What about Calavera?”
“I don’t know why I’d bring him along; he wouldn’t help at all.”
Even after 20 years, that sight remains vivid in my mind.
He’s utterly useless, that damned guy:
That guy, devoid of a soul, became so utterly incompetent, it’s annoying.
“Then you’re saying I’m your only support.”
I hear Yuksimoron’s voice laced with something oddly pleasing.
Yeah.
“I’ll go.”
“Huh?”
“I should inform you in advance that if Calavera isn’t around, I’ll have to go.”
Boom.
The meat pile suddenly exploded with Yuksimoron’s punch, and she took my hand, pulling me out of the mess in the laboratory.
“Let’s hurry and submit the request. Come on, old man!”
What on earth just happened?
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