WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Newbie Civil Servant Hunts Villains Before Going Home ◈
Chapter 18: I've Been Kidnapped (2)
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* * *
* * *
“...Pfft.”
A laugh slipped out.
He looked ready to kill every subordinate they sent before he met them in person.
Well, it did not matter.
“That one is quite interesting, isn’t he?”
Someone wearing a mask rested their chin on a hand and put a cigarette to their lips.
Hoo.
Strangely, the long stream of smoke was neither harsh nor stinging.
Instead, it spread through the room like a sweet fragrance.
“...Yes, that is correct.”
The subordinate could not even raise their head as they bowed.
They could only barely hide their trembling hands.
They had suddenly skipped all the intermediaries and been granted an audience with the Poison King. Their heart could hardly take it.
“Seo Hyeonyul. Seo Hyeonyul.”
The Poison King rolled the name around on their tongue.
For some reason, Hyeonyul had even continued living in the same place.
“He does not seem to realize it himself, but people in this line of work call him a monster. Did he look like one?”
“...Yes. He did. Before I could even blink, my, my colleague died.”
“Yes, yes. I like him.”
The Poison King’s voice was gentle.
Hyeonyul was the experimental subject everyone wanted.
A living experimental subject.
What would that feel like?
With that monster, how many heads could they claim?
Conquering the Empire would be over once the King and Prime Minister lost their heads.
It was that simple, yet they had not even been able to touch the center where those rulers lived because the Black Eagles guarded it.
The Black Eagles received enormous support from the Empire and were intoxicated with playing guardians.
They tracked the Villains’ movements and cut them down before they could take root.
What if someone appeared who could attack that place directly?
What if that person was Seo Hyeonyul?
‘Shin Daeho treasured him so much. He should be capable of that much.’
Every time they met, Shin Daeho had sung that name’s praises. It had been an ugly sight.
‘It was good that Shin Daeho died, leaving something like this to me.’
The Poison King smiled faintly at their subordinate.
“...Gaaack.”
The subordinate, still bowed over, suddenly clutched their throat.
Blood poured from their eyes and nose in an instant.
‘Before someone else takes him, I need to have him.’
Unconcerned with the subordinate’s suffering, the Poison King finally smiled in satisfaction.
They had made up their mind at last.
* * *
“Hyeonyul!”
At Haeryeon’s voice, Hyeonyul stopped halfway up the hill in surprise.
He looked up.
She was not alone.
Sinu was there too.
“...?”
Hyeonyul’s head naturally tilted to one side.
Why were they here?
His eyes shook for just a moment.
‘Did they find out... that I lied?’
Anxiety washed over him.
Hyeonyul’s fingers tensed.
‘They said I wouldn’t be fired for lying, but you never know.’
They could think he had disobeyed orders.
Being dealt with for disobeying orders was only natural.
Would this place really be different?
Hyeonyul looked at Haeryeon and Sinu.
For now, they did not seem angry.
“...Why did you come here?”
Hyeonyul asked very carefully.
Haeryeon and Sinu were not angry.
Instead, his reaction surprised them.
He looked extremely wary, as if he had not expected them to really come.
‘...No.’
Haeryeon pressed a hand to her forehead.
Hyeonyul had texted, “Team Leader, I’ve been kidnapped.”
How could anyone not come after receiving that message?
The meeting had just ended, and Sinu had been writing a report in her place, so they had been able to come together.
“How could we not come? You said you’d been kidnapped.”
Sinu spoke in surprise.
“What does that have to do with it?”
At Hyeonyul’s question, the two were left speechless.
He was reacting as though their coming here was strange.
“It has something to do with it. Here, it does.”
Sinu spoke calmly.
At another company, a colleague was just someone you hoped to get along with well enough not to become enemies.
But at Black Eagle, colleagues meant something different.
They were people to whom you could entrust your back.
Since this place was different from anywhere else, it was understandable that Hyeonyul would not immediately understand.
“Are you hurt anywhere? You’re not injured, are you? What exactly happened?”
Hyeonyul blinked at Haeryeon’s rapid questions.
He could not help thinking through several things.
Only one thing mattered.
‘...They didn’t come because I disobeyed orders.’
Maybe he was a fairly good part after all.
That realization relieved Hyeonyul.
“I am neither hurt nor injured. This only happened because the Villains forcibly took me away from here.”
Hyeonyul gently spread his arms.
“It seems they threatened to kill everyone here if you didn’t go with them...”
Haeryeon spoke with disgust.
The Villains’ methods were obvious.
They always took people nearby hostage and made threats.
More than anything, this was Moon Village.
The houses here were packed tightly together.
If they had made threats in a place like this, anyone would have followed them.
“Of course they threatened you.”
Sinu let out a long breath.
If even one bomb went off here, it was obvious that hundreds or more people would die.
Knowing Hyeonyul’s power, Sinu felt even more sorry for him.
He could have resisted, but he must not have been able to.
Had Hyeonyul not saved those who were about to become experimental subjects?
‘...They framed someone like him for murder?’
Even thinking about it again made Sinu furious.
Before coming here, Haeryeon had told him something.
Hyeonyul possessed a movement ability. Jihwan had one too, as did some other Black Eagles, but someone might seize on that fact and suspect Hyeonyul of being the culprit in this case.
But the doctor who had arrived this time, Lee Jeongmin, had said that even Hyeonyul could not reach the scene, which was an hour away by car.
His body would practically have to become particles. It was realistically impossible, and the doctor could testify to that as much as needed.
Lee Jeongmin, the doctor who had joined them this time, specialized in experimental subjects.
Sinu had not known it, but Lee Jeongmin was also the person who had treated Hyeonyul for a long time.
That doctor had said it was impossible.
Therefore, there was no reason for Hyeonyul to be suspected.
“Yes. They threatened me.”
Hyeonyul did not even blink.
He had killed them all, but it was true that they had threatened him to make him go.
Hyeonyul soon looked around.
Finding the phone he had left in the bushes came first.
“This is yours, right?”
Sinu waved the phone.
He had found it while looking around earlier.
“Yes. Thank you.”
Hyeonyul held out his hand.
He was finally relieved.
It would cost too much to replace it.
“Then, before we discuss the details, shall we go somewhere else?”
For a while now, Haeryeon had felt eyes pouring out from behind the windows of every house.
They could not casually discuss anything here.
“Then please come inside.”
Hyeonyul opened the door without hesitation.
This was more efficient.
Still, it felt like he was working overtime, and that did not put him in a good mood.
* * *
The moment Haeryeon entered Hyeonyul’s house, she barely held back a sigh.
The first things she saw were medicine and medical equipment.
The house had already looked small, but now it was so crammed with those things that she wondered whether there was even a place to sleep.
“I apologize that my home is small.”
Hyeonyul spoke first.
“Oh, no. It’s perfect for one person.”
Haeryeon tried to smile naturally, while Sinu waved both hands.
“Right. It’s perfect.”
“I thought this place would be good since you have to go a long way down the hill, but it appears that was an unnecessary decision.”
“No. It’s a very good decision, Hyeonyul.”
The corners of Haeryeon’s mouth trembled.
Hyeonyul had said, “I hope my salary comes on time. I want to eat.”
She knew the Villains had extorted money from him, but his circumstances were worse than she had expected.
She could truly feel how much his medical expenses must cost.
She decided she needed to make sure he received medical support sooner.
“Hyeonyul, have you eaten?”
“I ate there.”
Honestly, the food had been delicious.
It was the most satisfying meal he had ever had.
“At... the place where you were kidnapped?”
Sinu asked in surprise.
“Yes. They told me to eat before leaving. There was nothing at home, after all.”
At Hyeonyul’s answer, Haeryeon and Sinu looked as if they were about to rub their faces.
Everything visible in the house really was medicine.
“Ah, goodness, what was I thinking? I came to your home empty-handed.”
Sinu suddenly raised his voice, stumbling over his words.
“Exactly. Sinu, you put that very well. Ha ha.”
Haeryeon laughed awkwardly, and Hyeonyul looked between them.
‘Should I laugh too...?’
He did not know what was happening.
As an awkward silence descended, Hyeonyul spoke first, as if accustomed to it.
“Although I was kidnapped, I did obtain information.”
Being kidnapped could make him seem more incompetent than expected.
So he had squeezed information out of them somehow.
After speaking, Hyeonyul looked at the two of them.
Their expressions had changed completely.
He had clearly started talking about the right thing.
“The Poison King was behind this incident. Like the previous business card, this was also meant to test me. I have attracted enough interest now, so I will be able to meet him in person next time.”
“Hyeonyul.”
Haeryeon called his name heavily.
“Team Leader, I will not go to meet the Poison King. I will deal with the Poison King during an operation.”
“During an operation...?”
“I do not know the details, but I learned that the Poison King is preparing something major soon.”
“You mean a planned terrorist attack?”
“Yes. The Poison King owns several companies, and I know one of them.”
Of the eight people at the restaurant, Hyeonyul had sent only one away.
The place that person had to go was somewhere they would report.
Hyeonyul had learned that location as well.
But he had not kept watching.
Reports to the Poison King might pass through several stages, and since he did not know the process, he considered waiting to be a waste of time.
Reports to Shin Daeho had gone through similar stages, so it was not strange.
He had decided it would be more efficient to tell Black Eagle the location, have them investigate it, and approach from there.
“Can you tell me the location?”
Haeryeon looked at Hyeonyul expectantly.
This was different from Hyeonyul going to the Poison King.
“I’ll mark it for you.”
Hyeonyul opened a map and checked the location.
“Ah, did Team Leader Ye Juhyeon tell you there is an internal informant?”
Hyeonyul stopped marking the location, briefly raised his head, and looked at Haeryeon.
“...W-wait. What do you mean?”
Sinu’s eyes widened.
When he looked at Haeryeon in shock, she nodded.
It was shocking, but Team Two’s leader, Yang Dojin, had warned them about it before.
“For now, only we know about it. At present, the internal informant has only appeared among the Managers, but one may soon appear within Black Eagle as well.”
“Team Leader. Is that... true?”
Sinu still could not hide his confused expression.
An internal informant.
It felt as though he had been struck hard in the back of the head.
“Sinu, I’m sorry to tell you so suddenly, but I cannot explain the details yet. Nothing concrete has come to light. Hyeonyul probably does not know the details either.”
“Yes. Team Leader Juhyeon knows the most.”
Hyeonyul nodded.
He had only given Juhyeon the phone so she could catch the ones talking behind others’ backs.
Some strange incidents had simply become entangled with it.
“I sent the location.”
“Thank you, Hyeonyul.”
After checking it, Haeryeon looked at Hyeonyul again.
She had told him stealing was wrong, but honestly, if Hyeonyul had not given that phone to Juhyeon, they would not have known anything.
Haeryeon tightly shut her eyes for a moment.
‘Still, stealing is wrong.’
When asked who was good and who was evil, Haeryeon believed the objective dividing line was whether someone obeyed the law.
Pushing aside those stray thoughts, she asked naturally, “The results of the first meeting about today’s incident are in. You were waiting for them, right?”
“I was.”
Hyeonyul’s expression did not change.
The light in his eyes seemed even more absent than usual.
Instead, his gaze looked sharper.
Haeryeon wondered if it was because of the kidnapping, then asked cautiously.
“Hyeonyul.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll only say this, then leave. Is that all right?”
“That is fine.”
Only then did Hyeonyul’s expression ease slightly.
‘He really hates doing extra work...’
Haeryeon made sure to remember that.
Perhaps he considered this overtime as well.
“Since it was only the first meeting, we mainly discussed matters related to you rather than any disciplinary action. There will be no backlash against you or harm done to you because of this incident. Is there any disciplinary action you would want?”
“I know they cannot be dealt with exactly as I want. I only want to work quietly and peacefully. That is all.”
Hyeonyul spoke realistically.
Even if he said what disciplinary action he wanted, it would only be after the offenders were handed over to the police that they would truly be properly punished anyway.
“Of course, that is what will happen. Still, that part will be decided after another meeting is convened soon. This is the first incident of its kind since Black Eagle was founded, so the shock is great in many ways. Of course, you must be the most shocked of all.”
“Team Leader.”
“Yes, Hyeonyul.”
“No matter what I do, there will be no one at Black Eagle who acknowledges me or likes me.”
Hyeonyul spoke with firm certainty.
He had never killed an ordinary person, but he had still worked for a company run by Villains.
No one liked someone who had once been a Villain.
“Whatever I do from now on, rumors will follow me like a tag. People will always put me on a scale and weigh this and that. I understand that completely, and I think it is an unavoidable problem. So you do not need to try so hard.”
Hyeonyul told Haeryeon and Sinu the reality.
The two of them did not know how much the world hated and despised those who had once been Villains.
Just as he always had, Hyeonyul would continue forward today and tomorrow, killing any obstacles in his way.
“But thank you for always looking out for me.”
Hyeonyul lightly lowered and raised his head.
He did not know about anything else, but this deserved thanks.
No one had ever done this much for him, even when he had been useful.
When Hyeonyul smiled, Haeryeon and Sinu barely swallowed the many words rising to their throats.
Perhaps because it was such an innocent smile for someone whose usual expression did not suit it, they felt unbearably heartbroken. They wanted to strike every person who had even briefly suspected Hyeonyul.
‘This is not right...’
Haeryeon clenched her knee tightly, and Sinu wavered as well.
This was not right.
No matter how many times they thought about it, it was not right.
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