WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Newbie Civil Servant Hunts Villains Before Going Home ◈
Chapter 24: Found You (2)
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* * *
Hyeonyul raised darkness from his body, tore the Poison King’s hand away, and slammed him into the wall.
“...Pfft.”
It should have hurt, but the Poison King laughed instead.
As though he liked something about this, his gaze at Hyeonyul held nothing but satisfaction.
“...Black Eagle can’t give you what you want. Contrary to what you think, it isn’t a righteous place.”
“You’re talking about justice?”
A mocking laugh slipped out at the Poison King on reflex.
He still seemed to have some life left in him.
Hyeonyul had considered cutting off a few fingers, but stopped upon realizing even his blood was poison.
In his current state, questioning him would be impossible. Anyone else who approached would likely end up dead as well.
‘What should I do with this...?’
Hyeonyul fell into thought.
“...By now, word will have reached all the others that one of Shin Daeho’s crazy subordinates killed Shin Daeho.”
The Poison King spoke, his face red.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“...Everyone is looking for you. You, who killed Shin Daeho.”
So what was Hyeonyul supposed to do about that?
Hyeonyul lifted the Poison King higher.
“Everyone will learn! That you are... the hope that will bring down the Empire...!”
That strength.
That decisiveness.
Above all, those missing emotions.
Everything was perfect.
Rather than answer the Poison King, Hyeonyul rammed him into the wall.
Boom!
What nonsense.
Hyeonyul had no interest in the Empire.
The only things of interest were getting off work and the small happiness of going home.
Tonight, Hyeonyul planned to watch a movie he had carefully picked out over several weeks, with popcorn.
“Do we... lo-look like Villains to you?”
The Poison King fixed his trembling eyes on Hyeonyul.
“Of course.”
“...You’re wrong. Villains are...”
Unable to finish, the Poison King went limp.
Hyeonyul threw him to the floor and brutally pressed down on one of his legs.
Crack.
Something broke.
‘Should I break one more?’
Hyeonyul looked at his remaining leg, then stopped.
There was a reason people died of shock.
Hyeonyul searched the Poison King’s clothes.
A phone landed in his hand.
There was a great deal of information to uncover with this alone.
‘I’ll give this separately to Team Leader Ye Juhyeon.’
Bzzzz.
Was it a coincidence?
Someone called.
Customer - 018.
<We’re here. You’re ready, right?>
It was a woman’s voice.
It sounded familiar.
“Ah, I’m sorry, but the Poison King has stepped away for a moment. Where are you now?”
<Five minutes away. But who is our baby? I’ve never heard this voice before, but it sounds so familiar?>
“I’ll come see you in person.”
<Our Poison King has become thoughtful. Doing something he never usually does.>
The woman laughed to herself, apparently pleased about something.
“Then I’ll see you shortly.”
<All right. I’ll dote on our baby when you get here.>
Hyeonyul waited for the other side to hang up first.
‘...Have I seen her before?’
Hyeonyul did not know when that day would come, but perhaps there would be a day to be grateful that Shin Daeho had often introduced him to people.
Hyeonyul took out his own phone.
“Team Leader.”
<Yeah, how did it go?>
“There’s a problem.”
<...A problem? A problem? Are you hurt? Are you badly hurt?>
“No. The Poison King’s blood is poisonous as well.”
<Ah...?>
“I discovered that while subduing him. I did not make any more wounds afterward, but it is impossible for anyone else to transport him in this condition. I will move him myself.”
<Are you all right, Hyeonyul? You don’t feel anything? Are you really sure you’re all right? You’re not dizzy or experiencing even the slightest symptom?>
“I’m fine. Poison does not affect me.”
<...That’s a relief. You don’t have any injuries anywhere, do you?>
Hyeonyul did not know why she was asking so many questions.
Did Hyeonyul seem weak to her?
Hyeonyul’s brow creased slightly.
Perhaps Black Eagle had high standards befitting its reputation.
“I do not.”
Hyeonyul had reinforced his body just in case, and it seemed that had been wise.
Perhaps things would have been different if the Poison King had used magic or an ability.
‘It was easy because it was poison.’
Stripped of poison, his weapon, the Poison King was no more than an ordinary person with slightly better endurance and strength to Hyeonyul.
“Team Leader, there is one more thing I would like to tell you.”
<It sounds like you found something?>
“That’s right. First, I took the children somewhere safe. They were all asleep from drugs, but otherwise fine.”
<I heard that from Jihwan. I sent people there.>
“I just spoke with the Villain who came to collect the children.”
<What?>
“If the Poison King saved them as Customer, they may be a Villain of considerable rank. I will meet with them immediately.”
Hyeonyul spoke naturally.
It was little different from when he had worked under Shin Daeho in the past.
He would naturally make contact, play along, and kill them.
On days without someone to kill, he handled the internal work that had piled up.
That was the sort of life it had been. A life without a single day of rest.
<Hyeonyul.>
“Yes, Team Leader.”
<It’s an urgent situation, right?>
“Yes.”
Haeryeon’s faint sigh came through the call.
<You can meet them. Nothing beyond that. I’ll be there soon too.>
“Yes. I’ll see you later.”
Hyeonyul answered politely and waited for Haeryeon to hang up.
After putting away the phone, Hyeonyul looked over the Poison King once.
‘Should’ve killed him.’
After kicking him, Hyeonyul covered his eyes.
Moving his sight through Shadow, he carefully surveyed the many cars heading toward the building.
Among them, Hyeonyul focused on the most expensive car.
Villains cared far more than expected about how others saw them.
As if proving that, the Poison King was wearing a suit even now.
‘That car.’
Leaving behind only a hand gripping the Poison King’s throat, Hyeonyul vanished.
* * *
When Hyeonyul appeared in front of the car, its horn blared.
Honk! Honk!
It sounded as though it were calling Hyeonyul a lunatic.
Hyeonyul held out a dagger.
Darkness rose from Shadow and wrapped around the dagger, turning it into a long black sword.
Hyeonyul swung his hand down at the approaching car.
A thick black trail flashed through the air and split the car in two.
Whoosh.
The halves of the car moved apart, and someone leaped out from inside.
“Your welcome is rather rough, isn’t it?”
Someone floated in the air.
Hyeonyul thought of an ability user or a mage.
Seeing the red-haired woman, Hyeonyul recalled who she was.
‘A mage.’
She was sometimes called the Mage of Gravity or the Red Witch.
But those were public names. Shin Daeho had called her Ahsan.
Hyeonyul did not know whether that was her real name or an alias.
‘The Witch...?’
Hyeonyul’s lips curved while looking at her.
There had been an incident where a Villain spread poison.
It had also been an incident intended to make it seem as though the Poison King had done it.
‘...So that was the Witch’s work.’
Hyeonyul was certain.
He had seen Ahsan’s subordinate there.
“Do you know what bird I hate most?”
Ahsan smiled brightly.
Hyeonyul noticed the long nails extending from her fingers.
They were extravagant, studded with many tiny jewels.
Something was emerging from them now.
“The Black Eagle.”
Ahsan’s lips lifted.
Following a violently rushing ripple, the force of gravity descended upon the ground where Hyeonyul had been standing.
The ground collapsed and shattered.
But Hyeonyul was no longer there.
He was right beside Ahsan.
Her head immediately turned.
The smile she gave Hyeonyul held nothing but arrogance.
‘She thinks I have no long-range attacks.’
To undermine Ahsan’s certainty, Hyeonyul leaped at once and grabbed her by the throat.
Without hesitation, Hyeonyul slammed her toward the ground.
But before she reached it, a force rising from below made Hyeonyul release her.
Had he not let go, his arm might have broken.
Ahsan floated in the air as though gravity had acted in reverse.
Her hair fluttered as Ahsan laughed loudly.
“You’re amusing. Really amusing.”
“I’m honored.”
“It’s you.”
The moment Ahsan heard Hyeonyul’s voice, she remembered the earlier call.
What else could it mean that Black Eagle had gotten the Poison King?
‘The Poison King has fallen!’
Only then did Ahsan look Hyeonyul over.
One of his hands was missing.
Why else would it be?
‘He was poisoned.’
His face was concealed by a helmet. It was obvious.
This was his final struggle.
“The Poison King is dead? Is that it?”
Ahsan asked cheerfully.
That bastard Poison King was irritating, but his power was real.
He had expanded his territory indiscriminately, and she had been unable to suppress him.
With that damned poison alone, he had enough power to wipe out all her adorable subordinates.
“Are you enjoying this?”
“Of course I am. Ah, I’m in such a good mood. I’ll retreat today.”
Ahsan backed away farther.
He would die anyway.
That eagle probably would not know what he had done until the moment he died.
‘Ah, this puts me in such a good mood.’
Ahsan’s smile did not fade.
“You’ve done something tremendous. Since I’m retreating while praising you for a job well done, you can be happy about it.”
She could not have been the only one unable to expand her power because of the Poison King.
The circumstances of the other Villains were obvious too.
Now that the Poison King had been removed for them, what should she do?
‘Eat it all up.’
Ahsan felt as though she would melt into bliss.
Shin Daeho was dead, and so was the Poison King.
This was an opportunity.
There was not enough pie to divide in this small arena to begin with.
It was only right for one person to take it all.
“Is that so?”
Hyeonyul answered calmly.
Sometimes, he truly found it funny.
If they wanted to destroy the Empire so badly, they should join forces, yet they were happy that the Poison King was dead.
At this rate, they would die without ever laying a finger on the Empire.
“Why did you need experimental subjects made from children?”
“You saw that too? Were you surprised?”
“Answer me.”
“Why? Isn’t it obvious? Questions like that are so boring, I feel like yawning.”
Power.
The power to destroy the Empire.
And entertainment.
There had to be other reasons as well.
“It seems you have quite a workforce for making experimental subjects.”
Hyeonyul’s voice deepened.
“Want to come see how many there are, Eagle?”
Ahsan held out her hand and lifted the corners of her mouth.
Her dark lipstick made the mockery look even deeper.
“You would make quite a good experimental subject...”
Before Ahsan finished speaking, Hyeonyul’s hand disappeared.
It silently appeared behind Ahsan and stabbed her.
Violent pain surged from her back, and Ahsan turned her head.
At some point, the dagger had been driven fairly deep into her.
“...Ha. Ha!”
The moment Ahsan turned her head forward again, she faced the helmet.
It was far too close.
The dagger’s blade rushed toward her, but Ahsan smiled.
Boom!
A powerful force dragged Hyeonyul downward, making his body collapse.
Feeling something sharp brush his skin, Hyeonyul stepped back.
Part of the dagger had shattered into dust.
“You’re pretty good.”
“This belongs to the company.”
Hyeonyul showed his displeasure.
“Is that so? Should I buy you one? I could buy you some snacks too.”
Just as open mockery appeared on Ahsan’s lips, Hyeonyul’s hand appeared before her.
Ahsan moved her fingers downward.
Thud!
Gravity took hold, and Hyeonyul’s arm dropped heavily.
“Tone down the bloodlust. It’s obvious.”
“Are you flustered?”
Hyeonyul stepped back, moving his arm behind his back as if concealing it.
“Me?”
“You’re sweating.”
Hyeonyul smiled.
Though she knew it was a provocation, Ahsan’s head grew hot.
Had she been a step slower, her neck would have been pierced.
They truly were abnormally fast.
‘Even so, I’m stronger.’
Just as Ahsan’s eyes narrowed, Hyeonyul moved.
Though it had clearly bent, his arm suddenly shot toward her.
Like a snake.
Ahsan retreated and drove down a greater force of gravity than before.
Thoom!
It held the single-minded intent to crush Hyeonyul.
But Hyeonyul disappeared.
There was no sound.
It was quiet.
A chill seemed to circle her neck.
Before Hyeonyul’s dagger could touch Ahsan’s neck, she caught it with magic.
Clench.
‘Got him.’
Ahsan threw a fist toward Hyeonyul.
Gravity accompanied it, strong enough to crush his face.
Whoosh!
Rough wind swept by, leaving black smoke behind.
“...?”
“I’ll be taking my dagger back.”
A voice came from behind her.
Hyeonyul calmly pulled the blade from Ahsan’s back.
Pain surged through her, and Ahsan’s face twisted.
“You bastard!”
“I told you, it belongs to the company.”
Hyeonyul spoke as though it were nothing.
Unlike the Poison King, she did not use poison, so Hyeonyul considered taking a few more fingers.
‘No.’
Hyeonyul changed his mind.
He could not kill her.
Haeryeon had only permitted a meeting.
Hyeonyul could not go beyond that, and right now, he wanted Ahsan alive as well.
He retreated.
“...Hahahahaha!”
Ahsan laughed loudly.
She had been caught.
Caught beautifully.
In response to her laughter, cars, streetlights, the road, and everything nearby collapsed under the force of gravity.
That force reached Hyeonyul too, but he had moved far away and avoided it.
Judging by the throbbing in his broken arm, taking it head-on would truly be dangerous.
‘This is what a major player is like.’
It was different.
“If you’re alive, I’ll definitely find you.”
Floating backward in the air, Ahsan glared sharply at Hyeonyul.
“Yes. If I’m alive, I’ll see you again.”
Hyeonyul dipped his head slightly.
Personally, he had to learn information about the experimental subjects.
After that, killing her would be right.
‘Ah.’
Click.
After taking a photo of even Ahsan’s afterimage, Hyeonyul photographed the damage as well.
It was for the report.
‘That’s done.’
Hyeonyul approached Ahsan’s subordinate, who was crawling away.
How much of a hurry had Hyeonyul been in to forget to kill this one?
Hyeonyul smiled briefly before kicking him in the abdomen.
“...Urk.”
The man clutched his stomach and trembled, and Hyeonyul looked down at him.
Having seen what Hyeonyul had just done, that mouth would reveal most things.
“Where did you come from?”
Shudder.
As if there had been an earthquake, the man shook.
Hyeonyul grabbed his hair and forced him to look at the butchered body of his comrade.
“Don’t tremble. Just speak. I need to get off work too, so I can’t give you much time.”
* * *
“...?”
Hyeonyul turned his eyes toward the suddenly quiet situation.
As he was placing the Poison King into a specially treated containment unit, someone suddenly died.
“I didn’t do anything.”
Watching from afar, Hyeonyul raised both hands.
He spoke first in case anyone misunderstood again.
“I know, so you can put your hands down.”
Haeryeon approached and examined the dead Manager.
When she removed the protective equipment, the Manager’s skin had turned a deep purple.
“The protective equipment was not properly checked.”
At Haeryeon’s words, the remaining Managers urgently inspected their own protective equipment.
Her eyes narrowed.
One of the poison-filtering meshes had stopped working.
The equipment had several meshes for safety, yet someone had died because only one had malfunctioned.
The Poison King’s poison was this potent.
“Are you all right, Team Leader?”
Hyeonyul asked Haeryeon, who wore no protective equipment.
“I have strong poison resistance too. I also took an antidote just in case.”
What kind of alchemist would be poisoned?
Haeryeon looked at the remaining Managers.
They were trembling.
“This won’t do.”
Haeryeon looked at Hyeonyul.
At that strange gaze, Hyeonyul sighed first.
“The two of us will have to transport the Poison King. It is difficult to trust the protective equipment.”
There might be another casualty.
“I will contact the technical team myself, so please handle this person’s funeral arrangements.”
Haeryeon gave the Managers instructions.
They had to be told to repair the protective equipment.
“...Yes, thank you.”
The Managers hurriedly left while carrying their colleague.
“Hyeonyul, I’ll drive. You’ve worked so hard today.”
Only then did Haeryeon smile brightly.
She had caught the Poison King.
The Poison King.
She was so happy that it was difficult to hold back her smile.
“I will drive.”
“No, it’s fine. Get in the car first and rest.”
“...”
Hyeonyul’s expression turned serious.
Rest?
‘Did I do something wrong...?’
“Ah, are you worried that I cannot move the Poison King alone?”
After looking at the Poison King, Haeryeon lifted him as if to show off.
“Hyeonyul, I am still the team leader. After consuming all sorts of things, I suppose you could say I am always doped up. I could carry you too. Want me to?”
Hyeonyul immediately shook his head and asked,
“...What did you consume?”
“What I made...”
Haeryeon started to say the word potion, then stopped.
She did not know how it would sound to others, but it would not sound good to Hyeonyul.
“Something tasty.”
Haeryeon grinned.
Hyeonyul’s eyes narrowed at the evasive answer, so Haeryeon hurried him along.
“Come on, let’s go.”
They loaded the Poison King into the car.
Haeryeon quickly tried to get into the driver’s seat, but Hyeonyul was already there.
“I will drive.”
“What if I say no?”
When Haeryeon teasingly tested him, Hyeonyul’s eyes wandered as though he had encountered an error.
It felt as if something might suddenly pop and explode.
She had tried to tease Hyeonyul, but Haeryeon was the one who became flustered.
“All right, all right. I was joking. I should see just how well you drive, Hyeonyul.”
“You need not worry. I have never had an accident.”
At the faint boast in his voice, Haeryeon turned away and let out a small laugh.
So Hyeonyul would not misunderstand again, she held back her laughter as she got into the passenger seat and buckled up.
“By the way, Hyeonyul.”
“Yes.”
“Am I the strange one? Why do Villains keep getting drawn to you? Was it similar in the past too?”
“It was similar.”
Hyeonyul did not think it was particularly unusual.
Villains had always been drawn to him, and Hyeonyul had always killed them to rise higher.
“It must have been... so hard for you, Hyeonyul.”
Haeryeon’s eyes drooped slightly.
“That was all right. What is difficult is working overtime and still not being able to go home.”
Even now, remembering it made Hyeonyul grit his teeth.
He gripped the steering wheel tightly for no reason.
“Just take the Poison King to the Nest, then go home.”
“Understood.”
At the mention of going home, Hyeonyul’s face brightened.
As though nothing had happened, he looked as if he might break into a bright smile at any moment.
“Ah, Jihwan already went home.”
“...Ah. He should go home. The work is over.”
For a brief moment, Hyeonyul looked behind them.
That bastard Poison King should have been killed.
‘...That bloodlust is clear.’
Haeryeon turned away as though she had not noticed.
If it had been directed at her, it might have stung quite a bit.
“Team Leader.”
“Yes?”
“...Will the festival proceed as expected?”
“We caught the Poison King, so it will proceed as planned.”
Haeryeon wanted to ask more, but held herself back.
‘What? Did he like festivals?’
She decided that Hyeonyul would absolutely receive paid leave that day.
They had caught the Poison King, so how difficult could that be?
She smiled for no reason.
* * *
The entryway lights came on, and Hyeonyul entered the house.
‘I should stop by the doctor tomorrow.’
His arm had been twisted by gravity.
It did not hurt, but one could never be too careful.
Hyeonyul collapsed onto the bed and looked at the book bought on the way home.
“How to Have Fun at a Festival”
“I want to see the fireworks at the festival!”
Serin’s bright voice lingered in his ears.
A promise was a promise.
‘...What could possibly be fun about watching with me?’
Serin was a truly strange child.
‘I’ll report about Ahsan tomorrow.’
Hyeonyul had forgotten because he was so focused on getting off work.
Hyeonyul opened the book.
He was off work now.
Rustle.
He turned the page.
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