WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Newbie Civil Servant Hunts Villains Before Going Home ◈
Chapter 6: I'm a New Hire (3)
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* * *
The captive stared at Hyeonyul.
Hyeonyul's eyes were so dull they barely seemed to hold any light.
Eyes like that were dangerous.
The captive knew at once that they had met someone truly dangerous.
The captive broke out in a cold sweat as they looked at Hyeonyul.
“If I tell you... will you let me live?”
“Are you trying to bargain with me? If you still don't understand your position, perhaps you need something else.”
“W-Wait a moment!”
The captive met Hyeonyul's gaze, then quickly lowered their eyes.
Their pupils shook wildly.
Drawing a breath, they could feel their own pounding heart.
Fear had seeped into them.
“You only need to calmly tell me what you know.”
As Hyeonyul urged them on, the cold scissors pressed deeper into their throat, and the captive shouted.
“...Th-They were taken to become experimental subjects!”
Experimental subjects.
The instant those words left their mouth, Hyeonyul's eyes darkened.
The silence that followed was so cold it hurt.
‘I can reach them like this...?’
The villain-run company had a department that secretly handled experimental subjects.
No one had ever allowed Hyeonyul, an experimental subject, near that department.
They were happy to experiment on people but did not want retaliation.
It felt as if Hyeonyul could see straight into their hearts.
‘This easily?’
Countless times, Hyeonyul had moved in secret to find the facilities the villains ran for experimental subjects.
With only one wish in mind.
‘...Can I kill those bastards?’
A cold smile formed on Hyeonyul's lips.
Killing every person who had experimented on him.
That was what he wanted.
Unfortunately, Hyeonyul did not know who had been responsible for him.
Everyone wore the same clothes and covered their faces. Their voices were altered, and even their builds had been made roughly similar.
Ever since he survived, Hyeonyul had searched for the people who had experimented on him.
“Where is it?”
Hyeonyul asked.
“I-I only know the first... location.”
“So where is it?”
Hyeonyul already knew.
Experimental subjects were moved through numerous locations.
At minimum, four stages.
Sometimes, there could be even more.
“If you head up this way, there's a campsite. We agreed to gather there first. They may move them to the second location soon.”
“A campsite?”
“Y-Yes! A campsite.”
“I understand.”
Hyeonyul lowered the scissors.
“...Can I go now?”
The captive asked like an idiot.
“Do you think you can?”
At Hyeonyul's words, the captive's face crumpled.
“I-I really don't know what you look like, and I couldn't do anything even if I wanted to! I swear!”
“What are you talking about?”
As though this were news to him, Hyeonyul raised the scissors again.
“You know I'm with Black Eagle.”
Hyeonyul was wearing Black Eagle clothes.
There was an eagle insignia stamped clearly on his left arm. It made no sense that the captive had not seen it.
“I-I swear I'll never look for you for the rest of my life! I'll tell you my name and what I do, everything...!”
“Do you think I'd believe that?”
Hyeonyul sneered and moved his hand.
The captive's head fell along the dark streak cut through the air, blood pouring from their neck.
Eyes full of resentment stabbed into Hyeonyul.
But Hyeonyul took off his helmet and smiled brightly.
“What are you going to do by glaring at me?”
Villains did not deserve mercy.
Why should he pity people who had torn his body apart countless times?
Hyeonyul touched the blood splattered on himself.
The blood vanished cleanly from where his hand passed.
After wiping the scissors clean, he placed them neatly on the table beside his helmet.
He took out his phone and searched for campsites.
One seemed to be about ten kilometers away.
He could go there directly, but he was still on probation.
‘If I act on my own, they'll mark me down again.’
At his first company, he had been marked down for acting without permission.
It had not mattered because he found where the bullies lived and killed them as soon as the harassment began. This time was different.
He was a special civil servant now. He had to do well if he did not want to be fired.
‘...This is annoying.’
Hyeonyul let out a short breath.
He had changed jobs countless times, rising through the ranks until he reached a position where he gave orders to subordinates.
Now that he was receiving orders instead, it was inconvenient and felt strange.
‘Still, I should ask. The contact list...’
He opened his phone contacts.
There was not even anything to scroll through.
The only registered contact was a doctor.
Hyeonyul was about to use his smartwatch, but he put his phone away and covered one eye instead.
* * *
Clang!
The swords floating around Sinu like an army moved on their own, knocking aside the blades of the approaching enemies.
As Sinu ran forward, he swung his sword fiercely like a club, using the spine rather than the edge.
His hand did not look fast.
If he had used the blade, the enemies would already have been covered in dozens of cuts.
Sinu danced, and his enemies fell one after another.
His hand never stopped. Just as his eyes, which had been fixed ahead, shifted right, a sword moved.
Seeing a familiar face, Sinu stepped back and clutched his chest.
“...Y-You scared me!”
He had almost attacked.
“How did you find this place? No, no, I told you to stay put!”
“I thought you would be too absorbed in battle to answer a call.”
“I can at least answer a call. I account for calls coming in during a fight...”
Sinu stopped explaining and smacked his forehead.
How stupid.
He had not explained that to Hyeonyul.
Even counting the mission with Haeryeon before this, this was only Hyeonyul's second mission.
Thinking of Hyeonyul running all the way here, Sinu felt bad.
“You didn't get hurt on the way, did you?”
“No.”
“Then that's a relief.”
Sinu smiled brightly.
‘Didn't the team leader tell him?’
Hyeonyul was confused.
It was not a smile someone could make after learning about his past.
He thought everything had been explained.
‘Should I tell him?’
Bzzzt.
Hyeonyul glanced at his phone when it rang.
“Ah, one moment.”
It was time for his medicine.
When Hyeonyul stretched out his hand, a medicine packet and a bottle of water popped out of the shadows.
“...?”
Sinu's eyes widened.
He could not believe what he was seeing.
He had no idea what kind of power it was.
Was it magic?
“It's time for my medicine. Excuse me.”
“Medicine...?”
“I'm a former experimental subject.”
Hyeonyul answered as though it were nothing.
He wondered if this part would become known as well.
Looking around, Hyeonyul walked to a nearby table and laid out several pills from the packet.
Sinu stared blankly at the medicine, then finally noticed the syringe and jolted in surprise.
“...A former experimental subject?”
“I understand. You can't believe an experimental subject is alive.”
Hyeonyul lifted his clothes and pushed the syringe into his abdomen.
He looked very practiced.
Sinu narrowed his eyes.
He had only seen it for a moment, but there were far too many deep scars.
He must have been cut apart enough to leave so many scars.
“Mr. Baek Sinu, ...no, big bro. After you left, I followed them and found out where the hostages were taken.”
“I told you that you could stay put.”
Sinu raised an eyebrow.
Was he a workaholic?
“I learned that the hostages are at a campsite. I searched on my phone and confirmed that there is one around ten kilometers away.”
Hyeonyul spoke while placing pills from the packet onto his palm.
There were more than ten colorful pills at a glance.
“I considered going alone, but I thought that would be wrong, so I came to find you.”
After finishing, he swallowed them with practiced ease.
But he did not stop there.
He took out another medicine packet.
He placed even more pills than before on his palm and swallowed them.
“What should I do in situations like this? Should I just follow quietly without saying anything?”
“...”
Sinu's brow furrowed deeply. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.
Would asking whether Hyeonyul was in pain amount to anything but mockery?
He was an experimental subject.
Someone whose survival alone was a miracle.
And he had to take that much medicine just to keep living.
Now was not the time to be swept up in his emotions.
‘The hostages are alive.’
Black Eagle had to put the hostages first.
“Do you know why they took them there?”
“They're being taken to become experimental subjects.”
At Hyeonyul's answer, Sinu held out a hand.
“Wait a moment.”
Sinu operated his smartwatch.
“Team Leader.”
<What is it?>
“The hostages are alive. Hyeonyul found out where they were taken.”
<Really? Where?>
“A nearby campsite. The purpose is to make them experimental subjects.”
For a moment, there was no reply from Haeryeon.
<...How is Hyeonyul?>
At that question, Sinu looked at Hyeonyul.
He looked perfectly fine.
That was what was so strange.
How could he react so calmly?
Normally, it should have left deep trauma, yet there was not even a hint of that reaction.
The only thing Sinu did not understand was why Hyeonyul kept one eye covered.
“...He seems fine.”
“Sorry to interrupt, but we need to hurry. The selection begins at the first location. They'll inject them with drugs to check whether they have drug resistance.”
Only those who passed the drug-resistance test moved on to the second location.
At the second location, they were injected with different drugs, and those who had resistance were taken onward.
From the villains' perspective, it was only natural. They needed to keep injecting drugs over a long period.
“If they don't have drug resistance, those villains kill them on the spot?”
Sinu asked, hardly able to believe it.
“Yes. You understand well. They'll give them injections like the one I just gave myself, so they won't stay there long.”
At the very least, they needed to learn where the second location was.
That was the only way to narrow down the experimental facility, even roughly.
Such a facility had too much equipment to relocate easily.
Even if they blew it up, its scale was too large to handle secretly.
“Did you hear that, Team Leader?”
Sinu urged Haeryeon.
<Leave immediately. I'll send other personnel there.>
Haeryeon's order came down.
No matter what, the hostages came first.
<The eagle will be there shortly.>
Sinu's lips curled up at Haeryeon's words.
“Let's go.”
“Pardon?”
“The eagle is coming.”
Sinu looked at the black shape visible beyond the window.
Then he opened it.
“...Surely you don't mean the magic we rode here on?”
Hyeonyul asked in surprise.
“That's right.”
Sinu clung to the window.
“Follow me, newbie.”
“If that's what it is...”
Before Hyeonyul could finish, Sinu dropped.
Without a sound, the black eagle caught Sinu and rose into the air.
‘...Damn it.’
Hyeonyul clung to the window too.
He could travel long distances with his own power.
That was much more comfortable.
With a tired expression, he dropped from the window.
The moment the black eagle snatched him up, he covered his mouth.
‘Damn it...’
* * *
“...Breathe.”
At Sinu's words, Hyeonyul let out the breath he had been holding in a long exhale.
His face had gone pale.
“Are you okay?”
“...Yes. I just need a moment.”
“Sure. Take a moment.”
Sinu moved carefully.
“...It's that way.”
“Ah. Good. That way.”
Sinu turned toward where Hyeonyul pointed.
A forest stretched out around the campsite.
People moved busily between the trees.
There were all kinds, from children to adults.
It was almost the first time that so many people were still alive in an incident involving experimental subjects.
Sinu's overwhelming relief lasted only a moment before he glanced at Hyeonyul.
An experimental subject.
‘...Is it okay for his first mission to be like this?’
Hyeonyul did not show it, but how torn up must he be inside right now?
Of all situations to encounter.
“...Won't they notice that we came on an eagle?”
“Ah, that eagle? They won't notice.”
“You're saying they won't notice something that large?”
“The map, mission details, and everything else displayed on this smartwatch. It's based on a similar principle. I'm not a mage, so I can't explain it well, but neither you nor the eagle can be seen. If they could tell, we would have been spotted several times on the way to mission sites already.”
Sinu chuckled.
Hyeonyul really was a rookie.
It was strange that villains would not notice when an eagle, of all birds, appeared.
“Who cast this magic?”
“For security reasons, only department heads or directors, who outrank team leaders, know. In other words, I don't know.”
“I understand.”
Hyeonyul accepted that.
If he was a villain, that mage would be the first person he dealt with.
“Big bro Baek Sinu. I've never rescued hostages before, so I'll handle what I'm good at. Can you handle that part?”
“What are you good at?”
“Dealing with villains.”
“Honestly, I don't feel great about asking that of you, but we need to split up right now. I'm counting on you.”
Sinu spoke with an apologetic expression.
“Could you make me a dagger?”
At Hyeonyul's request, Sinu immediately created one and handed it over.
“Be careful with it.”
The blade was extremely sharp, so he needed to be careful.
Hyeonyul stared at the dagger at Sinu's unusually firm words.
It seemed to be quite an exceptional weapon.
He should use it carefully so it would not be damaged.
“Yes.”
Hyeonyul answered shortly. Listening to Sinu run off, he surveyed the area.
He only needed one leader alive to talk.
After marking the target, Hyeonyul looked over the others.
There were people patrolling around, watching the hostages, and inside the cars.
‘First, stop them from running.’
Hyeonyul looked toward the cars.
After identifying their positions, he melted into the shadows.
The moment Hyeonyul appeared in a back seat through the shadows, he covered someone's mouth and quickly stabbed their throat and heart with the dagger.
There was no sound.
Four cars in total.
One person.
Stab.
Two people.
Stab.
Three people.
Every car Hyeonyul reached into was stained red.
As Hyeonyul dealt with the last person, he looked down.
He saw a phone with a game running on it.
‘Playing games at a time like this.’
Hyeonyul clicked his tongue and covered one eye.
As he determined the patrol's position and numbers, he turned his gaze toward Sinu.
Patrols were stationed near the hostages, making it difficult for Sinu to approach.
What should he does at times like this?
Hyeonyul boldly appeared before the patrol.
“...W-Who are you?!”
After hearing the obvious question, Hyeonyul naturally approached and started by killing one person.
The sudden event caused a commotion.
A commotion brought many things with it, so Hyeonyul lightly covered one eye.
Sinu was heading toward the hostages.
‘Good.’
Only then did Hyeonyul lower his hand and look at the patrol.
“What does it matter if people about to die know?”
Without the sound of a footstep, Hyeonyul vanished.
“...!”
Everyone froze.
Where had he gone?
“I'm here.”
Hyeonyul grabbed the nearest person's hair and swung the dagger hard, almost scraping it across their throat.
‘This has great performance.’
It could truly be called a fine blade.
Now he understood why Sinu had told him not to damage it.
When Hyeonyul threw the severed head, a nearby enemy screamed.
‘Too loud.’
Hyeonyul turned his gaze.
The moment he stretched out his hand, he moved in front of another enemy.
Darkness rippled around Hyeonyul.
Taking another step, he pierced the enemy's throat.
Stab!
As the deep impact sounded, Hyeonyul was already looking elsewhere.
Only then did one enemy seem to come to their senses and draw a weapon.
It was a short baton, and perhaps electricity coiled around it, making it flash.
“Die!”
They rushed over and swung it at Hyeonyul.
Hyeonyul shifted slightly aside to avoid it, grabbed their arm, and slammed them into the ground.
Thud!
The moment the enemy fell, Hyeonyul pulled the dagger from the dead enemy's throat and looked down.
Eyes filled with fear reflected in Hyeonyul's helmet.
“S-Save...”
When the enemy's eyes closed and opened again, the dagger had already cut deeply into their throat.
Holding the electric baton, Hyeonyul shook it excitedly.
Crackle crackle.
‘This is nice.’
Hyeonyul looked at the target.
He could feel the corners of his mouth lift.
The target's hair fluttered on its own.
‘A mage? An ability user?’
Perhaps they were holding an item infused with magic.
But what did that matter?
“You dare show yourself. As expected of Black Eagle.”
The target smiled and touched their side.
They immediately pulled something out and aimed it at Hyeonyul.
It was a gun.
‘I've been wondering when that would come out.’
Hyeonyul barely held back a laugh.
The arrogance of thinking a gun would work was ridiculous.
Just as the outline of Hyeonyul's body rippled, the gun fired.
Bang!
“...!”
The target's eyes widened.
Hyeonyul had disappeared.
“I'm here.”
Standing behind the target, Hyeonyul held out the electric baton.
Bzzzt!
The target flopped like a freshly caught fish.
‘I should take them in like this.’
Hyeonyul pressed the baton down harder.
There was no reason to ask all sorts of questions here. They would confess plenty soon enough.
Hyeonyul turned toward Sinu.
There were no enemies lingering around the hostages, as though Sinu had dealt with them all.
“Have you finished them all?”
Hyeonyul calmly approached Sinu, and Sinu looked behind him.
Hyeonyul had killed every enemy.
Hyeonyul's face was hidden by the helmet, but he was covered in blood and looked deeply alien.
‘...That's a rookie?’
Sinu gave a quiet laugh, as though even he found the thought absurd.
‘He’s incredible. Really.’
A monster rookie.
How else could he describe him?
“We rescued the hostages and captured the person assumed to be their leader. Is the mission over now, or is there another assignment?”
“We're done here. To do anything further, someone has to talk.”
At that, Hyeonyul hurriedly checked the time.
2:24 p.m.
He could hardly believe it even after seeing it.
“...Are we off work?”
Hyeonyul asked carefully.
“After we report in.”
“Then after reporting, we're off work?”
“That's right. It won't take long.”
At Sinu's certain answer, Hyeonyul's body trembled.
“Are you hurt?”
“...No. I think this might be a dream.”
After taking off his helmet, Hyeonyul smiled brightly.
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