WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Chapter 22: Money Follows Naturally (4)

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Outside Precinct 7 of Light City's Eastern Police Station.

"Oh, sir, we could've made our own way back, you really didn't need to drive us... but thank you."

"Don't mention it. You two are practically the people who saved my life. This much is the least I can do. Once the donation's processed, I'll send the paperwork separately. No need to worry about it."

"Of course. I trust you."

"Then, be well!"

The black sedan pulled away with a vroom and vanished.

On the way to the restaurant, the old manager had ridden in the passenger seat. On the way back, he'd personally driven them both. With Driver Kim gone, there hadn't been much choice.

"That old man drives kind of fun, huh?"

"...He drives rough."

"That's what makes it fun."

The old man's claim that he'd been an adventurer in his younger days apparently wasn't a lie, judging by the kind of aggressive driving he'd pulled off in what was supposed to be a luxury sedan. Kang Jin-ho had never in his life seen someone treat an expensive car with such reckless abandon.

Once the sedan disappeared from sight, he opened the precinct door and stepped inside.

"Oh, Officer Kang, Officer Park, you're back? Heard the news already."

"Caught another criminal, huh? Wow, not even a full day yet."

"Yes, seniors. Wrapped it up nicely."

His seniors, looking pleased as if it were their own achievement, clapped Kang Jin-ho on the shoulder. He smiled back awkwardly and returned to his desk.

Just as he was taking off his jacket and starting to unclip the handcuffs from his belt.

"Hey, Jin-ho."

Park Eun-yeong, seated across from him with her chin propped on her hand, asked, as if it were nothing.

"Shouldn't you get tested for superpowers?"

"...Sorry?"

"No, think about it. That sharp eye you've got, that instinct. At first I figured you were just observant and good at thinking things through, but... that thing with Driver Kim earlier, and how you spotted 'Cool Guy' too. Are you sure you don't actually have some kind of power?"

"Well, that's..."

"Ah, I'm not saying I think you lied. But even if you were powerless back at the police academy, you could've awakened something recently, right? Powers can awaken from stress or some dramatic trigger. Anything you can think of?"

"...Not really sure."

Kang Jin-ho couldn't exactly say "you're the stress." He was terrified she might follow up with something like "want me to show you what real stress feels like?"

So instead of blurting out something reckless the way certain tactless people might, he simply nodded and answered smoothly.

"I'll get tested if I get the chance."

"Oh? Really? That's a promise, then. When you go for the exam, make sure you go with me. I want to see what my rookie's results are too."

"Yes, understood."

Kang Jin-ho agreed without much hesitation. Honestly, he'd already been thinking he should get tested himself.

Not because of the "instinct" excuse he kept feeding everyone, but because his body had felt strangely, unnaturally healthy lately.

His reflexes had gotten better. His stamina had improved, leaving him full of energy. Even his long-distance vision had sharpened.

'Did I awaken some power without realizing it?'

That had made him wonder, 'Am I really an ordinary person?' and convinced him the test was worth taking.

Maybe the status window itself counted as a kind of superpower. Kang Jin-ho decided he'd like to get an objective read on his own stats and physical condition.

"Let's pick a day and go together."

"Yeah. Sounds good."

Just as the conversation was wrapping up on that warm note.

Whoosh!

Park Eun-yeong suddenly grabbed the steel stapler off her desk and hurled it! The timing and speed would have been impossible for a normal person to react to.

Smack!

"...What?"

Kang Jin-ho barely managed to snatch it out of the air, an inch from his nose. Genuinely impressive reflexes and reaction time.

"Not precognition, I guess? Ambiguous."

"..."

If stress really was the trigger for awakening, Kang Jin-ho felt like he might actually manifest something right now.

* * *

A week passed since the restaurant case. In that time, a lot happened, and also, not much happened at all, depending on how you looked at it.

First, a message arrived from the old restaurant manager.

-The donation's complete. Here's the certificate.

As promised, he'd finished donating fifty million won under Kang Jin-ho's name. He mentioned it would take some time before a major press outlet ran the story, since there were procedures involved: desk approval, interview scheduling, that sort of thing.

-I'm sorry for the delay... I want to spread word of Officer Kang's good deed as soon as possible...

-No, no. It's fine. I don't mind at all.

Kang Jin-ho wasn't bothered by the delay in the slightest. He welcomed it with open arms.

There was no need for anonymity at this point. Just yesterday, five thousand karma points had already been shaved off under the "donation" category. If it meant getting more famous, and earning more money, then Kang Jin-ho was fine with the article taking a little longer.

Bringing in a stack of request fees and grinding down karma quickly seemed like a solid plan too.

He'd originally had zero interest in making money before retirement, but things were different now. If it meant he could donate even more, Kang Jin-ho was ready to push himself hard.

The good news didn't stop there.

[Jin-ho. Like I promised, I quietly mentioned your name to a few heroes I'm close with.]

Trace had finally returned to active duty. According to Trace's message, those acquaintances had shown considerable interest in the title "genius officer."

[They said if a case comes up that's too much of a headache to solve, they'll come find you.]

[Thank you!]

Trace had gotten a promise out of them: if a mysterious case came up that would be too much trouble for heroes to untangle on their own, they'd seek out Kang Jin-ho first.

Finally!

Kang Jin-ho couldn't help the grin creeping across his face. Getting tangled up with heroes meant getting even more famous. More fame meant bigger cases coming his way. And bigger cases meant grinding down even more karma.

At this rate, freedom from Park Eun-yeong and a happy life of spending money without a care seemed to be waiting just ahead. While Kang Jin-ho was busy daydreaming about that rosy future.

"Hey, everyone, get up and clean off your desks. Clear out all the messy paperwork!"

Officer Ahn Seong-sil, the lazy but impossible-to-hate senior, came dashing in, phone clutched in hand.

"What's going on all of a sudden, Officer Ahn?"

"Just got an official notice from HQ! Someone from HQ's coming down to our precinct right now!"

"What? From HQ?"

The other officers, who'd been leisurely sipping coffee, jolted up out of their seats in shock.

Light City's police force was said to fall far short of the heroes, but officers assigned to headquarters were still considered elite. HQ was packed with highly educated staff handling cutting-edge equipment, so why would someone suddenly come all the way out to a remote precinct on the outskirts?

"Why would some HQ bigwig come here...?"

"I don't know either. Just got the notice saying they're on their way..."

Before Officer Ahn could even finish his sentence.

Creak.

The precinct door opened.

"Ugh, seriously, do you people even clean around here or not. Look at this place..."

A man in a police uniform walked slowly into the precinct, sharp featured and bespectacled, radiating a strict, no-nonsense air.

Apparently bothered by the dust, he blew on his glasses and wiped the lenses clean before spotting Kang Jin-ho and asking.

"Are you Officer Kang Jin-ho?"

"Yes, that's me, but..."

"Hm. Well, I've come from HQ. Call me Inspector Mierou."

Inspector Mierou pushed his glasses up with a sharp click and gave Kang Jin-ho a small nod.

"Follow me. It's a murder case."

"Hold on a second. You're just going to take Officer Kang without any explanation? The notice arrived five minutes before you did. Since when does anything work this way?"

"...Ugh, seriously."

At Officer Ahn's blunt pushback against his rude manner, Inspector Mierou shook his head with obvious disdain. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and spoke.

"Last night, a bizarre murder occurred. Everyone inside a locked room killed each other. No survivors. A genuinely strange case. Command wants me and the 'genius officer' to investigate it jointly."

"A joint investigation, you mean?"

"Yes. They want the picture of HQ's ace, me, teaming up with the 'genius officer' to solve the case. So the two of us will be heading to the crime scene."

Inspector Mierou put unnecessary emphasis on "genius officer" and let out a short scoff. The smile on his face was unmistakably mocking.

In truth, this joint investigation dispatch had been the Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner's own unilateral decision. The agency had been enjoying sweet results lately thanks to Kang Jin-ho's exploits, and this was their plan to fully cash in on the opportunity.

HQ's existing ace, Inspector Mierou, paired with the newly rising genius officer, Kang Jin-ho. On paper, it made for a pretty picture.

The one wrinkle was that Inspector Mierou did not look favorably on Kang Jin-ho. He hated the idea of some no-name powerless officer stealing the spotlight that used to belong to him, the established ace.

"This case is going to reveal your true colors."

Inspector Mierou flashed a sneering smile.

"Because I'm the real deal. A genuine superpower user."

Unlike the other officers just collecting a paycheck, Inspector Mierou had been built different from birth.

He possessed a power useful enough to draw scouting offers from the Hero Association itself, but instead of settling for a mediocre C-rank hero career, he'd chosen to walk the path of a police officer, an elite through and through!

In fact, Inspector Mierou was one of the few "known" officers on the force, and even now, a few officers in Precinct 7 were whispering, "That's Inspector Mierou."

"Now, grab your things and get moving. HQ's investigations are a whole different world from this laid-back neighborhood precinct. Brace yourself."

Inspector Mierou made no effort at all to hide his hostility and sense of superiority.

That was when Kang Jin-ho, who'd been quietly listening, spoke up.

"Um... Inspector Mierou?"

"What is it."

"I don't mind doing the investigation, but there's one problem."

"A problem? Ha, what kind of problem? Let's hear it."

Inspector Mierou crossed his arms and glared at Kang Jin-ho. He was already braced to snap back the moment some flimsy excuse came out.

Kang Jin-ho hesitated. Should he say it now? Should he explain the situation more first?

But there was no time. He made up his mind and said it.

"Right now, you're brainwashed by a villain, Inspector."

"..."

"..."

A moment of dead silence settled over the precinct. Inspector Mierou, thinking he must have misheard, asked again.

"...What did you say?"

Footnotes:

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