WeTried Translations

Translator: Yasi

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Precious Demon King

Chapter 6: Mind Slime

Cheon Yubeom remained silent. When he didn't respond, Kim Junyong gave up first.

"Boring."

Corrupting the soul of a paladin and turning it into a familiar was amusing, but that level of soul was low-grade even among familiars. It wasn't worth obsessing over.

His interest in the new toy he had prodded at quickly faded.

Wait, maybe I can summon more than just souls.

He was Kim Junyong–the man who had defeated the Demon King of Belhaim and risen to become the strongest. He had achieved much in his two hundred years.

Maybe I can even bring items from my dungeon.

All competent mages had a dungeon. Kim Junyong was no exception. The things he had collected were far from ordinary.

Well, I can take my time studying this.

Lost in thought, he barely noticed that the car had stopped.

"We're here."

"The bureau director of the Hunter Management Bureau is the highest-ranking one here, right?"

"..."

"Is he in there?"

"..."

Despite Kim Junyong's questions, neither Cheon Yubeom nor Lee Mina replied. But even without their answers, their emotions were plain as day to him...

"He's here."

They tried to appear calm, but their surprise gave them away.

"Heh. Let's go."

It was a good thing he had allowed himself to be captured. If he had come of his own accord, there would have been a conflict, and the person would have probably fled.

He had expected a dingy jail cell, but the room they guided him to was surprisingly spacious, like a reception room.

"Please wait here."

"Fine. Just don't keep me waiting too long."

"It shouldn't take long."

"Heh."

Kim Junyong winked playfully and stepped inside.

Boom.

The heavy iron door shut behind him. He sat in the middle of the large sofa and propped his legs up on the table.

"Pretty empty."

There were only two three-seater sofas facing each other and a table. The unusual part was the wall made of black glass. Kim Junyong chuckled.

"An interrogation room."

Predictable.

"I'm looking forward to this."

They didn't drag him here over a rapist. That was just a pretext. They clearly had their own agenda.

Of course, their objectives didn't matter to him. He had come with his own purpose.

"Should I give them 10 minutes?"

That should be plenty. Kim Junyong leaned back against the sofa, resting his head on the backrest, and closed his eyes.

* * *

In the monitoring room behind the special glass.

Bureau Director Park Taejun chuckled. Every word inside the interrogation room was piped through the speakers.

"He says he'll give us 10 minutes?"

"Hmph. Arrogant bastard. I'll beat some manners into him."

Special Investigation Unit Commander Jin Hojin said with flattery.

Knock, knock.

"Come in."

Soon, Cheon Yubeom and Lee Mina, who had escorted Kim Junyong, entered and saluted.

""Sir!""

"Hehe, all right. You both did well."

Park Taejun commended them. It was none other than him who had ordered Kim Junyong to be brought to the Special Investigation Unit Headquarters.

"How was he?"

"He used a skill. A curse-type."

"Oh ho!"

Park Taejun beamed.

"How likely is it a testing error?"

"Zero. He was determined to be unawakened."

"Hmm. An unawakened person using skills..."

Park Taejun's eyes gleamed.

Kim Junyong was a fascinating research subject. He was a potential material to advance their sluggish public awakening project.

"All right. Official incarceration would be difficult without a trial, but we can extend the investigation period."

"Of course, Bureau Director."

"Coax him properly and get him to the lab."

Upon hearing Park Taejun's command, Cheon Yubeom felt a chill run down his spine.

Ominous.

As was often the case with those blessed by the divine, Cheon Yubeom's danger-sensing ability–almost like foresight–was now sending out warning signals.

"Bureau Director..."

"Yes, Team Leader Cheon?"

"What if we bring him in through special criminal recruitment?"

"Well, do we need to go that far?"

Special criminal recruitment was part of a strategy to use enemies against enemies.

It was typically applied to model inmates at the hunter-designated prison in Icheon, though there were exceptions.

"Team Leader Cheon, that's not your place to say."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

Cheon Yubeom backed down after being reprimanded by Jin Hojin. He still looked stiff-faced, but he had gone completely pale, drained of all color.

"Hehe, Bureau Director. Don't worry. Reducing his sentence a little will be enough to make that guy cooperate nicely with the experiment."

"Hmm, yes."

Park Taejun and Jin Hojin nodded.

The New Human Project aimed to awaken ordinary people rather than returnees. It was an opportunity for South Korea to lead the market.

"Team Leader Cheon. You go try to talk him into it."

"..."

Jin Hojin frowned as he looked at Cheon Yubeom, who had gone completely pale.

"Hm? What's wrong with you?"

"...I'm not feeling well."

"Oh, really? Hmm, then..."

When Jin Hojin looked to Lee Mina, she shook her head fiercely.

"Good grief."

"I'll go."

"Huh? Chief Manager Jang?"

Chief Manager Jang Minho, who had accompanied Park Taejun as security, was one of the Hunter Management Bureau's rare Rank 2 hunters.

"Isn't that overkill?"

"The Special Investigation Unit looks a bit tired. I thought I would help."

"Hehehe, come on now."

Jin Hojin let out an awkward chuckle in response to the jab.

"With arrogant guys like him, violence is best. I'll soften him up. Then the Special Investigation Unit can coax him. They can handle that much, right?"

"Uh..."

"Haha! Chief Manager Jang's tactics are really sharp. Good cop, bad cop–a time-honored strategy."

"Haha, indeed."

With Park Taejun's approval, what could the Special Investigation Unit commander say? Jin Hojin just gave a bitter smile and agreed.

"Hmph, then I'll go."

Jang Minho left the situation room. Jin Hojin quietly approached Cheon Yubeom and poked him in the side.

"What was that? Did you eat something bad?"

"...Sorry."

"Tsk."

There was no greater disgrace than this. As the Special Investigation Unit commander, he was frustrated at disappointing the bureau director of the superior division, the Hunter Management Bureau.

"It's starting."

Park Taejun's face was full of anticipation. There was nothing quite as entertaining as watching a fire or a fight.

Jang Minho opened the interrogation room door and entered.

* * *

Kim Junyong had his legs propped on the table and was leaning back as if he were lying on a sofa. He opened his eyes slightly at the sound of the door opening.

"Took you long enough."

"What?"

"Are you the bureau director?"

"This little shit."

Jang Minho was immediately annoyed. An unawakened bastard, arrogant just because he used a few skills?

"They sent a lackey."

"Hmph, this bastard won't listen to words."

"Dumbass."

A vein popped on Jang Minho's forehead. He had planned to go easy on him, but not anymore.

"I'll leave you breathing."

"Tsk. Too bad."

Kim Junyong was genuinely disappointed. He was curious to see how the scale would react to the presence of killing intent.

Slash! Thud!

Jang Minho's kick slammed into the sofa.

"Oh? You dodged?"

"What kind of idiot would just take a hit like that?"

Kim Junyong smirked and moved both hands, breaking the special cuffs far too easily.

Snap.

"Hmph, you broke that with brute strength?"

"So?"

In order to break those cuffs with brute strength, he must be at least Rank 5.

"Interesting."

Jang Minho smiled. This meant that he could push the test subject a bit harder without killing him. He started punching in earnest.

Swish! Whoosh!

But Kim Junyong didn't take the hits seriously. As he watched his fist slice through the air, he smirked.

"Even Malsun is faster than that."

"The hell is Malsun?"

"Not telling."

"Agh!"

Jang Minho's face turned red with rage. Angry beyond measure, he unleashed a skill. Test subject or not, he was going to kill him!

Fwoosh.

Magic gathered on his fists, forming glowing blue gloves.

"You're dead, you bastard!"

"Oh! Great resolve."

The provocation paid off. The scale responded to Jang Minho's killing intent.

< Bel's Scale acknowledges "Self-Defense." >

Yeah, scale. You're not the kind of fool who values self-sacrifice over sense.

< Bel's Scale deems proper "Discipline" necessary. >

"It says you need discipline."

"You bastard!"

Swish!

The destructive power was different from before. A punch infused with blue mana flew toward Kim Junyong. But Kim Junyong's counterpunch was also charged with black mana.

Of course, the source of the black mana was the opponent, Jang Minho. All it took was a little provocation for negative emotions to pour out. Jang Minho's provocation efficiency was really good.

Boom!

When the two fists collided, a tremendous shockwave occurred, causing the special glass blocking three sides of the interrogation room to shatter.

Crash!

The people beyond the shattered glass looked horrified.

Glancing at them, Kim Junyong quickly grabbed Jang Minho's wrist with his extended fist and pulled him in.

"W-What?!"

Before Jang Minho could pull his hand away and counterattack, his seized wrist exploded.

Boom–

"Aaaaargh!"

As he screamed, Kim Junyong's other hand touched his forehead.

< Target has lost the will to fight. >

< Judgment is advised before punishment. >

Whew.

He almost killed him out of excitement. He came to the Hunter Management Bureau to talk, not to make things awkward by killing a subordinate.

"Tch. I'll let you off."

Boom!

With a small explosion, he sent Jang Minho flying. He slammed into the door and ended up sprawled precariously on the floor, but he was still breathing.

Ah, I think I've gotten too soft since coming back to Earth.

"Now then."

Kim Junyong looked past the broken glass. Six faces stared back in shock.

"Which one of you is the bureau director?"

"Ugh."

Park Taejun took a sharp breath.

"You."

"S-Stop him!"

When Park Taejun shouted frantically, two bodyguards reluctantly stepped forward.

Shit, we're screwed.

Even the chief manager lost. What can we do?

They were Rank 5 hunters. But seeing their superior defeated so easily, they had no will to fight.

Whoosh.

"Huh?!"

As Kim Junyong made a playful gesture, black tendrils sprouted from the ground and wrapped around the bodyguards.

"Ugh."

With both bodyguards immobilized, Park Taejun tried to flee, only for more tendrils to appear.

Crunch.

"Urrgh."

All six were bound and lifted by the black tendrils.

Cheon Yubeom tried to escape using a skill, but his eyes locked with Kim Junyong's.

"Go on, if you're confident."

"...!"

Cheon Yubeom stopped resisting. Kim Junyong smiled and approached Park Taejun.

"Ugh."

"You're the bureau director?"

"Do you think you'll get away with this?!"

"I'll be fine."

"Grr..."

Park Taejun had nothing to say. Kim Junyong spoke seriously.

"I don't show mercy to enemies. Don't become one of them and expect mercy."

"..."

"I have one demand. Don't interfere with my fun."

"F-Fun?"

"I'm going to live quietly and enjoy myself. Don't bother me."

"..."

Park Taejun's scheming thoughts were so apparent it could be seen from his face.

"You're not getting it."

Some people only understood after tasting death. However, killing everyone who defied him wasn't wise. It was likely that the incoming bureau director wouldn't listen either.

There were several ways to force someone to listen. He placed a hand on Park Taejun's shiny bald head.

"W-What are you doing?!"

"It's like a gift, a gift."

Squirm.

A clump of black mana formed in Kim Junyong's hand, with a handful drawn upon to create a sticky black substance that then slid down the bald head and slowly wriggled into the ear.

"Aaargh! What is that?!"

"You don't need to know."

Mind Slime. It was a familiar with many useful functions. It established itself in the brain, devouring thoughts to extract information and delivering shocks in response to certain ideas.

Seeing Park Taejun convulse in pain, it seemed the Mind Slime had fully taken hold.

"That was a fruitful conversation."

It was time to go home.

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