Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 256

256. Utopia (11)

The day martial law was declared, Yoo-min’s officetel [a type of studio apartment commonly found in South Korea].

“Oppa [term used by a younger woman to address an older brother or close male friend], did you see this?”

Yoo-min handed Hyun-woo one of the documents Song Yeo-un and Seo Ji-hoo had taken when they escaped Cheongpyeong Hospital.

Even in the urgent situation, Seo Ji-hoo had carefully sorted and brought the documents that needed to be taken.

Connecting the contents of the documents organically was a time-consuming task, but it was meaningful.

“Yeah, I saw it. So what?”

The document Yoo-min handed over was about a hunter who had been ‘disposed of’ at Cheongpyeong Hospital.

Even if there were procedural issues, Hyun-woo felt no remorse about the fact that he was already dead because his criminal record was certain.

“I saw this hunter’s record in another document, and it’s slightly different. When he was first transferred, it said he was imprisoned for mental illness. But a criminal record that didn’t exist appeared at the hospital?”

“Hmm?”

When Hyun-woo picked up the document, Yoo-min handed over other bundles of documents all at once.

“It’s a list of ability users suspected of similar document manipulation. There are also hunters who were hospitalized without a proper criminal history, or who disappeared without any discharge or death records. The common point of these hunters is…”

“The last three months.”

Hyun-woo muttered, scanning the documents.

To be exact, after the Northern Expedition succeeded.

The majority of them were hunters belonging to Taesung. Was the government trying to keep Taesung in check? Hyun-woo thought so, but soon shook his head.

Taesung is a well-behaved dog. It is still faithful to its role.

‘If not the government?’

From another perspective, Korean ability users are disappearing.

Just like what’s happening publicly in Korea now.

“Brokers.”

“It seems like the conspiracy is deeper than we thought, right?”

The data found at Cheongpyeong Hospital was not simply about some traitors in the government selling off ability users.

There was a series of movements gnawing at the roots of the Korean hunter industry.

Park Gyu didn’t seem to have the guts to do this, so it was clear that there was a bigger backer.

“And this is information I got through an acquaintance.”

Yoo-min showed another document.

“It’s a document about where the ability users sold through brokers went. Japan, Russia, Southeast Asia, South China… They seem to be scattered all over the place, but in fact, they’re all heading to one place.”

Hyun-woo was speechless.

It was information that could not be found out at the level of an ordinary civilian.

At least a national institution had to be mobilized to know.

The phrase ‘Top Secret’ written at the top of the document and the unique texture that could be felt in the hand indicated that it was a genuine copy that could not be copied.

Hyun-woo looked at Yoo-min in disbelief, who said that she had ‘obtained it through an acquaintance’.

Yoo-min shrugged.

“I told you, you can’t commit treason alone.”

“Did a friend you made in the second year of middle school join the National Intelligence Service or something?”

“It’s a bit better than the National Intelligence Service, and I haven’t known them for very long. But I can trust them. Anyway, this is a list of government officials involved in this case that I got through an acquaintance…”

Yoo-min ran her finger down the documents.

Hyun-woo looked surprised at the names.

The list was quite long.

Among them, there were people Hyun-woo had seen on TV. What surprised Hyun-woo was that all of the government collaborators in this situation were listed.

“Anyway, the name of the traitor that can be derived from this document is one…”

Yoo-min pointed to one of the names mentioned in the document.

It was an unexpected name. But it wasn’t as surprising as Yoo-min finding out all of this.

“Who the hell is this acquaintance who knows all this?”

At Hyun-woo’s words, Yoo-min smiled and replied.

“They’re among the people you’re meeting today, oppa.”

Yoo-min whispered the name in Hyun-woo’s ear.

Hyun-woo realized that this work could not fail when he heard the name.

***

The scenery of Seoul under martial law was quiet and brutal.

Water and electricity were cut off in various places, and the media conveyed only bleak facts with restrained expressions.

There were no gunshots or bombings, but it looked like a war was being fought. In Gwanghwamun Square, the military was setting up barricades and checkpoints in various places, centering on the Blue House [the executive office and official residence of the South Korean president].

People were curious about what was going on, but no facts were properly known.

However, they only made various speculations based on rumors about the Flood and the collective hospitalization of hunters.

That a huge monster had appeared, or that a Flood had burst out from a 5-star dungeon at the level of the Baekdu Dungeon.

None of them were just speculations that had not been properly revealed.

Around sunset.

The Gwanghwamun area was closed early, and it was difficult to find even pedestrians.

Because of this, the soldier guarding the Gwanghwamun checkpoint was embarrassed to see someone approaching him.

If they were just passing by, he would inform them that the area was closed, but he had not expected a civilian to approach this way at all.

Moreover, even though it was summer, they were walking as if they were taking a walk in a situation where martial law had been declared?

“I’m sorry, but you can’t come in here…”

At that time, the soldier thought something was strange.

It was a face he had seen somewhere.

Only then did the soldier look straight at the man’s face. His mouth dropped open.

“K, Kang Hyun-woo…”

It was Kang Hyun-woo, who was known to have disappeared.

Even people who were indifferent to hunters could not help but know Kang Hyun-woo’s name.

He was the strongest person that hunters could only admire, the person who competed for that title.

Belatedly, the other soldiers who were on guard noticed the change and were embarrassed. Hyun-woo stood still and looked at them.

“Can I pass?”

“J, just a moment. This is a closed area, ah, no. Have you been invited?”

Originally, no one could enter. But they had only received orders to stand guard, and they did not know who the enemy was or who the allies were.

The soldiers had also heard rumors about the Flood. They believed that Kang Hyun-woo’s appearance in this situation was not a coincidence.

“…They said to let him in.”

In the meantime, the guardhouse chief seemed to have quickly contacted them and issued an entry permit.

The soldier let Hyun-woo in as if he were possessed. Whether the contact had spread completely, other checkpoints naturally let Hyun-woo in.

No one stopped Hyun-woo until he entered the main gate of the Blue House.

The soldiers, or ability users belonging to the military, carefully stepped aside to allow Hyun-woo to enter.

No one was visible after passing through the main gate of the Blue House.

The Blue House was visible at the end of the road.

Hyun-woo walked leisurely as if he were taking a walk. Of course, it wasn’t really that no one was there. At least twenty snipers were aiming at him, and countless tanks and soldiers were watching him.

Hyun-woo leisurely passed through the flood of gazes and stood in front of the Blue House.

Someone was sitting on the stairs.

It was the martial law commander, Min So-ha.

Hyun-woo recalled proceeding with the Northern Expedition with Min So-ha.

She was a pretty good soldier with a flexible mind.

It was thanks to her that ability users and soldiers were able to proceed with the Northern Expedition smoothly without much conflict.

In the end, she was only used by Hyun-woo, but as a result, she succeeded in protecting the military power, so she was also the beneficiary of the Northern Expedition after Hyun-woo.

Min So-ha frowned and smoked a cigarette, then rubbed it out on the floor when Hyun-woo stood in front of her.

“Kang Hyun-woo.”

“Is Commander Min So-ha’s role only to guard the entrance?”

“That can’t be.”

When Min So-ha nodded, countless laser sites tickled Hyun-woo’s body.

Normally, they would aim with invisible light, but the fact that they were showing the laser site on purpose meant they were warning him.

But Hyun-woo was just puzzled.

“This will be far from enough. Where is Taesung? I heard that the new leader there is quite skilled.”

“Taesung has pulled out.”

Come to think of it, Hyun-woo hadn’t seen a single Taesung hunter on the way.

But Taesung’s movements were as expected.

At the point when Hyun-woo smashed Taesung’s power, they would have realized that there was no one among the domestic ability users who could stand up to Hyun-woo.

Even if it were possible, they would have to endure considerable damage.

Now, the only entity that could stop Hyun-woo was the state.

“Park Gyu is not here.”

Hyun-woo understood why he was able to enter so easily.

The trap was a trap, but from the beginning, the opponent Hyun-woo was aiming for was not here.

It was natural. In a situation where martial law had been declared, he would have already taken refuge in a hideout.

“Humans are social animals, Kang Hyun-woo.”

Min So-ha put a cigarette in her mouth again. Hyun-woo took the lighter from her hand and lit it for her.

Min So-ha stared at him again and said.

“No matter how strong and talented you are, you are nothing if you leave society. What do you think will happen if you single-handedly subjugate the state? Will you go into the mountains like an animal, grill meat, dig a cave, and take a nap? That’s not it.”

“…”

“Or will you knock them all down and reign like a tyrant? Kill them if they don’t listen, take what you want, and so on? Is that what you want to be?”

“Of course not.”

“If people don’t follow you, you will eventually collapse. Whether you like it or not, you have no choice but to get along with people if you don’t want to live like an animal.”

Hyun-woo could kill Min So-ha in an instant, smash the army, and turn the Blue House upside down.

But what’s next? The Republic of Korea enters a state of anarchy, and Hyun-woo is criticized under global attention.

Murderer, outlaw, terrorist, the titles that would modify him were piled up like mountains and remained.

But Hyun-woo didn’t want to play such a cursed role.

Because he could win without doing that.

“That’s not bad either, but I don’t particularly want to be a ruler.”

“You don’t?”

“I can live a simpler life. Punish if there are complaints, take what you want. Power is not a purpose for me, but a means. This situation was originally unnecessary. I’m just…”

Hyun-woo looked up at the blue roof tiles of the Blue House.

“I want to pick stars.”

“…Pick stars?”

“If I pull the stars down and put them under my feet, I can realize how far I’ve come. And then I’ll pull down another star. Until there are no more stars to pick.”

Hyun-woo smiled and said.

“How far can I, who started in the gutter, go up?”

Min So-ha frowned. She didn’t seem to like Hyun-woo’s answer very much. She sighed and muttered something into the radio.

Hyun-woo couldn’t understand because it was delivered in code. Just as Min So-ha was about to give one last order, another voice suddenly flowed out, piercing through her voice.

[Kang Hyun-woo!]

It was Park Gyu.

Min So-ha looked down at the radio in disbelief and handed it to Hyun-woo.

Hyun-woo, who had already learned how to handle the radio while proceeding with the Northern Expedition, skillfully received Park Gyu’s message.

“Park Gyu, it’s been a while since I heard your voice. How have you been?”

[That’s enough of your arrogance. How dare you act so arrogantly as a mere ability user? I’ll show you everything you cherish being torn to pieces. The Omnipotent Alliance, the wealth you’ve scraped together, and even your lover!]

“It’s okay to mess with me, but you shouldn’t mess with my lover.”

[Are you scared now? So you do have something called affection in your emotions?]

“No, that’s not it, but in my opinion, I think she might be a little more dangerous than me. I can just punish you appropriately, but if my lover starts focusing on something, it seems like she’ll just tear down the entire country…”

[What kind of trick are you playing?]

Despite Hyun-woo’s concern, Park Gyu didn’t seem to understand.

Hyun-woo shook his head, feeling like he was suppressing a sealed demon king.

At that time, Min So-ha took the radio back. Park Gyu’s frantic orders were still coming out of the radio.

[Commander Min So-ha! Kill him immediately! He is a traitor to the nation!]

Min So-ha glared at Hyun-woo with an unpleasant expression.

“3 out of 10. Kang Hyun-woo. Originally, you would have failed.”

“That’s a humiliating score.”

“Yes. But Taesung has also pulled out, and it seems like there’s no one in this country to replace you. So, through relative evaluation, you pass.”

Min So-ha sighed and gave an order to the radio.

“All troops, end the situation. End the alert and return the designated shooters.”

[Roger.]

[Roger.]

The officers didn’t say a word as if they had expected it. The laser site disappeared from Hyun-woo’s body in an instant.

And soon, an explosive reaction erupted from the radio.

[What? Min So-ha! What are you doing! Why are you withdrawing the troops! Hey!]

Min So-ha handed the radio to Hyun-woo without answering.

Hyun-woo asked Min So-ha with a curious expression.

“What on earth did Yoo-min say to seduce you?”

“She didn’t say much.”

Min So-ha replied unpleasantly.

“She just told me where to find what kind of data. I was able to guess the background and conspiracy of this situation there. In the meantime, I met Oh Dae-sung and became convinced that the story was somewhat true.”

Min So-ha took Oh Dae-sung to her office and talked to him when the Flood occurred at Cheongpyeong Hospital.

Knowing his humanity, Min So-ha was convinced that unnatural things were happening in Cheongpyeong Hospital and elsewhere.

But there was nothing Min So-ha could do. As a soldier, it was not right to point a gun at the government.

“…So, as a shortcut, I will turn a blind eye to what is happening in the Blue House from now on. You must make it clear that this is spraying insecticide, not living with insecticide on your head.”

Hyun-woo smiled and took out a caramel from his pocket.

“Of course.”

As always, the best strategy is to win before fighting.