Chapter 101: A Scammer's Winning Strategy (3)

The next day, Kwon Oh-Jin headed to the association with Lee Woo-Hyuk for a meeting with Han Tae-Ho, the chairman of the Awakeners Association.

Han Jun-Man greeted them as they entered the building. “You’ve arrived. This way, please.”

Following his lead, they passed through several layers of security and finally stepped into an elevator. When the elevator doors opened, a spacious office came into view.

A frail, elderly man sitting in the center of the room stood up. “This is the first time we’re meeting in person.”

His deeply wrinkled skin bore the marks of several decades, and his eyes exuded a suffocating aura.

“I’m Han Tae-Ho. I should have reached out to you sooner, and for that, I apologize.” He bowed respectfully before shaking Kwon Oh-Jin's and Lee Woo-Hyuk's hands. “Thanks to you, Thunder Wolf and Black Lion, we could minimize the damage from this incident. While it’s too early to discuss compensation, the association will ensure proper rewards for your efforts.”

Didn't Park Geon-Woo call this man an old viper?

Kwon Oh-Jin thought.

No idea if he's venomous or not... but he definitely knows how to handle people.

Lee Woo-Hyuk shook his head. “Compensation won't be necessary. I just want to make sure the culprit behind this horrific incident is apprehended so that nothing like this happens again.”

Kwon Oh-Jin scoffed on the inside.

Does this guy want to be a real hero? Of course, I’m taking the reward. If they’re offering, why refuse?

“I hear the Thunder Wolf has some information regarding that?” Han Tae-Ho sat back down and turned his attention to Kwon Oh-Jin.

“Yes, I wanted to have this meeting to ask for everyone’s help.” Kwon Oh-Jin sat down across the chairman. “At the time of the Guro-dong attack, I spotted a man in a black robe watching the battle from a high-rise.”

“

Hmm

. He was simply observing the scene?”

“Yes. Finding it suspicious, I pursued him and found this.”

Kwon Oh-Jin placed a black chalice on the table.

“What is this?” Han Tae-Ho asked.

“It’s an Astral Relic used to control demonic beasts.”

All the other four people’s eyes widened in shock.

“A-Are you sure?” Lee Woo-Hyuk asked.

“Yes. I even tested it. I commanded the demonic beasts to stop moving, and they obeyed.”

“

Ah...

So the reason the demonic beasts suddenly stopped moving mid-battle...”

“It was because of my command.”

“

Oh

.”

An Astral Relic capable of controlling demonic beasts was unprecedented.

“So this means someone deliberately organized this incident,” Han Tae-Ho said, his eyes narrowing.

“... The Black Star Society.” Lee Woo-Hyuk furiously gritted his teeth. “Did you manage to capture the robed man?”

“I did, but he ended up taking his own life,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied and sighed deeply. “It was most likely to prevent us from uncovering the true mastermind.”

“Mastermind...” Han Tae-Ho's expression hardened.

“You’re aware, aren’t you? Someone within the association is connected to the Black Star Society.”

The chairman's gaze wavered. “No way... Are you saying that Cheon Woo-Seong was behind this?”

“Is there a reason he wouldn’t be?”

Han Tae-Ho closed his eyes shut. “At the very least, he's never harmed non-Awakeners.”

“

Until now,

that is. He was waiting for this moment.”

Han Tae-Ho stayed silent, his lips pressed into a firm line. He understood better than anyone who stood to lose the most—and who had the most to gain—from all this. When something like this happened, the one who benefited the most was usually behind it. It was a simple truth, but one that rarely failed.

“I understand it’s hard to believe,” Kwon Oh-Jin said.

It was ironic that Cheon Woo-Seong had genuinely acted to protect non-Awakeners up to this point.

But in the end, he trampled over everything after all that bullshit on nobility.

Nonetheless, Han Tae-Ho found it hard to believe as someone who had watched Cheon Woo-Seong closely for so long.

“Honestly, it's hard to swallow.” Han Tae-Ho sighed. “Even if he is the mastermind, do you have any evidence to prove it?”

“We’ll create it,” Kwon Oh-Jin replied.

Han Tae-Ho’s eyes widened in surprise. “Create it?”

“It’s simple. Hold a press conference and personally present this.” Kwon Oh-Jin handed him the black chalice with a cold, sharp gaze. “Declare that the culprit is in custody and being interrogated, and say that we will soon uncover the mastermind behind everything.”

***

In a dark office, the light from a television screen flickered like stars in the night sky. On the screen, Han Tae-Ho—the association chairman—held up a black chalice before all the reporters.

[This was the Astral Relic used in the crime, and it is capable of controlling demonic beasts.]

With the chalice in hand, he walked toward a sturdy metal cage containing one of the captured beasts.

[Raise both arms.]

As he commanded into the chalice, the demonic beast in the cage raised both arms in response. The unbelievable sight caused a stir among the reporters.

[The culprit deliberately used this Astral Relic to control the demonic beasts and orchestrate a massacre of innocent civilians.]

Cameras ceaselessly flashed as the murmurs turned into a loud uproar.

[The suspect is currently in the association's custody. Once the interrogation concludes, we will uncover the mastermind behind this attack on Guro-dong.]

And with that resolute statement, the press conference ended.

“Damn it!” Cheon Woo-Seong yelled, throwing a random object at the television in frustration.

Crack!

“Haa, haa!”

It was a situation he hadn't expected.

I can’t believe Park Geon-Woo... got caught.

How did this happen?

To keep things under wraps, he’d limited the number of people involved and made sure Park Geon-Woo’s location was completely untraceable. Moreover, Park Geon-Woo was a skilled, high-ranking executive who should have been able to escape.

Grit.

Yet he had foolishly fallen into the hands of a special agent.

As long as he doesn’t tell them anything during the interrogation, there won’t be a problem...

However, Cheon Woo-Seong couldn't be certain that Park Geon-Woo wouldn’t crack.

“Damn it.”

He had to do something—either break Park Geon-Woo out or eliminate him from the equation.

But I can’t move directly.

He was already under suspicion of being connected to the Black Star Society. If he acted on his own and was discovered, the repercussions would be irreversible.

In that case... I need someone with no ties to the Black Star Society but enough influence to reach Park Geon-Woo.

“Where’s Director Jung?” Cheon Woo-Seong echoed.

“I’ll bring him immediately!” one of his subordinates answered.

After about five minutes, a balding, overweight man stumbled into the office.

“

Haa! Haa!

Y-You called for me?”

Director Jung Seung-Man was an ally he'd made after infiltrating the association, and he didn’t have a clue about Cheon Woo-Seong's real identity.

Even if he gets caught, it won’t be an issue.

No evidence would surface even if he were thoroughly investigated since he wasn't part of the Black Star Society. Moreover, he had the authority to approach Park Geon-Woo, who was under custody.

It could be troublesome if he said he acted on my orders, but that's okay. I can just shake it off by saying I knew nothing about it.

“Director Jung, could you do me a favor, please?” Cheon Woo-Seong flashed his signature innocent smile.

“What is it...?”

“You know the suspect who was recently captured, right?”

“You mean the one responsible for the demonic beast incident?”

Cheon Woo-Seong nodded. “Yes. Please kill him."

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

“W-What?!”

"If that’s too difficult, at least help him escape.”

Jung Seung-Man’s jaw dropped at the shocking request. No matter how much authority he had, releasing a suspect responsible for the deaths of countless civilians would ruin him completely.

“You’ll do it... Won’t you?” Cheon Woo-Seong’s eyes shone coldly.

“H-Hic!”

Jung Seung-Man's face turned pale with fear, and he broke into a cold sweat, fidgeting nervously before anxiously nodding. “I-I understand!”

Bowing submissively, he quickly left the room.

“Phew.”

Cheon Woo-Seong sat down and gazed out the window, chewing his lip anxiously.

Mother...

Growing restless from the wait, he retrieved a communication marble discreetly stored in the office safe and stared at it with a conflicted expression.

Should I report the situation to Father?

The thought crossed his mind briefly before he shook his head. “No.”

This was a mission his father had entrusted to him. He had to resolve the issue on his own.

Father’s too busy right now anyway.

Although he didn’t know exactly what his father was planning, he knew it was keeping him too preoccupied to maintain regular contact.

He returned to his seat and let out a heavy sigh.

After waiting for several hours, the communication marble vibrated.

Buzz!

—I-I’ve succeeded!

Jung Seung-Man’s face, drenched in sweat, appeared in the marble’s projection.

Cheon Woo-Seong’s eyes lit up. “Did you kill him?”

—N-No, I couldn’t kill him, but I... I stealthily disabled the restraints and helped him escape!

Beeeep! Beeeeep!

A loud alarm echoed throughout the association, confirming that Park Geon-Woo had indeed escaped.

Perfect!

Cheon Woo-Seong clenched his fist in triumph. Now that Park Geon-Woo was free, there was only one thing left to do.

“Owls, gather.”

Black feathers scattered across the room as dozens of his subordinates assembled before him.

Swish, swish, swish!

“Let’s go find Park Geon-Woo.”

Cheon Woo-Seong needed to deal with him before he could be recaptured. He opened the office door and stepped out.

***

The balding, overweight man clutched the communication marble and shouted frantically, “I... I stealthily disabled the restraints and helped him escape!”

Beeeep! Beeeeep!

The loud alarm filled the association, and the connection abruptly ended.

“Mmph! Mmmph! Mmmmph!”

The muffled sound of suppressed groaning echoed through the room.

“Didn’t I tell you to keep quiet, old man?” Jung Seung-Man said, frowning.

On the floor beneath him lay another Jung Seung-Man, bound tightly with wire. The free Jung Seung-Man crouched down, yanking the tape off the bound one’s mouth.

The real Jung Seung-man gasped for air, trembling in terror.

“

I-I was just doing as I was told!”

“Sure, sure, and you did all that for free?” the other Jung Seung-Man asked.

The director was infamous for his abuse of power within the association.

Didn’t he allegedly harass three secretaries?

He deserved to be dismissed immediately, but Cheon Woo-Seong’s influence had kept him in his position.

“Th-Th-That’s...” Sweat trickled down his chubby, flushed cheeks. “P-Please spare me! I’ll do whatever you ask. Just don’t kill me!”

“

Hmmm

. That’s what I’d like to do, but leaving someone with a loose tongue alive is risky.” The man wearing Jung Seung-Man’s face shrugged.

“B-But I don’t even know what you really look like! There’s no way I could expose your identity!”

He was right. The attacker had somehow mimicked his face perfectly, hiding his true appearance.

“

Oh

, really?”

Gurgle.

The mask began to melt off, revealing Kwon Oh-Jin’s face.

“Oops. You’ve seen it now, haven't you?”