151 – Nymphs and the Hero of the Demon Lord Castle! #1
Cha Yura, an S Ranker from Korea, was sitting in a dimly lit room.
In front of her was a dazzling screen, and on that screen, photographs of people were chaotically connected by lines like a spider web.
Swoosh-. Clack-.
Kang Cheol-Min, a former A Ranker, lightly adjusted his mechanical arm and stood up.
After giving a light cough, he picked up a slender stick and pointed at the screen, saying,
“Mr. Geum Seong-Min, the chairman of Geumseong Group, was suddenly involved in a traffic accident while heading to his home. And members of the Cheonhapa, whom Mr. Geum was sponsoring, have started to turn themselves in to the police. Both incidents are connected to one man.”
The lines sprawling across the wide screen all converged toward the center.
At that center was a large photograph of a man wearing a red prison uniform with a prisoner number written on his chest, smirking coldly.
“Majin-Jun. An A Rank Awakened of Korea. His notable achievements include the ‘Dongtan A Rank Rift Subjugation’ and the ‘Second Gangneung Civil War Suppression’ five years ago. In particular, during the Second Gangneung Civil War, he quickly suppressed the anti-state Awakened.”
“A civil war, huh.”
“Huh-. Team Leader Kang, be careful with your words. That was just an illegal protest.”
“People like us shouldn’t create anxiety by using incorrect terms.”
As the people stirred, Kang Cheol-Min remembered five years ago.
A civil war started by Awakened who expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s control.
At the center of it was Bang Dong-Joo, a first-year student whom Kang Cheol-Min knew well.
Swoosh-.
Cha Yura calmly looked at her tablet.
Many familiar faces appeared in the data there. Seeing that scene, many memories began to bubble up.
“Team Leader Kang, Bomb Maker Bang Dong-Joo had planted explosives everywhere and made threats. Although it wasn’t disclosed to the public…”
At that time, Cha Yura, then an A Rank Awakened, quickly deployed and froze the explosives.
It was a very dangerous moment, and many people in the waters of Gangneung could have been hurt.
That “Summer Sea Freezing Incident” dramatically raised Yura’s profile as “Ice Princess – Cha Yura,” and it was also the turning point for Cha Cheol-Do, Yura’s father, who rose to prominence as the opposition party leader.
Of course, Cha Yura knew the truth of the incident, which was different from what was made public.
“Majin-Jun….”
He ruthlessly suppressed the Awakened who had rebelled at that time. Since many illegal activities occurred in that process that could not be revealed, the credit went entirely to Cha Yura.
As Yura lost herself in thought, Kang Cheol-Min added an explanation.
“Majin-Jun joined the Cheonhapa in Incheon at the age of 17. After purging or eliminating the leaders, he rose to the position of deputy boss himself. This is all the information currently known.”
Kang Cheol-Min reviewed the file he had prepared to brief the VIPs.
Information about Majin-Jun was significantly lacking.
Though an A Ranker, his ability was “unknown.”
The fact that his information was missing from the meticulously managed database of Awakened indicated he was reaping the benefits of special privileges.
“A guy I don’t like.”
It was astonishing that the presidential agency, “Patriot,” had been trying to gather information and take action yet had uncovered nothing.
However, nothing is perfect, and recently the Patriot team acquired a stunning fact about Majin-Jun.
“A shrewd and cunning guy. I don’t know what you’re plotting down there in that ‘Hell Island,’ but that will also come to an end soon. A despicable gangster.”
Kang Cheol-Min looked at Majin-Jun’s profile.
Seeing his slit-like snake-like eyes, it was undoubtedly the face of a dissident.
“Our Patriot agent, ‘Doctor,’ has gone to Majin-Jun’s Hell Island, so we’ll be hearing news soon.”
“Is it that ‘Doctor’?”
“They say he has a mission success rate of 120 percent.”
“Wow! That’s reassuring!”
The VIPs, their faces hidden in the darkness, smiled as if relieved.
Just as they began to rise from their seats, saying, “Let’s go have some food,” someone approached Kang Cheol-Min.
It was the President, Cha Cheol-Do, who ranked first in the protocol hierarchy of Korea.
“Bang Dong-Joo, Ki Seung-Jae, and before them, Jin So-Min, Yong Yu-Hyun… There have been many issues caused by the first-year students. Is it possible that they developed mental issues because they crossed the rifts without any proper protective gear?”
“That research is nonsense. People like Bang Dong-Joo acted out simply because they lacked grit.”
Crack-.
Kang Cheol-Min clenched his fist with his mechanical arm.
Looking at that sight, Cha Cheol-Do placed his hand on Kang Cheol-Min’s shoulder and said,
“Good. With Team Leader Kang and the Patriot team here, the citizens can be at ease. However, it’s best to minimize risks. Keep monitoring things.”
“Understood.”
Swoosh-.
As Kang Cheol-Min left, Cha Cheol-Do looked at the screen of a specially designed tablet PC.
On it was the profile of a man.
His profile was slightly longer than that of his peers.
“That research isn’t nonsense. The rifts affect a person’s mind. Whether in good or bad ways. Which side are you on?”
# # #
“Haildo, I think it would be wise to reconsider. That Majin-Jun guy is really dangerous.”
Just before boarding the boat, Lee Jin-A said a word to me.
Since yesterday, she had been acting hesitant, as if she wanted to say something.
I responded to her.
“If he’s really that dangerous, then we have to participate in the operation even more. What if he’s plotting something sinister, and we just sit by to face a worse situation?”
A Ranker Majin-Jun.
They said he was a gangster.
Unlike the gangs that originated alongside the fifth industry in Makcheon City, he was a true survivor from an earlier era.
“Since we’re the same age, you should handle it with conversation—what, you’re not thinking that way, are you? He’s definitely not someone who can be reasoned with, so don’t entertain futile thoughts.”
Same age as me?
I looked back at the photos Ari had shown me.
“What kind of person is he, being the same age and yet a deputy boss of an organization? Can life’s lessons really diverge that much?”
“This Inoi…! Just from looking at the pictures, it’s clear that this ‘master of the island’ is a villain…! He seems very wicked…! His eyes are squinty like a weasel…!”
Inoi frowned, getting quite worked up.
Next to them, Coris, excited by the waves breaking white as the boat advanced, seemed thoroughly entertained.
“I don’t know what’s what, but this is fun…! It brings to mind the stories of old, about water nymphs singing to passing boats, causing them to crash on reefs…”
Singing to passing boats to wreck them?
What is the water nymph supposed to be?
As I contemplated such thoughts, Ari, who had been on the phone in the distance, approached us.
“The conversation is over. Senpai, from now on we’re a couple. The concept is enjoying our honeymoon on this secluded island, ‘Hell Island,’ away from the eyes of others. Got it?”
Ari’s expression was very serious.
I had no choice but to swallow hard, feeling the seriousness of this situation.
“But isn’t it an infiltration mission? Isn’t it okay to reveal our faces just like this? Shouldn’t I at least wear a fake beard or create some phony identity?”
“Senpai, you’re really bad at acting. If you create a fake identity, it’s likely to be found out, and rather, it’ll make us look suspicious. Instead, it’s much better to portray ‘famous Haildo sneaking onto the island for a secret romantic getaway.’”
Acting skills, huh.
I thought I had some confidence in that regard.
Soon after, Lee Jin-A said,
“Yu-Ari will play the role of the hidden wife. Then what will I be?”
“Jin-A will….”
As Ari opened her narrow eyes, I had a sudden flash of inspiration in my mind.
“What if Jin-A also plays the role of my wife? So the story goes that Haildo actually had two wives—enjoying a date in a secluded island like this, away from everyone. Doesn’t that sound great?”
Although the laws in 21st-century Korea, shaped by the fifth industry, were revised in many ways, polygamy was still a crime.
However, wouldn’t it be interesting to set up a scenario where Haildo was a notorious womanizer with two wives, openly enjoying his affairs on a secluded island, ‘Paradise Island’?
“……”
However, Ari’s expression slightly stiffened.
And then she cautiously asked me in a small voice,
“Senpai, someone as just and noble as you having multiple wives…? Doesn’t that seem a bit off? I don’t think that’s really appropriate… What if rumors spread…?”
“No, it’s just acting anyway. They’ve all negotiated with high-ranking officials, right? Since it’s not real, we need to create a more immersive concept.”
“…Tsk.”
Ari clicked her tongue as if she didn’t like something.
It seemed she wasn’t pleased with the idea of me portraying a bad person, even if it was a lie.
However, Lee Jin-A spoke with a very serious expression.
“I think it’s a good idea. That Majin-Jun guy isn’t an ordinary person. Do you know what his abilities are? Among the gangs in Makcheon, he’s called the ‘Mind Breaker.’ A flimsy excuse won’t work against him.”
“Mind Breaker.”
“Mind Reader,” huh?
“Isn’t his ability similar to Ms. Shizuka, the telepath from Japan? A telepathy type?”
A gangster that uses telepathy?
It seemed very bizarre, and as I thought that, Yu-Ari looked at Lee Jin-A with narrow eyes.
“You seem to know a pretty decent amount of information that spies can’t easily figure out? Jin-A, you seem to know Majin-Jun quite well. Do you two have some special relationship?”
“He was my sister’s ex-boyfriend.”
Is that real?
Jin-A’s sister, Sun-A, must’ve been quite popular among men in many ways.
Just then, the boat’s horn blared.
“Ah-! There’s the island…! I can see ‘Paradise Island’…!”
‘Paradise Island,’ located somewhere in the West Sea.
This place, as large as a single administrative district of Seoul, was originally an uninhabited island but became a strange resort through various developments after Majin-Jun’s Cheonhapa established a foothold here.
“The buildings are quite tall.”
I admired the large hotel that was visible even from a distance.
As we disembarked the boat, Inoi said,
“Ah, that person is the one who frequently appears on TV…!”
Inoi pointed to Kim Mi-Nam.
Kim Mi-Nam, once the boyfriend of the national top star Song Mi-Nya, had caused a stir in showbiz by marrying an elf after breaking up with her.
As a result, Song Mi-Nya developed a grudge against elves and attempted to terrorize them.
“But the woman next to him….”
The woman Kim Mi-Nam had his arm around was an unfamiliar middle-aged woman, not the elf wife he had filmed a couple’s variety show with.
“This is an island of indulgence and illegality. While it’s referred to as ‘Paradise Island,’ it’s actually a place where all sorts of misconduct are occurring.”
Yu-Ari shuddered slightly.
“No, the government is condoning that?”
I was puzzled.
I couldn’t understand how this island enjoyed near-extraterritorial rights, much like Makcheon.
Clop, clop.
Just then, a large, fearsome-looking man approached me.
He appeared to be an Awakened, probably about C Rank.
“Let me check your entry. Haildo, Yu-Ari, Lee Jin-A, is that correct? Haildo─, here’s the famous guy. Please sign here.”
The burly man held out a paper that read “Confidentiality.”
“This means anything that occurs on this island must remain a secret when you go back to land.”
Got it.
Just then, the fearsome man looked at me again.
“…However, you don’t seem like someone who would come to this island. I really enjoyed your ‘Hyper Evolution’ digital series. It was quite something!”
“Is that so?”
“But—while others are easy to read, I can’t seem to grasp you. What’s your purpose for coming to this island? Are you here to participate in the auction? You definitely don’t seem like someone who would come here…”
I could read suspicion in the man’s eyes.
If I answered incorrectly here, would I be thrown off the island immediately?
Heh heh heh-.
Just then, someone laughed.
It was Ari.
“Even though he might look like this, senpai has quite the hard taste. Haildo is the type of person who enjoys being hit and scolded by women. And there are preferences that cannot be explained….”
“Whoa…!”
The underling seemed surprised by Ari’s words.
He looked back and forth between my face, Ari’s, and Jin-A’s, seeming to nod in admiration.
“Well, everyone has their peculiarities when it comes to preferences. For Awakened, it’s especially common for preferences to be twisted. In the case of our Majin-Jun bro… ahem, anyway, welcome.”
After looking at me as if I were some odd specimen a few more times, the man stepped aside.
We were able to step into ‘Paradise Island’ that way.
The area was filled with swimming pools and parasols like any resort, and the natural scenery was exceedingly beautiful.
Here, my task was to create an incident that would lead to a confrontation with Majin-Jun and his Cheonhapa.
Then, the media and the strike force, who had been on standby back in the mainland, would rapidly seize control of the island.
In doing so, my role would be to create public sentiment for a “war against illegality.”
It was a simple but complicated task.
However, it was also a role that perfectly suited me, who is currently raising my profile as a celebrity.
